Something Old, Something Hakkon, and Something New

My latest and longest trek back into Dragon Age:  Inquisition has come to an end.  Oddly, I felt a weird sense of relief but after playing through the Trespasser DLC I was also slightly confused.  I spent $20 to play through DLC that is over two years old, and for the most part I felt like it was well spent but was glad that I didn't pay the original full price for it.

The Jaws of Hakkon
This DLC adds a brand new zone to the Fereldan side of the map--the Frostback Basin.  Frostback Basin is a mix of the junglier biomes and some really janky geography.  There have been times where I've wanted a little more variety in my zones, but after trying to navigate the gaping chasms and narrow tree root natural bridges, I am not so sure.  Much of my time in the Frostback basin was spent trying to find things that were either at the bottom of gorges or on hillside cliffs.

Once you've grown accustomed to navigating the terrain you will get the opportunity to mix with some old friends.  In your earlier explorations of the Fallow Mire you encounter a group of Avvar who have captured some of your Inquisition soldiers.  The Frostback Basin contains two different groups of Avvar--the friendly group from Stone Bear Hold and the aggressive branch calling themselves the Jaws of Hakkon,

As you befriend the friendly Avvar at Stone Bear Hold you get an opportunity to learn more about their culture.  They like climbing cliffs, communing with spirits, fighting, and disposing of bodies by chucking them off of the aforementioned cliffs.  Befriending them is important because their trust must be gained in order for them to provide the valuable information used to located the remains of the first Inquisitor.

There are new astrariums and ocularum to discover and unlock as well as Tevinter ruins to explore.  The loot in Jaws of Hakkon is so-so.  If you have a thing for frost-based weapons you will enjoy many of the items.  I had played the The Descent before Jaws and the loot from it is slightly better.

Overall I'd give it a 7/10.  It stuck to the same formula as the other zones while introducing a new faction and some new but slightly annoying scenery.  The story wasn't anything fabulous but it kept me interested to see it through to the end.

One of the scenic vistas in Trespasser.

Trespasser
I didn't really know what to expect from Trespasser.  I expected some closure to the major cliffhanger at the end of the main storyline but didn't expect the story to play out anything like it did.  There was always something slightly weird about the story ending and then being back in Skyhold with nothing to do (but wait for future DLC--well played EA....well played).  It gets even weirder.

Trespasser starts two years after the events in the finale.  Corypheus is dead, you're a big hero, Solas is MIA to parts unknown, and the Inquisition is currently sitting around with no actual purpose.  A large, unoccupied military force is making the nobles in Orlais and Fereldan feel uncomfortable so they've decided to have a meeting to discuss the future of the Inquisition.  It's back to the Winter Palace for this episode.

At first I got a distinctly Citadel (the goofy final DLC from Mass Effect 3) feeling as I guided my Inquisitor character through discussions with squadmates who had been off living their own lives for the last two fictional years.  The discussions are light-hearted, silly and provide players with another opportunity to reconnect with past favorites.  There are some new features added in that some might find handy--a vendor that sells every herb, leather, cloth, or metal.  The prized "golden nug" which will sync up your collections across all playthroughs (for all the hardcore completionists out there who want to finish everything) is a nice addition.

The main storyline sees the Inquisitor trying to unravel a plot by the Qunari (who we haven't heard much about since Kirkwall) to attack the Winter Palace.  Wading through piles and piles of Qunari eventually leads to long chases through various eluvians and their locations around Thedas (and possibly the Fade...but it was confusing).  As the story unravels you learn some astonishing factoids about elves, the Veil, Fen'Harel, and the Qunari plot itself.  I won't spoiler it here, but it's not at all what I expected.  It also leaves the door wide open for speculation as to the setting and possible storyline in the next chapter of Dragon Age.

If you're really into the vagaries of random plot points you will enjoy Tresspasser.  I was expecting something considerably elfier with Morrigan guiding me through eluvians and the odd world of the crossroads.  Loot-wise there are some interesting items including a 4 piece set with stacking bonuses that actually looks badass (Sera was pretty decked out by the end and looked way more serious than at any other time in the game).  Like Jaws of Hakkon, Trespasser isn't anything fantastically new.  It does provide closure and give players a chance to re-visit all the characters that they love.  I would also call it a 7/10.

Phew!  It's been a long journey (I would estimate an additional 30 hours of DLC) and now my Inquisition can come to an end.

100% Dwarfier

Lately I've been occupied with playing my way through 2014's Dragon Age:  Inquisition and it's DLC.  I have only made it to the point where I have played through almost all of The Descent, but haven't levelled up enough to reach the starting levels for the other DLC.  It's a work in progress and one that I am mostly enjoying.

It's a bit odd going back and playing Inquisition after other fantasy RPG's like The Witcher 3.  At the time that Inquisition came out it boasted one of the largest total world map areas in gaming.  For some weird reason, it just doesn't feel as big as The Witcher 3.  After riding Roach in TW3 the riding in Inquisition feels oddly stiff and hard to control.  I try to avoid riding.

This Inquisition go-round I decided to play a race and class combo that I hadn't tried before--a Qunari warrior with a tanking setup.  I am sure that most people jumped all over then chance to build a hulking blue beauty when Inquisition first came out.  I decided to stick with a decidedly more elfy and dwarfy path (still haven't played a human).  Playing as a Qunari is way more fun!  I also decided that my Qunari should be a bit of a jokester.  My favorite line from Cassandra after a wisecrack was "the Inquisitor was a funny Qunari" in reference to how the Inquisitor would be remembered.  The entire aspect of a Qunari becoming the Herald of Andraste puts the story into conflict and that awkwardness is acknowledged fairly often.  I will admit that playing as a tank isn't the most exciting class option.

One of my big complaints about Inquisition was the lack of dwarves.  In the first two Dragon Age games dwarves play a key role in the story and I felt their absence from Inquisition was a disappointment.  I can somewhat understand the decision--you can only really do the Deep Roads so many times before it gets really stale, but even the number of dwarves in the story was small.  I was excited that the DLC  The Descent introduced more dwarves and saw my party returning to the Deep Roads to investigate a series of mysterious earthquakes.

A major mistake I made was starting the DLC too early.  There isn't a a recommended level listed so I hopped in at around level 14.  Most of the enemies you encounter are around level 15 so it's doable, but a lot of the really good loot I got was for levels 18+.  I would recommend waiting until around level 20.

