Dragon's Age!

[Rillion]

Originally Posted by Cade

picked up my copy today,

suffice it to say I installed it and only stopped playing to eat dinner and now to sleep,

thank you bioware, my Baulder's Gate itch hasn't been scratched quite like this since Neverwinter nights.

Okay, as a devoted Neverwinter Nights player, I request a comparative review.

[Zyxthior]

Can't help you with that as I've never played the original Neverwinter Nights....

But if you played and loved Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale...you'll absolutely love this game.

I just can't find enough time to play....stupid work and family commitments....:P

[Cade]

Compared with Neverwinter nights,

the story is darker, the graphics are better, every character has been voice acted by 144 voice actors including Tim Curry, Kate Mulgrew, Tim Russ and Claudia Black

the gameplay is more tactical, if you play on normal and above you will get killed many times if you don't use your team effectively,

the lore for Ferelden(where DA takes place) is deeper I think then Neverwinter.

[lavagod]

I'm debating getting the game and only debating because I don't know I have the time for it right now.

How good is this game I know that's a hard question to ask as what someone thinks is good/crap might not match what I think is good/crap.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by lavagod

I'm debating getting the game and only debating because I don't know I have the time for it right now.

How good is this game I know that's a hard question to ask as what someone thinks is good/crap might not match what I think is good/crap.

Well, a friend of mine has been enjoying it, just that one of his decisions in the game caused him to kill his chances of getting a healer in his group. lol. If you look at the gameplay videos you can sort of get a feel of how everything plays out.

I have yet to make the jump to buying it myself, but it's annoying that from day 0, they had DLC that you could purchase if you didn't get the Digital Deluxe version.

[Cade]

that was a bit iffy, but it's side mission stuff, and they did release a toolset so you could create your own so I forgive em.

[Snapperhead]

DAO had plenty of pre-sale items exclusive to different stores and sites. Amazon, GameStop, MonkeyWrench (something to that effect), and a few other retailers all had little items.

The DLC Warden's Keep was actually an addition. The other content with Shale was produced with the game, but they cut it out to keep the game from getting delayed, turned out Shale's content was complete at the same time, so that DLC is free. The Blood Armor DLC is simply to promote Mass Effect 2 (which won't be on the PS3 dammit!). So I have no compunction about getting the regular game and buying Warden's Keep. It's about knowing how to make your toons work together and stay alive, not a few +2 or +3 items.

In comparison to NWN, it's not a Third Ed. based game (or a 3.5 for NWN2) but it is modular. Quests lead to zones, zones contain additional quests, no jumping, characters can get stuck in some areas (I got stuck in a ravine behind a highway bandit location - ya can get in, but ya can't get out with wagons blocking both pathways). Roads are still dangerous, averaging one encounter per trip between zones. Limited storage capacity until you can buy backpacks at certain stores (+10 storage). Mechanics on a simple level work like NWN as well.

That being said.

Tactics are great. You can use triggers to cause tanks to shield, toons to auto self-heal, dps to switch from melee to ranged weapons and attack ranged targets, etc.

Storylines are similar to Baldur's Gate in that characters have a scale of loyalty/affection but now that plays into how they operate. A character that likes you can become more cunning or have better constitution - I imagine penalties can also develop if they hate you.

(They followed Mass Effect and implemented same-sex romances as well as hetero, btw. One female and one male bisexual npc.)

Characters do not die, unless the entire party is wiped out. As long as one toon remains standing at the end of a battle, the rest will revive. However, they now get an 'injury' - a penalty to a stat - until that injury is healed.

Characters use almost the same attributes as DND characters - Con, Dex, Str - although Int is now Magic, Charisma is now Cunning, and Wisdom is now Willpower (edit, had typed Int). All six play into how the toon operates. Leveling, you gain access to talents which are separate from abilities. Abilities you gain every so often and are like Herbalism (making potions), Poison-making, Weapon handling, etc. Talents can be passive, activated, or performed. (Activated - a bard song that can be turned on/off, performed - casting a spell or calling a specific shot.)

Four-member party which is kindof basic. Tank, rogue, healer, and mix is what I recommend. I've played far without a healer, but the lack of poultices and spending long periods of time fighting the same battle in order to minimize injuries is exasperating.

The lore of the game is deep. There are plots within plots between the overarching evil, the current ruler, the faction that adopts you, and religious and racial factions across the continent. The path you follow from the end of the Origin story is very loose. There are even benefits to doing some quests and zones first and then breaking off and following another storyline.

I love the game. I loved Mass Effect and the earlier Black Isle/Bioware games. Like Blizzard, I haven't played a Bioware game where I've been disappointed (although I didn't play Jade Empire or KOTOR.)

Honestly, aside from the upcoming Pilgrim's event, this has killed my interest in WoW for now.

[Cade]

I played for a bit without a healer, but the difference one makes is astounding,

my party now consists of a warrior, rogue, mage and healer, and the fights go smoother then they used to, now I really just got to learn the proper combos for my team.

[disco]

Thinking of getting it too. What's better to get the game on Xbox, PS3, or PC. Not sure if my PC will be good enough for it, but it might be decent. Also, if any played for the consoles, is it easy to control or to learn?

[Snapperhead]

I play it on the PS3. It's a pretty easy learning curve for the basic mechanics.