The Lost Soul of Dragon Age (And Why Veilguard Has Us Worried) | Stranger Than Fiction
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- Опубліковано 16 вер 2024
- In this video, I discuss one of my favourite video game stories of all time, Dragon Age: Origins, as well as its more controversial successors in the Dragon Age Series (You guessed it... including Veilguard). I'm a LITTLE worried about Veilguard, lol, like many others, and I try to break down why. There's a lot of red flags when it comes to EA's respect of the creative process in the making of Veilguard (until recently known as Dreadwolf), which I explain a bit in this video.
But, I can't give up hope, I just can't, because all I want is for Bioware to succeed again. I want EA to get better. And even if that's just pointless hope, STILL... ahh. Baldur's Gate 3 reminded me of the beauty of Origins and the power of good stories, and I can only hope that more publishers can see the value of a labour of care and love (even if it takes longer than they'd like).
Stories are so much more personal and important to our humanity than our culture gives them credit for, and I honestly think that's why so many people are worried about Dragon Age and Bioware in general. Would strongly recommend checking out Jonathan Gottschall's Book, "The Storytelling Animal", if you want to explore the subject of storytelling and our brains in a well-written, easily digestible book. EA should also read this book LOL. It might help them to understand that they need to let Bioware COOK instead of MICROWAVE.
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Dragon Age is a property of Bioware/EA. All Dragon Age Music Composed by Inon Zur. All Baldur's Gate 3 Music by Borislav Slavov. Mass Effect Music by Sam Hulick and Jack Wall.
Huge thanks to UA-camr FluffyNinjaLlama for the dragon age gameplay footage, as credited in the video. Been watching their channel for years just for fun. Cheers for making the making of this video a bit easier.
#dragonage #dragonagedreadwolf #dragonageveilguard #bioware #masseffect #baldursgate3 #dragonageorigins #explained #videoessay #storytelling
Thank you all for your comments and for sharing your opinions. It’s cool to see how many people really love this series. Reading all the love for DAII is also making me want to give it another shot, so thank you for that. 😊 I will add it to my list of BioWare games to replay this year lol.
Have a great day! Thanks for watching.
11 yr old Really ? Isn't it too mature for an 11yr old girl lol it does have sex scenes XD.. ~ Damn i'm OLD AS FKK listening to you. How old am i today !? lOL but yea The game i played which truly established Game hobby as my better than movies was The Witcher 3. But yea i do remember Dragon age Origins after missing tactical strategy like Age of Empires 2 grown old. Still to this day Bioware Companion gameplay is a Genre by itself. I miss Morrigan ~ & yea that DA:O theme with hard guitar later was my HALO theme for that time. ( i literally dunno what age i was, I guess maybe 18-19 because it was my only bad IRL years of life lol )
You are right, Veilguard is a soullless piece of corporate hog feed. Larian is the new Bioware now
That theme tho. That theme tho.
First (and for now only) girl I ever fell in love with, I actually made a compilation of my faveourite game soundtracks for her (cringe, I know, but hey, it be that way). She wasn't a gamer and I didn't want her to miss out.
That theme was right on top of the list. I think it put the feelings I had at the time into music almost perfectly. Closely followed by the Suicide Mission track from Mass Effect.
Relationship never worked out. But I'll always have the Main Menu Theme from Dragon Age Origins.
The gameplay for da2 was neat the story was just not meant for the player created narrative as all roads lead to the same ending. Save time and just watch vids honestly. I had thought the same thing recently and replayed it, it was just as unsatisfying as before. There was always glimpses of brilliant character moments but as a whole the game just should've been a traditional linear story as the writers really only had one outcome in mind. Regardless of the window dressing.
so well said about the importance of stories... they are vital to us... they are what defines our humanity
Once upon a time, video games treated their art more like authors treat books. Now video games treat their art like a fast food joint serving a value meal.
Maybe you're just playing shitty games? Going to fast food places is on you, healthy food still exists, you just prefer burgers and then complain about feeling bad
Spot on mate
Hollywood and corporate America has changed video games slowly over the last 15 years. This is one of the main reasons that the original artist and creators have moved on in The industry. It’s not 2000’s anymore. It’s all about profit gains and marketing above all else. But some still do exist. Some companies have even had to Adopt the mindset of releasing games way before they were done just to please investors and publishers in hopes of then turning around and finally finishing the final product for there fans. Cd projekt red was caught up in doing this to try and make both sides happy.
@@patrickg2577 Yeah good games are art just like good films but once gaming became mainstream companies saw profit and saw games as products not art.
Now instead of just letting developers make a passion project corporations just have focus groups and market research on people that don't really care about games then think it's a trend and try to shove it into all the games
But most gamerd is don't participate in market research and focus groups so they are chasing the wrong audience to create a product, games are not perfume or shoes you can't market them the same way but that's what the corporate executives try to do.
Real gamers want art not a disposable product don't get me started on Live service games nobody has enough time to dedicate themselves to more than one or two so even if they work which they rarely do, nobody's going to be playing every Live service game at once nobody has the time, not every game can be full of kids like fortnite little kids at the only reason that game prints money.
Well put and sadly more often than not, I’d rather use my money to buy the double quarter pounder meal than the game in question.
Origins told me my decisions mattered, then Bioware spent two games convincing me otherwise. 🤷
It hurts 🥲
DA2 is more greek tragedy than epic heroic tale to be fair.
The lesson in DA2 is simply different from Origin but no less important. No matter the amount of energy you spend trying keep things from falling appart, there are things outside of your control that will destroy which you seek to protect. For me, Hawke tale is a testament of strength and resiliency.
I started a new playthrough of DA:O today but its kinda rough visually. I'm trying, but having played it through 7 or so times already I'm struggling to play it again. When I got my PS3 I only had enough money for one game for almost 4 months so I played that on repeat, with no PC or other system it was that or not play on my PS3.
@@EarwineSeaman I actually love the writing of DA 2, and that ending was unexpected and i am still in wow wth mode whenever i think about it. Bioware thought me that companions and npcs, can be well written to the pont where u do really care! Inquisition was a good game, but poor management. I still can't get over the inquisitor being sent left and right to collect elfrots when they had the manpower and subordinates to do the small task. Bioware was stuck in old rpg games mechanics, while they were a bit ahead and needed to rethink a gameplay that fits the inquisitor position and mindset! The Veilguard i don't care about any of the new companions!
Origins is one of the best RPGs I played ,I came back to play it again few days ago,btw thanks for this video it made my day knowing that there is more people obsessed with dao 😂
That scene in Mass Effect 3 where Mordin gives his life to cure the genophage, and then he starts humming "Scientist Solarian", is burned into my memory.
“Someone else might have gotten it wrong.” 😭
He's the only reason I let the genophage be cured... That lovable bastard
Salarian*
I never get that scene, as I always save Mordin.
How did you make it rain indoors? 😢
I'm also convinced that reveal trailer is what the tervinter magisters saw when they breached the golden city
Now I too have gazed upon the throne of the gods and found it empty.
Omg this comment SENT me, thank you
@@warlordofbritannia u and OP's comments 😂😢 Veilguard be like, "Beg that I succeed..."
Name change and artstyle shift aside, yes please succeed, for the alternative is EASpawn burying this franchise 6 feet under
The Maker hath truly left us 😢 i'm just praying that they form a new studio and wrestle the Dragon Age rights back to their rightful hands, but that is a pie-in-the-sky hope
Claudia Black did such an epic job voicing Morrigan. I still remember the scene when your introduced to her. Romancing her, having her leave me and chasing after her through the gates. DAO is pretty much the only contender with KOTOR.
“Well, well, what have we here?…”
“You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?”
“How eloquent. And how does one steal from dead men?”
“I shall not, for twas not I who removed them.”
“Now there’s a sensible request…I like you.”
@@warlordofbritannia Man now I got to do another play through...
@@warlordofbritannia I still love her line from the trailer. "Lovely. We can freeze to death while digging for the bones of a madwoman."
The first and best waifu
Baldur's Gate 2
My dream game would be the quality and polish of BG3 with the atmosphere and lore of DAO.
That would be a masterpiece!
but bg 3 is so unpolished out of act 1
@@poki580what?
It definitely goes down in quality but act 2 is also superb. Act 3 has been patched to a good spot.
@@poki580 Go play the game again, act 1/2 are on the same level. Act 3 got patched up pretty decently and they are still adding more content to it
@@oliwierwagrowski3176 maybe i will, if they release a definitive edition like with dos
Well more than that. The trailer looked like they turned the characters into goofy hero shooter ones like they're from Overwatch. Worse, they disregard the importance of things like the darkspawn and the fade by making them look silly and nonthreatening. The 'necromancer'? The skeletons look like they're straight from a disney movie, like they'll break out in song at any moment. It's worrying because it feels like they don't understand the legacy they're taking over and are throwing it all away to do what they think is cool with the kids these days.
