Rambling Review : Baldur’s Gate 3 Part II

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

The positives of this game cannot be overstated. It’s an amazing, beautiful, fully realized wonder of achievement, and it’s why it has become one of the best games I’ve ever played, if not the best.

I know. I know.

I’m into a second playthrough and am still discovering all sorts of new things, which is why my Pros List aka Part I was so long. As wonderful as this game is, it’s not for everyone – as previously mentioned it’s a graphic turn-based RPG, rated M due to the depictions of violence, the coarse language and bloodshed, in addition to nudity and sexual content – and it does have a few things that could be considered “cons”.

Story

There is a lot of story. Like more than you can even begin to imagine for a video game. Baldur’s Gate is based on a legacy that goes back some 50 years, so there are years of lore and land and creatures and history, so it’s understandable that one playthrough won’t give you everything in the way of story.

While the 3 Act structure will give you an overarching story with major plot points, if you don’t explore every nook and cranny, talk to every NPC or even your companions, return to camp often, or read all the letters, books, and plaques in the world, there’s quite a bit of content you’ll miss. The completionist in me found it frustrating to fail certain checks that may have led to finding secret rooms, treasure, or encouraging certain outcomes, which could also derail me from learning more.

There’s also the extra story content based on your character. If you play with a certain background or class, you’ll get specific dialogue options that will enhance your experience. If you play as an origin character, you’ll also get more of their back story, and then there’s the Dark Urge storyline which is its own thing entirely, so you have lots of options, which leads to con #2 –

Choice

If you are easily overwhelmed by a great deal of content, the choices available to you in BG3 could be considered a con. I struggled with this during my first playthrough. I wanted to know the reaction to each choice in dialogue. If I failed a check, I would reload in the hopes the dice would roll in my favor and I would catch whatever I missed. I would swap out party members hoping one of them had a higher characteristic like intelligence or survival that would lead to a better outcome. This can stall your experience because you may find yourself bogged down by trying to see every eventuality.

I soon realized I had to forego discovering everything the first time around because I was losing a sense of urgency due to the diminishing momentum. Besides I knew I was going to play the game again.

Starting with the character creator which at first seems limited, quickly devolves into chaos with the sheer volume of options for your character. There are a dozen races and a dozen backgrounds, and after a recent update, new subclasses with new skills to choose from. There’s skin tone, eye colors (that in other games seemed irrelevant because you never see your character that close), and hairstyles that allow for highlights, so choosing how dark you want those pink streaks woven through your green braid are all possible.

Am I going to match her tattoos? Uh, yeah.

And after all that, you get to create a second character, a Guardian. You may end up with a little creation fatigue.

Will you play as a do-gooder? Or are you out for yourself? Are you religious or political? Who do you want to romance? How will you sway your companions’ fates? This is just the tip of the iceberg. While I was only overwhelmed initially because I wanted to know everything immediately, The Sis pointed out that that’s the storyteller and gamer in me. When I play a game, I want the details clearly-ish laid out for me by the end of the first run. BG3 is not your typical game. It has layers, and you have to get comfortable in the unknowing…which leads to con #3 –

Mechanics

If you’ve played video games for any length of time, some things are innate. The same cannot be said for Baldur’s Gate. There are so many things you can do, many are things you wouldn’t even think of, and while that’s amazing, there’s no guide to really tell you what’s possible. You just have to try things and see if they work. It’s not just about strategy, it’s discovering you can kind of do whatever you want. There’s both a fear and a freedom in such knowledge. The fear is that a lot of the games you’ve played previously have just laid things out for you, nice and neat. They haven’t let you be imaginative, and now you feel a bit dense when it comes to playing this game.

The freedom is exactly that…anything is possible.

I’ll share a couple bonehead discoveries I made in my second playthrough, so far. One, if you use a character with a higher persuasion skill than your own, you can get better deals with merchants. Gale, yes, Gale, the wizard gets better prices than the charming, I feel almost too persuasive Astarion, and shockingly, way better than my own character. So change out who’s leading the party, and choose to interact with merchants or other plot driven characters to see the varying results.

Two, when trying to pass a certain check, either persuasion or a knowledge of history or religion, if your character has a bonus, such as guidance, you need to not only bring up the bonus, but also select it. It will become highlighted, but I did not know this. The screen will show “add bonus”, so I would add it, but you may have more than one choice, so you need to choose – I never did. This can change a lot of the outcomes of your choices. ((face palm))

There are a couple of other things, like using the Scroll of Revivify – was not made clear how it works, so it took a few tries – or the Fly skill – couldn’t figure it out the first time around.

I’m sure I’ll discover more. I also discovered that The Sis and I did different things, so talking with another player has led to learning more about the options available, or how to use certain skills, etc.

To be clear, I don’t classify any of these as a negative, personally. In fact, it only enhances the experience knowing that each playthough may lead to new discoveries, and that’s awesome. I work with someone who has attempted multiple playthroughs but found themselves overwhelmed by the choices, or even a lack of backstory for their character, but is now using the honor mode (only one save available) and playing as origin character, Wyll, yes, that Wyll, and finally making progress.

All of the choices, all of the story content is meant to enhance your gaming experience. The freedom to do so many things allows for the imagination to run wild, and while maybe not the right game for everyone, a spectacular game nonetheless.

Have you played Baldur’s Gate 3? Did I miss any pros or cons you found particularly interesting? Let’s chat!

Happy Gaming!

26Jun2025

Rambling Review – Baldur’s Gate 3 – Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

The time has come…to talk about one of the best games ever made*:

Baldur’s Gate 3 (This is a link to the Honest Game Trailer video that will give you a great deal of insight with a sense of humor. It’s also a little spoilery, so be forewarned.)

By now, I would imagine, even if you’re not a gamer, you’ve heard about this 2023 Game of the Year winner. It took the (gaming) world by storm. On the other hand, it took The Sis and I a little while to get on board, only because we wanted the hard copy, which wasn’t available the first year, and which also meant that we had to invest in a new Xbox along with the game. A hefty, unprepared for, purchase.

We worked with people who continued to talk it up and we had to avoid so many things that may have spoiled this marvel for us for ever so long. Eventually, we took the plunge.

Worth every penny.

*But be aware, this game isn’t for everyone. It’s a graphic turn-based RPG, rated M due to the depictions of violence, the coarse language and bloodshed, in addition to nudity and sexual content.

Based on the table top game, Dungeons and Dragons, that in the 80s started a worldwide panic because our parents were led to believe that it was a tool of the devil – fun fact, look it up – earlier versions of the video game are considered great in their own right, but the third game in the series is unlike anything before it.

Dungeons and Dragons was first published in the early 70s. If you’re roughly my age, you may have played or knew of people who did. They were nerds or geeks or outcasts. Or so the consensus deemed them. The phrase Dungeon Master is from this game. If you watched Stranger Things, it’s the entire basis of the series. And if you watched the extremely well done 2023 film, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, you’ll have some understanding of the world.

It’s medieval fantasy with magic, politics, religion, and a world ending kind of event you must thwart. All things I enjoy in not only my gaming (one reason I love RPGs), but my writing, movie and tv watching, and reading as well. I knew I’d enjoy it, but I didn’t expect to consider it the best game I’ve ever played, but here we are.

Now, you may be wondering, “Do you love it more than Dragon Age?” And my answer would be, “Even in the shadow of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the Dragon Age Universe still has my heart, always will, but this game is a feat of wonder and possibilities.”

Now, among the endless positives this game entails, there are a few negatives, so as I’ve done with my other video game reviews, let’s break it down.

