So close but not close enough
These are my personal opinions, which may not align with yours, either in part or entirely. I had high expectations for this game, and perhaps I was swayed by the marketing or had unrealistic hopes after waiting so long for its release. Nevertheless, after playing through it three times, here are the four main issues I encountered:
- Consequences: The game suggests that choices matter, but after three play-throughs with different decisions each time, the outcomes were all the same. This is disappointing. Decisions should have a significant impact on the story and gameplay, shaping the narrative and offering unique experiences. I wanted the game to reflect how choices can alter the course of events in real life, even within a fantasy world.
- Progression: The first chapter is strong—well-crafted, paced perfectly, and consistently engaging. However, everything falls apart in chapter 2. It feels as if the developers ran out of time, resources, or interest. The ending, including Rook's imprisonment by Solis, is anticlimactic, underwhelming, and lacks any real challenge. Major confrontations build up, but the fights are far too easy, including what should have been the ultimate battle. The ending feels rushed, with not a single interaction with any of the surviving companions and allies, nor with any real sense of what happens to Thedas after defeating the Gods and Solis. After the ultimate battle, which was supposed to be the mother of all battles but falls disappointingly short, the experience abruptly ends after Solis binds himself to the fade. That’s it. No continuity. No closure. Nothing. Instead, we get an unsatisfying conclusion abruptly cutting to a brief sentence from each key characters or factions. It leaves you completely unsatisfied and wondering what was going on with the development team and writers.
- Romance: Romantic relationships take far too long to develop when they do. And although not crucial to the story or outcome of the game, the advertised nudity is nowhere to be found. This raises questions about the purpose of the "nudity" toggle. Perhaps the developers had plans to have some or for an additional download or a future update, but for now, it seems like a missed opportunity. If done tastefully, nudity and intimacy could have added depth and complexity to the characters and the narrative and game experience, without crossing into the pornographic.
- Dialogue: The dialogue choices are bland, overly simplistic, pointless, and often irritating especially the whininess and immaturity. Devrin, Bellara, Lace, and Taash suffer from weak dialogue that undermine likability and detract from their stories; it makes them less engaging, less likeable, and frankly quite irritating. In contrast, characters like Neve, Lucanis, and Emmerick stand out for being interesting and complex. You may not agree with some things about them but I found they enhanced the overall experience making the play enjoyable and worthwhile.