Once your party reaches the Deep Roads you meet two new dwarven characters who are investigating the source of the earthquakes.  Valta is a shaper who is trying to gather historical sources to explain what is happening and Renn is one of the Legion of the Dead who is protecting her.  They are an interesting duo and it's obvious that they have a close relationship.  Valta and Renn join you on your explorations as NPC's which is interesting...but can be annoying as you try to navigate narrow tunnels filled with spiders and darkspawn.

After you establish your main camp and spend power to upgrade it you can add a new operations table and a full complement of crafting items as well as a merchant.  As you progress through the Deep Roads you find many locations for possible operations that will unlock new areas to explore.  There are also new collections--one that involves collecting dwarven mugs and another that involves finding ancient gears, some of which are vital for unlocking doors to reveal more loot and more gears.

The Descent features some new Deep Roads landscapes.

I enjoyed the version of the Deep Roads that is portrayed in The Descent.  It manages to capture the former grandiosity of this vast dwarven treasure without feeling too...cave-ey.  There are gaping chasms and ledges that all seem to lead deeper and deeper into the earth.

As you venture deeper you encounter new, tougher enemies that can really wail on your party.  The loot is plentiful and has a unique dwarven-inspired look that is lacking from other objects in the game.  Eventually your party finds itself at the source of the earthquakes (not going to spoil it) and faces off with a final boss.  Sadly, I have not finished this boss fight--it is difficult!  It's another one of those bosses that relies on a large amount of party movement (something that I have always felt was a weakness in the series, but for some reason they add into the bigger boss battles) and can be very frustrating.  I plan to finish it once my party has levelled up to level 20.

Overall, I think The Descent is a decent DLC addition to Inquisition.  It adds the dwarves that were lacking from the core game and introduces new areas and enemies to spice things up.  The story is so-so and has its interesting bits.

It's a DLC Kind of Time

The theme of the moment for me is DLC.  For some weird reason I have purchased some older DLC that was on sale and then I kept stumbling across articles about DLC.  I think the universe is trying to tell me something...probably something like "stop buying DLC!"

One of three DLC items I'm playing.

Old DLC is cheap DLC..  If you do any kind of digital download services you probably know that all of them have their own version of a winter/holiday sale.  I've been keeping my eyeballs peeled watching for good deals on Origin, GOG, and Steam.  I tend to neglect my Origin activities but discovered that Dragon Age:  Inquisition (which is now about 3 years old...if you can believe it) and all of it's DLC was on sale.  Even though I enjoyed Inquisition, I didn't enjoy it enough to dive directly into the DLC that was rolled out later on.  Generally if I love a game I have no qualms buying DLC. but this time I just couldn't make myself do it.  So now, two years later, I grabbed the Game of the Year Edition which features all three of the story DLC's--The Jaws of Hakkon, Trespasser, and The Descent--along with multiplayer upgrades (which I don't care about) and a smattering of cosmetic/armor/weapon items.  I've found myself replaying Inquisition and mostly enjoying the experience (there are still some minor irritations like the "tactical camera").

It might be a little odd to go back and buy old DLC, but I have found that DLC is usually grossly overpriced for the amount of content that you actually get.  For a game that I liked, but didn't love, spending an additional $60 for DLC seemed foolish (Love or hate EA, they make a large percentage of their profits from DLC.  I've written about this before--here).  Thanks to this recent sale, I can finally enjoy Inquisition in it's entirety.

Mass Effect:  Andromeda will not feature a DLC season pass.  I first read about this here, and feel a bit conflicted about it.  First of all, I'm not a big fan of the concept of the "season pass."  It's like pre-ordering a product that you usually have little to no information about.  How much DLC content will you get?  Will it be meaningful content or just cosmetic tweaks?  It's really a roll of the dice.  On the other hand, waiting and partitioning out the DLC into what you want usually ends up being more expensive in the long run.  I tend to buy story based DLC and avoid cosmetic/item packs which usually get lumped together in season passes.

I would say that overall the DLC for the previous Mass Effect games has been very good.  Mass Effect 2 had Lair of the Shadow Broker and Mass Effect 3 had the fan favorite Citadel along with Omega (also, good) and Leviathan (less good, but still fun).  With this mostly good track record in mind, I will most likely be buying the DLC (...and contributing to EA's profits even more).

Free DLC is the best DLC.  I wish more companies would opt to make smaller changes, like cosmetic ones, free.  CD Projekt Red did this with The Witcher 3 where they released small, but free DLC items.  It was fun to log on every week and see what new item or quest they added into the game.

In the meantime, I will be re-visiting the now expanded world of Thedas in Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  Hopefully my DLC purchases were worthwhile and add something new and unique to the game.

Pickin' Locks and Breakin' Hearts--The Rogues of Dragon Age II

It's always a good idea to keep a rogue in your Dragon Age party.  You never know when you might need a lock picked or a bad guy backstabbed.  Playing as a rogue is one of my favorite roles in Dragon Age games.  Rogues come in two flavors--the stabby kind and the shooty kind.  Dragon Age II offers players two choices of rogue-ish charm to fill a slot in your party.

I have found that BioWare likes to make it's rogues have very big personalities.  It's easy to like ALL of them!  This decision could be a hard one....(but really not because, Varric!)

Dragon Age II:  Varric Tethras

Varric and Bianca.

Probably the most colorful character in the entire Dragon Age series is Varric Tethras.  Players first meet Varric early in Dragon Age II as they learn of a unique opportunity to join a dwarf led trip to scavenge riches from the Deep Roads.  Varric is a street savvy dwarf who is well-versed in the dark underworld as well as the more legitimate ventures of dwarven culture.  As the younger son in his family he is free to pursue non-merchant related tasks and is a successful writer and storyteller.  He tells (and embellishes) the story of "the champion."  Varric sports his signature crossbow, "Bianca," and is always very elusive in explaining its origins.  Varric's personality is what makes him a great character.  He can crack a good joke but be serious when things start to look dicey.

Varric's talents compliment his unique weapon and personality.  His talent tree in Dragon Age II combines his ability to spin a yarn with his crossbow skills.  Most of the talents involve increasing his attack speed or critical hit damage.  The more talents you take from his personal skill tree the deadlier he becomes with a stunning combination of speed and critical hit chance/damage.

