Dragon Age 2 - Preview @ PC Gamer

There's a short preview of Dragon Age 2 at PC Gamer, although it isn't clear if they saw the PC or console version. The author says the combat is "closer to an action game", mentions the Mass Effect-inspired dialogue and talks about the new, improved rogue compared to the "toothless" version in DA:O (not my experience - my rogue put out some serious damage):

I ended up being happy with StabbyHawke. Dragon Age II’s backstab move is ludicrously satisfying: starting with Hawke hurling a smoke bomb, he darts forward at warp speed and somehow gets behind his foe, whereupon he injects a few inches of cold steel into their kidneys. The first time he did it, I made an involuntary grab for my own innards. The second time, I started grinning. I began playing this Hawke as he was meant to be played. Hawke and friends are a lot more mobile this time around – indeed, combat as a whole is fresher, faster, and closer to an action game than in Origins.

Interestingly, when questioned in the comments about the opening criticism of DA:O's "utilitarian and ugly" menus, the article author says this came from BioWare:

To interject here, guys, I’m basing a lot of the dissatisfaction with the art style on what DA:O’s art director told me. You might love the muted browns and greys; he and his art team were quite adamant it didn’t come out as well as they’d hoped.

More information.

Nice one! Read this "preview" few nights ago and was rather stunned when I saw author`s "response"…

Here`s a reply by `contrapositive`, one of the users there - sums it up rather nicely.

"@Rich
Then tell us how YOU feel. Not how they feel. I don’t go to PCGamer.com to read the same typical sales pitch, PR bullshit that I could read on dragonage.com

When you guys reviewed Dragon Age: Origins you called it RPG of the DECADE, not a slow paced, ugly brown game with clunky menus. Let us know how you feel, what is your opinion, whether or not you agree with the designers’ complaints about their own game. If a preview is nothing more than you reporting on how the designers feel about their own game, then why not just call it an interview?"

Isn't it sort of good news that they are dumbing down the game because then there will be a bigger opening in the market to fill with a more hardcore RPG?

I played DA:O when it came out and I felt like I was playing an RPG soap opera with endless dialog banter of little value. I'll try it again soon in hopes I was mistaken.

Originally Posted by zadokAllen
Nice one! Read this "preview" few nights ago and was rather stunned when I saw author`s "response"…

Here`s a reply by `contrapositive`, one of the users there - sums it up rather nicely.

"@Rich
Then tell us how YOU feel. Not how they feel. I don’t go to PCGamer.com to read the same typical sales pitch, PR bullshit that I could read on dragonage.com

When you guys reviewed Dragon Age: Origins you called it RPG of the DECADE, not a slow paced, ugly brown game with clunky menus. Let us know how you feel, what is your opinion, whether or not you agree with the designers’ complaints about their own game. If a preview is nothing more than you reporting on how the designers feel about their own game, then why not just call it an interview?"

I read the post on pcgamer last night and all I thought was bravo. Someone had the balls to say what the review industry is really about. Don't give us the bioware pr drivel that they want you to say. Tell us how a game that was the best rpg of 2009 can be called a turd and how if we like it were wrong. I want a rpg players honest opinion and not a paid one.

These magazines and the game industry live in a corrupt promiscuity.
I don't read anymore that kind of previews or reviews. I'm only interested in some users reviews. The rest is pure PR.

My rogue destroyed DA:O, and looked great doing it as well. The PCGamer issue that I got w/ the mega DA:O preview got me so fired up for the game, all they did was praise it there and in subsequent review. It's strange the way that they keep cutting it down left and right now. How dare they 180 like that, do they think nobody remembers?

It took a long time, but I'm finally content in the fact that I let my subscription lapse after nearly a decade.

Oh, I see they are using the Fable PR marketing strategy.

I understand EAs marketing for wanting to make DA2 sound more awesome than DA1, but I have to admit I don't understand why all these previews never mention the fact that DA1 was an amazing game. In fact, it was so good all DA2 needs to do is refine DA1, not re-invent it.

Similar to BG1 -> BG2.

Originally Posted by Maylander
In fact, it was so good all DA2 needs to do is refine DA1, not re-invent it.

From what I've seen of DA2, I'd say it goes beyond just refining DA1. The new action combat changes the very foundations of the game. So much so that Bioware is re-inventing DA1, IMO. DA2 has the same game world as DA1, but it is a different game. Maybe it should be called Dragon Effect. That'd be closer to its "heritage".