Preview Dragon Age II News

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age 2

<p>Gameinformer <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dragon_age_ii/b/xbox360/archive/2011/03/02/dragon-age-ii-the-first-five-hours.aspx" target="_blank">provides a preview</a> based on the first 5 hours of <strong>Dragon Age II</strong>, spoilers abound.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>From the moment we first saw Dragon Age II, it was clear that BioWare wasn&rsquo;t content with creating a sequel that was more of the same. The universe has not changed. Some characters will return. But for better or worse, the gameplay has shifted significantly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Few would argue that Origins&rsquo; transition from PC to console was graceful. While the PC version used pause-and-play tactical combat in the classic computer RPG style, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports were dumbed down. The game wasn&rsquo;t bad on console, but it felt clunky and unsuited to the control format.</p>
<p>Dragon Age II has been designed from the beginning with the intention of being played with a controller, and it shows immediately.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Thank god.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It may take another 20 or 30 hours before Hawke is as bada** as he was in that introductory sequence, but every time I leveled up and gained a new ability, I felt like it genuinely changed the way I approached battles. Some abilities felt useless or buried in Origins. In Dragon Age II, I found myself using everything at my disposal.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There must be 1000 ways to 'splode my darkspawn.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In other news the release day DLC <strong>The Exiled Prince</strong> <a href="http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/addon/exiled_prince/" target="_blank">has been announced</a>. For only $7!!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Sworn to the priesthood as a boy, the noble archer Sebastian Vael is thrust back into the viper's nest of princely politics when his family is brutally murdered, leaving him as the sole surviving heir. Choose to either avenge Sebastian's murdered family and reclaim his title or direct his holy vengeance on your enemies in Kirkwall.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Add Sebastian Vael into your party, a deadly archer, and direct his righteous wrath on your enemies, seeing darkspawn exploding in formerly unknown ways. Archery ways.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

 

[IronicNeurotic]

<p>Sworn to the priesthood as a boy, the noble archer Sebastian Vael is thrust back into the viper's nest of princely politics when his family is brutally murdered, leaving him as the sole surviving heir. Choose to either avenge Sebastian's murdered family and reclaim his title or direct his holy vengeance on your enemies in Kirkwall.</p>

No way. That sounds soooooooo awesome. And original. This certainly isn't old material mashed together. And even if it did. That would go back to BG2. I'm sure. I never saw this much inspired writing in DA:O. No, sir.

 

[ExEverest]

<p>Sworn to the priesthood as a boy, the noble archer Sebastian Vael is thrust back into the viper's nest of princely politics when his family is brutally murdered, leaving him as the sole surviving heir. Choose to either avenge Sebastian's murdered family and reclaim his title or direct his holy vengeance on your enemies in Kirkwall.</p>

No way. That sounds soooooooo awesome. And original. This certainly isn't old material mashed together. And even if it did. That would go back to BG2. I'm sure. I never saw this much inspired writing in DA:O. No, sir.

It's DLC, It's unwise to expect much in the sense of story. Then again, old concepts could be implemented in interesting ways.

 

[J_C]

It's a Bioware DLC, It's unwise to expect much in the sense of story.

Fixed.

 

[circ]

STILL A DAY 1 PURCHASE FOR ME. ))))))

 

[ExEverest]

It's a DLC, It's unwise to expect much in the sense of story.

Wasn't broken.

 

[Begriffenfeldt]

7$ DLC, huh? How much does the game cost? 50 bucks? That DLC better be fucking huge.

Of course it won't be.

 

[Konjad]

I WANT DRAGON ARMOUR DLC

 

[Freelance Henchman]

It's a Bioware DLC, It's unwise to expect much in the sense of story.

Fixed.

The Lair of the Shadowbroker ME2 DLC contained quite a lot of story really. It ends a major story arc for one of the companion NPCs, wraps up a major antagonist of that universe and also gives some additional (though text only) infos on all other companions and some organizations.

 

[Begriffenfeldt]

dem graphix!

 

[markec]

Why does all companions need to have some tragic background, why not just make a merc who had a nice childhood and simply wanted to earn bunch of cash and fame.

 

[DragoFireheart]

I WANT DRAGON ARMOUR DLC

NO I WANT BUSTER SWORD!

THEN I WANT PRETTY ELF TO SWING BUSTER SWORD!

NOW BIOWARE I COMMAND YOU MY ANIME FRIENDS DEMAND IT!

