Is it fair to say DAI was a disappointment?

In general, I thought Inquisition was fine. I don't think it did what it wanted to do: The game was not as much about exploration as I think it was intended. The areas themselves were quite beautiful, but a lot of it was just empty space to gawk at the view. Again, it was charming, but empty. The maps could've been half the size and it would have been the same game, just several megabytes smaller. Platforming elements and collect-a-thons don't really cut it. I'll bust out Banjo-Tooie if I want that.

I need more than a tangible reward if I'm going to explore. I need the world to be dynamic and exciting. The exploration just as valuable as what I find, and the little things I find along the way. I didn't really get that in Inquisition.

I got that BioWARE can make a pretty vista. But I wanted a living world. Mind you, BioWARE's had trouble with that. Origins, as much as everyone talked it up, was just as empty. DA2's Kirkwall felt a little like a bustling city, but not enough. A real bustling place would be the Hitman 2016 levels, they felt like something was going on.

But I didn't dislike Inquisition. The plot was appropriately epic, I loved the DLCs, and the worlds did reveal a little about themselves and the people within them, in the parts that were important.

Eh, at this point I saw "empty world" comments about probably every open world game - including last, much loved Zelda title.

So it's very YMMV. 

Heh heh - that comment was actually patched in and is an equivalent of devs telling us "get out of Hinterlands".

I think the issue is less about not having content and more about having interesting things to do and places to explore.

A lot of Inquisition's areas were lacking in that department apart from a few quests.

I know open world are very much the fashion at the moment but I hope Bioware realizes that bigger isn't always better and fetch quests don't stop being fetch quests when you give them a couple lines of exposition.

I have some issues with Inquisition, mainly with the RNG, War Table and Power, but in the end I'm not disappointed by it. I'm pleased that it gained so much critical reception and that it has a large enough fanbase that I can discuss it with.

This is great news, all the more to look forward to DA4. 

It wasn't a "disappointment" for me exactly, although i feel it could be so much more.

I enjoyed the characters a lot, the story was ok, but not something i will remember for a long time, and what i didn't enjoy so much was my own character.

Limited by the restricted class system, i felt inside a box. I also could not create something visually that i enjoyed because of gear, and especially very limited options in the heavy armor department. Every piece seemed to miss the legplates in the thighs, and looked similar.

So i liked the story i could say, but the gameplay is something i would like more freedom on.

And more inclusion. I am not talking about racial inclusion or sexual preference-one, i understand Bioware is in favor of said inclusion.

But role archetype inclusion rather. RPGs are not only about being the stoic, the meanie or the jester. It's not just a visual novel with interactive dialogue.

There are also archetypical roles, that exist in a lot of fantasy games and especially D&D. Mixed archetypes like warrior-mages should exist, and knight enchanters didn't quite cut it for me. I don't enjoy the typical fighter, typical rogue, and typical mage approach, and certainly was not impressed with the mage trees of fire, ice, lightning and life. Too basic.

For the next game, if i may, since i have faith in the story and characters department, i would like to request more emphasis on gameplay as well.

Free the class system, i would like to mix abilities of rogues and warriors, or warriors and mages. Isn't there a warrior in Dragon Age, that had to live secluded or in the wilderness? Needing to use stealth or hunt to survive? Was not there ever a person trained in combat, only to realise at age 18 or so that they have magical aptitude? It's supposed to be a realistc and inclusive world somewhat at least, but the only realism i see is in the lore of "Does the Maker exist" and "Mages vs Templars". Suspension of disbelief and all, but i think the Joe Fighter, Joe Rogue, Joe Mage needs to go, since this kind of restrictive distinction doesn't really open imaginative gameplay decisions, it limits them, and the players, in a game where the developers supposedly want to give the player freedom to choose. When you design a game where i can't play one of the most requested archetypes in rpgs everywhere "A sword wielding armored knight that uses magic as well", it's like i wasn't part of the world you designed. It's like you don't care enough about my choices. I would like some more freedom. You didn't even lift restrictions for Knight Enchanters, but rather we had to find every schematic, of every arm or leg armor, and then go back and craft it, every time we wanted an upgrade and only if we had silverite which affected specific stats. It made something i was looking forward to, so tedious i stopped doing it and used a mod instead. It also felt like an afterthought you had, not something you originally felt you wanted to do.

