Review Vault Dweller reviews Dragon Age

[DarkUnderlord]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

Vualt Dweller, that esteemed <a href="http://www.irontowerstudio.com/">wannabe RPG developer</a>, has <a href="http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=195">put his thoughts down about BioWare's latest offering: Dragon Age</a>.
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<blockquote>The combat system is real-time with pause. It works well because the character system is solid and provides a lot of options. It has the potential to be one of the best RT systems, but the insane amount of combat filler ruins the combat and replayability. The non-filler fights are interesting and challenging, forcing you to understand the options and try different tactics. The combat filler, which sadly represents at least 80% of the combat encounters, isn't as exciting and can only be described as an exercise in tedium and patience.
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[...]
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Role-playing (i.e. the ability to make decisions that affect both the player and the world around him) is the strongest and most enjoyable aspect of the game. Dragon Age does a better job of providing these options than any previous Bioware game, in fact any RPG since Arcanum, and rarely misses a chance to present you with an interesting choice to consider. Bold claims need proof, so let's take a moment to analyze these elements in a specific example: the Redcliffe-Urn questline.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=195">Read the rest</a> to see if VD can back up that claim.

 

[Melcar]

Shitstorm incoming. Shouldn't he be working on his game anyway?
Will read it after I finish watching School Days, but for now I will leave my initial pre-read impression: shit.

Post-reading edit:

Damn VD. The review actually made me want to play the damn thing again, just ever so slightly. Then I remembered the game was shit and I recovered my sanity. Review is good for what it is . Actually it's alright. A bit too rosy I think, but does contain some criticism that's valid and not just there to add "old school cred" like many faux journalists do now. It certainly is more informative than many other reviews, that's for sure. I can agree with his conclusion that the game is good if you don't scrutinize its faults too much.

 

[Chinese Jetpilot]

This has nothing to do with VD's review, which I'm in the process of reading while writing this, but one quite annoying aspect of DA's combat is the sound effects, considering combat is so integral to the game. The over-the-top and/or unrealistic sounds, especially the talents, really make the combat less visceral (despite the copious amounts of blood) and less mano-a-mano. It played a factor for me not enjoying combat that much (putting aside repetitiveness), although probably a minor quibble.

In a different vein, I will say that I'm quite disappointed that THIS is all Bioware could come up with after the several years of development; after all the talk of creating their own IP, their own world, etc; to make it so much like existing franchises (D&D and Middle Earth) albeit with their own darker vision, is a little disappointing. It really did feel like I was playing an offshoot of NWN (with a little George Martin thrown in), with similar talents and spells available. That may not necessarily be a bad thing, but I don't know if that was their original intent.

To add one more thing (again, doesn't have anything to do with VD's review, sorry about this), I really do believe Bioware is being sapped by this constant drumbeat of RPG's, sometimes to the tune of two a year; with each successive game, they share far more similarities than differences, as if they have plateaued creatively. I think it would be best for the company if they explored other genres (and I don't mean releasing hybrids); that's probably they're hope with the ME franchise, as it moves into more action-orientated territory.

 

[Chinese Jetpilot]

Now to comment on the review itself. Excellent review, VD. You put one of the best cases forward for Dragon Age. It's a game I'm not particularly fond of, but at least you made me consider the progress Bioware has made in some respects, and as a result giving credit to what the game does right.

I enjoyed the game most when I was in Ostagar, because I felt small in this major event that was to take place. Then, after that event, I feel super-empowered shortly thereafter. I know you're ultimately supposed to play the hero in pretty much every game, but there isn't a smooth transition between the two in Dragon Age (and in its defense, that's the case for most games)

I want to comment on one aspect of your review, regarding choices and consequences. Though I find it painful to kill a game that tries to provide a variety of outcomes, I felt Dragon Age skewed too heavily and too often into allowing you to play Kingmaker. That, coupled with the fact that most of the factions (large and small) within the game keep their promises (in a game world where byzantine plots are abound, how plausible is that?) makes me feel too empowered because I know what the consequences will be before the action is taken. As a result, there really aren't any unintended consequences, and in my opinion, that's like having no consequences at all.

