240°

Dragon Age II: What Went Wrong?

GameBlurb writes, "When the Dragon Age 2 demo was released on the PC, I had expressed my disdain for how simplified and “consolized” the game was; I hoped these impressions would only be related to the demo itself. Unfortunately, the retail copy of the game was not only a disappointment for a PC gamer, but a disappointment for any person who appreciated Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening."

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gameblurb.net
jaidek4806d ago

Why did they have to gimp the equipment system for the companions? Seriously, that is a huge step back BioWare.

Christopher4806d ago (Edited 4806d ago )

I'm not bothered by this "gimping" so much as I am about the class-based limitations on equipment. I can still change what most of my companions wield and what what jewelry they have which gives me plenty control over their attributes and resistances, IMHO. What I can't do is wield anything but a dagger or bow as rogue (no daggers, dual wielding, or staves for warriors and only staves for mages) and even then I can't swap between the two different sets easily because they designed it so you'd wield one over the other.

But, while I am disappointed with some of their choices, I feel similar to how I felt with ME2 and that is that it's a different game but not a bad one. It's not as good as many expected, but it was fun to play and had some improvements. I don't think it deserves the vitriol that it has had laid upon it previous to release and continuing till today.

ATiElite4806d ago (Edited 4806d ago )

1. They made the console version a priority instead of the PC versus the other way around which worked out best for everyone for Dragon Age Origins.

2. They totally gimped the game by becoming oh so dependent on the Bioware format of making a game (Mass Effect but with a different title)

3. Bioware has now chosen to go the Activision route and pump out a title as quick as possible gaining sales through name recognition instead of innovation and quality.

4. It's not The Witcher 2

5. still a good game but just not what many DA gamers wanted. So many feel upset and let down as their favorite RPG becomes Mass Dragon Age Effect.

Christopher4806d ago

1. No, I honestly can't say that they focused on just consoles. PC is still very PC. I get why they removed the isometric view, but I think the only thing missing now is the ability to freely move the camera. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same PC game as the first with some UI improvements.

2. They did this with the first as well. This isn't a problem with DA2, this is a problem with both franchises. I still enjoy the different stories, but the overall formula is the same.

3. That's not Bioware, that's EA. EA wanted DA2 to be released this year and there's only so much one can do in a year. I do wish BioWare wasn't stretched as thin as they are between the three game franchises that they could fight back a bit more. But, without EA, we would never have seen Dragon Age: Origins in the first place and Mass Effect 2 would have been greatly adversely affected by the work they are putting into SWtOR.

4. I really wish people would stop doing this. That's like popping into a KZ3 thread and saying it's not MW2. Witcher 2 isn't even review ready and it's looking great, but that doesn't mean that because it may be better that DA2 is a bad game. It's a lame argument to even present since in the end there's only one game that will win this argument, which is the best game ever made.

Not, I'm not saying this primarily to you but to many others who do this constantly and have led to other people doing the same thing rather than coming up with their own argument.

5. I agree it's not everything I wanted. More specifically, I am once again disappointed with what they removed from the game more so than what they added to it. Open dungeons that aren't heavily reused with exploration being a major point being one of them. Class systems that didn't limit what weapons you could use (don't know why they just didn't keep it stat based) being the other. But, as you say, it's sitll a good game.

I don't feel upset by the changes as I understand that they weren't made to make people happy but because of a forced schedule put in place by upper management. The people who make these games want to put in everything good and nothing bad. Sure, sometimes you get some producers who shouldn't be in said positions (I'm looking at you Alpha Protocol producer), but BioWare has a history of going in with a goal to put more into it. EA has unfortunately resulted in some reduced time frames to their release schedule, which means they can't put in everything they can.

While I'm let down, I'm not unhappy. The game was good. It definitely doesn't deserve to have masses of people who have only played the beta, if even that, rate it below a 5/10, many of them 0/10 (How the frak is that even possible? A 0/10 means the game doesn't exist).

MicrocutsX24806d ago

Man so many people are disappointed with this game. What the hell happened Bioware?

Xander7564806d ago

What do you mean? I haven't gotten the game yet so how is the equipment system worse?

Myst4806d ago

Well now if you want to upgrade equipment for companions you have to play hide and seek for it. One of the reasons why people have been throwing out armor location guides. Since in the shops you can only buy armor for Hawke, but weapons and everything else is fine.

MegaMohsi4806d ago

i think the game is OK which is sub standard for bioware. They really f'ed up on the DX11 performance on PC and still haven't fixed it, especially for nvidia cards...

Kiroe4806d ago

Has the DirectX 11 issues been remedied yet? I haven't even picked up the game for this very reason.

LightofDarkness4806d ago

There's a fix. Download the 267.59 drivers from Nvidia's website. It's only available for the 550Ti just yet, so make sure you state that as the GPU you're downloading for. Then search the net for "267.59 ini dragon age" and you'll come up with numerous forum posts giving a link to the modified ini which allows the drivers to be used with any Nvidia GPU. It has fixed all performance issues with the game apparently, with numbers now reading like they're supposed to on benchmarks (580 on top, 6970 second, 570 third etc.)

Saryk4806d ago

I was really wanting to get this game at release, now I am glad I waited.

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70°

EA Made Dragon Age and Mass Effect DLC Free On PC By Retiring The BioWare Points System

Immersed Gamer writes: "In order to replace the oppressive BioWare Points system, EA is making a large portion of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age DLC catalogs free for PC users.

For those of you blissfully unaware, EA and BioWare employed a payment system called BioWare Points on PC to pay for DLCs for titles like Mass Effect and Dragon Age. While PC gamers have been struggling with BioWare point’s unfair conversion rates and extremely scarce and cost-detrimental sales.

