Dragon Age

[Flightpath07]

With Bioware’s Dragon Age III (aka Dragon Age: Inquisition) due to be released this October (or is it November?), I decided a few days ago to re-load the original game, Dragon Age: Origins, and give it another play-through. It has been a few years now since I have played the original game, I think it has been more than a year since I have even touched the sequel (Dragon Age II). It was easy to forget just how beautiful and immersive of a swords-n-sorcery type game that this is, although how quickly I signed up to pre-order Inquisition should have been all the reminder that I needed!

So, I am wondering; who else has played and enjoyed this game?

This is, to my best recollection, the third time that I have played through this game. The other two times, I played once as a female human noble warrior, and once as a male dwarf noble warrior.

This go-around, I created a male human noble rogue, who I have specialized as a ranger who dual-wields weapons (currently a magic mace and a magic dagger), going by the name of Garrison Cousland.

Garrison’s faithful Marbari war-hound is named Contessa. The game insists that the hound is a male, but anybody who takes the time to pet this creature and watch it roll around on its back in delight can quickly ascertain that it is actually female (despite how it marks its territory).

Garrison has set his sights on romancing Leliana, the Orlais-born warrior-bard of the Chantry who believes she hears directly from the Maker. How she will react, however, when the game nears its end and the witch of the Kocari Wilds, Morrigan, offers Garrison ‘the big choice’...that we shall have to see. Garrison’s other main goal will be to harden Alister and set him on the throne of Ferelden. Oh, and I guess there might be a Darkspawn Blight to end, and an Archdemon to face off with, as well, lol.

Garrison’s main companions, the ones he will travel with and fight beside the most, will be Alister the Templar/Grey Warden, Sten the proud Qunari soldier, and Leliana.

I’ve, this time around, been playing for just a few days so far, but it already takes up far too much of my time to be ‘healthy’ for me, lol. I love a game where you can spend two hours of real time having your character wander around your campfire, talking to characters and asking after back-stories, giving gifts...what other game can you do that in, and be this entertained?

Black Isle’s Baldur’s Gate will always be my favourite game to play, but Bioware’s Dragon Age (and its sequel, soon to be sequels) will be hard to knock out of second place on that list.

For those who need to ask, I play Dragon Age on my pc, rockin’ it old-school (or just “old”, lol), and yes I am a sucker for all of the great Downloadable Content (DLC) as well.

Join the fun discussion, if you are a fan of this great gaming series. Have you played it? How did you find it? Have complaints about it? Any memorable moments, or characters? Have you played the sequel, and are you excited about seeing how Inquisition plays out? Do you enjoy the world of Thedas? If this isn’t your favourite swords-n-sorcery game to play, what is?

[Tawmis]

Dragon Age: Origins is in every way superior to the crap that was Dragon Age II.
I played DA:O probably about six times.

[Flightpath07]

Dragon Age: Origins is in every way superior to the crap that was Dragon Age II.
I played DA:O probably about six times.

I'm going to both agree, and disagree, with you.

I understand your sentiments. On first play, I was p!ssed off at DA2. The game seemed less-expansive and more restrictive than DAO was. And, even worse, going through everything you did with your character in DAO, and then not being able to continue with your character in the next game...a horrible decision.

Since the end of that first play-through of DA2, I have come to appreciate it a lot more. No, it isn't the original; but, in many ways, it tried to distance itself from the first one, while still showing you an enjoyable time of game-playing in another area of Thedas. And I would expect Inquisition to both tie the first two games together a little more, as well as be as different as possible from both of them. That is both the charm of these games, and their curse as well.

On it's own, as a stand-alone game (which, it some sense, it sort of is), it is a nice accomplishment, and a good game. Unfortunately, the two things going against it, are that DAO was such a high standard to set, and that DA2 did not give people what they were hoping for (which was more of the exact same).

As stated before, I am a HUGE Baldur's Gate fan. The 2nd one sucked, compared to the first, for many of the reasons I have just listed here, but both are still very good games. Just one is a lot better than the other one (which is still very good).

