Best part about what they were able to pull off with Inquisition is that it was crossgen too- 5 damn platforms. Battlefront looks crazy and it's coming out in a couple of weeks, imagine what a current-gen and PC only Mass Effect will look like with another year in the oven.
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Dragon Age: Inquisition |OT2| Leave the damn Hinterlands!
- Thread starter shinobi602
- Start date
Best part about what they were able to pull off with Inquisition is that it was crossgen too- 5 damn platforms. Battlefront looks crazy and it's coming out in a couple of weeks, imagine what a current-gen and PC only Mass Effect will look like with another year in the oven.
Heh, I finished over the weekend too, and I am not super motivated to even go back and kill more dragons.
But I agree with you pretty much across the board, except the Samson fight was super easy for me, as I just kited him around while my guys pounded him.
I was also dissapointed in the Flemeth/Morrigan parts and the end was a pushover, I expected so much more interaction with environment, puzzles and grand finale. More stuff like the floor light tile puzzles and such.
For me it was Shield based Inquisitor, Sera, Dorian and Cole for incredible dagger damage. Once I figured out the mechanics, I steamrolled through the second half of the game and ended at lvl 22 after about 100 hours.
And I agree it looks amazing. Mass Effect should be a treat. But I hope they focus as much attention on the things to do (side quests and environment interactions) as they did on how things looked.
StoppedInTracks
Member
They could have done so much more with the end fight having a boss and a Dragon at the same time... really disappointed with the final boss. And as I said earlier Corypheus was a very unable character. He achieved nothing, showed us pretty much nothing (Haven was a joke), didn't have any memorable lines ("I cannot be caged, I cannot be controlled" - Irenicus from BG2) or VO + character + delivery like Arishok from Dragon Age 2. The fact that it seems he was killed before in some Dragon Age 2 DLC that I did not play yet deducted from his character IMO. He was defeated once - he will be easy to defeat again. Plus the fact that he has a pet Dragon - that somehow makes him less threatening in my eyes...
@AndyD - you will steamroll through the rest of the Dragons, believe me. It's a matter of 10-15 minutes per one Dragon fight. Too bad you can trash/ sell 100% of equipment they drop. Loot is another missed opportunity in this game but I will post about it later on.
I don't even really want to get started on that. Crafting seemed deep and neat, but the resulting items were largely useless, or barely better than the myriad of purples that you can find everywhere. Not to mention the loot did not have really unique properties, or set bonuses to motivate you to seek a particular item or set at the end of a quest.
Really? Most of my crafted gear destroys the purples.
Buying and playing Trespasser is a must. It's the real ending to Inquisition; 5-7 hours of awesome story, and a great finale.
I haven't finished it yet because I have been playing only 3 or 4 hours each week.
Been playing for 60 hours and it's definitely one of the best RPGs I have played in a long time.
Regardless of what is still left in the game for me to see or other games around in the market, there are so many things done right in what an RPG should be (for me at least) that this truly is the best RPG for me so far.
Been playing for 60 hours and it's definitely one of the best RPGs I have played in a long time.
Regardless of what is still left in the game for me to see or other games around in the market, there are so many things done right in what an RPG should be (for me at least) that this truly is the best RPG for me so far.
Tr1Cky_Tr33
Member
DLC is all 40% off on the PSN EU store if anyone hasn't picked any up yet
I think that was possible later on when you get good materials, but by then i felt so overpowered that there was no need to bother. They weren't even graphically unique or confer any set bonuses or unique abilities to encourage crafting. It was a deep system that became less useful the further you advanced. That said eeking out every possible benefit might be necessary in nighmare mode, but for regular playthroughs I felt it was unnecessary.
Hopefullt they will be discounted on Xbox Live tomorrow too.
If so I will grab the three expansion DLCs as I am near the end of the game and I need more of it.
show me your skeleton
Member
grabbed the trespasser, can't wait to get stuck in. will pick up the others further down the line.
Lone_Prodigy
Member
Booted up multiplayer, hit Quick Match, ended up by myself in a lobby. Tried it solo, got killed quite easily (I was an archer).
