Dragon Age II

[Octarine]

Has anyone played it yet? (trick question)

I'm looking forward to it.

I still think it is stupid not to have a worldwide unified release date. It only serves to encourage piracy if you release it in the USA a few days early.

 

[KDude]

I don't think it's out until the 8th here. I don't know anything about this one, but I preordered it because I like Bioware. I can't seem to get tired of the formula.

 

[Octarine]

Also, I don't mind the whole 'developed for console' thing. Because I love the fact that the video card I bought in 2006 is still fine for the latest games. Mass Effect 3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim, should make for a great gaming year.

 

[Oaky]

Has anyone played it yet? (trick question)

Demo

 

[Edgar]

The first one had a good story, like all the BioWare games seem to have.

The graphics were a bit suspect though. I hope they remedied that in the second one.

 

[Totenkindly]

I don't think it's out until the 8th here. I don't know anything about this one, but I preordered it because I like Bioware. I can't seem to get tired of the formula.

I preordered and got the free "expanded" version or something, but yes, it's not out here until Tuesday.

 

[Atomic Fiend]

Looks decent. Not great, not horrible, just decent. I preordered my copy sometime last month.

 

[Octarine]

Apparently some of the RPG elements are watered down. I hope not too much. It also tends to destroy the replayability when they do that. (I mean who replayed Mass Effect!?!)

I guess there is always The Witcher 2 right?

 

[Atomic Fiend]

And Elder Scrolls Skyrim.

Seriously though... I'm tired of speaking about it, though from what I've read the game is much shorter and has far less dialouge which is surprising because the protagonist is voiced this time around. The PC version of this game has portions that must be downloaded from Bioware in order to play, so if you don't have a connection when installing, you can't play. This is done in order to prevent piracy.

 

[Octarine]

This is done in order to prevent piracy.

Or the fact that many games these days are buggy as hell when they're shipped.

 

[Atomic Fiend]

Uh, what?

 

[Totenkindly]

Or that many games these days are buggy as hell when they're shipped.

Uh, what?

I.e., you need an internet connection because it might be set to do bug reports and "patches" behind the scenes if you manage to crash the software.

 

[erm]

Seriously though... I'm tired of speaking about it, though from what I've read the game is much shorter and has far less dialouge which is surprising because the protagonist is voiced this time around. The PC version of this game has portions that must be downloaded from Bioware in order to play, so if you don't have a connection when installing, you can't play. This is done in order to prevent piracy.

Which is funny, because the xbox 360 version leaked a while ago, and the PS3 version shortly after.

Because the PC version has DRM, people have to wait on the crack. Meanwhile, those with the console version can dive straight in.

All this meaning, as usual, pirates will get the game first, for free, and without any DRM. Customers, not so much.

 

[JocktheMotie]

I'm looking forward to it. Demo was very good and ultimately I thought the pacing of the combat was better than the first. DA was very...slow? And mages are actually fun to play this time. In DA, while definitely overpowered, I'd always switch away from my mage character and play as the tank/melee damage dealer because mage gameplay was drudgery. Preordered on Steam.

 

[Totenkindly]

I'm looking forward to it. Demo was very good and ultimately I thought the pacing of the combat was better than the first. DA was very...slow? And mages are actually fun to play this time. In DA, while definitely overpowered, I'd always switch away from my mage character and play as the tank/melee damage dealer because mage gameplay was drudgery. Preordered on Steam.

Steam's pretty cool.

I used to like getting the boxed sets, but then I was left with a lot of empty boxes that I hated to throw away. It's kind of convenient for most games to just get them downloaded at home.

 

[Stigmata]

Steam's pretty cool.

I used to like getting the boxed sets, but then I was left with a lot of empty boxes that I hated to throw away. It's kind of convenient for most games to just get them downloaded at home.

While I love having all the games I've actually payed for accessible through one user friendly interface. On the other hand I don't like that most games are being distributed exclusively through steam, as it makes them harder to pirate. If only I could have my multiplayer cake and eat it too.

As far as DA goes, I've been debating heavily with myself for at least 6 months on whether I wanted to get it or not. I've been looking for something to fill that final fantasy-esque, turn based itch that I've neglected to scratch for quite some time.

 

[Atomic Fiend]

As far as DA goes, I've been debating heavily with myself for at least 6 months on whether I wanted to get it or not. I've been looking for something to fill that final fantasy-esque, turn based itch that I've neglected to scratch for quite some time.

If you're looking for Final Fantasy or turn based RPGs, you'd have better luck trying another game.

This isn't your daddy's Fantasy game.

 

[JocktheMotie]

IMO with the amount of micro you need to do on harder difficulties, the game is practically turn based. Especially if you ignore setting tactics. The ultimate edition is a great deal.

 

[Totenkindly]

While I love having all the games I've actually payed for accessible through one user friendly interface. On the other hand I don't like that most games are being distributed exclusively through steam, as it makes them harder to pirate. If only I could have my multiplayer cake and eat it too.

Lol. At least you're honest!

As far as DA goes, I've been debating heavily with myself for at least 6 months on whether I wanted to get it or not. I've been looking for something to fill that final fantasy-esque, turn based itch that I've neglected to scratch for quite some time.

Not sure how this one will pan out. I preordered so I could get the collector's edition for regular edition prices.

Then I started playing RIFT.

IMO with the amount of micro you need to do on harder difficulties, the game is practically turn based. Especially if you ignore setting tactics. The ultimate edition is a great deal.

I guess I actually do that already, instinctively, in DA; I didn't use much of the tactical slotting, I would just keep pausing the game to look at a new character and choose to do something, then unpause....

 

[Stigmata]

This isn't your daddy's Fantasy game.

Ugh. That line alone has stopped me from purchasing it. That made me think of being the protagonist in some lame R.L. Stein book in which I'd be a kid going to an empty nearby arcade afterschool, and as I'm walking around through this dusty establishment, I see a machine with covered in a giant sheet, and as my curiosity compels me to remove the sheet, the owner walks up to me and says exactly that, and as I decide not to adhere to his warning I plug the machine in and the entire room starts shaking, thinks start toppling over, the lighting starts flickering on and off rapidly, and the all four walls of the room begin changing colors independently. I then get sucked into the game as the camera pans out to see the shop owner laughing manically.

Thanks a lot.

Then I started playing RIFT.

I played the beta of that game, and it seemed like the bastard lovechild of WoW and Lineage 2. Perhaps the initial similarities between the two kinda distorted my perception, and surprisingly I've heard a lot of die-hard wow fans raving about it.