BioWare Is Not Afraid Of Either 'The Witcher 3' Or 'Dark Souls 2'

DSOGaming writes: "It seems that a lot of Dragon Age 3 fans are a bit worried about BioWare’s upcoming RPG. After all, Dragon Age 3 was announced a while back and we have not seen it in action. We do not have any screenshots for what BioWare is planning, and we don’t even know much about it. If you were a common fan, you’d think that BioWare is a bit ‘afraid’ of two upcoming RPGs that everyone keeps mentioning these days; The Witcher 3 and Dark Souls 2."

[DaThreats]

What, they are going to say they are?

[dedicatedtogamers]

They should be. Witcher 1 and 2 outclassed every Bioware game made within the last 7 years. I wouldn't really compare Dark Souls to anything Bioware has done, but Witcher definitely showed Bioware how to properly make a fantasy RPG.

Ironically, Witcher 1 was made with Bioware's own Aurora engine...

And if I'm not mistaken, following Mass Effect 2 and 3, a lot of the key members of Bioware have left the company, including the co-founders and several of the lead writers.

[theWB27]

I haven't played The Witcher..but I HIGHLY doubt it outclassed any of the Mass Effects save for an ending no one liked. Other than the endings that was a top tier experience..bar none.

[AznGaara]

@theWB27

Then ... Maybe you should play the Witcher games. Mass Effect 1 was the pinnacle of the series for me. With every other iteration they toned down what made ME1 so great of an RPG the roaming around and exploring. Sure it was "messy" but instead of fine tuning it, Bioware stripped it down to the point of no relevance.

Comparing TW1 from TW2 to ME1 to ME2 is laughable. CD Projekt Red did what Bioware didn't and that's expand both combat and world exploration. And yes I love Mass Effect. Played and beat all three multiple times and I can say that TW blows it out of the water when it comes to raw Rpg elements. ME kept me hooked with story and characters and that's what Bioware I great at. But even saying that, Geralt and Triss are some pretty great characters themselves.

[BiggCMan]

^^
Hasn't played something...

Immediately says it's not as good as something he has played.

Wonderful logic.

[grimmweisse]

If you haven't played the game, then don't make assumptions on something you have no personal experience on.

[theWB27]

@everyone else

It's all a matter of opinion...but judging from my personal experience with Mass Effect and reading other people's opinion on The Witcher my conclusion is my conclusion.

There were things pointed out about the Witcher across the board that made it not outclass Mass Effect. I'm not stating my opinion as fact either...which is why I stated I highly doubt.

I may not have played the Witcher..but there are also plenty of videos out there that let me get a good jest of what the game is.

@BiggCMan
I said I doubt it outclassed Mass Effect..didnt say it wasnt as good as Mass Effect. There's a HUGE difference in that.

@AznGaara
Purely your opinion..stating it as fact does nothing.

[pompombrum]

@theWB27 You're in no position to make a conclusion, that's the problem with your statement here.

Likewise I haven't played Mass Effect but I wouldn't go around and saying that there is no chance that Mass Effect can't be better than The Witcher because it would be ignorant and a completely baseless statement.

[NegativeCreepWA]

Having played all of them, I'd say DA:Origins is far better than TW1 and TW2 far is better DA2.

Between DA:Origins and TW2, that's a tough choice.

[theWB27]

@aiBreeze
You're right. Because everyone only comments on games they've played here on N4G. Thanks for that memo.

To outclass something makes it far superior than it's competition in every aspect. The Witcher is not considered to be that product.

You know...looking at videos of the Witcher gives me all the evidence I need to make said conclusion. It's not hard to do so.

[RememberThe357]

Yall sound like b*ches. Do any of you hear that?

Instead of attacking someone for not necessarily liking what they've seen from your precious game, maybe try to convince them of it's worth. A glowing endorsement has much more impact than immediately going into defensive formation.

I don't mean to defend you WB, I know you got it, but I had to say something. It's just pathetic to read this stuff some times.

[pompombrum]

@theWB27
Now you're trying to take words out of my mouth. Anyone can comment on any game but to suggest Mass Effect is better than a game you've never played is just stupid.

[Imalwaysright]

@ theWB27 Don't talk about games you never played. Your opinion on TW as a franchise is as worth as dirt.