Guess multiplayer died off faster than ME3's.
Guess multiplayer died off faster than ME3's.
Booted up multiplayer, hit Quick Match, ended up by myself in a lobby. Tried it solo, got killed quite easily (I was an archer).
Guess multiplayer died off faster than ME3's.
The multiplayer has a huge number of issues with it, and as much as I wanted to love it - it's just not very good.
Main issue is that it's not actually very fun. Particularly on the consoles, the engine just doesn't hold up well enough - the frame rate is sketchy at best, and often combat feels like you're fighting the targeting system more than anything. Whereas ME multi-player translated perfectly because FPSs are a known and done thing, Dragon Age was creating a real time version of a turn based system that just doesn't play very well. They also spent way too long before addressing some of the insanely glaringly obvious issues - it is not fun to have enemy archers one shot you from across the map, and having to play "hide and seek" round the corner with your team to avoid them was just dumb. It honestly felt for a long time like the designers weren't actually playing the multiplayer, because it took them far too long to start fixing these things and I think a lot of damage was done by the time they did.
Secondly, the loot system was practically criminal. Again, it worked in ME3 because every item was in some negligeable way worth something, because it eliminated further drops from the pool. Also, each gun handled differently so there was personal preference and choice in your gear. In Dragon Age, a stick is a stick - you just want the fattest numbers, and all those common low level items do absolutely nothing for you. In addition, the drop rates were simply wildly, wildly too low - as someone who paid RL cash in the multiplayer, and felt incredibly cheated by it, I would never pay money again in an EA game in that way. As someone who ended up spending more in Me3 multiplayer than I paid for the game, and doesn't regret it at all, that's a bad sign - but when you only get crappy blue runes in the chests you buy, it leaves you feeling pissed off.
Ultimately, it was a valiant effort hamstrung by the games basic engine itself and combined with the most abusive, god awful random loot system I've ever seen in an online game with microtransactions before. Free to play Japanese phone games don't abuse their players as much as the chest system did at launch.
Psychoward
Banned
Just checked the DLC store page, 5 dollars for more Qunari skyhold decoration that arguably should have been in the main game? Whaaaa
Anyway what's the proper order to play the DLC in and are all of them worth playing?
Anyway what's the proper order to play the DLC in and are all of them worth playing?
Jaws of Hakon->Descent->Trespasser is the release order. Jaws is best done near the end or after the end of the main quest, Descent is a giant dungeon crawl that scales with your level sort of (I think there's a min level for each subsequent part of the dungeon, starts at level 12, but just about every enemy you encounter will be at least your level) so you can take it a bit at a time over the course of the game or all at once at the end, and Trespasser is post-game DLC that you can only tackle after you've killed the final boss and also locks off all other content once you start it.
Jaws of Hakon is good if you liked the exploration elements of the game as the new area it offers is excellently designed for roaming around in. The main questline of Hakon is pretty good too. It's basically just a new area with it's own new quests and stuff, if you liked the better sidequest heavy areas like Crestwood from the main game you'll probably like this one.
Descent is kind of boring story and character-wise. I'd only recommend it if you want a challenge in combat, but even the combat is kind of a slog with waves upon waves of powerful ranged enemies in the second half.
Trespasser is great. It offers a continuation on the story for all of your companions as well as some other bits from the game, the area and encounter design is neat, and the main story is also solid. If you liked Inquisition at all I'd strongly recommend it.
Lone_Prodigy
Member
Thanks for the explanation! Now I'm itching to re-install ME3 haha.
The game and DLC are on sale on Origin right now. $40 for GOTY, $15 for base, $10 each DLC. Will wait for further sales since it'll be $30 to buy all the DLC.
I'd also add that ME3's post-launch support was of several magnitudes better than Dragon Age's. To some extent that's a symptom rather than a cause (It's not as popular so less resources are devoted to new content) but it becomes a vicious cycle wherein new content isn't produced because fewer people are playing it, and then even fewer stay to play more because they get tired of the same content. ME3 had so many damn new characters added along with maps and I think 3 big DLC packs. Dragon Age's MP didn't come close.
