Review: Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #3

Well, here we are at the end of Until We Sleep, and… I still honestly don’t know how I feel about it. It started off strong, but then the second issue just utterly underwhelmed me, which brings us here. This final issue does conclude the mini-series quite nicely, and it’s definitely a far sight better than the previous issue, so for those reasons alone I’m rather relieved. It’s just…overall, I can’t decide if I’m pleased or annoyed that I read the mini-series, and that’s the toughest sort of review to write.

I have a weird relationship with Dragon Age. I hate them as games, to be perfectly honest (seriously, I rage quit Dragon Age my first playthrough because the battle system was so atrocious, and I dozed through the battle encounters in Dragon Age: II – when they weren’t glitching, that is), but I really, utterly, completely and totally adored the characters. So, you’d think character-centric comics would be right up my alley, wouldn’t you? They should be about everything I loved regarding the series, minus the annoying button-mashing-oh-god-dammit-Alistair-you’re-already-dead-again aspect of actually playing the games. And yet, they aren’t, as these reviews increasingly show.

With this final issue, I’m beginning to get why. The pacing overall is just not good, for starters, but it’s more than that. Yeah, the story gets rushed – the game felt like that too at times, so maybe they’re just trying to be accurate. I’m not necessarily reading for the story, though; I’m reading because, as I said before, I really like the characters they’ve created… but therein rests the problem. There’s no consistency. Some panels, characters look like themselves, act like themselves, and feel as they should. Then suddenly they don’t, and you have no idea who you’re dealing with anymore.

This one was a bit better, because Alistair really shone through (for the first few pages, anyway), and Varric’s narration was on-point as always. That’s probably my biggest compliment for the series; Varric’s narration always sounds like Varric, and thus makes for my favorite bits from the series overall. Alistair and Varric actually felt like themselves for most of this issue, but then Isabela felt like she wasn’t there at all, which is really damn annoying.

The resolution of the overarching conflict (finding King Maric) is well enough. It was a touching moment, it made insightful commentary (you can’t live in a dream just because reality is no longer what you wish it), and, well, it concluded. It all just felt a little underwhelming, and it had a bit of a downer final page (a well-done one, to their credit, but a downer all the same). The whole thing actually feels a bit like when I finished Dragon Age: II; it left me thinking, “That’s really it, isn’t it.”

So… I don’t really know how to advise you, dear reader. If you’re an avid Dragon Age fan, you’re probably going to pick this up no matter what I have to say, and you’re probably going to be a bit disappointed but satisfied enough to not resent spending money on it.  I wouldn’t call it an “essential addition to the Dragon Age canon” as the Dark Horse page does, because really, if it’s incredibly vital, it’ll be mentioned in Dragon Age 3, but it’s entertaining enough for $3.99 if you’ve already picked up Issues #1 and #2. It just leaves you feeling a bit conflicted; as a fan of the characters and the series you want to like it, but it’s just not particularly good or bad: it just is.

… if it’s all the same to you, I’d just as soon read The World of Thedas, because that actually satisfies my world-building, information-craving hunger and doesn’t leave me going, “Was that even worth bothering with?”

Jeni “Science Whyzard” Hackett wishes that something Dragon Age-related would actually do its characters justice. Speaking of Justice, she rather likes Anders, although she thinks she mentioned that in one of these bylines already. The segue was just too perfect to ignore. You can find her on twitter under the name @allonsyjeni, email her at jeni.is.a.geek@gmail.com, or find her on tumblr at hellomynameisgeek.

Review: Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #2

Some of you may recall my review of Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #1. I’ll repeat my opening paragraph from there, as same introduction applies: Dragon Age: Until We Sleep is the climax of the comic collaboration between Bioware and Dark Horse, and a continuation of the plot in The Silent Grove (which focuses on Alistair) and Those Who Speak (which focuses on Isabela). This one follows my personal favorite of the three characters focused on in the comics, the dwarf rogue Varric, but the story is still that of Alistair’s hunt for his father and uncovering his lineage. Note: I haven’t read the previous two miniseries, so this review is based entirely on this miniseries with the knowledge that there is previous material taken into account.