Let’s list the Positives first.

Character Creator

If you’ve read any of my previous video game reviews, you might recall that I love to create new characters in a well designed character creator. Baldur’s has a wonderful system with a ton of choices. Almost too many, if you’re easily overwhelmed.

There are eleven races to choose from, any sex you prefer. There are a dozen classes to begin with as well as a dozen backgrounds. Not only can you create a unique character (my elven wizard, Bryn is here for reference, as is my tiefling cleric, Peri – both adorable, if I may so), should you choose, you can play as an “origin” character – any of the companions that you’ll recruit along the way, giving you so many avenues to explore.

And after all those painstaking choices, you get the opportunity to create a second character, a Guardian before venturing forth. You may take less time and effort to make a distinctive Guardian after the hours you just spent creating the other.

Once you decide what your protagonist will look like, and what they’ll be capable of, you will quickly start making decisions as to the type of morality and belief system they hold dear. Will you play as a kind, all-round do-gooder? Or perhaps you’re out to make some coin? Another option, the Dark Urge is an entirely different choice in the character creator that will allow you to give in to your dark side and play full evil, or perhaps you will try to fight against your nature.

Right off the bat, before you’ve stepped into the world, you discover that one playthrough will not give you a full picture of what the developers at Larian have made.

Story & Lore

The story of Baldur’s Gate 3 is told in three distinct acts, and there’s a lot of story within them. From what I’ve learned, there’s a lot of cut content as well, meaning the game could’ve been even bigger. Offhand, I think I clocked in around 180 hrs, and I didn’t do everything, while The Sis was over 200. Yeah, it’s that kind of game.

You, the protagonist, along with so many others in the world, have been infected by a parasite. And not just any parasite, an Illithid or Mind Flayer tadpole. The tadpole is used as a means of reproduction, for the parasite will transform the host into a Mind Flayer, a tentacled humanoid creature that consumes brains.

They are considered a great evil, a hive mind subservient to an Elder Brain that controls all Mind Flayers linked to it. They’ve wiped out and enslaved civilizations.

Not wanting to change, you find others that were infected and band together in an effort to remove the parasite and avoid the transformation. Henceforth your journey begins. This is just the tip of the story iceberg. There are different people to save, hags to fight, places to visit, camps to destroy, an entire land to liberate, and so much more…or not. You are given a lot of choices to bend the world to your will.

Companions

These are among some of the most interesting people I have ever tried to save the world with. I adore (almost) all of them. They come from varied backgrounds, with unique perspectives, their own agendas, and wonderful character arcs (plural because there are so many choices to be made). In order of the picture above, there is Karlach, who despite being betrayed and having to fight for survival for many years, is a cinnamon roll and a loyal friend. Then there’s Astarion, who is among one of my favorite characters ever invented. He has a tortured background, but depending on your treatment of him can be changed in a number of ways.

Shadowheart also has a dark past and is a devoted cleric in service to her goddess, but with a change in perspective can be swayed to thinking about life differently. Gale is a wizard who once had the love of the goddess of magic, herself. After a magical mishap, he has spent time alone, so he’s adorkably awkward, but well meaning, if a bit haughty.

Lae’zel is from a warrior race that eons ago rose up against the Mind Flayers. She is a hard-edged character that can become one of your closest allies. Wyll is a do-gooder type. He has made tough decisions to save people and suffered great consequences because of it. Although he’s absolutely the type of character I would normally adore, for some reason, I can’t get behind him or truly care about his cause. Sorry, Wyll.

There are a handful of other companions you can recruit along the way, some by the nature of your choices, such as Halsin, Jaheira, Minsc, and Minthara. Some of your choices may also lead to some of your party members leaving your company permanently, which will give you an entirely different playthrough as their dialogue, story arcs and quests will no longer be available.

Romance

Within moments of meeting Astarion, I was immediately drawn to him. I mean, look at him. His voice actor, Neil Newbon is extraordinary, and he’s just such fun character that there was no way I wasn’t going to romance him. And I started, although it took some persuasion on my character’s part because she’s a goody goody, and he’s sort of turned off by that, initially.

And then I met Gale. Oh, Gale. Eventually, I had to make a choice. I couldn’t keep them both, sadly. Because of the type of character I was playing, Gale made more sense for her. His voice actor, Tim Downie, is magical (pun intended) as well. His voice is rich and soothing, and often times reassuring.

Peri, on the other hand, is going to make that sultry man love her!

The writers did a wonderful job creating these romances. There is a great deal of dialogue, there are tons of cut scenes, and there are choices you don’t expect to have to or get to make over the course of the game’s timeline.

The romances do not have restrictions based on sex or race. You can romance any of the origin characters. There are also opportunities for “encounters” with other characters along the way. It’s a fully realized world, sometimes with interesting, surprising, and NSFW details.

Other Characters

This is a bit of a spoilery section, and I don’t want to do that to you, should you decide to play, but needless to say, there are some well written, superbly acted, interesting side characters you’ll meet along the way, like Aylin, Isobel, and Orin, just to name a few.

Soundtrack

As with film, video game music sets the tone, it sometimes warns you of danger, or enhances the romance. Music is a big part of the experience, and composer Borislav Slavov has created some truly beautiful and inspiring pieces with this soundtrack. In an Act I side quest, you encounter harpies singing a luring song. I hummed that tune for days afterward. After meeting the bard, Alfira, she sang an original tune that I couldn’t get out of my head for weeks. The Sis, after hours of replay, brought the song, The Power to the top of her most played songs of the year within a few short months. And then there’s Raphael’s Final Act. It’s stellar. The album has 43 songs, some of which are alternate versions of others, and there are so many standouts. In addition to the above, there’s Twisted Force, Bard Dance, Down By the River, and I Want to Live.

Give it a listen. You won’t be disappointed.

Graphics

It’s a beautiful game. What else needs to be said? The world is richly designed. There’s so much detail every where you look, and not just in the environment, but also in the fabrics, the armor, the spell casting. If your character has a blessing, you may glow with an aura, or should you find yourself encumbered, you’re surrounded in a red glow. While it’s not completely open world, there’s a great deal to look at, explore, and discover, and you’ll wonder at how the game doesn’t crash.

Mechanics

Whatever you want to do in this world, you can pretty much do it. Want to talk to every NPC? Almost every single character in the game is available to interact with, and pretty much every single one of them has a unique name. Want to open a crate to check for loot? You can open all the crates and all the jars. Want to take a painting off the wall? Go ahead. Want to open every door, jump (nearly) everywhere, steal any and all things within grabbing distance? Sure, why not. Want to talk to the animals, shape shift, pass through dimensions? There are potions and spells for that. Want to push things over cliffs, put boxes in boxes, sneak attack or try to talk your way out of a fight. Give it a go.

D&D is reliant on the roll of the dice. You may have heard of a Natural 20 which is awesome, or if you roll a 1 you’re doomed, and this system leads to a number of outcomes. You use the dice to persuade or deceive, pass intelligence or knowledge checks. The game mechanics are unlike most other games I’ve played, and should a certain outcome ruin your chances at plot point, the developers created a contingency for the major ones. You’ll get a second chance, which is just genius.

Okay. This is a long enough ramble as to why the game is amazing, the con post will be much shorter because there’s really not much to say.

Happy Gaming!

19Mar2025

Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part III – The Pros

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I apparently had a lot more to say about the negatives of this game than I initially thought. I apologize for the long Con post, and try as I might, I couldn’t make it shorter. I think I edited that post like 20 times.

