Dragon Age 2 demo available. Thoughts & impressions?

Its apparent that they weren't reaching for Graphics King with DA2 though.MuddVader

impressions:

• Loving the sound effects
• the combat is different.. it seems it no longer relies on position but on speed and has more of a paper/rock/scissor type of gameplay..
  
• the combat is fun but gets boring once you get it down
• the graphics are really horrible when compared to DAO
• The game seems to be more action based from the combat to the cutscenes (i.e. more slow motion)
• I found the dialogue options not as deep as DAO
• you can kill an Ogre with a 123 pattern I killed the ogre only with my main character backstab, evade, run away, repeat
• Loving the action movie vibe
• this is not DAO
• Flemeth is AWESOME
• Its more of a action game instead of a rpg game...sure feels that way
• The UI was downgraded big time and looks much worse compared to DAO
• cant zoom out:x
  

I just played the demo. Stopped before the..second part I guess you'd call it. Didn't want to get spoiled anymore than that. I chose a warrior for the hell of it, and combat-wise it was fun especially during the fake part. Gotta love decapitating darkspawns. I especially loved Whirlwind.

The real part was a bit more boring, granted it's early game and well you have no real powers, so the early going was a chore. PArty-wise I'll probably need to keep an eye on tactics in the final game, since mage chick kept hitting fireballs AT running enemies, rather than predicting their movement(not that I expect her to be able to do that), so she would miss shots. Had to control her a bit, which was fine since the warrior class was kinda boring (again at early levels). The others seem to do fine if I left them to do their thing. I will admit though seeing a mage throw fireball without care since friendly fire was off was a bit of a downer. Maybe at higher difficulties it'll be 'on' like with Origins on consoles.

I do feel that the game is more 'consolised'. I didn't think I'd miss the isometric view much, but it really does feel like it adds more to the gameplay. Seems like you'd also do best to keep running around the battlefield, since it seems you can evade attacks more actively, which seems better catered for consoles especially now without isometric view. Constant camera adjusting isn't as smooth as say would be using a controller either, but maybe I'll get used to that. And finally the conversation wheel. Never did like it in ME, and don't really like it here. The same feeling I got when playing ME, of not knowing exactly what your character is gonna say or actually means, is annoying. Don't like the stupid icons either. At least the actual conversations aren't bad, though I didn't quite take to Hawke's voice.

I don't reallly care about graphics, so what's there is alright by me, and should technically be better in the final game.

Still looking forward to the game. The 'fake' part was quite fun, even as a warrior(which was probably the most boring class to control in Origins), so here's hoping that once you get up in levels, it gets better. I did a lot of pausing in the first game, and used it a lot here too, not really out of necessity but more because I like to pause and play. It's a shame though that you still can't stack commands. Granted there's the tactics slot, but being able to stack commands on the go just feels better.

That's my 2 cents. Gotta see how the ps3 version feels.

impressions:

• Loving the sound effects
• the combat is different.. it seems it no longer relies on position but on speed and has more of a paper/rock/scissor type of gameplay..
• the combat is fun but can get boring once you get it down
• the graphics are really horrible when compared to DAO
• The game seems to be more action based from the combat to the cutscenes (i.e. more slow motion)
• I found the dialgue options not as deep as DAO
• you can kill an Ogre with a 123 pattern:twisted: I killed the ogre only with my main character8) backstab, evade, run away, repeat
• Loving the action movie vibe
• this is not DAO:(
• Flemeth is AWESOME

devious742

DA2 gameplay is kick ass. Felt like a ninja playing as a rogue. Looks great. ME2 was a huge improvement over the boring ME1. The gameplay was also much better. DAO2 looks like its going to do the same. Only thing is DAO was already a great game. Definitely going to buy this game as soon as it comes out.

Combat is fun and tense but that's about it. I don't like having my camera locked into 3rd person at all times. I want a free camera with a greater zoom out option. I had to pull my guys in closer to the action so when I paused I could select the archer enemy with my mage. It felt claustrophobic. The dialogue wheel takes me out of the game in a way with those icons that appear in the center. I don't like the idea of the dialogue options plainly spelled out whether the option is the Good, Neutral, Bad (although this is a minor complaint). I also don't know exactly what my character is about to say. I also had issue with the controls. I played a warrior and I activate an ability and he ignores me and continues to auto-attack. On a few occasions I had to spam the damn hotkey to get the character to use it!

