SWTOR: Dec 20

Well, I know what I'm doing on Christmas break. Plunked down the big bucks for the collectors' edition on the strength of my belief in Bioware as a game co that understands the power of narrative. I'm glad I played Dragon Age because I think I "get" how Bioware rolls (oo pun). For example, I see we have a similar NPC companion feature in SWTOR. I haven't played any group games from Bioware so this take on player groups is interesting.

Dragon Age Origins

Okay, yah, okay, it's an "old" game (2009). I wanted to find  some immersive lore, some narrative. Warcraft pissed theirs away when they went MMO. Minecraft has none. Most FPS shooters find story completely unnecessary. This all started a few months back when I was listening to Wil Wheaton's second PAX invited keynote (2010...starts here). (NOTE: I have GOT to get to PAX one of these days.) He's right about story. And I went looking for some.

Dragon Age has it in spades. Decisions you make affect what happens around and to you. The story draws you in. You care about Morrigan. You have suspicions about Anora. And you derive great satisfaction from calling her a bitch and sending her to the tower toward the last part of the game. You wrestle with the role you should or shouldn't play in Dwarven politics, and then which, if either, of the two houses you should endorse for king. I mean, I actually had a long self-rationalizing conversation about this as the game was paused. Then I got up and wandered into Sarah's room to continue the debate. Sarah's been playing a bit too, and as it turned out, she rolled a dwarf to start with and so had a lot of insight about the dwarf world that I lacked. In fact, her intell made my decision easier.

Yah, story is good. Maybe I'm just missing D&D.