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131-483: Dragon Age II is a 2011 action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts (EA). It is the second major game in the Dragon Age series and the successor to Dragon Age: Origins (2009). Set in the world of Thedas, players assume the role of Hawke , a human mage, rogue, or warrior who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee, and becomes its legendary champion over

262-477: A backward compatible title on Xbox One on May 3, 2018. Six downloadable content packs for Dragon Age II were released between March 2011 and October 2011. The content ranges from minor in-game item packs to more significant plot-driven campaign modules. Major packs include Legacy and Mark of The Assassin , which advance the narrative of the Dragon Age series as a whole. In Legacy , Hawke investigates

393-446: A "role-playing shooter" due to the heavy RPG elements within the game, such as quest-based gameplay and also its character traits and leveling system. Half-Minute Hero (2009) is an RPG shooter featuring self-referential humour and a 30-second time limit for each level and boss encounter. Other action role-playing games with shooter elements include the 2010 titles Alpha Protocol by Obsidian Entertainment and The 3rd Birthday ,

524-593: A 1991 issue of Computer Gaming World criticized several computer role-playing games for using "arcade" or "Nintendo-style" action combat, including Ys , Sorcerian, Times of Lore, and Prophecy . In 1991, Square released Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden , also known as Final Fantasy Adventure or Mystic Quest in the West, for the Game Boy . Like Crystalis , the action in Seiken Densetsu bore

655-432: A companion for the story's first act: their sister Bethany ( Rebekah Staton ), a kind though timid mage who has a loving relationship with her sibling; or their brother Carver (Nico Lennon), a prideful and abrasive warrior who cares for Hawke but feels overshadowed by them. Optional companions include Fenris ( Gideon Emery ), a powerful elven warrior seeking revenge on his former slaver; and Isabela (Victoria Kruger),

786-464: A companion who consistently disagrees with Hawke forms a tense but respectful rivalry with them. Full friendship unlocks bonuses which generally benefit Hawke or the party, while full rivalry boosts combat ability for companions to help them outdo Hawke in competition. To improve the relationship with a companion, certain items can be gifted to them. Up to five companions are romance options for Hawke regardless of friendship and rivalry. The player selects

917-472: A confident and promiscuous pirate captain searching for a coveted relic. Sebastian Vael ( Alec Newman ), a master archer and pious layman of the Kirkwall Chantry, can be recruited via the downloadable content , The Exiled Prince. Anders, Fenris, Isabela and Merrill are romance options for Hawke of either sex, with Sebastian a chaste love interest for a female Hawke. Cassandra seeks out Hawke,

1048-732: A digital version of the game's original soundtrack. BioWare partnered with Razer to launch a gaming periphery product line called the "Collector's Edition Product Line". A Facebook tie-in game called Dragon Age Legends , a 2D role-playing strategy game , was announced in November 2010 for release in March 2011. Players of Dead Space 2 received an exclusive armor in the game modeled after Dead Space ' s protagonist Isaac Clarke . Dragon Age II went on sale in North America and Europe on March 8 and 11, 2011, respectively. The game

1179-627: A faster sales pace than its predecessor. Upon launch, BioWare supported the game with several downloadable content packs . A sequel, Dragon Age: Inquisition was released in November 2014. Dragon Age II is an action role-playing game played from a third-person perspective . In the game, players control a human named Hawke , a refugee during the Fifth Blight, who eventually becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke's sex and appearance can be customized, and players need to select their class at

1310-399: A focus on character's stats in order to determine relative strength and abilities. These games often use action game combat systems similar to hack and slash or shooter games . The term "action role-playing game" may also describe action-adventure games , which include a mission system and role-playing game mechanics, as well as MMORPGs with real-time combat systems. Allgame listed

1441-420: A greater endurance can assist the cardiovascular system this does not imply that endurance is guaranteed to improve any cardiovascular disease. "The major metabolic consequences of the adaptations of muscle to endurance exercise are a slower utilization of muscle glycogen and blood glucose, a greater reliance on fat oxidation, and less lactate production during exercise of a given intensity." The term stamina

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1572-650: A heart monitor to represent the player's Attack Power and Armor Class statistics. Another controversial aspect of the game involved taking drugs (instead of potions) that increase/decrease attributes, but with side effects such as heart-rate increase/decrease or death. Origin Systems , the developer of the Ultima series, also released an action RPG in 1988, titled Times of Lore , which was inspired by various NES titles, particularly The Legend of Zelda . Times of Lore inspired several later titles by Origin Systems, such as

1703-585: A lot of popularity on the 2010s with titles such as Warframe (2013), Destiny (2014) and Destiny 2 (2017), The Division (2016) and The Division 2 (2019). Endurance The term is often used in the context of aerobic or anaerobic exercise . The definition of "long" varies according to the type of exertion – minutes for high intensity anaerobic exercise, hours or days for low intensity aerobic exercise. Training for endurance can reduce endurance strength unless an individual also undertakes resistance training to counteract this effect. When

1834-979: A more dialogue-heavy experience akin to the Baldurs Gate games and even older series like Falcom's Dragon Slayer/Xanadu series had its outing Xanadu Next with similar Diablo influences. The influences also come full circle when the first Diablo game was inspired by rogue-likes Umoria and Angband and in more recent years many games in the rogue-like genre are inspired by more classic dungeon crawler ARPGs that Diablo helped spawn. In this sub genre there are such recent titles as Path of Exile (2013), Grim Dawn (2016), Zenonia S: Rifts In Time (2015), Book of Demons (2018), Shadows: Awakening (2018), Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl Gold (2017), Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition (2016) and its expansions Titan Quest: Ragnarök (2017) and Titan Quest: Atlantis (2019), Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem (2020) and Minecraft Dungeons (2020). The prominence of Diablo 2 in

1965-483: A more traditional RPG-esque system, including experience points and levels with action game elements. Unlike its predecessor, Zelda II more closely fits the definition of an action RPG. Another Metroidvania -style action RPG released that year was System Sacom 's Sharp X1 computer game Euphory , which was possibly the only Metroidvania -style multiplayer action RPG produced, allowing two-player cooperative gameplay. The fifth Dragon Slayer title, Sorcerian ,