First of all, if you want to read this issue now: go read Until We Sleep #1, because this one isn’t going to make any sense if you don’t.

Now, on to Issue #2. The good news: the art bothers me far less this time! Alistair seems to have recovered from his awkward sojourn into whatever on earth was going on last issue. The bad news: I got lost a lot more because the scene transitions just didn’t work. Not to say it wasn’t good; I soundly enjoyed parts of it (Bianca! Rivaini! Varric’s unreliable narration juxtaposed with what’s actually going on!), but as a whole, it just didn’t flow right. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t great, either. I got confused, I didn’t know who characters were, and I had no idea how scenes transitioned. 

I suppose that’s all part of being where the characters are, but it didn’t make for the best reading experience.

I once again found a quote that made me grin relating to Alistair (“No one flirts as badly as Alistair”), and really I did enjoy backstory components. Still, I found myself wanting more of them. They were rushed, almost – they gave just enough, in their defense, but it left me feeling wanting. It was a good use of the situation, I will give it that, and the first few pages definitely got my hopes up and kept me reading (let’s just say fans of Varric will be very enthusiastic and then left wanting more). It gave just enough to keep one moving along; it just didn’t really seem to reward that dedication too terribly much.

I think the issue here might be that it’s the second of three comics. It’s the middle of the narrative arc and, honestly, it might just not hold up well on its own. Maybe if I read it directly after #1, I’d feel differently, perhaps less confused. With miniseries like these, associated with a major game series that’s highly narrative-driven and filled with already known and loved characters, waiting for the full trade paperbacks might make more sense. I do genuinely think they’re meant to be one cohesive story read straight through rather than placed apart.

So, with that in mind, my advice would be to skip Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #2, at least for now. If you’re a fan of Dragon Age, pick it up when it comes out as a trade paperback or hardcover, and then read the whole thing straight through for optimal cohesion. Again, I want to stress, it’s not that this is bad, it just doesn’t flow right on its own. Maybe reading it in series with parts 1 and 2 will help, maybe not, but I know that personally, I’d rather wait and spend $14.99 for all three plus maybe some additional content than $3.99 for each one.

Jeni “Science Whyzard” Hackett would probably romance Varric if he were an option, although she’d hate to come between him and Bianca. Her best friend in Dragon Age 2 was Isabela, because she liked my sarcastic nature. You can find her on twitter under the name @allonsyjeni, email her at jeni.is.a.geek@gmail.com, or find her on tumblr at hellomynameisgeek.

Review: Dragon Age: The World of Thedas

Before we even get into this review, I want to say this now: calling Dragon Age: The World of Thedas a mere art book is doing it a disservice.  Not to belittle art books; like Spoon wrote about during their Art of Bioshock: Infinite review, art books can be incredible, beautiful, mesmerizing things. The thing about The World of Thedas, though, is that its focus isn’t on the art development of Dragon Age, but instead on the actual world in which Dragon Age takes place. It’s more akin to an encyclopedia (or a tabletop RPG world guide), and its depth is astounding. Dragon Age fanfic writers take notice; this is a book you’re going to find indispensable.

You’ll notice I compared this to a tabletop RPG world guide. A good world guide is replete with the most minute details so that players can create characters that utilize the most obscure, random factoid, and thus feel like they’re truly inhabiting that world with their character. The World of Thedas achieves this in spades, in part because the lead writer for Dragon Age, David Gaider, approached his worldbuilding from a game master’s perspective. In his brief intro, he makes interesting insights into the development of the Dragon Age world, and it immediately made me want to read more.

