I'm not interested in any future Mass Effect or Dragon Age games, or the MMO, so I'm personally hoping for a new IP.

Well in my eyes Mass Effect 2 is the best game Bioware has released since Shattered Steel. Kinda lost interest in their games during the Neverwinter Nights period, but right now it's definitely the company whose games I look forward to the most.

The romance focus is a bit off, I give you that. Then again, they are about the only ones who actually really do that thing these days.

I liked Knights of the Old Republic, and I liked Mass Effect (even though it got boring halfway through until I switched to Renegade to spice things up). I couldn't get into Dragon Age: Origins no matter how many times I tried, and I feel no compulsion to play Mass Effect 2.

The thing is I don't think ANY of this reflects on Bioware in my mind, because I try to separate it from everything. Just like I listen to music without worrying about or sometimes even knowing about the band that made it, I play games the same way. I like what I like, and dislike what I dislike...plain and simple, no fuss about who made it or whether or not they're going downhill. :shrug:

This!

They're totally focused on money... :brokencomputer:

you realise they're a business right?

Bioware and Bethesda made some of the most enjoyable games I've had the pleasure in playing. In fact, the majority of my gaming time has been a rotation between various titles of these two developers.

I'm currently playing KOToR after coming off a round of Morrowind, which was proceeded by Dragon Age Origins, Oblivion, and Jade Empire.

The two most anticipated games on the horizon biding for my time are Skyrim, and Star Wars ToR (don't hate).

There 'are' directions and decisions I was not fond with coming from Bioware, but the same can be said of Bethesda.

Both developers have offered me many hours of enjoyable and memorable gaming experiences.

Shivering Isles. I couldnt play the game much due to the gameplay. I just didnt feel motivated because everything was copy pasted in oblivion. But SI was done very well. I loved the story for it. Much better than Biowares stuff. Halo has better writing than Bioware games.


No, while fans asked for Tali and resulted in a romance that completely downplayed the immune system thing. The devs made Miranda wear a skintight catsuit from the start. The devs are the ones who made the camera focus on h3r ass in cutscenes. Its as much thier fault as the fans.


So what ? Them being the only ones dosent mean anything. They still svck at it.



I despise Bioware. I played ME1, ME2, DAO and DAA.

ME1 I liked, then I just began to hate the writing, ME2 I despised due to writing and gameplay. DAO for some reason I kept playing despite dull gameplay and lots of generic and cliche writing. DAA was dull gameplay but slightly better writing.

2 things annoy me about bioware.

People consider them one of the greatest RPG devs. Yet bioware continue to water down games, some are barely rpgs. Its terrible, but its bioware so its considered great.
People say they have great writing... I have only played a few games, but its recycled crap. The fact they have thier own cliche chart says it all. When they break away from the cliches, it goes to [censored] (see DA2).

I swear most people just like them for the brand (much like CoD) Alpha protocal is similar to mass effect 1. Except superior the dialouge system, the dialouge, choice and consequence and gameplay paths. Yet it got flamed to hell. I dont understand the appeal at all, Bioware has bad writing and gameplay is nothing special.

That reputation comes from when they were truly some of the best RPG developers. Baldur's Gate, KotOR, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, etc. were all back when they made what were certainly RPGs. Now, it just seems, to me, that they're riding on their once-deserved reputation as great RPG developers while catering to the needs of an action or third-person shooter fan (and from what I can tell, they're doing the action bit with DA II quite poorly) and EA. Then some people get some idea that console gamers are somehow responsible for all this and it gets messy. I don't understand why BioWare didn't carry over a Baldur's Gate or a KotOR model to the current console-generation. That's what this console gamer wants. :confused:

I'd have to get paid by the hour to play one of their games, but that's alright, i'm sure some other people wouldn't be interested in some of the games i play either, it's all down to personal taste.

A bit off topic, but is Jade empire worth getting?

Whether DA2 is a bad game or not, I really enjoyed Origins and Awakening, and when I found out you wouldn't be the Warden in DA2, I was gutted. I automatically assumed it would be like Mass Effect, and could carry my saves over to the next game. So gutted, I voted with my wallet and didn't buy it.

Still dosent give a good reason for popularity. Look at Duke Nukem. Or if you need a dev Black isle.

I just find it annoying how one can be considered one of the best rpg devs and water down rpgs. To me that just means the industry will lower the standard of what an rpg is :/

This talk about shivering isles makes me regret selling the game. But I hated Oblivion. Damn it I hate my attitude to that game. Why cant it be just love/hate instead of flipping between hating it and liking it.

The question of what is or is not an RPG doesn't concern me. I play Mass Effect because I like the story, not because it's an RPG.

Yep, ME3 could play like Gears of War for all I care, I have to know how it all ends.

Bioware is less about making games and more about making interactive movies with combat phases, these days, and that includes a certain game in development. I don't much care for their stuff anymore.



Bioware has great writing? :rofl: Not with the cringe-worthy dialogue I've been seeing. And Bioware is stuck in a serious rut - they can't do morally grey storylines to save their lives.