Not only do they not understand the legacy, they also don't respect it, and us. I was wondering why it bothers me so much that they made Varric a brunette now, but thanks to this video and your comment, I get it: it feels like a slap, like EA just disregarded me. And I actually had a tincy-wincy bit of hope for next part, because DA:I took into consideration some of the criticism on DAII, it wasn't much though.. And now it's just Overwatch with a beauty filter with Harding as a companion (who in the hell gives a shit about that Harding my god)
Agree 100% It looked like I was watching an Overwatch game. Especially those character intros. ugh.
@@guilfordstancill3456 it does smack of Disney and that is cause to pause
@@user-jm6zv9gw2i "(who in the hell gives a shit about that Harding my god)"
A lot of people apparently, back when DA:I came out it was everywhere on the internet that people wished they could romance her. So much so, in fact that with the trespasser dlc they added an implied romance with her. If you flirted with her and didn't romance any of the others, toward the end she will confront you about it and you can say you're serious. I think it was Vivienne, will comment something like have you taken that nice dwarf on a date and your character will say yes.
First viewing of that trailer, I couldn’t shake the impression that the art style had to have been a holdover from when the game was initially a live service title
Pursuing paragon Branka in the deeproads is the best part of the game for me. All the mistery around darkspawn in their own habitat is a joy to experience and is very well executed. Too bad later games went in a different direction.
When I was a kid, the deep roads and the dwarves quests were my least favourite part of the game, but now they’re my favourite. They really nailed the unsettling, creepy vibes and I think that’s why I didn’t like those quests when I was younger lmao. And the body horror of the brood mothers is just…. Ughhhgh
I remember the first time being introduced to the Broodmother. Her companion Breaking down what happened to them day by day as you slowly get closer and closer to the thing. It's a subtle well written horror moment in a non-horror game.
@@lydiscott The chilling realization of how Darkspawn are made, and encountering a Broodmother for the first time with Hespith's poem echoing in the background...
No other game gave me that deep sense of doom and despair and wonder. I remember the chills down my back
@@rmmorang2134 First day, they come and catch everyone.
The search for paragon Branka is such a great piece of story telling with how you hear her legend in Orzamar and how Oghren talks about her and then you see how willingly she sacrifices those, who trust her... Especially the truth about the broodmothers still haunts me. Can't wait to get there soon on my current play through :D
Despite its flaws I really enjoy DA2 for what it is, Hawkes story. It's not a story about my Warden saving Ferelden and the world or the Inquisitors Inquisition to protect the world. One of the most interesting parts of the story of DA2 is how Hawke gets dragged into the main conflicts and especially in act 3 where you can try to stay neutral or out of the main conflict only for everyone to look to Hawke whom at that point is one of the 4 most influencial people of the city to "break the stalemate" so to speak. Compared to both Warden and Inquisitor Hawke is just some random person whos trying to live their life and create a place for their family while getting dragged into the conflicts for the only reason that they now live in Kirkwall and gains respect amongst the different people in power. The smaller scaled story allows for more grounded character interactions, choices and world building.
Also, while the companions are polarizing and a bit one noted at times I do think that their interactions with each other is fantastic and well done, gives you the "mistfit family" vibes which makes sense since they spend 6 years with each other. (Except for Anders and Sebastian - fuck them)
It's really a shame that Bioware was not given more time with the game. It really has the potential to be a game worth succeeding Origins greatness.
DA2 was special. Most games are just power fantasies. The good ones have a good overall story and great side content. In DA2 every so called victory was veiled in crushing loss. In DA2 you just have to live and feel the lives of the characters for better and worse. There are no true game victories in DA2 like most other games were you just crush obstacles.
Agree with a lot of what you said.
Except Anders and Seb hate, they’re awesome characters.
@@mrmoviemanic1 I can respect that.
I would probably like Anders more if they would have tied in his personality shift between Awakenings and 2 in a meaningful way. Now it's up to the players to fill in that gap for them. (ie, it's probably caused by the fusion with Justice) And if his companion quest in act 3 didn't feel so railroaded, considering what it leads to - it has so much wasted potential.
Sebster on the other hand is a lost cause for me. Glad he has his fans though.
@@Mandoolin Sebastian's only crime is to be one-dimensional, and because Varric hates him, and therefore, those who like Varric also hate Sebastian in turn.
@@teoadventures2564 So pretty much everone then
Just stumbled in here after sharing the Veilguard reveal with a friend. I needed this. I needed the reminder that passion for gaming and the creation of stories isn't dead yet. So thanks for that.
It's alive and well on the fan side, on the development side? Ooh boy. They resent our love for the classics and think they know better. They use the games to lecture us instead 😂
@@Thorn_416 Corpos gonna corpo. Until it hits their bottom line HARD nothing will change. It's up to the fans to preserve everything we can.
Honestly I think Origins is a lot darker and grittier than BG3 is. The sense of urgency and impending doom, despite the premise of BG3 just really isn't there and it very much is in Origins. Bioware will never be what it was but I still play this for the story and world history, subbed.
That's also something the bg3 dev team deliberately did. They didn't want to urge their players too much. I still rushed it the first half and missed an entire map because I didnt want to become a tentacle thing.
@@Nuvenor I also rushed through act 1 & 2 too quickly. I find it a bit strange how both BG3 and Cyberpunk are games that are best played slowly enjoying all the side quests, but both games went with a "There's a thing in your head that will kill you if you take to long" plot hook. Even if I know from a meta game perspective that the game isn't just going to randomly kill me after 10 hours, it still feels odd to just wander off exploring when the narrative is telling you to hurry.
@@Reddwar85 That would have ironically enabled replay value you have a timeline so you can only do so much. You do what you can get an ending, get a new game plus.
Don't forget the Brood Mother. You don't see something like that these days anymore.
Hard disagree here. "The sense of urgency and impending doom" has 0 connection to your first sentence and doesn't further support your point being Origins 'is a lot darker and grittier' than B3. Most of the companion's storyline isn't that dark tbh. You have the option to turn Alistair a drunk, meh big deal I guess? You have the option to 'injure' Leliana at the temple, so what? There's 0 dark choice for the companions. Compare that to BG3: you can literally turn shadowheart towards Shar, give her back to the temple, and then you'll find her standing with her memory 100% wiped, you can also convince her to kill her parents. In BG3 you have the option to side with the Absolute and proceed the conquest. Do you have the option to side with the Archdemon and lead the darkspawn for a conquest over Denerim and beyond? Lots of people talk about the broodmother being 'dark', well it was well done and I liked that bit, but BG3 had those moments in abundance too, like the Shadow cursed land has a lot of those similar moments. Also, Dragon Age Origins itself claims to be a 'dark fantasy' in its marketing materials. Dungeon and Dragons Forgotten Realms is a standard high fantasy, not dark fantasy, and even then, BG3 has a lot of darker moments in regards to the way the player can treat the NPCs.
Describing DAO as having a “soul” absolutely nails it. And it’s why none of the follow ups have ever felt the same. I miss the BioWare games that had a soul. And it’s why BG3 was such a breath of fresh air
I think DA Inquisition hit a note for me after the Inquisitor is wandering through the snow freezing to death and then sees their new base. Before that it feels like you can't really stop the antagonist, but when you see it and the music picks up you feel like it's possible. You have a chance.
The first time I saw the singing scene 😢
@@authorhalierivers Whenever I hear the song I am stopping myself from clicking Instal in EA launcher 😅
That whole sequence is gives me chills every time
Inquisition was a dog shit game bruh and the story was boring and there no choice
@@morningstar8501
True. I hate Inquisition with a burning passion. Easily the worst Dragon Age.
"I first played Dragon Age Origin when i was 11 years old"
Me who was 40: O.0
I think I was around 35 at the time :D Yay to us old guard gamers
Heh, I was 56 when Dragon Age: Origins came out.
Dang I was like 13 and omg I miss Dragon Age Origins everyday since
I was in my 20s so it felt right romancing Alistair. I can't imagine sexy times as am 11 year old lol. No hate. ❤
Honestly I liked Dragon Age 2 a lot. Because finally we weren't "saving the world" or "defeating big bad evil". We are just trying to survive and build our own life.We need more stories with lesser scale, makes them more personal.
The point is that you are not playing your character in Dragon Age 2. You are playing Hawke. Thats a downgrade
@@AndreLuis-gw5ox But you are not playing your character in Dragon Age 1. You are playing "The Grey Warden, Savior Of The World". I get you, it's less dialogue variety in second part and that's bad. But disagree that first one was that much better. The epicness is also always limiting.
