spoiler Witch Hunt... Opinions?

[Thandal]

Question 1) Did you like it?

Sub-Questions: A) Why/Why not? B) What especially? C) What was "wrong/missing" for you?

 

Question 2) Was it worth it?

Sub-Questions: A) Considering the cost? B) Considering the time spent? C) Considering the hype?

 

NOTE: Since this is a REALLY long post, I've used the "spoiler" tags to minimize the default on-screen display. Other (real) spoilers are hidden as usual within the text.

 

For those who either will never get WH or who will get it eventually, but in any case want to know "what happened", here's my Minimal Spoilers Synopsis: (So this one does hide some...)

 

a. Warden gets alerted that someone is back at Flemeth's Hut. (Warden had apparently stationed watchers for just this eventuality.) Learns that Morrigan has been visiting Dalish and has obtained info, and taken an artifact, from them.

The Hunt is On!

 

Dog is already by Warden's side. Obtain one other new Companion, (with Rogue Warden, was a Warrior for me. If Warden were a Warrior, maybe Rogue?)

 

b. Mission: Research what's really going on, then confront the Witch. Only option on map is to go to the Circle. Meet old Friend (not who you're thinking!)

 

Obtain info, another new Companion, (a Mage, obviously) and have first battles (new type of enemy, but just a variation on a theme.) Party is now complete.

 

c. Follow clues obtained at Circle to be able to decipher others. Head to two familar locations, but again with subtle changes in lighting and mood. In one of them you encounter a (visually) interesting variation on a theme to find what you need. More fighting to win through to exits with items collected. And then we're off in the direction indicated!

 

Through all the destinations to this point you've been learning more about the early history of the Elves when they had MUCH more powerful magic, how the Imperium took that away from them, and how there are still bits and pieces in the world to recover/reconstruct. You also learn that the Dwarves were once much more friendly to them (or at least certain ones were.)

 

d. Last World Map area: More combat leading to the Boss Fight with a completely new type of critter, (plus assorted supporting cast members.)

 

 

e. And then... (Drum Roll, please)... the Big Finish. This is why you bought your BioWare points and played for the past couple of hours. So, was it worth it? As always, it's your call!

 

My answers to my own questions:

(So not a...)

 

 

Question 1. What did I think? Loved it!

 

1.A. Why? Two reasons. Most importantly, see "Final Thoughts", below. And secondly, I didn't have to think (until that last encounter) just have fun!

1.B What especially? Dog-initiated Banter!

1.C What was missing? Enough convos with Companions. Wanted more!

 

Question 2. Was it worth it? Absolutely! For me, WH wasn't about anything at all except to resolve the "Morrigan and the Warden" situation.

 

2.A. Considering the cost? Well... I'd have liked it to have been free! But since that ain't gonna' happen, I'm ok with the 800bwp.

2.B. Considering the time spent? Yes, although as many have already complained, Too short / Wanted more!

2.C. Considering the hype? BioWare's Hype? Yes. They really didn't do much beyond say "It's coming..." and "Here's a Trailer..." and "Here it is." The Community Hype? Oh Brother! Makes me feel sorry for the DA2 crew! :tongue:

 

 

More personal observations and comments, so you can skip unless you're interested.

(Includes notes on "Which Warden?" to use and known end-scene bug, but minimal...)

 

 

We've all been over this ground (literally, in regards to the locations used) before. Nothing completely new in the way of enemies until the very end. Early on there is a twist on the "defeated baddies regenerating until you figure out what's doing it" approach. That was my next-to-hardest fight.

 

Yes, it was kinda' fun to go back around Ferelden and "see what they've done with the place." And yes, there were some pretty cool new Companions, and the associated Banter was excellent as well. (Thanks, Sheryl, David, Jennifer, et al!) But for me, it was always about being face-to-face with Her. Once there, it's your choice. Confrontational. Sympathetic. Hostile. Possessive. Or simply Curious. You decide, and "you pays your money and takes your chances." But if you've paid any attention at all to how she behaved in DA:O, you know what you're likely to get!

 

While I would recommend importing a Warden who isn't a pushover, and one who's relationship with Morrigan (either way) and decisions in the last couple of sequences of DA:O you're happy to "live" with, I would NOT recommend using your most powerful one. (I imported my most recent Level 35, DW Rogue from a post-Awakenings, post-GoA save, and basically all combat was a cake-walk.) Maybe I should have used the same Warden, but from the end of Origins, (Level 24-or-so.) Although that might not have mattered, since everything might scale to the PC's level anyway.

 

Obviously Morrigan's Approval Level and Relationship Type (even if highly positive, there is a HUGE difference between "Friendly" and "Love"), the Performance (or not) of the DR (and it's specific participants), and who actually survived after the battle with the Archdemon (whether present or not), all have potential impacts. MY playthrough had all of those elements properly referenced, and the conversations were appropriate to the shared "history".

 

SOME people have reported bugs with their DA:O backstories not being implemented correctly. (These appear isolated to those that involve a DA:O Warden generated from a Save created AFTER the DA:O Epilogue. Saving at that point appears to futz something in the file that sets all the Morri/DR stuff to the defaults.)

 

But I did not have that, or any of the other reported problems. All companions executed their parts of combat IAW the AI tactics just fine. And the Party Banter was up to the high standards we've come to expect from the Dragon Age Team.

