And That's Why I'm NOT Pre-ordering Dragon Age II

Hooked Gamers writes: "As a huge fan of the original game, and its older siblings Baldur's Gate I and II, Dragon Age II should be on my 2011 wish list. And yet it isn't. More worrying still, why does Bioware seem hell-bent to keep it that way?"

[Chris399]

Save over $100 that way.

This article is mostly a hate piece, my only gripe is the (real, not initial) price.

[Yi-Long]

... when I know in advance a title will be DLC-milking, it automatically means I won't be buying it at full-price, but I'll wait for the GOTY, IF I'm still interested in the game by then.

[I_find_it_funny]

I still havent played DA1, I wanted to pick up the complete edition, but since they fucked up with the missong dlc on PS3 im not getting it

[pangitkqb]

This opinion piece surprised me. I thought is was going to be nothing but whining....except that I have had the same concerns the writer had!

The bright colors? Gone
Freedom to name and "be" my character? Gone
Point of View Freedom? Lessened, no "downward facing" camera.
Tactical nature? Likely simplified to broaden console appeal.

I do, however, look forward to the supposedly much improved combat and movement animations. In that vein, it may prove to be a great game, but i do have concerns similar to those of the writer.

[WildArmed]

D: I wish I had enough restraint to wait for the GoTY edition.
But I love DA:O too much, so getting DA2 day one.. It'll be my first game I bought since Red Dead Redemption in May '10.

Looking forward to it <3

[RAZORLAND]

Pre-ordered the Signature edition; Its already going for well over $100 on ebay. Decisions, decisions....

[ChineseDemocracy]

I actually liked the character development in DA:O better than ME:2, I'm hoping it doesn't go downhill in the sequel.

[darksied]

@pogibaldy
"freedom to name and 'be' my character? Gone"

Then you must have hated Mass Effect 1 and 2. I seriously think this is a good thing, because now you can "be" the character that they've given you and you can do what you want as him. Your character in Dragon Age was pathetic; he just stood there, mute, and it took away from the life and dialog of the whole world around you. I hope it's more like Mass Effect IN the dragon age world this time around, and it looks to be that.

[Epicor]

@darksied

Totatally agree with you.

And to be quite honest with you guys, I even find character appearance customization option needless in games. I mean if bioware intended John Sheppard to look like the Sheppard we know looks like, why would I want it to look different? Even if didn't like main Sheppards look i would still play with the standard character. Same goes for changing the names of characters. Sheppards first name is John, period imo.

I mean it would just feel wrong if lets say in FFVIII you would give your main character a different name: Jamal insted of Squall. Or in FFIX Betty-Sue insted of Vivi. Respect developer and keep the original appearances and names. This statement applies in all the story driven and character focused games. Some hack'n slash etc games might be a different story.

[Seferoth75]

Pretty sure you could rename your characters in FF7. I know in a lot of their games you could pick a different name if you wanted.

[Perjoss]

I think a fair strategy for devs to take on is to announce one DLC package at launch, explain that it will be the only package, say it will be special / top quality and it will only be out after 3 or 4 months. This will encourage fans of the game to hold onto their copy (reducing 2nd hand game sales slightly).

The reason it will take 3 or 4 months is that they will only start working on it after the main game is launched, and the DLC package is being treated like a separate project.

But some devs are being greedy and milking games to kingdom come with stuff that should really be in the main game, I'm looking at you alternate SFIV costumes...

[Keith Olbermann]

"What ever happened to the lush, colourful high-fantasy setting that we knew and loved from Dragon Age? Why would I want to play in a dreary, dull looking world with off-putting colour schemes of reds, greys, browns and purples?"

Dragon Age origins wasnt all that pretty...at least not on 360 and ps3. I dont know what this guy is thinking. I like the new art scheme. I think this will be one of the biggest games this year and with good reason.

[xTHRASHx]

Dragon Age was much better on the PC, in every way.

[jeseth]

I loved Dragon Age : Origins. One of my favorite games this gen.
I have to say that after playing it on a console that I imagine the PC version would be much better...so many spells and commands that the console version was "clumsier" than on the PC.

I'm excited for Dragone Age 2 bigtime. Hopefully they don't change the winning formula too much!

