Poll: Choose My Own Adventure

[Rath Darkblade]

I started out with either DA2 or 3, because I like the Dragon Age universe. "The Wolf Among Us" is one I've had my eye on for quite some time ... I like the dev team, and having the voice actor for Varric as the lead didn't hurt any.

Then again, I'd also been looking forward to "The Witcher" for a long, long time. I've never tried it, and I'd like to.

So, What do you think of these, eh? Which one would you choose?

Thanks!

[Tawmis]

Question - have you beat DA2 and/or DA3? I'd assume so? You looking to possibly just REplay those?

[Rath Darkblade]

Yes, I have beaten both DA2 and DA3. But I didn't have much fun with either of them, because I couldn't find (or use) weapon upgrades, i.e. runes. Therefore, combat was harder and I died much more often than DA1.

Also, the DA3 side-quests became simply pixel-hunts (e.g. find all the 4,563 parts of a stupid key to some tomb that holds GLORIOUS TREASURE that turns out to be junk!) And DA2 ... well ... was a real downer. Everyone was so serious all the time. It needed more humour. And Oghren.

But other than that ...

[DeadPoolX]

Don't get The Witcher (aka "Witcher 1" or "the original Witcher"). That game plays very poorly (in particular, the combat sucks and is almost rhythm-based) and looks terrible by today's standards.

If you want to get a game in the Witcher series, get The Witcher 2 and/or The Witcher 3. Those games are awesome, and no, you don't need to have played the first game to understand either. All three Witcher games allow you to save and load whenever you want.

As for The Wolf Among Us, you need to know that this game is based on the Fables series of graphic novels, with many characters — including the two protagonists — coming straight from the graphic novels themselves. While you don't need to have read the graphic novels beforehand (this story is supposed to be a prequel) there's a lot here that's made for fans and will only be understood by fans.

TWAU is not a typical adventure game in that it's basically an animated-style 3D graphical FMV title with quicktime events, so you're very limited in where you can go and what you can interact with.

BTW, when I wrote "quicktime" up above, I'm not referring to the old Apple video format. Quicktime events, in modern gaming, are action sequences that require you to act and react very quickly by pressing certain buttons in a specific order. If you fail, you might die or have a negative result as far as the story goes. Also, TWAU only has checkpoint saves, which means you CAN'T save when and where you want, so if you mess something up or make a bad decision, you're stuck with those results.

I know you've already played (and presumably beaten) Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age Inquisition, so unless you're looking to replay those games, there's really very little reason to bother with them.

If you want to play an in-depth RPG, take a look at Pillars of Eternity (Steam and GOG) and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Steam and GOG) or Divinity Original Sin (Steam and GOG) and Divinity Original Sin 2 (Steam and GOG).

[Rath Darkblade]

Ugh. Thanks, DPX ... I had a look at what some of those QT events look like, and ... yeesh. Yeah, I don't think I'd enjoy something like this.

I'd had my eye on the Witcher games for quite some time, which is why I'm binging them up. There were three reasons why I thought of "Witcher 1" instead of the second:

1. Witcher 2 is twice as expensive as Witcher 1;

2. The download for Witcher 2 is twice as long (18.3 Gb vs. 9 Gb). Since my cable connection is still a bit "meh", I'd rather not start a download that will last all night;

3. And yes, it's starting from the beginning. But if that's not necessary, then ... well.

As for DA2 and DAI ... yes, I've played and beaten both, but didn't get to do many things in DAI, like ... crafting potions, creating runes, defeating a dragon -- heck, not even beating a demon this time (not even a pride demon, and they're the weakest of the lot). I was shocked at how difficult it was to do any of these things, compared with the past 2 games.

as for DA2 ... sigh. Both DA2 and DAI look gorgeous compared to the first one, but DA2 just railroads you along, until Anders/Justice finally loses the plot and throws that big tantrum. Not fun, Bioware. Not fun. Plus, of course, everyone's so serious in DA2. Whatever happened to the in-party banter? Zevran vs. Morrigan? Sten vs. Leliana? Oghren vs. everybody?

As for PoE and DoS ... sorry, neither of those ever interested me. *shrug*

[Tawmis]

As for PoE ... sorry, neither of those ever interested me. *shrug*

What changed your mind?

Because I'd 100% back up PoE1 as a choice.

[DeadPoolX]

Ugh. Thanks, DPX ... I had a look at what some of those QT events look like, and ... yeesh. Yeah, I don't think I'd enjoy something like this.

Most TellTale games — aside from the very early ones, like their Monkey Island, Back to the Future, and Sam & Max titles — follow the same format as The Wolf Among Us. Something else I forgot to add before is that when you need to make a decision or say something to someone else, you have limited time to respond. That limited time is represented by a red bar that decreases as time runs out. Fortunately, in most TellTale games you can pause the game while making a decision, but unless you actively hit the pause button (usually spacebar), you're left with very little time to make a choice.