[Tawmis]

My main issues with DA2:

In the city the attackers (whatever they were) just appeared out of thin air. Literally, when you first encounter them every time. Like they were jumping off from the roof tops.
Exploding bodies when you killed them. Stupid and excessive.
Every dungeon was exactly the same - it's just different doors were "closed/locked"
No matter what choices you make - it does NOT matter in the end. The end is the same no matter what choices and what sides you choose.

In every way, inferior, to DAO. In. Every. Single. Way.

[Flightpath07]

In DAO, we were told that the choices we make, wouldn't necessarily affect JUST the ending of the game, but also the way the game interacted with us going forward after the game. And, iirc, that was at least somewhat true when playing DA2; those you interacted with recalled choices you made in DAO. So, i am expecting the same thing to be true of your DA2 choices when playing DA3. In that sense, it DOES matter what side you take and what choices you make.

Exploding bodies happened in DAO, trust me cuz i was just grumbling about that to myself, all the abominations explode when you kill them.

DA2 was like DAO, in that you get some incredible character interactions, which is one of the most fun and interesting parts of the game.

Your other points, i find valid. It may be inferior, but if i were marking DAO as a 999 out of 1000, I'd give DA2 an 850. Still d@mn good.

[Flightpath07]

Okay, so it is looking like, of all of us regular visitors to this site, only Tawmis and I have played Dragon Age: Origins.

I am Shocked.

I work in a department with 13 other people, ranging in age from 24 to 70, and five or six of us have played this game.

*shrugs* Oh well.

Tawmis, when you played this game, did you have to use any internet walkthroughs for any of it? For me, there is NO WAY I can get through certain parts without using them. For instance, when you get trapped in the Fade by the Sloth Demon during the rescue of the Circle of Mages in the Tower...man, that took me two and a half hours of gameplay to get out of the Fade, and that was using a walkthrough. Without it, I would be trapped in that place forever. Insanely complicated.

[Tawmis]

And, iirc, that was at least somewhat true when playing DA2; those you interacted with recalled choices you made in DAO. So, i am expecting the same thing to be true of your DA2 choices when playing DA3. In that sense, it DOES matter what side you take and what choices you make.


I don't recall that, especially since it's not like it imports your character.



Exploding bodies happened in DAO, trust me cuz i was just grumbling about that to myself, all the abominations explode when you kill them.


One thing, I can see exploding. But... EVERY. SINGLE. THING. Regular humans - exploded into blood piles, like they were vampires and you staked them with a piece of wood. If you got a critical hit or something, I could see it. But EVERY. SINGLE. DEATH. Got old. Really fast.



DA2 was like DAO, in that you get some incredible character interactions, which is one of the most fun and interesting parts of the game.


That alone, was it's only saving grace.



Your other points, i find valid. It may be inferior, but if i were marking DAO as a 999 out of 1000, I'd give DA2 an 850. Still d@mn good.

Perhaps because DAO ranks so high with me; I was expecting DA2 to be superior to it. And it failed, miserably. The ending is really, really, really what sets the sour taste in my mouth. If the middle had sucked, or if it had just been a few things like that - and a great ending - then, okay, I might have forgiven it. But when none of your choices matter to the end of DA2 (whether you side with Mages of Templars), then the ending is what you're going to remember. It's like those movies, that are really, really good - but at the end, the guy wakes up and it's all a dream - and makes the entire movie insignificant.



Okay, so it is looking like, of all of us regular visitors to this site, only Tawmis and I have played Dragon Age: Origins.
I am Shocked.
I work in a department with 13 other people, ranging in age from 24 to 70, and five or six of us have played this game.
*shrugs* Oh well.


Don't be surprised. Alpha Flight is a small nitch. I am surprised that so few read ElfQuest here. So...