Is it just me, or when the captured dwarf exagurated his first story the chick's boobs were very large and when he got serious in his tale, they were normal-ish size?

[QUOTE="devious742"]

impressions:

• Loving the sound effects
• the combat is different.. it seems it no longer relies on position but on speed and has more of a paper/rock/scissor type of gameplay..
• the combat is fun but can get boring once you get it down
• the graphics are really horrible when compared to DAO
• The game seems to be more action based from the combat to the cutscenes (i.e. more slow motion)
• I found the dialgue options not as deep as DAO
• you can kill an Ogre with a 123 pattern:twisted: I killed the ogre only with my main character8) backstab, evade, run away, repeat
• Loving the action movie vibe
• this is not DAO:(
• Flemeth is AWESOME

GeneralShowzer

Is it just me, or when the captured dwarf exagurated his first story the chick's boobs were very large and when he got serious in his tale, they were normal-ish size?

ssvegeta555

Let me look at my screenshots...wow.

Oh god, you're right. There goes one of my complaints. Awesome find :D.

After playing it, Its good, but not amazing. I'll buy it when it gets on sale. Mages were a dissapointment though.

Just finished the demo as a rogue. Comabt is really nice, I like it. Graphics were decent, but we know that they are only on medium for demo purposes. Dialogue was pretty bland, but not bad either....seems a little stale compared the lines in DA:O though, or Mass Effect 1/2. I'll probably get it later on.

After playing it, Its good, but not amazing. I'll buy it when it gets on sale. Mages were a dissapointment though.

Ikuto_Tsukiyomi

That pretty much sums up my take on DA 2 "good but nothing amazing". I will probably wait till the ultimate edition comes around and goes on sale for a decent price.

Played it as a rouge this time. While it's fun in the beginning, i can't see myself doing this sucky combat over and over again.

Tactics, out of the question. It moves too fast for you to be in control anything...The camera angle they have is too incompetent.

Can anyone please tell me that those six branches is not all there is? Every spell is the same. Everyone has the same spells, they just look different.

The archer and the mage have the same spells i swear...

In my first playtrough as mage i used some sort of tactics on the Ogre. Rouge none. There isn't even the possibility. If I'm doing anything wrong please tell me

Played it as a rouge this time. While it's fun in the beginning, i can't see myself doing this sucky combat over and over again.

Tactics, out of the question. It moves too fast for you to be in control anything...The camera angle they have is too incompetent.

Can anyone please tell me that those six branches is not all there is? Every spell is the same. Everyone has the same spells, they just look different.

The archer and the mage have the same spells i swear...

In my first playtrough as mage i used some sort of tactics on the Ogre. Rouge none. There isn't even the possibility. If I'm doing anything wrong please tell me

GeneralShowzer

Pause the game with space bar...

[QUOTE="GeneralShowzer"]

Played it as a rouge this time. While it's fun in the beginning, i can't see myself doing this sucky combat over and over again.

Tactics, out of the question. It moves too fast for you to be in control anything...The camera angle they have is too incompetent.

Can anyone please tell me that those six branches is not all there is? Every spell is the same. Everyone has the same spells, they just look different.

The archer and the mage have the same spells i swear...

In my first playtrough as mage i used some sort of tactics on the Ogre. Rouge none. There isn't even the possibility. If I'm doing anything wrong please tell me

JangoWuzHere

Pause the game with space bar...

Arrgh! darn you bioware! I thought for sure I was gonnna be a rogue! Now i'm even more confused! They are all fun classes to play! decisiions decisions!

I spent a good amount of time on the DA2 demo, and I am happy to say that I liked it A LOT.

+ Improved combat, faster, more responsive, visceral, and satisfying.

+ Pathfinding has been fixed!

+ Significant leap in the graphics department, with a new art style.

+ Flemeth

+ Bethany's boobs. Extremely awkward if you really think of her as your sister when you play the game. Hence Role-playing game. :P

+ I believe Hawke's voice actor is Sean Bean. Yay! :D One of my favorite actors. I could be wrong though.

+ More interesting characters with personality.

+ Better character designs.

+ Improved facial animatons.

+ Playing as a ROGUE is extremely fun. Backstab is so frickin' awesome (mixed in with evade).

+ Excellent voice acting.

+ Superb Art Style.