You need to really research games ahead of time nowadays.

I'd had my eye on the Witcher games for quite some time, which is why I'm binging them up. There were three reasons why I thought of "Witcher 1" instead of the second:

1. Witcher 2 is twice as expensive as Witcher 1;

2. The download for Witcher 2 is twice as long (18.3 Gb vs. 9 Gb). Since my cable connection is still a bit "meh", I'd rather not start a download that will last all night;

3. And yes, it's starting from the beginning. But if that's not necessary, then ... well.

1. This is why you wait for a sale. It's fall, so some major sales (possibly late October, and very likely sometime within November and definitely December) are going to happen. Be patient and you'll get a good deal.

2. True, but what's the point in downloading a game that isn't particularly good? It'd be better to download a larger game that takes a lot more time if the end result is a better game. You also need to realize that 18.3 GB is quite small today. I have games that are upwards of 150 GB, and game sizes aren't getting smaller.

3. No, not necessary at all.

As for DA2 and DAI ... yes, I've played and beaten both, but didn't get to do many things in DAI, like ... crafting potions, creating runes, defeating a dragon -- heck, not even beating a demon this time (not even a pride demon, and they're the weakest of the lot). I was shocked at how difficult it was to do any of these things, compared with the past 2 games.

How the hell did you manage to play and beat DAI without upgrading weapons, crafting potions, creating runes, or defeating a dragon?

That doesn't seem possible. I spent a ton of time upgrading and crafting alone, and killing dragons is a pretty frequent event.

as for DA2 ... sigh. Both DA2 and DAI look gorgeous compared to the first one, but DA2 just railroads you along, until Anders/Justice finally loses the plot and throws that big tantrum. Not fun, Bioware. Not fun. Plus, of course, everyone's so serious in DA2. Whatever happened to the in-party banter? Zevran vs. Morrigan? Sten vs. Leliana? Oghren vs. everybody?

Personally, I thought DA2 (as far as story, characters, and interpersonal relationships) was far better than DAO. But I also liked the smaller scale of the game and the more personal story as opposed to the epic "you're the one person who can save the world" crap that we've seen a million times in RPGs.

As for PoE and DoS ... sorry, neither of those ever interested me. *shrug*

Why? Those two series (four games in total) seem like something you'd normally like. They have far more in common with classic RPGs than the Witcher series or Dragon Age series.

[Rath Darkblade]

As for PoE ... sorry, neither of those ever interested me. *shrug*

What changed your mind?

Because I'd 100% back up PoE1 as a choice.

The reviews of PoE -- basically view it as a homage to classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate. But with terrible writing and characters that take themselves and their own world far too seriously.

If that's what PoE is ... well. No thanks.

As for DA2 and DAI ... yes, I've played and beaten both, but didn't get to do many things in DAI, like ... crafting potions, creating runes, defeating a dragon -- heck, not even beating a demon this time (not even a pride demon, and they're the weakest of the lot). I was shocked at how difficult it was to do any of these things, compared with the past 2 games.

How the hell did you manage to play and beat DAI without upgrading weapons, crafting potions, creating runes, or defeating a dragon?

That doesn't seem possible. I spent a ton of time upgrading and crafting alone, and killing dragons is a pretty frequent event.

I got lucky, I guess? I crafted a few potions here and there (and bought the rest). But I could never get all the materials to craft potions or runes, so I thought -- never mind, let's try to beat DAI without it. And I did!

But I never tried to do that again. Nor did I try to go up against dragons without enchanted equipment. Far too risky. I know I missed out on a lot of stuff like that, but hey - would you go up against a dragon (or a demon) without enchanted equipment?

as for DA2 ... sigh. Both DA2 and DAI look gorgeous compared to the first one, but DA2 just railroads you along, until Anders/Justice finally loses the plot and throws that big tantrum. Not fun, Bioware. Not fun. Plus, of course, everyone's so serious in DA2. Whatever happened to the in-party banter? Zevran vs. Morrigan? Sten vs. Leliana? Oghren vs. everybody?

Personally, I thought DA2 (as far as story, characters, and interpersonal relationships) was far better than DAO. But I also liked the smaller scale of the game and the more personal story as opposed to the epic "you're the one person who can save the world" crap that we've seen a million times in RPGs.

Hmm. And yet DAI is exactly that (i.e. the epic "you're the one person who can save the world" crap that we've seen a million times in RPGs)...

Personally, I like both the personal and the epic. But I really hated what Bioware did to Anders. Not cool, Bioware.

[DeadPoolX]

The reviews of PoE -- basically view it as a homage to classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate. But with terrible writing and characters that take themselves and their own world far too seriously.

If that's what PoE is ... well. No thanks.

I'd be interested in knowing whose review you read or watched that said PoE has "terrible writing." Most of what I've read and heard (from reviews and from Maia, who's playing PoE) has been positive.