I appreciate *the concept* of it, and I think having it take place concurrent to DA:O was damn brilliant. And the combat was significantly improved; not a top-3 most important element in an RPG, but it's a good chunk of the game, so that helped a lot in making it more fun. BUT unfortunately the execution didn't come close to living up to the premise. The problem wasn't so much that it WAS small so much that it FELT small, thanks in large part to the limited/re-used maps. (Maybe not the worst offender, but the easiest to concisely point out.)
On a scale of 0-10, I'd still rank it probably a 7, it's still definitively a good game, IMO. Underrated, for sure. But I get why the criticism is there.
Yea, I enjoyed the framed narrative of DA 2 as well, not so much the action based combat.
DA2 had a lot of potential. I didn't like the combat nor the dialogue options. The dialogue/choices were DAO's biggest strength and 2 fell short in comparison
The tonal shift in Origins and Veilguard is very telling.
Original felt like playing thru a dark fairytale. Plenty of magic and comic relief, but also sacrifices and hard decisions where there wasn't always a "right" choice.
Veilguard feels like it's trying to be a Saturday morning cartoon.
Yes the game is not out yet, but the trailer looks like EA is chasing trends cause, 'gamers like comedy.' We do, if it's complimented with a good narrative.
Looks like Veilguard is continueing the relatively lighthearted tone of Inquisition. DAO felt like this small group against an impossible threat, finding hope and comfort in a world of evil and injustice. The other games just really don't feel that way!
Marvel movies have been as disaster for media of all kinds!
In my opinion you're totally justified to judge a product based on a trailer. It's Bioware's job to convince you their game is worth buying. If they fail, they haven't earned that $70+. The only way they'll improve is by getting rewarded for giving you something worth the price they're asking, instead of a subpar product
This game appeals to the audience that began with dragon age inquisition, which was also produced by EA and recieved poorly by dragon age origin fans.
@@ANONM60D Hi, big time Dragon Age fan. Origins was amazing, two was dogshit, and Inquisition has more played hours for me than any other because I actually enjoyed it.
@bethanydillingham4642 congratulations, numbers don't lie unless they're generated by the IRS
@@ANONM60D Panned by critics with the lowest rating being Metacritic at an 85. Over 1000 hours played.
Veilguard isn't out yet. We don't know shit about it except that its graphics engine has evolved - just like it did from Origins to 2 and from 2 to Inquisition. Don't jump on the hate train just yet.
@@RubyFire-t3q hate train? I'm on the hype train
Call me crazy..... but I liked DA Origins a LOT more the BG3.
Loved DAO!! :) :)
Nothing crazy about that. Both great games.
Crazy.
Yes so did I. Personally I just like the world and lore better. And I had a much deeper connection to the characters in dao than baldurs gate. I love BG3 but none of the companions REALLY had an impact on me personally.
Me too but they are both amazing
Understandable. Dragon Age has mythological underpinnings and great mystery baked into its worldbuilding in a way that D&D (and thus BG3) really doesn't.
Dragon Age Origins is one of the best games I've EVER played. Every single bit of it OOZES amazingness (minus the combat). The story is a tale of heroism and tragedy and suspense in such a neat bundle. You're presented with this apocalyptic threat, then tasked with uniting all the races to end it. You explore so many different locations, learn more about the culture and world every step of the eay. Everywhere is just teeming with detail and life and full of interesting characters. You have a predetermined background, you get the sense that who you are matters, that you're a real, tangible character in this world, rather than a sort of omniscient diety puppeting someone in it. And your background legit matters, with so many variations to play as. A human noble, a human or elf mage trapped in a tower, a dwarf noble, a dwarf peasant, a city elf where your spouse is kidnapped or YOU get kidnapped, a wilds elf living among your little caravan. And along the way you meet multiple incredibly interesting characters. The King, a creepy swamp hag, the traitor, etc. You gather multiple companions with incredibly varied appearances and personality, who actually interact with each other and have opinions on you and your actions. Alistair the good guy and secret prince, Morrigan the snide swamp witch who's out of her depth but hides it, Leliana the idealistic and hopeful young church girl on a crusade of her own, a dog you can save and rescue and name, Oghren the wise ass dwarf warrior, Shale the slightly sociopathic golem, Wynne the old but kind hearted healer, Zevren the charming assassin that tried to kill you but you can recruit, Sten the qunari who comitted a heinous deed but is atoning in his own way, even Loghain the traitor can join you if you make the right choices. Overall, Origins is just... such a phenominal game in every aspect... besides the combat which I won't lie for most of the game is slow, clunky, and awkward, although I enjoy that you aren't locked into class specific weapons yet, the mage CAN use a sword it's just that a staff is better.
I’ve never played Origins. I got DA:I and I wasn’t really hooked on it sadly as it looked interesting.
But the characters and world didn’t interest me and the choices seem rather limited. I did the online thing to set up choices from past games for DA:I but never played long enough to see its affect.
From what I’ve gather you and other said the story and world sound so much better and the characters too.
Plus being a Mage Knight sounds cool. Should I give it a go?
@@viruschris3160 It's absolutely worth a playthrough or two, the choices and story are much better than Inquisition sadly, but the combat will be somewhat slow and tedious for a while, so be warned.
@@gamer47e17 I don’t mind. I return to older games to at have slower gameplay. Sometimes it’s better for a nice pacing of taking your time for the most part.
I’ll look for the game on Steam when it goes on sale. I very interested in it now. Maybe do a Let’s Play as I never played it before and know nothing about it.
Eh, I think combat is great as well. Especially on nightmare. That was my first "tactical" experience and it made me feel sooo smart and good to beat those enemies with a THICK red/orange health bar hahah. A lot of abilities work well with each other, you have to be smart about your resources etc. I really don't know what's not to like
Actually I think the combat is the most complex BioWare has ever gotten.
The thing that made me love DA2 is that the Qunari got such a great amount of lore in, they also looked amazing, and aren't forgetable. Origins tore my heart out then shoved it back in my chest with the story. Inquisition is good too I just got lost to easy.
I’ll give them that sten just looks like a big elf in dao
The industry as a whole lost soul. Since 2005, the AAA/AA industry was growing too fast, taking too many investors and just balooning out of shape. What was once a product of passion, became a commercial product.
Its really visible in so many series.
Mass effect from 1 to 3, Dragon Age 1-3, Fallout's... Good studios made great games, got acquired for good money, and were forced to make inferior games. Then they lose all the talent that made the games good and just try to recycle existing brands by dilluting them with casual elements to maximize the possible audience.
In 2019, ive moved 1500km to work in a gaming company. It wasnt one among the ones i truly wished, and only as a technical support, but i threw my good existing career aside to try and influence/better the industry i love. Wasnt worth it.
All in all, we have to wait, and hope the cycle wont repeat, with mant new great studios that are indie/AA size now, becoming the new EA's and Ubisofts once those finally fall in hubris.
Regarding DA:O, ill never forget how alive my companions felt. Ive romanced morrigan in camp, and went for a "tent visit". When leaving, Leliana, with which i also had almost 100 affinity, came up to me - slightly trembling voice, a mix od anger and disappointment, talking to me about how interpersonal relationships could endanger the whole party and that it may kill us out in our fights. I was mind blown. I could feel on my skin the anger, the sorrow, the jealousy. I could see her trying to find a justifiable reason to lash out on me, and failing in delivery. I have never felt this way in a game. Dragon Age origins was what rekindled my rpg flame which hasn't vanished since, and that moment made me 100% the game
100% the characters felt real and alive. I played an elf mage romanced Alistair and made him king. When he was made king he became distant because he can't be with an elf as king. Decided my character would be the sacrifice since her only love abandoned her. At the last minute when slaying the demon Alistair steps in and out of love slays the archdemon to save my character.
It felt bittersweet and fitting. A game from that period making living characters that are more human and relatable than any game today. It felt almost like a scene you'd see in one of Tolkien's works.
With engines, tools and AI voices getting better every day and the indie building up, indie and AA games are slowly catching up in the only department they ever lacked. Presentation. Especially AI generated voiced will enable so many great games from small studios in the future, I can barely wait. Will they be on par with AAA? Of course not, but just need to cross the threshold to attract average gamers and they're set.
At some point when Origins came out there was a discussion that True RPGs like Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 have died because everything must be 3D (that was a trend of 2000s). But DA Origins is a Spiritual successor, showing that you still can have good RPG. It is ironic that BG3 is now keeping faith in RPGs going,
I think losing the isometric view did a lot of harm, especially for party-based CRPGs.
Not just BG3. Many indie CRPG's out there to enjoy if you are looking for more. Tyranny is a great game where you play a villain. Pillars of Eternity series. Larian's Divinity Original sin games and Owlcat's pathfinder games.
Origins were like KotOR in fantasy world: similar structure (visit several locations on the map in any order to advance the plot), similar appearance of NPCs, Order of the Chosen Warriors (almost Jedi), much more simplified system compared to Baldurs Gates and NWN. But still, it's a very good game. DA2 tried to be "ME for poor" and so cringe game. 😆And I'm not fan of Larian games I'm more into Owlcat's Pathfinder series.