Yeah.

Just a quick side note, I forgot to mention a character I was certain would be included in the new game. In the short story compilation, Tevinter Nights, there was a story about the Antivan Crows, and the house that one of the fans’ favorites comes from, Zevran. I looked everywhere, kept an ear open, and they only offered us a whisper of him because of his actions in game 1. ((sigh))

So let’s move on to the positives, of which I also found many. I’ll try to be more succinct this time around.**

Soundtrack

Ahead of the game’s release, the main theme was accessible for a listen, and I liked it upon the first play. I’ve enjoyed all the soundtracks for the Dragon Age series, and this one had the added benefit of being co-written by one of my favorite composers, Hans Zimmer. You can hear his influence on all the tracks, and it makes for an enjoyable listen.

Side note, I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Hans Zimmer live a few months ago. If you’re a fan of his music, I would definitely encourage going to his concert. It’s an amazing experience.

Character Creator

I like a good character creator. I enjoy making different characters and exploring all the options available, and The Veilguard’s is pretty good with the variety of choices – from hair to makeup, scars to tattoos, and vitiligo to heterochromia. This time around they included some looong hairstyles, and the movement in-game is quite a feat of technology. Hair moves like real hair, and I found myself in awe of it often. I also liked that in the creator they offered an environment/background adjustment to see how your character would look before you finalized the decision. This may not seem like a big deal, but when choosing certain colors, especially with makeup, stark light, or dimly lit areas may cause the colors to look quite different than you imagined.

Thankfully, they returned with the Mirror of Transformation that used to be only accessible at the Black Emporium. It is now at camp, so that should you wish to change anything, a hairstyle as time passes, or maybe your character’s eyes are a little too close or too far apart, you can make adjustments any time without having to leave home.

Different Factions

I was delighted to learn that the protagonist would come from one of six backgrounds – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, the Shadow Dragons, or the Veil Jumpers. I didn’t give it a second thought. I get to be a Warden again! As I mentioned in the Cons post, no matter which background you choose, you will be temporarily exiled from your group because of a noble action you took prior to the game’s start, but I like that interactions and specific dialogue options are available to you given your affiliation.

I liked playing as a Warden given the plot of the game and how much is relevant to that faction, in particular. The Sis is playing as a member of the Mourn Watch, a group we had only heard of previously. Also, each of our companions is from one of these factions, so interactions between them and with our protagonist offers more insight.

Spell Casting

Given a choice, I will always choose to play as a mage first. I like magic. Although, now thinking about it, my first ever Dragon Age character was a dual wielder…huh. Well, knowing what I do now of the Dragon Age world, and how it views mages, I have since chosen to play as one first with each new game.

The spell tree has a vast array of spells to choose from, many different from the previous games, and depending on your background choice, or the kind of mage you want to be, there are three different routes to take in order to grow your power. The graphics are beautifully designed and fun to see in action, and this time around combos with your companions are available to deal more damage.

New Companions

Since the first game, there are always companions you love, you sort of loathe, and some you kind of ignore. This time is no different. I ended up liking characters I didn’t expect, but the best addition was that some of our companions had their own companions. Assan (–> this adorable little nugget) can be played with, hugged, and booped, and you can play rock, paper, scissors with Manfred and they both must be defended at all costs.

Graphics

As I mentioned, the spell casting had lovely graphics, and without spoilers, Lucanis has an ability that allows him to sprout wings and they are beautiful. Locations and in-world items and features all look amazing and it made exploring quite enjoyable.

Gift Giving

In all of the Dragon Age games, finding meaningful gifts to give your companions is a sweet side quest to incur favor. This sometimes helps with the companions that generally don’t agree with your actions and choices, or it can hasten a potential love interest’s favor to advance the romance. What I appreciated this time is that the gifts you give are physically represented in each companion’s quarters, so when you visit, you can see the gift on display.

New Locations

Since the beginning, we’ve heard reference to a number of other countries in the world of Thedas and now we finally get to see them. Most of our companions in each game are from other places, and through them, we learn a little of each country’s culture and history. This game allowed us to visit distant lands and people, and there was some lovely design, each with their own aesthetic.

*Downside, the locations are not fully open world. Oddly, as part of the hand holding of the story, you know, for the kid gamers, some places were closed off until the story progressed to a certain point, and then those restricted areas would become available to explore. Even near the end of the game, maybe given some choices I made, or a missed opportunity, some of those areas were still closed to me. Huh? While this happened in previous games too, sometimes, it was glaringly obvious in game 4.

Romance developments

I was a little torn between two characters to romance, and when the choice needed to be made, I found it interesting that the companion I didn’t choose found love with another character. I won’t spoil it. There are also other companions who find romance with each other, and this is a nice detail that I like that they added because it’s more true to life. People confined to a specific group for a length of time tend to like others in that circle.

*Teeny downside, they removed the racial or sexual orientation preferences they had enacted in Inquisition. Previously, some companions liked only female elves, or only men of any race, but now, everyone is bi and likes everyone. Not exactly a con, but feels like a step backwards.

Armor and Weapons

The addition of tons of choices for both armor and weapons based on the factions we have been introduced to is a great side quest as you keep an eye out for those items as you explore the world. You can buy pieces or find them in chests, and most of the designs are interesting and beautiful and they add an extra layer of detail to the game. A little side note, if you love an armor set or weapon, but another offers better stats, like “hide helmet” you can use the armor or weapon aesthetic you like visually while the better option hides beneath.

I wore the pictured armor set, a lot. Commander Shepard’s elite military status in the Mass Effect series represented in Dragon Age gear, uh yeah. I’ll take that. Side note, there was Dragon Age armor introduced way back in ME2, so this armor was overdue.

Story Decisions

There are some interesting choices to be made, so while you can’t make a character hate you, there is an opportunity to harden one companion and make them less trusting of you for some time. You can also influence many of your companions’ story arcs which does allow for some replayability to see how an alternative choice may affect them and the story. Even the Inquisitor, during a conversation, can be swayed in how they may handle Solas when the time comes. Many of the companions have pretty decent story arcs, and they have multiple steps, which continues to garner more favor, so basically, they all love you by the end.

But, near the end, there are a few decisions that have dramatic effect on the story, and after so much hand holding and fluff, it felt like a nod to the earlier dark themes of the previous games. And also, slightly out of place, but I was happy to see them.

Solas’s Character Arc

I am a Solas fan. I think of him as such a tragic figure, and I like how his character was highlighted – his struggles, his loyalty to an old fried, the burden of responsibility held for a thousand years – he’s a deeply rich character. Now, the story didn’t go at all as I expected, and I’m not sure when BioWare decided to change it all up, and despite the lack to wrap up to so many other story lines, thankfully, Solas’s arc got resolution. I was happy for that, at least.

There’s a lot to dislike about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, let’s be honest, but there’s also a bit to like (I didn’t even mention the voice acting and the familiar voices), and there’s more to talk about as well. It’s a divisive game, and considering the extremely long wait for it, it is, sadly, disappointing. I had high hopes, too high, I suppose, and that’s why I, and so many others were disappointed. I love the series. You all know. Tattoos, fan fiction, merch…I’m dedicated.

I will play the game again, as I mentioned, there are some choices you can make that may make alternative playthroughs more interesting, or at least different, but not at the same level of the previous games, which is just disappointing. I don’t have another word, sorry.

What are your thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard or the other DA games, in general? Let’s chat!

Happy Gaming!

