DS 1 vs 2 vs 3

[stephenrozzi]

I gotta say I am really disappointed with how this series has changed over time. IMO DS1 was amazing...I loved the whole party concept, setting up individual strategies & equipment, the story & the real-time battles with the pause feature....kind of a Baldur's Gate style of play. DS2 was ok but the combat wasn't as fun & at times just plain frustrating. It was like a cross between DS1 & Diablo that just didn't feel right. DS3 (in my mind) just didn't feel right at all. Where DS1 felt more like an open world where exploring payed off & battles were fun(even if it was pretty much linear), DS3 lacked all the things I loved about DS.....heck, it felt like a watered-down Diablo.....one character, narrow paths leading you from point a to b to c & combat that was more about button mashing but without the fun that Kingdoms of Amular or Sacred had. I just can't seem to play this one for more than 30 min's before getting bored. Don't know if they are planning on a 4th installment but I really hope they look to DS1 for inspiration!

[Milne]

agreed DS3 is awful

[Fendelphi]

This again.

I personally liked 2 more than 1. Not from a nostalgic standpoint(because then 1 would be it). But there was more actually story telling(and not just sightseeing), actual abilities to use(and not just auto attack/switch to secondary weapon), and you could fasttravel between different areas, interact with more NPCs(quests) and generally, the world(and the threat to it) felt more real.

The first one is rated very high in my book, because it was very fresh compared to the other RPGs that came out at the time. The character developement was also fresh and interesting.

But as a game, DS2 simply had more. It has less novelty, because the base system was similar to the first one, but the fact that you could have different races for your starter character, select specific skills and passive effects to level up, game it more depth from a RP standpoint.
Other than that, it's overall interface and gamefeedback(game telling you stuff) was better.


DS3 is not a bad game, but it shouldnt really have been named DS3. If they have announced it as a spin-off(due to very different game mechanics) and called in "Dungeon Siege: Legion Chronicals" or something like that, it would have received less criticism.

It's Coop is wonky, but enjoyable once you bear with the, at times, restrictive camera and "tether" between characters.
Combat is different, but fast paced and responsive. Several cool skills and abilities for each character.
Different loot system, but offer many build options with the same character, simply by swapping a few items around.

IMO, DS3 was/is not a bad game, if you dont compare it to it's root(because then you will expect something else and get disappointed).
Ofc, it is not a super great game either, as it does have it's flaws and frustrations(and as a "game" it is less than DS2 IMO), but decent enough.

So my list would be DS2(most features, bigger world, more fun/active gameplay), DS1(partly due to nostalgia), DS3.

[stephenrozzi]

Fendelphi, nice answer....saw you wrote "this again" so I just want to make sure everyone reading this thread understands that I'm not trying to start a flamefest but I do like varying opinions. Somtimes I get an answer (like yours) that gets me to think maybe I should give, in this case, DS2 another shot. Keep the opinions coming!!!

[Fendelphi]

Originally posted by stephenrozzi:

Fendelphi, nice answer....saw you wrote "this again" so I just want to make sure everyone reading this thread understands that I'm not trying to start a flamefest but I do like varying opinions. Somtimes I get an answer (like yours) that gets me to think maybe I should give, in this case, DS2 another shot. Keep the opinions coming!!!

Yeah, I actually shouldnt have bothered with "this again".
It is just that it is a somewhat regular topic(both in threads similar to this, and it pops up in other threads where the original topic was something else, and in other games too :)).
Didnt really mean anything with it other than it is a often discussed topic and I seem to post the same thing every time. ;)
So it was more a "note to self".

But yeah, give DS2 another spin. It might seem "odd" at first compared to DS, due to the new features(use active skills a lot, it is awesome), but there is a lot of fun to be had, secrets to be found(thanks to backtracking with fasttravel and using different companions to unlock hidden areas).
Also, some of the bossfights are quite fun.
If you can, get it with the Broken World expansion. Adds a lot to the base game.

With DS3, it is harder to say "stick with it", since it is such a different experience to the other DS games in terms of gameplay.
I have played through it 3 times(1 of them coop) and started a 4th, but have put it on hold(other games to play). I enjoy it, but I dont play it as a "Dungeon Siege" game.

[stephenrozzi]

Thanks again...working on Dead State right now & will play DS2 as my "taking a break" game. My sister loves 2 the best & insists I replay it...hmmm, maybe replaying will be her Xmas present....be cheaper than an actual gift!!!!! (She's gonna see this & kill me!)