There was an exception that I do recall; when you freed the prankster spirit within the tower, and he later shows up in what seems as an unrelated chantry (?) quest. Probably not a terrific example, but along the lines I'd like to see more of.

 

[Kos_Koa]

Solid review VD, it definitely covered all the major points well. Based on the budget and the time in development it's a shame that some of these flaws made it through to a release, but considering that DA is likely the best RPG that Bioware has offered, maybe their next attempt will hit the mark.

 

[Ogg]

Overall, the review seems fair to me (but hell, how boring! I hate unbiased reviews! I want profanity, craziness, rage, perversion, well, all what makes the Codex). DA:O is a huge improvement of Bioware's usual crap. I've got the feeling that never before the hivemind has been so undecided. Should we like it or throw it to the bin like all games of its kind? I am still undecided.

Here some tl:dr remarks on some specific parts of the review (I'm sure you'll find those very interesting):

what I hate isn't the races but the cardboard cutout implementations - "these are dwarves, they live underground and like to fight; awesome or what?"

And that is totally not the case in DA:O... come on! They even have a scottish accent!

Then again, the main quest isn't about you stopping the darkspawn, much like Lord of the Rings isn't about destroying the ring and stopping Sauron. Dragon Age is about you dealing with different factions. From this point of view, the main quest is flexible enough to provide a goal and leaves you alone to sort things out.

True. DA:O is the first game in wich I recognize such a heavy influence from Lotr. And I'm not aonly speaking of the high fantasy setting, but more of the structure of the story, its ramifications and the fact that there's more than simply epic epicness (contrary to what previews and PR made us believe).

It's hard to find a better way to introduce a game world, its different races and customs than by tasking the player with seeking allies and offering several gameworld-affecting options, which, in essence, give you an opportunity to tweak the gameworld to your liking.

I sure agree, but I'm surprised there's not a word in the review about the awful excuse for a plot device that grey wardens are. You know, all the "we can sense darkspawns, but, hey, shit, we've fallen into an ambush once again!" Or the "we only can kill the Blight, because... erh... aww... because." Or the final wtf: "when we kill the big boss, we must die, but my bare-bresated girlfriend can save me if I impregnate her." All this crap really was distracting for me. The whole world, though not original, is quite coherent and the 4 sub-quests are very well implemented but the main story doesnt make much sense.

You get 3 stat points when you level up.

That's a fundamental design decision here. I even believe that it leads to the boring level scaling. Awful awful decision.

To put it simply, playing a fighter is FUN in Dragon Age, which is quite an achievement.

I wouldn't go this far. Besides, I once again don't see a word on the fact that, for a warrior most peculiarly, character development is quite straight forward. Once you've decided wich spcialization you'll take (damage dealer or tank), you know you'll end up with all the talents of your group and that's it. There's really no point in mixing. Besides with vanilla game, you don't know shit about what a talent really does. Ok, a punch in the face may stun an opponent but what's the hance? and for how long?...

On the combat system, nothing to add. It's pretty fair. It's RTwP. That says much. It could be great. But it isn't. Right.

About what happens in Redcliff:

2) Go to the Circle for help, should they still exist.

I see you try to avoid the discussion about what could have been a better implementation of C&C. For those not in the knowing, this question has already been discussed aptly on these boards. When the player is given the option to get to the circle of magi to request some help, you understand that doing so would take some time and you are lead to fear that when you return, the possessed boy may have gone too far. But don't be afraid my friends, that's a bioware game, none of your decisions should lead to unwanted conclusion. When you get back with the mages, the boy is still there with every one around him, like if you had left him a minute sooner. That was really disappointing. But lets make it clear. What makes it disappointing is that, in other instances, DA:O offered real consequences ot your decision. And this one really shines by its mediocre implementation.

Your reward is a rare but powerful specialization for your character (self interest again, instead of simply the option to be a cackling villain).

I found this to be a really weak reward. As you pointed out, offering the option to recruit cultists instead of the arl's men should have been an option. I even believe that it was an option. Bioware must have cut it at some stage in development. Surely, they felt that the arl should be with the team for the conclave or something like that.