You didn't comment on Divinity Original Sin and Divinity Original Sin 2, both of which I recommended. Between the two of them, DOS2 has a stronger story, but lacks the same degree of player-created freedom and flexibility that DOS1 had. Both games are great when played cooperatively (which is how Maia and I played them), although DOS2 might be the better choice if you're playing it single player.

BTW, you don't need to have played the first game to understand the second one as they're spaced years apart, so you won't miss out on anything (as far as the story is concerned) if you skipped the first game.

I got lucky, I guess? I crafted a few potions here and there (and bought the rest). But I could never get all the materials to craft potions or runes, so I thought -- never mind, let's try to beat DAI without it. And I did!

If you do play DAI again, try it with some mods this time. You might have better luck with crafting this time around.

Hmm. And yet DAI is exactly that (i.e. the epic "you're the one person who can save the world" crap that we've seen a million times in RPGs)...

Which is why I didn't particularly like DAI and feel it's probably the worst entry in the series. Still not as bad as Mass Effect Andromeda, though.

[DeadPoolX]

Apparently, GOG is having a 12th Anniversary sale, which includes the Witcher games. I don't know what the equivalent prices would be in Australian dollars, but probably not all that different from Canadian dollars (CAD).

• The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (a game I wouldn't recommend, but you seem interested in regardless) is 85% off at $1.99 CAD.
• The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is 85% off at $3.99 CAD.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition is 70% off at $20.99 CAD.

If you were so inclined, you could get all three for $26.97 CAD.

[Rath Darkblade]

Yes, I just saw that. Thanks, DPX! For us, prices aren't all that different:

* The Witcher 1: $2.09 AUS.
* The Witcher 2: $4.19 AUS.
* The Witcher 3 (GOTY Edition): $23.69 AUS. (Or the standard edition for $17.99).

I noticed, by the way, that there doesn't seem to be much difference (for me, anyway) between the standard edition and the GOTY one. The only difference seems to be wallpapers, concept art and soundtrack, which I don't care that much about anyway.

I'm confused, by the way, about renders. What are they? The GOTY edition says it includes "Heart of Stone" renders, so I'm not sure if that makes them worth the price.

(Oh, and by the way - I noticed DAO is on sale as well (for $7.50 AUS). Excellent!)

[DeadPoolX]

I noticed, by the way, that there doesn't seem to be much difference (for me, anyway) between the standard edition and the GOTY one. The only difference seems to be wallpapers, concept art and soundtrack, which I don't care that much about anyway.

I'm confused, by the way, about renders. What are they? The GOTY edition says it includes "Heart of Stone" renders, so I'm not sure if that makes them worth the price.

The major difference between the standard and GOTY editions is that the GOTY edition includes both expansions (Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine). The standard edition doesn't come with those, so you'd need to buy them separately.

It's all listed very clearly on the store page for the GOTY edition.

[Rath Darkblade]

Whoops! Sorry, DPX, I guess I missed that. Well, for an extra $6, the extra expansions are worth it.

[Tawmis]

Apparently, GOG is having a 12th Anniversary sale, which includes the Witcher games. I don't know what the equivalent prices would be in Australian dollars, but probably not all that different from Canadian dollars (CAD).

• The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (a game I wouldn't recommend, but you seem interested in regardless) is 85% off at $1.99 CAD.
• The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is 85% off at $3.99 CAD.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition is 70% off at $20.99 CAD.

If you were so inclined, you could get all three for $26.97 CAD.

Sweet. Picked up 1 and 2. I have 3. But my main machine is just shy on the recommended speed so on big fights, it gets laggy. So I will enjoy 1 and 2.

[Tawmis]

The reviews of PoE -- basically view it as a homage to classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate. But with terrible writing and characters that take themselves and their own world far too seriously.
If that's what PoE is ... well. No thanks.

So, random reviews over someone you know on the forum?
Terrible writing? As someone who loves lore, don't you think I would have bitched about the terrible writing?
And the characters that take themselves and the world far too seriously?
Thankfully Dragon Age isn't like that, right? Because you hate Dragon Age.

Not gonna change your mind, but I am going to tell you that POE is chalk full of some fun lore, some great adventures, some tough encounters, has an interesting story with interesting characters you can bring into your party. To me, it's Baulder's Gate (which was OK) injected with Dragon Age (Origins), which was great - making a unique, interesting game.

The start of the game IS unusual. Both you and the character will be confused as to what's happening. But when the pieces begin to fall into place, it becomes pretty epic.

The second POE, I enjoyed. But I did have a small problem with it (the immediate "big threat" is revealed in the intro to the character - so the character doing optional side quests seems ridiculous - but sailing, discovering, naming islands, was really fun). It reminds me of POE injected with Ancient Art of War at Sea, in some aspects.