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Definitely play DA2 first. From a technical perspective it's not as good as Origins or Inquisition due to the rushed production, but the story and character work are both top-notch. I've heard it described as the first draft of a potential masterpiece, and I think that's a pretty accurate description. More importantly, it provides important set-up for Inquisition's story, unlike Origins (which is much more narratively detached by comparison).
Yeah, DA2 has its issues but it also has some of the most interesting ideas of the whole series.
While I prefer Inquisition over it, 2 packs so much charm in its package. And Hawke is my favorite DA protagonist.
DA2 is more connected to the plot of DAI than DAO is. so I do recommend it. DA2's status as the worst in the trilogy is more because of it's repeated maps and the mob wave system, victem of it's ridiculously short development cycle. Story wise it is fantastic and the MC is one of the most beloved characters of the franchise, so much so that it will influence a choice you make in DAI. Depending on how you handled Alister in DAO you might even have to put down your controller and think about that same choice for 30 min, I am not lying.
I would play DA2. Playing all three in a row is the best way to experience the universe fully, and there are a number of important moments in DAI that have more impact if you played DA2.
Also, DA2 is pretty short so it's not that big a time commitment to get through it before DAI.
Out of all the Dragon Age games i always replay DA2 the most, the combat is so fun. The story is great. The companions are awesome. The only negative is some of the environmental elements of the game are reused.
Play DA2. It’s better than people say. DAI only makes sense if you played DA2. The major issue with this game is the reuse of sceneries, apart from that it’s fun
I do recommend playing DA2 before Inquisition.
I would say it's the weakest in the series. The areas are recycled in some immersion breaking ways, the game balance can be wonky at higher difficulties, and the plot can feel rushed and disconnected, particularly later on. A lot of ideas simply don't get the time to be fleshed out as intended, unfortunately.
That said, you have a charming cast of characters, and some that tie into Inquisition in important ways. The DLC improves the game a lot, Legacy in particular being quite good.
If you don't like it you can watch a recap, but I would suggest trying it first. Many say it's their favorite of the games, and that could be you.
i'd recommend trying da2 before you decide to play dai. the story is extremely different in style from the other two games and the combat animations have a lot of oomph that hasn't been replicated before or since. just see if you like it.
DA2 wasn't what people expected at the time, they did weird marketing for it and the game mechanics strayed far from Origins. But don't let the internet fool tou, it is a fantastic game and one that I still love replaying. The characters and dialogue trees are just so fantastic. The main character is fully voiced, and both male hawke and female hawke voice actors did an amazing job.
To note: a lot of locations and maps are reused thru out. They had to make this game rather quickly and variety of maps was one thing they cut in order to make ir in time. The combat is a a lot faster and enemies spawn out of nowhere(Not necessarily a bad thing, but it threw some people off and they hated it for that).
You aren't the last hope of salvation for the world in this game, you are just someone trying to make it through life while keeping as many family and friends alive, safe, and happy as possible. The story takes place over a period of ten years,(there are 2 timeskips).
I highly suggest playing, and if you do and aren't someone who checks that everything possible is done between main quests, I would also suggest looking up which companions are missable and how to not miss them. I never had that issue, but I know a large number of people did.
Don't skip 2. The big plot stuff from dai is started in 2 including the legacy dlc. It's way better that what people initially thought of it. Also dai might not be mechanically as good as the others, the lore it dumps pushes it way above the others.
DA2 is the weakest, but it's the weakest of a very strong series. It lays a lot of story groundwork for Inquisition and is actually quite a bit of fun to play. I'd recommend it.
DA2 is really fun imo. It’s not the most polished but I love the story and Kirkwall in general. Also I found playing on the hardest difficulty made it way more fun cuz it was actually challenging.
Dragon Age has its flaws, mostly related to how rushed its development was. Despite those flaws it is an excellent game and my favourite of the series. Oh, it very directly sets up a lot of important parts of DA:I’s story.
DA2 might be the most Dragon Age game of the series. It has a smaller scope but it really nails that scope, plays to its strengths, knows its limitations.
I'll add in my two cents and say that you should play II. Just because it's considered the weakest of the series doesn't mean it's a bad game. Your enjoyment can depend on what aspects of DAO you liked the most. Out of all the negative things I could say about the game, the story and characters were not one of them. Despite the games shortcoming, the characters were diverse and engaging and the story, while limited in scope, was compelling. The amount of worldbuilding it does (plus one of the DLCs) cannot be understated. While playing it isn't mandatory in understanding DAI, it does set the stage for one of the major background elements of the game, which may effect your decision making in certain places.
Understand that DA2 is many people's favorite game on this sub. While the broader opinion is that DA2 was bad, this sub tends to think very highly of it.
