Dragon Effect (2)

Ok, so I really liked Dragon Age: Origins.  I did, however, play it on the xbox though really just because I was in a mode where I hadn't played games on the computer for years.  And I didn't have a computer that could run the game.  So I played it on the xbox, and other than some texture muddiness, I thought the game was fine.  I guess  I could see the gripes people had to an extent, but alot of what I heard was the following:
I'm so used to playing Dragon Age on the computer that the concessions they have made to make it playable on the Xbox make the game worse.

Being that I was not used to the game on the computer, this didn't really bother me.  Anyways, now I have this super fast computer so I decide to get Dragon Age 2 on the PC.  I definitely noticed in the demo I played and what I heard of the game that the graphics disparity between what you could have on the PC and what was on the Xbox has widened.  Also I could get that high res texture pack, so that's fun.  Anyways, so I'm playing Dragon Age 2 on the PC. 

So here are the complaints I've heard of Dragon Age 2 in general:
The difficulty levels make the game easier to Dragon Age Origins difficulty levels
The camera isn't tactical enough
Repeating of area textures
The game requires less thought of the player (skills easier to implement?)

So first off, what they say about Dragon Age being easier on the xbox than the PC is totally true.  I approach these games a little more like action-adventure and more for the story than for the tactical RPG elements.  So on the xbox, I usually played on the easy level.  I know, I'm a weenie!  Anyways, I let the PC game on normal as I started Dragon Age 2, and it only took about 30 minutes for me to see this critical error.  Regardless of whether Dragon Age 2 is easier than the first game, switching to the PC from Xbox versions is tough.  The game is significantly more challenging, and as of now I'm playing on easy (casual) again.  I have not been bothered by the camera nearly at all, mainly because I'm used to the xbox version.  I have certainly noticed the repeating of areas and textures in the first act, but also am still in 'this game looks so much better than the first game' mode so I haven't been too bothered by it yet.  One act one quest, however, straight repeated a dungeon area and the second quest was easier because I knew where to go.  That's kinda silly.

And on the final item, I think I see the point if you play a melee class (ie not mage).  Since I sorta wimp out and play at difficulty levels where you don't have to time your spells not to hurt you own dudes, character placement was not an issue.  And it still isn't. 

So what I have enjoyed that I think got a little lost in all the ways in which Dragon Age 2 is not necessarily better than Dragon Age Origins is the story.  Over the weekend I literally had to stop playing the game at one point because I was so overwhelmed with the way the story really puts you in kirkwall and in your role as this enforcer-helper type dude.  I sort-of feel like in Dragon Age Origins one of the things I didn't like was the game had a steep disparity (for me) between side quests and the main story quests, to the point where I had to force myself to treat the game like a game and grind out levels by doing every side quest I could.  Even if they seemed trite.  Here in Dragon Age 2, I feel like the side quests are meatier, like they are important to me as my character, and like if I skipped out on them I would be missing something.  Also the way they tell you what your big main quest is, but seem to lock you out of it is nice.  At first I was like 'ok i'll do what I need to go on this expedition,' but then I was like, "wait, something bigger is at work here and I need to figure it out, really get the feel of kirkwall."

So yes, Dragon Age 2 is in a way, Dragon Effect.  it certainly is worth all the criticisms leveled at it.  However, in my case the Dragon Age Origins I came from is not actually better than Dragon Age 2, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.  The only complaint I have is unlike how I feel about shepherd in the Mass Effect games, I don't care to omuch about this Dragon Age world (yet).  Hopefully the third game ties together things from the first two games in an engaging way.