Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Random Shots: Preparing To Hate Dragon Age

  • The mo-blogger-verse is all a-twitter (damn, that word is dead now) about the impending release of Dragon Age. Tipa from West Karana, Pete from Dragonchasers, Syp from Bio Break, and Spinks from Welcome to Spinksville have all posted their thought about Bioware's upcoming game. I even downloaded the character creator and watched Giant Bomb's Quick Look video in preparation.

  • I believe, at this point, that I am well equipped to go ahead and hate the game.

  • I have mentioned on this blog a few times before (though I'm too lazy to find any links for you) that I never liked Baldur's Gate or any of the Infinity Engine games. I couldn't stand Neverwinter Nights either, for that matter. Knights of the Old Republic? Forget it. I didn't enjoy a Bioware game until Jade Empire and Mass Effect.

  • This issue I have with these games is that I want to be in direct control of my characters. I don't want to just point them in a directed and say "Go." That's why I hate RTS games (real time strategy games, for the uninitiated). I want to make decisions for my characters in a moment to moment basis, without fear that the AI will stumble while I'm unable to make choices quickly enough. I want to be the character, not the guiding hand on that character's shoulder.

  • This is why, time and again, I've lauded Fallout on the site. I miss the hex grid and the action points. I loved X-Com: UFO Defense and its tactical scenarios. At the same time, I love the action afforded by Bioware's more recent games. However from everything I've seen about Dragon Age, it feels like a real step backward from the type of game I've come to enjoy from them.

  • It's too bad Bioware isn't famous for releasing demos. This is a game I really need to get my hands on before making a decision.


© 2009 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.

3 comments:

  1. That's heresy I tell ya. Expect the Inquisition at your door step any day now.

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  2. I'll get the pitchfork, grab the torches!

    In all seriousness, I totally share your dislike of RTS. I much prefer turn based. And it's hard to argue that the combat is Mass Effect isn't superior to their other product, they came up with the best real time combat I've ever seen in a RPG. So I can see where you are coming from, even if I think you missed out on some great digital story lines.

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  3. @ Jayedub - Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! (Sorry. Obligatory Monty Python reference.)

    @ Yeebo - Yeah, and that's what irks me about it. I want to play the story, just not the game. I may (may!) try to play it on easy difficulty it that lets me get through the game. We shall see.

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