*A bit more con even in the pros

**15 rewrites and still too long…thanks for sticking with me!

1Mar2025

Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part II – The Cons

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’ve wanted to work in video games for years. Actually, it’s because of DAO. I just loved it. But I have no idea how games are made, besides the behind the scenes footage I’ve seen. It takes dozens upon dozens of people working in teams to not only write all the amazing characters and dialogue and story, but there are a variety of artists, and voices actors, and engineers, among so many others. I’m in awe of what they do, and in spite of all the negativity The Veilguard received, it’s still an impressive feat of creativity.

But it has its problems. So let’s start with those.

The removal of The Keep.

With game 3, BioWare included an out-of-game device called The Keep. Decisions made in the past two games could be chosen and altered, which in turn would have an effect on world of the new game. I don’t know what it takes to create and implement such a tactic, so when it was revealed that all our previous decisions throughout the three games would no longer be relevant going forward, fans were understandably upset.

We had choice. We picked certain milestone moments, and now those were being retconned and BioWare was instead making the choice of what would be canon and what was important, which apparently, wasn’t much. So many of the previous decisions had little impact on the story and weren’t even referenced.

The introduction of The Protagonist.

In Origins, you’re the Warden, in DA2, you’re Hawke, and DA:I you become the Inquisitor. In all three games, you could befriend or antagonize your companions, and in Inquisition, you could play evil. Offering the player these different choices and outcomes to the world and its inhabitants deepened the experience, and let you choose how you felt like playing. This offered replayability.

With The Veilguard, our new protagonist is “Rook”. BioWare returned to the idea of origin stories and varying races where your character will come from one of the larger factions in this world – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Shadow Dragons, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, or a Veiljumper. Their past actions, which are all honorable, btw, lead them to be temporarily dismissed from their order, where Varric, the all ’round fan favorite non-romanceable dwarf, recruits you to help track down the Dread Wolf.

They are only likable. You will only befriend your companions. You can choose different dialogue options between nice, sarcastic-ish, or brave, but none are evil. None are truly confrontational. And that limits the replayability. I chose to play as an elf mage from the Grey Wardens. That’s her, Peri, above. She was sarcastic most of the time.

Then there’s The Story.

At the end of Inquisition, we learn our companion Solas, is an ancient elf, a virtual god, aka The Dread Wolf, who wants to pull down the Veil that separates the mortal world from the magical one beyond. He erected it, to stop his fellow gods during a civil war, but it sapped the elves of their immortality and left them vulnerable to being overthrown, the loss of their culture, and eventual enslavement. They are among the lowliest of citizens in this world.

Solas wants to save his people, but at the expense of the rest of the world. Before the end of game three, he disappears, and it is up to the Inquisitor and their allies to save or destroy Solas and his plans. So in game 4, we open ten years later on his trail. He is making his move (finally), and we interrupt it, unleashing chaos as the gods he was keeping contained are now released. Wah wah.

The problem is, all the threads that were developed prior to game 4 no longer seem relevant. Elves were leaving in droves at the end of game 3 to join the Dread Wolf’s cause. There is no mention of them in the new game unless they are among the elves now living in their old home of Arlathan Forest, but that’s not clear. Also, the plan seemed more grandiose than just a relocation program.

Finally, there were comics and short stories that introduced new and familiar characters and story ideas, and for the most part, they are all absent from the game. Where are the talking darkspawn? My problem with the story is that they flipped the script and changed the focus on everything we had been building toward.

Where are our old Friends?

Where is Merrill the elven mage who was trying to unlock the secrets of the mirrors known as eluvians from game 2. The mirrors have played a role across all the games, but more predominantly in 3 and 4. Given her race and experience, where is she?

Our first encounter with the Qunari race is a character named Sten in game 1. Within one of the first comic series, he becomes the Arishok, a leader of the Qunari people. Given that the Qunari have now invaded a number of countries beyond their own, I was hoping he’d make an appearance again.

Game 3, Inquisition is a big game with a number of world shaping decisions, including the ability to influence who will be the next head of the church, The Divine. Three of your companions are being considered for this important role. This was a character that absolutely should have made an appearance since the world is pretty much going to sh*t. There has been cause in the past, and it’s been threatened, to call something referred to as Exalted March to quell uprisings and the like, and there’s no time like the present for their intervention.

Your protagonist from game 3, the Inquisitor does make a few appearances, which was absolutely necessary given their relationship with Solas. For my first game 4 PT, my Inky had romanced Solas so I could see what would happen if and when they were reunited. It’s through them we learn that southern Thedas, where we spent the last three games, is falling to all the chaos. There’s too much to get into with the Warden-turned-Hero of Ferelden and the sitting monarch of Ferelden from game 1 because of the choices and the post game title cards that hint at the future to some degree. Whoever you helped make the King or Queen will make a brief appearance in game 3, but with so much happening, and the regions we helped now under threat once again, where are they?

Then there are those like Fenris, an escaped elven slave from Tevinter imbued with lyrium tattoos due to a magister’s experimentation. He got his own comic series, and because he’s an elf, from a country we’re exploring, I expected to see him again. Where are any of the characters from game 3 that offer to help you track Solas down, like Cassandra? The Iron Bull – your own personal Qunari spy? Sera and her network of Red Jennies? Where is Briala, the once-lover and confidante of the Empress of Orlais, who was part of an underground movement to help the elves? So many missed opportunities.

And side note, I would have paid double if I knew I was getting my cinnamon roll, Alistair and my lion, Cullen back for any length of time.

The Dialogue is Weak.

As an inspiring professional writer, this is where I took the most offense. I wish I had some examples, but I remember often thinking, “Really?” They would over explain things, or reiterate a concept too many times, as if we didn’t remember, and this is why I believe it was written for a younger audience.

Where is the Love?

I endured a disappointing, poorly developed romance with the adorable Antivan Crow, Lucanis. He really got short changed. I met the voice actor at SD Comic Con, so cute, and Lucanis’s appearance in one of the short stories included in the book, Tevinter Nights is a highlight, which is why I was initially drawn to him. If you appreciate a slow burn, then this is for you, but compared to the previous games – the conversations that could be had, the butterflies when your love interest looked at your character a certain way…swoon – that didn’t really happen, except like once.

I’ve only pursued the one romance option so far, so I can only speak to how this one was written. I just wish they would have given him a little more attention.

And a side tangent to this, you could always speak to your companions in the previous games whether you were in camp or walking about. In this game, you could only have a conversation, and sometimes, I wouldn’t even call it that, when the companion has an exclamation point over their head to instigate the convo. Why are we taking steps backward?

That’s it? No DLCs?

Given the culmination of four games, I felt this installment ended rather abruptly. So much had happened, so many countries were affected by the events, and once the main threat was neutralized, the game just sort of ended. There was a little indication of how the world was moving on, but it felt shallow. Then it was announced that there wouldn’t be any more. No DLCs, nothing to wrap up loose ends. A BioWare writer “reassured” fans that Dragon Age isn’t dead, because it stays alive through their own work, and continued by saying that Dragon Age belongs to the fans now.

I’m sure that was meant to sound positive, but it left fans with sort of mixed feelings. Years ago, for the third game in the Mass Effect series, BioWare created a DLC specifically as fan service, and now we can’t get some sort of tie-in/wrap up/love letter? It just leaves me feeling slighted by a franchise that I have devoted a lot of time to, in addition to the emotional and financial investment.

Not topic related, but I had to share this.

Okay, and finally, just a few random annoyances: What happened to building our own gear and weapons? What happened to being able to color change not only our, but our companions’ gear? Why don’t our companions take damage? Why don’t we have to use lyrium vials or injury kits? Why do the dragons nose dive at you?

