Still playing Dragon Age Origins (twenty days to go!)
Incidentally if anyone's interested in adding me as a friend on XBLA, you may want to look up a guy called Death Jester558
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Blah Blah XBLA Blah
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day
Still playing Dragon Age - this time however, I successfully completed one of the romantic sidequests. In this case, I seduced Leliana.
I've previously stated my thoughts on the romantic sidequests that seem to be a staple of Bioware RPGs so what I do I think of Dragon Age's effort? Well, I don't find it a very convincing one. If anything, I found it kinda short and my opinion on the outcome (the cinematic of the two characters getting it on) hasn't really changed from being a) rather pointless, b) lame pretensions to maturity and c) pandering to the many virgins who no doubt make up the gaming demographic. This is disappointing becuase I've played many Bioware RPGs and the romantic sidequests that proliferate in them and I know Bioware can do better.
Personally, I feel Bioware's romantic subquests worked best the first time around: In Baldur's Gate 2. They worked in the terms of length and complexity, showing a depth in the character being seduced and presenting a lot of conversations that gradually built up the romance with each step - just like in real life. But becuase gamers these days tend to have attention spans of caffeine-addled hummingbirds, nothing has come close to replicating the success of these quests. They have been instead cut down and placed more emphasis on the sex. Ironically, the only gaming romance I can think that could match Baldur's Gate 2 was Final Fantasy X - ironic considering a) it's a JRPG, b) It's not a game made by Bioware and c) it's game which offers less choices to the player.
Still I'm not willing to say that Bioware has entirely forgotten how to make a great romantic subquest. As mentioned in this blog, I've beaten Mass Effect 2 twice. Both times I was using a different Shepard, which presented an opportunity to do two completely different romances. Thus my first Shepard (male) made the effort to hit on Miranda whilst the second Shepard (female) worked to get into Thane's pants.
Ironically, I found the latter romance to be the far more compelling one. With the first romance, I felt the acting was bland - Now I wish no offense to Mark Meer but whilst his voice sounds great for an action hero type, trying to be a Rudolph Valentino just plain doesn't work. And the outcome of the romance is seeing the act of intercourse - even if some parts are left unseen. Although Miranda wearing a bra just looks more weird than enticing.....
Conversely, in the Thane romance, it's completely different. Firstly, nothing is shown - and is all the better for it. It is all conveyed through the words uttered and the actors playing them. Indeed, there is no denying the emotion involved with Thane, however accepting of his eventual fate, is now afraid of the idea of losing a loved one. Indeed, the line 'Stay alive with me' may sound corny on paper but here it is conveyed to a point where it becomes kinda touching.
Okay granted it didn't take many conversations to get to that point but this indeed offers an outcome that places subtly over flesh and puts forth an inevitably tragic angle to it. This makes this romance, in my mind, much more satisfying.
So to summarize, romancing Miranda yielded something from a bad porno whilst romancing Thane resulted in something much more successful in triggering an emotional response. Hmmm, perhaps the female Shepard did indeed get the better deal....
Ultimately though, winning over Leliana is just one of four romances offered in Dragon Age Origins. Maybe the others could offer something different? Guess it may be worth a look....
I've previously stated my thoughts on the romantic sidequests that seem to be a staple of Bioware RPGs so what I do I think of Dragon Age's effort? Well, I don't find it a very convincing one. If anything, I found it kinda short and my opinion on the outcome (the cinematic of the two characters getting it on) hasn't really changed from being a) rather pointless, b) lame pretensions to maturity and c) pandering to the many virgins who no doubt make up the gaming demographic. This is disappointing becuase I've played many Bioware RPGs and the romantic sidequests that proliferate in them and I know Bioware can do better.
Personally, I feel Bioware's romantic subquests worked best the first time around: In Baldur's Gate 2. They worked in the terms of length and complexity, showing a depth in the character being seduced and presenting a lot of conversations that gradually built up the romance with each step - just like in real life. But becuase gamers these days tend to have attention spans of caffeine-addled hummingbirds, nothing has come close to replicating the success of these quests. They have been instead cut down and placed more emphasis on the sex. Ironically, the only gaming romance I can think that could match Baldur's Gate 2 was Final Fantasy X - ironic considering a) it's a JRPG, b) It's not a game made by Bioware and c) it's game which offers less choices to the player.
