Yesterday (Sunday) GameStop called me up to tell me I could pick up my copy of Dragon Age 2 Monday night at midnight, but, that I should get there early, as early as 10 P.M.. I'm guessing GameStop is having a release party and maybe even giving away some free swag (possibly DA2 shirts or something). I'm going to call them this afternoon and ask them if I should really be there a whole two hours early. If they're not going to put it in my hands until 12 A.M. I'm not going to be there two hours early. For one I'm way too sick to be able to stand there for that length of time. I wouldn't want to sit there for that long either as I'd still be in pain either way. I'll probably show up around 11:30 or so. If they're giving away free stuff that probably means I'll miss out on it, but, I'm just happy to get the game.
Who all has played the demo? I've played through it twice now on a lap-top I can use from in bed. I've played through it as a mage and a warrior. Depending on how I feel I may give it a run through as a rogue some time today. Honestly, I'm liking the feel of the game (demo) minus a couple small annoyances.
1. Even on the PC version, unless it's in the full version and wasn't in the demo, they got rid of the Isometric over-head view. That kind of pisses me off. I've read two separate previews and one says the iso view is in and another says it's gone, so, I guess I'll find out tonight.
2. I'm not sure I like the conversation "wheel". I preferred the method of conversation from DA:O. I may be in the minority there, but, I feel this wheel thing is just an excuse to use a short-cut. It only gives you the "gist" of what the actual reply is anyway and doesn't list what your character will say word for word. It does how-ever give you a little picture representing the emotion that will be conveyed in the reply you give (good, neutral, evil).
Aside from those two things I didn't see anything else in the demo I didn't like. I was honestly afraid that by speeding up the combat like they did that they would have gotten rid of the tactical feeling that DA:O's combat had. Fortunately the tactical feeling is alive and intact despite the more action oriented combat. If you haven't played the demo because of the fear that the sped up combat has taken away the tactics, have no fear, it's still there.
Most of the sites that have given previews say the graphics are much improved over the first game, but honestly, aside from some better animations (which really doesn't count as "graphics" if you ask me) it looks pretty much the same except with a slightly different style to parts of the games over-all look. The graphics are good, just as good as the first game and the newer look does indeed look good as well, but I'm not seeing a huge improvement in the graphics that some of the sites are raving about.
The voice work in the demo is great and I can't complain there. The UI is basically non-existent how-ever. At the bottom of the screen where your skills are displayed there's not even a box to outline them. There's a slightly grayed area where your skills are listed side by side in what-ever order you'd like to list them. You can arrange them in which-ever order you'd like.
So, originally I had my doubts that by changing the combat the game wouldn't feel like Dragon Age, but that's not a worry anymore. The only real important draw back to me has been the lack of a pulled back iso view. Needless to say for the most part I'm greatly looking forward to getting the game tonight. If you haven't pre-ordered the game and you liked the first one, get your ass to the store and lay down the money. If you don't you're missing out!!!
So far the story is my main concern about the game too. DA1 had a story that grabbed me right from the beginning, first with the human noble background and then with the battle of ostraggar (sp?). The rest was a little more standard, but still good enough to keep me going and really interested in what was going to happen next. I've only finished part 1 of DA2, but the pacing is nowhere nearly as good.
I'll see how things go from there. I have no problem with any of the game mechanics changes, there are things I don't like quite as much but there are other things I like better which makes up for them. But what made DA1 fun for me wasn't just the mechanics but the story and setting.
I have to agree with both your points on the "story". It is significantly weaker than DA:O. It just doesn't feel as "epic" and the pacing seems slightly off.
I'm pretty sure that the game as it is was meant to be about a ~10 hour first act to Dragon Age 2. But EA wanted to cash in on the series, so they made Bioware release way early. So they just took their planned first act, fleshed it out with a bunch of sidequests and used the new mechanics that they developed and called it a whole game. That would explain the complete lack of a larger story, the ending (which is a cliffhanger of sorts), and why this game was so lacking in a lot of big picture stuff.
Hmm I don't know....the actual game mechanics seem to be designed to support an extended playing and they do a good job at it. I think the issue is just that they were trying to tell a slower to develop and more complicated political story that took full advantage of all the mythology and backstory they had created in the previous game, rather then a kill the obvious bad guy story. Something more Game of Thrones then Lord of the Rings. It just didn't quite work out in practice. I believe there was review that said the storytelling was excellent but that the actual story was not, which seems fair.
I only like two things in this game.
1. The skill&ability tree is much more nicer and better then DAO (especially having lots of tactics slots without needing to put points into a skill which was always so nonsensical to me in DAO to need to spend character points to improve a game/UI mechanic). I like how now you got all numbers explained and abilities make more sense as well as different classes having unique talent trees.
2. I like how the years pass in the story, which is unique to this game of all the RPGs I played. I makes things more realistic. I just wished they didn't make it so that as soon as you meet some characters for the first time after a few years (next chapter) they have conversations with you that make no sense (they act like few years didn't pass). Like your mother after you finish deep roads.
This bugs me a bit (everything else bugs me a lot): You can cast spells all day anywhere without any problems (in BG2 you could not do that) in a city where everyone hates mages. Not to mention all the templars you meet that know you are a mage none turn you in.
Anyways I cannot wait to finish DA2 and go back to playing NWN2 so I can calm down the restless spirits in me after playing this.
And I am still waiting for the next BG2 or PS:T. Or at least Kotor or DAO like games that had good storytelling if not a good combat system.
Actually, what bugs me more is the total incompetence of the Templars. How dumb do you have to be to not realize that all you need to do is to lock up anyone with a staff?
And what bugs me even more than that is feedback like this. Actually, "bugs" is the wrong word. More like "hysterically amusing." I've lost count of how many feedback items I've seen that boil down to "This game sucks! I can't wait til I'm done playing it so I can do something else!" Protip: If something really sucks, you'd stop doing it. Unless you're insane.
Well I didn't say I hate it. I have stopped playing different games for different reasons in the past (Elemental being one of them). DA2 so far is good enough to finish once (and the lack of other good games helps) although I am getting pretty bored with it.
Anyways, I really like party based RPG games, that is why I said I cannot wait to play NWN2 after DA2 because combat system in DA2 is really baaaad and I do want to forget it as soon as possible and the best way to do that is to play something else.
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