Oh my. That’s a little more “con” than I wanted to share. I usually like to end my posts on a positive note, but this is just to long at this point, so I hope you’ll stay tuned for the final part of this now series, The Pros.

18Oct2020

My Dragon Age 4 Wish List

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Dragon Age 4 “behind-the-scenes” snippet shows off concept art and works-in-progress - VideoGamer.com

For those of you who have been with me for a while now, you know of my long love affair with the series Dragon Age. I have taken part in nearly every aspect of the fandom – the love runs deep. Very few details have been released in the last couple of years in regards to the next installment since it was teased at the 2018 Game Awards. And when any little hint does come to light, fans analyze every minute detail for clues and concoct wild theories based on the scarce evidence.

The Art Of Dragon Age 4 - Concept Art and Making Of

December tends to be DA news month but Christmas came early this year when a number of images of concept art were recently released. You can imagine the subsequent frenzy that ensued. With the release of the latest novel, Tevinter Nights, characters both new and familiar were revealed along with story details that we could weave together in the hopes of understanding where the next game would lead us.

Dragon Age 4' Gamescom reveal highlights wild new landscapes and characters

In the FB group I’m a part of, people regularly prompt the members by asking what they want to see in the next game. Besides better hairstyles, which is a major pet peeve among us (I even wrote about it a while back), there are a lot of ideas floating around. With all this in mind, I’ve decided to share my own take on what I’d like to see in the next game. Here are my top 7. I tried to stop at 5 but that was difficult, so I’ll do my best to be concise.

*This will include spoilers if you have not read the comics and books, and with the understanding that the reader has played the games.

Every Dragon Age 4 Screenshot or Piece of Concept Art Revealed So Far

The return of the Hero of Ferelden. The protagonist of Origins, the tainted hero who saves the world from The Blight we learn, years later in Inquisition, is in search of a cure for what will eventually kill them. My hope is that we are given closure to this storyline and the character that brought us into the series in the first place.
The trouble with the Grey Wardens and the return of griffons. In the closing credits of Inquisition we learn that something is happening within Warden ranks and Weisshaupt has gone quiet. In the novel, Last Flight, we learn the fate of the griffons during the 4th Blight and the possibility of their return. I’m a fan of the Wardens, one of their symbols is part of my tattoo (I told you, the love runs deep, skin deep 😉 ), so I’d like to revisit the order and learn what’s going on.
The return of beloved characters. Dragon Age needs to follow Mass Effect’s format of reintroducing characters and bringing us closure, especially in light of the position many of our favorite companions have or may have found themselves in since we last saw them.
- Sten is now Arishok, as revealed in the comic series, The Silent Grove, and with the Qunari threat revealed in Inquisition and the war in Tevinter, he should make an appearance as the commander of the military.
- Zevran and the Antivan Crows. There is a chapter in Tevinter Nights that deals with the leaders of the houses of the assassin’s guild, one of them being the house of Aranai. Zevran has made an appearance, in some form, in all three games so with this history, and the disarray that the Crows may find themselves in since the enlightening chapter, he should reappear. There is concept art that shows a Crow, and he’s also an elf. ((wink wink))
- Fenris received his own comic recently, Blue Wraith, although there wasn’t enough of him in it for my liking. The story involves the Qunari and Tevinter so he should make an appearance. And fans would be thrilled. We love Broody!
- Merrill, I think, is a shoe-in for a reappearance. In DA2 she was working at restoring an eluvian, and after Inquisition, we’re all aware of their importance. As an elf with strong ideas of keeping elven traditions alive, she’d make a great recruit for the Dread Wolf’s army.
- Dorian & Isabela also appear in the concept art, and given Tevinter as a most likely location for the bulk of DA4, it’s only natural to presume Dorian would be a major player. Isabela has also made an appearance in all three games, in some way, and with her history with the Qunari I think it’s time to get reacquainted with the admiral.
The return of “The One” sacrificed to be left in the Fade. Depending on the world state you imported into Inquisition, you will be faced with a potentially difficult decision at the end of Here Lies the Abyss, a mission in which you choose between leaving Hawke, the much loved protagonist from DA2 or a Grey Warden, one of whom could be the adorkable Alistair, behind. If Solas succeeds in his mission to tear down the veil, it is my hope this character will be revealed escaping or strutting out of the Fade, given who it might be.
The Architect and the strange experiments with the darkspawn. The Architect was an intelligent darkspawn introduced to us in the Origin’s DLC, Awakening. He was attempting to free the darkspawn from their compulsion to awaken the Old Gods hence starting another Blight and actually started the 5th. He can just disappear at the end of the DLC and then we learned in Tevinter Nights that the darkspawn are experimenting on each other creating even more terrifying abominations. There’s something weird going on there, and I’m not sure I truly want to know why. But I do.
Learning the true purpose of the ancient Elven Artifacts that we turn on as we run about in Inquisition. Solas tells us that these globe-like items will help to strengthen the veil, but since it’s his intention to tear it down, what purpose do they really serve?
I hope we return to being able to use the Ability Wheel from Origins and DA2; the option to open the wheel of all those abilities you have acquired so you can actually use everything in your arsenal instead of having to pick and choose.

I Rank the Dragon Age 4 Concept Art on How Much I Want to Date Everyone - Gayming Magazine

With all I have to say on this subject, I couldn’t share all the artwork too, so here is a link to see all the beautiful designs.

Are you as excited as I am for the next installment? What are your hopes for Dragon Age 4? It’s still a ways off but hopefully there will be another book, or comic, or more hopeful news, like a release date in December (or all of the above) to tide us over. ((sob)) Want to commiserate with me? Let’s talk Dragon Age!

17Jan2018

Rambling Review – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

*Spoiler free review ahead.

Witcher 3

This “more than just a piece of eye candy” is Geralt of Rivia. Swoon. He’s from a fantasy land where once upon a time, a conjunction split the veil between worlds, allowing mystical creatures to spill into his. In an effort to battle the “forces of evil”, the Witchers were created by terrible means, Geralt among them.

This 2015 Game of the Year winner has all the facets of well, everything, not just gaming, I’m drawn to – Medieval-like fantasy world, old world order of potential do-gooders, magic, sweeping backdrops with a rich, layered history – it was without fail that this would become my new favorite thing.

I was nearing the end of my first playthrough when for Christmas this year, The Sis bought me a series of books, and that’s when I learned a bit of the history of The Witcher. I had no idea the game was based on novels by fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski. The first book, The Last Wish was published in 1993. That’s a long time to be clueless about something I was destined to love. There are currently eight books in the series, three games, a failed Polish movie and tv series, and a new show by Netflix was just announced. Now that could prove interesting as everyone is on the hunt for the next Game of Thrones-like series.

I started the game completely oblivious to the storyline as I had not played the previous two. Not the best idea when the world you’re walking into is already so established. Maybe it was because of this, I felt a bit of disconnect initially from Geralt. I didn’t know who he was, where he had been, or why people hated him because he was a Witcher. His purpose seemed like a good one.

There was war brewing on all fronts and with monsters running amok, no one seemed concerned with the other impending threat, the Wild Hunt. Frightening, almost unstoppable warriors with skeletal armor from another world, the Wild Hunt appears with a frost that dramatically affects the world around them. And these “things” were chasing after my (Geralt’s) ward-like daughter, Ciri. Ciri

The beautiful girl with an interesting background and the voice of a Dragon Age character (Hawke from DA2) immediately became my concern (and I do mean mine). And that became the true purpose of the game – find and protect Ciri.

