What are you playing? [SPOILER TAGS PLEASE]

[Hemingway]

What!?

Sebastian spoilers.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Sebastian threatens me, and I don't even get to kill the pretentious bastard? Come on!

Edit: Know what I hate about these games? There's never enough profanity, not enough death threats and suchlike. I want more gruesome threats, taunts, rubbing it in peoples' faces when they think they can kill me and fail, that sort of thing!

[Inkidu]

What!?

Sebastian spoilers.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Sebastian threatens me, and I don't even get to kill the pretentious bastard? Come on!

Edit: Know what I hate about these games? There's never enough profanity, not enough death threats and suchlike. I want more gruesome threats, taunts, rubbing it in peoples' faces when they think they can kill me and fail, that sort of thing!

Yeah, I can see that actually. Good point.

[Wolfy]

Man, I looked at the 3DS. I could get my Xbox if I had that kind of money.

Already have an Xbox. :P One of the older, Bulkier models (Though after they mostly phased out the red ring problem)

So..3DS it is. :p

[Hemingway]

See!

Also, that's not an ending! That is not an ending! I still have a list of things I want to do!

I did manage most of the game on Hard, though, I'm quite proud of that. Everything but two fights.

[Wolfy]

That is an ending if you want a Trilogy. :P Which seems the way they are going.

[Hemingway]

Trilogies are overrated.

Anyway. I don't even know where to start. DA:O? Another DA2 playthrough? RP? I DON'T KNOW HELP ME OUT.

[Inkidu]

See!

Also, that's not an ending! That is not an ending! I still have a list of things I want to do!

I did manage most of the game on Hard, though, I'm quite proud of that. Everything but two fights.

That is too an ending. It is the perfect ending to the story they were telling.

Remember this is not the story of Hawke. This is the Story of Hawke's rise to power. It is a telling of events that cataclysmically changed the face of Thedas. I couldn't ask for a better ending. Remember, this is the story of the Dragon Age. See what I did there?

[Hemingway]

That is too an ending. It is the perfect ending to the story they were telling.

Remember this is not the story of Hawke. This is the Story of Hawke's rise to power. It is a telling of events that cataclysmically changed the face of Thedas. I couldn't ask for a better ending. Remember, this is the story of the Dragon Age. See what I did there?

Yeah, I'm just fucking around because I want more.

I do have an aversion to that sort of storytelling, where you have a narrator and you know that at the end of that narration something significant is going to be revealed. But I can think of ways worse examples than this. Varric didn't really reveal a lot, or hint that there was some sort of tragedy looming just over the horizon, or anything like that.

Anyway. I believe there's some Mass Effect 2 DLC coming up. Oh boy.

[Inkidu]

Yeah, I'm just fucking around because I want more.

I do have an aversion to that sort of storytelling, where you have a narrator and you know that at the end of that narration something significant is going to be revealed. But I can think of ways worse examples than this. Varric didn't really reveal a lot, or hint that there was some sort of tragedy looming just over the horizon, or anything like that.

Anyway. I believe there's some Mass Effect 2 DLC coming up. Oh boy.

Well the kicker is that everyone there new about the event as it were. Neat huh?

Another DLC :(
Why can't they just bundle it on a disk. I would really like to play them.

[Hemingway]

Well the kicker is that everyone there new about the event as it were. Neat huh?

Another DLC :(
Why can't they just bundle it on a disk. I would really like to play them.

I hope they hurry up with DA3. Or story-expanding DLC. I do hope they tone down the action somewhat, make it more like Origins. I mean, the shorter fights and more responsive actions, I like that. I don't like the moves that border on anime-style defiance of natural laws, though. If I had to choose between the system from Origins or this, I'd still go with Origins.

I also felt interaction with party members was a bit lacking. There's probably more actual conversation and such than in DA:O, but being unable to start conversations when you like and all that, it makes it feel like there's less. What they need to do in DA3, is have that same system, but more of it.

Ahh, but I enjoyed the hell out of the game. I've played it for 46 hours. That's nearly 10 times longer than it takes to finish some games nowadays. I mean, even if you disregard the many hours I had to re-play, the game is still four, five, maybe even six times the length of most games these days. I could go on and on about this, but ... well, I'm sure everyone here agrees with me about all the good things, so.

[Wolfy]

Don't forget, Hemingway, that they could pull an Awakening with Dragon Age 2. :P

[Inkidu]

I hope they hurry up with DA3. Or story-expanding DLC. I do hope they tone down the action somewhat, make it more like Origins. I mean, the shorter fights and more responsive actions, I like that. I don't like the moves that border on anime-style defiance of natural laws, though. If I had to choose between the system from Origins or this, I'd still go with Origins.

