Re: Dragon Age: Origins.
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:20 pm
Well, I beat DA! I liked it a lot, but I doubt I'll go back and replay it with another character. The game was just TOO big to do it all again. Maybe I'll try in the future, but right now, I can't bother.
Anyway... I'm going to give my "review" of DA. Read it if you want to, but I'll warn you, it's a LONG post.
First, I'll look at the main quests.
MAGE ORIGIN:
It was decent enough, but how you handle Jowan was disappointing. Either you turn him in (and feel really lousy about it) or you unwittingly help a Blood Mage. Of course, you don't know he's a BM at the time and no matter what happens, he still uses blood magic against the Templars.
BROKEN CIRCLE:
The best part of this quest was gaining new attribute points. Otherwise, I really disliked it, but then again, I absolutely hate the Fade. I don't really like the other mages or the Templars, but if I had to choose (which I did), I'd go with the mages.
One thing that really bothered me was the rules regarding the mages. They were "locked" up in the tower for their whole lives and with rare exceptions, never saw the outside. It reminds me of an insane asylum... one without the nuts jumping around and smearing poop on the wall (which, by the way, schizophrenics have been known to do).
NATURE OF THE BEAST:
I kept getting lost in the forest, but other than that, I liked the area. Although the elves acted like a bunch of jerks, I still sided with them against the werewolves. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if they slaughtered each other, but I needed one group to assist me later.
The best part of this quest? Finding the Arcane Warrior specialization. I missed it originally (since it doesn't seem to light up when pressing Tab), but I went back and got it after looking at the Wiki.
ARL OF REDCLIFFE:
Although I had to go back into the Fade, I enjoyed this quest. It seemed more involved than the other two. Plus, I was able to grab the Blood Mage specialization. I did the "get specialization and reload" trick, so didn't activate it, but I wanted it unlocked just the same.
I really liked the fact Jowan tried to repent for his actions. I think he's a little misguided, but deep down, is a good person. I would've reacted similarly if I know the mages and Templars were going to make me a tranquil.
A PARAGON OF HER KIND:
I liked the story, but hated the Deep Roads. It went on forever! Don't get me wrong, I like combat. Kicking ass is always fun, but at some point, it gets tedious.
The golem who protected the Anvil of the Dawn was awesome. I can't remember his name, but he looked really cool and I liked his personality. I wish I could've taken him along instead of Shale.
WARDEN'S KEEP & THE STONE PRISONER:
Going back to Ostagar was fun, although a little depressing. The damage done was unbelievable and seeing Cailin (sp?) "crucified" was too much.
I'll talk about Shale later.
THE URN OF SACRED ASHES:
Holy crap, those guys were nuts! I'm glad I slaughtered them. I did help the Reaver leader ONCE (and reloaded afterward) in order to get that specialization, but like Blood Mage, I didn't take it for my character.
Killing the dragon was cool, too.
THE LANDSMEET:
I loved this part! I got the support of everyone, except for that Hume Cronyn look-alike. Loghain looked really bad during the meeting and challenged me. I didn't fight him and instead opted for Alistair to battle him.
It was neat since the two were evenly matched. Both had strong physical resistances, were Warriors and had the Champion specialization. I actually laughed when they both used War Cry and knocked each other down at the same time.
Because Alistair fought him, he executed Loghain without any discussion. I didn't mind.
BATTLE OF DENERIM:
I really enjoyed this section. For some reason, Alistair gave the "let's go get 'em" speech to the troops instead of Anora. I'd voted in favor of her becoming (or staying) queen. I guess the game had a glitch and thought I elected him. At the end, the game realized I'd chosen Anora, but I preferred Alistair's speech anyhow.
Speaking of glitches, I had one where I couldn't attack during the first part (it resembled a Chinese Fire Drill) and during the battle were my left-behind companions fought. That didn't cause too many problems since my teammates did all the work for me.
Fighting inside the Fort was easy, especially since I made use of Zevran's traps. Being a mage didn't hurt, either. Most of the time I had Zevran and Alistair using long-range weapons (a bow and crossbow) although they sometimes switched back to melee weapons without me telling them to do so.
Killing the Archdemon was easy, at least in comparison to some other fights in the game. I didn't even need to call in reinforcements until Darkspawn started flooding the area during the Archdemon battle.
Now for the characters! I didn't use spoiler tags because I don't think I'm revealing anything important to the plot. I never picked up the "secret companion" either.
THE DOG (MABARI WAR HOUND)
What can I say about him? He was loyal to the end and very funny. His interactions with the party were hilarious. Especially with Morrigan, Wynn and Sten.
I also liked how he'd lick the blood off my armor. Sure, that's gross, but he liked it. Can't be any worse than dog food.
I named him "Wimbler." That's an inside joke between Maia and I.
ALISTAIR (TEMPLAR/CHAMPION)
I loved his sense of humor. He and my character were best friends as I got him to 100 really fast. I kept him with me at all times. At first he didn't do much damage and got injured easily, but by the end of the game, he was an unstoppable powerhouse.