Still I'm not willing to say that Bioware has entirely forgotten how to make a great romantic subquest. As mentioned in this blog, I've beaten Mass Effect 2 twice. Both times I was using a different Shepard, which presented an opportunity to do two completely different romances. Thus my first Shepard (male) made the effort to hit on Miranda whilst the second Shepard (female) worked to get into Thane's pants.
Ironically, I found the latter romance to be the far more compelling one. With the first romance, I felt the acting was bland - Now I wish no offense to Mark Meer but whilst his voice sounds great for an action hero type, trying to be a Rudolph Valentino just plain doesn't work. And the outcome of the romance is seeing the act of intercourse - even if some parts are left unseen. Although Miranda wearing a bra just looks more weird than enticing.....
Conversely, in the Thane romance, it's completely different. Firstly, nothing is shown - and is all the better for it. It is all conveyed through the words uttered and the actors playing them. Indeed, there is no denying the emotion involved with Thane, however accepting of his eventual fate, is now afraid of the idea of losing a loved one. Indeed, the line 'Stay alive with me' may sound corny on paper but here it is conveyed to a point where it becomes kinda touching.
Okay granted it didn't take many conversations to get to that point but this indeed offers an outcome that places subtly over flesh and puts forth an inevitably tragic angle to it. This makes this romance, in my mind, much more satisfying.
So to summarize, romancing Miranda yielded something from a bad porno whilst romancing Thane resulted in something much more successful in triggering an emotional response. Hmmm, perhaps the female Shepard did indeed get the better deal....
Ultimately though, winning over Leliana is just one of four romances offered in Dragon Age Origins. Maybe the others could offer something different? Guess it may be worth a look....
Friday, February 11, 2011
Mass Effect Will Eat Itself
I've received word that the composer of the music to the Mass Effect series has stood down. Mr. Jack Wall has now moved to pastures new and, in his place, steps Clint Mansell, a film composer noted for Requiem for a Dream, Back Swan and The Fountain.
My reaction to this change? HELL YES!
True, I enjoyed the Fountain OST (Death is the Road to Awe = awesome) but for me Clint Mansell working on ME3 represents a full circle: After all, this is the same guy who was in the late eighties/early-to-mid nineties band Pop Will Eat Itself - a band who gave us THE GREATEST GAMING ANTHEM EVER WRITTEN:
My reaction to this change? HELL YES!
True, I enjoyed the Fountain OST (Death is the Road to Awe = awesome) but for me Clint Mansell working on ME3 represents a full circle: After all, this is the same guy who was in the late eighties/early-to-mid nineties band Pop Will Eat Itself - a band who gave us THE GREATEST GAMING ANTHEM EVER WRITTEN:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
1000 Words
Still playing Dragon Age....
And since, we're talking Bioware games, a lot is resting on Mass Effect 3 with Bioware's promise that it will be effected by 1000 variables brought up from the previous games. It's ambitious but not without potential.
When I completed my recent ME binge, I played through the Paragon path, with a character imported from the previous game who went through the Paragon path there as well. BUT! At the end, I made the drastic decision and kept the Collector information for the Illusive Man. This, in spite of the 'good' decisions I made earned me the 'bad' ending. So this may make for an interesting outcome for the third game to build upon.
Also, as this is the third game in the series, there raises the issue whether it may be too late for any newcomers to appear, and accompany Shepard. Personally, I feel the loyalty missions were a masterstroke and really enabled me to become attached with all twelve of my dudes. Indeed, it would be shame for someone to hit the reset button (as the opening of ME2 more or less did) and build a new team from scratch. Personally I went to the effort of making sure all twelve of my dudes survived the suicide mission and to have them taken away from me will indeed be a slap in the face.
In particular there are two things I'd like to see:
- How just the anti-social Jack feels about saving the galaxy
- Whether or not Zaeed will succeed in his mission of revenge. Of course, I played through that particular mission with the Paragon route but it did leave the particular plot point unresolved. Sure Zaeed may be DLC but that line "You just cost me twenty years of my life Shepard!" is too potent to be abandoned
And since, we're talking Bioware games, a lot is resting on Mass Effect 3 with Bioware's promise that it will be effected by 1000 variables brought up from the previous games. It's ambitious but not without potential.
When I completed my recent ME binge, I played through the Paragon path, with a character imported from the previous game who went through the Paragon path there as well. BUT! At the end, I made the drastic decision and kept the Collector information for the Illusive Man. This, in spite of the 'good' decisions I made earned me the 'bad' ending. So this may make for an interesting outcome for the third game to build upon.