No idea what you mean. BG3 is on the same level as Veilguard, terrible quippy tone.
As a Dragon Age Origins fan of the first hour, I am completely floored by the trailer for DA4. Not even just the narrative, even the combat looks completely disappointing. But BioWare has shown us time and again that they don't care about creating an in-depth combat system anymore.
Totally agree. The Thing is, if this would be a stand alone game with no ties to the dragon age franchise, I would probably be really interested. But the fact that this is supposed to be DA...Just feels wrong. It doesnt even looked Bad, its not DA
I don't think it is about caring, but ticking boxes. Everyone who cared and was capable has been shoved out of the industry. It has been replaced by maybe well meaning divers people still learning their craft. The time alloted to the devs that made DA2 & DAI, I can only doff my hat and thank them for what I got in hindsight. They truely were magicians! Today, it takes 10 years of development hell and go nowhere.
Eh, totaly agree. I think that whole industry overuse "action combat". If you look at at DAO trailer the combat was flashy, but it wasnt ridiculuous with 720 degree spin side slash, doing Ichigo's Getsuga. I rly think that people underestimate impact of goofy movesets on gravity of the story.
Hmm, look at witcher 3 100% flashy, for realistic combat its stupid but h Geralt hold stances, reach and keeps defence up during dodges, his footwork contributes a lot to the grounded feeling of it.
Eh the more i think about DA4 direction the least i like it
I also agree--glad I'm not the only one. I was already pretty disappointed in how much they dumbed down the combat in DA:I, and this looks like they even went further into the actiony combat with 3 buttons direction.
When I saw, that you only had a single ability at the start of DA4, that was a big letdown. The combat looks flashy, but is actually very dumbed down to previous games.
I'm not a religious person but "the love of money is the root of all evil." and one more from Tolkien "Evil is not able to create anything new, it can only distort and destroy what has been invented or made by the forces of good."
I still remember fighting Morrigan's mother early and she one shotted my entire party except my dog. I then used the dog to attack her until she died. For some reason the dragon form just couldn't hit the dog. Saved my run (It's been so long so I don't remember the specific specifics)
Same dog be magical in that fight
that exact same thing happened to me! It's not a bug, but a feature now ahah I miss the mabaris
Barkspawn came in clutch during the final fight. I like to think its canon that he can just tank dragons
As a generic fantasy game, Veilguard looks like it has potential. As a Dragon Age game...jury is still out.
This is where I am with it. I’ll probably still be deep in my backlog when it’s out anyway lol
I got time to see what everyone else says
Succinctly put.
If Veilguard was a standalone mobile game that used its own franchise name then no problem. But it hijacked the brand and pretends to continue it so no mercy
What are your thoughts on it as a game release in 2024? Idk I hoped they'd do better with graphics/designs. Ppl say the gameplay pulled em back in but it just looks dated and stuttery, no clean and clear actions when you attack, just this speed spam bs? Am I just being negative?
@@johnnettey Yeah. I’m hoping it was just an unpolished demo and they were holding back on showing too much too early - in case they have to remove a broken feature or two.
Although, really, broken features can be SO fun, as well.
It's kinda amusing for me when you describe your love for Mass Effect in the beginning of the video. (It was amusing since I felt the same way. I was just a wee bit older than you.)
I hadn't even known the game was getting created, released, never heard of it. Then I got home from 18 months of hell, My first tour to Iraq with the army, and I walked into game stop and the guy at the counter was like. "What you looking for?" And I was like. "An escape, just getting home and I need to be somewhere else for a little while."
So the dude recommended mass effect, and I played through the first game maybe 50 times.
Then I went on my second tour to Iraq, and ME2 was released while there, and I had it delivered, and spent pretty much every moment after I got off work, before bed playing it.
Then after I got out of the army, I went to Afghan as a Civilian contractor (read, merc). And ME3 was released while there, and so I picked it up along with the special edition Xbox, and yeah..... That game series got me through some of the worst times in my life. Was fun listening to you chat about games, and what they mean to you. *Cheers*
Mass Effect series was special, that's for damn sure.
I remember seeing an ad for it in a Game Informer magazine. Seen the aliens and wanted to be a Turian.
was disappointed that Christmas when I booted the game only to find out I had to play as a human. Opinion changed a few hours later.
I shudder to imagine what you must have done.
Thank you for your service
Unpopular opinion, but Dragon Age 2 had some of the most morally meaningful quests and choices there has ever been in a video game.
Take the main storyline, the mages and Templars. One faction is presented as an oppressed group who through no fault of their own is taken to the tower, never to return. The other is an authority, led by a woman whose family hid the talent of her sister, yet without the training of the Circle she became possessed and killed 80 people before she was killed. The Templars are brutal and oppressive, yet the mages are shown to engage in blood magic and kill their own. Both sides have good people, and awful people. The Qunari quest line is one of my favorite in any game ever.
Dragon Age 2 gets maligned by people, and much of it is very fair criticism. Yet the restriction to Kirkwall and the surrounding environments made what happened to it very personal. The player was struggling against a slide into chaos, and losing. You met the same groups and people as time moved on, and formed the backstory of Hawke instead of just having a static one created at the start of the game.
All that was lost with Inquisition. I just didn’t feel that each zone’s outcome was very personal. You saved Celene or didn’t, that was the end of that. You didn’t see what happened after that resolution. I don’t trust BioWare to be able to write interesting stories any longer. They’re more concerned with character’s identities than character’s personalities and backstories. They’re afraid to touch on dark or offensive concepts like genocide, slavery, or SA. Those things are why Fenris was so popular, or Leliana.
Dragon Age 2 was delightful, it wasn't as big as Origins in size and definitely could have used more production time but still it builds one of the most wonderful and tragic worlds with characters (who have small screen time) yet have some of the most well written personalities in the whole series.
@@brie1232 Yes. I actually count the size of the game world in its favor, though the recycled maps is a strike against it. RPGs do not need a massive open world to tell an exciting story. Inquisition leading off with the Hinterlands is exactly what I mean. Too big, too many fetch quests, and too much inconsequential plot points.
Most people hate Anders for what he does, but again, major positive. He is an excellent antagonist and character for this reason. Making the Grand Cleric such a benevolent, motherly figure was excellent as well, and genuinely made me angry when she was murdered. Additionally, Varric was peak Varric in Dragon Age 2, and I am extremely concerned how he is going to be written in Veilguard.
I wish I could say I have high hopes for Veilguard, but it would be a lie. I can’t even say I am cautiously optimistic. My suspicion is that the game is going to have really good action combat - but little tactical combat, even less than Inquisition - but with a mediocre, disjointed story. I’ll probably wait for the first sale to buy it, unless I’m pleasantly proven wrong.
@@TheSpicyLeg I agree, I think it taking place in Kirkwall gives it a sort of intimacy and an option for storytelling that the other games don't have. Inquistion for example (I like the game) has really high stakes and I personally feel like it makes it less personal, even the companions feel a little bit less because the world and the consequences are so big. Origins is a happy medium where the stakes are high but you feel close with your companions. They arent all scattered about sky hold (I love skyhold) and there isn't that degree of separation that inquisition seems to have.
@@TheSpicyLeg I hate Anders as a person but I love him for what he does to the plot. And I think his internal struggle is completely logical for someone with his background which is why some people like him. Which I resent but I understand. Just like I understand why some people hate for Fenris, I disagree but I understand. That is a sign of good writing.
I agree. I enjoyed the story of DA2. People misinterpret it as the player choices not mattering but the point is other people have choices to and sometimes we're powerless to stop them.
Girl 100%. I remember playing DAO and being like “wow what an epic”. I played DA2 and DAI and rmb feeling varying degrees of disappointed. The Veilguard trailer with the reaction wheel sorta already tells me they’re doing the streamline thing where your decisions don’t really matter - like im sure plotwise some key alliances might be affected for the final battle, but it won’t be a meaningful “, intricate back and forth with key characters that build that strong connection that DAO and BG3 did.
BG3 also filled a whole that i didn’t know i had since DAO. Who knows when the next one will be…
This is such a beautifully crafted ode to the manifesto of your channel and a powerful, poignant plea to the developers that have sacrificed their product in our broken economic system
Awww thanks so much for your comment, Mieka ❤️
You mean companies right, since developers keep getting lay off left and right.
I think what needs to be understood is this: Executives and creatives are two COMPLETELY different types of people.
Executives care about profits, outcomes and they are constantly trying to find the most sure way to make the most money possible. The executive thinks about "art" as if it was some kind of formula they just have to crack.
Live service + Micro Transactions + Open world + Humour + Grittiness = Profit
That kind of thing.