Psychoward
Banned
Ene disregarding the lack of content or loot system, whoever thought it was a good idea to take a game where you control 4 people at a time with auto aim, and auto attacks and pause in to controlling 1 person in real time would be fun needs to re-evaluate. Mp just isn't fun to play.
Poodlestrike
Banned
I'd actually call this one all symptom. ME3's multi was hugely successful, so it got support. DAIs was a dud, so it got none. Them's the breaks.
Honestly, biggest reason for failure I'd say is the fact that the real-time combat is simply not very good. ME3's combat was tight as hell, a legitimately quality TPS in its own right. As an action game, DAI was crap. If the core gameplay loop isn't tight, it doesn't matter what else is good (speaking purely about multi here, singleplayer has other factors). People won't play it.
Psychoward
Banned
^ayy
I agree, but I also don't know how they rectify this until they stop pretending you can still play DA well as a top-down iso RPG. Right now Dragon Age's combat is stuck in ME1 land. They need to make the ME2 move and model their combat entirely after Dragon's Dogma, dropping the tactical field aspect and focusing on controls. ME3 is a beautiful system because it still has meaningful progression and build variety while focusing entirely on action when it comes time for actual combat.
This. If ME1 had a multiplayer mode, nobody would probably play it since the gameplay was butt. DAI is fun, but the gameplay was never meant for multiplayer.
edit: DAI's combat almost feels like a natural and logical evolution of KOTOR's than anything else.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Great minds
The thing is, DA has certain expectations on it at this point. The CRPG crowd latched onto Dragon Age in a way they didn't with ME, probably because of the familiarity of the fantasy setting and the marketing. Change DA's combat to pure action based and the narrative surrounding future titles becomes purely toxic.
It's kind of a no-win situation, honestly.
Great minds
The thing is, DA has certain expectations on it at this point. The CRPG crowd latched onto Dragon Age in a way they didn't with ME, probably because of the familiarity of the fantasy setting and the marketing. Change DA's combat to pure action based and the narrative surrounding future titles becomes purely toxic.
It's kind of a no-win situation, honestly.
Yep, and that's why they probably won't change it. Sort of appealing to both action and CRPG fans is going to generate more interest and sales than solely appealing to one or the other. If the big sales of Bethesda games and the relatively poor sales of Platinum games are any indication, combat isn't a huge purchasing factor for many people anyway.
Hey guys! Quick question, I am thinking about getting back into Dragon Age after pretty much a year away (according to my Xbox One, I last played on Dec 20th). I was up to the part where you go to some party/dance type thing in the main story.
Is it even possible to pick this game back up in the middle, after a year away, or will I be totally overwhelmed and not remember how to do anything?! Think starting fresh may be the best idea.
Is it even possible to pick this game back up in the middle, after a year away, or will I be totally overwhelmed and not remember how to do anything?! Think starting fresh may be the best idea.
Cyber Caesar
Member
It's a terrible spot to start back again. The difficulty can spike here if you aren't pretty high level. I think you might want to go back a save a few hours earlier.
AstroNut325
Member
I just got DA:I for my new PS4. Only about a half hour in so far. Like it a lot. My character got to level 2 recently. But I still can't figure out how to control the party. I need to read an instruction manual.
Press the touchpad. That pauses it and you can then assign duties. Or just use up/down on the dpad to change characters while live playing.
Hasphat'sAnts
Member
I need to get back to finishing the DLCs. Been stuck with Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 lately, and haven't gotten through The Descent yet.
Too many games.
Too many games.
So I enjoyed the game immensely but because of The Witcher 3 and rocket league and life in general I never bought the DLC:s but I bought all 3 of them now and I'm about the embark on them soonish.
Quick question before that though. I'll spoiler tag it as it has to do with something that happened during Inqustition.
Quick question before that though. I'll spoiler tag it as it has to do with something that happened during Inqustition.
Vivienne got elected as Divine and left my party. Does that mean that I can't use her on any of the DLC if I continue on the save that I beat the game with?
No she can still be used in all three. Only in the third one does it have any significance but she can still be used regardless.
Thanks!
