What are you playing now?

    Quote from Taylor

    Console game dumbed down for console sequel?

    I know right?!?!?!?!

    But no, in all seriousness Dragon Age 1 on the PC was a proper PC rpg that had little to no console in it apart from the graphics. Biowares last good game.

    Do you really judge a game's quality on how much it may or may not appeal to grognards? Personally I like a little bit of streamline in my PC game. Makes it run better, I've heard, and you know I'm all about that.

    Also the moments where you pause and pan the camera around to look at the pretty particle effects and gore and animation poses are way better in DA2 than DA1.

    Quote from Jetsetlemming

    Also the moments where you pause and pan the camera around to look at the pretty particle effects and gore and animation poses are way better in DA2 than DA1.

    That doesn't make it the better game.

    Quote from dux

    That doesn't make it the better game.

    No, being able to play without having my squad acting like idiots on the default tactics, without worrying about friendly fire due to my squad acting like idiots (Enemy currently in the middle of a burning field of oil, beneath a tempest? I'D BETTER RUN IN THERE AND MAKE SURE HE'S ULTRA DEAD), having a decent game challenge not based on me accidentally killing my own guys or needing to micromanage them every two seconds, more interesting environmental design, a WAY faster pace, and being able to interrupt a melodramatic elf's tale of peril to hit on him while my dwarf friend looks on in admiration is what makes it a better game. The moments where you pause and look at the special effects is just icing.

    Anyway, regardless of that stuff (except one), I don't really play Bioware's games for the gameplay. Mass Effect as a shooter series is a really mediocre shooter series, although ME2's Vanguard stuff goes a pretty decent distance to fix that. Dragon Age as a western RPG was annoyingly fiddly and with a pointless tactics system replacing respectable NPC AI, though Dragon Age 2 goes some distance to fix that by making making your squad take care of itself better. But no, as far as gameplay goes I could list a dozen games I'd rather be playing. I play Bioware's games for the writing. They could make a talking simulator where you do nothing but talk to people, and I'd play it. That's what I'm here for, those moments where Merril asks Carver about "Swording", or asks Aveline how come she never arrests us even when we break the law, or when Varrus makes fun of Carver for not being Me. Dragon Age 2's gameplay gets in my way of that content a lot less than DA1's did, and as far as I'm concerned that's a big improvement.

    Not sure if i'm gonna buy DA2. All i read about it sounds like a big let down. What is wrong with Bioware producing awesome first games and then fucking up the sequels?

    Quote from Jetsetlemming

    That doesn't make it the better game.

    No, being able to play without having my squad acting like idiots on the default tactics, without worrying about friendly fire due to my squad acting like idiots (Enemy currently in the middle of a burning field of oil, beneath a tempest? I'D BETTER RUN IN THERE AND MAKE SURE HE'S ULTRA DEAD), having a decent game challenge not based on me accidentally killing my own guys or needing to micromanage them every two seconds, more interesting environmental design, a WAY faster pace, and being able to interrupt a melodramatic elf's tale of peril to hit on him while my dwarf friend looks on in admiration is what makes it a better game. The moments where you pause and look at the special effects is just icing.

    Anyway, regardless of that stuff (except one), I don't really play Bioware's games for the gameplay. Mass Effect as a shooter series is a really mediocre shooter series, although ME2's Vanguard stuff goes a pretty decent distance to fix that. Dragon Age as a western RPG was annoyingly fiddly and with a pointless tactics system replacing respectable NPC AI, though Dragon Age 2 goes some distance to fix that by making making your squad take care of itself better. But no, as far as gameplay goes I could list a dozen games I'd rather be playing. I play Bioware's games for the writing. They could make a talking simulator where you do nothing but talk to people, and I'd play it. That's what I'm here for, those moments where Merril asks Carver about "Swording", or asks Aveline how come she never arrests us even when we break the law, or when Varrus makes fun of Carver for not being Me. Dragon Age 2's gameplay gets in my way of that content a lot less than DA1's did, and as far as I'm concerned that's a big improvement.

    Are we even playing the same game? The combat in this is horrendous. My character will perform a special attack then just sit there like an idiot, he won't follow up and continue attacking. Don't even get me started on the annoying trend of my party not listening to me either. I instruct one to take a potion and they just sit there. I end up having to spam the button in order for them to take it. I haven ever felt in less control in a party based game ever. A faster pace combat system is NOT for this game. Whoever deemed it appropriate has subsequently alienated me and most likely everyone who enjoyed the combat in DA1. That is of course an assumption but from having asked everyone I know who owns DA2, they think it's a fuck up.

    And Bioware don't score points from me anymore on their writing. The writing here is as good as any other of their games. What pisses me off is their current ability to ASS FUCK their sequels. Let me go ahead and list what's wrong with this compared to DA1.

    And you don't play Biowares games for gameplay? This says more about them really than anything. Their games were the epitome of RPG gameplay with the likes of Baldurs Gate and NWN and KoToR. Now they are just... ugh.

    And allow me to throw in a quote here that sums it all up for me:

    Quote

    On all platforms, Dragon Age II caters to an audience that didn’t connect with Origins, while alienating those who did

    Dragon Age 1, Biowares last hurah.

    DA 1 was a better game so far but I am only 5 hours in, for me ME 1 was a better game too, just don't like constant making games for accessible for everyone stuff. Soon we'll end up with just 1 sub-genre of game and that's a sad day.

    At least ME 2 improved on many aspects of the game, I can't say the same for DA2 - so far everything including the art has been of lower standard. The only real connection I feel with the game is the music ... I suppose you can thank the short development cycle for that, In a genre that needs allot of time.

    Quote

    Anders doesn't even have the same voice actor, and the voice actor now is so boring ;(

    I'm also playing RIFT and I have nothing but awesome things to say about that game

    ME2 had way better DLC. ME1's was BS. A super unspecial event on a moon, noteworthy only for introducing the Batarians from ME2, and some challenge levels? Blah. ME2's Kasumi, Shadow Broker, Overlord, etc. were way better extra missions. Kasumi was one of my favorite squad members, and her spy action loyalty mission owned.

    Also I got a cool new hat.

    [Blocked Image: http://i.imgur.com/dxWJ7l.jpg]

    Everyone else seems to like it.

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