Dragon Age 2: Gameplay and Discussion

**Scienter** · 03-08-2011, 19:43

This makes me kind of sad. I enjoyed DA:O. I need to read some more reviews. I know I'm going to play it, I just hope it isn't super disappointing.

**Kekvit Irae** · 03-08-2011, 22:30

Originally Posted by Scienter

I enjoyed DA:O.

I did too. Steam clocks me in at 321 hours of total playtime. 33.3 just from this week.
DA2 had better be good, otherwise I'm going to throw a major fit.

**Mailman653** · 03-08-2011, 23:13

DA2 Review, 4 out of 5
Dragon-Age-2---High-Resolution-Texture-Pack

**Husar** · 03-08-2011, 23:20

I read a german review earlier today that said it's generally a good RPG, better than most, but a huge disappointment for the author, who also liked DA:O.
They gave DA:O 90% and DA2 got 82%.

Among the major complaints were enemies spawning in waves, that the strengths of DA:O hadn't been strengthened further (like love affairs etc. having almost no effect). Controls, especially on consoles, being too complicated and that levels had been re-used too often, one instance of that annoyed the author especially since two important fights take place in almost the same area, which has been recycled for the second one. Also the scale he said, had been reduced, at least in feeling, from world-changing events to local community politics and that it isn't all that clear in the beginning why you have to do all that you do.

My impression is that instead of building on the strengths of the previous game, they decided to make it more "cool", with the faster animations, more blood, the mage doing some kind of raindance etc.
In a way that's fine buit it appears they forgot that the rest is also important.

Also Qunaris got horns now.

**Monk** · 03-09-2011, 01:27

1. Combat is Dragon Age meets Dynasty Warriors.

Wat. If it makes you feel better i've had to think and plan fights for DA2 a lot more than I ever did for Origins.

2. Classes cant be jack of all trades.

The combat focus is more on chaining moves together across classes. Like having Varric use a shatter move on enemies your mage froze. When it came to the higher difficulties in Origins no class could be a jack of all trades. You needed specialists or you didn't survive - same thing here only you feel it on the lower difficulties to some extent as well.

3. Inventory got the Mass Effect 2 treatment.

That implies there's no inventory, because you know: Mass Effect 2 didn't have one. That's so incredibly untrue in for Dragon Age 2.

4. Skills are gone.

I don't even know what you're talking about. Things like lockpicking and crafting? Uh.. rogues can lockpick still and the crafting system is more open. You find recipes, NPCs make stuff.

5. I hope you enjoy Kirkwall. You'll be seeing it a LOT.

Yeah pretty much, one of the one things i dislike about the game thus far. The main story takes place within and around the city. You do some dungeon hopping and fight some really cool battles in other locations. Deep roads, bandit infested beeches, ect, but the story's grounded in the city.

6. "Not The Usual BioWare Story" I have nothing more to add.

Well.. people were complaining that Bioware only tells the same structured story when DA:O came out. I remember that as one of the major complaints of the game.. same old Bioware.

7. Don't like certain party members? Tough. They stick with you no matter how much of a mabari you are to them.

Yeah that's a cool story. Too bad its total bull. I lost both Carver and Isabella during my first play through :(

8. Hope you like the Mass Effect dialogue wheel.

I do, thanks!

9. You know all that time you spent playing DA:O so you can see what affected DA2? Gone, reconned, or barely mentioned.

Um. What? I've run into countless people from Origins that my warden left around. In fact I'd think bioware put way too many ties into my playthrough of the first game, it feels like half the people i knew ended up in Kirkwall.

10. 40 hours total. This is pretty liberal, considering I've seen some reviews saying 20.

Origins took me 23 hours to complete on Normal in my final go through. Hour count is pretty unreliable.

Seriously.. I don't like everything in DA2 and there's some serious cons that I want to talk about once i finish my go. But good lord there's some outlandish fabrications on the internet, and about the craziest stuff.

**TinCow** · 03-09-2011, 02:14

Only about 20 mins in so far, but I kind of like the combat system. The camera is so far a pain in the butt, but it's satisfying in the same way that ME2 combat was satisfying. It seems to fit the game better than the combat system in DA:O did. DA:O failed whenever it tried to be Baldur's Gate, so I think it's a step forward for Bioware to stop pretending that the game is something it's not.

That said... 20 mins. We'll see what I think after I've played for several solid hours.

**Monk** · 03-09-2011, 03:22

Originally Posted by TinCow

Only about 20 mins in so far, but I kind of like the combat system. The camera is so far a pain in the butt, but it's satisfying in the same way that ME2 combat was satisfying. It seems to fit the game better than the combat system in DA:O did. DA:O failed whenever it tried to be Baldur's Gate, so I think it's a step forward for Bioware to stop pretending that the game is something it's not.

That said... 20 mins. We'll see what I think after I've played for several solid hours.

I'm sorry to report that you may be struggling with the camera all game. I really miss the top-down view for lining up Area of effect spells.

