Dragon Age 2 - Page 10

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:01 PM

I did! Somewhat begrudgingly. I miss the old Anders, I hate that he won't ever talk about anything else besides how oppressed the mages are. And then he goes on to be mean to Merrill.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:12 PM

My problem was that this game was pretty poorly written compared to DA:O and Awakenings. Everyone's so one note, its like I'm listening in to Crossfire every time party dialogue starts up. Unless Isabela is in the party. Then I feel like I'm listening in on your mom's conversations.

Anders isn't so much of a hero when he wants to sell Fenris back into slavery.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:16 PM

She wasn't dimwitted. She understood, unlike Anders, that there are no good spirits. She was the most sensible mage in the party.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:26 PM

She's absolutely foreign and sheltered. When I moved to the city I assumed everyone wanted to mug me and rarely left my dorm.

Although they exaggerated that DA2. She was more confident in DA:O

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:28 PM

So, you totally boned Merrill, didn't you?

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:35 PM

Hahahaa, of course you chugged Anders' cock.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:38 PM

I handed Isabela over to the Qunari. What a headache she was.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 12:52 PM

It was more because I knew what they were trying to do with her. Since you didn't play DA:O, this is what she looked like in that game:

It was very obvious that she was there purely for sex appeal, which goes back to what I was saying about everyone being one noted. Anders does nothing but bitch and whine about Templars, Fenris does nothing but bitch and whine about what the slavers did to him, Merrill is the cute one, Isabela the sex appeal. With Merrill and Isabela in your party you're very much walking arund with the virgin/whore dichotomy. I'm pretty sure I saw an interview with one of the writers where she said thats pretty much what it is.

In the first game, when you meet Isabela, she kicks some ass, and you can learn the duelist class from her, by besting her in a game of cards, or if you have a high enough persuasion skill, sleep with her. You can invite Zevran or Leliana. Its a funny part of the game, but it seems that the point that she can get into a foursome with you has completely coloured her character in this game. Morrigan was sexual and dominant, but she was very much her own person. Zevran was the whore to Leliana's not so virgin, but he was many other things as well. Here there's no complexity, everyone wears their entire character out on their sleeves. Carver says every five minutes "I FEEL LIKE I'M WALKING IN YOUR SHADOW." There's no subtly.

In the first game, I felt bad for being a douche. In this game, I'm betraying an idea, not people.

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 02:59 PM

Merrill is adorable and ten times the Blood Mage Jowan was. xD

I turn into Merrill when I try to flirt in real life.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 03:12 PM

Yeaaaaah Merrill made blood magic a little more understandable. Did Jowan even give a reason why he became a blood mage?

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 03:17 PM

Nope, probably just Jowan being stupid Jowan as per usual. You can always find him flailing around in the giant chasm between his intentions and reality. Maybe the templars would have caught him sooner if we had told them that.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 03:23 PM

I made my Grey Warden a blood mage just to unlock all the specializations, but the Wardens had the reasoning that they'll use whatever it takes, and the Warden's Keep DLC expanded on that, so I felt like it was a solid choice. With Jowan its like "well I DO live in the Circle and Templars watch me 24/7, this is a good idea! Derp derp derp..."

Despanan · 03-22-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saya

She's absolutely foreign and sheltered. When I moved to the city I assumed everyone wanted to mug me and rarely left my dorm.

Although they exaggerated that DA2. She was more confident in DA:O

Merril was in DA:O ? Where? How did I miss her?

Despanan · 03-22-2011, 04:14 PM

Wow. Isabella got...ethnic in DA: 2. Which I suppose makes more sense. You'd definitely get a tan on a pirate ship.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saya

In the first game, when you meet Isabela, she kicks some ass, and you can learn the duelist class from her, by besting her in a game of cards, or if you have a high enough persuasion skill, sleep with her. You can invite Zevran or Leliana. Its a funny part of the game, but it seems that the point that she can get into a foursome with you has completely coloured her character in this game. Morrigan was sexual and dominant, but she was very much her own person. Zevran was the whore to Leliana's not so virgin, but he was many other things as well. Here there's no complexity, everyone wears their entire character out on their sleeves. Carver says every five minutes "I FEEL LIKE I'M WALKING IN YOUR SHADOW." There's no subtly.

You can also have a threesome with Alastair if you're a chick.

But yeah, I agree, there's FAR less subtlety and the characters/story are less complex. Basically the whole thing is dummed down...oh wait, I mean streamlined.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 04:15 PM

If you're a Dalish Warden, its the same group of Dalish elves as in DA2. She comes with you to find whatshisface, after you recover from your encounter from the mirror. She looks really different:

And acts completely different.