Isabela

Isabela

Isabela actually makes a very unnoticeable entry into the series in Dragon Age:  Origins.  As you work to clean up the city of Denerim you run into her in the seedy establishment "The Pearl."  If you are playing a rogue character she will offer to teach your character the duelist specialization (apparently if you choose some different dialogue options she will also take you into the back bedroom).  In Dragon Age II you meet Isabela in another seedy bar--Kirkwall's "Hanged Man"-- and she offers to join your party.  Isabela is a pirate captain who lives the rip-roaring life of a seafaring brigand.  When you meet her she is going through a bit of a rough patch as her ship has sunk and she is pursuing some sort of mysterious artifact.  Through her companion quest you learn that she isn't at all trustworthy and has lied to your character from the start.  Her personality is carefree and she very openly flirts with your character from the start.  Eventually she decides that saving her own skin is more important than staying in your party (unless you're romancing her) and she winds up leaving.  I have never managed to keep Isabela in my party long enough to fully experience her character.

Isabela's talents reflect her pirate background and seem to be centered around her ability to draw a single opponent away and quickly handle them.  This set of abilities can prove useful in many situations.  Her final high-level talent gives her a 100% chance to stun an enemy, an ability that can provide some minor crowd control to larger fights.

How do you Mage in Inquisition?

Dragon Age:  Inquisition decided to provide players with more choices for spellflinging friends.  One aspect of the multiple mage scheme that I enjoy is the fact that each has a unique set of personal talents and that there are enough basic talent trees that you can make each mage a master of a different type of magic.  But who's the mageyest of them all?  Do the Inquisition mages put the Dragon Age II mages to shame?

Dragon Age:  Inquisition--Solas

Solas is the first mage to join your party in Inquisition and is the resident oddball.  He's an elf who likes to hang out in the Fade and make friends with spirits....and possibly demons.  His knowledge of the Fade makes him an invaluable member of your party and someone who you can consult on all matters related to the breach in the sky.  The mages in Inquisition seem to be designed around the whole issue of the mage rebellion--all three of them have differing stances on how mages should be treated.  Solas, as an elven apostate (and other spoilery things), doesn't seem overly concerned with the fate of the mages in Thedas.  He's content doing his own thing and seems to lean more toward freedom for them.  Solas's personality reflects his odd interest in the Fade and he's not one to crack jokes but during party banter he often discusses serious issues with other members.  He's serious, quirky, and has a cute little bald head.

Solas's talents reflect his knowledge of the Fade.  He can cast spells that draw on the power of the Fade to weaken and defeat enemies.  His ability to create mini-rifts that pull enemies toward a central location is very handy.  When Solas has accumulated enough focus points you can have him unleash a barrage of fiery meteors on the battlefield.  When choosing how to spec Solas I typically lean towards the cold and spirit trees (I think he actually starts off with talents in both trees).

Dorian

After you've made your decision about which faction, mages or templars, that you want to join the Inquisition you meet your next magical companion.  Dorian is one of the more colorful companions to join you.  As a mage from Tevinter he has a very unique take on magic, mages, and his own homeland.  Through your conversations with Dorian you learn that he is estranged from his powerful magister family due to his seemingly rebellious fancies.  At one point a strange letter arrives asking Dorian to meet his father at a neutral location to try to make amends.  It's at this meeting that you learn that Dorian is gay and that his family has virtually disowned him because of his choice to forgo the required marriage and passing on of magical genes.  Dorian doesn't have much love for his homeland and is more than willing to help the Inquisitor deal with any Venatori who have crept out of the shadows.  I have always found Dorian's personality to be fun.  He has a confidence borne of the magical superiority of Tevinter culture.  Dorian has a kind of magical swagger that makes him a fun character to keep in your party.  His banter includes cracking jokes and making wry statements that generally elicit a chuckle.

Dorian's personal talent tree reminds me of the old spirit tree from Dragon Age:  Origins.  Dorian gains access to talents that allow him to cause enemies to flee in panic (nice for crowd control) or to turn into walking bombs that when killed will explode and damage other nearby enemies.  His Focus power grants the whole party great haste, allowing you to unload a large amount of damage in a very short time span.  Having this offensive choice that can impact the whole party makes Dorian a great choice for fighting dragons.

Vivienne

With two seemingly rebellious mage choices you need the choice for a more traditional type of mage.  Vivienne is a former first enchanter from one of the few remaining Circles in Orlais.  Her connection to the Circle is what defines her as a character and she is firmly in favor of restoring them.  Vivienne is also an Orlesian noble who has an in-depth knowledge of culture throughout that country.  Unlike Solas and Dorian, Vivienne's personality is much colder.  Vivienne can seem cold and haughty and is a difficult character to get to know.  You briefly get to see a crack in her hardened facade when she asks the Inquisitor for help in acquiring a rare potion ingredient.  It turns out that this potion is her last hope to save her much older husband who is dying of old age.  Despite helping her (or not...depending on your choice to lie to her) she doesn't warm up much.  I have always found Vivienne to be a difficult character to appreciate.  If you're having a difficult time enjoying Vivienne's personality I would recommend throwing her and Sera in a party together, the banter between them is hilarious.

Of the three possible mage choices in Inquisition I think Vivienne's talents boggle me the most.  I've read that they can be crazy overpowered if taken in the right combinations.  Her talents seem to revolve around making her a powerful melee mage.  She can conjure up a magical weapon and stab the living daylights out of any baddies in her general vicinity.  In combination with her other talents allowing her to maintain a powerful barrier this could be amazing.  I personally have a problem with my mages running around stabbing things and getting within melee range.  The few times I've taken Vivienne on a dragon hunt haven't turned out well for her (meleeing a dragon is bad...no matter how powerful your barriers are).

So what's my final magical verdict?  Are the mages of Dragon Age II more magey?
I vote Inquisition.  The unique talents of each mage allows you choose the perfect magical companion for each situation rather than being stuck with one.

Personality:  Dorian.  He's a fun character and has an amazing mustache.
Talents:  Solas.  He rains meteors down from the sky.  Nuff said.