Tawmis, when you played this game, did you have to use any internet walkthroughs for any of it? For me, there is NO WAY I can get through certain parts without using them. For instance, when you get trapped in the Fade by the Sloth Demon during the rescue of the Circle of Mages in the Tower...man, that took me two and a half hours of gameplay to get out of the Fade, and that was using a walkthrough. Without it, I would be trapped in that place forever. Insanely complicated.

Actually, I used no walk through. The Fade was extremely painful and long. But it was nothing compared to the Dwarven Area (I can't recall what it was called now - but when you go underground and help them). That. Took. Forever. And there was so little scenery change. Nowhere (except for the crazy dwarf) to sell your items. But I have to say, the "Mother" you fight down there - as disgusting as she was, made it worth it. Great part right there.

[Flightpath07]

I don't recall that, especially since it's not like it imports your character.

Well, if you read up on the games, the developers do insist that if you have a saved game from DAO hanging around, it imports that into DA2 and the choices your character made in the first game affect certain things in the 2nd (depending on what choices you made, certain things in the world will be different, certain characters may make different conversation choices, etc). Its subtle, but it is there.




One thing, I can see exploding. But... EVERY. SINGLE. THING. Regular humans - exploded into blood piles, like they were vampires and you staked them with a piece of wood. If you got a critical hit or something, I could see it. But EVERY. SINGLE. DEATH. Got old. Really fast.

Honestly, that is based on your game settings. If your violence is set too high, then, yes, you will have a lot of fountaining blood and beheadings, etc.




That alone, was it's only saving grace.



Perhaps because DAO ranks so high with me; I was expecting DA2 to be superior to it. And it failed, miserably. The ending is really, really, really what sets the sour taste in my mouth. If the middle had sucked, or if it had just been a few things like that - and a great ending - then, okay, I might have forgiven it. But when none of your choices matter to the end of DA2 (whether you side with Mages of Templars), then the ending is what you're going to remember. It's like those movies, that are really, really good - but at the end, the guy wakes up and it's all a dream - and makes the entire movie insignificant.



Don't be surprised. Alpha Flight is a small nitch. I am surprised that so few read ElfQuest here. So...



Actually, I used no walk through. The Fade was extremely painful and long. But it was nothing compared to the Dwarven Area (I can't recall what it was called now - but when you go underground and help them). That. Took. Forever. And there was so little scenery change. Nowhere (except for the crazy dwarf) to sell your items. But I have to say, the "Mother" you fight down there - as disgusting as she was, made it worth it. Great part right there.

Ah yes, the Deep Roads. That is where I am now. Insanely Difficult. I love how you encounter Darkspawn in clumps of 6 to 10, but if one of your characters moves just a little bit too far (and the Darkspawn tend to run and your characters tend to follow, so it is set up like this on purpose) then they will pull in another 6 to 10 Darkspawn, rinse and repeat, next thing you know you are in a spread out battle with 50 of the little buggers! The other times I played this game, I went to Orzammar and the Deep Roads near the beginning of the game - this time, I was smart, and i waited until I leveled up some before tackling it; makes all the difference in the world.

[Tawmis]

Well, if you read up on the games, the developers do insist that if you have a saved game from DAO hanging around, it imports that into DA2 and the choices your character made in the first game affect certain things in the 2nd (depending on what choices you made, certain things in the world will be different, certain characters may make different conversation choices, etc). Its subtle, but it is there.


I would call BS, because I can't think of a single thing in DAO that was even mentioned in DA2.



Honestly, that is based on your game settings. If your violence is set too high, then, yes, you will have a lot of fountaining blood and beheadings, etc.


Mine were at the default. I never changed it.



Ah yes, the Deep Roads. That is where I am now. Insanely Difficult. I love how you encounter Darkspawn in clumps of 6 to 10, but if one of your characters moves just a little bit too far (and the Darkspawn tend to run and your characters tend to follow, so it is set up like this on purpose) then they will pull in another 6 to 10 Darkspawn, rinse and repeat, next thing you know you are in a spread out battle with 50 of the little buggers! The other times I played this game, I went to Orzammar and the Deep Roads near the beginning of the game - this time, I was smart, and i waited until I leveled up some before tackling it; makes all the difference in the world.