@ RememberThe357 No people gave theWB27 the answear he deserved. Its not our job to sell him a game. How the hell can he form an opinion or get to a conclusion about something he never experienced? Also he basically admitted that he was wrong and he himself admitted that he is a sheep.

"You're right. Because everyone only comments on games they've played here on N4G. Thanks for that memo."

[CalvinKlein]

I really liked mass effect series but I only played the witcher 2 and it was awesome. All I know is im looking forward to the witcher 3 far more than whatever the next mass effect game is.

The witcher 2 has a dragon. ANd I felt the witcher series has more meaningful decisions in the game than mass effect. The combat in the witcher is more challenging.

I feel the mass effect series isnt really getting better, just improving some areas and getting worse in others. I thin the witcher 3 will be better than 2 in every way most likely, and 2 was pretty awesome.

[anticlimax]

I played both the witcher games, and the mass effect trilogy, and i liked ME more. TW2's combat system is just not my thing.

More importantly, I can't believe people keep putting Dragon Age up against games like the Witcher and Dark Souls. These games are miles apart in terms of gameplay. So they're all RPG's, that's like comparing FIFA with with NCAA Football saying they're both sports games.

[Bigpappy]

Comparing the Witcher with ME is a stretch. It would make more since to compare it to Dragonage.

ME is a much more complex series that get into details about the team you work with and their back ground. There is also a lot more variety in choices. The Witcher by contrast, lacks discovery and customization. It is completely linier with minimal side quest. So even though some might prefer the more the up close and personal, melee focused combat and the you don't spend a lot of time looking for stuff to level up, it does not mean that Witcher is a better RPG. They are just different types of RPG's.

[dedicatedtogamers]

@ BigPappy

"The Witcher by contrast, lacks discovery and customization. It is completely linier with minimal side quest."

^^^^ has never played Witcher.

Witcher has far MORE customization than Mass Effect, unless you're talking about costumes and hairstyles. Witcher is also far LESS linear in comparison, especially Witcher 2. There are several endings, several different sub-plots, and the entire middle Act of Witcher 2 is completely different, depending on your choice in Act 1. Side-quests? Eh, ME has more, yes, but the ones in Witcher 2 tend to have more choices and are more involved. Witcher 2 could have certainly used more hunting quests like W1 had. As far as exploration goes, I would say they're about equal. ME lets you travel to different planets with smaller environments, while Witcher 2 confined you to one area, but gives you tons of sections to explore.

[awi5951]

I played both series and the witcher is better by far. The only problem i have with it is how they changed the combat for witcher 2 they dumbed it down.

Mass effect killed itself buy going multiplatform for a ps3 version;EA's idea i bet. So they dumbed down the game and made the decisions we made useless because it would make the ps3 version a joke. So they killed their own series its their own fault.

[Linsolv]

@awi - I'd agree and disagree with that.

Witcher 1 had a lot of great fights where you had a choice of stances based on what points you'd spent and the makeup of the fight, which was highly tactical and a lot of fun.

On the other hand, it also occasionally used that very interesting and fun system to just play rock-paper-scissors, which was dull and boring and tedious.

[joab777]

Good. They only have themselves ti fear. Instead of taking from skyrim they should look at From Software and CD Projeckt ti see what they used to be...original and game changing. Get back to your roots.

[Mariusmssj]

I think Dragon Age 3 will be a great game BUT I don't think it will be as good as Witcher 3.
It's explained in a single picture: http://i.imgur.com/jiwAYl5....

[Mounce]

And just because Bioware says they're not afraid - Doesn't mean it's because they're confident, it could be because they're stupid - full of themselves - or blind to know what potential both those series have and what willingness fans may have on why would they want to buy a Dragon Age game after DA2?

Witcher and Dark Souls has done nothing but please gamers. DA2 did nothing but spit at fans and gamers alike.

'Not afraid'? I only see blindness, potential arrogance PR-Talk.

[Godmars290]

One tells an involving story in a cohesive manner, while the other goes for minimalism. Neither establishes narrative rules, only to break them in the next scene out of sheer convenience.

Know what? You hacks should be afraid of them.

[humbleopinion]

And neither offer either fraction of the narrative depth of Dragon Age, nor focus on tactical combat and group management.
If anything, they're both closer in form to the Elder Scrolls.

[Godmars290]

Don't know about DA, but in ME narrative depth gets regularly mangled because of cinematic value. Which was my point.

And seeing as how both focus on one character, can't see how they'd even touch on group management. Tactical combat for that matter.