Console players have been allowed to purchase content in pieces through the appropriate Sony and Microsoft shops. For real money, and not BioWare monopoly bucks. In turn, console players missed out on some DLC content, such as Mass Effect 2 pre-order bonuses that have been repackaged into a DLC pack."

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immersedgamer.com
TinkerNation668d ago

Great response to Ubisoft and their disgusting behavior. Ubisoft decide to take away DLC from people who paid for it, while EA give it for free to everyone when they realize their system sucks. Who would have thought that EA of all companies would be showing Ubisoft how it should be done (even if this is EA fixing their own mistakes as well).

Mobis-New-Nest668d ago

What goes around comes around and I promise you, Ubisoft will see their actions blow back on them when their diminishing sales numbers and stock taking a hit downward. That's the only way a company learns when they decide to be reactive instead of proactive.

160°

All BioWare Games Ranked from Worst to Best

BLG writes: "There was a time that BioWare games were the biggest deal in gaming. The Canadian developer’s legacy of all-time classics is well known. Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur’s Gate are some of the biggest names in gaming.

While BioWare’s quality has fallen off lately, there’s no denying the quality of titles in their portfolio. That’s why we’re going to dive in and rank every BioWare game from worst to best. By every, I do mean every BioWare game, even the ones you completely forgot about!"

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bosslevelgamer.com
Orbilator827d ago

Ranked from worse to even more worse more like, they been on free fall for a fair few years now and I personally don't think any of there earlier games have aged well

autobotdan827d ago

Wow to think at one point in their history they made a Sonic the Hedgehog game..crazy

chicken_in_the_corn827d ago

Anthem is crazy underrated. I really enjoyed it. ME1 is Bioware's best imo

826d ago Replies(1)
Michiel1989826d ago

I actually put quite a bit of hours into Anthem but i dont think its underrated. It was a huge mess, server issues, gameplay issues, crashes, no endgame loop, too few different enemies, uninteresting gear. too few dungeons.

It for sure had potential and if they could have managed to keep the same gameplay of the classes but without the rest of the issues, this game could have been huge, but in the state in which it launched it was such a letdown. They partly fixed some of the issues, but it took too long. A grinding game like this needs to hook players from day 1.

170°

'Dragon Age' and Why It Sucks to Play Cult Favorite Games

Delving into a well-loved game or series years after its release, when it already has an enthusiastic and devoted fanbase, can be incredibly difficult. People can be casually mean on the internet without intending to, and that happens a lot when you say you don’t like something they do. Fans of the franchise take their love of the game very seriously. They’re fervent and devoted, which has its charms, but it can also feel like you’re disappointing them when you decide their thing is not your thing.

Snakeeater25950d ago

All dragon age games are terribly boring

Kerppamaister950d ago

Why'd you play DA2 if you thought 1 was boring?

Snakeeater25950d ago

Because of the reviews, I thought they could do better specially gameplay wise and the third one was even worst

spss11950d ago

I've never been able to complete a Dragon Age game. They always felt too rigid in design. I eventually think "why am I playing this over Witcher 3?" or pretty much any other rpg.

arkard950d ago

The same reason you read a different book, or watch different movies. Different world, characters, lore and story.

jeromeface950d ago

Idk, because maybe you completed the witcher 3? Not all of us like repeating a game over and over just because its the best in genre.

spss11950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

@arkard
Never found the story or lore of DA interesting. Inquisition was just generic evil dude with demon army wants to conquer world and you're the chosen one.

@jeromeface
I've played through Witcher 3 once, at the same time I was playing DA Inquisition. Hence the example. I never finished Inquisition and went on to complete Witcher 3.

Yui_Suzumiya950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

Well the first bored me but I loved 2 and 3. I could never get into The Witcher or Elder Scrolls but I enjoyed those as far as medieval themed RPG's go.

SegaSaturn669950d ago

I played inquisition and thought the story was pretty well done. Voice acting as well.

Lost interest when i found an ultimate weapon that could only be wieldable postgame. Like wtf would they let me even obtain it for?

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phoenixwing950d ago

Is it really a cult following if it's in the millions?

IanTH950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

lol Definitely a fair point. When a game is made and published by one of the largest video game companies on Earth, has at least 12 million sales between DA:O/DA2/DA:I, DA:I noted as being BioWare's most successful launch, and made EA enough money to greenlight a 3rd game? I'm thinking it's tough to argue that's niche :-p

If you take cult following on the face of it - a group of people who are highly dedicated & passionate about something - the author wouldn't be wrong. But they have to know that term is most widely associated with the group being small/the object being obscure, so it can't really apply here.

melons950d ago

Yeah, in what universe is a series with three games, a fourth on the way that's sold millions and is published by EA a "cult favorite"? Next you'll be telling me The Witcher 3 is a plucky and underrated indie.

IanTH949d ago

I've heard about this hidden gem called GTA V...

jznrpg950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

Cult favorite? It’s well known and sold fairly well and they are making a fourth game . I don’t see it anywhere near cult favorite status . I really enjoyed the first game and the third was pretty good (with failed mmo faults you could notice) but the second game was lazily made garbage .

Yui_Suzumiya950d ago

Second was the best game which is the biggest hot take I've ever had, lol

ElvisHuxley950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

Loved the first one, second was pretty good. Couldn't even get through the third one. Don't have high hopes for 4, but hey, nowhere to go but up hopefully.

moomoo319950d ago (Edited 950d ago )

DA: Origins was cool, but I got Mass Effect 2 at the same time and goddayum there was no comparison imo.

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