This comment was deleted on Oct 31, 2024, 08:16. Reason: Cleanup

Beamer, did you forget to shower again?

Play ignorant if you want to, that's fine, but that 1:59 seconds (I'm sure there is more) example of propaganda in a video game is just gross, I hope this game bombs hard.

Have a good day.

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This comment was deleted on Oct 31, 2024, 08:16. Reason: Cleanup

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OhLordNick wrote on Oct 30, 2024, 19:20:
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That woman and account really is

This comment was edited on Oct 31, 2024, 08:15.

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This comment was deleted on Oct 31, 2024, 08:15. Reason: Intolerance (rule 2)

One good thing about the mixed reviews is that it's forcing people to actually investigate the game for themselves instead of FOMO dictating their opinion as is so popular these days. I never played any of the old games though they sound like the type of game I'd like maybe. Seeing the preview trailer for this one told me I would not be interested in it just from a game play perspective.

I don't have a full review of course but the complete dichotomy of opinions from two of my favorite reviewers made me really curious. I watched a playthrough for about 12 hours, and I watched different instances of dialogue and combat. I did not and will not watch reviews with "woke" or "DEI" in the title, and if those terms get used any time throughout the review, the video gets instantly turned off. I have no time for intellectual laziness; if you can't be bothered to put your issues in your own words but instead just regurgitate buzzwords, I am not watching you or listening to you.

My impressions are: The facial animations are terrible. This is probably the most forgiveable complaint, but previous Bioware games (from as much as decades ago) look better than these. They are FAR more expressive of mood and temperament in 'Origins' and 'DA2'. In this game regardless of the mood of the one speaking, the character looks like they could be half-heartedly discussing what the wife did while making the chicken last night over the work water cooler. Secondly, and more seriously, the art style is reminiscent of a Disney movie for young children. It's a drastic contrast - comparing 'Veilguard' to 'Origins' is like comparing "No Country for Old Men" or "There Will Be Blood" to "Frozen". And the absolute worst, that I simply cannot forgive, is that extends to the script and dialogue. Continuing with the movie analogy, comparing the dialogue and script of this game to a tense, smartly written game like "Origins" is like a comparing a production by Francis Ford Coppola or Martin Scorcese to Zach Snyder. It is AWFUL.

If this was in an original IP, no harm no foul. But in the Dragon Age universe? This is unforgivable in my book and I immediately scratched this off my "to buy" list. I'm not weighing in on your stupid culture war; I am giving my opinion based on the indication of the game taken from watching 12 hours of the game compared to how much I loved 'Origins'. I'll be the first to admit that a lot of context is missing that could possibly soften my opinion, so I might pick it up waaay down the line, but there's just no way I will be getting this at anything less than 75-80% off. Very disappointed.

Zerg wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 18:27:

Tipsy McStagger wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 18:05:
So i played and loved Dragon Age Origins but haven't played any of the others.. SHOULD I?

Everyone will have an opinion about this and it will differ vastly. My take on this is if you loved the overarching lore/setting, then you should at least give the others a try.
DA2 combat was different from DA1 as it felt distinctly focused towards a controller rather than mouse & keyboard. The story was not a direct continuation of DA1, although there are references and character appearances.

DA: Inquisition was somewhat "open world". In my taste it had too much side content, combat was more like DA1 though. I just wish it was a bit of a shorter game. As far as story goes, I enjoyed DA: Inquistion more than DA2, but not more than DA1.

Veilguard is not out yet ... so all we have are these early reviews. TL;DR - if you REALLY like the world setting then yes, play the others released up until now (although some might argue against DA2 as it felt a bit claustrophobic and not everyone will like the combat).

Thanks for taking the time to write this. Appreciate the insight.

What I loved about the first one was actually the under-road section on the dwarves being overrun. I really only remember Morrigan and that part of the first one so I think I'd need a refresher since it was like 15? years ago.

Just had to watch a few minutes of gameplay to know it wasn't for me...

If it's your cup of tea tho, have at it!

I loved DAO and also enjoyed DAI, this looks quite good to me. Seeing the mixed reviews but also realize everyone put out hot takes now to stand out. It looks like I'll be getting it likely when on sale.

Sure I hoped for deeper RPG elements and interaction, and this is a reaccuring problem with this genre. Makes me appreciate Baldur's Gate 3 for the masterpiece that it is even more, although I'm admittedly an even bigger fan of Elden Ring.