If i'm able to make a staff that channels magic, i should be able to make a sword that does the same thing, especially since several staves have blades. It's possible, as long as the developer decides it is. Why decide something that only restricts, and puts players in a box? I don't get it still.

Please, for the next game, consider giving us more freedom on the class system and equipment, and allow us to customise our characters more in gear. If i was disappointed in something in Inquisition, it was in that.

P.S. The Knight Enchanter was a nice effort, but we are not there yet. Also what happens about other specializations? 3 specs per class each game isn't going to please a lot of people. I would hope more archetypes are included in the game through opening of the class system, or another meaningful addition.

I have finally finished Trespasser, the actual hidden ending of the Inquisition. Apparently, the game just can’t stop at being “meh”, it has to actively destroy what good it managed to achieve with me.

Oh, the Elven lore is fine in Trespasser, and the quests are way more palatable, thanks goodness. But ye gods, the endings… Seriously, with the amount of criticism the MET faced, I was prepared for a total let down in ME3, but actually, the endings were really fitting Shepards’ Space Jesus status. With everyone saying how good Trespasser is, I was completely unprepared to find out that Inquisitor’s ending is… yeah…

Basically, Dragon Age is consistent among its three installments in one way: you should avoid getting attached to the protagonist. Inquisition tried its best to keep you from it, but hey, 50 hours with the guy, seeing him bleed, laugh, cry and love, well could not help it. Ended up attaching to my placid, even handed and morally impeccable giant of a Qunari.

Inquisition basically gave me an idea on what happened to my previous two protagonists.

The Warden likely perished in the Deep Roads, because there was no inkling of the cure or a trace of her in the Warden subplot.

Hawke became a second fiddle to Varris in Kirkwall. Whish is only possible under one of two conditions; he either publically renounced Anders, or Anders was finally tried and executed for destroying the historic landmark, and associated crimes against the society.

So, clearly, Dragon Age is about the protagonists that save the world at the cost of personal happiness, they live fast and die young.

But at least the Warden and Hawke became legends and their deeds are praised.

My unfortunate Qunari who was not forced into his role of a savior unwillingly like my Warden; and was not an unwitting fool of a firebrand like Hawke, no, no, this guy who squared his shoulders and kindly and humbly denied his exceptional destiny; who mended the sky; and who made the most ethical choice there is, passed the ultimate test of a man: he voluntarily surrendered the considerably powerful sit of power for the good of the realm ended up as… not registering in the public’s opinion. Seriously, my very own Duke of Zhou, and what did he get?

Apparently, the actions of some minor merc with a two-bit betrayal mattered more than two years of heroism and saving the world AND topping it off with stepping down as a Warlord backed up by the divine power.
My Inquisitor’s actions failed to reflect on his kin, the Tal-Vashoth. No, no, what really mattered was that we’d never triggered the Iron Bull’s loyalty quest. So the entire South apparently got a whiff of his betrayal and now hates Tal-Vashoth.

Wow.

Save for failing to impress the other species, my Inquisitor was deserted by all his friends (whose loyalty missions he did complete, btw) save for Sera. Thanks goodness he ate those cookies.

His lover spent the entire DLC driving home that a) Qunari are dirty oxmen and you can’t trust them (Iron Bull’s betrayal cut Dorian deeper than the selfless love Inquisitor showered on him), and b) he has outgrown his flight, and going back to fight his battles. Commendable, but they are his battles, not the burden to be shared.

Finally, to top all that, the Inquisitor's actual nemesis, the great Frenemy Solas also told him that sorry, friend, you are unqualified to fight me. Run along, dearie, I'll heal you up for now, but make no mistake, you are done. Oh, yeah, that anchor is mine, cripple.

Yep.

Inquisition.

That went well.

Catilina, no, no, and no. Under no lawful society, save for extreme magiocracy, Anders can remain untried if detained. Hawke says Anders will be tried when he spares him. The only way Anders would not remain an outlaw was for Hawke-Anders duo to win themselves a domain like Tevinter and re-write the laws there, actually legitimizing Anders' movement and actions. The Inquistor's take on the Realm cannot pardon Anders.

That, or Anders finally succumbed and perished off-screen. Justice is destroying him. Even Cole cannot be both at the same time, and he assumed a dying man's aspect.

I am sure Gaider is equally surprised by not everyone being in love with Morrigan. That guy was in business since Baldur's Gate, he should by now know better.

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