2096-414: A mountain of compromises, cut corners, and tight deadlines" and if he could redo parts of the game, some of the changes would include an expanded opening, a romance with Varric, the restoration of act three plot points, and an endgame option to avoid choosing sides. As the game focuses on Hawke's family and their adventures in the world, Zur used a string quartet to play the solo, while the orchestra had

2227-469: A much bigger audience." Electronic Arts announced Dragon Age II in July 2010. They released a public demo of the game, which was available from February 22 to March 1, 2011. Players who pre-ordered the game received two exclusive weapons. Players who had pre-ordered the game before January 11, 2011 also had access to the "BioWare Signature Edition", which included new items and missions, a new companion, and

2358-727: A new command after the previous one is completed. In addition to basic attacks, players can utilize different talents. For instance, warriors can stun enemies with the "Tremor" ability while mages can unleash fireballs to burn enemies, though some talents drain the character's stamina or mana . Skills can be used to supplement each other to create combos , which further enhance combat efficiency. Defeated companions are automatically revived after all enemies are eliminated, but they will suffer from injuries. The game features an inventory system that acts as an item storage. There are several types of items: weapons and armors, crafting recipes, runes, plot items and consumables. Players must micro-manage

2489-432: A non-playable support character. Action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG ) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Action role-playing games emphasize real-time combat where the player has direct control over the characters as opposed to turn or menu -based combat while still having

2620-539: A person is able to accomplish or withstand more effort than previously, their endurance is increasing. To improve their endurance they may slowly increase the amount of repetitions or time spent; in some exercises, more repetitions taken rapidly improve muscle strength but have less effect on endurance. Increasing endurance has been proven to release endorphins resulting in a positive mind. The act of gaining endurance through physical activity decreases anxiety , depression , and stress , or any chronic disease . Although

2751-488: A preset or imported story to determine the events of Dragon Age: Origins . This forms the background story of Dragon Age II . The main story has a linear frame narrative , unfolding through flashbacks from the perspective of the game's unreliable narrator , a dwarf rogue named Varric Tethras ( Brian Bloom ) with a humorous though caring personality. The protagonist is Hawke (voiced by either Nicholas Boulton or Jo Wyatt ), whose sex, first name, appearance, and class type

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2882-592: A prison constructed by the Grey Wardens, which holds a powerful and ancient darkspawn. In Mark of The Assassin , Hawke must infiltrate an estate outside Kirkwall and steal a precious relic. An expansion pack entitled The Exalted March had been in development, but was cancelled as the studio decided to focus on tweaking the Frostbite engine, which would be used for their future games. A mini-series titled Dragon Age: Redemption , which features Felicia Day in

3013-441: A release date checker (made by the company that produced SecuROM) that deletes itself after the game is released. In early 2011, shortly after the release of Dragon Age II , one player made a forum post on BioWare's then-active social forums expressing their distaste for unwanted homosexual advances, and asked for a much bigger focus on straight male gamers as well as an option to remove homosexual content. Gaider replied by saying

3144-519: A side. They end up killing both Orsino, who is surmised to have been "O", and Meredith, who bought the lyrium idol from Bartrand, which has corrupted her mind and convinced her to go through a mass extermination of mages. Afterwards, Hawke either leaves Kirkwall as a hero to mages, or is elected the city's Viscount. Varric concludes the story, saying that eventually, Hawke's companions drifted apart, and Hawke left Kirkwall. The Circles of Magi all over Thedas have followed Kirkwall's example and rebelled, with

3275-580: A strong resemblance to that of Legend of Zelda , but added more RPG elements. It was one of the first action RPGs to allow players to kill townspeople, though later Mana games removed this feature. Arcus Odyssey by Wolf Team (now Namco Tales Studio ) was an action RPG that featured an isometric perspective and co-operative multiplayer gameplay. In 1993, the second Seiken Densetsu game, Secret of Mana , received considerable acclaim, for its innovative pausable real-time action battle system , and its innovative cooperative multiplayer gameplay, where

3406-494: A supporting role. He introduced Middle-eastern sounds for the city of Kirkwall, since it was foreign to the Hawke family. Zur collaborated with Aubrey Ashburn, who sang the main title and several songs in the game, an Israeli songwriter, and Florence and The Machine , whose song "I’m Not Calling You a Liar" was reimagined for the game. Like its predecessor, the game's music is a cross between "heroic" and "demonic". According to Zur, he

3537-558: A terrible experience. Learning from it, the team redesigned all of their art assets to make the game look better graphically. The game was powered by an improved version of the Eclipse Engine . Renamed Lycium, it was designed to accommodate the game's new art style. Neil Thompson, BioWare's art and animation director, revealed in 2013 the team was disappointed by the game's visuals as the Eclipse Engine had become outdated by

3668-458: A treasure hunting expedition into the perilous region of the Deep Roads. Varric partners with Hawke to acquire funding and knowledge of the region. Hawke enlists the aid of Anders, a former Grey Warden with knowledge of the Deep Roads. However, a magical red lyrium idol corrupts Bartrand's mind and causes him to betray Hawke and Varric. Additionally, Hawke's surviving sibling is either killed by

3799-491: A turbulent decade of political and social conflict. In the game, players explore and engage in combat from a third-person perspective . Players encounter various companions, who play major roles in the game's plot and gameplay. Depending on players' decisions and dialogue, a companion will either recognize Hawke as a friend or a rival. BioWare began the game's development during the production of Origins ' s expansion pack Awakening . EA gave them only 16 months to finish

3930-480: Is "the earliest game I'd feel comfortable calling an action-RPG" but notes that "it doesn't fit neatly into our modern genre classifications", though came closer than Bokosuka Wars released the same year. Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com argues that Japanese developers created a new brand of action role-playing game; these new Japanese games combined the role-playing genre with arcade-style action and action-adventure elements. Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade also traces

