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That's one of the best DA reviews I've read. I agree with most of the praise and criticism there. The filler combat was ghastly, and if they could improve that then DA would be infinitely better.
What DA does right is its depth of setting. The story can be frustrating at times, and the combat encounters can detract from the character system, but it's so refreshing to have that much obvious work put into a setting, it's lore, etc in a new gen RPG.
Now of course, he was practically begging for his life so it could only be expected of him to lie about his abilities, but I suspect that's what BW had in mind while writing his lines and not giving him any point in lock picking. Further more, PC would have a motivation and should have an option to kill him later on upon shit like that. And if he double-crosses you later on, which I expect, don't spoil it for me, please.
So far the game, or rather the lore and dialogue, are full of such silly inconsistencies, usually worse than and not "conditional" like this. I can't recall who or about what but I remember a certain character even contradicting himself in the same sentence.
bullshit review, Vault Dweller I will not be buying your shitty game now. Choices and consequences you asshole, you chose your faction, and now you just lost 30 points with mine. If you come in my town I will set the guards on you
More seriously speaking, the problem with your approach to reviews is that it's very analytical - too analytical. You speak from a point of view that is supposed to be informative and objective. Now you might say, this is what a proper review is all about. Perhaps. But you also take every elements from the game, analyse them... it's almost a scientific method. But like the scientific method, it's also very blind to the overall object. You can claim truth and objectivity with your methods and arguments, but I don't give a shit really. The game is bad. I didn't enjoy it. Why is that? If I was being rationnal and calculative like you, I should be liking the game. But I don't. Am I being a woman? Perhaps, but here's the thing, the review is spot on, but it has no soul. This is good, this is bad, this is alright, this than and whatever the hell. So what? Did you enjoy this shit? Now you might answer, yes, because of the reasons I just pointed out in the review. Really? Are you a robot? I think you are, sir. I think you are. I know video games aren't art, but if they were, my complaint would be more valid. I still think your reviews lack something, but obviously I have troubles pointing out what. And obviously you won't understand what I'm getting at, because you are a robot.
He's pointing out that VD did not say whether he enojoyed it as an overall experience or not or if he recommened the experience to anyone else, he simply deconstructed it which all in all doesn't matter much to the human pleasure of their experience of any subject.
But facts and info doesn't tell us whether the game is worth buying or not, sure it relies on us knowing VD's tastes but he and us have been around long enough to know whether we trust the guy's decision or not. And the fact is he has not given us a definitive decision on if this game is worth our money or not.
After reading VD's review should I buy it? Sure. After playing it? Fuck no.
That's the key difference, the human experience, interaction and piecing together the components into a cohesive enjoyable experience.
The reviews of the vast majority of posters here can be replaced with either:
"Shit. Banal. Boring." - or - "Hey, bro, it's Fallout (2). Best game EVAH!"
Regarding the game itself, I loathe real-time pause/queue combat. It's too clunky and inelegant. It's also pretty hilarious it took them only a couple of months before they released a $40 expansion over and above the already existing paid DLC.
That's the "subjective" aspect. It's impossible to predict how people will react to a game. The same feature may appeal to one group (within the same community), but would rub the other the wrong way. Some people praise the Witcher's second chapter because you did a lot of talking there, and some people hate it for the very same reason - because they didn't like the writing or the story elements or didn't want to run back and forth to say a line to push the quest forward.
A review is not a "thou shalt like/hate game X" commandment. It's a detailed and, hopefully, dry analysis of the game elements. The purpose of review is to give the reader enough info to form his own opinion, but there is always a chance that your opinion will be different from that of the reviewer because those subjective aspects kicked in and prevented you from enjoying the game. We all have our likes and dislikes, our preferences, and our biases, and we can't hope that a reviewer will have exactly the same set.
I like different options a lot. For me the choices are a big deal. A game that has those scores a few points right away and increases my tolerance of the rest. Someone else may not like them as much or may not care about it at all (for example, the "I play games only once" crowd). They would have a very different impression of the game.
Some people reacted differently to the Joining. The scene didn't bother me at all, yet some people stopped playing after the game forced them to become a warden. To me it's not a big deal. It's not even a minor inconvenience. To them it's a game killing thing.
Anyway, to answer your question, I've enjoyed Dragon Age (wouldn't have given it a positive review otherwise).
Review's ending sucks almost as hard as DA's final battle. I expected such a "politically correct" bullshit from Gamespot or IGN, but not from a local reviewers. Other than that it managed to illustrate game's strong points.
Although it failed to mention several IMO noticeable flaws.
Setting:
- The whole Blight theme. The game's backstory tries to hype it as a big deal, but it's barely touched in the main storyline, except for Dalish Elf origin.
- Total lack of urgency. Darkspawn hordes waiting until you gather allies and call for a Landsmeet.
- Civil War. Great potential to show truly "dark and mature" stuff. Instead it's a small field with two teams of dumbfucks shouting at each other.
- Dwarves never entering the Fade. Hurr, they have no problems with that during the certain part of the Circle Tower quest.
- Dwarf PC dialogue options mentioning Andraste or the Maker. He shouldn't give a slightest fuck about human saints or gods.