Deep Roads, that's it. I always recommend new players to do that last, when it's available.

[EccentricSage]

I loved Origins! Hated 2! And am super excited for Inquisition!

In Origins when dealing with hordes, it's better to go tactical and put your team on 'hold positions' before battle. That way you can select your warrior to draw the nearest ones into a choke point, and dispatch them. Then you move the team up a little and get any AoE's going, then target with ranged. Another large group will get heavily damaged on their way to you. My favorite thing in the world though is specing out an assassin rogue and taking Zevran with. Have the mage hang back just past the Tank who you put in a choke point, and put them on Hold. Then I have Zevran and the Warden scout ahead to find and assassinate any particularly dangerous enemy. As soon as their moves are triggered, I have my tank draw attention while my mage supports in some manner. Most of the enemies rush the tank and we clean up from behind. Rogues get the most DPS out of any build so long as you use them right. They got a bad rap in Origins, though, due to console players who struggled with the inferior controls in the console port.

I also love the interaction with the characters and sense of consequence in Origins. In Origins if you pissed off party members enough they just might try to kill you! In 2 everyone just follows you like a dumb puppy no matter, and you can even 'rivalmance', which is just ****ing stupid. This was done so that players wouldn't miss out on content, but trying to prevent people from missing content due to in game choices undermines the whole idea of multiple play throughs and role playing all together.

As to stuff from Origins carrying over to 2.... it's SUPOSED to... but there were a lot of bugs as well as incorectly flagged dialogues during cameos. So while decisions you made were supposed to, for instance, effect whether you meet Happy King Alistair, Pussy Whipped King Alistair, Grey Warden Alistair, or Slobbering Drunk Alistair, your decisions may not have ported correctly. :(

The things I hated most about two were the fact that the combat was turned into hack n' slash cluster****s with little to no opportunity for strategy. On the rare occasion you're in a dungion with a decent set up, the lack of tactical camera and overly flashy fast moves left you fighting the controls and camera angles more than your enemies! Then there was the pointless 'waves' of enemies spawning out of walls, thin air, or jumping out of the ceiling. Higher difficulty level just means they throw an extra wave of randumb at you. God awful level design! I understand the copy paste issue was due to time constraints imposed by EA, but that doesn't excuse the designs being so ****ty from the get go.

Other issues I had were complete lack of in game logic... Yeah, I'm a mage but no one says **** to me, Anders mouths off to Sir Cullen, and Cullen notes that he is an apostate but does **** all about it... Stupid stupid stupid. Now, this was somewhat a problem in Origins, too, but in Origins they had the sense to gloss over it with the fact that you are a Grey Warden during a Blight and everyone needs your god damn help. In Kirkwall you're just a damned errand boy. Then there's the fact that no matter what you do, the outcome of a quest was almost always linear in 2. Even in the endgame when you have to choose between siding with Mages or Templars, it makes literally no difference. You still have to fight both the Templar boss and the Mage boss. And the magical mcguffin from the deep roads was so stupid. My first instinct was to throw it in the lava. Everyone realizes the thing seems like bad news but 'luls, have to bring it anyway just cuz!' Then there's the really messed up dialogue wheel that is so unpradictable at times, and the really ham handed writing on characters like Anders and Merril. I couldn't get through a full playthrough and was grateful I only played a borrowed copy.

Now, to give credit where it's due... I think it WAS cool that they added some more cinematic effects to cut scenes... though they were still pretty cringe worthy (Anders sitting on the box moping, and if you choose to kill him you just stab him in the back. lame) I liked how the characters had their own lives more so than in Origins... they weren't just sitting around a camp fire waiting for orders. That's neat. In fact they form relationships of their own with each other. So that was the one game play improvement. Aesthetically facial rendering improved but elves became deformed aliens... But the armor and clothing... now THAT was A+ work far exceeding what was done in Origins. ONE guy did a knock out job. lol

I'm really glad that after 2 bombed, EA went hands off. You could tell DA2 wasn't the game they wanted to make, especially when you see how excited the devs are this time, and how they've been consulting with fans through the whole process. They seem like they are really getting to make a dream game this time, and I'm pretty optimistic about it. The controls look better than in ether previous game, the graphics are phenomenal, and we're literally getting more of everything we liked. It would be hard for them to **** this up, from all the clips I've seen of gameplay.