4061-693: Is "the very first action-RPG ever made" according to GameSetWatch. Originally released for the PC-8801 computer in September 1984, it abandoned the command-based battles of earlier role-playing games in favor of real-time hack-and-slash combat that required direct input from the player, alongside puzzle-solving elements. In contrast to earlier turn-based roguelikes , Dragon Slayer was a dungeon-crawl role-playing game using real-time, action-oriented combat, combined with traditional role-playing mechanics. Dragon Slayer's overhead action role-playing formula

Dragon Age II - Misplaced Pages Continue

4192-437: Is appropriate. The team used an approach called a "one-pager", where the general overview of the story was produced; then the writers expanded the smaller components. The team also used a wiki to store the game's lore to keep it consistent. All story content was reviewed twice. The first, named a "white box" interview, was used to evaluate its pacing and the choices presented, while the second, named an "orange box" interview,

4323-544: Is considered the first example of an immersive sim , a genre that combines elements from other genres to create a game with strong player agency and emergent gameplay, and has influenced many games since its release. The engine was re-used and enhanced for Ultima Underworld ' s 1993 sequel, Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds . Looking Glass Studios planned to create a third Ultima Underworld , but Origin rejected their pitches. After Electronic Arts (EA) rejected Arkane Studios ' pitch for Ultima Underworld III ,

4454-612: Is fully voiced as opposed to the Warden (the silent player character in Origins ). The story's tone was also considered darker than its predecessor. Gaider believed this approach introduced new opportunities for storytelling, as consequences of a player's decisions can be highlighted further, and the state of the game's world can be radically changed. Laidlaw added that with choices having more impact, Dragon Age II would be BioWare's "most reactive game". There were different types of choices in

4585-414: Is largely regulated, as in tissues generally, by regulatory DNA sequences , especially enhancers . Enhancers are non-coding sequences in the genome that activate the expression of distant target genes, by looping around and interacting with the promoters of their target genes (see Figure "Regulation of transcription in mammals"). As reported by Williams et al. , the average distance in the loop between

4716-433: Is player-determined. During the events of Origins , Hawke fled the nation of Ferelden as a refugee to the city-state of Kirkwall. There they eventually grew in power and influence to become the legendary "Champion of Kirkwall", and the center of events that change the course of history. Varric, Hawke's companion, relates the Champion's "true story" to his interrogator Cassandra Pentaghast ( Miranda Raison ), mainly based on

4847-430: Is sometimes used synonymously and interchangeably with endurance. Endurance may also refer to an ability to persevere through a difficult situation , to "endure hardship". In military settings, endurance is the ability of a force to sustain high levels of combat potential relative to its opponent over the duration of a campaign. Aristotle noted similarities between endurance and self control : To have self control

4978-432: Is to resist the temptation of things that seem immediately appealing, while to endure is to resist the discouragement of things that seem immediately uncomfortable. Different types of endurance performance can be trained in specific ways. Adaptation of exercise plans should follow individual goals. Calculating the intensity of exercise the individual capabilities should be considered . Effective training starts within half

5109-860: The Princess Crown series, including Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade . Princess Crown had a more cartoon-like visual appeal. It still had quality visuals due to the George Kamitani style. LandStalker's 1997 spiritual successor Alundra is considered "one of the finest examples of action/RPG gaming", combining platforming elements and challenging puzzles with an innovative storyline revolving around entering people's dreams and dealing with mature themes. Ultima Underworld ' s influence has been found in BioShock (2007), and that game's designer, Ken Levine , has stated that "all

5240-542: The Cider engine. One of BioWare's core goals when creating the game was to improve the formula established in Origins . According to Laidlaw, the team evaluated Origins different gameplay components, especially its overly complex mechanics, and studied players' feedback. After learning most players never finished the early hours of Origins , the team's goal was to make Dragon Age II more accessible to new players, and appeal to more players. They decided to streamline some of

5371-616: The Dragon's Crown Artworks foreword: "The motif within Dragon's Crown is all the fantasy works that has affected me until now: the PC RPG Wizardry that I first came into contact with as a student; Ian Livingstone 's gamebooks; games like Tower of Druaga , Golden Axe and The King of Dragons ." He also cites his early 20s work on Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom as "truly something that I had aspired for". Dragon's Crown

Dragon Age II - Misplaced Pages Continue

5502-790: The MMO vehicular combat game Auto Assault (2006) by NetDevil and NCsoft . Other action RPGs featured both hack and slash and shooting elements, with the use of both guns (or in some cases, bow and arrow or aerial combat ) and melee weapons, including Cavia 's flight-based Drakengard series (2003 to 2005), and Level-5 's Rogue Galaxy (2005). Other RPS games include the Mass Effect series (2007 onwards), Fallout 3 and subsequent Fallout titles (2008 onwards), White Gold: War in Paradise (2008), and Borderlands (2009). Borderlands developer Gearbox Software has dubbed it as

5633-503: The first installment of its Ys series in 1987. While not very popular in the West, the long-running Ys series has performed strongly in the Japanese market, with many sequels, remakes and ports in the decades that followed its release. Besides Falcom's own Dragon Slayer series, Ys was also influenced by Hydlide , from which it borrowed certain mechanics such as health-regeneration. The Faery Tale Adventure offered one of

5764-680: The "Champion of Kirkwall", with the Seekers, an offshoot of the Templars. She captures and interrogates Varric, demanding to know how Hawke started a war between the mages and Templars. Varric complies and tells her how the war started. The story starts shortly after the Battle of Ostagar , with the Hawke family escaping their home village of Lothering in Ferelden with a darkspawn horde in pursuit. Either Bethany or Carver (Hawke's siblings) are killed in

5895-459: The "Tactic" menu. For instance, players can customize a companion's stance to be aggressive, and set their behaviors like consuming health potions when they get injured. During battles, players may pause the game and issue commands to both Hawke and party members separately. Players can also move the camera freely in the PC version. However, commands cannot be queued, meaning that players can only issue

