Dragon Age II: EA boogaloo

[BunBun299]

I ended up not killing Anders. Not because I agreed with what he did. In fact, if I thought his death would have ended the bloodshed, I'd have killed him myself right in front of Meredith. But she can't be quelled.

But I think executing him then would have been the easy way out for him. "Ok, Anders, you wanted this war, you've got it. And so I'm going to make you live for it, not take the easy way out as some kind of martyr. You will fight this long, bloody war for mage freedom. And, on the day that mages are finally free, then I will come for you and kill you. You will live for this cause, but you will not enjoy the benefits."

No dialogue in the game for that specifically, but that is what I think of Anders.

[Independent George]

Holy crap - the Shaft segment made my sides hurt. That was outstanding even by Chuck's standards.

Slightly off-topic, but has anyone else played KOTOR 2 with the restored content mod? It doesn't fix the play balance issues, and there are still a couple plot holes due to missing content, but the story and ending actually make sense now. I actually prefer the story and characters to the original KOTOR, even in the original unpatched state, but can completely understand why it must have been infuriating to anyone who played it during the original release.

[Jokie155]

I've only played KotOR 2 with the RC mod, so I guess I can't comment a whole lot on how much it improves.

Personally I think Kreia is vastly overrated, I dislike preachy, overwritten characters that have so much to say it just feels like I'm being lectured and oh dear lord please stop talking already.

Maybe a separate thread is in order for that discussion? I've actually yet to play DA2 so I don't have a whole lot to say on topic anyway.

[Madner Kami]

Unlike in many other contemporary works, Kreia actually has a reason to talk all the time. After all, she tries to convey and teach you her view of the world. That's nothing you can show but don't tell.

[GandALF]

I've only played KotOR 2 with the RC mod, so I guess I can't comment a whole lot on how much it improves.

Personally I think Kreia is vastly overrated, I dislike preachy, overwritten characters that have so much to say it just feels like I'm being lectured and oh dear lord please stop talking already.

Maybe a separate thread is in order for that discussion? I've actually yet to play DA2 so I don't have a whole lot to say on topic anyway.

There's 80,000 posts of hardcore nerd bickering over Kreia in the "highly illogical" thread in which I am especially preachy and lecturing.

[Antiboyscout]

Yes all mages need to be sent to a Chantry. We already know from the first game that children discovering their powers can accidentally contact a daemon, become possessed, and doom their whole family and possibly the entire town they happen to live in.

[Jokie155]

Actually I do have something to say about the topic itself.

The 'RP' is still cringey as ever. Yet to hit Imperial Agent bad, but definitely getting there. Sorry, just not funny at all.

[RobbyB1982]

I really enjoyed DA2. Yeah, the maps could have changed a little bit more but the intimacy of living in the same place and revisiting old haunts over the years kind of worked for me, it got to the point you really felt like you knew the territory and it was your home. It helped that Varric was a super amazing character and basically carried the story singlehandedly. He never left my party (in 2 or Inquisition.)

Though another thing I did was the same thing as I did in part one... and I played through the game two completely different ways and RPed pretty strongly. The first time through I played a true champion of justice (that happened to be a thief) that would try to save everyone and never take lives if he could help it and never bargain with demons... and the party members I got along with would end up reflecting that. (In the first game I mostly ventured about with theives, so Leliana Zevran and the dog were my main companions, In part 2 it was always Verric, Aveline, and Isabella with Anders foating in and out and being sympathetic to him.)

Second time through I would play a power hungry bloodmage out to get all power for herself... but who didn't like other mages and would side with Templars and kill lesser mages and peasants at any opportunity and ALWAYS bargain with demons... and any party members that dared stand up to me and I would always and end up killing eventually. It tended to make for really different games. (So thus in part one I ended up killing Leiliana, Zevran, Alistair and Wynne... while mostly travelling with Morrigan, Shale and Sten. In part 2 I ended up dating Merril accidentally, and always travelled with.. Verric again, Merril and Fenris... and killed Anders at the end. ) Oddly, I was completely indifferent to Sten my first time through the game as the "boring" guy, but he was really good in that environment.

It made for a pretty interesting experience.

Inquisition was just so long I have yet to go back to it for a second run, but I will almost certainly focus on Solus and Blackwall, who both were a bit dull but had endgame secrets that turned them around, and I'd want to explore that at more length.

[Asvarduil]

Personally, I mostly tune in for the Parody!Janeway bits (Flemeth). Chuck didn't disappoint, and I hope he won't. Parody!Janeway's useless, insane, unhelpful additions are quite magical in the context of an EA game. Pray don't think too hard about why that could be.

So, part 2...

Plot twist, bitches!

...Goddammit Parody!Janeway, that's far more unhelpful than usual. Worse? You're breaking the fourth wall! You're like an insane version of Pinkie Pie or Deadpool.

(I still laughed uncontrollably for a while, because it was delivered very well. But still.)

[MithrandirOlorin]

Unlike in many other contemporary works, Kreia actually has a reason to talk all the time. After all, she tries to convey and teach you her view of the world. That's nothing you can show but don't tell.

I've personally grown to hate the "Show don't tell" mentality.