Also like a RPG world guide, though, there is a lot of information here. There’s stuff that really is meant to be skimmed, or to be looked at briefly while flipping through the pages; useful things like an at-a-glance page depicting the various powers of Thedas’ symbols (such as the Chantry, the Grey Wardens, etc.) with a brief description, beautiful maps, concept art, the works. A touch I particularly liked is the timeline running the length of the book along its bottom edge, which provides key dates and events long before the scope of the games begins. There are excerpts from everyone from magisters to dwarves recounting their observations. There are discussions of what the Veil is, right down to going into how various cultures depict it. There’s a chapter devoted to breaking down what a Blight is, which then goes into a history of the known Blights. There’s a section devoted to the climate. You want to know what holidays are celebrated in Thedas? Page 21. Want to know the different ways different races curse? That’s six pages later. Curious about Isabela’s homeland of Rivain? It’s got its own section starting on page 80 (yes, familiar faces do pop up, although the focus of this book is on the worldbuilding of Thedas itself and not the cast of characters we’re familiar with, such as in the case of the Art of the Mass Effect Universe, for example – it’s probably more comparable to the Hyrule Historia, although even that focuses far more on concept art and game development itself than The World of Thedas does – and, yes, I have read all of the various books I’ve rattled off here, I’ve a weakness for this sort of thing). And, of course, there’s bestiary, chronicling all the various enemies (and allies) players of the game are painfully familiar with.

There’s more information in this book than I can even tease at, that’s how jam-packed it is. If you have ever had a question about the world of Thedas, there is probably an answer in this book for you. It is absurdly comprehensive. It is written in typical RPG world book style, which can come across as dry, but the “fluff” additions (such as the writings from eyewitness characters) are compelling, and if you’re after information, sometimes clear-cut dry language is best. Most pages includes at least one illustration of what’s being discussed (the bestiary is fantastic in this regard), and a convenient glossary appears at the back for those with a quick question about definitions. This is a worldbuilder and fanfic writer’s dream, and it’s only volume one.

At $39.99 for a hardcover copy, I find this more than worth it, especially if you’ve ever wondered about the history and development of the Dragon Age world, or just want a really solid example of worldbuilding laid out before you as a point of reference. As one with a weakness for reading through all the fluff bits of her D&D books, The World of Thedas is positively incredible. It’s something you could pour over for a good long while, learning more and more about the world than you thought possible. If you’re looking for a book of character art references (like The Art of Mass Effect provided), you will be disappointed, but if you’re looking to learn more about the world the creators of Dragon Age have brought to life than you ever thought possible, you are in for one hell of a treat.

Jeni “Science Whyzard” Hackett really, really loves worldbuilding, you guys. When it’s done in-depth and for a game series she’s already enamored of, so much the better- although she will confess she did kind of hope for some character art references (but she is definitely not at all disappointed with what she found instead!). You can find her on twitter under the name @allonsyjeni, email her at jeni.is.a.geek@gmail.com, or find her on tumblr at hellomynameisgeek.

Review: Dragon Age: Until We Sleep #1

Dragon Age: Until We Sleep is the climax of the comic collaborations between Bioware and Dark Horse and a continuation of the plot in The Silent Grove (which focuses on Alistair) and Those Who Speak (which focuses on Isabela). This one follows my personal favorite of the three characters focused on in the comics, the dwarf rogue Varric, but the story is still that of Alistair’s hunt for his father and uncovering his lineage. Note: I haven’t read the previous two miniseries, so this review is based entirely on this issue alone with the knowledge that there is previous material taken into account.

I’m a little reluctant to comment on the story itself because, as I just said, I haven’t read the previous two miniseries and this is (according to the Dragon Age wiki) the climax of the comics. Talk about jumping in when the party’s already started, right? It’s by David Gaider, the lead writer for the Dragon Age games, and that shows; it definitely feels at home in the universe the games have created, which is always a good thing. I was able to follow what was going on well, which is a point in its favor, and I quite enjoyed how Varric as the (unreliable) narrator was contrasted with his actual actions; I do wonder who he’s telling the story to, but I imagine that’ll be cleared up towards the end of the series’ run. The narration felt true to Varric’s voice from Dragon Age II (which I can say with authority as, well, I’m actually currently playing it), and made the first few pages my absolute favorite part of the comic overall.

