We Want To See Tevinter

Let’s face it – we all adore Dorian Pavus as a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition right? Besides being openly gay and fabulous, the character adds a lot more emotional weight to the cast. More importantly, Dorian’s idle party chatter in addition to all the lore drops in-game suggests one thing. It all pointed to the Tevinter Imperium. Tevinter Imperium is the oldest extant human nation in Thedas and we have yet to see it make an appearance in game. The prospect of new map areas to explore, NPCS to chat with and fashion to wear is actually rather exciting. If I could pick one location for the next game, it should be Tevinter.

Which Combat System Will Bioware Use?

Another reason for wanting to see a new Dragon Age game, is to see how BioWare improves the gameplay. Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best party-based RPG games of all time, and anyone disputing that clearly hasn’t played enough of it. The top-down party view in combat was a great homage to BioWare’s older classics like Baldur’s Gate, yet felt modern enough to keep it fresh. Dragon Age II introduced a new action combat system that seemed to cater to the younger generation who care about fast and flashy pixels. It wasn’t that bad and it did feel good, pity the game didn’t deliver on other fronts. In Inquisition, BioWare went back to the drawing board to mix both Origin’s and II’s combat into one giant mess that felt confusing. Therefore, Dragon Age 4 or whatever it will be called, will have to get the combat just right.

Think Of All The New Companions

Dragon Age’s companion system and how they play a part in your character’s growth in the story campaign is such an important aspect of the franchise. Without your cast of companion characters, it just wouldn’t be the same. We’ve had some amazing personalities introduced with each installment. Origins gave us some pretty heavy hitters like Leliana and Morrigan. Dragon Age: II introduced the well-loved Varric and Cassandra. Inquisition’s Iron Bull, Solas and Sara are all equally interesting, but more importantly was written in a way that added much more emotional depth to the story due to some fantastic twists. How can BioWare outdo themselves in the next installment?

Surely Multiplayer Would Be Leaps And Bounds Better

Groan all you want with this, we groaned too when Dragon Age: Inquisition announced multiplayer functionality. When it launched, we gave it a right go – a party of four players clearing a meaningless dungeon for loot that you couldn’t even use for single player at the beginning. It felt shallow and empty, and was miles behind other game’s multiplayer that primarily focused on PvP (like Mass Effect’s). Surely, if we are to see a return of this feature, it has to be a thousand times better in both functionality, gameplay and rewards. Four years is a long time in the RPG/MMO world where technology and ideas evolve almost monthly, and BioWare must have learned something – Anthem will be the a key indicator of that – to make multiplayer fun. Hell, I’ll go even go as far to say that we don’t need a multiplayer.

We All Need Solas Closure

No spoilers here, don’t worry. And to keep it that way, I’ll just say this: Solas’s story arc was and still is one of the best Dragon Age plot lines ever, and the end of Inquisition’s final DLC Trespasser left me wanting more and more. We absolutely need to have closure about what happens next, and hopefully Dragon Age 4 doesn’t needlessly discard this plot line and just roll in with an entirely new story. The worst sin BioWare could commit with the new game is to leave fans hanging and instead make a prequel game or some rubbish. So I say again, if they can’t handle it, give it to someone who can. Just look at Baldur’s Gate III.

The post Dear BioWare: Gives Us The Next Dragon Age Before It’s Too Late appeared first on Mmos World.

We Want To See Tevinter

Let’s face it – we all adore Dorian Pavus as a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition right? Besides being openly gay and fabulous, the character adds a lot more emotional weight to the cast. More importantly, Dorian’s idle party chatter in addition to all the lore drops in-game suggests one thing. It all pointed to the Tevinter Imperium. Tevinter Imperium is the oldest extant human nation in Thedas and we have yet to see it make an appearance in game. The prospect of new map areas to explore, NPCS to chat with and fashion to wear is actually rather exciting. If I could pick one location for the next game, it should be Tevinter.

Which Combat System Will Bioware Use?

Another reason for wanting to see a new Dragon Age game, is to see how BioWare improves the gameplay. Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best party-based RPG games of all time, and anyone disputing that clearly hasn’t played enough of it. The top-down party view in combat was a great homage to BioWare’s older classics like Baldur’s Gate, yet felt modern enough to keep it fresh. Dragon Age II introduced a new action combat system that seemed to cater to the younger generation who care about fast and flashy pixels. It wasn’t that bad and it did feel good, pity the game didn’t deliver on other fronts. In Inquisition, BioWare went back to the drawing board to mix both Origin’s and II’s combat into one giant mess that felt confusing. Therefore, Dragon Age 4 or whatever it will be called, will have to get the combat just right.

Think Of All The New Companions

Dragon Age’s companion system and how they play a part in your character’s growth in the story campaign is such an important aspect of the franchise. Without your cast of companion characters, it just wouldn’t be the same. We’ve had some amazing personalities introduced with each installment. Origins gave us some pretty heavy hitters like Leliana and Morrigan. Dragon Age: II introduced the well-loved Varric and Cassandra. Inquisition’s Iron Bull, Solas and Sara are all equally interesting, but more importantly was written in a way that added much more emotional depth to the story due to some fantastic twists. How can BioWare outdo themselves in the next installment?

