First DA:O Review

But mages are uber-dangerous, which also fits well with the background lore of the setting. While in most D&D games typically one of the easiest ways to blast through the storyline is to have a band of fighter types, that wouldn't work as well in Dragon Age, where combat is really tough without a mage's AOE damage and crowd control spells and healing (no clerics, so mages fill that role too

I am a bit confused it just has mages, warriors and rogues ??

Originally Posted by GothicGothicness
I am a bit confused it just has mages, warriors and rogues ??

Yes, but with 4 specializations for each class. Also there might be more specializations coming in the future.

Mage:
-Shapeshifter
-Spirit Healer
-Blood Mage
-Arcane Warrior
Warrior:
-Berserker
-Templar
-Champion
-Reaver
Rogue:
-Assassin
-Bard
-Duelist
-Ranger

6th november released here, i can barely wait, i am ready and willing to smite the fiendish foes.

I'm looking forward to the editor

I hope these specialisations aren't linear paths ala Dungeon Siege 2. I really hope they've learned from D&D here.

Originally Posted by lumiapina
Yes, but with 4 specializations for each class. Also there might be more specializations coming in the future.

Mage:
-Shapeshifter
-Spirit Healer
-Blood Mage
-Arcane Warrior
Warrior:
-Berserker
-Templar
-Champion
-Reaver
Rogue:
-Assassin
-Bard
-Duelist
-Ranger

I'm torn here on what will be my first character, between mage (blood mage) or rogue (bard)

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
I'm looking forward to the editor

I hope these specialisations aren't linear paths ala Dungeon Siege 2. I really hope they've learned from D&D here.

http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Specializations

There's some info on the specializations. Basicly they give one time attribute bonuses and open up new talents. You can have two specializations per character. You have to unlock them through a quest, trainer or manual. Once unlocked, you can use a specialization point to take an unlocked specialization. These points are gained at levels 7 and 14. You don't have to spend them until you want to. New characters can take already unlocked specializations as soons as they get their first specialization point without having find the quest/trainer/manual.

PCGamer UK gave it 94%

Still not as good as Oblivion, eh?

They gave it 95%.

Funny you should mention that, because that review's verdict was this:

Verdict
A truly astonishing game. Vast, vivid and microscopically detailed. Dragon Age is the RPG of the decade

94%

Sounds a bit excessive and that leads me to believe it's part of the hype campaign, rather than a balanced impartial review.

I hope I'm wrong, though.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Sounds a bit excessive and that leads me to believe it's part of the hype campaign, rather than a balanced impartial review.

I hope I'm wrong, though.

Well; it is possible that Dragon Age is that good and the review itself is good too. I should be able to check it myself on Thursday.
Nevertheless PCGamer UK is the last magazine I would trust when I think about cRPG. Very often (e.g. Witcher) I could clearly see that the reviewer didn't play the game for more than a few hours.
What is more, there is a simple pattern:
"Big" games get big scores:
Oblivion: 93 %
Fallout 3: 90%
Fable: 88%

Other games… well:
The Witcher: 67%
Gothic II: 62%
Divine Divinity: 56%

Originally Posted by kroto
"Big" games get big scores:
Oblivion: 93 %
Fallout 3: 90%
Fable: 88%

Other games… well:
The Witcher: 67%
Gothic II: 62%
Divine Divinity: 56%

Seriously? Ouch … Those really do look like "gloss" scores to me, more than anything else.

Originally Posted by kroto
Well; it is possible that Dragon Age is that good and the review itself is good too. I should be able to check it myself on Thursday.
Nevertheless PCGamer UK is the last magazine I would trust when I think about cRPG. Very often (e.g. Witcher) I could clearly see that the reviewer didn't play the game for more than a few hours.
What is more, there is a simple pattern:
"Big" games get big scores:
Oblivion: 93 %
Fallout 3: 90%
Fable: 88%

Other games… well:
The Witcher: 67%
Gothic II: 62%
Divine Divinity: 56%

Could be due to reviewer(s)? Any of those by a same reviewer?

Oblivion 93% - Gothic II 62% ? PCGamer UK 0%

Originally Posted by lumiapina
Could be due to reviewer(s)? Any of those by a same reviewer?

Yes, it could be due to reviewers - I may still have all necessary magazines to be able to verify it but I would need more time to find them (next weekend?).
Still, IMHO there is a pattern:

Neverwinter Nights: 90%
Neverwinter Nights 2: 90%
KOTOR: 92%
KOTOR 2: 88%
Mass Effect: 89%


Drakensang: 72%
Gothic 3: 71%

Certainly instead of “Big” games vs. “Small”(?) games pattern you could say this is just an Anglocentric point of view. cRPG from UK, USA or Canada get big scores and so-called here continental RPGs (from Germany, Poland or Belgium) … well I think you get the picture.

Originally Posted by GothicGothicness
Oblivion 93% - Gothic II 62% ? PCGamer UK 0%

It's almost exactly how I would score those two games as well, so it's an opinion. Gothic just doesn't do it for many, many players. I'm a hardcore crpg'er too, so it's not that. As a general rule, I prefer games that were developed by people who speak English as their primary/only language. English is a very difficult language to master and something is always lost in translation. I would imagine most folks prefer games that are developed in their native language, although there are several people at the Watch who play the English versions of games even if there is a native version available.

crpg"nut" do I need to say more Of course people have different opinions but as a reviewer I think you need to be objective as well…. how someone can think Gothic II is a 62% game is truly beyond me… if it is because of language problems.. I think you could cut some % for that but not 33%……..

Of course since you are not doing an official review you are free to think what you want!

Originally Posted by crpgnut
It's almost exactly how I would score those two games as well, so it's an opinion. Gothic just doesn't do it for many, many players. I'm a hardcore crpg'er too, so it's not that.

Well, to an an extent it is, as Oblivion has no choices, no consequences, no classes, no restrictions, and a fundamentally broken level system that makes any review >80% pandering. Oblivion is a console action game with RPG-lite elements, NOT a hardcore RPG.

PCGamer UK December 2009

Dragon Age: Origins
Verdict: A truly astonishing game. Vast, vivid and microscopically detailed. Dragon Age is the RPG of the decade. 94%

Risen
Verdict: A by-the-book roleplaying jaunt in fantasy-land. There is enough to do in Risen, but never enough to thrill. 65%

Originally Posted by txa1265
Well, to an an extent it is, as Oblivion has no choices, no consequences, no classes, no restrictions, and a fundamentally broken level system that makes any review >80% pandering. Oblivion is a console action game with RPG-lite elements, NOT a hardcore RPG.

This also depends on opinions. To me, cRPGs are *not* about choices, consequences and restrictions. To me they're about character development and good gameplay, fun and interesting quests. So, I would also give Oblivion a 90%+ while Gothics are more of a 70%, but again, it's personal opinion.