Jim wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 20:52:

Cutter wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 19:42:
Why are they "conservative" talking points? I'd say they're valid points being raised by the silent majority who are just as tired of radical leftism as they are radical rightism. Or are people not permitted to criticize Big Brother, comrade?
Doubleplus good, eh?

what games does your "silent majority" produce? It is easy to criticize others for making inclusive games for a global market. instead you get offended if it isn't a white male hero committing mass murders to save the world.

The kind that people enjoy, where the story is central, where the story is fluid - not janky, where people are individuals not checkboxes. Not the kind where people are shoehorned in to fill quotas for the "modern audience" because the people in charge want to "change the world." Maybe you should compare all the AAA flops this year, to the AAA successes of 2008-2015.

@Blues... maybe rename the engagement ring as "Thunderdome" with and all rules barred...

This comment was edited on Oct 29, 2024, 10:50.

Ranger55 wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 22:06:
FYI, you can pay US$16.99 for one month of EA Play Pro and play it for a month. If you like it, pick it up on sale around Christmas. If you don't, you only blew 17 bucks.

You minimize just how serious this shit is with that 17 bucks hoLmes.... Yeah, I spelled that shit with an L; so, you know how just serious this is.

FYI, you can pay US$16.99 for one month of EA Play Pro and play it for a month. If you like it, pick it up on sale around Christmas. If you don't, you only blew 17 bucks.

munkus wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 20:33:
that kind of "modern" dialogue is completely unnatural and out of place in a fantasy RPG.

According to the definition of 'fantasy,' that's literally impossible...

I just finished watching the Mortismal Gaming video. I totally respect his style of reviewing - he's pretty passive, doesn't focus on a negative so much that his review turns into a diatribe focused only on that, and calmly says what he likes and dislikes. Incidentally, that is a trait largely shared by ACG and Skillup, two others of my preferred reviewers. Everything is rated on a "Shit or Brilliant" scale nowadays, and the vast majority of AAA games released today are neither. I like reviewers that provide calm and collected, reasoned and rational reviews, and I am not looking for validation of preconceived notions or my personal opinions and sadly that puts me in the distinct minority. I guess I am old-fashioned?

It has been well known that this was going to be an action RPG for a while now, but the combat from what I saw in his video looked highly twitchy and didn't look like something I would enjoy. I guess I was hoping for something a little more deliberate and methodical? Still, I will give it a shot. Some of my best gaming memories are from times when I turned out to be wrong.

EDIT: HOLY SHIT I don't remember the last time Skillup was that negative on a game. By contrast his 'Star Wars Outlaws' review was pretty balanced and reasonable.

This comment was edited on Oct 28, 2024, 23:38.

munkus wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 20:33:

Jim wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 19:22:
The conservative talking points have already started. "DEI" "Woke". Soon there will be mentions of Sweet Baby. My man mortismal gaming is getting trashed as another sellout, an IGN. And he is about as opposite as you can get. Whole lotta drama going on here.

I'm pretty much in the middle of the political spectrum and I was really looking forward to DA:V, but one of the YouTuber reviews showed dialogue in the game that talked about a character (Taash?) being non-binary and using they/them pronouns. I'm sorry, but regardless of your take on DEI/wokeness, that kind of "modern" dialogue is completely unnatural and out of place in a fantasy RPG.

i generally agree, and i lean left socially. otoh, it takes widespread inclusion for it to become normalized. remember when tv audiences used to freak out about lesbians kissing on tv, or kirk kissing uhura? yeah that used to be a thing.

as long as it's not like, super in your face pushing an agenda type dealie i'm ok with it. if it's a good game i'll play it regardless of design.

Cutter wrote on Oct 28, 2024, 19:42:
Why are they "conservative" talking points? I'd say they're valid points being raised by the silent majority who are just as tired of radical leftism as they are radical rightism. Or are people not permitted to criticize Big Brother, comrade?
Doubleplus good, eh?

what games does your "silent majority" produce? It is easy to criticize others for making inclusive games for a global market. instead you get offended if it isn't a white male hero committing mass murders to save the world.

Of course Skills Up starts with a monolithic diatribe against Anthem @1:20, even saying BioWare never had any business doing anything new (making a looter shooter) in what I can only describe as Ai plagiarism of my review of the Anthem demo @EXACTLY1:20. The biggest different between our review styles is that he continues to drone on for another 45 minutes, and I am way better looking, get straight to the fucking point, and he is super obviously jealous of me.