Surely Multiplayer Would Be Leaps And Bounds Better

Groan all you want with this, we groaned too when Dragon Age: Inquisition announced multiplayer functionality. When it launched, we gave it a right go – a party of four players clearing a meaningless dungeon for loot that you couldn’t even use for single player at the beginning. It felt shallow and empty, and was miles behind other game’s multiplayer that primarily focused on PvP (like Mass Effect’s). Surely, if we are to see a return of this feature, it has to be a thousand times better in both functionality, gameplay and rewards. Four years is a long time in the RPG/MMO world where technology and ideas evolve almost monthly, and BioWare must have learned something – Anthem will be the a key indicator of that – to make multiplayer fun. Hell, I’ll go even go as far to say that we don’t need a multiplayer.

We All Need Solas Closure

No spoilers here, don’t worry. And to keep it that way, I’ll just say this: Solas’s story arc was and still is one of the best Dragon Age plot lines ever, and the end of Inquisition’s final DLC Trespasser left me wanting more and more. We absolutely need to have closure about what happens next, and hopefully Dragon Age 4 doesn’t needlessly discard this plot line and just roll in with an entirely new story. The worst sin BioWare could commit with the new game is to leave fans hanging and instead make a prequel game or some rubbish.

The post Top 5 Reasons Why We Need A New Dragon Age In 2019 appeared first on Mmos World.

5. Dark Souls

If you really are a sucker for hard games and dying often is more of a stepping stone rather than a sign of defeat, then Dark Souls is the perfect game for you. Dark Souls is the epitome of RPG games that provides brutal challenge for players, most noticeably in the game’s combat.

Even the most humble of trash mobs in Dark Souls can wipe the floor clean with your blood. Every move you make becomes crucial to winning the fight. While that may sound terrifying, the feeling of accomplishment after a successful boss fight is euphoric. And that’s an experience that Dark Souls can magnificently provide. I think it would be an awesome MMORPG. The genre has become a festering ground for games that are too easy. I’d love to see a Dark Souls MMO that will absolutely destroy players who aren’t prepared for a fight. The game has a decent story and that could translate very well into main and side quests for an MMORPG.

4. Deus EX

Deus EX as a franchise has quite a large following for bold story telling, memorable characters and of course the setting. Oh my the setting is to die for. What other game can conjure a futuristic dystopian cyberpunk world that’s actually a marvel to a part in? It’s because of games like Deus that Cyberpunk 2077 are a thing. Why would this world and setting be awesome for full 3D MMORPG world?

For many reasons, but the main one is that there’s so much more stories left to tell. And we’d love to see a Deus MMO take the SWTOR or Guild Wars 2 approach to story telling. NPCs that are voiced, or organic world events that tell the story as well. It would bring players so much closer to the lore and setting.

3. Fallout

Bethesda’s upcoming Fallout 76 looks like it will be a precursor to something bigger, possibly an MMO experiment. We know from E3 2018 that the new game will be always online with multiplayer element. While that doesn’t make it an MMORPG outright, we believe that a proper Fallout MMORPG would be great. Think about that for a second. Massive, huge post apocalyptic world, where classless players survive either together or against each other in a sandbox environment as opposed to the theme park shtick. It may just work, but don’t expect to see it ever. Todd Howard is not a big fan of MMORPGs.

2. Dragon Age

Bioware’s Dragon Age series needs no introduction. Dragon Age is considered to be one of the best fantasy RPG game franchise of all time. The world of Thedas is rich with lore and characters, and fans would love to explore the narrative in an online world. A Dragon Age MMORPG would be the ideal game for fans of the series to further immerse themselves in Bioware stories.

The challenge however, is reflecting which combat system would be appropriate for the MMO. Dragon Age Origins was known for its top-down tactical combat while DA2 introduced a fluid action combat system. The latest entry in 2014 Inquisition, tried to combine the two systems to varying degrees of success. The MMORPG would have to do the same, but will most likely utilize the action combat over the tactical one for logical reasons. But all things considered, I strongly believe that Dragon Age the MMO will be a huge success.

1. The Witcher

Of course, top of our bucket list has to be The Witcher franchise. The game’s immersive open world, story and characters are primary reasons why many love the series, but it does also offer some memorable gameplay challenges. I think many of us would love to see a Witcher MMORPG, where players can further explore the world and characters.

I’d like to think that the MMO would also have a higher difficulty curve. This of course, comes from the game’s clever use of battle preparation. Jumping into a fight with a new monster that you know nothing about could be punishing, as each monster has unique strengths and weaknesses that players must find out about, and prepare accordingly via concocting and consuming potions.
Without them, the hardest monsters in the game will put you six feet under and you’ll remain there, unless you decide to do some homework. If the MMO can capture that battle preparation feeling, especially in group dungeons, I think it would be a hit.

The post Top 5 RPG Games That Would Be Awesome As MMORPGs appeared first on Mmos World.

