For the most part, I play video games for the stories. In particular to BioWare titles, there is a lot more than the storyline. I enjoy the dialogues, relationships, humour, artwork, social commentary or the reflections upon society's challenges regarding politics, sexism, sexuality, treatment of minorities, fear of death, etc. However, it doesn't mean that details, which make the difference between a good and a poor product, can be ignored.
Here are some of the obvious flaws with Dragon Age Inquisition that the developer should have corrected before launch:
Dialogues
- After an intimate or antagonistic conversation, the inquisitor and the party member do not change tone or script to say "Speak with you later". There are no grudges, threats to leave, repeated romantic encounters, ( it was good last time, let's try again...) etc.
- Matching characters in the party with diametrically opposing views doesn't initiate the banter. Having party members fight, with respective cut scenes, would be nice. Why not even have party members telling you that they would like work with another companion?
- Environments or battles with party members who have a history or link with the enemy should trigger more dialogue.
- Newly acquired weapons, armor or accessories, could prompt character to say,"That would suit me really well" old inventory suggestions such as "I am using something much better, let's scrap this" etc.
- Intimate relationships between NPC characters or companions. They are human/elf/dwarf/Qunari after all.
- My party sometimes consisted of no humans, or males, whatsoever. No talk about the particular nature of the group.
What I found interesting with the first Dragon Age was the Chantry. The institution presented an alternative to the male dominated religious institutions that we know today. In DA:I, there was a strange twist that is a clear projection of our world : a female religious leader of African origin.
Oddly enough, there were few Black, Asian, Polynesian, Maya, Inca, Aztech or Middle-Eastern looking characters in the elves, dwarfs or humans. I know it isn't any more difficult to make such models. Perhaps it is just easier to make them
- The Jump/Take/Climb/Talk button. The main button is right there, placed for the right thumb to hit whenever convenient, however it has been rather frustrating. A conversation starts with the Inquisitor not even facing the NPC; the Inquisitor in the middle of a jump facing the NPC - almost like a marionette. In combat, the main "A" button has been even more frustrating, when I find myself looting a corpse rather than jumping out of the way of an attacking the enemy.
- Interference - when building models, padding can be added to prevent other objects to intercept or cut through. When visiting the Winter Palace, I was upset to see the lovely hands cut through the wonderful dresses of the ball's guests.
- Hair. Need I say more? ( Lara Croft from Tomb Raider 2013 vs DA:I - something somewhere went terribly wrong.)