[Ch1d0r1]

Yeah IDK why it got high ratings on consoles. I played it and it was total garbage. Story was good for the 2 hours that i played. Im sure the PC version would of been great to play.

[frostypants]

"Dragon Age was much better on the PC, in every way."

Yikes. The PS3/360 versions must've really sucked then, because the PC version was also a pretty bad game. Terrible combat system, boring plot, and it was out-produced in every way by Mass Effect...which was an older Bioware release.

The music was ok, but the game in general fell apart after the first 5-10 hours or so.

[stuntman_mike]

i wouldnt call dragon age origins a colourful game, not even on pc. so i dont really know why that is a complaint.

[Iroquois_Pliskin]

haters gonna hate, trolls gonna troll. I highly doubt he´s played any of those games... just looking for hits.

[xTHRASHx]

LOL

Then you dont know Falconer my friend.

Hah this kills me.

[joshvaliant]

I've known Sergio for a long time now, he's a bigger fan of biowares Baldurs Gate than you could ever possibly be. He's also as old as the gaming industry itself, so shut the fuck up as you have no idea what your talking about. He is voicing his opinion and his values go against everything you just said. In fact, everything you said in your comment describes you ya troll.

[BaneWilliams]

says the troll.

[kevnb]

I already preordered from direct2drive for 45 dollars with a promo code. I had my doubts, but after watching some pc gaameplay I knew I had to have it.

[Lekumkee]

I'm still getting DA:2 even though I agree with most of what he said.

[HolyOrangeCows]

Oh no! They made the combat better and now it isn't a game that can be figured out with a calculator! What will I do without my offline WoW??

"Basic enemies are killed more easily than in Dragon age: Origins? You're kidding, right? You're not? Hoo boy... So Dragon Age II really is an Action RPG then. Where is the challenge in that?"
Action RPGs can't be challenging? That's news to me.
And what? He'd rather watch his avatar wail on an orc infant for 5 minutes than slay them to get to bigger challenges?

"What ever happened to the lush, colourful high-fantasy setting that we knew and loved from Dragon Age? Why would I want to play in a dreary, dull looking world with off-putting colour schemes of reds, greys, browns and purples?"
That's funny; because Dragon age WAS a dull looking world with ugly browns, grays, and greens.

Just a whiny, close-minded, console-hating, WoW-loving Elitist who'd probably be the most comfortable playing D&D, rolling dice to decide the combat outcomes.

[ChrisW]

I tried reading the article, but all that I could understand was, "Whaaaaaaaa... Whaaaaaaaa... Whaaaaaaaa... Whaaaaaaaa..."

[jrbeerman11]

exactly my thoughts well said

[CrIpPeN]

I usually do that too. But I haven't bough the first game. I don't think I will.

[Kiriel]

Hate is a strong word... :)

[ChrisW]

No, strong is a strong word. Hate is a hateful word... : P

[nevermore]

i played dragon age on pc and i agree it's visuals were not that simulating. But the game gets a perfect 10 for its gameplay and story. you know what? scratch that.. the visuals were great too.. the werewolf lair was just awesome.

i dont agree with this article.. but since it's the author's own opinion, no hate from me.

[awi5951]

@nevermore
What res and what graphics card was you using? Because dragon age looked awesome on my pc maxed out.

[nevermore]

i had a 8600Gt back then...

[kevnb]

Ya I thought it had alot of detail and looked awesome on pc. Im not a big fan of the console style tricks used in games like mass effect and uncharted. Im starting to think I'm the only one who appreciates graphics with actual details over nice textures with no detail.

[awi5951]

Yeah that card cant run at the settings i run at it can do 2 aa at the most it looks way better at res over 1080p.I force 32 samples with 16aa and 16af It looks alot better that way.

[TheIneffableBob]

Dragon Age looked pretty great, imo.
http://www.wegame.com/view/...

[Charmers]

I am not pre-ordering Dragon Age 2 for two reasons. The first is the way they treated steam customers by purposely locking us out of the signature edition.

Secondly they are going to produce a crap load of over priced DLC for DA 2 so I will wait for the "ultimate" edition when they sell all the content for the correct price rather than let them nickel and dime me.

[BabyTownFrolics]

i guess you write about something...

