So I have to admit I'm feeling a little guilty as of late. I still have not touched "Awakening" since my initial few nights of playing it. I feel like it's that guy/girl you really wanted to go on a date with because they were totally hot and interesting, and then the date didn't go so great but you told them you'd call anyway, and you never have. "Awakening" is just sitting on top of my 360 looking at me... forlornly.
I just can't get into it. For one thing, I had *such* a thing for Sten. Loved him to pieces, wish he was a love interest. He's not in this expansion and that makes me sad. But more to the point, NO love interests are in the expansion and that makes the game feel a little empty. Lemme 'splain:
It's not just that I really have a secret desire to RP it up with NPCs. I mean, I do, but that's not what's at issue here. The romance (and indeed the like/dislike) system of DA:O was what added a nice flavor to the game. It gave it depth and a bit of mystery. From your conversations you learned things about people which led to quests or just made the NPCs feel a little more human. The romance was especially nice because then you really, really had something to work for and interact with your party members for more than just "Hey, how's it going?"
Which is what "Awakening" offers you. First off, the dialog options are stilted at best, and second, and most important, there is no real challenge to it. On my first (admittedly weakest) playthrough, I totally missed Oghren's side quest. Completely! I also missed Liliana's because I didn't care to talk to her (I have an alpha female thing goin' on). If you miss "Awakening"'s equivalent of a side quest, you must be drinkin' while playing. Four conversations with the mage and I hear that he misses his kitten. Guess what? There's a kitten playing outside. Ugh. Two with the whiney Howe kid and you figure out what he wants. And then ALL conversation with them is DONE. Done! Finished!
What's the point?! And as much as I love BioWare, so much of their games depends upon the interaction and human element. The stories are always decent, but nothing truly revolutionary or ground-breaking. And "Awakening's" story is ... well ... same shit different villain.
*sigh* I'll pick it up some day, I promise, I will. But in the meantime ... it's just waiting for me to call. And yes, I feel guilty about it.
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