In Defense!
Introduction:
Explanation of screenshots from the movie Rock-n-Rolla at the end of the post =)
The proliferation of negative posts about the game prompted me to create this "almost manifesto" "In Defense of" the game. Before starting to discuss anything, I want EVERYONE to understand one simple thing. This is a different game, it is not an extension of DA:O, but an independent project within the created universe, and as much as it differs now from the original, the third part may similarly differ from the second and first. After all, the developers are creative people, and thank God Electronic Arts had the sense not to impose conditions on developers that would obligate undeniably talented people to "crank out" the same thing year after year. The series simply must evolve and offer something new in each game. With that in mind, let's move on to the next part of the post:
Where It All Started:
By the time Dragon Age Origins was released, another titan of the company named Mass Effect had made its rounds in the world, receiving rave reviews from both press and players. It encompassed all the attributes of previous games, but with one significant exception – it was Action/RPG. The emphasis was precisely on the first word. Despite the repetitiveness, it was a breath of fresh air, like a loud word in a genre largely dominated, at that time, by bug-ridden, clumsy Gothics, stunning but poorly animated The Elder Scrolls, and engaging yet overly complicated Witchers! For the billionth time, we played Diablo 2, enjoyed the mind-blowing Torchlight, excitedly explored the wasteland in Fallout 3, strategized in King's Bounty and Heroes, and spent our evenings relaxing in WoW, Lineage, etc.
But when the new "Star Wars" was released, most of my acquaintances abandoned their raids and explorations, rushing to help Shepard become a SPECTER and uncover the mysteries of space. It was an exhilarating experience, but even then it was clear that the developers had overdone it with the RPG-elements, particularly with the endless loot and pathetic inventory (by the way, this was the main (!) drawback that most players I knew cited about ME), it was mentioned everywhere. Time passed and a new project, Dragon Age Origins, was presented to the public. Yes, we rushed once again; some went to stores, while others hit trackers for a new dose of impressions.
And we got them.
After installing and launching the game, many of us were struck by the variety of possible "prologues," but already in the first hours of gameplay, an unpleasant feeling known as "Déjà vu" arose. Almost every location, at every single moment, felt like Neverwinter, improved, enhanced, and heavily masked like a partisan.
At first glance at DA:O, it becomes evident that gameplay-wise, Origins is neither revolutionary nor evolutionary, but rather, a regular continuation of previous series of the company (such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights). Moreover, for me, as a regular gamer (not an RPG fan), DA:O did not bring any gameplay revelations; everything has been rigid and unchanged since what they call the "revolution".
I'm a screen without children, Bertie. Considering we married for convenience - I miscalculated...
Stella
Rock-n-Rolla
Everything is in its place: the same pause, the same view, the same gamma, the same false effect of huge locations (which turned out to be just regular corridors where mobs had to be exterminated in droves, throwing a "Harvest Festival") and, of course, the same parties. And all this creates the feeling that principles and developments are simply passed from generation to generation, like in school, but not in some prestigious lyceum (which, to maintain their prestigious status, must constantly improve their education system without losing quality), but in an ordinary "Old" school (where the "stiff" director, like a dinosaur, reprimands high school girls for skirts "above the knee," and boys for worn-out, too-tight, torn jeans. Yes, you can understand him; after all, his thoughts are only for the best; he is trying to "develop morality in youth," which the new generation has lost). And this is by no means a downside; after all, how can one call what "people enjoy" a downside, especially when they enjoy it?
Archie, there's no better school than the old school! And I'm in it, damn - the Director.
Lenny Cole
Rock-n-Rolla
But at that moment, what was reassuring was that the game was one you didn't have to get used to, and there was a strong belief in BioWare, knowing they don't make crap by definition. However, there's one hitch here, especially for players who are just interested in RPG (which is most players), but are not die-hard fans of the genre. By the middle of the game, having gotten honestly tired of wandering around the map like a "crazy broom", I came to the understanding that:
- Again, the inventory started to annoy me, offering my warrior a whopping 100500 options for the same armor or swords – after a revision through simple comparison and a certain amount of time, only 2 pieces of armor or weapons remained from 50 in the inventory, everything else was sent to junk (*Oh God, how I wished for a separate