Guys, I have to admit I haven't much time for games lately. I left behind Dragon Age and now when we have second part as well, I don't know which one to play. I LOVED Baldur's Gate and I heard this Dragon Age supposed to be kinda sequel the the Baldur's series. Those are pretty long games, so I would rather to pick one - should I go and play second part? Is it a lot better/worse than first part? How about graphics? which one has better graphics? Would I lose a lot not playing first part? Please let me know what do you think and what would you suggest. Thanks!
Personally I haven't played either of them further than the demos, but I've read enough about the situation on the internets. There's a hell of a lot of complaints about Dragon Age 2: although it managed to get fairly good reviews the general user view is that it's extremely dumbed down compared to the first one, it's taken too much of a ME2 approach, and for 90% of the game you're stuck in the same setting. It seems that the first game is much better if you're anything of an RPG fan, and likely to have a lot more in common with Baldur's Gate. You may want to wait for the opinions of people who've actually played the games aswell.
The first one. By far. DA:O is a true RPG in the sense that you make your own character, choose your own origin, (you get a different origin story depending on what race you choose) and explore the world by taking your own path. There's also a ton of DLC and great mods. DA2 gives you a character to play. You can choose your sex and class, but you're always playing as Hawke, the champion of kirkwall. The game plays like a flashback, allowing you to re-live and alter the path Hawke takes to become what he is. The problem with 2 is that the took a very streamlined approach to the gameplay. Combat is a lot faster and less tactical, they stripped down the equipment systems, and you can't explore the world nearly as much. I also heard that the game repeats dungeon templates to the point where it's ridiculous. You'll be in a dungeon on one quest, then you'll be on another quest in a completely different area but you'll be in the same dungeon, only you'll take a slightly different path. If you're looking for something more like Baulder's Gate, then DA:O is what you want.
Another vote for the first one. I have only played the demo of the second one, but from what i played, I did not like it, the combat was much more action-y, and I didn't like the characters or mass-effect-ification (don't get me wrong, i LOVE mass effect, it's style just doesn't suit DA) The first one is not particularly original, but it is honed to damn near perfection. Combat was fun and brutal, and required lots of pausing and planning to work right.
The first one for sure. Although neither of them are true Baldur's Gate sequels. Those days are gone I'm afraid, unless you play little independent games like Eschalon Book 2 or whatever. Dragon Age Origins (the first one), is like a dumbed down version of Baldur's Gate. You have health and mana that regenerates to full within a few seconds after each fight, you have a healing "aura" which automatically constantly heals anyone who is nearby, nobody dies so long as at least one person survives the fight, it's a shorter game, the world is smaller, there are less spells, the party size is smaller, etc...etc...etc... In true modern gaming style, they noobified it for mass appeal. However it still manages to be a pretty enjoyable game. It can get a bit tedious in places but it's still a solid game. Good story and characters and dialogue, not bad combat, and the graphics engine is a big improvement from the Baldur's Gate days. There was also an expansion called Awakening which was pretty good too. The downloadable content is all very short and not really worthwhile imo, but Awakening is worth a shot. As for Dragon Age 2 though, that game is utterly worthless. Rather than improving on the first one, they just totally butchered it. The amount that Dragon Age Origins was simplified over Baldur's Gate, was done yet again to Dragon Age 2 - to the point where it is barely even an RPG anymore. It's just a hack n slash blood n gutz game, and it's not even good at that. Not only that but they made the entire game in about 1 year on a tiny budget, so the result is that there are only about a dozen or less locations in the entire game, and it just re-uses the same one dungeon about 90 times... and you have a little party who you can't equip etc.. It's just an insult to RPG's. If you don't mind playing hack n slash games, then get The Witcher 2 instead, at least that makes a good go of it. It's not a proper deep RPG either, but at least when you are hack n slashing you can roll around all over the place like a ninja, and it generally behaves like an action game should. Baldur's Gate 2 is neither one thing nor the other, and is crap no matter how you look at it. Other opinions may vary of course, but then, they would be wrong
First one by far.. Completed it, loved it. Played the demo of the 2nd.. and hated it. Now, where is my copy.. did I even have a copy?
DA O is the harder game of the two but not sure its better than the second one neither game has any real lengh to it if thats what your after, niether is bauldars gate 2 which is probably one of the best pc rpgs ever made, like mass effect if your willing to ignore the voice over and read the subs yourself you can skim the game in under 30hrs and not miss the story in either game. The witcher 2 is a nice game just not very friendly to new players of the series and the new combat system requires you to keep up perm shield or you just get wiped out in a matter of seconds becomes apparant more on harder difficulties than it does on normal.