[Baka-akaB]

the Witcher easily beats the narrative depth of DA imo , especially when building off from Novels . hell if anything DA's grey warden are poor man's versions of A song of fire and ice's nightwatch and the witchers to me .

i'll agree however than DA is a different beast and offer instead a group management

[humbleopinion]

@Godmars. ME cinematic depth certainly hurt the narrative, but DA:O never had the same cinematic target and that's why I believe it can travel deeper (and wider). Not talking about DA2 though as I haven't played it.

@Baka-akaB
I don't even find the Watchers closely resembling the warden, especially as the story unravels and the whole "tainted" backstory comes in. Both play around the paladin order trope, but completely diverts. Not to mention Witchers which are entirely different altogether.

I also found the DA:O story much deeper than both Witcher games, but I didn't read the novels so that's just the game I'm talking about.

[Blastoise]

Forgot dragon age 3 existed to be honest. Meanwhile, Dark souls 2!

[Qrphe]

I like how people, when comparing DA3 and The Witcher, talk about their plots. Yet on this other side of the ring, we have Dark Souls 2, which is pure gameplay.

[PotatoClock]

I like how people can prefer the plot over gameplay and other people can prefer gameplay over the plot.

At some point they both cooperate and enhance each other, but I've never been able to stick to a game that doesn't have a strong story to support it. Hence why I'm plot over gameplay.

[KingMe42]

My best friend thinks the same way you do. I myself am a gameplay over plot guy. Doesn't matter how good the plot is, if the gameplay feels like a chore or is simply boring, theres no way I can finish it.

But even he agreed gameplay will always be more important. Simply because its easier to find games with poop story but still fun as balls to play for hours than a good story worth putting up with possibly the worst gameplay ever.

[US8F]

Oh how once upon a time bioware was one of my favorite developers. I just wish they redeem themselves.

Maybe EA realized their mistake in trying to control the last mass effect, and kinda gave them the ultimate freedome like they claim to have right now?. i really really hope so. I want the old Bioware back GodDarnit!

[kevnb]

that means they are, you dont hear the other guys talking about mass effect and dragon age.

[DragonKnight]

They should be. The Witcher series, from what most would say, is superior to Mass Effect and Dragon Age in so many ways it's laughable. The Souls series has far more dedicated fans and developers that know what fans want and pay attention. BioWare is ruled by EA. That alone should be enough to make them cower in fear as EA is not viewed in good light by anyone at all.

[MikeMyers]

The Mass Effect series has sold very well and has been praised across the board from critics. Not sure where you get off suggesting most would say the Witcher is better to the point it's laughable to suggest otherwise.

What is it with this endless tirade from people to attack anything related to EA? The Witcher series is excellent but so is Mass Effect and so was the first Dragon Age.

So many people on forums always want to generalize and put out placeholders. Just like how they like Halo more because it's an Xbox brand or they like Gran Turismo more because it's a Playstation brand. Now we have people who are hating on Fuse because they consider it an EA game. Every game should be treated on it's own merits. Too many haters and too many fanboys are what ruin forums.

[DragonKnight]

"The Mass Effect series has sold very well and has been praised across the board from critics. Not sure where you get off suggesting most would say the Witcher is better to the point it's laughable to suggest otherwise."

So? Critics praised DmC, they praised FFXIII, I can name several games undeserving of the praise critics gave them. The Mass Effect series reached its peak at the first game. The frickin' FIRST GAME. Consequently, the Witcher series actually takes what works in each game and IMPROVES on it rather than choose to casualize the experience and move away from RPG elements like Mass Effect does.

"What is it with this endless tirade from people to attack anything related to EA? The Witcher series is excellent but so is Mass Effect and so was the first Dragon Age."

It's hardly an endless tirade, it's observable fact. Anything EA touches loses what potential greatness it could have had. Mass Effect and Dragon Age have moved away from their original path in favour of EA's gouging and streamlining. EA deserves every bit of this "tirade" that they get.

"So many people on forums always want to generalize and put out placeholders. Just like how they like Halo more because it's an Xbox brand or they like Gran Turismo more because it's a Playstation brand. Now we have people who are hating on Fuse because they consider it an EA game. Every game should be treated on it's own merits. Too many haters and too many fanboys are what ruin forums."