+ Great performance even with an old demo build.

+ New hot bar. Looks nice.

+ New animations makes spells and abilities look even better than DAO's.

+ I've paused more in this demo, than playing the entire DAO game.

__________________________________________

? New Skill tree design. Simplified but gets the job done. Some things seem missing but we'll have to wait and see with the final product.

? Inventory could not be accessed during the demo.

? Looting seems to remain the same. We'll see.

__________________________________________

- Cannot pan camera like DAO's camera.

- Dialogue choices are now mainstream, but it isn't terrible.

__________________________________________

I knew DA2 was going to be a great game, but this LONG demo just reaffirms it even more. I can't wait to get it on March 8th. Wish I could take a vacation during that week, lol.

- Not a huge leap in graphics over DAO.

Elann2008

Impressed, I was not sure how this game woudl be after seeing previews and screenshots. But playing this demo on high and dx11 it looks really nice and the combat is very responsive this time. There is alot mroe gore, but its got the same pause and think for a bit gameplay that I enjoyed fomr Dragon Age Origins.

Its not perfect, but the gameplay surprised me, I will have to wait for the full game to fully judge it. See how the story, characters are, but the gameplay, interface and controlers are very good.

The graphics and gameplay feel alot mroe polished ot be honest. I was was worried about the gameplay being to fast and with no pause or strategy involved. But its the same good gameplay just looks better and the controls are more responsive. Same with an improvement in animations.

Still have a few worries, I hope there is alot of variety in the landscapes, and I hope the story is good, etc..

I'm not used to RPG's so that might be why I freaking suck at this game. I can't beat the part with the giant ogre/darkspawn or w/e with his minions. And I'm using Mage which I heard is OP.Chiddaling

@madrocketeer Those technical bugs you pointed out, like not being able to target AOE ring on a target and only the ground next to it have actually been fixed in the final release. So are the rough transitions between scenes. According to the devs, this demo is from an earlier build.

The other quirks are already rooted into the design, like the iso camera. We just have to deal with that. That was my main gripe, but everything else lived up to my expectations.

[QUOTE="ssvegeta555"]

Is it just me, or when the captured dwarf exagurated his first story the chick's boobs were very large and when he got serious in his tale, they were normal-ish size?

Fusionmix

Let me look at my screenshots...wow.

Oh god, you're right. There goes one of my complaints. Awesome find :D.

LMAO, I knew something was off. I'm liking this dwarf character now. :lol:

It was fun, though i couldn't bring me to play after the end of the wasteland parts. There are some tiny things to nitpick that are annoying, mostly some interface quirks and imperfections that remains from the first one; pop-ins specially from distant enemies and those tiny loadings and freezing before changes of scenes are also a annoying problem.

The camera is a huge nerf imo, there is no excuse for doing that. Graphics are so-so (remains to be seen in DX11), with noticeably worst character textures in comparison with the first one. I think it is streamlined but not as much as one would think.

Tactics remain to some degree though it seens that the abilities are more simple and in much less number. One thing i didn't see was combos, does it still have those combos like freeze + shield bash? The faster pace is nice but i hope the action segments in the game don't boil down to throwing enemies at you like in the first part of the demo.

Does anyone have screens of DX11 graphics?

One thing i didn't see was combos, does it still have those combos like freeze + shield bash? The faster pace is nice but i hope the action segments in the game don't boil down to throwing enemies at you like in the first part of the demo.Masculus

@madrocketeer Those technical bugs you pointed out, like not being able to target AOE ring on a target and only the ground next to it have actually been fixed in the final release. So are the rough transitions between scenes. According to the devs, this demo is from an earlier build.

[QUOTE="Elann2008"]

- Not a huge leap in graphics over DAO.

SerOlmy

UPDATED my last post:

I spent a good amount of time on the DA2 demo, and I am happy to say that I liked it A LOT.

+ Improved combat, faster, more responsive, visceral, and satisfying.

+ Pathfinding has been fixed!

+ Significant leap in the graphics department, with a new art styl.e.

+ Flemeth

+ Bethany's boobs. Extremely awkward if you really think of her as your sister when you play the game. Hence Role-playing game.

+ I believe Hawke's voice actor is Sean Bean. Yay!One of my favorite actors. I could be wrong though.

+ More interesting characters with personality. + Better character designs.

+ Improved facial animatons.