[Christopher]

***allowing for a tactically oriented system on PC***

DA2 has been proven to allow for the same tactics save for the need to control NPC placement (rogues especially for back attacks) during chaotic combat. Otherwise, the exact same NPC AI logic is there and editable by the player, the same pause and assign action is there, and the same ability to hotkey various abilities are there.

***Dragon Age had a high-fantasy setting which conjures up Tolkienesque images of lush worlds full of vibrant colours that make you feel alive.***

It looks the exact same as DAO on the PC, IMHO. Most of DAO was spent in drab dungeons with the same look/feel as the others as it was. The fact that the real world may reflect a similar tone doesn't mean it's a bad game, it likely means that the world has changed and isn't full of peaceful forest areas like it once was. There was a difference in tone of the LotR settings once you got to the end of the second book and throughout the whole third. It wasn't all nice and colorful, but primarily very grey or dark in tone.

***Basic enemies are killed more easily than in Dragon age: Origins? ***

Got any proof behind this claim? Every video we've seen has been of them playing the game on casual mode. In DAO, casual mode was pretty much a breeze as well where even boss mobs didn't make you do much to win other than make sure you healed when needed.

***And we actually liked the way we could develop our character and really don't want to be restricted to pre-selected spells and skills and pour our hard earned skill points into those.***

What? No clue what you're talking about. There are multiple trees of advancement for the PC character that you can customize to your own heart's content. There are 6 normal trees and multiple specialization trees for each class that you are free to spend your pints between. Even better now is that not only can you train in the skills you want, you can also further enhance abilities that you like with various skill enhancements as well.

***The problem is that it won't be a continuation of Dragon Age: Origins. It will be something new, something too different for it to give us the same fantastic experience that we received the first time around.***

That's like saying ME2 wasn't a continuation of ME1. It is and it's ignorant to claim it isn't. The leaps in changes from DAO to DA2 are not even near the level of changes from ME1 to ME2.

I would hope that as a person who plays RPGs for the storyline, that the most important elements are left unchanged, which are the story and potential for the player to defined their way through the continuing story.

***And do you know what's scary? I talk to Dragon Age fans all the time and they all have the same reservations.***

I might suggest you step outside your little bubble of friends, then.

====

I encourage people to watch the GiantBomb.com Quick Look video they did.

http://www.giantbomb.com/qu...

1. They explain you can still pause and assign commands

2. Skill trees are still in with the ability to further specialize in the skills you buy

3. That they are playing on the easiest level during their demos, which is why NPCs in general look like they are so easy to take out

4. Customization is still in, though NPC armor is about upgrades and not about equipping them with random armor. You can give them weapons though.

5. Abilities can still be hotkeyed

6. UI is different for PC and console

[BabyTownFrolics]

:)

[Corrwin]

Article should be "Nerd Rage at Bioware refusing to make the game I want!"

What the hell does limiting it to one character have to do with watering it down?

Planescape: Torment had you play as one pre-set character (with the same Warrior, Rogue, Mage choices too), and that to this day has the best story of any video game.

Calm down. Personally I won't be buying it until they release the Ultimate edition in a couple of years like they did with DA:O.

[Esena]

I would argue limiting it to one character actually expands the game's depth. I miss RPGs where you jump into the game, you learn about the game's universe, its characters, and you're drawn to the story.

When you create a Character it limits the personality of your character entirely. It limits story telling and it limits the experience in whole.

When a developer makes a game, I want to be confined by their guidelines. I want to be restricted on what I can make, because I want to play THEIR story, not mine. Character creation is something that has actually limited a game; it simply needs to be rethought and done correctly.

[Nicaragua]

If you like limited games then go play Final Fantasy 13 - you'll be in heaven.

[Esena]

@Nicaragua

Great job on using poor reading skills.

I didn't say I want to play every limiting game there is... but I am confident in Bioware's skill in terms of story telling, character development, etc.

Playing a poorly done limiting game is not what I meant.

[Christopher]

Esena hits the nail right on the head.

1. People always use well-known novels as examples of "open RPGs" for some reason, without realizing that novels themselves tend to be so well done because the author chooses what you see and how you see it.

2. Focus on a known protagonist in a game has always made people associate the game with that protagonist and make them more likely to continue a storyline that involves them. Examples are in the hundreds with video game characters alone, including RPG alumni characters Commander Shephard, Geralt, JC Denton, The Nameless One, and others.