Fire, Ice, and Possession...The Battle of the Mage Companions

I started on my quest to debate the companions of Dragon Age II and Dragon Age:  Inquisition at the time in my life where my casual summer intersects with my hectic return to work.  As a result I haven't had the time to continue this very urgent argument.  With all my chores done I feel ready to take on this seriously pressing issue--which mage companion is the best?  Do you feel the need for magical vengeance and side with Anders or do you like the swagger of Tevinter and opt for Dorian?  Today I'm going to focus on our magey friends from Dragon Age II.  (I'm leaving Bethany out as she is fairly limited as a character)

Dragon Age II--Anders

Anders is a character who is initially introduced in the Awakening expansion.  He's an apostate who has narrowly escaped capture by the templars and who is completely unapologetic about having killed his captors.  He opts to become a Grey Warden and joins your crew of misfits (really....they are misfits in Awakening).  Anders' personality in Awakening is good-natured and somewhat goofy.  The one serious part of his personality is his concern for the fate of his fellow mages.  He despises the Circle and has no desire to return.  That's about as far as it goes in Awakening.

When you meet Anders in Dragon Age II, he has changed drastically.  He's very serious and has taken on the plight of the mages in a much bigger way.  You learn early in the game that the spirit of Justice (who possessed the corpse of the unfortunate warrior Kristoff in Awakening) was looking for a new home and Anders decided to allow it to take up residence.  Essentially Anders is possessed by a spirit (not to be confused with a demon...which is bad).  The goofy, joke-telling Anders, from Awakening is gone, replaced with the vengeance seeking, templar-slaying, mage-freeing, spirit of Justice.  (Spoilers if you haven't played Dragon Age II!!!) At the end of the game Anders makes the drastic decision to use a bomb to blow up the Chantry temple in Kirkwall.  He's made himself into a terrorist for the sake of his fellow mages.  You get to decide his fate--he can accompany you and try to make up for his horrible deed or you can exile or kill him.

It's very difficult to compare Anders talents to the other mage characters from Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  His special talents as a healer make him an indispensable member of your party in Dragon Age II.  Somewhere along the line the decision was made to do away with healing spells in Inquisition.  I can understand why this decision was made--on more taxing fights it was necessary to play as the healer to keep everyone alive rather than as the main character.  It was possible to spec other characters as healers but it really made no sense due to Anders set of talents.  I always liked his healing talents and found them to be very useful.  Offensively his talents are pretty lackluster.

Merrill

Merrill makes her first appearance in the Dalish elf origin quest in Dragon Age:  Origins.  Her brief appearance isn't one that you would pay much attention to but she's another character who is reborn in Dragon Age II.  Merrill is surrounded by mystery--at first you don't really know much about why she is choosing to leave her clan of Dalish elves.  The other elves seem spiteful and opposed to Merrill and she will often side-step questions about her past or what exactly she is doing.  You discover very early that Merrill has no opposition to the use of blood magic.  She is also is willing to consort with demons and generally engage in behavior that is at the worst questionable and at best downright hazardous.  Befriending Merrill is difficult for a more upstanding Hawke character.

As a character Merrill is very quirky.  She's a Dalish elf who's not accustomed to living in a city full of humans.  Her desire to engage in dangerous magical activities make her an outcast even among her fellow mages.  After you've gotten to know your Hawke character in Dragon Age II she reveals that she has rescued an Eluvian (the same possessed Eluvian from Origins) and wants your help to reconstruct this valuable Elven artifact.  This can become a major point of contention between your character and Merrill.  In continuing the quest you learn that Merrill has been consorting with demons and that the keeper of her clan sacrificed herself to those demons to keep Merrill safe.

Unless you play a more rebellious character it can be difficult to make Merrill happy.  I've always enjoyed the quirkier aspects of her personality.

Merrill's talents reflect her Dalish heritage as well as her dalliance with blood magic.  I have never been a big fan of the blood mage talents and Merrill's talents utilize many of those abilities.  Sacrificing health to cast spells can work in some situations but mages are so squishy that it's hard to justify using that specific ability.  Abilities like Wrath of the Elvhen are more interesting and allow her to utilize nature damage.  I never really understood the Stone's Throw ability but could see how when used in conjunction with Wrath of the Elvhen it could be very useful.

Elvish Grace or Qunari Brawn?

Woo...first week of school (which was actually two days) down.  Phew.  Now I can get back to the serious business of comparing characters in video games.  I started with a comparison of warriors who are often put into the tank role from Dragon Age II and Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  How about your bruisers though?  Would you choose Fenris, the broody elf from Dragon Age II, or Iron Bull, the Qunari mountain from Dragon Age:  Inquisition?

Dragon Age II--Fenris

Fenris.  He's tattooed and elfy.

 I have always thought that Fenris is a bit of an odd character.  Firstly, an elf as a two-handed warrior always seemed to ben the traditional stereotype of the typical hulking warrior.  I've always wanted my non-tanking warriors to 1.) wield a weapon whose seize is completely inconceivable 2.) be hulking masses of muscle that tower above the bad guys.  Fenris carries a big sword but is still lithe like an elf.  What?  It's different, but it works.

Fenris's story is interesting.  He's a former slave bound to a powerful Tevinter magister.  This magister had him branded with lyrium in order to augment his powers.  As a result Fenris sports some interesting body art that makes him stand out from other elves.  This magical brand is also the explanation for his exceptional skills.  Due to his torture and mistreatment at the hand of Danarius, Fenris hates magic.  He also hates slavery and anything associated with it.  Fenris's personality tends to be pretty serious.  He's not cracking jokes and is completely focused on eliminating his former master and all slavers.  At the end of Dragon Age II your choice to support either kill, exile, or save Anders and to support either the mages or templars can affect Fenris's support.  If you choose to save Anders and support the mages, Fenris will leave your party and fight on the side of the templars (unless you romanced him...I think).  If you oppose the mages, he will stay in your party.  Unfortunately in my latest playthrough I may have accidentally skipped his companion quest to kill Danarius and ended up having to kill him along with the templars at the end of the game.

Fenris's talents have never impressed me.  His talents revolve around the lyrium brands on his body and can give him a very high magical resistance.  There are several talents in his tree that do give him some handy battle talents--particularly those that increase his stamina regeneration and attack speed.  His talents tie in well with his story, but seem to have somewhat limited usefulness.