ETA: Tamlen! She goes with you to find Tamlen.

Despanan · 03-22-2011, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saya

If you're a Dalish Warden, its the same group of Dalish elves as in DA2. She comes with you to find whatshisface, after you recover from your encounter from the mirror. She looks really different:

And acts completely different.

ETA: Tamlen! She goes with you to find Tamlen.

Oh shit! Yeah, you're right. I played Dalish but completely forgot about her. WOW they REALLY did a 180 on her character.

However, unless something else happens in the third act, Merril is pretty naive, and specifically says that she DOES believe there are good spirits.

BTW: I kinda HATE the design changes they made to the Elves in DA:2, they look like Dobby meets a Gray alien.

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 05:44 PM

The new look works for some elves, like Marethari (i'd mention Merrill and Fenris but they're companions so they don't count) not so much for others...

Saya · 03-22-2011, 05:48 PM

I wouldn't mind so much if they didn't look anorexic. When you see Merrill in her underwear her dimensions are just confusing.

I think she says to Anders after he nearly kills that girl that she realized that all spirits are dangerous, something he never realized. I think most of her reassurances about her demon is that she can handle him, its not that he is a good spirit, its just that to her the ends justify the means, and the Dalish have a different take on spirits and demons. And she seems to be right about it, in Awakenings I think Anders suggests that Justice can become a demon.

Despanan · 03-22-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saya

I wouldn't mind so much if they didn't look anorexic. When you see Merrill in her underwear her dimensions are just confusing.

I don't have a problem with that actually...Elves SHOULD have the "eat a damn sandwich" look IMHO, as they are a different race.

They way they did them in DA:2 though...they just lose their dignity and look gross and alien and kinda silly.

Quote:

I think she says to Anders after he nearly kills that girl that she realized that all spirits are dangerous, something he never realized. I think most of her reassurances about her demon is that she can handle him, its not that he is a good spirit, its just that to her the ends justify the means, and the Dalish have a different take on spirits and demons. And she seems to be right about it, in Awakenings I think Anders suggests that Justice can become a demon.

Oh, she wasn't in my group, and Anders/Justice DID kill that chick. At the beginning of the Story, she tells Anders that the demon she's been dealing with is a "Good Spirit" and Anders kinda says: "You can't really believe that" and she's all "Yeah, I do. You just don't understand Elven culture".

Saya · 03-22-2011, 06:02 PM

Anders: Maybe you don't really understand the difference between spirits and demons.
Merrill: Did I ask you?
Anders: Spirits were the first children of the Maker, but he turned his back on them, to dote on his mortal creations. The ones he resented have become demons, driven to take everything mortals have and gain back the maker's favour.
Merrill: Your Maker is the story you humans use to explain the world. We have our own stories, we don't need to borrow yours.

Anders: Do Dalish honestly not recognize the difference between demons and beneficial spirits?
Merrill:We’ve never thought of the Fade as the home of our gods. It is another realm. Another people's home, no different or more foreign than, say, Orzammar.
Anders: But have you never studied the types of demons? They break down very clearly into different sins.
Merrill:Spirits differ from each other. Just as you, and Hawke and Isabela are all human. More or less.

Merrill: Are you alright?
Anders: I nearly killed an innocent girl. How could I be alright?
Merrill: I'm sorry.
Anders: You're sorry? For me? This could be you! You could be the next monster threatening helpless girls!
Merrill: Anders... There's no such thing as a good spirit. There never was.
Merrill: All spirits are dangerous. I understood that. I'm sorry that you didn't.

http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Merrill/Dialogue

HAHA.

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 06:41 PM

Anders has obviously grown up in a Chantry environment and even though he seems to staunchly oppose the institution he still holds onto very Andrastian beliefs.

Mages do need to be free though, and that means free to practice whatever magic whatever the risks with whatever mentality. Anders doesn't want that though, he wants Mages free but conforming to the little box that is his morals.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 06:48 PM

I should say that Merrill can be pretty naive, even when it comes to blood magic, but she isn't quite as naive and short sighted as Anders.

I think part of the reason why I like her is that while she does suffer from being dumbed down, she does have SOME amount of complexity (looks and acts very innocent, but deals with demons.) I might be just a little desperate at this point.

And I LIKE the game! But it makes me ranty, and insults my intelligence.

Saya · 03-22-2011, 06:56 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwa-m...eature=related

And Sandal continues to scare the shit out of me.

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 06:57 PM

She's certainly wiser than she first makes you think.

Sir Canvas Corpsey · 03-22-2011, 07:14 PM

Sandal is awesome. Sandal is totally the Maker or a reincarnated Andraste or something XD