I play Dragon Age for the Leliana
I totally agree on Inquisition's open world. There were some visually nice areas but it had no depth. The quests were all boring MMO type fare and in fact, while we're on the subject of Skyrim, they remind me of the radiant quests in that. Y'know, the ones you never do I didn't quite realise the game's set up and spent a lot more time in the initial open world than I needed to, and it wasn't really all that fun and I struggled to get into the game. As soon as I sacked that off and focussed as much as I could on the characters and the main story I found it more to my liking.
As far as combat goes, I agree again. I was a mage, and it got a lot better when I specced to Knight Enchanter as then I could melee and use ranged magic. But to be honest with you, it became such a grind I committed that most awful of sins and cranked the game down to the easiest difficulty setting and played it like a Dynasty Warriors style hack and slash. smurf the git gud haters, because that was actually really fun and a reason why I enjoyed the game.
Funnily enough I found DA: II's combat to be the least inspiring. Probably didn't help I played as a two-hand warrior which was just 'MASH MASH MASH MASH' (Inquisition, in my opinion, made warriors far more interesting to fight as).
I actually enjoyed Inquisition's combat, though I only truly enjoyed it after they implemented the trials to give enemies more abilities (and thus made it more challenging). It could be improved though. I thing that comes to mind is how difficulty is basically how much more health they give enemies, which can make it somewhat boring. Playing on PC has made me appreciate Origins combat more, but I think I just prefer Inquisition's. Mages are terribly overpowered in Origins.
I'm definitely with Mister Adequate though about the sidequests. Compared to DA: O and DA: II, it felt really hollow. The environments were really beautiful, but often felt empty, and the sidequests that were there were just 'pick up note, go to location, kill [x], complete'. Even the main quests, good as they were, boiled down your choices to what you could do at the end. In Redcliffe, you could affect so many people's lives for better or worse, on top of the main resolution, but in Inquisition, not so much. It tells you something that Inquisition's section in Dragon Age Keep is much shorter compared to the other two.
I mean, I stil enjoyed DA: I, so even if Andromeda is more in that vein I won't be so disappointed, though I would appreciate sidequest where you actually talked to people. If they retain the note-format of Inquisition, I won't be happy.
Oh for the record, I agree. The side quest were very hollow in DA:I and it is and was a big complaint many had. Bioware seems to take on those complaints though so I feel they may have made an effort more in their newer game. At least i'm taking the optimistic approach to it that way.
Oh I've been iffy on Andromeda since long, long before any reviews show up. My trepidation has nothing to do with reviews and everything to do with the fact that Inquisition, more than any other game, has got me thinking "well, trout, I've finally reached that age where I think games are moving on without me to bigger fancier, more complicated worlds and I can't keep up."
There was some sort of news article a while ago where Bioware said "Andromeda's smallest zone is bigger than all of Inquisition combined" and that's about when I went "oh boy, no, I'm too old for this trout." lmao.
Yeah but we get the super cool new mako (the nomad) that has a customizable paint job! So you can zoom across the land!
Like the pre order bonus gold nomad!
I can sympathise with Pike, though. Games have progressed so far in two decades, you honestly can't compare. Comparing Origins and Inquisition mechanics and gameplay reveals quite a chasm.
I'm open-minded. I hope I stay that way.
No way I'm touching horror games though. Smurfing terrifying.
I want to be able to customize my SEGA Nomad!
For me it's not about open-mindedness, it's about how I can physically feel my reaction times slowing and my ability to multitask and keep multiple questlines in my mind diminishing. It is literally about the side effects of aging. DAO and DA2 were great because there was a lot of pausing, a lot of methodicalness, a lot of setting up tactics. DAI was more actiony and more about sidequests, and the tactics thing was pretty much gone.
I.E., ten years ago I probably would have liked Inquisition a lot more than I like it now. But as it is, I'd much prefer something slower. Something more straightforward. Something more like older Bioware games.
Oh, I'm with you on reaction times. It is why I'm not great at fighting games or shooters without any way of pausing. I'm just not that good a shot. I abuse tactical pausing in both Dragon Age and Mass Effect.
I could swear DA:I had that though? Cause I remember using it
I can decide for myself whether I'm going to pre-order or not, in a few hours.
Ooo that's what TSoL will be doing too! I've debated on just paying for the origin access to try it too xD Give us your thoughts when you get further! First 10 hrs I think, right?