Think about it this way, when you look at what a specific character from DAO did, do you recall what your character did or something that an NPC with a real name and voice did in the game? For me, it's most often something Oghren did and not my character.

3. And, with the focus on a single character (male or female versions), it allows you to give a voice and further purpose to the storyline. You come from a single background, meaning they don't have to dynamically account for each possible background, race, and your faction rating. Instead, they have a lot more time to expand on just your faction rating.

[kevnb]

There's more to a great rpg than story alone. I have to feel like I have some real affect on the world, luckily after watching the gameplay video at rock paper shotgun im no longer worried. The pc gameplay looks largely unchanged but the animations are much improved. Honestly I would have loved the first even if it had no story at all, gameplay is the most important part of any game.

[iceman2885]

All the people saying they will wait for the GOTY version with all the DLC...good for you, but I don't have that kind of patience. I want to play now!

[a08andan]

Same here. I buy games at the release and after completion I won't play it again for a long time. When I want to return to DA 2 I will simply buy the "Ultimate Edition" or whatever its gonna be called. I won't buy any DLC this time around. That way I will have something new when I buy the ultimate edition. And when I buy that, I can just sell the normal edition or sumthin. :)

[Redempteur]

lol if everyone 's waiting then chances are that we're not going to have a GOTY edition at all

Just saying

[Ace_1975]

The thing that draws me to a RPG is interesting characters. If I see a RPG with generic looking characters I just can't be bothered to play it. Which is why I stopped playing Dragon Age about 5 hours in. And why I won't be getting this sequel. It all looks so generic with your typical RPG style characters. Nothing interesting about them at all.

[iceman2885]

I'd say its hard to make a fair judgment on the characters after 5 hours of Dragon Age.

First you probably wouldn't have gotten all of the characters. Second, the game itself can run to 50+ hours so to judge something but the first 5 hours is jumping the gun a bit in my opinion.

[jrbeerman11]

I wonder did he stop playing COD after shooting 3 people?

[wedgie]

My favorite part of the first Dragon Age, and most RPGs in general, is the character interaction. I really loved the characters in the first one, and hope that they make appearances coming back in the second one.

[Karlnag3]

Seems to me that this guy just wants to moan. Origins will still be there if you really care that much.

[Kiriel]

I love how the gaming press gets flak for being too optimistic in previews AND THEN ALSO get flak for writing their honest opinion. :)

[almasy919]

When that opinion is based on factually wrong BS, yeah they get flak.

[Urmomlol]

Haha, look at the author getting all defensive about his POS article.

Oh, and you're not the gaming press. You're just some hack writer and a bitchy fanboy writing for a web site that no one cares about.

[Seferoth75]

I can carry around a basketball all day long. Doesnt make me an NBA player. Just because anyone can have a website now and anyone can write an article hardly makes you part of the gaming industry or a gaming journalist.

You felt the need to share your opinion. Don't get upset when others share their own opinion.

I'll never understand why people think their opinions shouldnt be questioned simply because of the work they do.

[Raendom]

I think DA2 is going to be vastly better, the party looks just as interesting as the first, your character can talk, the combat is refined, the menu systems are refined for consoles...

Plus it's Bioware! It's already got my seal of approval because AFAIK Bioware haven't made ONE bad game, ever.

[Esena]

I don't understand why people are upset that there is a fixed main character this time around. It gives the game much more depth in terms of story. Instead of being the son of somebody we know a lot about, we now can have an entire back story on Hawke, the main character. I for one have gotten sick of heavy character creation in single-player, story driven games. Yes, I do want Bioware to tell me who to be, I want to play out the story they've created. I want to be "restricted" in the sense, because it allows the devs to build a universe involving my character rather than my character jumping into a unknown universe.

To the author of the article: You seemed to be engaged with Bioware games in the past, yet you think you know better than them now? Wait until the final game is released, relinquish your childish attitude, and if the game interests you, don't let your stubbornness tell you otherwise.

[Raven_Nomad]

Dragon Age 2 looks so much better then the first one. I pre ordered mine for the Xbox 360 months ago. People need to learn to get a grip. These games are for entertainment.

[NYC_Gamer]

i will buy the game soon as its released since don't really pre order.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

The author is allowed an opinion certainly, but if you are going to publish said opinion as though its fact then prepare to be torn apart for what comes across as a bitchy little fanboy / elitest article.