 

[Xor]

So, I can search for BG2 mods and find probably over a dozen companion mods, some of which even feature full voicework, and many of which add multiple new quests to the game. For free.

And Bioware wants me to pay $7 for one companion.

 

[DraQ]

Add Sebastian Vael into your party, a deadly archer, and direct his righteous wrath on your enemies, seeing darkspawn exploding in formerly unknown ways. Archery ways.

And no, Wizardry 8 doesn't make it any more justified.

 

[DraQ]

dem graphix!

That's the gayest thing I've ever seen.
Including meatspin.

somebody please tell me it's not official in any way or form...
I'm not interested in Derp Ape 2, nor any of its DLCs, but that's still just too wrong.

 

[Jaesun]

Why does all companions need to have some tragic background, why not just make a merc who had a nice childhood and simply wanted to earn bunch of cash and fame.

The Bioware Theme Song

 

[DraQ]

Esteemed codexian homosexual Jaesun, do you too find this picture as unbearably gay as I do?

For I fear I might have unknowingly gone rabidly homophobic which would explain sudden revulsion of this magnitude.

 

[Gord]

Poorly and sloppily made pic? Yes
Story sounding terribly cliche? Yes
Is it a rip-off to announce DLC that could have easily been included into the game before the game is actually out? Yes

Unbearable gay? Meh...

 

[Dantus12]

Gaider is so epic.

The short story at the bottom in PDF on the page that VoD linked.

A prince given to the Chantry.-confirmed
Not really religious -yep
Has a grudge against His parents-yes
A memorable revered Mother-present

Gaider recycles Alistair from the ground, and gets away with it.

One thing has to be admitted, Bioware is having success withthe "emotional marketing," approach that their founders are preaching at GDC's.

_________________

 

[ironyuri]

There are enough threads about Bioware so instead of making a new one, I'll vent here:


RELEASE DAY FUCKING DLC WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT IF IT CAN BE RELEASED AT RELEASE DAY WHY CAN'T THEY SHIP IT WITH THE GAME FOR FREE INCLUDED AS CONTENT WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS FAGGOTRY

WHY WOULD YOU PRICE GOUGE YOUR FUCKING CUSTOMERS AND FANS BY CHARGING FOR EXTRA CONTENT ON THE DAY OF RELEASE WHEN IT SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE FUCKING GAME WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU SONS OF WHORES I FUCKING HATE IT SO MUCH


Ok, that's all.

 

[halflingbarbarian]

There are enough threads about Bioware so instead of making a new one, I'll vent here:


RELEASE DAY FUCKING DLC WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT IF IT CAN BE RELEASED AT RELEASE DAY WHY CAN'T THEY SHIP IT WITH THE GAME FOR FREE INCLUDED AS CONTENT WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS FAGGOTRY

WHY WOULD YOU PRICE GOUGE YOUR FUCKING CUSTOMERS AND FANS BY CHARGING FOR EXTRA CONTENT ON THE DAY OF RELEASE WHEN IT SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE FUCKING GAME WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU SONS OF WHORES I FUCKING HATE IT SO MUCH


Ok, that's all.

This. Did DA:O have this shit? When did gamers bend over and accept this kind of rubbish? I'm not harping on short, lack-of-content DLCs; it's this purchasable DLC on release date kind of shit it's like going on a date and paying for everything and THEN paying for the sex as well. zZzzZ.

 

[Pegultagol]

Ho hum another inconsequential fuckdoll
Truly tis the age of day-1 DLCs

BTW, this has been available for free for the pre-orders of its 'Signature' edition.
I'd bet this is how Bioware is going to proceed with party characters in ME3 as well; de-construct previous members into archetypes, which isn't hard to do, then re-construct with just superficial traits mix & match, the consistent overarching theme being tits & ass.

 

[Xor]

I believe the rationalization for day-one DLCs with DAO was that they wouldn't have developed that content at all if they weren't going to sell it as a DLC. Or some shit.

 

[DraQ]

I eagerly await times when macguffin necessary to beat the game will be sold as one DLC and actual epilogue/outro as another.

 

[RPGMaster]

Princes aren't meant for chastity.

Greatest opening line in the history of literature.

 

[torpid]

Why does all companions need to have some tragic background, why not just make a merc who had a nice childhood and simply wanted to earn bunch of cash and fame.

Can't have Bioware romances without emo. That's what's deep and mature to them. ME2 was also terrible in that regard: every character had either daddy issues or parenting issues. And of course, once they solved their daddy issue, they were swinging on Daddy Shepard's dick.