Wait, I lied. Varric called Alistair a special snowflake. That was definitely my favorite part of the comic overall, and I say that as someone who romanced Alistair in DA:O.

To clarify, that doesn’t mean the rest of the comic was bad; it had a logical flow, it was follow-able, even for someone who had never picked up a Dragon Age comic before, and it kept me entertained. Honestly, it made me really want to go back, get the previous comics so I could know what was going on in the story, and then wait for the next installments with the proper background to really appreciate them. That’s a point in its favor; if it makes me want to do additional work to truly enjoy it, it’s probably pretty decent. That, or I’m just enjoying Varric’s narration too much and am curious to see how they handle Alistair and Isabela in their focus mini-series. Either way, I’ll be reading.

While we’re tangentially on the subject of Alistair, though, let’s talk art style. I’ll admit, it was a little weird seeing these characters rendered in 2-D, and honestly, I’m not sure how well it worked. Not to say the art style is bad by any means; there’s just a slight different-ness to Isabela, Varric, and especially Alistair that stood out to me. The chiseled, super-manly-square-jawed with REALLY intense cheekbones running around this comic looked nothing like the Alistair I remember from the video games, and it just didn’t work for me. There may be a reason for that; there may not be. But I know it didn’t work for me. Too many scenes of him in the rain looking… just… not right. This is especially odd since he looked far less egregiously not-Alistair, yet all three series have the same artist, Chad Hardin. With that knowledge in mind Alistair’s gauntness is probably meant to indicate what a long journey this has been for him, so again, it might be something that’s less jarring if you’ve been following the comics as they come out.

At the end of the day, it’s a Dragon Age ‘verse story through and through, highlighting a fan-favorite character with all his well-loved sass and colorful, enhanced retellings. It has some art issues, in my opinion, but it is always very tricky translating something from one medium to another. I’m willing to handwave it for every case but Alistair’s, because seriously, who is that guy with the hollow face? If you’ve been following the Dragon Age comics already, then you’re good for this one, and I would definitely recommend it as (I assume) we’re getting into the meat of the overarching plot now. If you haven’t been following and you’re curious, my advice is to read The Silent Grove  (.99 cents each digital copy, $14.99 for hardcover) and Those Who Speak ($3.50 per issue, $14.99 for hardcover) first, and then get your hands on Until We Sleep #1. It’ll help you appreciate the story much better and have far fewer questions at the end than I did, and you won’t have to resort to a wiki to figure out why it felt like you were being thrown into something mid-story (which, in fact, I was).  For $3.99, it’s worth grabbing it now, even if you don’t actually read it until after you’ve caught up with the rest, and definitely worth it if you’re waiting for the rest of the story from the prior series to be told.

Jeni “Science Whyzard” Hackett usually romances Alistair and Anders, although she has been known to be tempted by Zevran and Fenris (but only Fenris when she’s playing a mage because she’s mean). Her preferred DA2 party is Anders, Isabela and Fenris, but only because she plays a ranged rogue thus Varric is a bit redundant. Her most memorable Dragon Age II moment was fighting the Arishok one-on-one as a longbow-favoring rogue, which went about as well and with as much dignity as you’d expect. You can find her on twitter under the name @allonsyjeni, email her at jeni.is.a.geek@gmail.com, or find her on tumblr at hellomynameisgeek.

Why Mass Effect 3 Has Changed the Industry Forever

Having never played any of the Mass Effect games, I am going to break down the recent controversy and why Bioware’s actions have set the industry back ten years. What could possibly go wrong?

