A few days ago I finished my play-through of Dragon Age 2. While the number 2 in the title is misleading, Dragon Age 2 is a vast improvement in story-telling over its predecessor.
What I enjoyed more than anything else is the story-telling approach. I am at the point now, that if I start up a game, and the premise is “we need you to save the world/galaxy” I just roll my eyes and sigh. DA 2 eases you into its story in a much more organic way and gradually ups the stakes until the climax. You assume your male or female Hawke and are simply escaping your war-torn home for refuge in the city of Kirkwall. There is no dilemma that you are called to rectify from the start like in Dragon Age: Origins, Final Fantasy, or countless other RPGs for that matter. Hawke has not been prophesied about, nor is he/she the “chosen one”. You’re just a character in a bind with his/her family.
The story is broken up with by the narration of Varric who is a member of your party. You know that things are leading somewhere because of this story-telling element, but the main narrative remains somewhat mysterious up until the final act.
There could be a lot of debate over whether or not the side characters are better or worse than in Origins, but I think the entire approach has a more realistic feel to it. The characters are slightly less dynamic than in Origins, but they are also more rounded and real. Although I enjoyed the party in Origins, they were more characature-ish than in DA 2. Aveline, Sebastian, and Varric especially were more realistically personified than say Ohgren, Zevran, and Morrigan. The Origins characters have more ‘pop’ to them but they come across as fictional personas, whereas DA 2 develops the characters as people that could really exist (busty pirate lady being the exception).
Dragon Age 2 does what not many other games have done for me before. I felt like I was playing a part in a 900 page fantasy novel. Yes, I’ve been immersed in many video game worlds before, but this experience was unique in feeling like I was living in an actual book. Attention and care has been given to the small details that provide a sense of history and setting. At times, I was just in the moment of what task was before me, and gradually Hawke became a major player in Kirkwall’s affairs. What felt like disposable side quests eventually intertwine into something more involved to the overarching plot.
Bioware’s trademark of presenting difficult choices that affect the story had more personal weight than in Origins. I still don’t think the overall Dragon Age package is yet on the same level of Mass Effect, but it’s hedging out its own identity, even while taking cues from big brother. I honestly concede that there are some valid complaints about some of the mechanical decisions of the game, and yes the environments are recycled ad nauseam. But my ultimate enjoyment of a video game usually derives from the story, world, and presentation. Dragon Age 2 sets a high mark for story and story-telling. Hawke’s adventures in Kirkwall have been rich, engrossing, and memorable.
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