phew well I’m cracking through the DA story ready for Inquisition! So far, it’s been absolutely brilliant. I have also read The Stolen Throne (prequel to Origins) and The Calling (also a prequel but sheds light on the events in Awakening). I have Asunder ready to be read once I have finished DA2 (occurs between the end of DA2 and sets up Inquisition, I believe). All by David Gaider.
Awakening was jarring to start with as it was my Origins character but given new companions and new extra skills. I really enjoyed the story this time round, especially having read The Calling. I liked the warring factions within the Darkspawn angle, that made it quite interesting with some difficult decisions.
The Architect and Utha
I’d forgotten how amazing the comic book cut scenes are in Dragon Age 2. The art style is just gorgeous (see below). I’d also forgotten how fun combat was – beheading darkspawn never gets old.
It did strike me though, what a fantastic start it is for a female Hawke. By the time you meet Flemeth, the party is entirely composed of women. Female Hawke, her sister Bethany, Leandra Amell (their Mum) and Aveline Vallen. That was cool, though poor Carver and Wesley.
The companions though, are just very annoying. Well… they’re good characters. They’re just so… irritable. I get glared at by Aveline if I talk to thieves, glared at by Fenris if I don’t support the oppression of mages, glared at by Varric if I’m too serious, glared at by Anders if I don’t support his mad mages ftw schemes… I miss Alistair, Wynne and Zevran… Merrill is great though, her voice actress is just brilliant. It goes without saying that Flemeth (and Kate Mulgrew) is completely awesome :)
I think I might try Merrill, Varric and Isabela as my party – I think they might be the least irritable of the lot plus I can be thievey :)
I think the above plus the fact that I didn’t get to choose who my character is, are why I find DA2 less compellling than Origins… However, I am still enjoying it as there is plenty to like about it. I’m still on the first Act, so plenty of time until 21 November. Why oh why oh why do Europeans have to wait an extra 3 days?