Judging a game based on a console brand is stupid. Judging a game based on its publisher is not, especially when that publisher is EA. Come on now, you're an N4G comment historian but you draw the line at looking up EA's history? They ruin developers and games, they either pioneer, or are one of the pioneers, of the most draconian DRM schemes known to exist. They encompass everything that is wrong with corporate mentality and wanton capitalism. And every single person that has a gripe with them can give you very real, very legitimate reasons to not trust anything that comes from EA or is spoken by EA.

[MikeMyers]

"Consequently, the Witcher series actually takes what works in each game and IMPROVES on it rather than choose to casualize the experience and move away from RPG elements like Mass Effect does."

I liked Mass Effect 2 more than the first one. It's called an opinion and yours is no greater than mine. In fact many critics also enjoyed the 2nd one very much as well. You didn't obviously, oh well. So don't try and tell me it's laughable it can't compete with other games like Dark Souls and The Witcher. It doesn't have to compete with the Witcher on an RPG level or Dark Souls on how hard it is to play. The game was always about the story for me and the characters. If you want to focus entirely on the RPG elements go right ahead. You've always seem to be a half-empty type of guy anyways. I play games for the enjoyment, you like to dissect things and focus on the negatives because you have issues with EA.

"EA deserves every bit of this "tirade" that they get."

All I can say is get a life. The NHL series is an awesome series just like the 2K series of NBA and The Show for MLB.

[CBaoth]

Witcher 1 is way better than 2. 2 is condensed, more action packed (just like ME2). Might be more polished but content-wise it's a no-brainer (60hrs vs. 15). The sequel was good but it's more of a holy grail for people who haven't really played the games yet like to hold it up as a barometer to judge all other RPGs.

[grimmweisse]

With the disaster that was Dragon Age 2 and shitstorm surrounding Mass Effect 3's ending they should be.

[MadLad]

They should be.
While I won't talk of Dark Souls. They aren't even the same type of rpg experience, so it's not really a fair comparison.
With that, what CDProjekt does with the Witcher series is what Bioware always attempts to achieve with their games - a narrative driven character piece that allows for the player to make choices that truly impact the experience. As far as that goes, Bioware has never touched what was done with the Witcher 2.

[Pintheshadows]

The thing is, Geralt is an infinitely more believable character than Shepard and this immediately means that CDProjekt are on the front foot from a narrative perspective. It just feels more natural. And I agree, Bioware are a long way off achieving Witcher 2 levels of choice and consequence. I also doubt Bioware would bother to make two entirely different second chapters based on your choices earlier on. It is nuts.

[Imalwaysright]

No. They should be more afraid that they lost their mojo. A few years ago I would buy any Bioware game without even thinking twice about it. After they butchered the sequel to one of my favorite games of this generation, Dragon Age, and specially after lying to us about Mass Effect I wouldn't even touch another Bioware game with a 10 foot pole. On the other hand I will get TW3 and specially DS2 day one.

[anticlimax]

Read DS2 and, just for a second, thought you were talking about Dungeon Siege.

[greatcrusader44]

Doubt they'd be afraid of Dark Souls, its a completely different RPG, no ones gonna say "Why are you playing Dragon Age when you can play the Souls series?" Because that's like saying "Why are you playing Bioshock when you can play Battlefield?" Both technically shooters but you wouldn't trade one out for the other.

Witcher is a different story. While I will get some disagrees for this statement, Dragon Age is more of an RPG than Witcher except for one thing, and its a HUGE thing, meaningful choices that change the story and lead to divergent paths.

Witcher has a set protagonist, and mainly one style of gameplay, swordplay with the occasional magic spell and trap if you spec in them (but they are never your main source of attack).

This isn't a criticism, I enjoyed both Witchers a hell of a lot more than DA2 (and possibly DAO, not entirely sure) but if Dragon Age wants to get better, the only cues it needs to take from witcher is its meaningful story choices, and take more than 13months of dev work (which is pretty much all DA2 had, why anyone including me thought an RPG could get barely a year of work put into it and it to be any good)

[cleft5]

Bioware's true challenge isn't making a better game than Dark Souls 2 or The Witcher 3, which will almost certainly be amazing game.

Bioware's true challenge is to make DA3 so damn good that it redeems the entire company. They are faced with making the name Bioware mean something again and that is a far greater challenge than making a better game than The Witcher 3 or Dark Souls 2.