6026-414: The 1990 games Bad Blood (another action RPG based on the same engine) and Ultima VI: The False Prophet , based on the same interface. Also in 1989, the enhanced remake Ys I & II was one of the first video games to use CD-ROM , which was utilized to provide enhanced graphics, animated cut scenes, a Red Book CD soundtrack, and voice acting. Its English localization was also one of

6157-612: The Arishok. Hawke is declared the Champion of Kirkwall in the aftermath. After another three years, Kirkwall is turned into a police state under the tyrannical rule of the Templars. Under the command of Knight-Commander Meredith, they aim to oppress mages for their use of blood magic. Meredith is challenged by First Enchanter Orsino, the Circle of Magi leader in Kirkwall, who tries to topple her with public support. Constant violence between

6288-494: The Qunari now have a pair of horns, as opposed to their hornless counterparts in Origins . Due to the game's short development cycle, BioWare set the game in a single city so they could reuse many art assets. Laidlaw added the team drew inspiration from Eternal Darkness where players get to see the city evolve as time progresses. This meant the team only had to modify the assets and did not need to create new ones. While Origins

6419-553: The Templars breaking away from the Chantry to fight them. Cassandra lets Varric go and leaves with Leliana and fellow Seekers, believing that since both Hawke and the Warden (if alive) have disappeared, they must be found to stop the war. BioWare 's Edmonton office began development of Dragon Age II during the production of Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening . Publisher Electronic Arts gave BioWare only 14 to 16 months to finish

6550-490: The Viscount of Kirkwall summons Hawke to help resolve a political situation caused by the foreign military forces of the Qunari. The Qunari, shipwrecked in Kirkwall three years earlier, neither obey Kirkwall's laws nor seem willing to leave, escalating tension between them and the inhabitants of Kirkwall. Hawke's mother, Leandra, is murdered by a blood mage serial killer preying on Kirkwall's women. Hawke resolves to uncover "O",

6681-404: The beginning of the game. There are three class types: a mage (who wields a magical staff to cast spells), a rogue (who wields a dagger or bow and arrow), or a warrior (who wields a melee weapon in both hands, or with a shield). Players can incorporate choices they made in Origins to the game by importing their saved game , or choosing a background at the starter menu, which bring modifications to

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6812-535: The camera to some degree. As such, these are often grouped with other "isometric RPGs". The popularity of the Diablo series spawned such franchises like Divinity , Torchlight , Dungeon Siege and Sacred . Commonly, these games used a fixed-camera isometric view of the game world, a necessity of the limitations of 2D graphics of early computers; The Diablo series spawned many terms like being referred to as "dungeon crawler" "slasher RPG" "hack and slasher",

6943-950: The character's attributes. These are divided into six categories: Strength, Dexterity, Magic, Cunning, Willpower and Constitution. A skill tree is present for players to unlock talents in a non-linear manner. Unlocked talents can be upgraded further to enhance their effectiveness. On reaching a certain level, Hawke can specialize in a sub-class. Each companion has talents that are exclusive to them, and can be upgraded as players progress. Skills such as crafting and lockpicking are unlocked automatically when players' attributes are high enough. Outside combat, players engage in dialogue, asking or answering questions. A dialogue tree offers several dialogue options for players to select. There are three main personality types: diplomatic, humorous, or aggressive. The most chosen option becomes Hawke's core personality type. Hawke can also tell lies, bribe or extort money from others, and flirt with non-playable characters . In

7074-456: The characters, setting the standard for first-person computer RPGs for several years. It inspired many other developers to make real-time dungeon crawlers, such as Eye of the Beholder and Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos . Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss , released in 1992, has been cited as the first RPG to feature first-person action in a 3D environment. Ultima Underworld

7205-458: The choices presented, and felt they were impactful and often morally ambiguous. VanOrd agreed, and attributed it to the setting's unstable political climate. He was disappointed that some choices were merely illusions, but felt there were more impactful decisions in the game than in Origins . However, Steimer felt there were not a lot of impactful choices in the game, and criticized the cliffhanger ending. Joseph Leray of Destructoid commented on

7336-446: The companions superior to those in Origins . Leray liked the companion quests, singling out Merill's and Aveline's as two of the best. However, he lamented the game did not offer enough opportunities to interact with its cast of companions. Revisiting Dragon Age II in 2015, Chris Thursten of PC Gamer praised the game's handling of its roster of companions, noting that "they have their own homes, jobs and opinions". Thrusten also praised

7467-417: The complex relationships they have with each other. He noted that Hawke's decade in Kirkwall is primarily an exploration of these relationships and concluded that "BioWare has not created a narrative with this much nuance since, nor so many clever moments...". Reused assets and the game being set entirely in Kirkwall were criticized. Some critics felt the game confined players to a very small city. Steimer felt

7598-441: The connected enhancers and promoters of genes is 239,000 nucleotide bases. After exercise, epigenetic alterations to enhancers alter long-term expression of hundreds of muscle genes. This includes genes producing proteins and other products secreted into the systemic circulation, many of which may act as endocrine messengers. Of 817 genes with altered expression, 157 (according to Uniprot ) or 392 (according to Exocarta ) of

7729-470: The console controls' imprecision and AI weaknesses. Mike Sharkey of GameSpy described the gameplay as "smooth". He noted its improved user interface , and felt it was a "great fusion" of both action and strategic elements, though he remarked that deploying strategy is not as necessary as before. GamesRadar 's Eric Neigher was disappointed by the "cumbersome" strategy system, which made the combat excessively straightforward. Rich McCormick of PC Gamer liked

7860-550: The darkspawn taint, or conscripted into the Grey Wardens if they are brought along. If not, then they are conscripted either into the Circle of Mages or the Templar Order, depending on the sibling who survives. Despite this, Hawke and Varric are able to escape back to the surface, and the proceeds from the expedition make Hawke famous and wealthy, enabling them to buy back their family mansion in Hightown. Three years later,