Also, this time you can download a program called 'The Keep' for free in order to address porting issues. The Keep allows you to go through lists and select what decisions you made in the previous games.

[Tawmis]

Also, this time you can download a program called 'The Keep' for free in order to address porting issues. The Keep allows you to go through lists and select what decisions you made in the previous games.

Said program - PC only?

[Flightpath07]

Hey 'Sage, good to hear from you again!

For me, the very worst part of DA2 was Merrill. World's most annoying character, with no redeeming qualities.

Best parts of DA2? Besides what you mentioned, there are the pirate captain and the rogue dwarf, two of the most entertaining characters ever designed. Its a shame Isabella won't be a companion-character in DA3.

Also be nice to have a look at what Morrigan has been up to, since the end of Awakenings.

[EccentricSage]

Hey 'Sage, good to hear from you again!

For me, the very worst part of DA2 was Merrill. World's most annoying character, with no redeeming qualities.

Best parts of DA2? Besides what you mentioned, there are the pirate captain and the rogue dwarf, two of the most entertaining characters ever designed. Its a shame Isabella won't be a companion-character in DA3.

Also be nice to have a look at what Morrigan has been up to, since the end of Awakenings.

Agreed! Merrill struck me as Autistic at first, which would have been fine.... But she wasn't well written so it's just 'teehee I'm such a cute little blood mage aren't I?' Her only great influence on the story is that she got Anders and Fenris to agree on something.

Yeah, I love Varric and Isabella. Isabella's romance kind of sucks, but these two are fun. They are used a lot in the comics, and Varric is going to be a party member in Inquisition, too. I just hope archery won't suck this time. Archers have been my least favorite build... their 'moves' never make any sense and they're so vulnerable to attack. I'm looking forward to Cole... a spirit with sort of an assassin skill set we'll get as companion... He MIGHT be a demon... it should get interesting. Iron Bull seems ****ing awesome, too. A chill Quinari? About damn time. Also looking forward to offing Lelliana AGAIN, and seeing how Cullen is developing as a character. Cullen is going to be one of the council members who plays a big role and will be romancable. He's intrigued the hell out of me.

Crossing my fingers for a Zevran cameo.


Tawmis, I think it's currently available for PC only. I don't know what they are going to do about the consoles. There might be more info on their site.

[Flightpath07]

As far as the Keep thing goes...

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/08/28/dragon-age-keep-inquisitions-alternative-to-save-transfers

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/184867-bioware-is-rethinking-save-games-for-the-xbox-one-and-ps4

[Flightpath07]

As great a game as DAO is, I pity anyone who played it without playing the expansion set Awakening. I understand why DAO ended where it did, but Awakenings gives you the True Ending of the story.

Oh, and I have also heard rumours that the release of DA3 is being delayed by nearly two months, back into late November-ish now. Not sure if it is true, or merely rumour.

[Tawmis]

As great a game as DAO is, I pity anyone who played it without playing the expansion set Awakening. I understand why DAO ended where it did, but Awakenings gives you the True Ending of the story.


I hate the armor glitch that happens with Awakening... I was wearing the special armor (forgot the name of it - the name of the King from Return to Ostagar) - and when I imported - my character only had underwear and no armor.

[Flightpath07]

yeah, that didn't happen to me, but my rogue went from a kickarse sword and knife, to just a knife. That made the game "more challenging", until i could buy another sword and get it enchanted! lol. Actually, it made my character extremely weak, as i was a duelist and had all my specialties in two-weapon attacks, and I lost ALL those while I was only armed with the knife.