My vote is solidly for DA:O as well. I've played DA 1+2 (as well as all Baldur's Gate, Witcher 2 etc.) I quite liked DA:O, but DA2 is really quite bad. If you only have time for one of the two then I strongly recommend the first Dragon Age. I endorse rogerrabbits's summary of both games so no need for me to repeat that. Then if you have time left over, and haven't played it already, go over to Mass Effect and give that a go (I'd suggest starting with the first there as well). I want to play hardcore RPGs, but I also have nothing against more action based ones like Mass Effect (ME 1+2 are up there as some of my favourite games, and I'm looking forward to 3). I just wish BioWare kept the two appart - I thought they planned the Dragon Age series to be the more traditional one and Mass Effect the more 'streamlined'. That's fine by me - except they didn't stick to that, they seriously messed up with Dragon Age 2.
DA:O like everyone else said, amazing game and huge. DA:2 was a big let down, although for new people it is more pick up and play than DA:O. But put some time into origins and it is really great fun , great story too.
People are too harsh with DA2 IMO, but i agree that DA:O (and Awakenings) should be played first simply because it was more polished.
I'd agree with the recommendations for Dragon Age: Origins - the expansion (Awakenings) has to be qualified though. The main story is sound but it is clear (from issues like incomplete or underdeveloped sidequests) that it was rushed. Can't comment on DA2 since I boycotted it (due to online activation, boycotted DA1's DLC for the same reason). However, while a well-done RPG, DA1 doesn't offer the detailed character development, choice of battle tactics or freedom to explore that the original Baldur's Gate did. If those aspects are important to you, then you may be better served with the delightful (though bizarre) Planescape Torment. The Neverwinter Nights series may be worth considering too - especially NWN2 (plus its 2 expansions) which, with the latest patch removing the SecuROM media check, is now DRM-free. You do have smaller parties and the official campaign doesn't offer the scale and scope of BG/ToSC/SoA/ToB but it is mostly enjoyable (the plotline has holes in it and some buggy scripts at key encounters mean you should save the game regularly) plus you have the bonus of community-based modules to enjoy afterwards. Another option - revisit BG and check out the modding scene. Dozens have been produced and it would probably be best to check the various forums for more details: Spellhold Studios, The Gibberlings Three, Black Wyrm Lair, Pocket Plane Group and Chosen of Mystra.
no1 is one of my top 10 most enjoyed games of all time. no2 was a bit rubbish, and I couldn't stand the constantly reused environments...just through the same doors, corridors and round the same corners thousands of times!
Thanks for those links Astral, looks good. I didn't think about recommending older stuff too, like Planescape Torment. There are also the Icewind Dale games and others. And one other option is to just wait for Skyrim. Not too far now. Well... 4 months But that's not so bad if you have other things you can play in the meantime.
Just to mirror what others have said. I am away on work, and have my Xbox with me. I decided to get them both. Smashed through the first one over, say a month. Great game, felt overwhelmed by the choices, equipment, companion equipment etc Which I consider a good sign of an RPG. Playing the second one now, and I find there is very little tie-in to the first, and it is more of a hack and slash with a dumbed down customisation structure. The graphics are better (especially the character models), but it feels a lot more linear than the first. Saying that I'm a story line completionist, so will see it through.
Guys, thank you all for your input. Looks like Everyone preffer first part than the second. I thought that would be the case, after reading all those reviews. I played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Torment and all the great old RPG games, that is why I wanted to see what you guys have to say about DA compared to these. I'm happy to say that I can now go ahead and install it - Dragon Age Origins it is! It will be a great adventure for the time till Diablo 3 comes out at the end of this year (..well.. hopefully..).
You will love it mate. I enjoyed my first play through, and it was the first game in a very long time that had a story that I got into so much
I dunno if it was just me but thought assassins creed brotherhood was better than all of them.. witcher 2 just felt so clunky after brotherhood- but was a good game in it's own really liked the first witcher myself.. after playing the dlc in da was disappointed.. without the dlc, the first one is a pretty decent game (talking challenge wise).. da2 had its moments- but the playthrough was pretty bad to get to them the first mass effect was something else.. second one was a bit too streamlined so you could see ea was designing it so they could pump out mass effects like crazy without having to create different armor and weapons for each character.. the story was really good though- didn't hit me quite like the first one though with wrex
