Dragon Age 2 (PS3/360/PC) $34.99 at Amazon w/ FSSS

Might want to add the price to the title. I'm not a fan of the Dragon Age games per say, but I know you could possibly get DA2 for $15 at Best Buy right now with the @gamer coupon. If you can't get that deal, this one seems to be the best right now.
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']It's amazing how many people who have played the first one hate the second one so much. Is it really that dumbed down compaired to the first one ?[/QUOTE]

It's faster, shorter, and the story is linear. I put 50 hours into the first, and I beat the second in 8.
 
[quote name='Brother Daz']I actually liked the combat better in #2[/QUOTE]
Ditto. People only hated the story (or lack of) and 80% of the game running around the same town. Given the extremely short development time, it's pretty obvious BioWare was just milking this one.
 
I'll join the group that enjoyed the combat in DA2 more than DA1. I liked the controls and pace better :) That being said.. it IS shorter and re-uses a lot of environments. It was still worth it to me. I think my first play through, doing everything I could find, was around 20 hours.
 
DA 2 is a good game but compared to the original it feels like they turned it into a mmo lite rpg. The minimal story elements and the removal of a lot of the skills they had in the original turned me off a bit. I missed having the freedom to build my character however I choose with the freedom of choosing my allies.
 
[quote name='Brother Daz']I actually liked the combat better in #2[/QUOTE]

Combat is better but the lack of RPG depth was disappointing. Story and pacing really killed the game, I would wait for ~$20 if I had to buy it again.
 
I've never played the first one but love the "group" combat presented in DA2 (PC). Fast and visceral unlike most RPG combat where it it seems like you're hitting each other with plastic spatulas and barely making contact.

And in regards to the controversy of reused locations.

DA2 is actually a lot like Mass Effect 1 in terms of how reused locations work. Remember the reused underground stations and bunkers in ME1 with slightly different crate and prop placements? It's practically the same setup in DA2 but with a little more location variety and no Mako 4-wheeler mountain climbing.

It's a fairly good game. Now if it's a good sequel to Origins is a another question.

Right now I'm running at around 12 hours and yet to finish Act 1 (trying to finish all the minor quest). I'm seeing most players finishing their game at around 27-33 hours for their first play-through. So unless you're skipping every dialog and minor quest I don't see how you can finish under 10 hours.

Give the demo a try and see if you like the combat. And if you want more of that, get the game! :D
 
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[quote name='strait edge follower']It's amazing how many people who have played the first one hate the second one so much. Is it really that dumbed down compaired to the first one ?[/QUOTE]


On PC, it's not even a comparison. DA2 is a console port, a decent one, and the game across all platforms is decent, perhaps leaning a little better than average. For DA:O, the ports to consoles FROM PC were bad, but the PC version was magic imo.

I remember reading a preview where they talked to some of the people at Bioware and when they said something like, "We want to do for Dragon Age what ME2 did for the ME franchise," I knew suddenly it was going to end terribly. ME2 stripped out the RPG and left an action game. DA2 did much the same for the DA franchise.

It's too bad. The first game is just flat out a fantastic game and it deserved a proper sequel.
 
FWIW I liked DA2 a lot better than the first one. The only real problem with the game is the repeated environments (which really are as bad as everyone says). Aside from that, I thought the graphics, characters, story, and pacing were all a big step up from Origins.
 
If I beat the game in under ten hours, I probably wouldn't be aware of any story that existed either. Granted, the story wasn't nearly as good as DA:O, it wasn't bad. I feel like this game was just giving a little background on Kirkwall and some supporting characters in DA:O, all while telling the story of how a Fereldan refugee rose to become the champion of a foreign land. Unfortunately, those who have played DA:O will undoubtedly compare the two, and the first is obviously superior. Those who haven't played the first won't be able to fully enjoy the game, but will be able to view it as a pretty good standalone game.

Anyway, I wouldn't pay more than $25 for this title.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']FWIW I liked DA2 a lot better than the first one. The only real problem with the game is the repeated environments (which really are as bad as everyone says). Aside from that, I thought the graphics, characters, story, and pacing were all a big step up from Origins.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. If you're looking for an action drama story with fantasy elements, this is the game for you. It's a steal for $34.99 and I'm tempted to buy it for 360.
 
[quote name='Cahk']If I beat the game in under ten hours, I probably wouldn't be aware of any story that existed either.[/QUOTE]
Yeah... I'm not doubting that anyone beat it in 10 hours, but in a game like this, that should essentially be considered a speedrun. It seems to me you'd need to be laser-focused on avoiding optional content, and probably skipping through a lot of dialog. It sounds like a dreary way to play the game, I'm not surprised if people who played that way weren't impressed.

Playing at a normal pace, on the easiest difficulty, doing a fair amount of sidequests but not being completionist, you're realistically looking at ~25-30 hours for a single playthrough. And in a BioWare game, I'd argue that if you only complete one playthough, you're leaving a lot of content on the table.
 
[quote name='HisDivineShadow']On PC, it's not even a comparison. DA2 is a console port, a decent one, and the game across all platforms is decent, perhaps leaning a little better than average. For DA:O, the ports to consoles FROM PC were bad, but the PC version was magic imo.

I remember reading a preview where they talked to some of the people at Bioware and when they said something like, "We want to do for Dragon Age what ME2 did for the ME franchise," I knew suddenly it was going to end terribly. ME2 stripped out the RPG and left an action game. DA2 did much the same for the DA franchise.

It's too bad. The first game is just flat out a fantastic game and it deserved a proper sequel.[/QUOTE]

Well put
 
I'm finishing up DA2 today and I actually have to say, I love this game. The recycled environment wasn't as extreme as some the critics are saying (or maybe it's just me). The characters are excellent (as with all of Bioware's games). The story is good but nowhere nearly as epic as Origins, I'll have to admit. Timewise, I spent 48 hours on Origins + 12 on Awakenings and with this game, I'm currently at 56 hours and I'm right at the last battle.
 
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