7991-647: The development of Dragon Slayer (1984) and Hydlide (1984). Dragon Slayer , Hydlide and Courageous Perseus (1984) "vie for position as genre precedent" according to John Szczepaniak, and there was an ongoing rivalry developing between the Dragon Slayer and Hydlide series over the years. The Tower of Druaga , Dragon Slayer and Hydlide were influential in Japan, where they influenced later action RPGs such as Ys , as well as The Legend of Zelda . Falcom's Dragon Slayer , created by Yoshio Kiya,

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8122-482: The distant upstream DNA regulatory sequences of the enhancers of these genes. Up-regulated genes had epigenetic acetylations added at histone 3 lysine 27 (H3k27ac) of nucleosomes located at the enhancers controlling those up-regulated genes, while down-regulated genes had epigenetic acetylations removed from H3K27 in nucleosomes located at the enhancers that control those genes (see Figure "A nucleosome with histone tails set for transcriptional activation"). Biopsies of

8253-448: The enhancer and the connected target gene were coordinately either upregulated or downregulated after exercise training. Endurance muscle training also alters muscle gene expression through epigenetic DNA methylation or de-methylation of CpG sites within enhancers. In a study by Lindholm et al. , twenty-three 27-year-old, sedentary, male and female volunteers had endurance training on only one leg during three months. The other leg

8384-538: The first to use voice dubbing . The game received the Game of the Year award from OMNI Magazine in 1990, as well as other prizes. Another 1989 release, Activision 's Prophecy: The Fall of Trinadon , attempted to introduce "Nintendo-style" action combat to North American computer role-playing games. Action RPGs were far more common on consoles than computers, due to gamepads being better suited to real-time action than

8515-834: The following games released prior to 1984 as action RPGs: Temple of Apshai (1979) and its sequel Gateway to Apshai (1983), Beneath the Pyramids for the Apple II (1980), Bokosuka Wars (1983), and Sword of Fargoal (1983). Jeremy Parish of USgamer claimed that Adventure (1980) was an action RPG. Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton claimed that the Intellivision games Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1982) and Treasure of Tarmin (1983) were action RPGs. Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade notes that Adventure lacked RPG mechanics such as experience points and permanent character growth, and argues that Gateway to Apshai

8646-485: The game is designed to be inclusive and for everyone, and that making romances for both sexes was less costly than creating new ones. Dragon Age II was the best-selling retail game in the UK in its week of release according to Chart-Track , outselling competitors including Pokémon Black and White . Worldwide, the game sold more than one million copies in less than two weeks, a faster sales pace than its predecessor when it

8777-448: The game is played from a third-person perspective. Players can customize their player character , which learns to cast spells, brew potions, and master combat abilities, eventually developing their own special combat style. In late 1987, FTL Games released Dungeon Master , a dungeon crawler that had a real-time game world and some real-time combat elements (akin to Active Time Battle ), requiring players to quickly issue orders to

8908-399: The game score of 10/10. An EA representative responded after much online controversy saying it is normal for people who work on a game to like and support it, though it is unclear if Hoban acted on his own or at the behest of the company. The game was criticized for allegedly using SecuROM digital rights management software, though BioWare refuted the allegations and added they merely used

9039-490: The game was released for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 and OS X in March 2011. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay, companions and writing; although changes to the storytelling structure and the combat system had a more mixed reception. The limited setting and reused assets were widely criticized. It received a more polarized response from players, though more than one million copies were sold in less than two weeks,

9170-427: The game's development, forcing the team to crunch for an extended period. Mike Laidlaw , David Gaider and Inon Zur returned to their roles as lead designer, writer and composer respectively. The game's development was completed on February 11, 2011, with BioWare confirming it had been declared gold , indicating it was being prepared for duplication and release. The game was ported to Mac OS X by TransGaming via

9301-562: The game's development, thus forcing the team to crunch for an extended period and reuse assets. BioWare looked at players' feedback and reviews of Origins , and decided to improve its gameplay, making it more action-oriented. They improved the Eclipse Engine , renaming it Lycium, to enhance the game's visuals and lighting , and accommodate a new art style inspired by movies like Yojimbo and Conan . Mike Laidlaw , David Gaider and Inon Zur returned to their roles as lead designer, writer and composer respectively. Announced in July 2010,

9432-461: The game's dialogue system. McCormick felt the lack of a morality system enabled players to pick different dialogue stances depending on different circumstances, as opposed to being funneled to role-play a certain personality. He praised the game's three-act structure for making choices consequential. Decisions made earlier may result in a significant difference several years later in the game. McCormick called this "impressive". Sharkey and Whitehead liked

9563-446: The game's mechanics, while retaining many conventional elements of a role-playing game. The team also looked at reviews of Origins , and realized that one of the common criticisms, especially of the console versions, focused on the game's slow combat. As a result, the team looked at gameplay of action games and sped up its combat so it would be more responsive and give more immediate responses without latency. The game's combat animation

9694-409: The game's mouse-based combat were mixed. In 1997 Blizzard's Diablo was released and became massively successful. It was an action RPG that used a mouse oriented point-and-click interface and offered gamers a free online service to play with others that maintained the same rules and gameplay. Diablo ' s effect on the market was significant, inspiring many imitators. Its impact was such that

9825-432: The game's narrative. During combat and exploration, players are accompanied by different companions, who can be recruited into Hawke's party . Hawke can only bring three companions with them, while others stay in different home bases in Kirkwall. Though players can directly control these companions and switch between them freely, they are usually controlled by artificial intelligence , which can be modified by players using

9956-410: The game's pacing, saying that "Act I is too long, Act III is too short, and Act II feels like the climax of the game but is largely tangential to the main plot". Critics praised the companions featured in the game. Steimer liked the background banter between the companions, saying they are "heartwarming" and "hilarious". Sharkey felt the characters were exceptional, calling them BioWare's best, though he