Full disclosure: I’ve never played any of the Mass Effect games, though I do own ME1 and 2 (I have a big backlog to get through; sorry). As such, I didn’t mind when spoilers about the ending came raining down from the heavens (or the internet, whichever seems more reasonable), yet I wasn’t personally affected by the game’s failure to give the series a proper send-off. And let’s face it, the ending was bad. Forget all the bile you’ve seen from the more hate-filled members of the community; people like Angry Joe have calmly and rationally broken down all the reasons the ending was a downright mess, failing to live up to the lofty expectations of the game set before it.

I think that’s probably the biggest reason that the reaction to this ending, which is by no means the first bad ending gaming has seen in a prominent franchise (*glares at Fallout 3*). This series is well known in gaming as being one of the best and brightest, and serves as a franchise that could always be pointed to when gamers tried to defend their hobby as an art form. I’ve written a 30 page research paper on video game censorship in the modern world, and both the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series (both RPGs made by Bioware) were cornerstones in my argument that games could, and should, be considered an art form.

When a game has been brought to the forefront as one of the best, if not the best, overall experiences a gamer could have, then an ending like Mass Effect 3’s cannot be tolerated. Gamers had grown too close to their various characters and were too invested in the overall story to accept this poor ending. Ironically, it is only because Bioware did such a great job making this game that they are getting so much criticism for ruining their franchise.

Now, the reason that I, a man who has not played these games, is writing this article instead of someone who has is because the deep connection players have with this game is one that makes it nearly impossible to remain objective. Right or wrong, players feel as if they are as much a creator of the Mass Effect franchise as Bioware themselves (note: they aren’t). The way their decisions shape the world make  them feel as if it was their game, and that Bioware’s failure to give it a proper ending signals a need for them to take it back. I’m not kidding; there’s a charity drive for Child’s Play called Retake Mass Effect that is being raised for the purpose of forcing Bioware to recognize their complaints and give the series the ending they deserve (they’ve raised more than $77,000 at the writing of this article).

Take another look at the name of this charity drive. Retake Mass Effect. Newsflash: it was never yours to begin with, at least not if you consider the game to be a piece of art (and I have yet to meet a Mass Effect player who would disagree with that claim). Bioware’s the artist. Whoever started this campaign is a jerk who’s placed Bioware in a no-win situation, as sticking to their guns and defending their work now means going against charity (Child’s Play is a great charity, but this really isn’t fair to the creative team of Bioware. Please donate if you can, but not through a campaign as manipulative as this).

So, since I haven’t played the game, I can take an objective look at what this whole mess means for the industry. And I do mean mess. As those of you who listened to our Podcast on the future of video gaming already know, I didn’t want to talk about this. I didn’t want to touch this with a 39 1/2 foot pole. But events transpired today that will shape the industry for the next ten years, maybe even more, and I just couldn’t ignore it anymore.

What happened today? Well, Bioware caved. They’re officially reshaping the ending, at least to some extent, based on the multitude of feedback that the players gave them, and video games will never be the same.

See, while there have been arguments since the beginning of time on the purpose of art, the ownership of art has never been denied. Art is produced by the artist, by his or her creative vision alone. If video games are art, the argument would entail that the game is created by a group of artists working together with a singular vision, so much so that they become the artist in this sense. The original Mass Effect, as well as Mass Effect 2, created breathtaking narratives, interesting characters, and a moral choice system (paragon vs. renegade) that actually worked. The games were incredibly immersive and told a story over which the player could become the storyteller, shaping the art with his or her volition without taking the art away from its rightful owner.

That can no longer be said.

The fans complained so loudly that Bioware was forced to recognize it. Gaming was going to reach this crossroad eventually. At some point, we all knew a game was going to flop on the ending, and the developer would have to choose to stick to their guns and defend their work as an art, or cave into the demands of their market to maximize profit, making it clear that video games are nothing more than products. Bioware has made their choice, and the aftershocks will likely be felt for years.