EA is almost universally hated amongst gamers. The last few Bioware games have failed to deliver, despite being good games. Yes, the ending for ME3 sucked, but overall it was still a good game. Bioware was known for making earth shattering great games, that is what they are currently tasked with doing. This is a much greater challenge than simply making a game better than some other company's game.

If DA3 fails to deliver than the name Bioware is as dead as RARE. Personally, I hope DA3 is fucking amazing, but only time will tell.

[HmongAmerican]

we need more games like these instead of shooter. So bring them on.

[AKS]

It's not a good idea to turn underestimate and turn your back on Dark Souls. Bad things can happen.

http://files-cdn.formspring...

You also don't want to slight The Witcher and risk getting ploughed like a whoreson.

[The_Nameless_One]

Because FROM and CD Projekt are actuall making RPG's...ZING!

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

Why would they be, they don't target the same audience. On a side note DA2 was boring I fell asleep 3 times while playing it and couldn't bring myself to finish it, even my mom knew that the first DA was better after she finished the second one.

[darkness625]

Not worried huh, after DA2 and ME3 they should be.
Witcher 3 > DA3

[MooseyXTC]

Bioware thinks it can stand up against FROM and CDProjekt?
Um...what?

[extermin8or]

They should be afraid of dark souls 2... I mean just think of the number of times your likely going to die right near a boss etc etc- really hope its on next gen aswell because I don't intend to buy any more current gen games after july as when I go to uni I wont have access to my ps3 most of the time, same goes for arkham origins. :/

[NYC_Gamer]

Bioware forgot how to create rpgs

[greyhaven33]

Ive played each game in the mass effect, dragon age, souls and the witcher series. I've enjoyed each and everyone of them, some more than others for sure, but I plan on playing these new games as well

Everything doesn't need to turn into this is better than that discussion. We are very lucky to have all these potentially great gaming experiences coming, relax and enjoy

[LAWSON72]

Well if your game is anything like da2 you should be scared shitless, especially of witcher 3.

[taquito]

biowares last very good game was jade empire

their last great game, and actually one of the best rpg's ever made, was baldurs gate 2

the witcher 1 is better than jade empire and up their with bg2

it CURBSTOMPS every mass effect and dragon age game ever made

the witcher 2 is almost as good as the witcher 1, it is freaking amazing and destroys every me and da game

[CourierSix]

Why should they be afraid? I'm a massive fan of Bioware and the Dragon Age games, and whether TW3 or Dark Souls 2 out class DA3 for me doesn't matter, I'll be buying anyway. And any true fan of the DA games will buy DA3. Obviously Bioware have faith in their fans.

[wordthrower]

if dark souls 2 only even manages to be as good as the first game, by comparison dragon age 3 is still going to be a pile of shit so rank aliens on venus are going to be gagging

[Grimbold]

It seems to me that all of these games (OK most of them) have both strengths and weaknesses. Start with the strengths:

1) Open world and visuals (except elves): the Elder Scrolls series, especially Skyrim, but also Oblivion and Morrowind. Nothing beats these games for local immersion and transtion from area to area.

2) characterization and NPC immersion: Dragon Age. Morrigan and Leliana are so much richer than the Amulet of Mara! Bioware's elves are also better than Bethesda's (which is really a disgrace, since Bethesda ought to have better NPCs given their better visuals. Of course, the zoom camera dialogue helps Bioware here.

3) Storyline. Witcher excels here, but Bioware comes very close and in DA Origins maybe equals or even excels.

Now the weaknesses:

1) Elder Scrolls are really lame at character immersion, even when they use good actors for the voices (as they do). The modders make things much better, especially the Vilya mod. But Vilya says it all about the Bethesda romance plot: "True love is not an amulet." To be sure, Aela and Mjoll look nice (with the help of the modders), but . . . an amulet???? Nah.

2) Bioware is rubbish at world immersion. DA, for all its strengths, has hardly moved beyond the screen by screen world of Baldur's Gate. A great game in its time, but now dated and obsolete--because of its world space.

3) Witcher has great voices and stories, but the same faces come up again and again in the minor NPCs. This takes away from immersion.

The solution:

Combine Elder Scrolls world space and kill moves (and character visuals) with Bioware NPC dramatics (especially zoom camera for dialogues) and Witcher plot development. Add some modder sex scenes, and you will have the game to end all games.

The only question is: which company will rise to the challenge? DA3? Maybe. Let's hope.