10087-434: The game's release, players of Dragon Age: Origins were worried the sequel would be streamlined like Mass Effect . Head writer David Gaider assured fans of Origins this was not the case. While BioWare expected fan criticism over the changes implemented in the sequel, they were surprised by the polarized response from players. EA acknowledged the game's reception among fans, saying that they "lost some [ Origins ] fans" with

10218-468: The game's release. Much of the player criticism was directed at the game's reusing of environments and the single city setting. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Dragon Age II for " Outstanding Achievement in Connectivity " at the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards . A BioWare employee was caught posting as a consumer on Metacritic. The employee, Chris Hoban, gave

10349-406: The game's storytelling, however, calling it a "downward turn" from Origins as it lacked a central goal that engaged players, thus making the story less epic than it should be. However, he remarked that there were "heartfelt moments", mostly associated with the game's sidequests and companions. Juba agreed with VanOrd on the story's shortcomings, saying that there was little tension or consequences in

10480-418: The game's talents and abilities, saying they are "exciting" to use. VanOrd appreciated its flexibility, though he thought it was streamlined, alongside the inventory management system. Both GameSpot ' s VanOrd and Juba noted there were issues with the third-person gameplay in the PC version. The game's storytelling attracted mixed responses. The use of an unreliable narrator was applauded for holding

10611-417: The game, namely flavors, local choices and global choices. Some have little effect on the game's narrative, while others may affect the story dramatically. As players have no knowledge of the extent of the impact a choice will bring, the team hoped they had created a more individualized experience. Like its predecessor, the choices presented were not "black or white", so players are motivated to do what they deem

10742-414: The game, players will make many decisions that lead to different consequences for both Hawke's party and the game's world. The approval system from Origins has been adjusted into a friendship/rivalry system. Depending on players' decisions and dialogue choices, a companion will either recognize Hawke as a friend or a rival. A companion who consistently agrees with Hawke's views considers them a friend, while

10873-408: The gameplay is more tactical in nature as the team overhauled the combo system which prompts players to make use of all the classes' talents. According to Robyn Theberge, the game's development manager, the team hoped players could "think like a general" using Tactic, and "fight like a spartan" with the game's faster combat. The works of Pieter Bruegel , Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa , as well as

11004-585: The gaming market and its influence on the MMORPG genre later popularized the strongly used mouse-oriented point and click combat. While in the Diablo series this type of combat does not have a lock-on key, World of Warcraft and most MMO games uses some kind of key to target an enemy, usually TAB, to lock into it, usually referred to as "tab-target". In tab-target combat the player's character automatic do attack animations with some kind of regular attack, while

11135-519: The genre's roots to Japan, noting that the "Western game industry of the time had a tendency to treat action games and RPGs as separate things for separate demographics". Jeremy Parish argues that action RPGs were popularized in Japan by The Tower of Druaga . It was released for arcades in June 1984, and was intended as a "fantasy version of Pac-Man , with puzzles to solve, monsters to battle, and hidden treasure to find". Its success in Japan inspired

11266-459: The identity of the serial killer's accomplice, but eventually discovers the reason the Qunari refuse to leave Kirkwall is because Isabela stole a coveted artifact from them, which they are not allowed to return to their homeland of Par Vollen without. When she flees Kirkwall with the artifact, the Qunari leader, the Arishok, decides to attack Kirkwall and executes the Viscount. Hawke's party successfully retakes Kirkwall and, if Hawke chooses, eliminates

11397-510: The individual performance capability. Performance capability is expressed by maximum heart rate . Best results can be achieved in the range between 55% and 65% of maximum heart rate. Aerobic, anaerobic and further thresholds are not to be mentioned within extensive endurance exercises. Training intensity is measured via the heart rate. Between 2012 and 2019 at least 25 reports indicated a major role of epigenetic mechanisms in skeletal muscle responses to exercise. Gene expression in muscle

11528-563: The inventory system. A player can only carry a certain amount of equipment, though extra inventory space can be purchased. In the game, players encounter different containers and loot , as well as merchants who sell different items. Some items give players perks that improve their statistics . Only Hawke can equip armors found in the game's world. Companions' armors cannot be changed, but players can collect armor upgrades for them, and customize them with rings, amulets , and belts. Weapons can be enchanted using runes which introduce new properties to

11659-521: The keyboard and mouse. Though there were attempts at creating action-oriented computer RPGs during the late 1980s and early 1990s, very few saw any success. Times of Lore was one of the more successful attempts in the American computer market, where there was a generally negative attitude towards combining genres in this way and more of an emphasis on preserving the purity of the RPG genre. For example,

11790-448: The largest worlds at the time, with over 17,000 computer screens without loading times. In 1988, Telenet Japan 's Exile series debuted, and was controversial due to its plot, which revolves around a time-traveling Crusades-era Syrian assassin who assassinates various religious/historical figures as well as 20th-century political leaders, The gameplay of Exile included both overhead exploration and side-scrolling combat, and featured

11921-625: The lead role of Tallis was announced in February 2011. Peter Winther directed the series, John Bartley served as its cinematographer , and Day was involved in its scriptwriting . The six-part webseries premiered on October 10, 2011, one day before the release of the Mark of The Assassin DLC pack where Tallis appears as a guest companion. The game received received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic . Laidlaw admitted

12052-488: The mages in Kirkwall from the Templars; Aveline Vallen ( Joanna Roth ), a pragmatic and strict warrior who rises up the ranks of the Kirkwall City Guard to become its leader; and Merrill ( Eve Myles ), a soft-hearted but socially awkward Dalish elven mage shunned by her clan due to her obsession with a dangerous ancient artifact as well as her use of blood magic. As well, one of Hawke's two siblings serves as

12183-402: The main story, and it felt like several side-quests stitched together. However, he praised the scenarios for being creative and inventive. Both VanOrd and Eurogamer ' s Dan Whitehead noted the game drew inspiration from real-life events when the writing team created the setting and its cultural and political conflicts. Whitehead called it "a political game". Critics had varied opinions on