I had to force myself to play the game the first few times, which did not thrill me because I had been so excited to play after watching a trailer. This one, specifically: (*Be forewarned that this includes content not suitable for all ages.)

After those initial attempts, I decided to just follow the main storyline objective and things became more clear. I was still a bit lost when it came to matters of politics and the hatred towards witches and non-humans, but the further I delved into this world, the easier it became to navigate, and then suddenly, I was in love.

The game is beautiful and expansive. Cut scenes are cinematic, and there are a lot of them. Many times I felt like I was in a movie that I was lucky enough to be able to move around in.

*Helpful hint: Unlike some games, you can not put the controller down and walk away during conversations. Often times there are timed responses, so you don’t want to lose out on that choice.

There were a number of comments made by people in-game who thought they knew who Geralt was. I chose to make him more kind, almost out of spite because no one was going to talk about my boy like that in front of me and get away with it. Also, in part because I always play the “nice guy” when morality meters are involved. Sometimes we chose to fight, but sometimes we were merciful, giving our enemies reason to pause. The more I played, the more I liked him. The mutagens given to him as a boy to make him a Witcher made his hair turn white and stripped him of his outward emotion, but he has a good sense of humor, is loyal, and cares deeply.

As the game progressed, I learned why people both liked and feared him. Witchers are considered freaks themselves, unnatural. As a hired monster slayer known as the White Wolf, not only is he a fearsome warrior with a bloody reputation, he’s also known as being quite the womanizer. There are a few women to romance in the game, and Geralt, looking the way he does and having women throwing themselves at him took each opportunity. Although to be honest, I’m not sure how likely this all would have been back in 2007. Thank the advances of technology!

Geralt's Gaming Versions

Helpful tip: Romancing multiple characters can bite you in the a** if you’re not careful.

The witch in the trailer is Yennefer, Geralt’s long time, on again-off again lover. Triss She’s powerful and self-assured with a biting wit, and it’s easy to see why she and Geralt are continually drawn back to one another. While she aligns herself with powerful allies, like kings and emperors, the adorable and sweet Triss Merigold is helping witches escape the fires as hunters close in.

There’s history with each of these women, and more of their pasts are divulged as the game continues, making it understandable why Geralt, and I, had a hard time choosing. 😉

There’s a great deal to discuss with this game. There are many facets and intricate details that made this game so mesmerizing and engaging, but I will draw my rambling review to a close. Perhaps in the near future I will post a Witcher Review: Part II.

Like Dragon Age, where your character’s decisions influence the world around you, I failed on occasion to complete certain side quests in a timely fashion and that ended up shaping the world for the better or worse (Eh, it was my first playthrough after all, and it’s all a learning curve.), but because of the immersive quality, this is a game that has definite replayability. It’s a word.

If you enjoy the fantasy trope RPG, this will, without a doubt, speak to you…as it did me. By far, one of the best games I’ve played. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s up near Dragon Age. And now that I have a few books at my disposal, let the new obsession begin.

5stars

So, I’m smitten. How about you, fellow gamers? Have you played? Let’s discuss!

19Feb2016

I Finally Played DA: Inquisition DLCs

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

DAI I am so thankful for having such generous friends, like “D”, who let me borrow his XBox One in order to complete the Dragon Age Inquisition story line.

I still have a 360, which is by no means a bad thing, except to the multi-billion dollar gaming industry that dictates my game play. I love the Dragon Age series, for many of you, this is not new information – just type in “Dragon Age” into my search bar to see all of the devotion. I’ve already done a number of posts on the series, and so much more…

When it was announced that the DLCs for Inquisition, the extra content that gaming companies release that sometimes add a number of extra hours to enjoy, or not depending on the series, would not be released on older consoles, like my 360, I won’t lie, I was on the verge of tears.

Deep breath.

I had invested money and lots and lots of time to play the new game and then I was told I wouldn’t get any of the extras. Nope. Not having it. It was kind of a slap in the face. If the gaming companies are moving forward with the technology that comes with the newer consoles, then why did they even bother to release the game on the older ones? I’m not going to rant about this now, but know there is a rant a comin’.

Needless to say, the DA:I extras did not disappoint and playing on the One was superior; the graphics are amazing, the details crisp, the subtitles and codex much easier to read. I had one concern, moving over my character from the 360 to the One. I read a number of articles that all said the same thing, but they were all incorrect. I tried a variety of tactics to import the data, but they all failed, so if you’re like me, behind the times, let me give you a tip I received after talking directly with EA.

*If you started your game on the 360, you need to download the free version of The Black Emporium on the 360 before you can advance. If you have all the DLCs for the One, you will obtain The Black Emporium in the pack. Using the character you want to continue playing with, visit the emporium and create a new save. On the screen there will be an option for exporting via the emporium to the One. Nowhere did I ever find this information; most sites suggested using the cloud which, according to EA and my own findings, is incorrect.

You do need to have XBox Live in order to save this information to your account which is how the One will find it when you load it. Now, on the One, under Extras there is the “Import from 360” option. Character info will pop-up to ensure it’s the correct import and…Voila! I wasted hours trying everything else. Footnote, your character won’t import exactly, although it is pretty close, so I had to make a few changes which is why it’s good you start in the Black Emporium.

DAI JoH The first DLC is Jaws of Hakkon, a new region to explore in the Frostback Basin. There are a number of missions to complete while you search for the remains of the last Inquisitor, who is believed to have died in the area hundreds of years ago. You will learn a great deal of history during this time with tales of the Avvars, the creation of the Seekers, and the previous Inquisitor and his political ties, lineage, and reasons for being in such a remote location. The map is a bit confusing, as it is a place of peaks and valleys, so travelling from one location to another sometimes takes a little effort finding that one path.

With the new DLCs, you obtain new weapons and armor, but if you play these after the initial game, the armor ratings will be much lower than anything you currently have equipped, so use the schematics to build yourself something new, although most items remained of a lesser value than my current stock. My favorites were both of the Qunari armors; they show a little skin and really are nice looking on your female Inquisitor in particular, and Dorian, because everything looks good on Dorian.

There are a lot of things to fight, so I think I ranked up twice before leaving the area (one must have been a carry over from Descent which I played first, because so much fighting), and there are loads of crafting items to utilize. There are also more ocularum shards to find that will open a specific door in the area, useful before the boss fight. Lastly, instead of runes, there are now sigils that have both positive and negative effects. I didn’t use any, not yet anyway.

DAI Descent DLC number two is The Descent which takes place in the Deep Roads. If you’ve played the previous two games, you’re probably like me and sort of huff at the thought of traipsing through the Deep Roads yet again, just as the Wardens must. Wink wink. Those blasted darkspawn! And there are just. so. many and it is difficult. Even at my high rank, I had to drop down from hard to normal in some areas because the enemies were just relentless and never ending. I’m having nightmarish flashbacks just typing that.

I played Descent first, I’m not sure why, but if you’re early on in the game play, I would suggest visiting this area sooner than later because there is a ton of money to be made. I think I ended up with 100,000 gold in addition to some great new armor and weapons. You do have to be in Skyhold to access this mission from the war table, so you have a little time to rank up beforehand.

The Descent is a long, winding mission to solve the mystery of these random earthquakes that have started affecting the area. This is of great importance because the dwarves mine lyrium, the whole of their economy, which both mages and Templars rely on. You end up travelling further than anyone has before, and the landscape is quite beautiful and a little reminiscent of Blackreach in Skyrim.

