I'm quite happy with this game. Bioware may have ripped me off with Awakening, but I feel my money was well spent this time. Hell, even if nightmare isn't very difficult, the game will still provide me with a good, solid month of fun, at least.
I agree. So far, outside of some very minor dialogue inconsistencies and movement bugs, this isn't nearly as bugged as Awakening, which on occasion was enough to break the immersion for me. The later DA DLC also had some odd bugs that sort of made the series feel less polished than the other Bioware game, Mass Effect 2.
One complaint I do have is that this game has less freedom with stats than Origins did. The top weapons require 41-42 of the main stat, and each class has a secondary stat they need to worry about as well. After putting 40 into one stat and 30 into another, there are very few additional points left to play with at all. In Origins I could make a cunning rogue. In DA2 it's quite challenging to make a rogue who can even match their dex with cunning. I was very close to that near the end.
Yeah, the classes are more in a straitjacket regarding weapons. I was much more dependent on gear to boost up non-dex/cunning stats due to the necessity of using my attribute points on those two up to the 40s on my rogue. I don't imagine I'll be able to mix stats much in future playthroughs without changing classes
Edit:
Oh yeah, and for the record…! Anders was way cooler in Awakening. They ruined him.
! I sort of agree. I was stoked to meet Anders, though the Justice angle has got him pegged more as an apostate freedom fighter that the sly, wise cracking mage of his debut game. I wouldn't go as far as to say he is ruined, but he is a more different Anders. Although I was pretty disappointed when, shortly after his joining, I ended up in a conversation that had no other option outside of "big flirt" "playful flirt" and "cruel rejection" with no other non romantic option. No other character put me in that sort of spot. Justice's influence must run a bit deeper than I realized….
Few other observations:
While the ME2 dialogue wheel is a bit of a step down, the pictures help on the offshoot an answer felt a bit cryptic. Also, I do like the additional option of being a "smartass" Champion rather than simply neutral, regarding the middle wheel option.
Game runs smoother than DA:O on my PC! First DA game in which I wasn't waiting long enough to be able to read the loading screen messages several times over. Furthermore, the enchantment loading screen no longer has that annoying delay.
Having all 4 in-game romances bi feels a bit cheap and artificial, though I imagine Bioware felt mods would have been made to do this anyway like in DA:O. Thankfully, the dialogue wheel does help with preventing unintended flirts/false-advertising like with Zevran in the first game.
The game is set up to make the most out of each game map, revisiting most over the course of time. Enough changes to be interesting, but it does become monotonous and restricted revisiting the same maps again and again.
I like that this plot is more internal and character-oriented–not the over-arching quest to save the world. Saving Kirkwall and the surrounding Free Marches is easier to swallow. Speaking of characters, I found they grow on me much like in the first game. No complaints.
Thank the Maker for unlimited storage chest capacities
While I like the new combat seem, abilities are a bit more of a pain to use and battle is a bit too chaotic at times with the enemy swarms.
Again, haven't finished the game (in Act 2). And am already planning multiple playthroughs.