I also felt interaction with party members was a bit lacking. There's probably more actual conversation and such than in DA:O, but being unable to start conversations when you like and all that, it makes it feel like there's less. What they need to do in DA3, is have that same system, but more of it.

Ahh, but I enjoyed the hell out of the game. I've played it for 46 hours. That's nearly 10 times longer than it takes to finish some games nowadays. I mean, even if you disregard the many hours I had to re-play, the game is still four, five, maybe even six times the length of most games these days. I could go on and on about this, but ... well, I'm sure everyone here agrees with me about all the good things, so.

I can see dialing down the gore but don't you know you can turn auto attack on in the options. You're not forced to hit the button every time.

Still, I like the fact that mages are able to blow apart people, but I agree that the warrior and the rogue should get different kills. Like throat slits and decapitations. I think Varric's crossbow should have pinned bodies to the wall, but that's a little too hopeful.

[Hemingway]

I can see dialing down the gore but don't you know you can turn auto attack on in the options. You're not forced to hit the button every time.

Gore, yeah. I didn't like the way people literally exploded into dozens of bits after being charged by a warrior.

I also play it with auto-attack on, but ... actually, I have trouble with that. It might be a bug, but it seems Hawke refuses to follow enemies if they get knocked back. Which sucks, considering nearly every attack seems to do just that. You end up having to click a lot regardless.

Still, I like the fact that mages are able to blow apart people, but I agree that the warrior and the rogue should get different kills. Like throat slits and decapitations. I think Varric's crossbow should have pinned bodies to the wall, but that's a little too hopeful.

I'd basically like to see the attacks themselves get more realistic, more authentic. Get rid of the over-the-top charges and backflips and that silly stuff. I do like the new moves for mages, though, even if they suffer from some of the same things.

I do agree with the animations, though. Didn't Origins have a lot of that, little animations where you cut throats and bashed people to the ground and that sort of thing? It does sort of slow things down, but they should at least have kept the unique animations for killing ogres and suchlike.

[Inkidu]

Yeah, but if you didn't have all the rolling, backflipping, twirling stuff you're back at Origins which made battles a pain to watch. If it were more action RPG than tactical I could see some really cool realistic moves and stuff, but as it is I think they need to dial it back down to halfway.

If you want realistic combat, Hemingway, wait for the Wticher 2. I read something where Geralt actually plants his foot to turn when engaging another foe. It's supposed to have realistically choreographed sword motions and everything. 

[Hemingway]

Yeah, but if you didn't have all the rolling, backflipping, twirling stuff you're back at Origins which made battles a pain to watch. If it were more action RPG than tactical I could see some really cool realistic moves and stuff, but as it is I think they need to dial it back down to halfway.

I think realistic can be exciting as well. We agree it should be toned down at least.

If you want realistic combat, Hemingway, wait for the Wticher 2. I read something where Geralt actually plants his foot to turn when engaging another foe. It's supposed to have realistically choreographed sword motions and everything.

I am waiting for the Witcher 2, like you have no idea! The first game was amazing! What more can I say? *Bounces.*

[Inkidu]

Yeah but now they did away with that timing-based really passive (if fun to watch) combat. Potions, bombs, and spells are meant to be weaved into the flow of combat. I don't like that Geralt picked up stripes in the fashion department though. :(

[Hemingway]

I thought the combat system was better than a lot of games ( Diablo, for instance ), though I see your point. Potions and such made it fun, so if they're improving on that, excellent.

What I really loved about the first game was the atmosphere and the sheer originality of the setting. The atmosphere ( especially in the first part of the game, in the village with the Barghest ), was just chilling. Amazing. With probably the best/most appropriate music since the Tristram theme from Diablo 1. And the setting was so refreshing. Dark fantasy inspired by Central Europe, rather than the typical Western European high fantasy stuff, you just ... can't go wrong with it!

[Inkidu]

It's more of a heavy light thing I think though maybe it's a fast, strong thing technically speaking. I can see them just lumping group in there because it was really just too much sometimes. I'm sure he'll still have his two swords.

I loved that money was not easy to come by. Do you know how much dice poker I had to play to get the first armor upgrade? I also liked the drab setting.

Most of all though I loved mutants in a fantasy game. Witchers. The best original idea in fantasy since... since... I don't know there are actually a lot but I can't pull one to mind. No magic, just mutating compounds. Plus nearly poisoning yourself to death to win a fight.

[Hemingway]

Well, the two swords are an essential part of the witcher's gear.

I still don't know why they had all the other weapons ( axes and such ) in the first game, as I can't recall a single time I actually used them.

Anyway. Yes. These are the reasons The Witcher 2 is ( or was ) my ... 5th most anticipated game this year. Well. 5th might sound low, but even Geralt can't compete with Mass Effect 3 ( which will probably be the best game ever, period ), Skyrim ( The Elder Scrolls was my childhood ), Deus Ex ( because it looks to be mind-blowing ) or Dragon Age 2 ( well ... it is BioWare, and it did have Isabela ).