12314-472: The movie, Conan the Barbarian , inspired the game. The team aimed to create art that was "memorable" and stylistic as they addressed a shortcoming of Origins where locales looked largely unremarkable. The team also aimed to have consistent graphic designs throughout the game to rectify Origins ' s visual inconsistencies. The game's races featured redesigns so they look more distinctive. For instance,

12445-746: The player can focus on activating other skills and items by pressing other keys. Usually this type of combat is not heavily based on aiming or hit boxes thus the player can hit enemies from different distances and even from a far. Some tab-target MMOs have other targeting options such as an "Action mode". Shooter-based action RPGs include Strife (1996), System Shock 2 (1999), the Deus Ex series (2000 onwards) by Ion Storm , Bungie 's Destiny (2014), Irem 's Steambot Chronicles (2005), Square Enix's third-person shooter RPG Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (2006), which introduced an over-the-shoulder perspective similar to Resident Evil 4 , and

12576-426: The player's stats, or as a currency to purchase items, and penalizing player deaths without imposing an outright failure state. It also incorporated online features allowing players to leave messages in the overworld that can be read by other players, to temporarily join other players' sessions to assist them cooperatively, or "invade" another player's session to engage in player versus player combat. Especially after

12707-453: The process. Flemeth , a witch who can assume the form of a dragon, helps the party escape to Kirkwall, a city across the sea, provided Hawke completes a task for her. Hawke enters the service of a mercenary band or smuggler group to enter Kirkwall, after which the family takes up residence in the city's Lowtown with Hawke's uncle Gamlen. A year later, a prosperous opportunity presents itself to Hawke; Varric and his brother Bartrand are planning

12838-455: The protagonist's choices. The story is told in three acts, with each act separated by a gap of almost three years. Although the story remains unaltered until the two endings, it is greatly influenced by the player's decisions. Hawke can recruit up to eight companions, each of whom can be player-controlled. Along with Varric, mandatory companions include Anders ( Adam Howden ), a proud but mercurial mage and former Grey Warden determined to defend

12969-425: The proteins produced according to those genes were known to be secreted from the muscles. Four days after an endurance type of exercise, many genes have persistently altered epigentically regulated expression. Four pathways altered were in the platelet/coagulation system, the cognitive system, the cardiovascular system, and the renal system. Epigenetic regulation of these genes was indicated by epigenetic alterations in

13100-514: The release of its spiritual successor Dark Souls (2011) and its sequels, other action RPGs emerged in the 2010s that incorporated mechanics influenced by those of Demon's Souls , which have been popularly referred to as " Soulslike " games. In 2013, Vanillaware released the fantasy beat 'em up ARPG Dragon's Crown , a spiritual successor to Princess Crown and a "deeply moving product" of Vanillaware director George Kamitani. Kamitani cites many classic RPGs as his inspiration, stating in

13231-405: The rich lore featured in the game was wasted. McCormick felt the small world helped players become more thoroughly engaged in it, able to understand its culture and politics due to its small scale. Sharkey called certain areas in the game "carbon-copy dungeon crawls", and was disappointed by the excessive reuse of areas. Neigher added that the backtracking featured in the game gave the impression it

13362-459: The second or third players could drop in and out of the game at any time, rather than players having to join the game at the same time. The game has remained influential through to the present day, with its ring menu system still used in modern games and its cooperative multiplayer mentioned as an influence on games such as Dungeon Siege III (2011). Most other such games, however, used a side-scrolling perspective typical of beat 'em ups, such as

13493-499: The sequel. Laidlaw added that unlike Mass Effect , Dragon Age is more about the place and the setting than the characters. According to Gaider, the game was about "freedom versus security", as reflected by the conflicts between the mages and the Templars. The game had 103 minutes of cutscenes , and nearly half a million lines of dialogue. In 2021, Gaider said that the game was originally planned as an expansion pack to Origins . He also said that there's "a fantastic game hidden under

13624-411: The series was also heavily criticized by players and media for not being a proper RPG due to it being focused more on fighting enemies and creating character builds than following a proper narrative and dialogue-heavy journey. After its success many other games tried to mix its influences with different structures and narratives, there are multiple games like Divine Divinity that were an attempt to have

13755-402: The story together in a cohesive manner by McCormick, and being entertaining by Steimer. Sharkey liked the three-act structure, comparing it to "historical fiction reads" that explores a "tumultuous period in a fully realized fantasy world". Neigher thought the three-act structure delivered a "compelling" story, and appreciated the game's writing, calling it a step-up from Origins . VanOrd disliked

13886-506: The studio instead created a spiritual successor : Arx Fatalis . Toby Gard stated that, when designing Tomb Raider , he "was a big fan of ... Ultima Underworld and I wanted to mix that type of game with the sort of polygon characters that were just being showcased in Virtua Fighter ". Ultima Underworld was also the basis for Looking Glass Technologies' later System Shock . The 1988 Origin Systems title Times of Lore

14017-494: The team never expected the game to perform as well as Origins , but he thought the title would score higher. Several critics praised the game's combat noting it was faster than its predecessor. Joe Juba of Game Informer praised it for being "responsive" and believed the new system suited the game. IGN 's Kristine Steimer praised the combat, which integrated action elements and tactical features together well, for being "entertaining" and "versatile". However, she found issues with

14148-620: The template for many future action RPGs, even though it does not strictly fit the definition of later action RPGs. In contrast to previous action RPGs, such as Dragon Slayer and Hydlide, which required the player to bump into enemies in order to attack them, The Legend of Zelda featured an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen. It was also an early example of open-world, nonlinear gameplay , and introduced new features such as battery backup saving. These elements have been used in many action RPGs since. In 1987, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link implemented

14279-427: The temples to refuse to level him up. Xanadu Scenario II , released in 1986, was an expansion pack , created to expand the content of Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu . Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness (1985) also featured a morality system. Eurogamer cites Fairlight (1985) as an early action RPG. An important influence on the action RPG genre was the 1986 action-adventure The Legend of Zelda , which served as