World design:
- This one is technical: lack of day/night and weather cycle, NPCs standing at the same place, poor world reactivity. Big step back after BG2.
- Uninspired, generic art style. Laughable gore and nudity representation.
- Denerim. One of the worst "cities" in a videogame ever. For the most part you'll have access only to the tiny Market District + copypasted "random" encounter locations.
- Speaking of random encounters: the implementation is truly bad - the game just picks "random" encounter from a set pool depending on your quest status. No option to skip or evade them. Also, the Darkspawn ambushes quickly get old considering that as a Grey Warden you are supposed to sense them.
- The whole "army" stuff is just laughable - four beggars in your camp + 30-40 soldiers at once in the final battle who are nothing but a cheap meatshield. All "mass" fights are relegated to the pre-rendered cutscenes and thus irrelevant to actual gameplay.
Quests:
- While main quest has several genuinely excellent set-peices like aforementioned Redcliffe/Urn of Sacred Ashes or the Landsmeet, most of the sidequests are banalshitboring "bring 10 mushrooms/plants/stones", kill bandits/monsters/demons, or "click on a five pages and get a special encounter" worthy only of a bad Diablo clone.
- Borezammar and its DERP ROADS.
On the positives I'd wish to see in the review:
- Warden's Keep should have been mentioned. Small, but well-designed location which does a good job of presenting Grey Wardens' troubled past in Ferelden.
- More detailed description of the origins. After all, it's one of the most hyped features of DA. IMO, both dwarven ones are excellent if totally predictable.
- More detailed desciption of the companions. Loghain/Alistair choice. Morrigan's offer affecting the ending. Rare case of PC's death done right.
Although it failed to mention several IMO noticeable flaws.
Setting:
- The whole Blight theme. The game's backstory tries to hype it as a big deal, but it's barely touched in the main storyline, except for Dalish Elf origin.
- Total lack of urgency. Darkspawn hordes waiting until you gather allies and call for a Landsmeet.
"Such an event is called the Blight and it plays the same role as the Reapers do in Mass Effect: a horrible threat that doesn't make a whole lot of sense and lurks quietly behind the scene while you're busy convincing people who don't take the threat very seriously to act, in-between taking your time exploring and levelling up."
- Dwarves never entering the Fade. Hurr, they have no problems with that during the certain part of the Circle Tower quest.
- The whole "army" stuff is just laughable - four beggars in your camp + 30-40 soldiers at once in the final battle who are nothing but a cheap meatshield. All "mass" fights are relegated to the pre-rendered cutscenes and thus irrelevant to actual gameplay.
It's an RPG not an RTS. Armies in RPGs are traditionally scaled down because of engine limitations and because large scale combat is a completely different game requiring different mechanics.
Quests:
- While main quest has several genuinely excellent set-peices like aforementioned Redcliffe/Urn of Sacred Ashes or the Landsmeet, most of the sidequests are banalshitboring "bring 10 mushrooms/plants/stones", kill bandits/monsters/demons, or "click on a five pages and get a special encounter" worthy only of a bad Diablo clone.
- kill evil plants
- obtain flint
- fix the well by clicking on it
- return a ghost its locket
- get book from Derek
- deliver a meal to Smitty
- listen to Stacy's kitty story (this one is my favourite)
- blow up a shitter to find a watch; you can decide to give the watch either to NPC A or NPC B - deep stuff
- kill garden rats for Farrel
- kill 10 dogs for Grisham
Etc.
On the positives I'd wish to see in the review:
- Warden's Keep should have been mentioned. Small, but well-designed location which does a good job of presenting Grey Wardens' troubled past in Ferelden.
It does, but I didn't want to include it in the review since it's a separate product that some people may not want to buy/torrent.
- More detailed description of the origins. After all, it's one of the most hyped features of DA. IMO, both dwarven ones are excellent if totally predictable.
Ah, MAGIC iz a siriuz bizness which can pull even Golems even if they *never* sleep.
It's funny when you can thrash human god as much as you want, yet during certain dialogues PC dwarf can only mention Maker or Andraste, not the Stone or paragons.
review said:
Such an event is called the Blight and it plays the same role as the Reapers do in Mass Effect: a horrible threat that doesn't make a whole lot of sense and lurks quietly behind the scene while you're busy convincing people who don't take the threat very seriously to act, in-between taking your time exploring and levelling up."
I meant different NPCs/critters/quests that are available only during the certain time of day. Or sneaking in houses when everyone sleeps to satiate your stealing needs. Or NPCs that react when you try to steal their stuff. All of these are absent in DA.
Vault Dweller said:
It's an RPG not an RTS. Armies in RPGs are traditionally scaled down because of engine limitations and because large scale combat is a completely different game requiring different mechanics.
It's not my problem that BioWare can't write a high-tech engine, offering Aurora with shadurs instead. The fact that you can easily mow down the darkspawn without "army"'s assistance only contributes to an anticlimatic feel of a battle for Denerim.