DAO was indeed a great game but it had MAJOR flaws to it. The overall experience cried out for refinement and some changes. I don't think the PC crowd is truly getting the short end of the stick on this game. It still will offer up the best visuals on high settings, and it still will offer up the tactics and pause screens of the last game. You may not be able to zoom out as far as you wanted but truthfully that wont stop you from being able to command and give orders to each member of the party.

And this complaint about the main character being set instead of choosen is a trade off that I welcome. Yes I liked being able to select a dwarf, human, elf etc... but I the lack of a voice over main character left the game feeling dated especially when all the supporting characters were so well done. I welcome the Mass Effect type story telling and dialogue tree system. It will give the game a much more "movie" like quality and not this archaic "read my lines" system of the first game.

Visually, the changes so far seem good from what I have seen. I wont pass judgment though because I haven't seen anything more than a handful of screens and videos. The first game felt very "tradtional" Balders Gate and this game seems to be hitting those chords as well.

I for one am pre-ordering the game. They can try and DLC me all they want...I just wont buy it unless its on sale down the road. The first DAO gave me more than enough play time with its original story for me not to worry about what is or isn't coming in the form of DLC.

[wollie]

I must be the only person who agrees with the author.

I thought ME1 was better then ME2(although ME2 was still a great game), because it was a deeper game with more micro management. Less focused on action and more on building characters and getting the best out of them.

I fear DA2 will follow this same trend, but I will still buy it. I wish that we had full customization of all party members kinda like the old D&D dos games where you could imagine a team and then build it. DA2 seems to be taking control away from the player in order to make it a more cinematic experience, which is fine, but its not what I want.

[ironcreed]

Whine, whine, whine, bitch, bitch, bitch, moan, moan, moan, complain, complain, complain... ad nauseum. This generation has turned into nothing but a bunch of spoiled, self entitled gamers who are jaded to the point that all they do is hate on games that they have not even played. "Whahhh, teh game is consolized... wahhh!!!"

[ElementX]

Dragon Age looked so awful I couldn't even bother finishing it. After being spoiled with Mass Effect 2, the graphics in DA were sh!t.

[EditorAtGNG]

Yeah, we all played DAO for the graphics.

[chazjamie]

i am with you on this one. DAO is not for shallow gamers.

[ElementX]

I'm not shallow, I'm 30 and have played some of the first western RPGs ever released. This day in age, graphics are important. If graphics weren't important, you'd all be playing Wii, but since everyone constantly talks crap about it, I'm guessing you're not all playing wii, you're playing HD games on PS3 or 360.

[ME1989]

Well, I'll be enjoying DA2.

[Romudeth]

This writer needs to have his eyes examined. DAO had lush, colorful graphics? Maybe with some mods but the real version of the game was ugly as all hell.

[OdinFallen]

This seems to be nothing more than a troll article.

[jmac53]

"The lush, colorful high fantasy setting". I dont know what game you were playing, but it was not Dragon Age: Origins. It was a dark fantasy and that was what I was expecting. Maybe you should go back to Final Fantasy for the lush colorful fantasy setting.

[Saryk]

The console version of DAO sucks while the PC version is superior game.
I am a PC gamer and my nephew is a Xboxer/PS3, while I loved DAO, he hated the game. After he played my version on the PC, he understood why I loved the game. Now with Dragon Age 2, why even buy the game? When this game is released you would think that someone will use the Dragon Age toolset and make DA2 availble for DAO.

[xlockingupthesunx]

Eh, I'm putting my faith in Bioware for this one. Despite the fact that I liked Mass Effect 1 better than 2 mainly due to the fact that the second one had almost too much combat and not enough story, It was still an amazing experience and plus, much like ME2, the combat looks pretty ramped up for this sequel.

A repeat of what happened with Mass 1 wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, as it attracted a wider audience, and I seem to fall into the minority when I say I prefer the first, but Mass Effect 2 was still an amazing game and I'm betting that Dragon Age 2 will be, too.

But we only have to wait a week to find out, the demo drops in 7 days people!

[rataranian]

Why isn't it multiplayer?

[bobrea]

Why do people preorder games? I've never been in a situation where I couldn't get a game the day it launched at a gamestop or bestbuy and I live in New Hampshire, so it's not even like I'm in a city.