Trespasser

The final DLC is Trespasser. This is the one I couldn’t wait to get to – the end. You cannot go back to anything unfinished once you begin, and you will receive a little pop-up at the war table with this warning. The story takes place two years after you have defeated Corypheus, having been summoned by the council to the Winter Palace to defend whether there is still a need for the Inquisition. After the events, you will have the opportunity to make this decision.

All of your friends have returned and you can interact with each, so make sure you talk to them multiple times to instigate cut scenes. I played first as my female mage who romanced Cullen. Great cut scene, fyi. There is also a great scene with Dorian, as well as a couple of fun things with Vivienne and Josie. There are dog treats to find which you will give to the mabari Cullen has taken a liking to that add perks such as cunning and magic, etc. but as this is the last DLC, I was confused as to why this was necessary. Your rank will be high, your armor and weapons will be top notch, and you will have so many abilities you won’t know which ones to choose from most of the time. This is one thing I wish they would have included from the previous two games, the ability to open the wheel of choices for all those abilities you have acquired so you can actually use everything in your arsenal.

This DLC is a great story for a number of reasons, one of them being that it continues to tie together other topics from the previous games. The eluvians, the elven mirrors that have played a role in each game, are your means of travel in Trespasser while you try to stop a pretty big threat. I won’t give anything away, but will only say that this paves the way for a great Dragon Age 4, which is years away, if at all, since it hasn’t been announced yet, and the creator of the series left Bioware a little while ago. 😦 So, wait, there’s a job opening?! Bioware, please announce at least the promise of a new game…there are still so many story lines that require closure!

I freely admit it that I will play these DLCs at least two more times with my other characters I’ve created so I can see the endings for each, or at least until my friend asks for his XBox back. This is the same friend I was able to encourage to play the game in the first place because of my (great) interest in the series. For gamers who like RPGs, start at the beginning with Dragon Age Origins, forgive Bioware for Dragon Age II, but still enjoy it, and then find your way to Inquisition where all these stories converge. You won’t be disappointed.

Game on!

30Oct2015

The Dragon Age Obsession Saga Continues…Part 4

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

As I’ve now finished a second playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition, I felt it was time to wrap up this series of posts. Here are posts one, two, and three which are in regards to starting the game and importing a history, character creation, and dialogue and romance options with companions to bring you up to speed. I am unable to discuss any of the DLCs because after the first one was released, Bioware decided not to release any others on the XBox 360, so I haven’t purchased any of them.

The anger I have about the gaming industry’s ploys to wrangle more money out of their gamers is real. I was not ready to fork out $400 for a new gaming console, but if I want to know the rest of the story, that is exactly what I’ll have to do, and because you all know I’m passionate about this story, I’m going to do it…very, very soon. ARGH! As this post is not a rant on that, I’ll save that for fuel for another day.

This post is about the grand scale of the story of the world of Dragon Age. Inquisition is part three and a culmination of the events in the previous two games where story lines and characters come together.

In Origins, game one, your protagonist is from one of six “origin” stories (2 human story lines, 2 elf, and 2 dwarf) in which each avenue ends with you becoming a Grey Warden, an old order of warriors chosen to fight a specific evil known as darkspawn and their archdemon, an old god twisted by their tainted blood. They live underground and are rather hideous, similar to Tolkien’s orcs. The presence of an archdemon is a time referred to as a Blight and when the Grey Wardens are needed most, as they are the only real solution to ending a Blight. In this first game, there are a number of obstacles to overcome while you try to unite the country against the impending threat, and there is treachery around every corner as the Wardens are declared traitors after an initial battle against the darkspawn.

There are a number of characters who you meet in game one that will progress forward through each game, some of them taking on major roles in Inquisition. Same can be said of characters from game two. Fun fact: if you’re game one character is a human mage, you will be related to the protagonist in game two.

In game two, you are a human whose family has escaped the Blight and traveled across the sea in search of a safe haven. The entire game takes place in and around the city of Kirkwall. Although many people didn’t care for this game, especially in comparison to Origins – you could only play as a human, there was a lot of repetition in the floor plans, and the primary single location of the city as the backdrop – this is where game three is setup; the conflict between the mages and the Templars. Without giving too much away, one of your allies takes drastic action that incites a war between the mages, who are considered dangerous and are required to live in prison-like societies called Circles, and their captors/overseers, the Templars.

Fun fact: there is a Dragon Age 2 DLC that introduces you to a powerful darkspawn named Corypheus. It was Hawke’s father, a mage, and the Grey Wardens who imprisoned him.

Game three begins 10 years after the events of game one. Your protagonist is found as the sole survivor of a terrible, cataclysmic tragedy where a resolution to the Mage-Templar War was supposed to transpire. A conclave was called at the Temple of Sacred Ashes in Haven, a village you will have discovered in game one. With no memories of what happened and a strange mark upon your hand, you are considered responsible for a number of the current problems, including a giant hole in the sky; a Breach in the veil, the line between reality and the spirit world, is the source of a demon invasion. An old form of justice, an inquisition, is formed to solve the many problems that the world now faces.

Everything you’ve learned from the past two games will pay off as you make your way through Inquisition. The things you know about the Wardens are relevant. A relic you found in game two has resurfaced with a vengeance. You will see old, familiar faces (Hello, Flemeth) and meet interesting, new ones (Well, hellooo Solas). The world of Dragon Age is vast and all encompassing, and you will discover how well it’s constructed. I instantly became devoted to the series because it combined things I love such as fantasy, medieval times, old world orders, magic, dragons, romance, and adventure, and then went above and beyond to make it a fully fleshed out universe.

As I’ve tried to end each of these posts with some relevance to writing, you will find, if you choose to play, how key world building is and character development. It’s key to think multiple steps ahead, whether you’re writing a single story or a series. How do people know one another? This may reflect in how supposed strangers speak to one another upon meeting – there may be a history there. What is their religious affiliation? How do they feel about the history of their people? Their government? What consequences do their actions have later? This is a good one to consider, especially in a serial. Actions taken by a character may have unforeseen consequences that may be fun to explore later. Think of the domino effect.

Consider epic tales like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. I would count Dragon Age among them. There is so much more going on than the happenings of one person, and you get to live it first hand, well, vicariously through your character. Your decisions have bearing on the world around you and shape it. You become a leader in each game; you build loyalty and friendships or enemies. You get to save the world, and maybe the boy too. 😉

Aren’t these a few of the reasons we write?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts as much as I’ve enjoyed talking about it. I could do so much more. I’m continuing my fanfiction shortly, so if you’re not inclined to play, you can follow along the journey of my Origin character as she tries to save the world and the boy. I will continue to post them here, as well as on Wattpad and Archive of Our Own (which I just realized needs to be updated).

Have a great weekend and Happy Writing!