Creatives relate to art on a personal level. They are driven to create things because it's a part of them that needs to somehow get out. It's a dam that is constantly on the verge of breaking. It's something you understand intuitively and emotionally. And it's about a process you go through to create something that you (and hopefully others) connect with.
It's hard to quantify. There is not clear formula.
And art, often, is about risk. Whereas investors want certainty.
The approaches of executives and artists are opposed. That's why the games that are revolutionary in these sorts of respects almost always come from individual creators or small studios or game jams, etc. Where creativity flows freely and executives stay out of the equation.
A good executive, basically, is there to make sure that the creatives have what they need to work and to make sure that they have a good structure to work in with some stuff like guidelines, deadlines, etc. A bad executive is one who comes in and tells creatives what the game should be to maximize profits. And most executives are bad executives, unfortunately.
I have no expectations, I am not following any developments-I want to remain ignorant because I have more than enough actual worries to deal with. If it’s good, that’s great. If it sucks, I’ll try not to let that bother me. The BioWare I came to age with is dead; I buried it in my heart of hearts years ago.
Funny that you mention Jennifer Hale’s femShep as an almost Pavlovian catalyst for good vibes-my first BioWare game was Knights of the Old Republic, so I’ll always know her as Bastila Shan first.
I’ve come around on DA2 in recent years. For what it is, it’s good. I’m also one of the apparent few who prefer that version of Anders than (what I see as) diet, flamboyant Alistair from Awakening.
The hours I’ve spent talking to Inquisition’s companions makes all the MMO elements worth pushing through. Only Origins and BG3 have matched that, let alone exceed it.
I love that BG3 was a spiritual successor to Origins, just as Origins was a spiritual successor to the old BG trilogy. It’s a poetic metanarrative that reminds and reinforces what got me into RPGs in the first place.
Original Baldur's Gate games were made by bioware. So it's even better, essentially BG3 bested even the old bioware at their game with their own title.
In a perfect world, Bioware would follow on that and make the next Dragon Age game on the same level... but like you said, that BioWare is burried long ago.
Imma go replay DA2 now. Cheers.
@@seeinred I disagree. Whilst the companions were better by far the main plot was no where near as interesting as the saga told in BG1 and 2.
@@serenth8310 i never played those yet, but i bet it is since it was hell cool to up against god/chosen/child rather than oversized tentacle brain. still have goosebumps everytime myrkul avatar pop out
@@serenth8310
BG1 is a standard hero’s journey, albeit a good one. What makes BG2 so special as both a sequel and RPG is how, from the first dungeon, you get that this game is going to go to some dark places.
Without spoiling anything, but BG2 has one of the best depictions of surviving SA I’ve ever seen in media.
Yeah, the teaser / gameplay / "it's so over" / "we're so back" roller coaster has me metaphorically yelling at the screen too.
The gameplay wasn’t even impressive, enemies looked unresponsive.
@odst123451 meanwhile enemies attacking and throwing projectiles every 3 seconds while in inquisition they stood around
It was not metaphorically for me. After watching the trailer I audibly exclaimed "What the fuck is this?" the gameplay trailer had me in silence.
@@stavroskoul8782 Did we watch the same video? Enemies are standing around waiting to attack.
Bold of you to mention Inquisition. What gave you the idea that I liked that game? The only thing that holds Inquisition up is the story and I preferred Origins over Inquisition.
@@odst123451 That's ok, I wasn't watching the gameplay trailer for gameplay, I was watching it for story. Namely, reassurance that there would be engagement with thedas beyond "generic fantasy DnD campaign with familiar names sprinkled in." There will be. If I wanted to Rip and Tear Destructible Demons (Until It Is Done) I'd play doom. I *will* play doom. But I won't expect Id to suddenly start caring about writing and I won't expect Bioware to suddenly start caring about Push Forward game loops. That would be setting myself up for disappointment. I'd rather appreciate each game for what it is good at, yeah?
2 is better than inquisition
Uh, no, it isn't
@@SisyphusianSaturnite yes it fking is
@user-wr6dj4ib9o Alright, I'll bite. Why? Is it the filler quests in inquisition? I think the DA2 has some if the best characters in series but with all the reused assets and the mind-numbing hack and slash, I can't justify putting it over DAI. Which clearly is a labor of love with how much content there is to explore. Juxtapose that with DA2's 20-hour average playthroughs and its just no competition.
They are both rubbish.
I am one of those in the vast minority who finds Dragon Age II to be the best of the series. I personally found it to be the most interesting of the stories. I liked the symbolic nature of the mage rebellion. I think Anders is one of the most interesting villains in game history. He is so tragic and you can feel full well how he was pushed to his limit. Then the story overall did a great job of showing how many, many, many little strings getting pulled culminates in tragedy. Plus Merrill is top tier game romance.
Excited to see a surprise video drop! Huzzah!
I won’t lie, of the characters that I love in DAII, I LOVE them. Always ran with Varric, Isabela, and Merrill lololol.
@@lydiscott I did always love Origins too. Except the fade. F the Fade lol.
Varric is a sheer soul of that game. Also, people usually don't acknowledge this, but reducing the scale of the game to "one city and it's troubles" really was a great decision. It feels much more personal.
I wish I could agree. But I dislike DA 2 so much. The problem IS sitting in one city. No one stands out, only the city and a few of the good characters (Varric and I love Aveline). Hell I didn't even remember Anders until you mentioned him! I found mostly everyone forgettable. DA 2 felt like a big Side Quest rather than a full main story.
DA2 is actually my second favortite game after Origins. I love my sarcastic Hawke and how the companions feel like her own little merry band of misfits family. DAI is my least favorite in the series and oddly enough its the one I played first that got me into the series to begin with. I don't hate it. I just didn't enjoy it as much as the other 2. I did eventually finish it but its the only one I haven't replayed.
One of many case studies in why becoming publicly traded, or being bought out by a publicly traded company, is an eventual death knell for creativity. Once that occurs, that company’s priority is infinite profit and infinite growth at the expense of everything else. Exceptions do exist, but that’s why they’re exceptions.
In DAO the Warden was the main character, and that was very clear, in the trailers and in story.
In DA2 it was a bit different. Idk if it has anything to do with making the location into an important character within the story? But Hawke was at least the most important character.
DAI was where things changed completely. The support chars got a bigger role, the main just randomly lands there and are chosen by everyone else. There is no sense of assertiveness, you are pretty much everyone else's puppet. The approval system really starts to feel like a chain. People only like you if you support their ideas (luckily some few chars were not part of that system). But the worst part is how weak the main was. The inquisitor never felt like a leader, they were just there to support everyone else.
The new trailer, and gameplay vid, for DA4 is even worse. The main has a small shady role in the trailer. In the gameplay they just follow the others around. They are pretty much a support char to the support chars. Just an illusion of leadership, and of being the main. Most artwork I've seen is about support chars. The main doesn't seem to matter. A trailer should give you an idea of your role in the saga. Varric and Harding were the mains in the trailer, the player's character was even less something compared to the other support chars. No name, nothing. Just shady guy who takes down some goons. That's discouraging. I want my Warden, I want a character that matters. I'm starting to wonder if the writers keep them out because the Warden would outshine their characters?
I always seen DA2's main character as the city of Kirkwall itself. Everything that happens in the game revolves around the city itself. You are just another influence on it.
@@rmmorang2134 Hm, that sounds about right. Can that be a reason to why it feels so hard to really connect with Hawke? I remember feeling like I was watching a movie with Hawke as the star. It didn't feel like I was there. That was annoying after the DAO experience.
@@eme117 mhmm, Hawked issue is the only real journey he has is going into the deep and finding the red lyruim idol.
The Qunari would have attacked whether or not he was there.
Anders would have mostly like still blew up the chantry and the mage/templars most likely still would have fought.
Hawke influenced the ending of those conflicts. But he had little influence in starting them.
Meanwhile the Grey Warden’s entire journey is rallying an Army from treaties to fight the blight.
@@rmmorang2134 I don't think it's the content that is the problem, it's how it is delivered, the storytelling in itself. And maybe it has something to do with the focus on the city, idk. But I did feel more involved with the warden's story. And there are games with less choices that still give a sense of connection, so I don't think it's that at least.
This is a series that feels like with each game it gets worse and worse. Maybe I'm just cynical and old, but we got Origins and nothing has ever felt as unique or immersive. Veilguard feels like something I just don't see fitting into the same series.
It’s always felt like it’s struggled to truly decide what kind of series it wants to be, whereas at least the Mass Effect Trilogy feels like a close knit family of games.
@@lydiscottwhat hurts me about dragon age is you can feel the distance between the intent and the execution.