**Greyblades** · 03-09-2011, 12:18

Originally Posted by Monk

Yeah that's a cool story. Too bad its total bull. I lost both Carver and Isabella during my first play through :(

First play through? It's only been out a day and you're on your second run?

**Monk** · 03-09-2011, 16:52

Originally Posted by Greyblades

First play through? It's only been out a day and you're on your second run?

Nah, but i've enjoyed it thus far and plan to do another when i'm done. Sadly i'm stuck about 15 hours in unable to go forward. Too busy :(

**Scienter** · 03-09-2011, 18:43

I second TinCow on the camera issues, they make me pause combat a lot. I uploaded my old save game so hopefully I'll see the impact of my decisions from DA:O. I like the combat system too, though the cooldown on potion drinking will be hard to get used to. I like it though, it makes me rely less on them.

**Kekvit Irae** · 03-09-2011, 19:55

That implies there's no inventory, because you know: Mass Effect 2 didn't have one. That's so incredibly untrue in for Dragon Age 2.

I was able to buy/switch out arms and armor in ME2, or was that just a dream?

I don't even know what you're talking about. Things like lockpicking and crafting? Uh.. rogues can lockpick still and the crafting system is more open. You find recipes, NPCs make stuff.

News flash: Lockpicking was a talent, not a skill. I'm talking about things like Survival and Coersion. Having a character able to do everything, based on class or ability scores, takes out the stategic element in leveling up.

Well.. people were complaining that Bioware only tells the same structured story when DA:O came out. I remember that as one of the major complaints of the game.. same old Bioware.

The plot of Origins was certainly not bad. I'd rather have something familiar (and something a company excels in) than something completely new. I didn't have to stay in Denerim if I didn't want to.

I do, thanks!

Good for you. But for those of us who want more than just Good/Neutral/Bad/Investigate, I'll take the expansive dialogue choices of DA:O.

Um. What? I've run into countless people from Origins that my warden left around. In fact I'd think bioware put way too many ties into my playthrough of the first game, it feels like half the people i knew ended up in Kirkwall.

Then please explain to me why Connor was freed from the desire demon when I loaded up a save where I allowed the demon to have her way with him? Talent point > some dumb kid's soul.

Origins took me 23 hours to complete on Normal in my final go through. Hour count is pretty unreliable.

And your first playthrough?

I'm not saying the game is bad, I'm saying the same is not what I expected nor wanted.

**Beskar** · 03-09-2011, 20:41

It was pretty obvious what you were getting with Dragon Age 2 and it was obvious from the 'get go' that it will be different.

- From what I have seen from the combat system, it is an improvement over DA:O. I rather have "raindance" which looks stylish combat wise, then "uuuuuhuhhhhhoooooooooo uuuhhhttttttthhhhhhh" slowmo action the mage did in DA:O. The speed ups were much needed.
- As for 'skills', they were pretty useless in DA:O, since I went exactly the same way each time, there was no need for variation since they threw lots of skills at you anyway. As for "I HAD CHOICE", no you never, only rogues could lock pick, and it wasted a ton of points which would have been better spent elsewhere, it is an improvement.
- Inventory was an improvement for the party members, since they keep their own personal styles. In real life, I wouldn't be holding down Alistair, stripping him naked and forcing him to wear some other random gear than his beloved heirloom templar armour.
- Mass Effect dialogue wheel and voice acting was an improvement and so far, it seems to be the same about of choices.

**Monk** · 03-09-2011, 21:25

I was able to buy/switch out arms and armor in ME2, or was that just a dream?

Dragon age 2 hasn't been perfect but let's be honest about it please. The inventory system in DA2 through simplistic, is far more than ME2 ever had. You actually pick up items, potions, and junk that you can exchange with a vendor. ME2 had sliders that determined what armor/weapons you carried.

News flash: Lockpicking was a talent, not a skill. I'm talking about things like Survival and Coersion. Having a character able to do everything, based on class or ability scores, takes out the stategic element in leveling up.

Point taken. But can do without the NEWS FLASH next time.

Then please explain to me why Connor was freed from the desire demon when I loaded up a save where I allowed the demon to have her way with him? Talent point > some dumb kid's soul.

Haven't experienced anything like that. Could be an oversight like what happened with Conrad in ME2. No matter how you treat him in ME1, he still thinks you were a total jerk who put a gun to his face. Thus far everything i've seen has been in line with what I did in Origins.

And your first playthrough?

34-36ish. Second playthrough was 25. Seriously, i have no idea how people ended up with these crazy numbers of 90 and 100 hours of play for origins. But I guess i just finish RPGs quicker than some

I'm not saying the game is bad, I'm saying the same is not what I expected nor wanted.

There's been things i dislike strongly about the game thus far so I'd wager you and I might agree on a certain number of points. But some things i've seen claimed online I just don't see in the final product. I don't know how else I can describe that.