Dragon Age 2 - Announced!

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Shir'le E. Illios
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Dragon Age 2 - Announced!

Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

[center:1m46zgek][url=http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/ ... x:1m46zgek][img:1m46zgek]http://media1.gameinformer.com/imagefee ... _cov_a.jpg[/img:1m46zgek][/url:1m46zgek][/center:1m46zgek]

Yesterday BioWare put the following message on [url=http://twitter.com/biofeed:1m46zgek]their Twitter feed[/url:1m46zgek]:

[quote:1m46zgek]2morrow will be a great day for BioWare fans. Just sayin'[/quote:1m46zgek]
That "2morrow" there was quickly speculated to have more meaning that just Internet shorthand. And then [url=http://kotaku.com/5581903/dragon-age-2- ... w:1m46zgek]Kotaku noticed[/url:1m46zgek] the following in an EA press release about Warhammer Online (released the same day):

[quote:1m46zgek]Currently announced projects at BioWare include the development of ongoing downloadable content for Mass Effect 2, one of the highest rated video games of all time, Dragon Age 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2009's "RPG of the Year" Dragon Age: Origins, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars: The Old Republic.[/quote:1m46zgek]
Though it was [url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/106 ... l:1m46zgek]already known[/url:1m46zgek] that a new Dragon Age title was in the works, with a [url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/107/10770 ... l:1m46zgek]hinted release date[/url:1m46zgek] of the 1[sup:1m46zgek]st[/sup:1m46zgek] of February 2011, it hasn't been officially confirmed that Dragon Age 2 is in development.

But from the looks of it "that will soon be changed" (with 'soon' being today).

In fact, as I finished typing the previous sentence it pretty much just did. Both [url=http://kotaku.com/5582189/dragon-age-2- ... e:1m46zgek]Kotaku[/url:1m46zgek] and [url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/first ... t:1m46zgek]Eurogamer[/url:1m46zgek] note that the first details have appeared. In particular, it seems that the next issue of [url=http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/ ... x:1m46zgek]GameInformer[/url:1m46zgek] will have an article on Dragon Age 2, featuring the game on its cover. And it comes with the following description:

[quote:1m46zgek]Last year, BioWare and EA introduced gamers to a vast new fantasy world with Dragon Age: Origins. Now, after an expansion and plenty of DLC, the renowned RPG developer is ready to unveil the next chapter in the Dragon Age saga. Dragon Age II is a full-fledged sequel, featuring a new hero, a different part of the world, and a ton of surprising improvements that will shed even more light on the lore of the Dragon Age universe. You can learn all the details in our exclusive 10-page cover story in issue 208.[/quote:1m46zgek]
I wonder what it'll mean that you'll have a new hero; particularly I wonder if the decisions you made in Dragon Age: Origins will carry over into the sequel or not. If not then it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you end up playing as Morrigan's child (from the Dark Ritual ending). Either way, we'll have to wait for the article to be available somewhere to find out more.

In the meantime if you're hungry for more Dragon Age and can't wait until February then you can always try Leliana's Song. IGN just put up [url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/110/11046 ... l:1m46zgek]a review for the DLC[/url:1m46zgek]. Here's an excerpt:

[quote:1m46zgek][center:1m46zgek][url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/110/11046 ... l:1m46zgek][img:1m46zgek]http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article ... 67-000.jpg[/img:1m46zgek][/url:1m46zgek][/center:1m46zgek]
Like Darkspawn Chronicles before it, Leliana's Song is a completely separate tale. It doesn't fit into the main game at all, but instead serves as a flashback to fill in the reasons why Leliana, the Orlesian bard from Origins, wound up joining the Chantry in the first place. If that description made you yawm, then there's really no reason to spend the seven USD to get this. If, however, you can't get enough of Leliana and her accent, then this is more worth your time.[/quote:1m46zgek]
I think I'll pick this one up (I haven't done so for any of the previous DLC), but then I quite liked Leliana. :)


[[b:1m46zgek]UPDATE[/b:1m46zgek]]

And more details have surfaced, including [url=http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/login/:1m46zgek]the official website[/url:1m46zgek]. I've updated the title to reflect the game now being officially announced.

[center:1m46zgek][url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/55939 ... d:1m46zgek][img:1m46zgek]http://ve3dmedia.ign.com/images/07/71/7 ... normal.png[/img:1m46zgek][/url:1m46zgek][/center:1m46zgek]
As noted by [url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/55939 ... d:1m46zgek]Voodoo Extreme[/url:1m46zgek] and [url=http://kotaku.com/5582305/dragon-age-2- ... t:1m46zgek]Kotaku[/url:1m46zgek] the [url=http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/login/:1m46zgek]official website[/url:1m46zgek] comes with a few more details on the new game:

[quote:1m46zgek][b:1m46zgek]RISE TO POWER...
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY[/b:1m46zgek]

Experience the epic sequel to the 2009 Game of the Year from the critically acclaimed makers of Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.

[b:1m46zgek]Key Features:[/b:1m46zgek]
[list:1m46zgek][*:1m46zgek]Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek]Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek]Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek]Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek]Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.[/*:m:1m46zgek][/list:u:1m46zgek][/quote:1m46zgek]
I must say that some of those points have me raise my eyebrows a little. First of all, a new visual style? That could be good, but if they're going the cell-shaded or "stylised" realism path then that's definitely bad. It's good to update the graphics, but I [i:1m46zgek]liked[/i:1m46zgek] the realistic style of the first game.

And secondly, dynamic new combat mechanics? But, I [i:1m46zgek]liked[/i:1m46zgek] the old combat mechanics. It was great that Dragon Age was a more tactical, thoughtful game amidst the dross of action-oriented games. I'm getting seriously scared that they might 'console-ize' the game and make it more action-y. I fear that they might do something similar as they did with Mass Effect 2, remove the depth and turn it into an action game with dialog. Instead I was hoping that they would focus even more on making it a deep tactical experience.

But we'll have to see until we hear more about it. I just hope that Dragon Age will still be what made Dragon Age so good to begin with; a PC game first and foremost.

[list:1m46zgek][*:1m46zgek][[url=http://twitter.com/biofeed:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to BioWare Twitter feed.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://kotaku.com/5581903/dragon-age-2- ... w:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 news at Kotaku.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/106 ... l:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to next Dragon Age TBA news at IGN.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/107/10770 ... l:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to hinted release date at IGN.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/110/11046 ... l:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 news at IGN.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://kotaku.com/5582189/dragon-age-2- ... e:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 announcement at Kotaku.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/first ... t:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 announcement at Eurogamer.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/ ... x:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 cover at GameInformer.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/110/11046 ... l:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Leliana's Song DLC review article at IGN.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/login/:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 official website.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/categ ... x:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 official forum.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/55939 ... d:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 details at Voodoo Extreme.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://kotaku.com/5582305/dragon-age-2- ... t:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to Dragon Age 2 details at Kotaku.[/*:m:1m46zgek]
[*:1m46zgek][[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/gallery.php?ga ... 6:1m46zgek]link[/url:1m46zgek]] to concept art at Eurogamer.[/*:m:1m46zgek][/list:u:1m46zgek]
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Shir'le
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Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

Updated the first post with more, newly revealed, details. And updated the title to reflect the change.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le
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Post by Bergeth'fryn »

Sweet!
Back home, we used to eat those things you call nightmares.
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