Dragon Age 2 demo out now

[Gheris]

Played through the demo again and I have to say that I do see a lot of the concerns listed here, but people are acting as though DAO was some tactical masterpiece of a game. It wasn't, and gameplay seems pretty much the same as the first. Combat just seems faster than it was before.

Really? I heard the graphics (and UI) were terrible

Neither the graphics nor UI are terrible. They are just OK. You heard? Look up the screenshots or download the demo and make the decision for yourself. It's all out there.

 

[Red Hawk]

Really? I heard the graphics (and UI) were terrible

No. The graphics are notably improved over DA: O, and will be even more so in the full game because of DX 11 (a lot of the DX 11 features are disabled in the demo). Also the UI remains much the same in-combat; I can't speak for the inventory management because it's oddly locked in the demo.

 

[Darklife]

Heh, judging from the hilariously bad graphics on the screenshots I never even gave thought that this game's requirements would exceed my system's. I mean DX 11 for that? Seriously?

 

[DeathReborn]

Played through it in DX11 without issues, promptly uninstalled it. I hope it won't become like a few games I have, fun for 5 minutes then ultimately forgotten for better things (pretty much everything else).

 

[Red Hawk]

Heh, judging from the hilariously bad graphics on the screenshots I never even gave thought that this game's requirements would exceed my system's. I mean DX 11 for that? Seriously?

Most screenshots are from the console versions.

 

[shortylickens]

Heh, judging from the hilariously bad graphics on the screenshots I never even gave thought that this game's requirements would exceed my system's. I mean DX 11 for that? Seriously?

I dont take preliminary screen shots too seriously. Things can change a lot right up until the game actually comes out. Maybe they discover a new tesselation or texture filtering algorithm a month before the due date and all of a sudden we have a final product that looks very different.

My point was that the publisher was touting improved graphics & such and saying little about the actual game play. And that always makes me suspicious.

 

[Throckmorton]

The engine seems much more efficient than DAO, while also looking much better. My dual cores were a bad bottleneck in DAO, but don't seem to be an issue with DA2

 

[MustangSVT]

tried the demo.

I don't think ill bother with it when it comes out.

Graphics are ok but i didn't have any fun playing it. Maybe because I played Baldurs gate and maybe because it was too simple and easy.

I'll wait for skyrim. or just keep playing risen

 

[Throckmorton]

It was cool that DAO had the Baldur's Gate style strategic combat, but it had a lot of clunkiness, especially with the camera.

DA2 is still clunky, and is missing the ability to zoom way out. At least the combat is fast and more action packed... and more realistic. DAO bought into the myth that western martial arts are slow and plodding, especially for 2 handed weapons. In DA2 the combat resembles what you'd see in a samurai movie, and rightfully so.

 

[dfuze]

Wow, so not used to the control scheme on this. I am so used to left clicking to attack, not to mention having to move the camera around will take some time to get used to. Overall an OK game, but not at $60 to me.

 

[QuantumPion]

It was cool that DAO had the Baldur's Gate style strategic combat, but it had a lot of clunkiness, especially with the camera.

DA2 is still clunky, and is missing the ability to zoom way out. At least the combat is fast and more action packed... and more realistic. DAO bought into the myth that western martial arts are slow and plodding, especially for 2 handed weapons. In DA2 the combat resembles what you'd see in a samurai movie, and rightfully so.

Agreed, that was one of the things that I disliked about DA:O was the slow motion combat animations. DA2 really seems to have the same gameplay and tactics, just at a faster pace. I like it. It's not BG2, but it's fun.

 

[Dumac]

Played through the demo again and I have to say that I do see a lot of the concerns listed here, but people are acting as though DAO was some tactical masterpiece of a game. It wasn't, and gameplay seems pretty much the same as the first. Combat just seems faster than it was before.



Neither the graphics nor UI are terrible. They are just OK. You heard? Look up the screenshots or download the demo and make the decision for yourself. It's all out there.

I have seen screenshots that make both the graphics and UI looked terrible. There are lots of screens that make DA2 look worse than DAO. However, I haven't played the demo myself yet (downloaded but no time to play it) so I just classified those screens as hearsay.

 

[NoSoup4You]

I downloaded the demo for both 360 and PS3 today to get some more thoughts, I'm a massive DAO fan on PC (never got it for consoles) and felt pretty gutted by the awfulness of the DA2 demo... and now I see why they made all these changes. The game is fantastic on PS3, you press 'X' for every swing/attack animation - so if you only press it once your character takes one swing and then does nothing. This makes the fast combat WAY more interesting since you're actively involved the whole time, sure it's a little "button mashy" but it's fun and the skills are great and easy to use.

It really is an action game on the consoles, for better or worse. But in this case, compared to the PC version, it's very much for the better. I had an absolute blast playing a Rogue on PS3 because you attack so quickly and it's very easy (and fun!) to switch back and forth between targets mid-combo.

I'm impressed, as for XBox vs PS3 it looks like the PS3 has AA and the 360 version does not. It's definitely interesting... I'll give the PC demo another run through now that I feel more comfortable with the demo itself. I'm a little nervous at how few talents/spells there are in the various skill trees, at first glance they look plentiful but upon closer inspection many are simply upgrades to existing talents... like the Elemental tree has Winters Grasp, Cone of Cold, Fireball, and Firestorm. And I think that's it!! Scary, DA:O had so many more options by comparison... I have not looked any deeper than a quick glance so hopefully the earth and lightning spells are still there but in another tree...