Seeing the thumbnail on your video is just reinforcing why I laugh every time someone calls Veilguard 'cartoony'. The Origins trailers looked nothing like Origins. The DA2 trailer looked nothing like 2. Inquisition...debatable, but most focused on the environments, the characters were not quite the same as in game. I honestly can't wait to see more; I'm looking forward to this fall.
tbh I like DA2 way more than DAI, in fact it is one of my absolute favourite games. The main character is awesome, the story is emercive, there's an intrigue, there's dynamics, the side characters are alive and all different. And even though the side characters in DAI were also interesting and different from each other, I can't help but notice that the story itself was rather weak, we were told all we would want to know from the start, there was no mystery, no intrigue, unless you count the DLCs of course, the game itself was... meh. And the main character felt like it was supposed to be a rough moulding form, like the one we've got in DA:O, where we also had an option of actually choosing the said form, but in DAI not only we've got only one form to fill, with just slightly different colours, it was as if someone have forgoten to remove the plaster from it, so it was already filled. The inquisitors felt hollow, no matter the choice, you'd get the same inquisitor, whether it was an elf, a dwarf, a human, or a kossith, no matter how you chose to speak, they all said the same things, they were all the same. The Inquisitor got stuck as a puppet trying and failing at being either Hawk or the Grey Warden or both at once, turning into a shadow of them, and diminished even more by comparison with the two. It was the same kind of feeling I got from MEA actually, only there the redeaming aspect of interesting side characters and interesting world, DAI had, vanished as well, it all felt like one big unending hinter lands trip, splatted across several planets.
I think that if Baldur's Gate hadn't come out, hadn't of just... raised the bar, maybe I wouldn't be looking at DA4 like it was something stuck to the bottom of my shoe. But also- the dialogue man. Dragon age origins had such great dialogue and banter, and DAII hit the dialogue beats pretty well. Then there was DAI and I was like YES, give me meaningful relationships with people again thank you. And this Veilguard, I listened to the dialogue and I felt like I needed a bath or something. Just sounded so shallow.
I just absolutely love your passion for this franchise! You talking joyfully about the Origins just revived all those amazing moments and old memories in my heart...I remember I played Origins a few times before DAII came out, and I was just SO in love with it! And then DAII came out and I replayed it again! And then I literally played all of them again when Inquisition came out! lol
I remember I was so eager to just explore the whole world of the Origins, and OMG, ofc the Fade! (I say that because the Fade wasn't basically a part of the world!! ;) ) Such rich story, such rewarding environment to explore, and a lot more! I rlly hope that the new series will remind us of how creativity and rich story-telling actually can impact our worldview and even fate. I just can't wait to explore a whole new world built on foundation of good memories and a rich story!
Thanks for encouraging me to have hope for the upcoming Veilguard. Keep up the great work! Blessings!
The Origins Soul is reborn
It's called Baldurs Gate 3 now
Too gay. I had high hopes for it even bought it early. But im not into getting that pushed on me.
I remember telling my sister as a then depressed teenager how much the characters from the Mass Effect story meant to me, almost like family and feeling guilty from her shocked reaction.
Now looking back to that moment, and after watching your video, I'm finding new empathy for that statement and realizing that this story had, like you said, become a part of me and simply marked me deeply as a young person trying to make sense of the world. Thank you for an insightful look into this legendary world of sci fi and fantasy BioWare gave us.
Lets hope for good things in Veilguard !
Am I the only weirdo who liked gameplay of DAO? It felt grounded, real.
I liked the gameplay of both DAO and DA2. The original is more thoughtful and traditional, with far more depth.
I liked it. I would set my tactics and let the battles unfold for the most part. I liked that the characters' performance didn't depend on my ability to mash buttons. It was a bit KOTOR-like.
I was really nervous about clicking this video bc of all the hate for a game I am so excited to finally have within reach. But hearing you talk with such passion about these games that also majorly shaped, and in many ways, saved my childhood, it made my tear up. It’s fine 😭
I want the best for Bioware bc I’ve seen what it looks like when they succeed it and it’s a story people to this day still talk about with such love and fondness. I will always want more of those stories.
My introduction into BioWare was from the Mass Effect trilogy that a friend of mine told me about during high school which after graduating I gave it a shot and loved it. From that I met people online who told me about Dragon Age. From then on I followed the rabbit hole and fell in love with Morrigan, and the rest of the party in Origins, followed by Varric and the crew in DA2 and finding my way in Inquisition. After a while I even bought the novels to deepen my experience. No other game franchise has ever brought me to that level of enjoyment that Dragon Age.
BG3 really embodies Origins though not a dark and gritty but the love and passion was there. Every party member has their own unique wants and desires similar way to Morrigan, Liliana, Alistar, Sten, Wynn, and Zeveran back in Origins. I wish games nowadays have that same passion and care that Larian and old BioWare have/had for their games. I hope against hope that Veilguard has at least the passion of its predecessors.
"Storytelling is apart of the human soul" bravo, this point you made was such a beautifully put insight into how we are. And I can pnly agree with you on it, we are storytellers by design, our experiences will become the stories we craft to share with others, or remember as a part of our own personal tale.
I laughed hard about morrigans entry line.
I got goosebumps hearing Leliana sing the first time.
I fell in love with Alistair and started to hate him vicously after he abandoned my female elf after the ending.
I couldn't get very comfortable with Hawke, but I liked Fenris and merryl hard.
I fell in love with naughty solas and joked with serah.
Origins and Inquisition are still my all time favorite RPGs. I would have loved to see the story around solas continuing. After the massive layoffs and weird decisions (DA as a service game??🤯) I had few hopes that the new game would be the one I dreamed of after the ending credits of Inquisition. After the two Trailers we got to watch the last days im convinced that there will be no new epic storys waiting for me. Although i expected this, I'm still very sad.
Thanks for the great video, I couldn't agree more.
First video of yours I've watched. You understand storytelling while also having an earnestness and vulnerability that makes you stand out.
Keep working on your craft, keep pushing. You'll get there. You got this.
Thanks for the surprise video. Origins was the game that got me through early life. The story was enthralling from the literal origin of your story to the dilemma of the golems. I truly enjoyed the ups and downs of Origins, even if it took two tries for me to beat.
I hate to say this; but gaming, movies, and most popular music are all dumbed down and basically remakes. Creativity has been killed by various shareholders who only care about what is supposedly popular. In all mediums, if you desire creativity, you must look to more independent sources. The corporations hate you and only want your money.
Mages were so fun and amazing in origins but they've been watered down so much over the rest of the series.
Exactly! And from that they have revealed, they are still watered down. The mage specialisations for this DA will be "combat mage", "elemental mage" and necromancer. So no blood mage again and we can only hope necromancer actually mean something this time and it is not a DAI type necromancer...
I miss the option of being a mage with a sword in plate armor.
@@kazsixteen7359 Best tank ever)
It's important to remember that while Bioware the company still exists, Bioware the team that made mass effect and dragon age origins doesn't anymore, those people that made those games great have gone their separate ways and are doing their own things now.
A game company is only as good as the people that make up the team and unfortunately EA's business practices tend to drive the creative talent out of a company eventually
Thanks for the great memories you created with your narrative. A rare gem! I've liked, subbed, commented and also shared to a very particular react personality, that i'm sure you can appreciate. RISE creator! RISE from the sullied ashes and Shine! ( I had a moment there, forgive me.)
Bravo. We needed this. the gaming community, the dev community, and yes, even the publisher's tiny little boardroom communities as well, after all, we're inclusive. Everyone needs to hear this, because story telling is the heart of it all and your story, needs to be heard.
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
I don't think dragon age is anywhere in a bad spot; there's still tons of life and story involved, I've yet to play 1-2 but inquisition is what got me straight into the series. I'm excited for veilguard. so long as the story holds up better than the gameplay then I'm sold through and through
Hey it’s me Craig Boone just saying, very good work on the Video you made about me earlier, also I decided to go back to the dino in Novac but I want to know, was shooting my wife a good choice?
I knew dragon age was goated when years after playing origins and skipping 2, inquisition asked me if I wanted to keep my world state and I audibly went “WAIT WE CAN DO THAT?”
Mass Effect is my favorite game series of all time, but nothing touches DAO for my favorite game of all time.
Also, Jade Empire will always hold a special place in my heart for being what pulled me into the old BioWare world.
Always nice to encounter another fan of Jade Empire. I was just thinking about that game yesterday.
As someone who adored old Bioware and annoyed his school friends to death with talk about the first Dragon Age this is probably the most relatable video I have seen in a long time (and I spend way too much time on youtube)
Also, that Vigil Theme brought me back. I love that piece to death.
I was in my early 20’s when I played dragon age origins. The story was so mature and real.
I wish BioWare could get back to that but I know in my heart it will never return 😢
Man. I have been saying the things you say about stories my entire life. You have no idea how refreshing it is to hear someone else voice the same thoughts. Stories Are Magick. Through them we know the world. Through them we know ourselves. I'm happy that at least some others see that too
I felt a similar way about Phantasy Star IV.
It helped me develop the foundation of what eventually became my fictional world.