The Blueprint Exists

Recalling my recent experiences in Inquisition, it’s uncanny how MMO like some parts of the game is. For instance, very early on in the region of The Hinterlands, I noticed how much quests there really is. Besides following the main story through, you’ll get optional quests to save locals and hunt wildlife. Even better, these take the form of familiar fetch and kill quests that we’re accustomed to in our MMOs. In addition to the landscape questing and progression, Inquisition’s crafting system also makes you harvest materials out in the world. Herbs must be gathered from fertile ground in the wilderness, while ore must be harvested in rocky terrain. It’s not unusual for RPG’s to do this, it’s part and parcel of the fantasy experience. But all of it makes me wonder why doesn’t Bioware give a Dragon Age MMORPG a shot.

It Meets The Criteria

To make it in the MMO industry of today, games need to check off a list of things. The first is having a boatload of immersive, engaging and satisfying content in your MMO. The Dragon Age franchise already delivers this – it’s got one of the best fantasy stories of any video game. Its cast of characters are superbly written, the voice acting is top notch and the cinematic are worth watching.

Even the game’s engine – Frostbite – seems well suited to today’s modern graphic demands, although they might have to change the engine for an MMORPG. For example, look at what Zenimax uses for the Elder Scrolls Online as opposed to using the single player Elder Scrolls engine. Moreover, Bioware knows what to do to make money, should it ever be made a free to play MMO (yeah right). Inquisition has multiplayer, but you can spend money on packs. So yes, the DLC or lootbox formula will probably make an appearance. This is EA and Bioware we’re talking about after all.

Will Bioware Do It?

As much as I’d love to see a massive open world Dragon Age MMORPG full of lore, stories and interesting characters, I’m resigned to the fact that it will probably never happen. The first reason involves looking at Bioware’s other MMORPG, Star Wars the Old Republic. That game took $200 million to make over the span of 5 years or more, and still ended up free to play. The trend these days for MMO developers involves crowdfunding and early access – a route EA and Bioware will probably never go. Not many big studios and companies will take that risk in terms of money and time to compete in an already saturated MMO space.

And secondly, things aren’t all rosy at Bioware or Dragon Age for that matter. Mike Laidlaw, the brainchild behind the franchise has left. The future is still uncertain and we might not see a fourth single player Dragon Age. Thus, I think we can put this flirting to bed.

The post Would You Play A Dragon Age MMORPG? appeared first on Mmos World.

When it comes to popular RPG franchises, it’s not a foreign prospect. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) was a brilliant single player RPG game. The sequel proved even better, and years later it was announced that an MMORPG would continue the story. Thus, Star Wars: The Old Republic was born, featuring brilliantly written quests and companions, worthy of a single player game. But Star Wars aside, what other game franchises would make epic MMOs? Here are my top three picks.

Dragon Age

Bioware’s Dragon Age series needs no introduction. Dragon Age is considered to be one of the best fantasy RPG game franchise of all time. The world of Thedas is rich with lore and characters, and fans would love to explore the narrative in an online world. A Dragon Age MMORPG would be the ideal game for fans of the series to further immerse themselves in Bioware stories.

The challenge however, is reflecting which combat system would be appropriate for the MMO. Dragon Age Origins was known for its top-down tactical combat while DA2 introduced a fluid action combat system. The latest entry in 2014 Inquisition, tried to combine the two systems to varying degrees of success. The MMORPG would have to do the same, but will most likely utilize the action combat over the tactical one for logical reasons. But all things considered, I strongly believe that Dragon Age the MMO will be a huge success.

The Witcher

CD Projekt Red’s Witcher games need no introduction. The game’s immersive open world, story and characters are primary reasons why many love the series, but it does also offer some memorable gameplay challenges. I think many of us would love to see a Witcher MMORPG, where players can further explore the world and characters.

I’d like to think that the MMO would also have a higher difficulty curve. This of course, comes from the game’s clever use of battle preparation. Jumping into a fight with a new monster that you know nothing about could be punishing, as each monster has unique strengths and weaknesses that players must find out about, and prepare accordingly via concocting and consuming potions.
Without them, the hardest monsters in the game will put you six feet under and you’ll remain there, unless you decide to do some homework. If the MMO can capture that battle preparation feeling, especially in group dungeons, I think it would be a hit.

Dark Souls

If you really are a sucker for hard games and dying often is more of a stepping stone rather than a sign of defeat, then Dark Souls is the perfect game for you. Dark Souls is the epitome of RPG games that provides brutal challenge for players, most noticeably in the game’s combat.

Even the most humble of trash mobs in Dark Souls can wipe the floor clean with your blood. Every move you make becomes crucial to winning the fight. While that may sound terrifying, the feeling of accomplishment after a successful boss fight is euphoric. And that’s an experience that Dark Souls can magnificently provide. I think it would be an awesome MMORPG. The genre has become a festering ground for games that are too easy. I’d love to see a Dark Souls MMO that will absolutely destroy players who aren’t prepared for a fight. The game has a decent story and that could translate very well into main and side quests for an MMORPG.

The post 3 RPG Franchises That Would Be Epic As MMORPGs appeared first on Mmos World.