Also, as this is the third game in the series, there raises the issue whether it may be too late for any newcomers to appear, and accompany Shepard. Personally, I feel the loyalty missions were a masterstroke and really enabled me to become attached with all twelve of my dudes. Indeed, it would be shame for someone to hit the reset button (as the opening of ME2 more or less did) and build a new team from scratch. Personally I went to the effort of making sure all twelve of my dudes survived the suicide mission and to have them taken away from me will indeed be a slap in the face.
In particular there are two things I'd like to see:
- How just the anti-social Jack feels about saving the galaxy
- Whether or not Zaeed will succeed in his mission of revenge. Of course, I played through that particular mission with the Paragon route but it did leave the particular plot point unresolved. Sure Zaeed may be DLC but that line "You just cost me twenty years of my life Shepard!" is too potent to be abandoned
Monday, February 7, 2011
This is your story now!
Still trucking on through Dragon Age. Not a lot else to say….
Of particular note, I’m intrigued by the expansions and how they can be played through using a completely new character. I must admit I was sceptical at first but, after a bit of a tinker, it seemed that a new character will be whacked up to level 18 and can utilise the specialisations unlocked from previous games. Thus an idea that may seem odd on paper comes across, through being handled properly, a great opportunity to see the world of Dragon Age from a new perspective.
Somehow, I’m reminded of the Dragonlance novels: How a trilogy of books (the Chronicles) have had an entire universe of additional stories subsequently built around them. Thus, through short stories and novels, key characters have had background material established and have gone on additional adventures. Also, there even have been entirely new characters come forward and make an impact on this fictional universe long before the original characters strode through.
I like the idea of a fictional universe being large enough to incorporate stories of other characters who, however subtly, make a difference to the scheme of things. Indeed, I'm keen on playing Dragon Age 2 just on the promise of playing through the eyes of a guy of Hawke, seeing the world having been shaped by the decisions of the protagonist in the first game.
That being said, kudos to Bioware and Dragon Age for attempting such a feat. It may have been done many times in books but never in a game.
Which makes the franchise all the better for it.
Of particular note, I’m intrigued by the expansions and how they can be played through using a completely new character. I must admit I was sceptical at first but, after a bit of a tinker, it seemed that a new character will be whacked up to level 18 and can utilise the specialisations unlocked from previous games. Thus an idea that may seem odd on paper comes across, through being handled properly, a great opportunity to see the world of Dragon Age from a new perspective.
Somehow, I’m reminded of the Dragonlance novels: How a trilogy of books (the Chronicles) have had an entire universe of additional stories subsequently built around them. Thus, through short stories and novels, key characters have had background material established and have gone on additional adventures. Also, there even have been entirely new characters come forward and make an impact on this fictional universe long before the original characters strode through.
I like the idea of a fictional universe being large enough to incorporate stories of other characters who, however subtly, make a difference to the scheme of things. Indeed, I'm keen on playing Dragon Age 2 just on the promise of playing through the eyes of a guy of Hawke, seeing the world having been shaped by the decisions of the protagonist in the first game.
That being said, kudos to Bioware and Dragon Age for attempting such a feat. It may have been done many times in books but never in a game.
Which makes the franchise all the better for it.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Dragon Age of Reason
Well, my Mass Effect 2 binge has ended so I may was well swap one Bioware RPG for another. I've decided to give Dragon Age another shot. Call it a combination at annoyance with myself for leaving another game to go ignored within the confines of my Hall of Shame, an eagerness to finish a game I was very keen on and the intent of having something work from when Dragon Age 2 hits (which, at time of writing, is in 34 days time).
I think the time away has actually done me some good. sure it may not sit well seeing as I have a whole list of games in My Hall of Shame, but now DAO is actually enjoyable. I thought some of the Blight/Main Quest were long and dull, but I have recently tackled some of the minor quests and the DLC and am much happy for it (incidentally, is it just me or does Shale sound remarkably like David Bowie?).
In addition, I, most likely out of frustration, toned down the difficulty from Normal to Casual. In theory that may sound like a cowardly move but I care little for it: Dragon Age is indeed a tough game (even Bioware employees have admitted so) and I got tired of some many frustrating moments. In making the change I have instead made a lot of progress and have now covered a lot of ground. I guess having a deadline to beat a game can actually work for someone with an over-sized Hall of Shame.
Mind you, I am disappointed that I, at the point I am with my current character, seem to have missed the boat with hitting on Morrigan. It is annoying that I went to all the effort to get her approval but nothing further has come of it. I defeated Flemeth but it seems Morrigan is indeed a tough nut to crack.