 

One aesthetic observation. The cut-scenes for the actual climax appear to be a bit buggy in that the shifts in-and-out are too jerky. I think they would have been better off if they'd had a slow hold on a sustained musical note or phrase, then a dissolve or pull-back to another view (maybe an overhead?) before the shift back to the last (wordless, but very nice) subtle gesture by the Warden. (Which you only get if you DON'T pursue one particular path. And no, it's "not what you think" either!)

 

And PUHleeeeze! Without that totally inappropriate on-screen "Freeze Frame" while doing the final internal game-state save before the credits! Cut to Black, for cryin' out loud! (But what do I know?)

 

 

Final Thoughts:

As far as the main reason to play Witch Hunt, (for most of us, anyway...)

I got the ending I had hoped for, and I think any/everyone else can too!

 

Overall...? :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Another non-]

Wow! I think this is the longest post I've ever made to a Forum.

 

[kayinv]

1) I liked the resolution for the Warden and Morrigan, but didn't like the new mystery it threw at you.

We all know Flemeth and her true powers/identity will be a core part of DA2. But will Morrigan and this mirror world be a part of DA2? Maybe. So there's my issue - I wanted to know more about this world she went too - or her and the Warden if you did a romance. Going through the portal and getting a second long look at the other side was a huge tease!

 

 

2) Story-wise, yes, money-wise - no. I had some extra points saved up so I only had to pay 5 bucks for another 400, but I don't think the actual content was long enough to justify the price. Maybe 350 to 400 points max.

[danscott84]

1. Yes I liked it because it brought some closure to the question of what happens to Morrigan, and that there are several options to approach her about leaving no matter what the circumstance. I also like that it does help to set up future installations of DA.

 

2. Yes to contiuation of the drama of Morrigan, but no to both cost and file size. I expected something longer with the size of the download, and more along the lines of Leliana's Song. It was good from a story completion/continuation standpoint, but not from a gameplay standpoint. It has replay value in that imported characters will have different options/story as the DLC goes, but not as fun to replay as Leliana's Song was. LS was just fun to play even just to hear her talk, and the music was new and fresh with it. WH was nothing new except to bring Morrigan, I think, to a conclusion as far as the warden is concerned. The party was well developed, and considering how short the DLC was can understand the lack of expansion into them. And all banter, not just your party, was full of easter eggs from both DAO and DAA. I won't say what things in detail except to listen closely not to just what your party banters about. Some of these are really good for a laugh.

[chibievil]

question 1a What did u think

 

Answer - it was ok but wish it was longer

 

question 1C - What was missing

Answer - More places , seeing old companions and the stuff u did never gets spoken about it on this

 

Question 2 - Was it worth it

Answer - Not really , but the battles was fun

[regulus10]

I enjoyed it, however i felt is was too short. With my slow internet connection it took me longer to download it than play it. Companion banter was funny. Game left me still wanting more. I would have liked to see more revealed.

[RustyBlade]

Question 1) Did you like it?

Sub-Questions: A) Why/Why not? B) What especially? C) What was "wrong/missing" for you?

 

I liked what I have been able to see of it but quite frankly given the problems I have had with it, the overall answer is an emphatic NO this particular DLC is loaded with FAIL because:

A & B) It is without doubt one of the most mod unfriendly add-on's ever produced by any gaming company, at every new thing I am forced to uninstall something - today's episode is figuring out why the scrying ritual won't fire.

C) My mods, the ending, a sense of satisfaction from completion... I could go on.

 

Question 2) Was it worth it?

Sub-Questions: A) Considering the cost? B) Considering the time spent? C) Considering the hype?

 

NO!!!! *hopes they heard that over at Bioware :rolleyes:

A) not at any cost

B) spent way too much time trying to make it work to consider the actual play time

C) [comment censored]

 

I'll come back and read your spoilers if/when I finally give up trying to make this POS work.

[Thandal]

... I'll come back and read your spoilers if/when I finally give up trying to make this [DLC] work.

Sorry, RB! I know you really work hard to get the most out of the game.

 

I'm curious as to what it is about how they coded things in WH that is giving your rig so much trouble. Is it that they took shortcuts within the WH programming itself, or that various mods made use of undocumented functionality that is now being exercised in an... "unanticipated" manner, and therefore some mods are conflicting with it?

 

Since my own experience is limited to mods that only effect either a) appearances (and then, strictly body/facemorphs) or b) broken plot flags and dialogue branches, I haven't had problems with any of the BioWare-produced stuff. All of it installs and runs OOB, so to speak.

 

Good Luck! As you read, I thought WH was worth it for the narrative resolution, if nothing else. :)

 

[Edited for Truth. I run with a couple of mods that do impact gameplay: "Extra Dog Slot" and "Full Combatant Dog". This essentially buffs my Party's combined firepower by about 20%. :laugh: ]

Edited September 9, 2010 by Thandal

[tyson277]

in the past week ive bought 3 dlc for 3 different games mafia2/mass effect2/dragon age the most disappointing one is witch hunt the best mafia 2 JR ,

mass effect2 was good but it was so easy i had such high hopes about witch hunt i thought maybe we would get a right good battle against flemeth again but it just kind of petered out with a whimper

[brokenergy]

A good read but I don't have it so I can't really comment

[Spaceritual]

I enjoyed WH although I did think it was a little on the short side . I did not play with a character who had done the DR so that will be next for me and hopefully lead to a more satisfying ending :)