Dragon Age:  Inquisition--Iron Bull

Iron Bull

Iron Bull definitely falls into the stereotypical warrior category.  He's big, brawny, and wields a huge weapon.  Having Iron Bull be the two-handed warrior of choice in Inquisition seemed to be a return back to more traditional character type.  As you start to learn about Iron Bull you learn that he is anything but traditional.  He's a Qunari, but he's not exactly wrapped up in following all the traditional Qunari rules.  He does what he wants and leads a very ragtag but talented group of mercenaries known as the "Bull's Chargers."

As a character, Iron Bull is a big change from the seriousness of Fenris in Dragon Age II.  Iron Bull cracks jokes and seems to enjoy hanging out in the tavern drinking all day.  Although he seems to reject the values of the Qun he still maintains ties to the Qunari.  In your first encounter with Bull you learn that he is Ben-Hassrath, the Qunari equivalent of a spy, and that he regularly sends reports to the Qunari.  It's obvious that he still feels ties to his people, but he also revels in his independence.

One of the more curious aspects of both Fenris and Iron Bull's personalities is their willingness to be romanced by both male and female characters.  In Dragon Age II there isn't really a story explanation about why Fenris is open to a relationship with either sex.  There was the odd decision in Dragon Age II to make all the available romanceable characters (except Aveline and Varric) open to relationships with male or female characters.  In your many conversations with Iron Bull in Dragon Age:  Inquisition you learn that the Qun has very loose rules regarding sexuality and that it's completely acceptable in their society to choose whomever you want.  Romancing Iron Bull is fun as there are lots of jokes about his size and one funny scene where the leaders of the Inquisition walk in on your character and Bull and proceed to make a number of pointed remarks about Bull's state of undress.

I prefer Iron Bull's talents as a reaver over Fenris's talents.  As a reaver, the more damage Bull takes to more damage he puts out.  This is handy as I find my two-handed warriors often end up in an off-tanking kind of role and can successfully keep the baddies off squishier characters.  I do find that Iron Bull can seem pretty squishy himself and in dragon fights I have to be extra careful about his positioning.

Do you opt for Fenris with his magical tattoos and elvish grace (and fantastic anime-like white hair!) or Iron Bull with his bulging...muscles...and carefree attitude?

Personality:  Iron Bull
I like a character with a sense of humor and there is a lot of humor built around Iron Bull.  His laid back personality and general bloodlust make him a fun character to keep in the party.  Romancing Bull is a hoot and you will often find yourself laughing.

Talents:  Iron Bull
I really like my warriors to be wrecking balls of fury.  Having so many of Fenris's talents revolve around seemingly defensive qualities have never endeared him to me.  Bull can soak up some damage while simultaneously increasing his damage output.  That's a very handy set of talents!

It was no contest for me--Iron Bull easily wins out as my pick for best two-handed warrior companion.

Next up....the magey types.

Who are the Best Dragon Age Companions? A Comparison for People who like Comparisons.

A piece of fan art depicting the companions from Dragon Age II appeared on my Facebook timeline earlier this week.  The art itself was neat but the comments were what caught my attention.  The comment section was filled with arguments about whether the companions in Dragon Age II were better than those in Inquisition.  Since I had somewhat recently decided to delve back into Dragon Age II and it is fresh in my mind, I decided I would put some serious thought into that question and do a sort of comparison between them to come to a final consensus about which companions are actually better.

I'm going to break down my comparisons by class.  Let's start with our tanks!  Something I've liked about both Dragon Age II and Inquisition is that they made most of the tank characters female.  This seems like a "bucking the system" choice as the stereotypical tank character is usually some hulking male figure.

Dragon Age II--Aveline Vallen

Aveline is your go-to tank in Dragon Age II.  You meet her very early in the game and she's with you until the end.  I will say that I am not a huge fan of the tank talents in Dragon Age II (it's very possible that I am also inept at choosing the correct ones and setting up tactics correctly).  The tank talents in Inquisition are much better even with the small variation between Cassandra and Blackwall.

As a character Aveline has an interesting story--she was raised by her father, a former Orlesian chevalier, with the intent of training her to be the knight he never was.  Aveline seems to have some resentment towards him because of this.  At the beginning of the game she is forced (or your character) to kill her own husband who has fallen victim to the darkspawn taint.  I think BioWare does a great job of finding some small details that make their characters seem more human and Aveline is no exception.  One of the goofier quests in Dragon Age II involves awkwardly trying to set Aveline up with one of her fellow guards.  You realize very quickly how inept she is at capturing his attention and are forced to intervene on her behalf.  Her morality seems to lead toward justice-oriented choices.  As guard captain she's not fond of breaking the rules.  Using BioWare-esque language, she would be more of a paragon-friendly character.

Dragon Age:  Inquisition--Cassandra Pentaghast

Cassandra appears in Dragon Age II as an NPC but becomes a playable character in Inquisition.  Even without being able to play Cassandra in DAII you are already able to get a good idea about her personality--she's strong, serious, and dedicated to the Chantry.

As a playable character in Inquisition you get more opportunities to interact with and learn about Cassandra.  The addition of the "guard" stat in Inquisition made my tanks feel...more tanky--they felt like a damage sponge who could withstand big groups of enemies or just big baddies.  The templar tree specific to Cassandra featured some pretty handy AoE type attacks that were much more useful than Aveline's limited set of group grabbing talents.  In general I felt confident that Cassandra could keep the baddies from whacking my other party members.

Cassandra's personality can feel very stern but it feeds in well with her story of being a dedicated servant of the Divine.  She's focused on her duties to the Chantry and isn't willing to sway much from her goals.  Her story of being Nevarran royalty but giving that up to serve the divine helps define who she is in Inquisition.  She isn't a character who is going to make you laugh, but her interaction with Varric is pretty funny.  They definitely don't like each other after the long interrogation depicted in Dragon Age II.  Like Aveline, Cassandra is made more relatable by her secret love of romance novels.  Late-ish in Inquisition you can set out on a quest to mediate the strained relationship between Varric and Cassandra with the goal of getting Varric to finish writing his romance serial for Cassandra.  It's a light moment for an otherwise serious character.