"It's not my problem that BioWare can't write a high-tech engine, offering Aurora with shadurs instead. The fact that you can easily mow down the darkspawn without "army"'s assistance only contributes to an anticlimatic feel of a battle for Denerim."
Do yourself a favor and never, ever play Dark Sun: Shattered Lands.
a horrible threat that doesn't make a whole lot of sense and lurks quietly behind the scene while you're busy convincing people who don't take the threat very seriously to act
I agree strongly here. Even Alistair and his whiny ways didn't get on my nerves.
Now if BioWare could only learn to design normal women instead of these bee-stung-lipped freaks we'd be getting somewhere.
Vault Dweller said:
It's a bit different. The Zevran ambush is a minor thing. It happens instantly, doesn't put you in a bad position, and is an introduction of a character. Don't like it, kill him and move on.
It does put you in a disadvantageous position. And it's hardly the only time the game "cheats" to get a jump on you. The Urn ambush is - as far as I can remember - the only occassion when BioWare doesn't force you to sit through their scripted ambush/trap in quite a few opportunities.
Vault Dweller said:
... including the still-unexplained Circle Mage solution to the Redcliffe quest.
I think we've been over this before. I don't buy the unlikelihood of travelling to the Circle and back not being an issue when there's a demon upstairs who already killed and resurrected the castle inhabitants once. Heck, she can turn statues to life, why are we supposed to pretend it makes sense for you to be able to pick your nose and take your sweet time rounding up the Mages so you can mind-enema the kid?
Anyway, before this thread is completely Volourned as it is doomed to, let's try and squeeze a bit more stuff of interest in here. I don't think I saw it mentioned in your review (maybe I read over it), VD, so I'd like your opinion on this: BioWare's descending feeling for drama.
I kind of fear that while DA:O seems a step forward in BW's RPG design, BioWare's sense of proportionate storytelling appears to be spiraling downwards. It's possible this is just a symptom of the "new shit"-disease DA:O suffers under, just like the hilariously excessive gore, and it's also possible - obviously - that it's just me. But it strikes me - whenever a dramatic scene comes up - that BioWare is trying so hard, and not in a positive sense, but in the "toddler making crayon drawing for his mommy" trying so hard. It's endearing, but also it's a really bad drawing.
It sucks, though, because it takes what is a good story in potentia and kind of ruins it by making me laugh out loud at what is supposed to have an emotional impact on me. Examples:
King-what's-his-face and Duncan dying (I wouldn't remember Duncan's name either if Alistair didn't keep whining about him with every step he takes) - thing is, the whole battle is so retarded it just kind of makes you lol. An army standing in front of the fortifications rather than on them? Archers firing only one salvo and then waiting until the melee is joined so they can shoot into that? Charging the flanks of an army that has no real flanks serving as some catch-all magic solution? This whole thing is retarded, and made worse by BioWare's believe that bellowing monsters are impressive (no they're not).
Leliana singing - the spontaneous bursting into song didn't even work for LotR, why would it work here? This is so clumsy, it had me laugh out loud throughout, especially when MurderDeathKill went all :singletearoftheeagle: on me
Alienage Orphanage - obvious "meant to be scary" place fails to an eye-roll inducing extent. I don't think the kind of scare they're going for works without the immediacy of first-person or OTS camera, but the moment it made me lol was when the rage demon comes into play, with his Predator-O-Vision and corny-ass voice.
Anora's speech before charging into the Darkspawn horde - terrible lines with some of the worst deliverance of all time
And, sadly, the final cutscene of the battle with the archdemon - seeing my frail mage character run up, grab a sword and then FUCKING SPIKE THE DEMON SHIT YEAH seriously, honestly ruined all feeling of achievement I got from this fight. That shit was over-the-top stupid at exactly the wrong time.
BioWare's obsession with being "cinematic" coupled with their obvious shortcomings as both writers and directors (if measured by the yardstick of cinema, which they're trying to be, not by the yardstick of game designers, which they seem to forget they are, at times) leads to potentially good stuff being wasted by plain old bad decisions like the above.
BioWare's reputation as storytellers seems unbreakable (not on the Codex, but on places where normal people go). And DA:O will probably win story of the year on GB, and probably deservedly so. But between their Shyamalan-esque propensity for OMFG PLOT TWISTS and now this descent into B-movie levels of directing/storytelling, I'm not sure how long they can hold up that banner.
BioWare's reputation as storytellers seems unbreakable (not on the Codex, but on places where normal people go). And DA:O will probably win story of the year on GB, and probably deservedly so. But between their Shyamalan-esque propensity for OMFG PLOT TWISTS and now this descent into B-movie levels of directing/storytelling, I'm not sure how long they can hold up that banner..
As you said, their reputation is pretty much unbreakable and no mainstream journalist will dare to go against that by fear of becoming unpopular — also those people have the bad tendency to come up with the wrong arguments when they do go against the flow. So my guess is that as long as Bioware doesn't make some outrageously stupid move, and then all those same people who praise them will jump on the same bandwagon, they will still be viewed as best video games storytellers.
Meanwhile games like The Void that dare to take the medium seriously and attempt to exploit its particular strenghts to tell a story will be largely unnoticed.
