3. Focus On The Over-Arching Conflict
Dragon Age 2 deserves credit for its somewhat experimental way of approaching video game narrative. Where as Dragon Age: Origins was like an epic fantasy film, Dragon Age 2 felt more like a season of well-written television. The game followed the Bioware formula of telling a story in three acts, but as the game takes place over a period of 10 years, each act of Dragon Age 2 felt distinct in its focus. There existed an overarching conflict in the game (mage vs. templar) that is referred to throughout, but it never really becomes the sole focus of the game until the third and final act. This episodic way of storytelling was definitely interesting, but whether it worked for a single-release video game is up for debate. Many in the community seem to feel that it made the game's story feel fragmented and disjointed. While Bioware deserves applause for daring to be different with Dragon Age 2's narrative structure, going back to a single core conflict for a more tightly-focused Dragon Age 3 seems like it would be the right thing to do. Not only to win back those who felt jaded by Dragon Age 2's multiple episodes, but to present something whole and cohesive for the new fans who will be taking their first steps into Thedas.