+ Playing as a ROGUE is extremely fun. Backstab is so frickin' awesome (mixed in with evade).

+ Excellent voice acting.

+ Superb Art ****

+ Great performance even with an old demo build.

+ New hot bar. Looks nice.

+ New animations makes spells and abilities look even better than DAO's.

+ I've paused more in this demo, than playing the entire DAO game.

__________________________________________

? New Skill tree design. Simplified but gets the job done. Some things seem missing but we'll have to wait and see with the final product.

? Inventory could not be accessed during the demo.

? Looting seems to remain the same. We'll see.

? The game's difficulty is mildly refreshing as I thought it would be ridiculously easy. During the orge boss battle, all my party members died except my mage. Solo'ed the big fart with my mage with his health at 30%. I'll probably be playing at a higher difficulty than default when I get my hands on DA2. Hopefully, DA2's difficulty isn't all over the place like DAO's.

__________________________________________

- Cannot pan camera like DAO's camera.

- Dialogue choices are now mainstream, but it isn't terrible.

__________________________________________

I knew DA2 was going to be a great game, but this LONG demo just reaffirms it even more. I can't wait to get it on March 8th. Wish I could take a vacation during that week, lol.

You nailed it Elann. Exactly what I felt. I found myself scrolling the mouse wheel out of habit and realized it's gone lol.

Everything else was great other than a few technical bugs, but it's expected from this early build.

On a side note, have you guys checked out the music that plays over the credits? beautiful...

You nailed it Elann. Exactly what I felt. I found myself scrolling the mouse wheel out of habit and realized it's gone lol.

Everything else was great other than a few technical bugs, but it's expected from this early build.

On a side note, have you guys checked out the music that plays over the credits? beautiful...

ralph2190

I wasn't impressed with what I saw so far but I did like the game's cinematography and how they are shifting Dragon Age to be like a film like with Mass Effect.

If the combat is the best thing about the demo then I'm hoping the main game does everything else better. I wasn't really impressed by it, but it's an old build as it's buggy(hell, I clicked to attack an enemy and the game won't let me do it at times).

Though Elann is right about that chick with the rack.:P

Now I have to get it for 30 bucks or less, plus I have 15-20 other games to get.

What is bad from the demo in my opinion: (I played on the PC version)

*The controls are annoying and downright bad.

*The camera is bad + there is no isometric camera

*Everything have x3-5 times the speed. Weapons look like they are a feather... Mages are dancing when they throw spells, rouges can teleport. Some animations even look like they removed a few frames from it just to make it look faster.

*The UI is average

*The conversation wheel... gawd its bad.

*Tactics? Who need that? I read about people dying while playing the demo and my brain imploded. I never changed character... Did not bother to pause or anything and i was NEVER close to dying. Sure i could pause... And the game would turn into a morning walk in the park but meh (yes i know its normal but i dont think it will change that much).

*Cut scenes all the damn time.

*Its even more linear then DAO. Now its hallway connecting to a hallway. Hell the world itself look way to clean and bland.

And the most annoying part:

*This is in the same world as dragon age right? Then how come suddenly everyone have turned into ninjas and that the darkspawns are now undead creatures?

What is bad from the demo in my opinion: (I played on the PC version)

*The controls are annoying and downright bad.

*The camera is bad + there is no isometric camera

*Everything have x3-5 times the speed. Weapons look like they are a feather... Mages are dancing when they throw spells, rouges can teleport. Some animations even look like they removed a few frames from it just to make it look faster.

*The UI is average

*The conversation wheel... gawd its bad.

*Tactics? Who need that? I read about people dying while playing the demo and my brain imploded. I never changed character... Did not bother to pause or anything and i was NEVER close to dying. Sure i could pause... And the game would turn into a morning walk in the park but meh (yes i know its normal but i dont think it will change that much).

*Cut scenes all the damn time.

*Its even more linear then DAO. Now its hallway connecting to a hallway. Hell the world itself look way to clean and bland.

And the most annoying part:

*This is in the same world as dragon age right? Then how come suddenly everyone have turned into ninjas and that the darkspawns are now undead creatures?

KalDurenik

I really don't know why you're trying to prove this so hard though. I think I've randomly seen you attack the difficulty of Origins and DA 2 on at least 5 different occasions. We get it already; the game was too easy for you. But enough is enough, man...