 

[entertainer]

http://nofunallowed.wordpress.com/2009/ ... it-review/

this is the best da review anyway

 

[Ogg]

http://nofunallowed.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/dragon-age-is-the-new-shit-review/

this is the best da review anyway

Quite good indeed.

Other thing I hate is the camera. Its nice that they added “oldschool” camera for us PC users, too bad its fucking shit. You cannot see most of enemies, that, will start battle out of the range of that isometric camera, so you will be exploring in 3rd person camera, then if you need a little control over battle you zoom out to control you men, but damn, I’m on a dungeon and these things on the walls don’t let me watch my men, I will zoom in a little, oh damn, now it gets on 3rd person and I can’t see everyone.

 

[Emotional Vampire]

Is it just me of all VD's reviews could be replaced with one sentence:

"It's good for what it is"

:

And how the fuck a system with THREE CLASSES can provide "a lot of options"?

 

[Tolknaz]

An excellent review as always. Not Gamesnot or Eurolamer level cocksucking drivel, not ye olde skyway banal shit boring nonsense (that half the codex seems to have adopted for DA) either. If there has ever been a game that's "good for what it is", DA is it.

 

[Ogg]

Is it just me of all VD's reviews could be replaced with one sentence:

"It's good for what it is"

If this review had to be summed up in 1 sentence, it wouldn't be "it's good for what it is" but "i have mixed feelings". And stangely, I'm under the impression that VD was fairly more severe with DA:O than he was with FO3. Disturbing, ain't it?

 

[Emotional Vampire]

Very.

 

[shihonage]

Is it just me of all VD's reviews could be replaced with one sentence:

"It's good for what it is"

It's not just you.

http://nofunallowed.wordpress.com/ [...]

Get out of my head, blog!

 

[Darth Roxor]

I see Dragon Age is good for what it is.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Standard party members setup with all the banter and drama you can expect, but this time you can kill a lot more party members, which is a must-have feature in a Bioware game

The weakest part of the game gets only one sentence dedicated to it?

 

[Ch1ef]

Dragon Age: Choices and Consequences

Wow... NAO THATS WHAT I CALL AN INTERESTING ARTICLE NAME BITCHES! I'm already excited!

 

[Lesifoere]

Is it just me of all VD's reviews could be replaced with one sentence:

"It's good for what it is"

:

Lately, yes.

And how the fuck a system with THREE CLASSES can provide "a lot of options"?

Why, because you can pick different specializations of course, each of which provides a distinct playstyle and a range of unique abili--

Never mind. But hey, I hear some mods can fix that lack of options.

 

[Merlutz]

Standard party members setup with all the banter and drama you can expect, but this time you can kill a lot more party members, which is a must-have feature in a Bioware game

The weakest part of the game gets only one sentence dedicated to it?

I was a little disappointed that this wasn't even touched upon. For me Bioware's twee characters really threw off any feelings of progress despite some nice subtleties in quest design that were described at length. Their humour (especially Alistair's) grates on me horribly.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Hey, why would you expand on such silly concepts when you can talk about... C&C!!!!

 

[St. Toxic]

Don't have to read it to know what it says.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Hey, why would you expand on such silly concepts when you can talk about... C&C!!!!

I realize that you're being ironic, but I'll still reply. Because the player deals with companions way more often than he does with C&C.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Whoa, VD has apparently been really impressed by the quest design (he did have an earlier article praising that) so he barely touched the flaws. Atleast he does mention that the game is schizophrenic - it can't decide whether it wants to be the new shit or the old shit - pandering for the retard casual crowd or reaching for the BG2-crowd, failing both, me thinks.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Good review, I agree with most of it.

 

[made]

Is it just me of all VD's reviews could be replaced with one sentence:

"It's good for what it is"

His Holiness is old and lost his zeal.

 

[Lockkaliber]

Good review, although I do not agree about the writing and setting. If they want to make a game that is as storydriven as DA is, they need to hire someone better than Gaider for writing, or go back to licenses where he can get inspiration from something that's not completely devoid of original and interesting ideas.