And that would have been King Cailan's armour. In my DAO, I had Alistair wearing that...and when he shows up in Awakening, he was still wearing it.

[Flightpath07]

Playing DA 2 now, and am already LOVING the way the game looks and handles. I forgot, in amongst the complaints people have about this game (and, admittedly, most of the complaints are the same we here at this site thrive on in regards to Alpha Flight - "it isn't what we were thinking it would be"), that the improvements made to an already great game, blew most other games out of the water when Dragon Age 2 came out. The dialogue radial wheel style is awesome, very easy to maneouver (however you spell that), and the fighting - WoW, the fighting is just FRICKIN' AWESOME in this game, So Much Better than in DA Origins. And the graphics - ah, the beautiful graphics...

Also, it very easily loaded in my last save game from Dragon Age Awakenings, the expansion pack to Dragon Age Origins, and already I have come across areas where the dialogue that has come my way made use of my saved information from the other games.

Lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it!

[Flightpath07]

My Dragon Age characters.

First up, my Human Male Rogue, Garrison Cousland, who I played all through Dragon Age Origins, Witch Hunt, the Golems of Agmarrak (?), and Awakenings.

He is in the photo below, on the left, speaking with King Alistair of Ferelden (on the right) during the Awakening expansion pack.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UM1VKSrlIfA/U9pM3IJGAFI/AAAAAAAACYg/g-yW7r7Z_44/s1600/Garrison+Cousland+and+King+Alistair.bmp


Next up, below is a photo of my female Human warrior, Lepethto Hawke, near the beginning of Dragon Age 2. She is on the left in the photo, talking with her brother Carver Hawke shortly before his untimely death.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YK-wa5ftrx0/U9pNT5jCzgI/AAAAAAAACYo/mChMd-xzqnI/s1600/Lepethto+Hawke+talking+with+Carver+Hawke.bmp

[Tawmis]

Playing DA 2 now, and am already LOVING the way the game looks and handles.
So Much Better than in DA Origins. And the graphics - ah, the beautiful graphics...
Lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it!

Misguided mortal. DA2 is inferior. So freaking inferior. :)

However, if you love Dragon Age, can't recall if I shared this before... a fanfic I wrote that happens the same time Origins goes down.
http://neverendingnights.com/archives/1930

[Flightpath07]

Oh, i completely disagree in regards to DA2, i am completely immersed in it right now.

I read some of your fan fic, its good if a bit "dark" - by which i mean, your main character comes off as a hothead (I prefer heroes and those who do right; and if i don't feel like playing that type of character, then i usually choose a dwarf who just wants to drink and slaughter people), and your bloodmage..well, I never abide with bloodmages much in DA, except for Anders in Awakenings, but then when we see him again in DA2 he's back to being okay (at least for a while, anyways).

Anyways, not the characters, at least from what i read early on, that i would typically want to read a story about, but i am sure i will find time to give it a more deep read at some point soon.

[EccentricSage]

But the graphics weren't even finished in 2, much less 'good'.... The armor and cloths are great, and then everything else is just kind of blurry and brown. And the combat in 2 is hack n slash... no strategy involved. I'll agree Origins combat moved a bit too slow, but you actually had to think about what you're doing. I also hated the dialogue wheel because I felt like my character never said what I thought he'd say, and it pissed me off a lot. I'm not really sure how you can honestly say 2 is better than Origins.

[Flightpath07]

" I'm not really sure how you can honestly say 2 is better than Origins."

I didn't. I had previously said that if Origins was a 990 out of 1000, then Dragon Age 2 was a solid 800. One is fabulous, the other is very good. One lets you adventure across a whole large country while you save that country and become its hero, while the other has you within a city and its very near-abouts where you adventure within it and become its champion. They are both very different games set in the same world (Thedas).

Again, most people's problem with DA2, was that they wanted it to be a continuation of DAO. I understand that, and I felt it myself the first time I played 2. But going back and playing it again, after all this time, even after having just finished Origins and Awakening? I'll tell you what, it is just an awesome game!