[iceman2885]

Normally I agree, but with the preorder of dragon age 2 before some date (I think it was in december or early january) you got the free upgrade to the signature edition of the game at no extra cost with some extra stuff.

[bobrea]

That sounds like a good incentive. But even when I'm in Boston I don't have problems getting new games. It just seems kind of pointless unless there's a really good deal. Once in a while I spend $5 on a pre order if it gets me a demo or a beta but that's it.

[plb]

Cause you live in New Hampshire most likely? Here in NYC at least, big games get sold out quickly as do new peripherals, systems etc. Even MAG was sold out for a while here. There has been several times I went to get a game release due but it was all sold out.

[Eternus]

Stopped reading there. I am SO FUCKING tired of these elitist PC gamers getting this self-appointed sense of entitlement about every game that comes out.

Get off your high horses and realize that you are NOT more important than anyone else just because you bought a gaming PC. Developers don't need to cater to you PC gamers specifically because you feel like you are better than console gamers.

PC elitists are buy far THE MOST obnoxious and self righteous, "I'm so much better than you," douchebags involved in the whole PS3/360/PC debate. Regardless of whether a PC version is superior or not, how about you shut the fuck and stop talking about it every two seconds about superiority and just discuss the game.

[ironcreed]

Well said, friend. One of the main reasons that I am getting sick of posting on gaming forums in general. Tired of seeing all of the jaded ass gamers doing nothing but whining instead of merely discussing the games and the enjoyment thereof.

[jack_burt0n]

I am not an elitest but when games get things like their interface and structure messed with that carries over to the pc version, people have every right to get pissed off.

Imagine a pc game that uses an extra button, and in its console port the entire button is removed lol like the jump button, that would majorly suck. Same applies to a game that was a big success on the pc getting simplified for other platforms.

Its just lazy to not maximize the potential of all your target platforms.

[Son_Lee]

I could NOT agree more. Just look at every Witcher 2 or Crysis 2 article on here! "Oh, great. Another game watered down for consoles." They know the PC version will be superior anyway, and those games are being PORTED to consoles. Can't they just take a chill pill and move on? No. They must rub it in our faces. What a bunch of basement-dwellers.

[almasy919]

Wow. Most of the crap this guy wrote has been proven to be factually wrong. Jesus christ, I don't think I've seen a more deluded fanbase as that of Origins when talking about its sequel and what's in it or not and how it plays. FFS there's an hour demo/q&a with the lead designer on EA that pretty much shows that gameplay wise it's pretty much the same as the first one but these whiners continue whinge about nonexistant problems.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

The only problem I have with DA:O2 is the fact that you won't be able to create your own character. I liked how DA:O developed its characters and even allowed you to disband your party if you liked, on the other hand I hated Mass Effect 2 and its hand holding illusion of "choices".

I hated Shepard not because of his personality, but because he was limited in my ability to exert control over his decisions. This may also have been true in DA:O, but the rope wasn't nearly as short as it was in ME.

Another issue with introducing Hawke and placing DA:O2 in the same time frame as DA:O is that what you did in DA:O will not be an impact on the state of a new world, but an event that occurs in the same world you already saw in DA:O. I would have liked it better if I was able to continue forward in time in the DA world rather than go through the same Blight again with a different character.

[almasy919]

Um, the beginning first year takes place during the Blight. The game has ten year spanning story, so you do go forward in time past your Grey Warden's story.

[Seferoth75]

That isnt what they are saying. They don't want to repeat the same time line they did in DA:O. Not that DA didnt move forward just that the sequel takes place during the exact same time line.

[almasy919]

"if I was able to continue forward in time in the DA world rather than go through the same Blight again with a different character. "

No, he wants to see the impact of the choices he made in Origins on the rest of world over time. You have 9 years after the Blight to see those effects. FFS, there isn't even a Blight or some great evil to defeat in Hawke's story. It's about his rise to power and legend and his choices that shape Kirkwall. How he's getting that there are less decision choices than Origins is probably fueled by the same blinded rage people get because they can't play a dwarf or elf with no personality and barely acknowledged backgrounds.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

If the time span of DA:O2 is 10 years and goes beyond the time of DA:O then that is no longer an issue.