Dragon Age:  Inquisition--Blackwall

If you're looking for a memorable character...it's not Blackwall.  Blackwall is a former Grey Warden (sort of!  Spoilers!) who you meet as he is travelling through the countryside trying to recruit new wardens.  His talents as a warrior vary from Cassandra's but he is still a very solid tanking character.  I have always enjoyed his "Line in the Sand" ability which can be used to channel the bad guys toward Blackwall and away from your squishy characters.

As a character, Blackwall is not quite as interesting as Cassandra or Aveline.  His dedication to re-building the Grey Wardens is a central theme in your interactions.  A big part of his story is intentionally vague and later on you find out that he is actually faking his identity as a Grey Warden.  He is actually an Orlesian mercenary who had been involved in some intrigue and murder.  Blackwall is actually a man named Thom Rainier and assumed the identity of a Grey Warden who he saw die.

So who's the best tank?  Do you choose someone with an interesting story or with the best tanking talents?

Talents:  Cassandra.  Her templar tree gives you the versatility to be a bulwark against magic attacks but to also use the more AoE oriented abilities to keep the attention of a large group of enemies.

Personality:  Aveline.  Despite being a serious character, Aveline has moments of lightness that make her a fun character to keep in the party.  I've always enjoyed her companion quests that involve her awkward wooing of fellow guard Donnic.

Next:  The Brawny Warrior Men--A comparison!

My Second Playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition is Done.

I've been in a bit of a gaming lull lately (several games I've been excited about have ended up being delayed) so I decided to replay Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  After my first playthrough I decided that I liked it, but that there are some major flaws.  I was hoping that armed with some knowledge of the game that I would learn that those flaws were completely in my head.  I actually felt like I was enjoying the game more for about three-quarters of it.  Then I hit the last quarter and I felt many of the same negative feelings that I felt the first time.  (Spoilers ahead)

 This time around I tried to go completely the opposite direction from my first character.  I decided to make a more brusque and practical character who would be completely unlike my friendly, emotional elf character.  I sided with the templars rather than the mages and picked Cassandra to be the next divine.  There weren't a lot of major changes due to my different decisions.  The quest in which you recruit the templars before Haven falls is, of course, totally different from the mage quest.  I found the quest to recruit the mages much more interesting and fun.  The whole time travel aspect gave it a different feeling than storming a castle and killing demons.  Picking Cassandra as divine made the epilogue tell a different story but didn't appear to have a major impact on the plot.

One major decision from previous games that did add in a new aspect to Inquisition was the decision for Morrigan to become pregnant and then absorb the soul of the archdemon (from Origins).  I decided that she should have the baby and was surprised when she showed up with her new son, Kieran.  I hoped there would be more interaction between Morrigan and her son, but there isn't a lot.  Morrigan, a character who seems so stand-offish and ruthless in Origins, now seems like a normal loving and caring mother to her son.  What I assumed was her evil plan to use Kieran like Flemeth used her daughters turned out to be false.  Towards the end of the game there is an additional mission where Kieran uses the eluvian to enter the fade and you have to help find him.  The plot thickens as Flemeth shows up to complicate the formula.

Sadly, I still felt like there were a few too many zones and my plan to stick to the same levels as the main storyline dissolved quickly.  I still wanted to explore them all, but what was the point?  I had reached the suggested levels 16-19.  I also killed all ten high dragons...again...and didn't get the achievement.  I'm going to stick to my initial analysis of Inquisition--it's big, but the size feels extraneous towards the end of the game.

Romantic Entanglements--Dragon Age: Inquisition

Must...make...it...to...Valentine's Day.  Continuing my thoughts and opinions on romantic options in BioWare games we progress onward to the newest incarnation in the Dragon Age series--Dragon Age:  Inquisition.

Inquisition reverted back to character creation options similar to those in Origins--your character can be a member of one of four different races--human, elf, dwarf, or qunari.  I am on my second playthrough with a dwarf as inquisitor and have also played as an elf.  Since I don't have numerous playthroughs under my belt I am simply going to analyze my decisions as I've made them and how I feel about specific characters within the game.

Cassandra.  Tough lady who loves romance novels.

Let's start off with your original party--you are initially paired up with Cassandra Pentaghast.  Cassandra comes off as a really tough lady.  She's a Seeker and also the Right Hand of the Divine so her personality is hard and highly wrapped up in the religious beliefs of the Chantry.  To some, Cassandra might seem slightly off-putting.  As you talk with her you get to know more about her background as a very distant member of the Nevarran royal family and dragon-slaying hero protector of Orlais.  If you talk to her enough you also realize that she's not all steel but also has a softer side.  She enjoys reading Varric's romance novels and begs the inquisitor to make Varric finish writing them.  I've been really surprised to read that many male players choose Cassandra as their romantic option and even describe her as "hot."  I would be more prone to believe that they would choose a slightly more feminine character, someone like Sera or Josephine.  I like Cassandra as a character and am already plotting a male character to be her counterpart--pious and tough.

As you fight through the opening sequence you run into Varric and Solas.  Sadly, Varric is still not presented as a romanceable option.  (I love me some Varric--why, BioWare?)  You do find out more about his own romantic past later in the game when you meet the namesake of his crossbow.

Solas is such a strange character.  I opted to pair him up with my first character--an elf mage, but even then I found him to be odd.  He doesn't really identify with the elves and is obsessed with exploring the fade.  There are some cute moments if you do choose Solas, he will take your inquisitor into the fade and they share some intimate moments, but in the end it turns out poorly (that's all I'm going to say--if you really want to know you should romance him--it's a bummer).  There's something kind of cute about his bald head.  You can only choose Solas if you are a lady-elf.  I like that they narrowed down the preferences of the members of the inquisition--it seems more realistic.

But what about your loyal advisers?  Let's just get it out of the way that Cullen is the equivalent of Kaidan or Jacob from Mass Effect.  He's not that exciting, but he is smokin' hot.  He's very serious but there are some great lighter moments with him.  He is only an option for female human or elven inquisitors.  No dwarf love?  Josephine is also an option for male and female inquisitors.  I like Josephine even with her interest in the the complicated political scene of Thedas.  She's serious but gives off a sense of fun.

Both male and female inquisitors can opt for romances with Iron Bull and Sera.  I have enjoyed listening to Iron Bull's blunt commentary on the qun.  You get a much more detailed understanding of what life is like for the qunari.  He's also pretty funny which seems suprising for a qunari.  I have been maneuvering my current dwarf inquisitor into a relationship with Iron Bull and am curious to see how that turns out.  To me Sera is an odd romantic choice.  Her sense of humor seems immature and she doesn't take anything seriously.  She is more of a fun character but I'm not really sure how I'd pair her up.

