Did Bioware fail with Dragon Age II

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Kaos36

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

#79100 12-Mar-2011 12:47

I finished DA Origins last night, headed straight to online reviews for DAII and this what I found out.

No Strat map as if not really needed but its good to use now and then, no armor sets! what were they thinking grinding for armor sets is the soul of rpg games . I fought tooth and nail for the Dragonbone plate armor in Dragon Age Origins even though i got the set right near the end but it was worth it. fighting style is faster there's really no need to pause and plan your next attack the game has been completely dum down for console players. Whole game takes place in one city.

Ive read reviewers rating the game in its 90's hahaha! where some are averaging it at 6/10

Heres a response from DA2 Lead dev Mike Laidlaw.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-10-biowares-mike-laidlaw-a-defence-of-dragon-age-ii-interview

as for me I wont be buying Dragon Age II its not worth the $90 or so bucks. I'll wait for the bargain bin even then I might need a good reason such as some mods to come out before I even touch this game.

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709 posts

Ultimate Geek

#447785 12-Mar-2011 12:50

oh on a positive note for pc gamers, there is a high res patch out for DAII on their website that ups the graphics, a must have so they say. Download size is 1gig.

Worst Response To A Crisis:
From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

plas

453 posts

Ultimate Geek

#448152 14-Mar-2011 10:53

Well worth $90 (played about 30hrs so far), half the crying on the net is based on 5 minutes of game play.

Not sure where you got idea there are no armor sets, they even give you one if you owned DA:O

and you do need to pause. Maybe not for everything, but your not going to take down a high dragon without it.

vexxxboy

4243 posts

Uber Geek

#448180 14-Mar-2011 12:15

if you have a look at metacritics it looks like there is a determined mission for people to really rate the game low for no other reason than its not like the first game, but im finding it a fun game , and the combat magic effects are quite cool.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#448191 14-Mar-2011 12:42

"grinding for armor sets is the soul of rpg games"

I think you mean:
"grinding for armor sets is the most boring part of rpg games"

I play RPGs because I want to play a role and feel deeply integrated into the fantasy world. Not because I like grinding.

sinner

35 posts

Geek

#448194 14-Mar-2011 12:54

The issues with DA2 have nothing to do with "dumbing down for consoles" and everything to do with a developer rushing out a game, to cash in on their latest franchise.

Kaos36

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

#448391 14-Mar-2011 23:08

NonprayingMantis:

I play RPGs because I want to play a role and feel deeply integrated into the fantasy world. Not because I like grinding.

Well we all play RPGs for our own reasons, grinding for armor sets is one of them for me, no armor sets no bother.

Plas said: Not sure where you got idea there are no armor sets, they even give you one if you owned DA:O

Okay maybe i read it wrong - the reviewer said their is no armor sets in DAII - the armor your character starts with is it.

Worst Response To A Crisis:
From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

jonofan

52 posts

Master Geek

#448466 15-Mar-2011 10:07

Kaos36:

Plas said: Not sure where you got idea there are no armor sets, they even give you one if you owned DA:O

Okay maybe i read it wrong - the reviewer said their is no armor sets in DAII - the armor your character starts with is it.

I read this in a review also, is this definitely not the case?

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Kyanar

4089 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#448477 15-Mar-2011 10:21

jonofan:
Kaos36:

Plas said: Not sure where you got idea there are no armor sets, they even give you one if you owned DA:O

Okay maybe i read it wrong - the reviewer said their is no armor sets in DAII - the armor your character starts with is it.

I read this in a review also, is this definitely not the case?

Definitely not the case. I've got about two sets in my inventory. They don't have "OMG Awesome!" stats boosts like Diablo II or Dragon Age I sets, but they exist.

plas

453 posts

Ultimate Geek

#448479 15-Mar-2011 10:21

Yeah there are sets, but very few compared to DA:O. Think it works out 1 per act with some unique bits thrown into the mix.

Elpie

1304 posts

Uber Geek

#449084 17-Mar-2011 03:08

I played the demo and won't be going near this game. I was unable to stay logged in on the Bioware servers, hated the frenetic, cartoonish combat, missed mouse-scrolling and the isometric camera view (really, really hated the camera control) and was totally put off by the voice acting. Not to mention the oversized boobs. Bioware got DA:Origins right as far as inclusive play goes - there's not many games written where female gamers can really RPG a woman, if they want to. But, it kinda breaks immersion if one is choking up laughing everytime a female NPC throws her boobs around. And what's with all this leaping around like idiots with weapons lighter than air?

I love playing a rogue but rogues in DA2 are just plain silly.

Even so, I was tempted to get it until Bioware started playing stupid games. They outright lied about using SecuROM (even the demo threw SecuROM onto my PC), then we see the stupid games they are playing to rank up their ratings. One Bioware employee has been caught out but it makes me wonder how many other reviews are really by Bioware.

Yeah, I think they dropped the ball on this one.

qraider

374 posts

Ultimate Geek

#450018 20-Mar-2011 12:14

On my second play through atm, playing Archer (Rogue) for this one (2hand warrior firstime through, mage still to come).

Lots of armour (several armour sets /w set bonuses inc Champion armour)
Lots of weapons (most just get sold but there are some nice weapons)

Enjoying the banter between the companions, some of it is ROFLMAO.

Personally I'm enjoying at much as I did the first ... regardless of reviews.
It is dark, no black and white in this version ... no primary "bad guy" like the original.

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Mprezd

119 posts

Master Geek

#450550 21-Mar-2011 22:40

there is no armour for your companions - well you can upgrade their armour but you can't just chuck any old thing on them. But there are a number of armour sets for the main character, including Sir Isaacs if you played DS2.

The game is definitely different, and if you are expecting the old school rpg like ME1 or DA:O then you will be disappointed. It is closer to an action/adventure game with rpg elements in my opinion, but it isn't necessarily bad.

And Elpie, Bioware got caught doing this, but don't for a minute think that they would be the only ones.

I hope they make a successor to DA:O because I love old-school rpgs. But this game, by itself, isn't bad. The thing I hate the most is the rehashing of dungeons.

b0untypure1

1426 posts

Uber Geek

#452261 27-Mar-2011 00:59

too much hype, glad i didnt buy it. :)

throbb

675 posts

Ultimate Geek

#453638 30-Mar-2011 22:13

I enjoyed this, though it didn't come near in engrossing me as the first one did. Compared to the first one, it seemed very linear and the few adventure locations were re used to many times.

urban

487 posts

Ultimate Geek

#458074 13-Apr-2011 02:11

Well I finally picked up a copy.... talk about a taking more than a few steps backwards!!

Fun as it maybe, it offers nothing new.... in fact it feels more like an updated version of GAUNTLET than DA.

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