I'm not sure what you mean about it being blurry, except when the game focuses in on things in the foreground (like your character's face), on purpose, acting like a camera would. that's the only evidence of 'blurriness' that I can find. And I find the combat to be quite stimulating, and I love the new ways of showing the power moves and whatnot in battle, the effects are truly out of this world. And I generally find battling the most boring part of gaming.

[Tawmis]

Oh, i completely disagree in regards to DA2, i am completely immersed in it right now.


Do you remember everything about DA2? It could have been good. It really could have. But NONE of your choices really have any true baring to the world. NONE. Talk Anders out of doing what he is going to do? Do everything to make him happy? So what. He still does what he does. Side with the Mages? So what, they turn on you. Side with the Templars? So what, they turn on you. The ending sequence, no matter your choices, being almost exactly the same. The dungeons? All the same - which just some doors locked/open to make it seem like you're going in a new area - but it is LITERALLY the same dungeon! Literally!



I read some of your fan fic, its good if a bit "dark" - by which i mean, your main character comes off as a hothead (I prefer heroes and those who do right; and if i don't feel like playing that type of character, then i usually choose a dwarf who just wants to drink and slaughter people), and your bloodmage..well, I never abide with bloodmages much in DA, except for Anders in Awakenings, but then when we see him again in DA2 he's back to being okay (at least for a while, anyways). Anyways, not the characters, at least from what i read early on, that i would typically want to read a story about, but i am sure i will find time to give it a more deep read at some point soon.

Heh, well it's not based off my own characters. It was based on a story in my head, that what if someone else had survived that siege? I don't feel the hero is dark - I feel the world of Dragon Age is a dark one. An entire battalion slaughtered because someone turned their backs and decided not to help. Your friends slaughtered. I could see being a little dark. The Blood Mage is there to counter the Priestess they will meet later, and then a Rogue joins the party as well. (I never, sadly, did finish it). I was hoping DA2 would inspire me to continue writing (but DA2 did anything but inspire me). So I hope DAI will bring back that desire to write in the world of Dragon Age again.

[Flightpath07]

Yeah, I read All of that fan-fic, and I take back the dark part about the main Warden character. He just had me confused, at first, with how he reacted to Morrigan and how he stormed out into the Wilds. As the story goes along, i can see his heroic side coming out, although he seems a little "unguided" without the plot from DAO to follow, since he cannot make any major differences by what he does to that plot (ie. go kill Logain).

I will also give you what you said about the dungeons being the same in DA2. You are correct on that; they should have taken some more time before putting it out, i guess? As far as your points about your choices not affecting the plot at the end...well, it is obvious that each story has certain elements that HAVE to be there, no matter what. The story of Thedas continues on through each game, always leading to something else down the road. To be fair, in DAO, you had to kill the Archdemon (or at least, Somebody did), its not like you could end the game by deciding to walk away, leave the Wardens, and not stop the Blight. Actually, in that sense, Awakening had more choices to be made, since whether you decide to let The Architect live or die (i killed him) should have major consequences for the Darkspawn in the future. So, altho some choices are taken out of your hands, how you get there is still up to you; so, i still find DA2 quite enjoyable. As i said before, AS enjoyable as DAO? NO!

Here's hoping, tho, that 3 is a good mix between the two. Graphics were so much better in 2, as was fighting skills and dialogue and levlling up process, etc. Even character creation was cooler in 2, you just didn't have choices in race to make. But the pure breath and scope of the original, with all the traveling and the different races to visit and things to do? Purely awesome.

[Flightpath07]

I'm disappointed that one of the companions in DA:Inquisition isn't going to be Regalyan D'Marcall, the mage from Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker. He was pretty cool.

The books have been a revelation, filling in the gaps between games, etcetera. Having been written by the game's designer, they actually reveal things that make the games make more sense. New book comes out in September of 2014, details where Morrigan has been since Awakenings, amongst other things; looking forward to that!