Dragon Age games

[Taustin Powers]

I need some help making a decision.

I really want to play Dragon Age: Inquisition, as it looks quite awesome. I loved the Mass Effect trilogy, so I have full faith in Bioware here.

But I have not played the first two games, and I am wondering if I should start with them. MRU said Inquisition can be played and enjoyed without having played the other two, so I am tempted. BUT...am I missing out on something amazing if I don't play Origins? How does it hold up nowadays? I read the main character does not speak - is there any meaningful story and character depth, if the main character doesn't have a voice? Are the gameplay mechanics tolerable by today's standards? I had a very hard time enjoying Mass Effect 1 cause the controls were so bad.

Inquisition is on sale right now for €45, but only until tonight. But I could also buy Origins for €5, and by the time I'm done with that, Inquisition will be cheaper anyhow.

As a sidenote, my time to play video games has become rather limited with age...and I understand the first two games are quite time-consuming. Help me, trusted MR friends - what should I do?

 

[Renzatic]

I'll keep this short and sweet. Origins was and still is awesome, and an absolute steal at €5. Don't even ask questions. Just get it.

 

[2nyRiggz]

I've never played the previous installments but I'm deep into Inquisition. I really don't think I'm missing anything as you can get all the pieces from NPC in the game world. I logged in almost 50-60 hours and still feel like there is so much more to go.

I highly recommend playing it and if the opportunity comes up then get the previous two as well.


Bless

 

[MRU]

Dragon Age games

Inquisition is vastly superior game and I mean vastly in every regard from scale and breadth to character evolution throughout than previous instalments. NPC conversations, politics, romance, treachery, inner conflict - it's all there in inquisition and vastly refined over all previous versions.

In inquisition you are really missing out on nothing from the previous games only fleeting passing references that have no bearing on the business at hand, and therefore whilst the previous games are good - it's hard to recommend investing 12-20 hours in those (12-20 hours was my average play through time on both origins & 2 (forget awakening it was terrible)) when Inquisition is so much better and about 8 x the size and scope.

Seriously just get inquisition and prepare for an epic. I'm now over 100 hours in on the Xbox one and feel like I have a shed load of stuff to do and I still haven't completed the main campaign ......

It really is epic. To be honest it's so big, that if you spend 20+ hours on the previous games it may be all too much (overdosing) of the same thing.

Trust me : if your going to pop your dragon-age cherry. Pop it on the best one (plus it actually has proper dragons) .... You won't regret not playing the previous because you'll be investing sooooo much time in the new one to even think about them.

Definitely my Game of the Year 2014 and could possibly still be 2015....

 

[tyche]

I played DA: Origins before the ME series and I have to say DA:O still has best management of your group. You can do some very handy scripting rules that later DA & ME games don't offer. I think ME has the better story and characters but if you like medieval RPG gameplay you can't go wrong.

It's not as sophisticated as the newer games but it's still enjoyable and a deal at 5 euro. DA:I isn't going anywhere. There will be more patches, dlc and price drops later. Compared to ME, Origins has some really good replay value by starting a new race and class as well.

 

[Taustin Powers]

Thanks!

Well, I missed the sale on Inquisition. Origins is still available for 5€ till the 22nd. Maybe I'll download and try it - if it immediately sucks me in, great! If it tortures me like Mass Effect 1 did, I'll just skip to Inquisition.

 

[Renzatic]

It's not as sophisticated as the newer games but it's still enjoyable and a deal at 5 euro.

I haven't played the second game, but from what I've read and heard, the first game far outpaces the second in everything from story, to environments, to battles, and all. It seemed to be a rush job compared to the first. A quick cash in on the originals surprise success, and a stepping stone to the much larger, grander third.

 

[0098386]

Definitely my Game of the Year 2014 and could possibly still be 2015....

Damn you MRU. I trust your call on games so your hype isn't helping my already busy to-play list! Grrr.

I think I'm holding out for a true Skyrim HD before I jump in on this. (why aren't Bethesda milking this?!)

 

[MRU]

Damn you MRU. I trust your call on games so your hype isn't helping my already busy to-play list! Grrr.



