After reading reviews i purchased the collectors PC version. I beat the game once and went on to play other things. When I purchased my xbox and found that there weren't many RPGS out for it I picked up the collectors edition (if only for the cool case and bonus items) for XBOX 360. Boy was I surprised. All the reviews said how substandard the graphics were compared to the PC version. Yes, the textures are a bit better, and yes, if you have a great videocard you can pump the resolution up. But where this game shines are the controls. I would get so tired sitting up at my PC clicking constantly. The Xbox controller lends itself extremely well to the game, and in many ways better. Considering this is a game I have already put 60+ hours in on my PC...it's so much better to kick back on my couch and play. I also think the controls are very well thought out. After getting used to them this game plays better with a controller...especially as a Melee class, since it feels more like an action/rpg hybrid, whereas the PC version is a lot more clicking and strategy, which really is not needed. A definite plus, and pick it up if u like RPGS!
This game is great. Maybe I am getting old or something so I am more into story and stuff which is what the RPG genre is for. I saw alot of people complaining about graphics and stuff, for an RPG game this is pretty much as good as it gets with this gen consoles. The dialogues are long but interesting. Well if you are playing an RPG game you want engaging dialogues. Not some shallow push over dialogue that seemed like a waste of time. I know halo and stuff was fun, but shooting seemed kinda boring after a while. You can only get so much joy out of pwning people so many times online. But if you want something more in depth, more thought provoking, dragon age is the stuff. I think I enjoyed Dragon Age more than oblivion to be honest. For an epic RPG, name another game with this level of graphics and detail to plot and character dialogue. Mass effect may have better graphics but look around and you see there are less things in the environment to render. Overall, Dragon Age's environment doesn't feel as empty. Besides, the graphics looks plenty smooth to me, most things are not made of sharp edges. If there are breaks in the frames and what not that's the hardware problem. I am surprised that the next gen consoles aren't out yet seeing as the game developers are pretty much pushing what the hardware can do. Its like you can program so much but the console can't render all the details, you get breaks and things don't look as smooth. So seriously people don't complain about the graphics blindly. And never compare to first person shooters. Because if you must know, first person shooter graphics don't need to render as much stuff. At any one point you are looking in one direction, so with the same hardware you will always get superior graphics. For RPG the hardware has to render the entire world constantly. So, don't blindly complain. I just don't like people who don't know games and complain. I clocked like 300 hundred hours on oblivion and close to a hundred on Dragon Age. I matchmaked like four thousand games on Halo 3 multiplayer so I know what makes a good game.
Believe it or not, to be good at FPS, its not just about aiming correctly and reacting to the situation. You need to figure out opponent behavior and adapt to your team's behavior as well. At high levels everyone can aim well and categorize the levels of threat and react accordingly. But what gives you an edge is figuring out what the opponent is gonna do. If I can figure out which side to flank, the skill level of the guy covering the weak side, and the routes the weaker players on the opposing team takes, I will have a huge advantage. Humans are creatures of habit.
Wow. I had this game on my radar for awhile now and have finally had some time to sit down and get some extended play sessions. It does not disappoint. I only have the 360 version so this review only applies to the Xbox.
I'll get the bad stuff out of the way first. To anyone that heard the graphics are less-than-desireable, it's true. I mention this first because I know there are a lot of people that are concerned about it. Don't be. Yes there is some screen tearing and once in awhile the camera will jitter during a cutscene, but if these are the sole reasons for your choice to NOT play this game then you are depriving yourself of the total experience. The controls have been modified for the consoles and work well. There are a few instances where it's tough to tell who you are targeting in large-scale battles, but it's not that often.
Speaking of battles, the combat system is fantastic. A strong combination of action, strategy, and quick decision making. The battles range from small, 2 or 3 enemies, to massive, 20 enemies or more. For the first time in as long as I can remember this is an RPG that makes every battle feel important and you could die at any moment. The battles are not easy and you cannot simply hit "Attack" and sit back and expect to win. You have to be a tactician managing health, mana, stamina, elemental, and environmental effects. The game picks up magnificently once you get a few party members and see all the elemental effects, magic effects, and bloody goodness on the battlefield. Every victory feels like an accomplishment, and that's rare in RPGs these days. The ability to pause the action and make decisions without worrying about that demon barreling towards you will come in handy often, and you will need to master the radial menus to be successful.
The interaction with NPCs is done extremely well. The converstaion mechanic is back and forth dialogue and a list of choices for what your character can say. It seems simplistic if not "traditional" but you won't feel that way once you start making some tough decisions. I want to keep this spoiler free but suffice it to say the interaction with NPCs is very rewarding, and when you get the conversation to go your way, you feel like you had a strong influence on its outcome and can result in some interesting story changes.
Your actions determine how you party members feel about you, and how NPCs will treat you. The game is adult themed, and they were not kidding when they said "Dark" fantasy. It is a grim story, and has a feeling of despair and lost hope that brings consitency to the background of the world and also adds to the severity of your quest. Moral decisions will not be made simply. I found myself staring at my choices for minutes sometimes trying to decide what the right thing to do would be. This then will be reflected in your relationship with your party memebers, whether they agree with your actions or not will detemrmine how long they wil stay with you or if they will join you at all. Balancing this when you have drastically different personalities in your party becomes fun, especially when you hear your party members arguing amongst themselves. The detail that goes into defining their personalities is unparalleled, as when you hear them say certain things you will think, "Of course he would say that. That meshes with what he said in the first town 4 quests ago."
The sound in the game is great. The music ramps up in battles and is reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies, which is a good thing. The voice acting is superb, blows away games like Oblivion, but at times when talking to an unimportant character will seem rushed.
All in all, if you like RPGs, ANY type of RPG, this game is for you. It's expansive, well written, well voice-acted, dark, and gives you enough content to keep you entertained for weeks and months. Add in the amount of support we're getting via DLC and this game could last you through 2010. It combines Lord of the Rings style with Mass Effect execution wrapped in its own unique package. Own this game, for it will Own you.
"Game is really fun with a lot of opportunities to take different routes to keep the game interesting."
"Its a fun game, though my teen son has found it to be a bit complicated."