Still, perhaps that's the point: The character who demands the greatest amount of effort to win over is also the one who bares the most cleavage...
I think the time away has actually done me some good. sure it may not sit well seeing as I have a whole list of games in My Hall of Shame, but now DAO is actually enjoyable. I thought some of the Blight/Main Quest were long and dull, but I have recently tackled some of the minor quests and the DLC and am much happy for it (incidentally, is it just me or does Shale sound remarkably like David Bowie?).
In addition, I, most likely out of frustration, toned down the difficulty from Normal to Casual. In theory that may sound like a cowardly move but I care little for it: Dragon Age is indeed a tough game (even Bioware employees have admitted so) and I got tired of some many frustrating moments. In making the change I have instead made a lot of progress and have now covered a lot of ground. I guess having a deadline to beat a game can actually work for someone with an over-sized Hall of Shame.
Mind you, I am disappointed that I, at the point I am with my current character, seem to have missed the boat with hitting on Morrigan. It is annoying that I went to all the effort to get her approval but nothing further has come of it. I defeated Flemeth but it seems Morrigan is indeed a tough nut to crack.
Still, perhaps that's the point: The character who demands the greatest amount of effort to win over is also the one who bares the most cleavage...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Binge it On
Just got through my Mass Effect 2 binge. It's been fun, and indeed different, to play through the whole game with the inclusion of the DLC so here are some of my thoughts that cropped up during play:
- I've heard a lot of people don't like Kasumi Goto - reason being (as is my understanding) is that whereas everyone else comes out of their respective loyalty mission significantly changed by the whole experience, she doesn't.
Strangely, I'm not sure that was the point: If her conversations on the Normandy are anything to go by, Kasumi is an observer - and, speculatively, a key source for Shepard to spot any dissension in the ranks. Indeed, a spy seems to be the ideal role for Kasumi with her being sassy, her limited range of emotions and her face being concealed under her hood.
Okay, so I will concede that Kasumi doesn't evolve much as a character, and what I've mentioned above is me finding my one excuses, but playing the role of a spy is good reason to belong on the Normandy. And I for one would like to see more of her in ME3.
Besides, that part where Kasumi blows up the gunship is frigging hilarious:
- Of the DLC, the moments that stood out for me the most were the wreck of the Normandy and the Prometheus Station (Overlord). What I like best about these two is that they're really effective in creating a sense of atmospheric unease - the type of which is usually found in a Silent Hill game. If I'm eager to leave the damn place in question then Bioware must've done something right.
- I did enjoy the Shadow Broker mission (although I found beating it on Hardcore difficulty wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be). Great to see Liara go from boring to, in a remarkably turnaround, kinda cool.
- In the final mission, man did I get sick of Harbinger constantly reappearing. It got to the point where he started to remind me of one of those High School drama queens - you know, the type that go :"Lookatme! Lookatme! Lookatme! Lookatme!"
- Gaming on a HDTV is sweet as.
- I've heard a lot of people don't like Kasumi Goto - reason being (as is my understanding) is that whereas everyone else comes out of their respective loyalty mission significantly changed by the whole experience, she doesn't.
Strangely, I'm not sure that was the point: If her conversations on the Normandy are anything to go by, Kasumi is an observer - and, speculatively, a key source for Shepard to spot any dissension in the ranks. Indeed, a spy seems to be the ideal role for Kasumi with her being sassy, her limited range of emotions and her face being concealed under her hood.
Okay, so I will concede that Kasumi doesn't evolve much as a character, and what I've mentioned above is me finding my one excuses, but playing the role of a spy is good reason to belong on the Normandy. And I for one would like to see more of her in ME3.
Besides, that part where Kasumi blows up the gunship is frigging hilarious:
- Of the DLC, the moments that stood out for me the most were the wreck of the Normandy and the Prometheus Station (Overlord). What I like best about these two is that they're really effective in creating a sense of atmospheric unease - the type of which is usually found in a Silent Hill game. If I'm eager to leave the damn place in question then Bioware must've done something right.
- I did enjoy the Shadow Broker mission (although I found beating it on Hardcore difficulty wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be). Great to see Liara go from boring to, in a remarkably turnaround, kinda cool.
- In the final mission, man did I get sick of Harbinger constantly reappearing. It got to the point where he started to remind me of one of those High School drama queens - you know, the type that go :"Lookatme! Lookatme! Lookatme! Lookatme!"
- Gaming on a HDTV is sweet as.
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