11-30-2009, 10:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2009, 10:54 PM by Swiss Mercenary.)
Opinions so far (Finished the urn quest, not much else done):
The setting is... Underwhelming. Dark and Gritty could have been handled far better - instead, it seems uninspired, somehow. We've got the classic Bioware GOOD or EVIL solutions, with a bit of bait and switch. Some quests try to place you into a "Lesser of two evils" dillema... And then, make the right dialogue options, and you'll squeeze out the Goodie Two Shoes option, which is considered a valid solution, even when its nonsense. Spending a day and a half to travel to the Circle Tower to get lyrium, to save one person, while there's a demon loose, that's been killing people. Yeah, that sounds like a fantastic idea. What I get out of it is, sadly, "We don't want the player to be forced to commit an, eh, evil act. Let's give him a unrealistic goodie two-shoes option. Look! Dark and gritty!"
Here's the rub - it could have been justified if someone, anyone acknowledged just how stupid that option is (But if you really want to save the person in question, at the cost of other lives, you can take it).
I'd also love an explanation for why you can walk willy-nilly into Denerim, when everyone and their brother recognises you to be The Grey Warden, but doesn't bother to turn you in.
Now... There's legitimate plot devices that could have been used to explain that. Getting into the city, without being recognised could have been a quest. Yet, for some reason, the writers chose to place the PC's life into the hands of a guard who doesn't believe the "Official" account, and the collective lazyness of, uh, everyone else.
It feels that, plot-wise, the game is 80% there. Another step here, there, and over here, would produce the desired effect. Sadly, it's still following the Bioware formula of "You see a beggar. Do you: 1) Give him all your money. 2) Suck Out His Soul. 3) Meh." Except now, instead of a beggar, its a rape victim, courtesy of the mature setting. And option 1 only appears after a bit of dialogue. (Not a reference to the City Elf Origin)
The combat's great, but is definitely the high point of the game.
Speaking of auto-save, it's definitely inconsistent.
The setting is... Underwhelming. Dark and Gritty could have been handled far better - instead, it seems uninspired, somehow. We've got the classic Bioware GOOD or EVIL solutions, with a bit of bait and switch. Some quests try to place you into a "Lesser of two evils" dillema... And then, make the right dialogue options, and you'll squeeze out the Goodie Two Shoes option, which is considered a valid solution, even when its nonsense. Spending a day and a half to travel to the Circle Tower to get lyrium, to save one person, while there's a demon loose, that's been killing people. Yeah, that sounds like a fantastic idea. What I get out of it is, sadly, "We don't want the player to be forced to commit an, eh, evil act. Let's give him a unrealistic goodie two-shoes option. Look! Dark and gritty!"
Here's the rub - it could have been justified if someone, anyone acknowledged just how stupid that option is (But if you really want to save the person in question, at the cost of other lives, you can take it).
I'd also love an explanation for why you can walk willy-nilly into Denerim, when everyone and their brother recognises you to be The Grey Warden, but doesn't bother to turn you in.
Now... There's legitimate plot devices that could have been used to explain that. Getting into the city, without being recognised could have been a quest. Yet, for some reason, the writers chose to place the PC's life into the hands of a guard who doesn't believe the "Official" account, and the collective lazyness of, uh, everyone else.
It feels that, plot-wise, the game is 80% there. Another step here, there, and over here, would produce the desired effect. Sadly, it's still following the Bioware formula of "You see a beggar. Do you: 1) Give him all your money. 2) Suck Out His Soul. 3) Meh." Except now, instead of a beggar, its a rape victim, courtesy of the mature setting. And option 1 only appears after a bit of dialogue. (Not a reference to the City Elf Origin)
The combat's great, but is definitely the high point of the game.
Speaking of auto-save, it's definitely inconsistent.