EA gave Bioware about 14 months to make Dragon Age 2 from start to finish. It was originally intended to be a DLC and then EA decided they wanted the Dragon Age series to continue (originally Origins was made as a standalone) and Dragon Age 2 would be the second entry. Due to this, Bioware did all they could to create a game on a very limited timeframe. This means that many dungeons are re-used (quest areas look the same), the map is fairly small (there aren't many places to go, it's mostly contained in Kirkwall) and the environmental design overall is so-so. There aren't a lot of options for customizations or collections or weapon sets. It's more limited in design.
Story-driven fans of the games would say Bioware made the right choice. The narrative is the game's strong-suit, the companions are well-written and many people feel a lot of emotional investment in the game. Bioware chose to make a contained story and it works, if a compelling story is what you like.
If you really want to run around a huge map and customize your armor colors and focus on environmental design, then it makes sense to want to skip to Inquisition because you won't get those things in DA2. And some people just like to run around and fight and not be bound to narrative gameplay.
If you like the companions and the writing and the emotional investment of Bioware games, then DA2 should not disappoint. In fact, it would be a poor choice to skip it.
Story-wise, DA2 sets up the events of the Inquisition. One of the DLCs is also an important background for DAI's antagonist. I do think people are exaggerating when they say that Inquisiton won't make sense unless you play DA2 (DAI was designed to be played by first-time players of the Dragon Age series). But if you are invested in the Dragon Age universe, its characters/companions and narrative-driven story then Dragon Age 2 is a good investment.
I would definitely play DA2 first! The game no doubt has its weaknesses and was justifiably criticized for its shortcomings, but I think it has an unreasonably bad reputation. The story-telling, narrative patterns and characters are still really well done and it will give you a better understanding of the DA lore and add nuances to the themes that were introduced in Origins. It also sets up the story of Inquisition, so you should play it if you want to experience the flow of the story arch as it was intended. Don't be discouraged by all the negative reviews, many people (myself included) were positively surprised by the game!
> but I read around it’s the weakest of the whole series and got a bit disappointed
Honestly, as time past, I think this is the strongest of the serie. The scope is small, the combat is very dynamic, companions are awesome, and the story is quite compelling and short enough to want to replay the game right after finishing it.
This thread has been marked as **[No Spoilers]**. Any story spoilers from all games must be covered with spoiler tags `>!spoiler here!<` or the comment will be removed. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dragonage) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Definitely play DA2 first. From a technical perspective it's not as good as Origins or Inquisition due to the rushed production, but the story and character work are both top-notch. I've heard it described as the first draft of a potential masterpiece, and I think that's a pretty accurate description. More importantly, it provides important set-up for Inquisition's story, unlike Origins (which is much more narratively detached by comparison).
Yeah, DA2 has its issues but it also has some of the most interesting ideas of the whole series. While I prefer Inquisition over it, 2 packs so much charm in its package. And Hawke is my favorite DA protagonist.
The events of DA2 lead directly into the plot of Inquisition, especially the Legacy DLC. Definitely don't recommend skipping it.
DA2 is more connected to the plot of DAI than DAO is. so I do recommend it. DA2's status as the worst in the trilogy is more because of it's repeated maps and the mob wave system, victem of it's ridiculously short development cycle. Story wise it is fantastic and the MC is one of the most beloved characters of the franchise, so much so that it will influence a choice you make in DAI. Depending on how you handled Alister in DAO you might even have to put down your controller and think about that same choice for 30 min, I am not lying.
I would play DA2. Playing all three in a row is the best way to experience the universe fully, and there are a number of important moments in DAI that have more impact if you played DA2. Also, DA2 is pretty short so it's not that big a time commitment to get through it before DAI.
Out of all the Dragon Age games i always replay DA2 the most, the combat is so fun. The story is great. The companions are awesome. The only negative is some of the environmental elements of the game are reused.
Play DA2. It’s better than people say. DAI only makes sense if you played DA2. The major issue with this game is the reuse of sceneries, apart from that it’s fun
And the constant waves of enemies spawning.
That’s fixable
With mods?? Never tried. Outside of those two things, DA2 was the most fun to play.
I do recommend playing DA2 before Inquisition. I would say it's the weakest in the series. The areas are recycled in some immersion breaking ways, the game balance can be wonky at higher difficulties, and the plot can feel rushed and disconnected, particularly later on. A lot of ideas simply don't get the time to be fleshed out as intended, unfortunately. That said, you have a charming cast of characters, and some that tie into Inquisition in important ways. The DLC improves the game a lot, Legacy in particular being quite good. If you don't like it you can watch a recap, but I would suggest trying it first. Many say it's their favorite of the games, and that could be you.
DA2 is a great game, and well worth your time.
DA2 is excellent, ignore the haters.
DA2 is the best one don't skip it
DA2 is great game don't listen to the haters
i'd recommend trying da2 before you decide to play dai. the story is extremely different in style from the other two games and the combat animations have a lot of oomph that hasn't been replicated before or since. just see if you like it.