IMHO, the "soul" you're referring to is Joseph Campbell's description of the "Hero's Journey"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey
He describes it as a "universal" template for a story that has existed in just about every culture in the history of humanity.
I can recall his interview with Bill Moyers back in the day ( ua-cam.com/play/PLiYnNom7SVRMjsi2WSpIGBlo1UDhlXyvz.html ) where he broke down the first Star Wars movie as being the quintessential "Hero's Journey" story, and that's why it had such universal appeal.
I first played Mass effect in grade 9 and it consumed me. In grade 12 I wrote an essay arguing that Mass Effect is the piece of Media that best comments on the human experience.
Lucky. I was in my 20s when Mass Effect came out. Game I played till my eyes bled when I was 11 was Star Wars TIE Fighter.
Same
When Dragon Age 2 failed to meet my expectations, I kept replaying Origins until The Witcher 2 came out. I remember trelling my mates in College that The Witcher 2 "was like Dragon Age on roids" and it did what Origins did but better!
I can't get into BG3, I've tried and tried but i just cannot enjoy the combat. However I respect the Devs a lot, and like you said there really aren't many AAA Devs that are dedicated to a deep, full experience. From Software are the only Devs I can think of that are giving us beautifully crafted experiences consistently.
The only hope I have for Veilguard is that EA has actually tasted a bit of genuine praise for allowing Jedi Survivor and Dead Space to be really great games without their interference. Im hoping that dopamine hit is something they're craving now and will just let Veilguard be a good game.
Great video, you actually give me goosebumps!
This game appeals to the audience that began with dragon age inquisition, which was also produced by EA and recieved poorly by dragon age origin fans.
I have a lot of hope for this game. Something tells me it’s going to be one of the greatest installments. Ik it sounds insane and I don’t necessarily ever get hyped about anything bc I’m too skeptical, but nevertheless. I possess a positive outlook on this one. Check back in a few months.
Spot on with your perspective on storytelling, and that just earned you a sub.
In an interview that people most likely don't know of or watched it, Steve Jobs said something very important. He said that at one point its not the creator that's in charge anymore, but the shareholders and market managers; people that don't understand the human element of a product that made it successful. Love or hate Steve Jobs, I think he hit the nail on the head.
Developers worldwide HATE Larian for making a game with love for gamers like game companies used to a few decades ago.
Not convinced? Just look at the reaction from lead Devs that were complaining: "Larian raised the bar too high and ruined gamers' expectations".
Origins was a journey and an unforgettable experience, a game truly made with love.
DA2 was a rushed job that was sent to die but at least BioWare tried and you can see traces of their efforts.
Inquisition pulled the franchise out of the grave. Dreadwolf/Veilguard might stuff it back in the grave if it flops.
I tried Dragon Age: Inquisition though i didnt quite like the gameplay but the story interested me. Also the bard songs, love the bard songs. Going back to try Dragon Age again which one should i start with?
Edit : I am trying to scratch that baldurs gate itch 😅
Definitely recommend origins. It’s a bit dated but it really has so much heart and immersion.
If you want that BG3 experience, your best bet is Origins. As the start of the trilogy, it's also a good narrative jumping-on point.
Origin has the best plot and characters plus, some of the decisions you make there will impact future games. And many concepts are well explained there. Game play is rather dated, but there is a cool magic mechanics when combining spells change their effect. DA Origins with Mage start is probably the best place to enter.
Start with Origins, skips DA2, replay Inquisition. And hopefully, this is better than DA2, because this game looks like it.
@@KirelRed I usually play origins, then 2, and skip inquisition lol
I actually enjoyed all 3 Dragon Age games. 2 was a bit of a misstep away from the strategy focused gameplay but DA:I brought it back and then some. The story for all 3 games was great, especially DA:2. Everyone is so quick to "worry" about Veilguard for the clicks.
BRAVA!! I just subscribed. Marvelously well done video. Couldn't have put it better myself.
It is so cool to hear your story and opinion, it looks like you are talking about me, same age and all, and how these two series impacted my childhood too. I cannot believe we are still talking about DA:O and ME after 15 years, we are getting old lol.
Fantastic video. I agree about not judging a game until i've played it. A lot of steps I've seen in the dragon age series have washed away what drew me into DAO. The absolute despair of it. All of the origins lose everything, the mages lose their friends and saftey, city elves lose their glint of hopeful future, human noble lose their family, dwarven noble lose their honor... Their lvies are ruined and are given a suicide mission as their single purpose in life. It is made abundantly clear, nothing remains. The war begins with just the warden and Alistar. They must succeed, but everything is horrible. Ancient ccurses are ruining lives in the bracilian forest, the dwarven race stands on the brink of extinction and a crazy paragon might have the way to restore them to strength, the quanari are strange and terrible tyrants, the human nobles are corrupt, the gods are silent. And the darkspawn are nothing but pure horror material. A true blight.
That feeling is captured somewhat in DA2. But the blood mage card was played too much and became annoying. Especially the penultimate fight. At that point it wasn't dramatic. It was infuriating. It did feel like it came from desperation, it felt forced. The mysticism of the world remained, but too much got beautyified and enemies stopped being singular threats. DAO became difficult when against 3 to 1 odds. That was every fight in DA2. It cheapened lives and tension.
DAI removed almost all sense of desperation. Who your charater was before is thrown out. Hardly mentioned and barely relevant. The darkness of the world is again lessened. The despair, the doom and the sense of absolute shit. When the inquisitor saves a place they're not making it better. They are defending the status quo. It tells me the inquisition is pwoerful and deciding who becomes divine is perhaps the greatest part of that and that is basically timeskipped. Everything else is just left the same as before. The mysticism of magic is lessened when mages are not under threat of becoming abominations if their discipline slips, for example. The quanari, the nation that sees their people as a resource and literally just named as their job, as a tool would be named have such freedoms as the Iron Bull describes.
LIke. I see why all these changes were done. More inclusivity is great. But some stories are lessened if certain topics are ignored. DAI's greatest sin is the choice of giving the player too much freedoms. Shepherd, Hawke and the Warden's stories are great because their stories are clear. They begin and belong to the world. The inquisitor appears and have an army after an hour. And army they never lose, even when they lose Haven the army is just restored an Skyhold is immediatly claimed with no buildup or tension. I never felt weakened, challenged or worried.
The Veilguard trailer showcases all the things I feel the series lost. The mournful sorrow. The darkness of the world that make the chantry and Leliana's faith such beautiful stories. The gloom that makes the light of hope so bright.
So I don't want to judge the game. But... It's hard. it's really hard.
people keep bringing up 'inclusivity' but...thats bullshit? the series does not get more inclusive as it goes on? none of that has anything to do with inclusivity, that word doesn't mean 'less dark, gritty, or realistic'. otherwise, you are completely correct, they removed the heart of dragon age and it is palpable to anyone who actually gives a damn. it turned into fucking marvel, and that is so far from a compliment.
"Who your character was before is thrown out." Or not even added, just some notes.
The inquisitor was a shallow creation, not much of a main. No real story arch. Just there to support the support chars. The writers seem more interested in their own character creations than in the story's protag. Same can be seen in DA4's trailer. A lot of focus on all side chars, the main on the other hand is some random shadow. You don't get a feel of your part in the story, and gameplay vid didn't change that. How do you connect with an empty character that has no real roots in the story? I think this is the reason why people still hold on to "their" warden, while the inquisitor is just the inquisitor. Even Hawke felt.. less like the player's char. But Hawke at least felt like a standalone character, while the inquisitor is whatever the inquisiton and all the support chars need it to be. A puppet. And now they are looking for a new puppet for DA4. As the player, I want to feel like I'm in charge. Maybe this is the reason why the inquisitor is the one who picks flowers? Fitting quest for a puppet leader heh
@@comyuse9103 There were no trans characters in DAO or DA2. In DAI there were at least 1 included. So that's what I mean with inclusivity. What I mean by making it less oppressive is in relation to the quanari that were very opressive in their representation of DAO and DA2. Sten was very clear on incredibly stiff gender roles. And all roles being incredibly stiff. I am all for having cultures being tolerant and accepting of trans rights, Antivans, Orlais and especially Tevinter I could easily see as accepting of trans rights. But that was given to the Quanri that is the culture that made facism central.
But Tevinter could easily have been made to allow for HBTQ+ pairings able to concieve children using blood magic or the same to allow for full transitions. And that being used to showcase some more shades of grey into the setting. But instead, of all the nations, Tevinter is shown to be the most homophobic with their pure bloodlines. It feels backwards.
@@eme117 Totally agree, your warden is allowed to be yours, it's given opportunities to shape their relations with the party who go through their own developments.
Hawke was less yours to create, more of your background was pre-filled. Thus you were playing as Hawke, not your warden anymore and the developments of your party of the world around you felt like it needed more time and probably a rewrite to make the developments and world they live in make more sense.
