Traditional weak points of the classic RPG are ... they're daunting. High barrier to entry. They're hard to get into.
—Mike Laidlaw*, lead designer of the Dragon Age games
(via Destructoid)
Dragon Age II simplifies the character creation process in three ways:
- You have to be a human being named “Hawke.”
- You can choose to be a Warrior, Mage, or Rogue. Nothing else.
- Each class functions the same way: you get points to spend on “talents” or spells.
I have no problem with simplifying character advancement, but I do quibble with an RPG severely limiting the choice of who you play. You’re Hawke or you’re no one.
Yes, the travails of Hawke’s family play a big part in the story, but they are not the driving force or even significant to the main thrust of the game. Hawke is; his family is not. He could have been anyone or anything.
Dragon Age II’s spiritual ancestor, Baldur’s Gate, featured a story that made your character critical to the plot but still gave you freedom to be whatever you wanted. Your father was the God of Murder, which is crucial to the story whether you are an elf, gnome, or grue.
These restrictions in Dragon Age II feel more like simplifications designed to free up design and coding time. That is, to save money. A lot about the game smacks of that.
And despite all that, I’m having fun with the game. I would have picked a human warrior anyway.
* * *
*Could Mike Laidlaw of Bioware
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