They were one of my favorite developers until DA2.

Complete assimilation by EA (or is it indoctrination?) has been achieved.



Before I got DA2 I was gonna pre-order ME3 but now I'm just gonna rent it *crosses fingers that ME3 lives up to the first 2 titles and they don't trash it*

Always disliked bioware to be honest, I enjoyed some of their games over the years but they are not black isle studios and to me are ridiculously over rated. they also treat the community like trash. They were also if not the first one of the first to leach off micro transactions many many moons before the term DLC was coined.

A fellow anti-romantic! Always hated the way Bioware (and for that matter, everyone else) handled romance, but it seemed like in DAO and ME2, they finally got something correct in not forcing the worthless things on you; just being nice to the NPC wouldn't get them to come onto you, and you had to initiate the relationship yourself. Then, come DA2, they not only went back to their old ways, but now, made it so that being a complete ass can also get you roped in. <_<

Anyway, as for the games proper...my personal forecast isn't so good. For Dragon Age...Origins was the only quality product in that franchise, which probably has to do with the years of work that went into it prior to both EA and ME. Awakening was disappointing, all the DLCs svcked, and DA2 was garbage. The fact is, I don't think the DA team knows what the hell they're doing, what they want to do with the series, where they want the story to go, how to develop the gameplay, or who the [censored] they want to make the series for. The ME team is a lot more competent, they know what they want for the time being. I expect ME3 to be ME2 calibur; decent game, complete wreck of a story. Sadly, though, it's not going to be the end of the franchise, and I foresee Bioware/EA running the universe into the ground with endless sequels and spinoffs for years to come. But worst of all, ME's overratedness popularity is only going to make Bioware's products even less diverse, as I see about every one of their games attempting to emulate it.

That's one of the reasons that I respect them less.


I think they already said Shepard's story is going to be a trilogy, but there will be other Mass Effect games. I won't be buying any more after ME3.

I really HATED how character interactions with Hawke were handled in DA2, and especially how Hawke was rail-roaded into dialogue choices that made no sense for how I was playing the character and/or his class.

Oh goodness, you've opened the pandora's box.

Amen. Just go take a look at the TOR forums to prove this point.

It's also really annoying how they won't specify details about the TOR beta. The only thing they say, if anything, is that there is a beta.

Lots of people seem to think so. Personally Obsidian > Bioware. Only issue with Obsidian is bugs. I still love Obsidian though (even though I only played AP and FNV, not touching DS3).
Dialouge is bad though, the mass effect 3 trailer, der god "we fight or we die thats the plan." Wow its so great that the guy who is apparently Earths only hope is such a great tactician.


I dont understand how people say ME2 has some amazing gameplay, I have seen it all before, done BETTER. I swear mass effect is just a way for people to play gears and feel superior to gears/shooter fans.
Just dont say this on their forum, unless you want to be banned from games you purchased.

One of the first time I saw store exclusive dlc was ME2.


What ? I made everyone in DAO like me (bonuses) but then Morrigan said her tent line, Leliana seemed fine, Alistair isnt gay and Zevran I could either encourage his staring, say I didnt care or tell him I didnt like it. Turns out telling him you dislike him staring makes you loose points, reload and saying "I dont mind" he was than coming on to my character :/ Where is the simple "dont swing that way" option!

ME2 did it badly too, Tali... I dont need to talk about. Miranda built for fanservice and then just talking to her resulted in her flirting. Play a fem shep and talk to Jacob btw see how that plays out;. BW makes being nice impossible, your either trying to bed them or being an ass.

Its not jsut that. DA2 tried to be like mass effect. Which is made funny when Mass effect ripped off other games.



I see the AC games inspiring the omniblade.
Gears "inspired" combat.
They are after the CoD audience.
Eh there are RPGs too. They just wont mention them. Its as though "one of the greatest rpg devs" is ashamed of RPGs.

Also

Greed much.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/312979/interviews/mass-effect-3-can-it-sell-big-without-selling-out/

All I have to say, is that for being a supposedly story driven developer, they aren't too creative.

Mass Effect: There are these super evil ancient things that want to kill everybody! Quickly, go gather a kick ass team to stop them!

Dragon Age: There are these super evil ancient things that want to kill everybody! Quickly, go gather a kick ass team to stop them!

Mass Effect Frenemy: Hey, I am helpful but you will never fully trust me because its obvious I have my own agenda and your just a pawn in it.

Dragon Age Frenemy: Hey, I am helpful but you will never trust me because its obvious I have my own agenda and your just a pawn in it.

Also, as stated by several people, they can't do morally gray story lines for [censored].

And in all honesty, Beth's writing staff isn't too great either, but at least they don't try to make story their main focus. EDIT: Except for Shivering Isles, I enjoyed its story.

Come to think of it, the only RPG company who has a skilled writing staff right now is Obsidian.

Its just a shame bugs overshadow the great games they make so they dont get the reputation they deserve.