[Inkidu]

Well, the two swords are an essential part of the witcher's gear.

I still don't know why they had all the other weapons ( axes and such ) in the first game, as I can't recall a single time I actually used them.

Anyway. Yes. These are the reasons The Witcher 2 is ( or was ) my ... 5th most anticipated game this year. Well. 5th might sound low, but even Geralt can't compete with Mass Effect 3 ( which will probably be the best game ever, period ), Skyrim ( The Elder Scrolls was my childhood ), Deus Ex ( because it looks to be mind-blowing ) or Dragon Age 2 ( well ... it is BioWare, and it did have Isabela ).

I don't anticipate in years. I anticipate in quarters. When September rolls around I'll be horning after ME3 and Skyrim.

Now I'm looking forward to... not a lot. Spring is kind of done, and I can't really buy games right now.  Summer though. LA Noir, Human Revolution (though I'm ticked it got shoved back 4 months for a really minor thing), some other game I can't think of.

[Hemingway]

I'm going to consider Crysis 2, but ... I'm not sold yet. I have an aversion to the setting, so it'll have to be more than decent to make me buy it.

Other than that, there's not a lot of good games coming until May. May has ... four, though, according to the list I go by. The Witcher, L.A. Noire, Brink and F.3.A.R.

The Witcher we've already discussed. L.A. Noire seems like a really interesting concept, and I'm finding out more and more how much I like the 50s as a setting. Brink seems like it's going to be an actually entertaining multiplayer shooter, and FEAR ... well, the original was amazing, the second was entertaining, and the third can go both way, so we'll see.

[Inkidu]

Yeah, I'll see my financial situation for May. I want F.3.A.R. too. I loved both games. They have the physical presence in a FPS that I clamor for. You know sliding, knocking over cover. Being able to see your feet.

Oh, and L.A. Noir is technically the 40s, height of LAPDs corruption. Looks like fun. Plus, a lot of the cases are pulled from unsolved or famous real-world L.A. cases. They've been reworked to have endings and the like. I'm not really looking forward to Duke Nukeum Forever. Maybe I just missed that slice of gaming history. 

[Hemingway]

Financial situation ... yes, I may be in one of those, too.

Eh, I'll refrain from eating, and that'll fix that.

40s, 50s, it's all the same to me. Or, well, it's not all the same, but similar enough in my head that I'd place them in the same category! I'm personally excited about how it ... well, I don't know a lot about it, but it does seem to have more going for it than, well, shooting people. Which is something we need. I just hope it doesn't have the same flaws that killed Red Dead Redemption for me. Namely an almost complete lack of recurring characters I actually cared about ( most seemed to disappear after a few missions, rather than move in and out of the story as in GTA ).

Hmm. Sliding, knocking things over, all that ... sounds like Bulletstorm!

But! My main concern for F.3.A.R. is that it won't have the same scare factor. It does have co-op, and I just don't see how they're going to be able to keep it as scary when you're not on your own.

[Geeklet]

Still playing DA2....  And having Isabella in the party is a riot sometimes, especially when:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Aveline tries to court Donnic. Once Isabella realizes whats going on, the ensuing arguement is pure hilarity.

[Wolfy]

Financial situation ... yes, I may be in one of those, too.

Eh, I'll refrain from eating, and that'll fix that.

40s, 50s, it's all the same to me. Or, well, it's not all the same, but similar enough in my head that I'd place them in the same category! I'm personally excited about how it ... well, I don't know a lot about it, but it does seem to have more going for it than, well, shooting people. Which is something we need. I just hope it doesn't have the same flaws that killed Red Dead Redemption for me. Namely an almost complete lack of recurring characters I actually cared about ( most seemed to disappear after a few missions, rather than move in and out of the story as in GTA ).

Hmm. Sliding, knocking things over, all that ... sounds like Bulletstorm!

But! My main concern for F.3.A.R. is that it won't have the same scare factor. It does have co-op, and I just don't see how they're going to be able to keep it as scary when you're not on your own.

Online Co-Op?

Because I could easily see myself, if I were them, including segments where your partner is gone (You two have to split up for some task) and then when you re-unite, you each look like monsters to the other one, ensuing a battle to the death until one of you either kills the other, or a timer runs out. :p

Mix in enemies that look exactly as your partner does (So you can't just pick him out from a crowd) and you've got a pretty tense situation.

At least, I think that would be pretty cool... Then again, what if your greatest enemy, along with Alma, is your own Co-Op partner, eh? Maybe they have different goals than you, and are just working together for a common end...until you become useless, then they can decide to kill you off..or try to, anyway. :P Or Alma plays tricks with you and tries to get you to kill each other.