ShupFace

I have been playing Dragon Age: Origins, the new game from Bioware. I don’t have a whole lot to say about it except that I’m moderately enjoying it. It’s not quite up to Bioware’s usual high standard, but then neither was Jade Empire. I guess it can be a bit hit and miss.

My initial response is that the game has too much talking. The storyline is cool, but there is still too much talking. People just do not stop yak yak yakking away. This can be boring. I want the short version. Demonspawn threatening life as we know it? Got it. I understand that this is someone’s idea of nuanced story telling, but it just isn’t compelling enough to keep my attention. I want to be killing stuff more than I want to listen to their talk.

The power system and controls work reasonably well. The fighting system is pretty much what I’ve come to expect from most bioware rpg’s (Mass Effect excepted). The team approval thing was okay, but not amazing. I do dig that they will turn against you or leave if you push them too far or do something they can’t abide. The skills were a bit meh at times. You pick up quite a few over twenty levels and I think it would have been nice if there were more passive skills and boosts.

I haven’t finished my first playthrough yet, but overall it’s been a positive experience so far. I do expect Mass Effect 2 to be vastly superior though.