The only downside was he didn't listen and charged into battle. I realize I could've changed his tactics, but after I tried that, he still went full steam ahead! It worked, so I guess I can't complain too much.
His sister was a bitch. I can understand WHY she was like that, but even so, I wanted to set her on fire.
MORRIGAN (SHAPESHIFTER/SPIRIT HEALER)
I got her to sleep with me shortly after Lothering, probably because I did her quest first. I later dumped her for Leliana. Morrigan took this surprisingly well and she remained a good friend.
I didn't take her with me very often since I was the mage in the group. I never actually needed a second mage.
I liked her sense of humor and although I sometimes agreed with her, she was often too mercenary. Sometimes the ends do justify the means, but if Morrigan had her way, I'd use people and then drop them after they no longer benefit me directly.
LELIANA (BARD/RANGER)
She was my love interest and although I didn't like her at first, after talking to her more, I wanted to switch from Morrigan to her. She was so upbeat (a huge contrast to Morrigan) than she made me feel good. In a world as bleak as DA's, a little positivity can go a long way.
Her archery skills were amazing. I used her primarily for long-range combat and unlocking doors, chests and disabling traps. Since she could also summon animals for support, I didn't need to worry too much about melee combat.
I also gave her a pet Nug. I can't believe she named it Schmooples.
ZEVRAN (ASSASSIN/DUELIST)
Although I romanced Leliana and considered Alistair my best friend, my overall favorite character in the game was, without a doubt, Zevran. His commentary on the rest of the party was hilarious. He loved picking on every single person, especially the women.
He was great in combat and was the one to kill ALL THREE dragons. Yeah, he struck the final blow against the Archdemon. I have the screen shots to prove it!
STEN (TEMPLAR/BERSERKER)
I didn't have him in my party very often, but when I did, he kicked butt. His opinions were strange at times and often confused the other party members. He got along best with the dog.
OGHREN (TEMPLAR/BERSERKER)
He was rude, crude and often drunk. I liked him.
Maia wasn't surprised that I found him funny. Other than that, he was a fairly decent warrior. I can't say a whole lot else since I didn't use him after Orzammar.
WYNN (SPIRIT HEALER/ARCANE WARRIOR)
Not quite annoying, but pushy. I guess grandmother types can be that way. She wasn't too good in battle (which is part of the reason I gave her the AW specialization as a way to protect her), but excelled at healing.
Like Morrigan, I didn't use her much. I had no need as a mage.
SHALE (WARRIOR?)
I didn't like her at all, so didn't use her.
Anyway... I'm going to give my "review" of DA. Read it if you want to, but I'll warn you, it's a LONG post.
First, I'll look at the main quests.
MAGE ORIGIN:
It was decent enough, but how you handle Jowan was disappointing. Either you turn him in (and feel really lousy about it) or you unwittingly help a Blood Mage. Of course, you don't know he's a BM at the time and no matter what happens, he still uses blood magic against the Templars.
BROKEN CIRCLE:
The best part of this quest was gaining new attribute points. Otherwise, I really disliked it, but then again, I absolutely hate the Fade. I don't really like the other mages or the Templars, but if I had to choose (which I did), I'd go with the mages.
One thing that really bothered me was the rules regarding the mages. They were "locked" up in the tower for their whole lives and with rare exceptions, never saw the outside. It reminds me of an insane asylum... one without the nuts jumping around and smearing poop on the wall (which, by the way, schizophrenics have been known to do).
NATURE OF THE BEAST:
I kept getting lost in the forest, but other than that, I liked the area. Although the elves acted like a bunch of jerks, I still sided with them against the werewolves. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if they slaughtered each other, but I needed one group to assist me later.
The best part of this quest? Finding the Arcane Warrior specialization. I missed it originally (since it doesn't seem to light up when pressing Tab), but I went back and got it after looking at the Wiki.
ARL OF REDCLIFFE:
Although I had to go back into the Fade, I enjoyed this quest. It seemed more involved than the other two. Plus, I was able to grab the Blood Mage specialization. I did the "get specialization and reload" trick, so didn't activate it, but I wanted it unlocked just the same.
I really liked the fact Jowan tried to repent for his actions. I think he's a little misguided, but deep down, is a good person. I would've reacted similarly if I know the mages and Templars were going to make me a tranquil.
A PARAGON OF HER KIND:
I liked the story, but hated the Deep Roads. It went on forever! Don't get me wrong, I like combat. Kicking ass is always fun, but at some point, it gets tedious.
The golem who protected the Anvil of the Dawn was awesome. I can't remember his name, but he looked really cool and I liked his personality. I wish I could've taken him along instead of Shale.
WARDEN'S KEEP & THE STONE PRISONER:
Going back to Ostagar was fun, although a little depressing. The damage done was unbelievable and seeing Cailin (sp?) "crucified" was too much.
I'll talk about Shale later.
