So, it's been a few months since I last posted and, for whatever only-god-knows reason, I'm feeling possessed to do so again.
:o
So, what have I been doing for the past bit?
Well: Aside from drowning in my midterms like a rabbit in a landslide, I picked up Dragon Age: Origins. I enjoyed it so much that I wanna share it. p=
[my party]
Generally speaking, I don't play these DnD-based games. I've tried before, believe me - including popular titles like NWN2, Fallout3, and Elder Scrolls. However, none of them have ever held my attention for longer than just a few hours. There always seemed to be a break in momentum. What I mean by that is that in any "epic story", there has to be a push factor to usher the protagonist on his way. In those titles, it seems that at some point, you (the protagonist) have to go out of your way to look for something to do, and that's usually when I stop.
There are two very distinct factors that appeal to me in DA:O.
One: There is a clear sense of boundary; the game world is divided into areas of interest, with very localized events and quests. This also makes for quick travel between areas, rather than having to, say, drive for half an hour from one end of the world to the other. *cough* Red Faction *cough* Farcry *cough*
Two: Full voice acting! I can't stress how good the voice acting is in this game.
Overall Breakdown:
gameplay - 7/10
music and sound - 9/10
graphics and art - 8/10
story and plot - 9/10
lore - 9/10
The good:
well-paced storytelling - massive well-developed back story - in-depth character design and relationships - high replay value - DLCs
The bad:
long load times - money is hard to come by - unappealing side quests
Gameplay:
Pausing mid-battle means no more forced hasty decision making; you can carefully plan out and execute each fight to the best of your ability. On the hardest mode, you'll need it.
There are also a good amount of unique skills and talents to take advantage of, including 12 specializations and some really unique skills.
Player decisions affect more than just character responses, as they also shape the balance of future battles.
Music and Sound:
The game has great music and does a nice job to keep in tune with the mood.
Occasionally, the music craps up during a fight and then ends up playing fight music even when I'm wandering around, but that has only happened twice for me. lolz
Graphics and Art:
This has solid graphics and an amazing amount of detail, from the environment to the characters.
There are breathtaking scenery and camera angles. The cuts cenes feel like excerpts from movies.
It could use more "casual" armours - and while on that, more modifications to high-tier weapons and armours would be nice too.
Story and Plot:
It's a gripping story, with a plot that depends on player input, decisions and the members of your party. The side stories of your party members are also highly interesting enough to make you actually want to do them.
Lore:
There is so much lore to be found, by clicking on statues and books strewn around or just by experiencing plot and people. It'll unlock pages and pages of lore in your journal for you to thumb through at your leisure.
Well, that's all for now~!
~+* Rho
:o
So, what have I been doing for the past bit?
Well: Aside from drowning in my midterms like a rabbit in a landslide, I picked up Dragon Age: Origins. I enjoyed it so much that I wanna share it. p=
[my party]
Generally speaking, I don't play these DnD-based games. I've tried before, believe me - including popular titles like NWN2, Fallout3, and Elder Scrolls. However, none of them have ever held my attention for longer than just a few hours. There always seemed to be a break in momentum. What I mean by that is that in any "epic story", there has to be a push factor to usher the protagonist on his way. In those titles, it seems that at some point, you (the protagonist) have to go out of your way to look for something to do, and that's usually when I stop.
There are two very distinct factors that appeal to me in DA:O.
One: There is a clear sense of boundary; the game world is divided into areas of interest, with very localized events and quests. This also makes for quick travel between areas, rather than having to, say, drive for half an hour from one end of the world to the other. *cough* Red Faction *cough* Farcry *cough*
Two: Full voice acting! I can't stress how good the voice acting is in this game.
Overall Breakdown:
gameplay - 7/10
music and sound - 9/10
graphics and art - 8/10
story and plot - 9/10
lore - 9/10
The good:
well-paced storytelling - massive well-developed back story - in-depth character design and relationships - high replay value - DLCs
The bad:
long load times - money is hard to come by - unappealing side quests
Gameplay:
Pausing mid-battle means no more forced hasty decision making; you can carefully plan out and execute each fight to the best of your ability. On the hardest mode, you'll need it.
There are also a good amount of unique skills and talents to take advantage of, including 12 specializations and some really unique skills.
Player decisions affect more than just character responses, as they also shape the balance of future battles.
Music and Sound:
The game has great music and does a nice job to keep in tune with the mood.
Occasionally, the music craps up during a fight and then ends up playing fight music even when I'm wandering around, but that has only happened twice for me. lolz
Graphics and Art:
This has solid graphics and an amazing amount of detail, from the environment to the characters.
There are breathtaking scenery and camera angles. The cuts cenes feel like excerpts from movies.
It could use more "casual" armours - and while on that, more modifications to high-tier weapons and armours would be nice too.
Story and Plot:
It's a gripping story, with a plot that depends on player input, decisions and the members of your party. The side stories of your party members are also highly interesting enough to make you actually want to do them.
Lore:
There is so much lore to be found, by clicking on statues and books strewn around or just by experiencing plot and people. It'll unlock pages and pages of lore in your journal for you to thumb through at your leisure.
Well, that's all for now~!
~+* Rho