If I can't come to grips with the PC version I know I'll still love this game on PS3. Graphics looked entirely comparable to the PC demo too, though the PC had several settings disabled for the demo.

 

[Attic]

Wow that was terrible. I played about 5 minutes then turned it off.

It seems my fears were true, and they did ruin it like ME.

I'd agree with this. I really liked DA Origins.

DA2 is complete and utter garbage from what I played in the demo. No depth at all and the game and graphics felt completely devoid of any character or inspiration.

Back to The Void for me.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Yeah same. Sometimes I'm born on Jan 1 1900. Whatever I move the scroll bar too.

I forget the site, but I just put in a random date to see a trailer or something, and the site actually would not let me in and gave me the error message "You are not actually 100 years old". I am well over 18, but usually just pick some random data also.

 

[coloumb]

Ugh - why'd they have to go and change the UI and spell trees?

I don't know what it is - but the demo just didn't give me that same "this is pretty cool" feeling I had when I saw DAO. Pretty sure I'll wait until this game is on the bargain bin before picking it up...

 

[Dumac]

So I played the demo for about 15 minutes, before an update warning caused the game to minimize and the demo wouldn't let me maximize afterward...

Had to kill the process.

Anyway, the graphics aren't as bad as I heard. A lot of things look really bland in comparison to DA:O, which is weird. For example, the ogre looks a lot less detailed. I am unsure if this is due to the stylistic change, the graphics being stuck on medium, or just a downfall of the game. Not to mention ogres just kind of look ugly...

It was weird being on Mars walking in straight corridors for 15 minutes, fighting wave after wave of trash mobs with the occasional ogre. Perhaps the demo picks up later on...I'll try again sometime.

I don't mind the graphical style change. I know some find it too cartoony, but I welcome the change. I think it looks nice overall.

The UI overall LOOKS terrible, but it seems to function as well if not better than the UI in DA:O.

Animations are better and smoother. The over the top animations were a nice stylistic effect of the narration...

The spell trees were a bit weird, but the short time I played wasn't long enough to form a proper opinion. At this point, I'd say they look better than the lame trees in DA:O, though.

Some of my major gripes:
1. Not being able to change inventory/armor/look of you/companions - are you serious?! What is this?! Such a basic part of a WRPG being ripped out of DA2? Ridiculous.
2. No tactical view? Balderdash. A huge loss of the game, and makes casting AOE spells a pain in the ass.
3. Dialogue wheel - what a dumbed down form of conversation. Do they really need to hold our hand this much? Not to mention the disparity between the options I pick and what Shepard (heh) says.
4. Consolized menus - wheel menus EVERYWHERE. Not exactly ideal on a PC.

I still have the game preordered. I play all bioware games (excluding the game-that-shall-not-be-named)

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Some of my major gripes:
1. Not being able to change inventory/armor/look of you/companions - are you serious?! What is this?! Such a basic part of a WRPG being ripped out of DA2? Ridiculous.
2. No tactical view? Balderdash. A huge loss of the game, and makes casting AOE spells a pain in the ass.
3. Dialogue wheel - what a dumbed down form of conversation. Do they really need to hold our hand this much? Not to mention the disparity between the options I pick and what Shepard (heh) says.
4. Consolized menus - wheel menus EVERYWHERE. Not exactly ideal on a PC.

As for #1, I'm sure it was locked for the purposes of the demo (to give a more "guided tour" feel so to speak). We know there is an inventory based on Special Edition and pre-order bonus items alone.

2-3 agreed, 4 big deal.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I hope the demo isn't indicative of the quality of the character design and voice acting in the final version. I mean come on, it's already set in the most generic fantasy world ever, now you have to murder my ears with the same old English accent from every fantasy RPG ever? The first Dragon Age was saved by the story and the interesting plot twists and forks. But I don't know if I can stomach going through another one chock-full of cardboard cutout anglo brunettes droning on in that horrible English drawl.

 

[sticks435]

4. Consolized menus - wheel menus EVERYWHERE. Not exactly ideal on a PC.

What are you referring to here? The only 2 wheel menus I saw where the dialog and the one when you press escape to bring up your options.

 

[Red Hawk]

I still have the game preordered. I play all bioware games (excluding the game-that-shall-not-be-named)

Sonic Chronicles?

 

[Dumac]

As for #1, I'm sure it was locked for the purposes of the demo (to give a more "guided tour" feel so to speak). We know there is an inventory based on Special Edition and pre-order bonus items alone.

2-3 agreed, 4 big deal.

No, you cannot change the armor/outfit of your companions EVER if I understand correctly, instead buffing them through runes or something? Visually, your companions won't change. Refer to http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6189124/1

Notable quotes

This has been discussed before - many times.

No, you can't change your companions' outfits, but you will be able to buff it up with runes and stuff.

i think i can live without playing dress up with my companions like my own personal doll set.

I'm sure there are plenty of other RPG's that let you play dolly with your companions and have your fill of making them pretty.

 

[Dumac]

Sonic Chronicles?

The bastardization of KotOR

 

[Dumac]

What are you referring to here? The only 2 wheel menus I saw where the dialog and the one when you press escape to bring up your options.

Yes, those two, which are the two main menus...

Even the other UI stuff is all big and blocky for better console use

 

[Red Hawk]

The bastardization of KotOR

Huh? Mass Effect, or KotOR II? What was so wrong about the one you're talking about?