THE URN OF SACRED ASHES:
Holy crap, those guys were nuts! I'm glad I slaughtered them. I did help the Reaver leader ONCE (and reloaded afterward) in order to get that specialization, but like Blood Mage, I didn't take it for my character.
Killing the dragon was cool, too.
THE LANDSMEET:
I loved this part! I got the support of everyone, except for that Hume Cronyn look-alike. Loghain looked really bad during the meeting and challenged me. I didn't fight him and instead opted for Alistair to battle him.
It was neat since the two were evenly matched. Both had strong physical resistances, were Warriors and had the Champion specialization. I actually laughed when they both used War Cry and knocked each other down at the same time.
Because Alistair fought him, he executed Loghain without any discussion. I didn't mind.
BATTLE OF DENERIM:
I really enjoyed this section. For some reason, Alistair gave the "let's go get 'em" speech to the troops instead of Anora. I'd voted in favor of her becoming (or staying) queen. I guess the game had a glitch and thought I elected him. At the end, the game realized I'd chosen Anora, but I preferred Alistair's speech anyhow.
Speaking of glitches, I had one where I couldn't attack during the first part (it resembled a Chinese Fire Drill) and during the battle were my left-behind companions fought. That didn't cause too many problems since my teammates did all the work for me.
Fighting inside the Fort was easy, especially since I made use of Zevran's traps. Being a mage didn't hurt, either. Most of the time I had Zevran and Alistair using long-range weapons (a bow and crossbow) although they sometimes switched back to melee weapons without me telling them to do so.
Killing the Archdemon was easy, at least in comparison to some other fights in the game. I didn't even need to call in reinforcements until Darkspawn started flooding the area during the Archdemon battle.
Now for the characters! I didn't use spoiler tags because I don't think I'm revealing anything important to the plot. I never picked up the "secret companion" either.
THE DOG (MABARI WAR HOUND)
What can I say about him? He was loyal to the end and very funny. His interactions with the party were hilarious. Especially with Morrigan, Wynn and Sten.
I also liked how he'd lick the blood off my armor. Sure, that's gross, but he liked it. Can't be any worse than dog food.
I named him "Wimbler." That's an inside joke between Maia and I.
ALISTAIR (TEMPLAR/CHAMPION)
I loved his sense of humor. He and my character were best friends as I got him to 100 really fast. I kept him with me at all times. At first he didn't do much damage and got injured easily, but by the end of the game, he was an unstoppable powerhouse.
The only downside was he didn't listen and charged into battle. I realize I could've changed his tactics, but after I tried that, he still went full steam ahead! It worked, so I guess I can't complain too much.
His sister was a bitch. I can understand WHY she was like that, but even so, I wanted to set her on fire.
MORRIGAN (SHAPESHIFTER/SPIRIT HEALER)
I got her to sleep with me shortly after Lothering, probably because I did her quest first. I later dumped her for Leliana. Morrigan took this surprisingly well and she remained a good friend.
I didn't take her with me very often since I was the mage in the group. I never actually needed a second mage.
I liked her sense of humor and although I sometimes agreed with her, she was often too mercenary. Sometimes the ends do justify the means, but if Morrigan had her way, I'd use people and then drop them after they no longer benefit me directly.
LELIANA (BARD/RANGER)
She was my love interest and although I didn't like her at first, after talking to her more, I wanted to switch from Morrigan to her. She was so upbeat (a huge contrast to Morrigan) than she made me feel good. In a world as bleak as DA's, a little positivity can go a long way.
Her archery skills were amazing. I used her primarily for long-range combat and unlocking doors, chests and disabling traps. Since she could also summon animals for support, I didn't need to worry too much about melee combat.
I also gave her a pet Nug. I can't believe she named it Schmooples.
ZEVRAN (ASSASSIN/DUELIST)
Although I romanced Leliana and considered Alistair my best friend, my overall favorite character in the game was, without a doubt, Zevran. His commentary on the rest of the party was hilarious. He loved picking on every single person, especially the women.
He was great in combat and was the one to kill ALL THREE dragons. Yeah, he struck the final blow against the Archdemon. I have the screen shots to prove it!
STEN (TEMPLAR/BERSERKER)
I didn't have him in my party very often, but when I did, he kicked butt. His opinions were strange at times and often confused the other party members. He got along best with the dog.
OGHREN (TEMPLAR/BERSERKER)
He was rude, crude and often drunk. I liked him.
Maia wasn't surprised that I found him funny. Other than that, he was a fairly decent warrior. I can't say a whole lot else since I didn't use him after Orzammar.
WYNN (SPIRIT HEALER/ARCANE WARRIOR)
Not quite annoying, but pushy. I guess grandmother types can be that way. She wasn't too good in battle (which is part of the reason I gave her the AW specialization as a way to protect her), but excelled at healing.
Like Morrigan, I didn't use her much. I had no need as a mage.
SHALE (WARRIOR?)
I didn't like her at all, so didn't use her.