Cool mustache bro.

Blackwall and Dorian are also possible romantic options.  Blackwall is another character who I'm not wild about.  He has an interesting backstory that you learn about much later in the game.  Like Cassandra, he's a serious character who doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor but does have a strong sense of duty.  He's not one of my top choices.  Dorian is a much more interesting choice for the male inquisitors.  His backstory is very compelling--he's a Tevinter mage who has fled from his home and family for a variety or reasons (one of them being his own romantic preferences) and who is openly opposing his own people.  He's funny and has a cool mustache.  Why wouldn't you want to choose Dorian?

Romantic Entanglements

It's almost Valentine's Day and I decided to spend some time reflecting about romance in video games.  For a long time I've told myself that I don't really care about the option to pursue a fictional romantic relationship in a game.  It's totally silly, right?  Then I told myself to stop lying.  I do care and actually have a ridiculous formula for choosing who my character is going to flirt with and possibly engage in an awkward video game make out session.

I came to this realization a few days ago when a student asked me about my choices in Mass Effect.  Who did I save in the first game?  Why?  I realized that I generally based this choice completely on the fictional romantic entanglements of Commander Shepard.  That's sort of realistic, right?  Wouldn't Shepard try to save the person he/she has been quietly flirting with?

My ridiculous formula for choosing a video game partner includes a thorough personality analysis of the character I have crafted.  Have I made my character into more of a paragon, a do-gooder with a heart of gold or a renegade who is willing to do whatever it takes to get things done?  What race is my character and is he/she an ardent member of that specific race?  Yep, I have made it into a ridiculously complicated affair.  Maybe I should just go with whoever I think is the hottest?

Currently I am facing somewhat of a romantic conundrum for my new Dragon Age:  Inquisition character.  My dwarf rogue is one tough cookie.  She doesn't put up with any crap and takes a tough stance on the issues facing the inquisition.  But who should she have a soft spot for?  Let's think through the options.

Cullen--sure, he's pretty but I don't think he'd fall for my tough-talking tattooed dwarf.  He needs a genteel lady to compliment his pretty hair.

Solas--too elfy.  My dwarf is decidedly anti-magic so having her hook up with a weird mage seems unlikely.

Josephine--I'm not opposed to a same-sex relationship for my character, but Josephine is too formal and like Cullen needs someone more high-brow...and more human.

Sera--hmmm.  Sera is an interesting choice.  Like my character she's wrapped up in a life of crime and comes from the lower classes of Fereldan society.  She's also very goofy where my character is tough and serious.

Iron Bull

Iron Bull--Another interesting but slightly disturbing possibility for my inquisitor.  He's a rebel and does what he wants even going so far as to defy the Qun.  It would be weird to have a dwarf/qunari relationship.

Blackwall--I suppose he's also a possibility.  He's one of my least favorite characters and I don't really see him being interested in a dwarf.

It boils down to Sera or Iron Bull.  Interesting.  Do other people think about this or just pick someone?  Am I putting way too much thought into this?

Moments with Sera

I am not sure how others felt about Sera as a character in Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  I would guess that some people hate her ridiculous weirdness and goofy sense of humor.  I, however, am loving Sera.  Her motivations are simple--if someone does bad stuff they deserve to have bad stuff happen to them.  It's her own version of karma and it's easy to understand.

There have been several really great interactions between Sera and my little ladies club that has become my go-to party.  Cassandra, Vivienne, and Sera have turned out to be quite entertaining.  Sera clearly annoys Vivienne and seems to enjoy it.  There have been two really funny exchanges between the two of them.  In one exchange Sera calls out to Vivienne to look at something and then Vivienne indicates that she's already seen Sera's "bony butt" before and she's clearly not impressed.  There's no actual nudity but it did make me laugh.  In another moment Sera informs Vivienne that she sent some "rabbit raisins" to one of her fancy Orlesian friends posing as Vivienne herself.  Vivienne plays it cool and tells Sera that the Duke thoroughly enjoyed them.  Sera comments with "ewww" and Vivienne explains that this Duke has a very unfavorable position and is lucky that all he received were Sera's little gifts.

Cassandra Pentaghast.  Non-wearer of underpants.

Cassandra is much more patient with Sera than Vivienne and has also been the focus of Sera's strange questions and exchanges.  At one point Sera starts listing colors--rose, robin's egg blue.  Cassandra takes the bait and asks what game Sera is playing.  Sera tells Cassandra she is trying to guess the color of her underpants.  Cassandra then calmly informs the group that she doesn't wear underpants much to Sera's chagrin..."you all heard that, right?"  The best Cassandra related moment so-far has been Sera asking her if she's ever punched a bear.  Cassandra seems boggled by this question and wonders why anyone would punch a bear...or ask such a silly question.

It is vaguely possible that the party banter bug was effecting my first playthrough of Dragon Age:  Inquisition because I have laughed a lot this time.  Maybe I just picked a better group of companions?  I am looking forward to more laughs courtesy of Sera.

Second Time Around

Earlier I wrote of my slight disappointment in Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  Sure, it's a huge game but I didn't feel as drawn to it as I had the earlier games in the series.  As a result of that feeling I finished it and have set it aside for several months.  I recently decided to create a new character and give it another playthrough in an effort to correct the mistakes I made the first time around.  These corrections have made the game much more enjoyable and I am somewhat regretting my criticisms earlier.

Here are the changes I'm making in my second playthrough of this epic game.

Crafted a more engaging character.
I went with a default character on my first playthrough and didn't spend much time playing with the very detailed character creation tool.  As a result of this I didn't feel as invested in my first character.  My first character was a Dalish Elf Mage who sided with the mage rebellion throughout the game.  I chose the default voice (which I do actually think is the better voice acting of the two female choices) and features.

My new character is a tough talking dwarf--a casteless surfacer, former Carta member and lyrium smuggler.  I spent some time with the character creation tool to make sure that her looks complimented this background.  Casteless face tattoos--check.  Rogueish haircut--check.  Facial scars indicating conflict in the past--check.  I also decided to have this character take a decidedly anti-magic stance that fits a society with no magical abilities.  It makes sense that a dwarf would favor control over mages and would side with the templars in the scope of the rebellion.  Being a dwarf also throws some central parts of the story into conflict.  Would the so-called "Herald of Andraste" be a dwarf?  It's really easy for me to make this character deny the possibility of being some sort of heaven sent prophet.