If it was any other developer, the action would be disappointing, but not as impactful. Unfortunately, this is Bioware, the company that made Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Knights of the Old Republic, as well as the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. They are arguably both the fathers and the leaders of the modern RPG genre, and they are undoubtedly one of the most influential developers of all time. When they act, people take notice. And people will most assuredly notice this.

If Ray Muzyka is true to his word, and Bioware has in fact forfeited their artistic rights to appease their fans, they have turned what had been considered to be an art nothing more than a product. And if Bioware does not believe that games are art, why should anyone else? If Bioware is not willing to stand by their creative decisions, however flawed they may be, then why should we take these claims seriously when they come from the mouths of other game developers. We can’t, and we shouldn’t. I spent ten pages in my research thesis on justifying games as an art form; if this happens, I might as well tear my entire paper up. The industry shouldn’t have the same rights as cinema because they refuse to take them, and we might as well invite Senator Yee to reintroduce his censorship laws in California because one of the most prominent game developers wasn’t willing to stand by their own product, much less the integrity of the industry.

One could argue that I’m taking this a bit too far, but a lot of people seem to be agreeing with me. On his Twitter account, MovieBob from Escapist Magazine called it “the WORST thing that has happened to gaming since Sega abandoned consoles” and claimed that the move “officially set the entire medium back a DECADE as an art from”. Grey Carter, the lead artist of the webcomic Critical Miss, wrote on his twitter, “New stance. Games are not art. Not any more”. I didn’t want to agree with either of them at first, but they are right. If Bioware really is just caving to market demand, on what ground can we as gamers stand when defending our past time as an art? Why should people like Roger Ebert back down when they claim that video games are not art? I used to have an answer to these questions. Right now, I’m not so sure.

There is, however, another option that is both the more promising and more insidious choice. Come back tomorrow for my analysis on the Indoctrination Theory, and why it is potentially more devastating to gamers. For now, this is MaristPlayBoy, signing out.

Part Two here

Tom’s RPG To-Get List

In Tom’s ongoing quest to design the perfect RPG, he makes it a policy to ingest as many worthy RPGs as possible, studying the wisdom of many masters. His current to-read list is given below. Peruse it, and perhaps learn of something with which you were previously unfamiliar! Hyperlinks included for your convenience.

In A Wicked Age – Randomly generated sword and sorcery scenarios that can be readily strung together into complex and interesting campaigns!

Kill Puppies For Satan – Exactly what it sounds like. Experiment in unconventional storytelling.

Ganakagok – It’s a game based on Eskimo myth set in a world of endless ice locked in eternal night that’s about to meet with its apocalypse in the form of the first sunrise ever. Who the fuck wouldn’t want to play that?

FATE – One of the more elegant systems out there, from my limited personal experience with it. Extremely flexible mechanics. Third edition is as yet unfinished, but the second edition is available on the website. It’s also FREE FREE GO GET IT NOW IT’S FREE

Dogs In The Vineyard – This one is also somewhat tricky to explain, so here is a link to an RPG.net review of the game.

Marvel Universe RPG – Resource management rather than dice rolls. An interesting thought exercise.

Dragon Age RPG – Another intersting experiment in resources accumulation.

Weapons of the Gods – A high-action wuxia game. I’m told it has an interesting interaction between narrative and mechanics, and it’s developed by Jenna Moran, who is essentially operating on an entirely different wavelength from the rest of humanity. A wavelength of awesome. Can be found on Amazon.

Legends of the Wulin – The spiritual successor to Weapons of the Gods, with new and improved mechanics. Looks boss as fuck. Unfortunately not going to be released until later this month.

Nobilis – Another Jenna Moran production. I know next to nothing about it and plan on keeping it that way until I read the manual for the new edition, which comes out near the end of November. Everyone on the internets loves this thing, though.

I actually have several kajillion others, but I figure this list will get me through next year at the least.