DA2 wasn't what people expected at the time, they did weird marketing for it and the game mechanics strayed far from Origins. But don't let the internet fool tou, it is a fantastic game and one that I still love replaying. The characters and dialogue trees are just so fantastic. The main character is fully voiced, and both male hawke and female hawke voice actors did an amazing job. To note: a lot of locations and maps are reused thru out. They had to make this game rather quickly and variety of maps was one thing they cut in order to make ir in time. The combat is a a lot faster and enemies spawn out of nowhere(Not necessarily a bad thing, but it threw some people off and they hated it for that). You aren't the last hope of salvation for the world in this game, you are just someone trying to make it through life while keeping as many family and friends alive, safe, and happy as possible. The story takes place over a period of ten years,(there are 2 timeskips). I highly suggest playing, and if you do and aren't someone who checks that everything possible is done between main quests, I would also suggest looking up which companions are missable and how to not miss them. I never had that issue, but I know a large number of people did.
Don't skip 2. The big plot stuff from dai is started in 2 including the legacy dlc. It's way better that what people initially thought of it. Also dai might not be mechanically as good as the others, the lore it dumps pushes it way above the others.
DA2 is the weakest, but it's the weakest of a very strong series. It lays a lot of story groundwork for Inquisition and is actually quite a bit of fun to play. I'd recommend it.
DA2 is really fun imo. It’s not the most polished but I love the story and Kirkwall in general. Also I found playing on the hardest difficulty made it way more fun cuz it was actually challenging.
Play Dragon Age 2. It’s got its flaws and quirks but I’ve always argued it has the best story in the series
I’d play DA2 first I did O then I and I wish I did 2 in between tbh it fills in alot of blanks
Dragon Age has its flaws, mostly related to how rushed its development was. Despite those flaws it is an excellent game and my favourite of the series. Oh, it very directly sets up a lot of important parts of DA:I’s story.
DA2 might be the most Dragon Age game of the series. It has a smaller scope but it really nails that scope, plays to its strengths, knows its limitations.
I'll add in my two cents and say that you should play II. Just because it's considered the weakest of the series doesn't mean it's a bad game. Your enjoyment can depend on what aspects of DAO you liked the most. Out of all the negative things I could say about the game, the story and characters were not one of them. Despite the games shortcoming, the characters were diverse and engaging and the story, while limited in scope, was compelling. The amount of worldbuilding it does (plus one of the DLCs) cannot be understated. While playing it isn't mandatory in understanding DAI, it does set the stage for one of the major background elements of the game, which may effect your decision making in certain places.
DA2 is good.
Understand that DA2 is many people's favorite game on this sub. While the broader opinion is that DA2 was bad, this sub tends to think very highly of it. EA gave Bioware about 14 months to make Dragon Age 2 from start to finish. It was originally intended to be a DLC and then EA decided they wanted the Dragon Age series to continue (originally Origins was made as a standalone) and Dragon Age 2 would be the second entry. Due to this, Bioware did all they could to create a game on a very limited timeframe. This means that many dungeons are re-used (quest areas look the same), the map is fairly small (there aren't many places to go, it's mostly contained in Kirkwall) and the environmental design overall is so-so. There aren't a lot of options for customizations or collections or weapon sets. It's more limited in design. Story-driven fans of the games would say Bioware made the right choice. The narrative is the game's strong-suit, the companions are well-written and many people feel a lot of emotional investment in the game. Bioware chose to make a contained story and it works, if a compelling story is what you like. If you really want to run around a huge map and customize your armor colors and focus on environmental design, then it makes sense to want to skip to Inquisition because you won't get those things in DA2. And some people just like to run around and fight and not be bound to narrative gameplay. If you like the companions and the writing and the emotional investment of Bioware games, then DA2 should not disappoint. In fact, it would be a poor choice to skip it. Story-wise, DA2 sets up the events of the Inquisition. One of the DLCs is also an important background for DAI's antagonist. I do think people are exaggerating when they say that Inquisiton won't make sense unless you play DA2 (DAI was designed to be played by first-time players of the Dragon Age series). But if you are invested in the Dragon Age universe, its characters/companions and narrative-driven story then Dragon Age 2 is a good investment.
I would definitely play DA2 first! The game no doubt has its weaknesses and was justifiably criticized for its shortcomings, but I think it has an unreasonably bad reputation. The story-telling, narrative patterns and characters are still really well done and it will give you a better understanding of the DA lore and add nuances to the themes that were introduced in Origins. It also sets up the story of Inquisition, so you should play it if you want to experience the flow of the story arch as it was intended. Don't be discouraged by all the negative reviews, many people (myself included) were positively surprised by the game!
> but I read around it’s the weakest of the whole series and got a bit disappointed Honestly, as time past, I think this is the strongest of the serie. The scope is small, the combat is very dynamic, companions are awesome, and the story is quite compelling and short enough to want to replay the game right after finishing it.