Dragon Age 2 - 8 Reasons Why It's Good

I'm sorry but I don't get the madness at this game. Based on its own merits is a rather good game. It has some flaws, but which game hasn't. And maybe it is just me? but I didn't notice any re-use of the caves untill I specifically looked for them. And that about enemies dropping from sky? It happens maybe once or twice during the whole game!

I rather liked the more responsive combat in DA2 to DA:O's slow 'ok, now I'm over here, uhm, I didn't hit the enemy…' approach. I found the rogue's backstap teleport a little silly, but nothing I couldn't live with. And the deep roads in DA2 isn't as short an expedtion as someone wanted them be (one reviewer wrote thatis was only 2-3 rooms, not true!)

I also quite liked the story; no more saving the earth, no more clandestine or secret organisation, no more big bad evil that need to defeated at the end of the game. Just a common man who by his own strength and cunning etc. rises to power in Kirkwall. There are some irritating moment for me, sure, but nothing big. Small things like a man that has waited in 7-8 years to see the Viceroy and the wave combat of course. But once, I learned how to deal with it, it was fun. And required a certain amount of tactical and strategic thinking i.e. by throwing a lot af grenades and using a lot of venom on my weapons (in game). Those people what come to this game and played it like an action game or FPS or maybe even as some MMO's play out in combat, they would have been (very) disappointed. I liked the third person view also; I didn't have any use of the overview tactical camera in Origins in combat. All I asked was that I still could pause the game while in combat, and I could.

I also sort of like the storyteller, Varric, and his unreliable narrator. And the framed narrative. It was something new to try in the way of telling a game. Most people didn't seem to like it, though - or was it just because they were the loudest crowd(s)? I didn't get why Orsino turned into a Harvester (neither does Varric as can be witnessed if you watch his intro vid on youtube for DA Inquisition) but overall I enjoyed the game a lot. My final score would also be 8.5/10.

On a final note, le me leave you with to ponder about: People on the Bioware forums have been shouting at Bioware for years (nearly two decaded, it seems) to do something else than the trivial kill the big bad, join a secret organization, etc. - and when Bioware does something else than this, Bioware still get flack for it, are shouted at, and are called names etc. etc. as well as having people complain… about this…

it must be very hard for Bioware to know what the shall do next…

I just fear? that with DA: Inquisition they have tried to please everyone…

If you slap a '2' on a title it's hard to judge it on its own merits.

DA2 is a symbol. It is a symbol for the movement away from RPG conventions in favor of lighter, shallower and more casual mechanics. THAT is where the "madness" stems from. The refusal by many to allow the genre to die or become diluted or merged into some adventure-hybrid to play on your cellphone.

As I've said a million times on this forum - if you are gaming omnivore who enjoys the latest FIFA at the same level as the latest Dragon Age, then the reaction to DA2 was indeed, "madness". If otoh you count days between RPG releases, then what BioWare did with DA2 was a betrayal and a worrying pointer at the future "evolution" of the genre.

If you took out the DA2 lore and slapped a different brand on it, I'd have played it, finished it, and never said a word about it.

Originally Posted by aries100
And maybe it is just me? but I didn't notice any re-use of the caves untill I specifically looked for them. And that about enemies dropping from sky? It happens maybe once or twice during the whole game!

It's just you

I think the first problem was simply a question of quality - everything from textures and models to voice acting and story were just several notches below, say, Mass Effect 2, which is probably the best comparison.

The biggest mistake, though, was that I think fans just wanted more DA:O. If Bioware had essentially made that game again, made it a bit bigger with maybe some polished up graphics, the fanbase would have eaten it up with a spoon.

The suspicion that I had, and I don't think I'm alone, is that EA had pushed them to ship something too quickly, and to make it appear more like a console beat em up, because that's the market they understand.

But I agree, taken on its own merits, it's not as bad as all that.

Originally Posted by aries100
I'm sorry but I don't get the madness at this game. Based on its own merits is a rather good game.

I rather liked the more responsive combat in DA2 to DA:O's slow 'ok, now I'm over here, uhm, I didn't hit the enemy…' approach.

After 120 hours of Origins/Awakening/DLC, I finally started DA2. I've just finished Act 1 and so far I'm truly loving the game! I really thought the game would be so much worse based on the years of hate. I agree with you that the combat is so vastly superior to DAO's clunky system.

I understand why some dislike DA2 since it is such a streamlined experience, but honestly I really like the quick, easy questing. DA2 lets you focus on story and characters rather than extremely long dungeon-delving. There's a place for both of course.

The recycled areas is an unfortunate limitation, but honestly it doesn't bother me much. Perhaps this is because of my background playing board game RPGs? I mean we used to have a single board with only a handful of miniatures that we'd recycle for scenario after scenario in game's like HeroQuest. It sort of takes me back to my roots when entering the same areas for different quest scenarios…not that this is ideal, mind you.

But I must remember I'm playing the games 3 years later and I didn't pay anywhere close to full price for it. And maybe Act 2 and 3 will be horrible.