Following the main questline.
During my first playthrough I was way too focused on trying to explore every inch of each zone.  This can take many hours and I tended to ignore the main quests way too much.  Each quest requires a certain amount of power and has a recommended level range.  This time around I decided I would do my best to stick to the recommended level range.  I still plan on exploring the many zones in the game, but I want to be sure to keep up with the central story.  So far this strategy has kept the main storyline in the front of my mind and I don't feel as lost in the details as I did during my first playthrough.

Mixing up your companions.
The composition of the party you choose to accompany you tends to be made up of the same classes.  Your character (in this case a dagger rogue), a sword-and-board warrior (Cassandra or Blackwall), a mage (Solas, Vivienne, or Dorian), and then a class of your choice.  The first time I played I went with a pretty default party for much of the game--Cassandra, Varric, Solas, and my mage.  Sometimes I would switch it up and take Iron Bull rather than Solas but I pretty much stuck to this composition.  If you've ever played a BioWare game you know that party banter is a very central part of character interaction and can be highly entertaining in the correct combination.  My new party consists of Cassandra (I think Blackwall is one of the most boring characters and I like Cassandra too much), Vivienne, Sera, and my dwarf rogue.  Vivienne and Sera are polar opposites and the resulting interactions have turned out to be pretty hilarious.  One of the best moments has been taking Sera to the Storm Coast and listening to her maniacal laugh as she requests that the party watch the ensuing fight between a giant and a dragon.  That laugh....it's so awesome.

Getting to know you...

Another aspect of the game that I felt I skimped on in my first playthrough was my interaction with companions.  In Mass Effect I always made sure that I exhausted all the speech options but I did a really crappy job of that during Inquisition.  This time I am taking the time to talk to the numerous people who make up the Inquisition and am finding many of the characters more interesting.  Sera, a character I largely ignored the first time, has turned out to be oddly entertaining.  She's weird but her immature sense of humor is a great contrast to many of the very serious characters.

I spent very little time interacting with my advisers on my first playthrough and was particularly sad about Leliana being relegated to the background.  Leliana was one of my favorite characters from Dragon Age:  Origins and deserved a bigger part in the story.  I've spent more time interacting with her in this playthrough and like the way her character has evolved.  She's not interested in talking about her past life and has instead put her energy into serving as the Left Hand of the Divine.  Even though her faith seems tested at the beginning of the game it seems like a momentary lapse and it's very evident that she's dedicated to the Chantry.

I'm about fifteen hours into my new game and am enjoying it so much more than I did the first time.  I still find myself with the occasional face full of tree view due to the crappy tactical camera and am irritated that I can't set more specific behaviors for my followers.  If you found yourself frustrated with Dragon Age:  Inquisition, create a new character and give it another try.

Does open world mean a weak story? (Dragon Age: Inquisition reflections)

It seems like every new major release is leaning toward a more "open world" type of setting.  I think it's great that technology has reached the point that developers can create these gorgeous, massive worlds to be our playgrounds.  On the other hand I am someone who enjoys games with a strong story and I don't feel like the two mix extremely well.  When you think back about the storyline in a game like Skyrim can you remember much about the actual story?  I know it had something to do with dragons....but oh!  There's a cave full of enemies and numerous forks to loot.

Loot everything so your house can look like this.

Can a game truly balance the strong story-telling aspects I enjoy with the enormous worlds that seem to have become standard?  I think it's a tall order and I really don't know that anyone has done it well.  I was reading this article about how Dragon Age:  Inquisition had a lot of content (a whole lot if you really tried to do everything--well over 100 hours of gameplay) but that it felt completely extraneous.  Did you really need to waste time hopping over rock outcrops to collect 1,000 ridiculously placed shards?  Or completing the plethora of step and fetch sidequests that rewarded you with a paltry sum or some other disposable piece of loot.  This article really accurately reflected the way I felt about DA:  I.   I missed the strong character development that is the hallmark of BioWare games and too often felt bogged down in exploring the huge world.  It was way too easy to spend 15 or 20 or even 30 hours completing content that had absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline.  (Read my review here)

Sera, a character from DA:I.  She's no Tali.

I've been replaying my ultimate favorite series, Mass Effect for the umpteenth time.  After feeling a little disappointed by DA:  I I decided to revisit it to feel what was missing.  I recently played through the part of ME3 that has you making the decision about saving the quarian homeworld and in the process deciding to either eliminate or save the geth.  I actually felt myself tearing up when Tali removes her mask in celebration of the quarian return to Rannoch.  The difference is that I care about what happens to the characters in Mass Effect--by the third game I felt an actual connection to them, I wanted to see a positive outcome for my crewmates.  Maybe this is part of the reason there was so much backlash after the initial ending to ME3.  It was painful saying goodbye to Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy.

I didn't feel the same way about the characters in Inquisition and that was a shame.  They are actually pretty interesting--Sera and the whole "Red Jenny" weirdness, Dorian with his troubled background in the world of Tevinter, Iron Bull and his seeming rejection of the qun.  There's so much potential there, but I just didn't feel it.  Maybe it's partially due to the fact that many of them are semi-new characters?  I think it's mostly due to the way that the open world diluted the story.  The previous games weren't completely linear, but definitely were more directed and focused on the story and the characters.

As a major BioWare game fan I have felt so conflicted about DA:  I.  I have absolutely loved their other games and have replayed through them way more than I care to admit (I have over 400 hours in Mass Effect 2--for realsies).  I just don't feel that same pull with this new game and I am blaming it on the more open world design.  There, I said it.

Would you rather have 20-30 hours of meaningful play or a massive, open world to explore?  Is there a game out there that has managed to keep the story in the forefront while also maintaining an open world?   There are also deeper questions there about the price of games.  I agree with the author of the Kotaku article about the cost of games.  Games are expensive and I want to get the most out of my $60, but does it have to be empty content plugged in for the sake of being extra content?  Would you still be willing to lay down $60 for a 20-30 hour game?  This is a really tough issue and I'm torn.