I think I'm holding out for a true Skyrim HD before I jump in on this. (why aren't Bethesda milking this?!)

Lol, I'm actually surprised they haven't repackaged Skyrim & it's expansions onto the PS4 & XB1.

But yeah Dragon Age inquisition is great, mind I'm still waiting for Captain Toad to arrive so that will likely kill a lot of my free time when it arrives and come as a bit of welcome relief from RPG madness...

 

[mandoman]

Lol, I'm actually surprised they haven't repackaged Skyrim & it's expansions onto the PS4 & XB1.

But yeah Dragon Age inquisition is great, mind I'm still waiting for Captain Toad to arrive so that will likely kill a lot of my free time when it arrives and come as a bit of welcome relief from RPG madness...

Yeah, I would really love to see Skyrim HD make it over to PS4/XB1. They have all of the HD high res textures already for the PC version, you'd think this would be a simple port. I think Bethesda owes us something for the crappy practically unplayable bug ridden PS3 version and the craptastic POS known as Elder Scrolls Online.

But my RPG queue is long now. Presently playing Dark Souls 1, then there is Bloodborne, followed by Witcher 3. Dark Souls 2+DLC is also coming to PS4 which I might try seeing how much I love DS1.

I'll get around to DA:I eventually, when it's like $20 including all DLC.

 

[2nyRiggz]

Damn you MRU. I trust your call on games so your hype isn't helping my already busy to-play list! Grrr.

I think I'm holding out for a true Skyrim HD before I jump in on this. (why aren't Bethesda milking this?!)

It is a good game that you will burn hours on. There is a point when I just got overwhelmed with all the side quest and exploration because the maps are huge. I'm thinking about just sticking to the main quest now try my best with that because its just too much and I'm addicted to searching every bit of the map.


P.S. I rather Bethesda focus on Fallout 4 because we all know its coming and Bloodbourne is going to be awesome(I'm actually playing Lords of the Fallen as well anticipating BB)

Bless

 

[Renzatic]

e(I'm actually playing Lords of the Fallen as well anticipating BB)

Totally off topic, but how does Lords of the Fallen compare to the Dark Souls games? Is it pretty good?

 

[MRU]

Totally off topic, but how does Lords of the Fallen compare to the Dark Souls games? Is it pretty good?

it's ok ...... that's about as much enthusiasm as I can throw at it myself. It's not bad, its not great, it's ok.

Graphics would be nice if it wasn't for lots of screen tearing, and the whole thing is a little 'generic' and the balance of class / skills / magic seems utterly skewed - and there isn't much tangible benefits to a lot of character choice.

I bought it because I thought it would make getting into a DS game eventually - more accessible - I always found them restrictive due to difficulty. This one is difficult - but not as much - and its also frightfully generic.

----------

It is a good game that you will burn hours on. There is a point when I just got overwhelmed with all the side quest and exploration because the maps are huge. I'm thinking about just sticking to the main quest now try my best with that because its just too much and I'm addicted to searching every bit of the map.

Yeah the size of the maps can be huge - that really surprised me. But I ended up doing the side quests anyway

 

[Taustin Powers]

Started Origins last night. Created an elph mage.

I like the setting and the atmosphere, it looks promising. Controls are a bit wobbly though, I'll see if I get used to it.

What's really throwing me off though is that I even got to pick a voice for my elph, but in the game, he's mostly mute. I really prefer the Mass Effect approach, where all dialogues are completely acted out. Gives the main character more personality.

Only did about an hour of actual gameplay (finished the Harrowing), so it's too soon for my final judgement. So far, I am intrigued, but not yet completely sold.

 

[MRU]

Started Origins last night. Created an elph mage.

I like the setting and the atmosphere, it looks promising. Controls are a bit wobbly though, I'll see if I get used to it.

What's really throwing me off though is that I even got to pick a voice for my elph, but in the game, he's mostly mute. I really prefer the Mass Effect approach, where all dialogues are completely acted out. Gives the main character more personality.

Only did about an hour of actual gameplay (finished the Harrowing), so it's too soon for my final judgement. So far, I am intrigued, but not yet completely sold.

Yeah the dialogue - voice acting you will glad to hear is fully played out in the newer game.