We were all a bit surprised at the speedy development time of Dragon Age 2, and it was a badly kept secret that EA was the hand behind the curtain pushing hard for the game to be released when it did. Composer Inon Zur, who also worked on the original Dragon Age and Fallout 3, confirmed as much when talking to IGN.

"I'm actually really anxious for the game right now, so I can pop it in and start playing," he told IGN.  "I'm really looking forward to see it. I know there are a few bugs that still need to be fixed. Unlike other titles from BioWare, this [score] was kind of a rush job. EA really wanted to capitalize on the success of Origins, so the game was really being pushed hard to be released now. So I'd like to know if there are bugs, or if there's anything we could patch or fix."

I hate to say it, but after playing around 13 hrs I can tell that there was a lot left out of the game in order to hit EA's arbitrary release window. Weapons no longer have graphical representations of elemental effects, you can no longer remove runes from weapons once installed (somehow Sandal turned into a shitty Runesmith since the last game), there is the stripped down dialogue system, and there are numerous cutscene and animation errors that surely would have been ironed out if the game was given a little more time in the oven.

I'll be talking more about Dragon Age 2 in the upcoming weeks but so far there is a lot I'm desiring from my first run in the Universe.

[Source: CVG]

Comments

  • Avatar
    Fratersh
    13 years ago

    EA can be quite evil sometimes, they have done this pushing around of developers since their earliest days. In fact Richard Garriot creator of Ultima had a representation of EA as a side villain called Elizabeth and Adam in Ultima 7 The Black Gate. Elizabeth and Adam were creators that became evil and sought to destroy all that was around them. They're ruining Bioware just as they ruined Origin (creators of the Ultima series and Ultima Online). That's the sad thing with EA and Activision is that you would think that as a money making game developer that they would give you lee-way and time to perfect your sequals when in truth they push you around alot harder thus making you miss eliminating bugs and adding the appropriate content for your sequals.

  • Avatar
    Dafishies
    13 years ago

    Dragon age 2 had music? The whole 23 hours it took me to beat it, all I heard was battle music. Everything else was more like random notes for dramatic effect. Origins has much better music, if da2 had any. I didn't even hear anything during the credits. I thought I my speakers were off but nope.

  • Avatar
    rushkid
    13 years ago

    Unfortunately, the augment system is like fables: once augmented, you can never change it....EVER! that's so lame. the game for the most part felt half baked...but I expect nothing less from an EA title that came out that quick: save your money and wait for skyrim folks.

  • Avatar
    drummingdude21
    13 years ago

    I still don't think the dialogue system is stripped down or rushed. It's the same from Mass Effect and I enjoyed that quite a bit. I do understand that some people would like the original dialogue system better but it still works for me. I don't know, I'm just not that picky.

  • Avatar
    AdjacentKitten
    13 years ago

    There are a lot of really big publishing firms that just want money, and as luck would have it, Dragon Age 2 took a huge dip in quality because EA wants that money, and wants it now. I really, really wish the business and marketing sectors of EA and Activision held some sort of schedule to get their employees a bit better acquainted with what they're selling so hard, so fast.

    Too bad this does nothing about the fact that being a twelve year-old is far more profitable for the big companies. In all honesty, at this point, I'm thinking I would pay an extra twenty or thirty bucks just to get a game I know had enough time to develop and release. As it is now.. it's just bad.

  • Avatar
    Fady
    13 years ago

    Dude, the entire GAME was a rushed job. Even the lead writer admitted this.

  • Avatar
    Jon
    13 years ago

    Is it as good as the first? No but the nitpicking and whining about Dragon Age 2 is over the top at this point. Its not a awful game by any means. It has its faults yes but overall a very good game. Sorry

  • Avatar
    Shotokanguy
    13 years ago

    I don't think a completely revamped dialogue system is a good example of the game being a rush job, when you put it in with all those other things.

  • Avatar
    SJ_1S8
    13 years ago

    "Weapons no longer have graphical representations of elemental effects, you can no longer remove runes from weapons once installed (somehow Sandal turned into a shitty Runesmith since the last game) [...] and there are numerous cutscene and animation errors that surely would have been ironed out if the game was given a little more time in the oven."

    I honestly dont care about the errors mentioned in the edited quote above pretty much at all. What urks me is that what i really loved in the first game, the dialogue seems/story to have been shit all over. And despite critical acclaim i have zero interest in mass effect story/dialogue style game as evidenced by owning both and being uninterested in finishing either. Not to say its a bad game, as i like the ancillary rpg systems present in both(1 more than 2) just that what i considered to be the core draw of the game was not my cup of tea.

    Beside loving the interaction of DA1 my letdown was the combat. I thought they had a great direction but i wanted more rpg or more of an arpg style, either would have worked, and less seemingly (middling rpg bore)mmo. DA2 mat have remedied this in a fashion but it was never really a critical part of liking DA.

    I havent yet, but i think i should grab alpha protocol... i think i would enjoy the twist on the dialogue system and the rpg elements.

  • Avatar
    jon2435
    13 years ago

    I'd love to see DA2's story through, but I think I going to wait until the price drops. EA really did what to run DA2 on DA's success and that's nearly all it has. I know the graphics aren't top, but they are more than good enough for me and most RPG fans. The content and game play took a large hit from what I've seen.

  • Avatar
    CrossOutlaw
    13 years ago

    sad to see bioware getting pushed around because of EA. Dragon Age 2 seems soo unfinished.

  • Avatar
    Balancebgm
    13 years ago

    The game does feel rushed, a lot of things are rehashed over and over like dungeons, enemies and some side quests but I wouldn't go as far to say its a bad game. A terrible sequel maybe, but it does have its great moments. Companion interaction and quests are the highlight and make the game worthwhile. I think Bioware could have avoided all the negativity if they called it a spin off instead of a sequel.

  • Avatar
    Comradebearjew
    13 years ago

    I think more than just the music was a rush job...

  • Avatar
    VagrantHige
    13 years ago

    You could tell EA was pushing the game hard from the start because of all the awful Facebook/pre-order integration for items and everything that they crammed down peoples throats. While I still think it is a high-quality game there are the occasional blips that raise their heads from time to time. I don't get why everyone is harping on the graphics so much, I think they are perfectly fine. I don't mind the switch in the dialog (they did because everyone complained about it being to vague in the first one) though I agree that the overall plot could be stronger. It's a very character driven story and they do a good job showing how the characters grow together over a decade but the overall threat and struggle leaves something to be desired.

  • Avatar
    incrediblehulk180
    13 years ago

    i love that picture with the eyes that is so funny

  • Avatar
    LostKing
    13 years ago

    EA? Rushing a game? NAH! I can't hardly believe it.