So I picked this game up really cheap a short while ago and, after 60 hours, I have to say I really dig it which was unexpected. I went straight for nightmare difficulty with friendly fire enable to try and keep things old school and the combat is pretty great. It's really tactical and intense. About about level 9 now and just got to Skyhold so we'll see how it goes but so far I'm really liking it.
shinobi602
Member
Glad you're enjoying it man! Be sure to get the Trespasser DLC afterwards too. Takes place after the main game and sets up Dragon Age 4.
Yeah I'm really digging it. There are definitely some annoyances but overall I'm have a great time with it. Graphics are nice too and I love the views of the action you get in tactical cam:
So with the GOTY edition on sale, I'm wondering whether or not to take the plunge and go back into this. Bought it on release and was a bit off-put by the collectathon it presented me with, which reminded me in all the bad ways of ME3, and then TW3 came out and I got sidetracked, traded in the game.
Now I'm nearly finished with TW3 and looking for some more WRPG goodness. I loved DA:O and even loved DA2, so by all rights I should love this. Now all the DLC is out and done with, what's the consensus on the game as a complete package?
Now I'm nearly finished with TW3 and looking for some more WRPG goodness. I loved DA:O and even loved DA2, so by all rights I should love this. Now all the DLC is out and done with, what's the consensus on the game as a complete package?
King Gilga
Member
When do the side quests become not random letters you find lying around and actual voiced acted conversations like they were in DAO and 2? All but 3 quests I've gotten have been random letters, really annoying.
I'm really not enjoying the hither lands (before you say anthying I just got there, level 4). I loved 1 and even 2 (put 136 and 53 hours in each respectively) but I'm not feeling inquistion at all.
I'm really not enjoying the hither lands (before you say anthying I just got there, level 4). I loved 1 and even 2 (put 136 and 53 hours in each respectively) but I'm not feeling inquistion at all.
Lone_Prodigy
Member
Multiplayer bonus XP weekend does nothing for the population. Quick Match still puts me in my own party, and I don't have enough gear/XP to solo levels.
Decided to go back and explore some of the areas I missed in my first playthrough. Thank goodness for item storage. It's too bad the level scaling isn't very good: had no trouble at all with a dragon I encountered (although it was a cool battle).
Decided to go back and explore some of the areas I missed in my first playthrough. Thank goodness for item storage. It's too bad the level scaling isn't very good: had no trouble at all with a dragon I encountered (although it was a cool battle).
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
Never. There might be a couple, I forget, but you're not going to find much conversation out of your base and the few main quests.
King Gilga
Member
Aw that really sucks, think I'll skip as much as I can besides story stuff then.
A real disappointment.
I'll second Shinobi saying buy Trespasser but you should but it asap for a second reason: it adds a second upgrade slot to EVERY ABILITY in the game, drastically increasing possible build variety. It also adds a unique customization slot to armor.
Trespasser also adds "mods" to the game you can play with. You can turn on level scaling, you can have elites spawn a lot more often, you can make bears demons from hell, you can double disapproval points for companions to make balancing dialogue choices more interesting. And you get unique gear for keeping mods turned on.
For all the shit the combat gets I really think the big problem (well, besides UI problems especially on PC) was that it was too easy even on Nightmare, so a lot of the mechanics you are never forced to use, never forced to really think about your build. Trespasser DLC makes things even harder, though if you have FF enabled you might have no need for that.
DA:I had essentially the best damn combat in the series- it's main flaw is the tactics aren't fleshed out well enough.
Western Approach is a moderate size, but interesting stuff in it. Hissing Wastes are just monstrously huge.
Western Approach is a moderate size, but interesting stuff in it. Hissing Wastes are just monstrously huge.
Poodlestrike
Banned
"Best combat in the series" is pretty much damning with faint praise
It's kind of telling that a lot of people apparently only noticed that now, though.
"Best combat in the series" is pretty much damning with faint praise
It's kind of telling that a lot of people apparently only noticed that now, though.
Well, I mean for big fantasy RPGs there isn't a whole lot of competition- Bioware or otherwise.
I forgot about the tactics, too. Losing those hurt.