But honestly now, who wants boring things like fresh air, sunlight (apparently it's now Spring!) and social interaction over a weekend when they could be delving into the history of a decade in Kirkwall, City of Chains, a decade packed with intertwining events revolving around one man (or woman), named Hawke, titled the Champion. Well, not me clearly!
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| Our Narrator. Often prone to exaggeration! |
The game itself is nominally told from the viewpoint of your Dwarven companion Varric, 3 years after the events of the game take place. This is a retelling of the most turbulent time in Kirkwall's history in 3 "acts" and a prologue. The prologue details Hawke and his first assorted friends and family on their flight from their homeland of Ferelden and arrival into Kirkwall. Act 1 then covers Hawke and his introductions to his faithful companions in his 1st year in Kirkwall as a refugee. Act 2 details Hawke's rise in power after 4 years in the city. Act 3 then covers the 7th year of Hawke in Kirkwall and the climactic events that entail spin yarns that travel back all the way through the the years.
The decision to base the entire game around one city and a few outside districts really helps keep the level of storytelling high. Because aside from Hawke and his cadre, the stories and the lives of other prominent people are played out right alongside your own and because you have nowhere to run to, the consequences of your choices both right and wrong are played out right in front of you. This is what I found most compelling about the game. At the start of each new act I couldn't wait to get back out and talk to my companions again to see how my actions and our relationships had grown. Did that blazing row I had with my elven companion sour our friendship? Did the romantic overtures I planted in Act 1 blossom 3 years down the line? And whilst Hawke is clearly the the pivot around which the world turns, you get the feeling that the relations between other characters grow with the years as well. As you travel your companions chat over your shoulder, discussing previous nights in the tavern playing cards if they're friendly, or occasionally flying into full blown rows if they're not.
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| This is how the Qunari express friendship |
Dragon Age 2 at it's core is a game of themes and politics. There are factions in Kirkwall that continue to clash as the years fly by, and the political ideas that come to the fore in these clashes bears remarkable similarity to some real life counterpoints and cuts quite close the the bone at some points. The first faction forms the background for our hero Hawke to emerge from. The refugees of Ferelden have fled across the ocean to Kirkwall en masse, much to the resentment of the local inhabitants. Without leadership or representation the Fereldens swamp the slums and undercity of Kirkwall, taking any menial jobs they can find, legal or not, and are in turn preyed upon by the criminals of the city. They are oppressed and desperate in the city they sought asylum. Alongside them as unwanted intruders to the status quo in Kirkwall lie the Qunari. This foreign race with a duty bound society so at odds with Kirkwalls own is holed up in a compound near the docks and refuse, or are unable, to leave. On top of these intruders, the locals of Kirkwall have their own factions to contend with. At the heart of this is the clash between the Magi and the Templars. The Templars, and their leader Knight Commander Meredith, act as controllers and police the Circle of Magi. The Magi strain against their bars and claim heavy handedness and oppression. As Hawke meets people and is thrown into different situations he is constantly thrown at odds with one or more of these factions. Supporting one over the other will unlock different quests which will filter through the years and affect the future. That Templar you saved from a renegade blood mage? He'll be back to aid your cause later. On the flip side, those mages you let go? Well, the Templars found out, and they're not best pleased. Asylum seekers, foreigners and oppresion because of the way you're born. This is one celebrity scandal away from the Daily Mail!
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| Fenris enjoys long walks, dinners at home & smiting mages |
Whilst the main arch of the story is contained with the power struggle of the main factions, some of the most interesting side quests come in the form of companion quests, which push forward the stories of your party members. As the characters you will have most contact with over the years it's important that you feel the connection with them more than any other. Here was where I found the stories I was most interested in. Helping the guard captain that escaped Lothering with Hawke to find a new love, and to establish respect among the guard. Exploring Fenris, the Elven warrior infused with magic by his cruel former masters, and his hatred of all Magi, his quest for revenge. On the flip side, meeting Anders, a renegade Mage corrupted by a spirit of Justice, and joining his fight for mage liberation. Then watch the sparks fly as you pair the two up in your party at one time! Romantic options present themselves to you as relationships grow, and both Anders & Fenris are available for some old fashioned wooing. Alongside the two gents are Isabela, a pirate with questionable motives, and the Elf Merrill, an innocent mage who just happens to perform blood magic. I can only note on events during my playthrough, but some of the decisions I took in these side quests eventually ended up affecting my main storyline, which shows a great level of intertwining which I really enjoyed.
As much as I could go on and on into nuances of the story and its decisions I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone. It's important to judge the game as a full package including how it plays rather than what it's delivering. From a gameplay point of view Dragon Age 2 is a much changed game from it's predecessor. Streamlined might be the tagline used by the developer, simplified is the word that rolls off my tongue. The first game was criticised as too difficult on even it's medium setting for most players. This isn't a criticism that will be levelled at this second offering. Combat is a lot faster paced and showy with spells and bodies being flung left, right and centre in explosive glory. The pause button is mostly redundant now, usually limited to targeting options mid fight rather than any real move stacking or strategy. The party wipe that was infuriatingly regular for me in the 1st, became rarer and rarer as the 2nd went on. In Dragon Age 1 I actually crafted my character into a healing mage so I could ensure my party's survival. This didn't make me feel awfully heroic and so I was glad to relegate that duty to a party member as my new Rogue threw himself about acrobatically opening throats with abandon.
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| There be Dragons! I thought that would be obvious... |
The inventory system has been similarly "streamlined". Gone are the days when you had to worry over whether your warrior would benefit from this Metal Cap +1 or not. The armour choices open to Hawke (Helm, Chest, Boots, Gloves) are amalgamated into 1 constant "armour" for your companions which you can't remove (although new skins are unlocked after certain quests I noticed). Weapons are switchable, as is the belt, two ring slots and an amulet. The most customisation you'll experience are in the choice of runes you can add to your parties armour slots to boost their damage or resistances. Given that only Hawke can switch armour you'll stumble across plenty of unnecessary gear in your time which is essentially just tat to sell to the vendor whenever your bags get full. Although money is not exactly hard to come by so you'll rarely struggle to afford anything for sale that might benefit your character.
While this "streamlining" may rile some of the more hardcore RPG fans of the series you can understand the thinking behind it. To try and get their game and their story to a wider audience they've removed or rehashed some of the more intricate fiddly parts of the game. It's a format that is now comfortably portable across different platforms with ease. And truly, the whole point of this game is the storyline behind it. To miss out on living it because of a few niggles with the game engine would be a great loss. Even if you're not usually an RPG fan you should still experience this game as an example of some of the best storytelling in a video game available. And with a huge amount of gameplay ( I racked up 43 hours in total) it's definite value for money!
9/10
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