Dragon Age 2

[viper37]

So, does blood magic still rock?

Yes.

Mages aren't quite the "I win" class they were in DA:O but not exactly nerfed.

So far, I think that the rogue with a good bow and a good rune (64 damage + 6 fire) is the best to begin with.
Warriors start to kick ass only by the time of act 3.

[Faeelin]

Did anyone else start rooting for the Qunari by the end of Act 3? Both sizes were possessed by an all-encompassing stupidity that made me want to burn the city to the ground.

[Legbiter]

Did anyone else start rooting for the Qunari by the end of Act 3? Both sizes were possessed by an all-encompassing stupidity that made me want to burn the city to the ground.

Not the Qunari no. But yep, things pretty much went as disastrously wrong as could be made possible, sets up DA 3 nicely.

[I Killed Kenny]

well in the end I helped the templars and still the mages "won"... stupid game.

[viper37]

well in the end I helped the templars and still the mages "won"... stupid game.

Spoiler:
I helped the mages, and I was still forced to kill them all in the end.  Half of them died, because they were posessed, while I was running to the Gallows, 1/4 was killed inside the gallows by me, 1/4-1 by the Templars, and I had to killed the posessed Orsino.
Yes, it's a stupid game.  None of the choices you do really matter in the long run.  You always lose your sister by the end of act 1, always fight the Qunari and lose your mother by the end of act 2, you always fight both mages and templars in act 3.  Stupid.[/]

[crazy canuck]

I am gathering this is a miss for people that didnt finish the first one.

[katmai]

sounds like it's a miss for those that had too

[Habbaku]

intiinninbb

[Legbiter]

well in the end I helped the templars and still the mages "won"... stupid game.

If you side with the templars you help annul the Kirkwall Circle. But the Thedas-wide Circle uprisings happen anyway, Kirkwall just lit the fuse. In the end you're either an inspiration to the mages or you curbstomp them making them lash out in desperation.

[Legbiter]

well in the end I helped the templars and still the mages "won"... stupid game.

Spoiler:
I helped the mages, and I was still forced to kill them all in the end.  Half of them died, because they were posessed, while I was running to the Gallows, 1/4 was killed inside the gallows by me, 1/4-1 by the Templars, and I had to killed the posessed Orsino.

Yes, it's a stupid game.  None of the choices you do really matter in the long run.  You always lose your sister by the end of act 1, always fight the Qunari and lose your mother by the end of act 2, you always fight both mages and templars in act 3.  Stupid.[/]  intiinninbb
[/]

DA 2 feels like the character driven middle chapter in a trilogy. DA 3 should be much more open-ended.

[MadImmortalMan]

Finally actually playing this now. Feels very arcadey. Like it's made for xbox. I greatly favor DA:O for the combat engine. Not sure what I think yet. I'm trying to keep an open mind---"Would I like this game on its own merits had I never played DA:O?". So far, it's decent. I just got into the city.

[MadImmortalMan]

Finished act 2. Every fight is an ambush. Every one. No other option is available. No other battle strategy is viable except "react to ambush-team surrounded". Honestly, that's the worst thing. Oh, man what I wouldn't give for a Redcliffe style fight right now. Or, you know, being able to strike first? Being a mage with friendly fire on is ass, since, you know, we're always surrounded. The added tactics and stuff for the characters is a great touch, and would really enhance the game if it mattered fuck all since every battle consists of us being surrounded and unable to enter combat until the enemies surround us first.

I of course have every map memorized, even for places I haven't been yet. Because they're all identical. I can live with that I guess. The story is good. Very good. The writing is great. I guess Bioware can write a lot faster than they can code.

[Monoriu]

I am playing this too.  I didn't finish the previous one, because combat had became tedious.  It is clear that the designers of DA2 are aware of the problem, and I must say that combat has improved.  It feels faster, more challenging, and that the player has useful input that can make a difference.  I also like the dialogue system, the ability trees, the potion ingredient system, and having a home with most of the stuff that I need in one place.  The story is excellent, the dialogue truly well-written, and the voice acting is good.  The game is also largely bug-free, and it runs very smoothly. 

My biggest beef with the game is that the world feels very small and limited.  The series seem to be going downhill on this.  Baldur's Gate had a lot more variety.  A lot more encounters, interesting places to visit, puzzles to solve, and surprises.  Now it is just go there, fight, collect reward, repeat.  As MiM pointed out, a lot of dungeons are 100% identical.  They only have like 4-5 basic maps.  For different quests, they just seal off different areas, place different monsters and chests, and that's it.  This is just plain laziness. 

Playing this game makes me miss The Elder Scrolls series.  My craving for Skyrim has increased 10 fold.   

[garbon]

It is clear that the designers of DA2 are aware of the problem, and I must say that combat has improved.  It feels faster, more challenging, and that the player has useful input that can make a difference. 

Really? Just started this today and it seems much more of a mash buttons situation.

[MadImmortalMan]

It is clear that the designers of DA2 are aware of the problem, and I must say that combat has improved.  It feels faster, more challenging, and that the player has useful input that can make a difference.

Really? Just started this today and it seems much more of a mash buttons situation.

I feel like they've taken away most of the strategy in favor of making it more action-y. So yeah, Mono is right in that it's faster. There's no friendly fire in all but the highest difficulty because all the fights are ambushes from all sides. If not, no area effect stuff would be feasible. You can't sneak up on anyone, etc. I find it to not be an improvement. I wanted to play a mage of quiet dignity, and instead I'm an acrobatic dancing ninja caster. Meh.