22Mar2015

The Dragon Age Obsession Saga Continues…Part 3

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

So in my absence and “sticking my head in the sand” I have neglected one of my favorite topics, Dragon Age. For those of you who are new to my rambles, I have a particular fascination with the game series, some might call it an “obsession”, I would almost call it that myself, except I saw this… Obsessed:Dedicated

…and I felt a lot better about it. 🙂

I started this series some time ago, here’s Part I and Part II. I’ve decided to write Part III on the companions, the merry band of misfits you recruit to join your cause. I was trying to go in order of how one might proceed through the game, so perhaps this one should be about story, but Dragon Age is currently amidst a March Madness-type narrowing down of favorite characters to create The Dragon Age Ultimate Party, so I felt this was appropriate. My choices, just FYI, are The Warden from Origins as the leader along with Alistair for the warrior, Varric from DA2 for the rogue, and Dorian from Inquisition for the mage. #DAUltimateParty

So before I discuss the companions, of which I won’t go into too much, because “Spoilers”. Any Doctor Who fans out there? 😉 Here are a few of the pros and cons. In the two previous games certain actions were only available after a character “liked” you enough. Their approval allowed for romance options and loyalty. There was gift giving available and specific tokens for individuals, in addition to personal quests that would garner favor. A bar on their character profile page gave you some indication of your friendship with them, but that disappeared in Inquisition. At first it really bothered me, because how am I supposed to know if someone likes me enough?! But this is more true to life. The “so-and-so approves” or “greatly disapproves” text still pops up, so your only indication of character favor is based on how many times you’ve seen your favorite agree or disagree with your choices.

Also out for the majority of conversations is the positive, negative, or sarcastic indicator that allows you to choose how you would like to respond. The Sis saves before every. single. conversation. which allows her to see the results of each conversation option and its effects. She wastes a lot of time doing this, but she also probably has a better understanding overall. I will, on the other hand, play the first time through just as I want. As I always play “nice” when a character’s morality is measured, it’s fairly easy for me to distinguish what my character would say. In all of the games, this wins favor with some while others find my do-gooder behavior tiresome.

In keeping with the idea of conversation, there’s lots of it! This is something I truly appreciate, and Dragon Age as a series has never failed in this. You can make quite a bit of conversation while in camp, but one of the best additions was the added supplementary conversations while you’re just walking around. I became rather partial to who I kept in my party because of this; Dorian, Blackwall, and Sera seemed to be the most talkative and some of the things they talked about…so much fun!

I’ve started playing the Mass Effect series, also from Bioware, and with the confirmation of a game 4 due out next year, I’m hoping they take a cue from Dragon Age in regards to the romances; conversations, scenes, options. With Inquisition, Bioware raised the bar. Romance options are not only based on race, but also sexual orientation. In the previous games, there were characters that could be romanced specifically by either a male or female lead, some by both, but this time around, there were more lines drawn. Dorian is gay, as is Sera. Solas can only be romanced by a female elf. Commander Cullen, an NPC, is (luckily) a romance option who can only be wooed by a female human or elf. This approach, in addition to creating a transgendered character found in Iron Bull’s party, has garnered Bioware a great deal of praise and plenty of accolades including a Special Recognition Award from GLAAD.

Here is the lineup: Your advisors are Leliana, Josephine, and Cullen, all NPCs, but of which two are romance options. I would include Cassandra, a warrior, as well since she’s with you from the very start and initiates the Inquisition. Along your travels you can recruit the following: Varric – a dwarven rogue, Solas – an elven mage, Blackwall – a human warrior, Iron Bull – a Qunari warrior, Dorian – a human mage, Sera – an elven rogue, Vivienne – a human mage, and Cole…he’s a bit of a complicated rogue.

What you’ll realize is that these characters are 3-dimensional, and this is a great lesson for us storytellers! There is diversity, and passion, and spirit, and those make for good characters in any medium.

As I’ve rambled, yet again, I’ll wrap it up. Goodness, I almost need to do another post on this topic alone. The politics in the game surround a mage/templar conflict. The companions you recruit all have their own backstory and ideas on how this problem should be resolved. Because of this conflict, I chose to play my first time through as a female human mage. Most characters and even NPCs will have their viewpoints and will treat you accordingly until you “win” them over. There’s fear and skepticism, conflicting religious ideology, political intrigue, and so much more. As you move forward, making decisions, and influencing the people around you, you will find that this is a fully fleshed out world where your choices have consequences and can shape the world around you. Again I say, “It is so much fun!”

If you decide to play and want to know your romance options, here’s a guide from IGN.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

8Feb2015

The Dragon Age Obsession Saga Continues…Part 2

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

So, it’s time to continue the obsession saga series known as Dragon Age. I present to you Part 2: Creating your Character aka The Protagonist.

As I mentioned in the first part, I will discuss topics in the order they are encountered, so this post will deal with character creation and we’ll move on from there.

Character creation is one of my favorite things to do in games. If I could get paid to make characters all day, I totally would. Some games do this better than others, and I had really high hopes for this option in Inquisition given the previous games, and from early game footage we knew the graphics were going to be amazing, and for the most part it is really good, but it has its downsides.

In Origins (game 1) you were given a choice of 6 different origin stories to play through as an elf, a human, or a dwarf. Comments made in game play, and how NPC characters treated you, etc. were all based on this choice. In 2 you could only play as a human, Hawke, which many people didn’t care for (in addition to a number of other factors – we won’t go into that here – I still liked the game). There was also a DLC called the Black Emporium that allowed you to change your character’s features at no extra cost, i.e. gold or favor anytime you wished. Inquisition returns to the original format of different races and includes a fourth option, the Qunari; a race of large beings with horns, usually. You do not have an option to change features, but Bioware did try to have the character creator mirror actual game play, and it is very close. What this means is what you see is what you get, pretty much.

The character creator allows for multiple interesting features to incorporate such as unnatural eye colors (pink, yellow, what-have-you or a combination of any along the color wheel), scars, tattoos, and even a broken nose. You could easily spend hours creating just the right eye size, nose shape, chin depth, even the height of the ears, and that’s all great, except…

Here are the downsides. There are no distinctions in hair options for male and female characters. They removed a number of the good ones from previous games (where did my cute bob with the braids go?!) and instead added 13 bald-ish options. You can go completely bald, have stubble, have stubble with a round head, or stubble with a slightly cone head, and the list goes on for 13 different options…gracious.

And let’s talk about beard options for male characters – there are like 40. C’mon now. I realize there are so many other things going on in character creation, especially having 4 races, but you took away multiple choices for one of the most essential features – hair to include all those others?

Side note, here’s a link to a video about some of the ugliest characters created, but be forewarned for explicit language. I found it hilarious!

One feature some gamers didn’t like was the lack of choice in body type. Elves are small framed, dwarves are short, Qunari are tall, and humans are well, human. There is no choice in making any character taller or shorter, heavier or thinner. You cannot create the rare tall elf, or the randomly short Qunari.

So after painstakingly creating your perfect character, choosing a voice of which there are only two across the board for any race of male and female characters, and a name which no one will ever use in game play because gaming is not quite that advanced yet, you start your game.

Depending on your race, whether you’re female or male, and depending on your class especially in this game, you will be treated accordingly in this world. Elves are second-class citizens, dwarves are generally not surface dwellers, Qunari are from a foreign land and in previous games have been referred to as an invading force trying to convert the world to their beliefs, and then there is the “ruling” class, the humans. In Inquisition, regardless of your class, you will be from a noble family, although if you are a mage, you will have come from a circle; a place where mages are kept locked away for the protection of the people.

This is the driving storyline of Inquisition due to events started in DA:2. We’ll talk about story in another post.

What makes the character creator fun, you might ask? As a writer, sometimes I find it fun to try to create a character that might resemble one of my own creations. If you’re really talented you can create a character that looks like someone else, like this, Nigel Thornberry. So, after all my time spent in the creator, this was my first character, who I really liked despite her questioning eyebrows. 🙂 She does not resemble any of my imaginary friends, but after the play through, I suppose she could. I really grew to love her and her choices, despite what some of her companions thought.

All right, that’s quite enough for one day. The Dragon Age Obsession Saga will continue with posts in regards to dialogue, companions, and story shortly.

Happy Sunday!