As for custom characters having no personality in comparison to ones like Shepard and Hawke, if your personal custom characters had no personality then that was your fault, not the game's. It may sound odd considering the fact that most of us are probably adults but you have to remember to use your imagination sometimes.

Movies with open endings are often better than ones where everything is summed up. I don't need my character to be fully developed to be able to relate to him or to enjoy the game. That doesn't mean having one who is makes the game any less enjoyable, but it doesn't necessarily make it any more enjoyable either.

[Romudeth]

The best thing that Bioware did with Dragon Age 2 was to have an actual main character. The biggest problem with DAO was that the main character had no personality and was just an empty shell. This was ok ten years ago but now it just seems lazy. Mass effect would not have been as good if Shepard was just a mute doll like the main character in DAO. An interesting protagonist with an actual personality is more important to a game then an empty customizable one.

[Son_Lee]

Finall someone I agree with! I'd take a developed character over some empty, mute, create-your-own character any day. Isaac Clarke was way better in DS2, and Hawke will be much better in DA2 than the main character from DA:O. Never should a main character not speak! It's just lazy development and unacceptable in this current generation of gaming.

[stuntman_mike]

I cant see what peoples problems are with this game. it looks everything the first game was but better.

[lex-1020]

I had much the same reaction as the writer. They are doing the same thing to DA2 that they did to ME2. They are cutting out much of the rpg elements to focus on the action and adventure.

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Would rather a focus on a single character development /interaction than experience numerous generic 'origins'.
ME2 did it right imo,especially as a female shepard.One character,multiple choices based on gender and morals.

[Bonerboy]

Begin rant...
Who the hell pre-orders anyway? Aside from some stupid trinket you might receive, whats the point? Does one really feel it is necessary to ensure they get a copy from the millions of copies available from almost anywhere on launch day? Has ANY game EVER sold out all over town, or at their favorite retailer for that matter? Ever? No. "OMG it might sell out!! Quick PRE-ORDER!!!" Does it make one feel extra special and giddy at the fact they are now part of some limp elite gamer scene? When in actuality they've been roped into some ridiculous and completely unnecessary consumer whore ritual. Why commit to something that might not be that great? I don't get it. Or perhaps they just like their bonus weapon or stupid poster, paper weight, or button, or shirt etc that in the end is just more cheap advertising, not to mention it makes one look like a complete dork. This "bonus" crap will most likely just end up in some land-fill, sad and alone, the following month. FEH.

End rant

[Seferoth75]

If you live in a small town like I do and you want a copy of a game your best chance is to preorder.
There is 1 Gamestop in my town and that is it as far as gaming stores go. So yes if it sales out in one spot it is sold out all over town..

Just because something doesnt happen where you live doesnt mean it is like that for everyone else. I already know I will need to preorder Rune Factory when it comes out as my Gamestop will be lucky to get even one copy.

[Bonerboy]

Well said I stand corrected. Rant retracted.

[koehler83]

Well I got mine pre-ordered and I can't wait to start playing.

And when the DLC comes, if I'm interested, I'll happily pay for it, because I'm not a cheap bastard and I believe people's work is worth money. I like to get paid for my work too.

If the DLC doesn't look interesting, I'll skip it.

[stuntman_mike]

Exactly!

[spdarksky]

Bioware should change this game title to Dragon Age: 'Anything other than 2' and create a game really worth the name Dragon Age 2.

When they said they change this game to be "Mass-Effect-2-like" game play i immediately cancel to pre order the game. I bought the original Dragon Age Origins then purchase it again for Dragon Age Complete Pack. I buy it twice but i game the first copy to my brother to play.

I think i will pass on pre ordering this game until the review comes out

[XeNoStRatoS]

Man, when I read this:

"Disappointed, I tried really hard to push these dark thoughts aside and even made an effort to block out any and all news about the game until the first in-game footage would be available. [...]I'm sad to conclude that my initial fears that the game was going the wrong way have not been alleviated. In fact, my fears have become worse. Let's have a look at why that is shall we?"

I already stopped reading your article. If you have time and spirit to care this much about little details, nobody really can help you. Instead you should just give it a try. Bet the gameplay will be awesome again, and don't give a shit about details nearly no human beeing is even able to care about on this planet...

[unicronic]

The "watering it down for consoles" argument is neither here nor there.

Console gaming is far more lucrative hence why a company would want to produce a game to be console friendly.