But being a puppet...maybe that's why I never finished DAI, or could it be the live service components?
I don't know what's worse, being a puppet without development or being called 'general' and doing ALL the grunt work (fallout 4's minutemen)
@comyuse9103 I think inclusivity is also being used for meaning dumbing down. DAO had more depth to the combat, combo skills and difficulty beyond bulletspongy-ness.
Ali Hillis, the voice actor who played Liara in Mass Effect, voices Lace Harding. That's enough for me. I went to school with her at East Carolina University.
I couldn't get into BG3. I'm not a fan of isometric RPGs.You could play Origins from the top-down view of an isometrics RPG, but you could also play it from an over-the-shoulder perspective. All the same, it's worth acknowledging that BG1 and BG2 were made by BioWare, and Dragon Age Origins was meant as a successor to the Baulder's Gate franchise. So, of course, there were similarities.
I'm one of 'those people', I guess. DA2 is my favorite, even though I have hundreds of hours more in Origins. My only complaint is that they reused maps and scene elements. That was an issue of time crunch from EA. All the same, it's my favorite story in the DA franchise.
I love DA2 way more then DAO because DA2 is a personal story, not an another boring epic "we are saving the world" story. Oh, and also fighting in DAO is at the same time very boring and very difficult for a pretty average story. I hope we will get something like DA2 in The Veilguard - more found family and ability to play for a plot, not to try and survive boredom. I just want to have fun like I had in DA2 and BG3
Really enjoyed that take about storytelling and characters. The challenge does seem to be summed up in that feeling first playing Mass Effect. Every person you met, you did not feel like you already knew them or met them before. This is in common with many of my favorite characters throughout my gaming history.
In modern games, however, it seems like the desire to represent people takes away the magic of actually encountering someone new. A lot of the game characters feel like if some influencer or celebrity got isekai'd to a timeline rather than people that actually would be a part of that culture.
Additionally, because everyone is so sassy and irreverent it removes the weight of the most impactful parts of their society. It tends to feel more like teenagers in a museum than people to whom the setting, beliefs, and artifacts actually have meaning. Like those teenagers, the irreverence is good for cheap laughs, but does nothing to immerse you in the culture the story is trying to create. Just the opposite.
Awwww..... Dragon Age Oringins was so good....
Everything about it was good.
And the music................................................. :) :)
One of the best reactions I have seen on DA yet. It is, it always was, and it always will be about storytelling and us, players, being there, in the story. Being the story. Because in the end, all of us are stories.
DA2 is so far my absolute favorite game in the series. Aside from its incredible cast, its the story that always stuck with me.
It isnt often you play a game where you withess one of your friends commit a terroristic act, and have you sympathize with them enough to completely forgive the act. And while I do understand the issues people have with 2, Hawke's story, to me, feels like the most grounded story.
As much as the community WRONGLY hates Anders for what he did, I will never not love that game.
As for Veilguard, I think its gonna be a good game, it at least doesn't seem to be a singleplayer MMO like Inquisition.
To be honest, comparing DAO with DAV, it's really hard not to worry about DAV.
TL;DR: Follow developers, not studios or brands. David Gaider is a god-tier writer; BioWare is just an office building.
I have very low expectations for The Veilguard. It's been pretty clear since EA acquired BioWare in 2010, the quality of games has been slowly declining due to key talent leaving because they didn't want to keep chasing EA's most recent get-rich-quick scheme. All that's left at BioWare are largely new faces that don't have a good guiding force in the company. That's why Andromeda was so badly written.
If, somehow, Veilguard turns out to be a masterpiece, I'll happily eat crow, but I'm cautioning many of the long-time BioWare fans like myself to not be as optimistic like we usually are. That's why Andromeda burned me so badly... I had some severe cognitive dissonance trying to reconcile that Andromeda is the type of game BioWare makes now.
I feel the quality of the DA games is in the order of their releases.
Origins is the best, 2 is a flawed rushed story with potential, inquisition has great moments but way much bloat and feels like a single player mmo and Veilguard looks completely tonaly seperated from the roots the game came from.
See I found Inquisition to be lesser than 2, I missed the Dark Fantasy elements that were removed, Blood Magic was gone, the skill system relying on Strength, Dexterity, Magic, Cunning, Constitution, the economy system was dumbed down, the magic lore was ignored with the 4 schools completely disappearing, replaced by just Elemental magic. Some characters were completely different from when we last see them, Fiona being a big example, from someone who told the Divine to shove it in Asunder to crawling on all fours for a Tevinter Magister and selling her own people into Slavery. Inquisition took the World of Dragon Age from Dark Fantasy to High Fantasy.
Baldur's Gate 3 also brought back feelings I hadn't felt since I first played Mass Effect and Dragon Age Origins. I forgot how much I missed it and it's been 6 months and I still havent stopped playing bg3 lolol
I'm so mixed about this game. Inquisition is my favorite in the series, so far. I started my second playthrough two days ago so I can prepare for Veilguard. Inquisition is still a masterpiece today, even with its age and flaws.
That being said, I really hope they don't stray to far from the Dragon Age formula. I'm all for updated gameplay and different mechanics, as long as they don't sacrifice storytelling for the flashy new graphics.
Based on the Gamplay trailer- which is not much-
The start of the game is beet per beet the same as inquisitions. the game play looks just like the intro demo 2014. or basically the first 10 minutes of the game after char creation in inquisitions.
likly we will wake up in the intro ingame cinimatics on the events leadsind up to where we are now we just got recurited in to the inqisistion then go stop the ritual of solas- to be a 1 to 1 of stopping th Breach over the Tempel of Andraste/Mythal
Start game, fight 20 or so enemies. Then fight a pride demon. known as the most powerful types of demons.
There was only one or two of those things in Origins and they were legitimate boss fights.
was not expecting such a well done speech at the end but I loved it. just subscribed!
People I am afraid this game is going to look like a mobile game....and the clue is look at the tactical mode screenshot DA channel posted on their community section. LOOK at that daemon, it has a goofy, "ghostbuster" smile.
Look at the skeleton accompanying the necromancer, look at the necromancer, the art is absolutely awful choice.
How could you bioware? HOW?
tevinter is supposed to be the most grim country of the continent, and look at the tevinter soldiers...they helmet is triangular.
Tevinter is WHERE blood magic is invented....AND you cant use BLOOD MAGIC. WTF?!
It seems the core part of this game will be the DRAMA between companions and not much dealing with the elven god. In that case they should have called in Dragon Age: Housewives.
Also the gameplay will be repetitive af. You will be tired or seeing the same attack animations over and over again, because there isnt that much variety....ohh and it gets better, wait...there will be two skill slots....they missed out the part where action rpgs very focus on melee focus with different stance/weapons. They didnt do that instead they removed the tactical top view mode and replaced it with manual Dodge....awesome remedy bioware.
I am not a pessimist but with what they shown...I think this game will be a massive disappointment.
And your born there even had Dorian saying "that you could trip and accidentally use blood magic" as its common
I spat when in Dragon Age Inquisition Bioware has limited skill slots to eight to please console gamers. And look at this now...
I just felt you were describing my childhood but instead of coming back from school, I was in a uni ❤ both games mean so much more to me than just a game
Crazy how Dragon Age 2 is nothing like DAO. :( :(
The dev lead on every DA game, which is why each one feels so different from the last
Still pretty good for an unfinished product made in barely a year.
excellently articulated. love your wording, wordslinger!
I was all in on BG3 as soon as I heard Alistair's voice coming out of Gale's mouth
greedy Larian Studio tricked you, they are even worse than EA
@@5ufowhat did you smoke bro? It's literally the least greedy company 😂
@@BambusRambus
😂 because they hire bots to promote their low effort pseudo-rpgs?
@@5ufo What does "rpg" mean to you. psuedo-rpgs? Many of their modern games play like immersive sim but that "Crpg" aspect is what makes it great
@@rae4487 crpg aspect is when you have real choices that affect story and many things in the game world. But for greedy companies is better to make content for single story line, so you experience everything they've made in single playthrough. and make fake choices that only change few dialogue lines.
Just discovered this channel via this video. Your experience with Mass Effect and DAO are similar to mine own. I agree wholeheartedly with your opinions, fears, and hopeful optimism. Looking forward to more.
The trailer is bad. The gameplay looks fun. We shouldn't expect another Origins, we should expect another Inquisition, and that's fine
Kudos to you for your great explanation of your love towards ME series. In the first ten minutes of the video I thought "OMG did I prepared this video?" You described me and my love for Mass Effect and FemShep! I hope both ME and DA gets the sequels they deserve. "I'm Commander Shepherd and this is my favorite store in the Citadel!"
Dragon Age 4 looks horrible. As if the people from Pixar tried to made an funny RPG that isnt funny.