Dragon Age 2

[Tarek]

There are two general categories of stories. Event based plot and character based plot.

DA:O was mostly event-based plot. Most CRPGs, in fact, have event-based plots. Something happens, and you as the player react to it.

DA 2 is a character based plot. Every major character in the game has their own plot, their own series of goals, driven by their personalities. BECAUSE this is neither "normal" nor "expected" in a computer RPG, people are complaining about how "there's no plot, there's no story." Because the protagonist is often not the driving force pushing the plot forward or initiating reactions to events, many players fail to see how good the storytelling actually is.

Lockpicking mechanics are explained in the codex. Varric can open any chest in the game, but only if his cunning is high enough. There are rings and pendants that give a substantial boost to lockpicking specifically, as well.

 

[Ahnehnois]

There are two general categories of stories. Event based plot and character based plot.

DA:O was mostly event-based plot. Most CRPGs, in fact, have event-based plots. Something happens, and you as the player react to it.

DA 2 is a character based plot. Every major character in the game has their own plot, their own series of goals, driven by their personalities. BECAUSE this is neither "normal" nor "expected" in a computer RPG, people are complaining about how "there's no plot, there's no story." Because the protagonist is often not the driving force pushing the plot forward or initiating reactions to events, many players fail to see how good the storytelling actually is.

The same might be said about the Mass Effect series. The difference is, when I played Mass Effect 2, I hadn't played the original, but I could still get an overarching plot that had relevance to the setting, and I could still connect with the main character and with the NPCs and their stories, which all seemed to mean something.

I'm now 20th level in DA 2. I still don't see any reason to care about what happens to Kirkwall. I still haven't identified with my origin-less character. My dialogue choices are mainly just to get me out of the conversation and back to fighting. I can't remember half the NPCs' names, and it doesn't feel like my character has a relationship with any of them, even the one he's 'romancing'. The DA:O characters that show up are generally my least favorites, and their presence doesn't seem to mean much other than just an excuse for yet another sidequest. The restrospective voiceover might be interesting, but it doesn't come up often enough that I can even remember what Varric is saying. If it were really character-based I'd expect to see interesting stories about the non-adventuring follk like those that permeated DA:O, but no such luck.

One example is Anders, who has been recycled from Awakenings at the expense of logic (his level has somehow gone down by 20). He had little personality to begin with, but throwing in a random spirit didn't seem to help, especially since every mage in DA 2 seems to be possessed by something. He clearly has some tie-in to the overall story about mages, but I can't bring myself to care at all. I'm rooting for the mages, but I hope he dies at the end (I'd dump him but I need his healing).

Frankly, I think most genre fans are able to grasp and enjoy character-based storytelling because it's been done in movies, books, TV, and in games. I suspect many of the people criticizing DA 2 played and enjoyed ME 2, which DA 2 is clearly trying to emulate (and that is not necessarily a problem). The problem is that the characters aren't interesting and don't make sense and the plot either isn't there or is so poorly presented many people don't get it. The only reason I'm playing it to completion (and the only reason I put down money for it in the first place) is out of respect for the original. Won't make that mistake again.

 

[Remus Lupin]

See, now Anders is one of my favorite characters (along with Isabela and Verrick). The character relationships, and the way that your actions affect them, is one of the things I like best about the game so far (I'm about 2/3 of the way through).

I was VERY disappointed when some of my decisions resulted in my main romantic interest leaving the game entirely. In retrospect, I think I would have been better off going back and deciding things a bit differently.

One of my favorite bits is where you have to help another of your companions romance someone else, and she's incredibly awkward at it. That was a fun little quest.

 

[GreyLord]

See, now Anders is one of my favorite characters (along with Isabela and Verrick). The character relationships, and the way that your actions affect them, is one of the things I like best about the game so far (I'm about 2/3 of the way through).

I was VERY disappointed when some of my decisions resulted in my main romantic interest leaving the game entirely. In retrospect, I think I would have been better off going back and deciding things a bit differently.

One of my favorite bits is where you have to help another of your companions romance someone else, and she's incredibly awkward at it. That was a fun little quest.

Absolutely amazing that she even was married previously with that much inaptitude.

I was thinking that particular quest was written by someone in Middle School, as that's about how they act in those situations.

It would have been much better if you suddenly find out the other guy is actually gay and he hits on you in the bar...then at least it may have been funny.

Things change a little when one grows up. I personally couldn't believe they put something like that in an "M" rated game, as it seems it would appeal to someone of a lower age. I could understand it in a T rated, or E rated game...but appealing to the kids in an adult game doesn't seem all that right.

I would hope most outgrew that stage when they graduated from Middle School, or the age of 14, and at the most were waaaay past that type of thing by the age of 18.

 

[GreyLord]

On another note, they released a patch for the PC. I've heard that if you apply the patch after you install, but prior to playing the game, it gets rid of the SecuRom stuff. I haven't verified this yet, but it seems that it indicates this in the patch notes, and read some statements in the forums in regards to this.

 

[Remus Lupin]

Well, I guess I found it funny because she was clearly so emotionally immature. If her behavior had been more age appropriate, it wouldn't have been funny. I also liked some of the byplay between Isabella and Bethany early in the game. Isabella Merril dialogues are funny as well.

 

[stonegod]

Not much to contribute that hasn't been said in the game's defense (and my wife agrees w/ many of the detractors). But, in summary: We both like it and have played it at least twice through, so it was worth the time/money.

 

[fba827]

yeah, i'm definately enjoying it so it's been worth it for me

 

[Argyle King]

My main complain about DA2 is that I don't feel connected to the characters or the story at all. As others have said, I just don't really have a reason to care about what's going on.

Beyond that, for me, the feel of the game is vastly different. It's a nice game, but borrowing it from a friend and spending some time with it made me decide to not buy it. (It's worth noting the fact that that the friend even allowed me to borrow it... he played the first game for nearly a year w/ a multitude of different characters before considering lending it out.)

I understand why some of the options were streamlined; however, in many areas, the 'streamlining' ended up being oversimplification in my opinion. Likewise, I understand the reasons for the different art direction, but I don't care for it.

Overall, my experience with DA2 has been a let down. That amazes me because I loved the first game. Suffice to say that I feel as though I was kicked in the dice bag after being falsely promised chocolate icecream.

 

[Mallus]

I broke down and bought the PS3 version... I'm about six hours in and Cabiria Hawke, the up-and-coming, snark-loving stabby rogue, is about to meet Merrill on the mountain path.

So far I'm liking DA2 quite a bit. Having played the first one on a PS3, I don't mind the lack of an overhead option. The combat engine's been improved, though DA2 is less good as an action game than ME2 is as a shooter (which is pretty damn good).

The more personal focus works for me. I'm more interested in seeing if, and how, Cabiria will remain friends with Aveline than in the Battle of Ostragar (after playing the great, and greatly melodramatic, City Elf beginning in DA:O I put the game down for several months because I was bored by the more generic fight against evil/big battle that followed).