14410-468: The term "action RPG" has come to be more commonly used for Diablo -style games, with The Legend of Zelda itself slowly recategorized as an action-adventure. Very commonly, these games used a fixed-camera isometric view of the game world, a necessity of the limitations of 2D graphics of early computers; even with 3D graphic engines, such point-and-click games are still presented from a similar isometric view, though providing options to rotate, pan, and zoom

14541-713: The things that I wanted to do and all the games that I ended up working on came out of the inspiration I took from [ Ultima Underworld ]". Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski also cited it as an early influence, stating that it had "far more impact on me than Doom ". Other games influenced by Ultima Underworld include The Elder Scrolls: Arena , Deus Ex , Deus Ex: Invisible War , Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines , and Half-Life 2 . FromSoftware 's Demon's Souls (2009) emphasized unforgiving enemies and environments, combined with risk-and-reward mechanics such as limited checkpoints, collecting "souls" that can be consumed as experience points to increase

14672-553: The third game in the Parasite Eve series, features a unique blend of action RPG, real-time tactical RPG, survival horror and third-person tactical shooter elements. Shooter-based RPGs include Imageepoch 's post-apocalyptic Black Rock Shooter (2011) , which employs both first-person and third-person shooter elements, and Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV (2016) , which features both hack and slash and third-person shooter elements. The online live service version gained

14803-408: The time the game was released, leading to mediocre visuals. The game's lighting was largely improved by the introduction of global illumination in the game's engine. New tools for sky editing and water rendering were introduced to further enhance the game's visuals. Gaider and five other writers penned the game's narrative. The team hoped to move away from Origins ' narrative formula. It

14934-430: The two sides forces the Champion of Kirkwall to intervene, during which a group of anti-Meredith rebels kidnap Hawke's surviving sibling/closest friend. Fearing for their loved ones' safety, Hawke attempts to get away from the conflict. However, Anders orchestrates an explosion that levels the Chantry and kills Grand Cleric Elthina. This triggers a battle between the mages and templars across the city, forcing Hawke to choose

15065-586: The vastus lateralis muscle showed expression of 13,108 genes at baseline before an exercise training program. Six sedentary 23-year-old Caucasian males provided vastus lateralis biopsies before entering an exercise program (six weeks of 60-minute sessions of riding a stationary cycle, five days per week). Four days after the exercise program was completed, biopsies of the same muscles had altered gene expression, with 641 genes up-regulated and 176 genes down-regulated. Williams et al. identified 599 enhancer-gene interactions, covering 491 enhancers and 268 genes, where both

15196-497: The weapon on which they are inscribed. Upon discovering crafting recipes, Hawke can contact craftsmen to create new items like potions, poisons, bombs, and runes. In the game, players may also collect different junk items that can be sold to merchants. As players complete quests and kill enemies, players earn experience points . After earning enough experience points, they will level up . In addition to having more health, stamina and mana, players can also unlock new talents and upgrade

15327-478: Was also one of the earliest action RPGs. Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu , released in 1985 (billed as a "new type of real-time role-playing game"), was an action role-playing game including many character stats and a large quest. It also incorporated a side-scrolling view during exploration and an overhead view during battle, and an early "Karma" morality system where the character's Karma meter will rise if he commits sin (killing "good" enemies), which in turn causes

15458-508: Was also released that year. It was a party-based action RPG, with the player controlling a party of four characters at the same time in a side-scrolling view. The game also featured character creation, highly customizable characters, class-based puzzles, and a new scenario system, allowing players to choose from 15 scenarios, or quests , to play through in the order of their choice. It was also an episodic video game , with expansion disks later released offering more scenarios. Falcom also released

15589-433: Was an action RPG with an icon-based point-and-click interface. Bad Blood , another Origin Systems game from 1990, would use the same interface. The designers were inspired by console titles, particularly The Legend of Zelda , to make their interface more accessible. The 1994 title Ultima VIII used mouse controls and attempted to add precision jumping sequences reminiscent of a Mario platform game, though reactions to

15720-416: Was criticized for being a predictable and formulaic hero journey. As a result, the team decided to make the narrative more "personal", focusing on one character over the course of several years with a framed structure that allows the story to skip periods that do not interest players. To offer a more focused experience, the team decided to ditch players' origin stories. Inspired by Planescape: Torment , Hawke

15851-524: Was developed mainly for personal computers , BioWare developed Dragon Age II for both PCs and consoles, hoping players of both machines could enjoy the same experience. The game's controls, including the Tactic menu and commands, as well as its story are identical across all the versions, though there are differences in their user interfaces . Laidlaw described porting Origins to the PlayStation 3 as

15982-417: Was disappointed by the fact their armor could not be customized. Neigher also liked the companions, saying they were more fleshed out and less "expository". Both Whitehead and VanOrd felt the companions were not as interesting as the original game, though VanOrd noted their personalities are "vivid" nonetheless, and all the companions were excellently voiced and their lines were well-written. Juba, however, found

16113-617: Was given more creative freedom by BioWare since the style of the game's music had already been established in Origins . Ahead of the game's release producer Fernando Melo said he wanted to draw a larger audience for the game than Origins : "We have data that shows there are a lot of people that enjoy playing RPGs although they won’t necessarily call them RPGs. They’ll play Fallout , Assassin’s Creed and even Call of Duty , which have these progression elements – you’re putting points into things – but they don’t necessarily associate that as an RPG. So we think that if we expand that out we’ll attract

16244-402: Was made to be more reactive and "stylish" to reflect this. While it became more action-orientated, the team did not completely remove the tactical aspect of Origins as they felt that would alienate its fan base. Despite this, the bird's-eye view from Origins was removed as the team wanted to create more varied scenery for players without needing to "slice off" the top of a room. Laidlaw added

16375-414: Was more linear than its predecessor. Juba felt the game's locations were "painfully limited", and players would get tired of them after a while. Leray criticized the assets for being "bland", saying that reusing them made the issue even worse. Like Juba, he felt that locations would become "stale" as players progress and that the city has too few people of interest or missions for players to complete. Before

16506-575: Was re-released with a PS4 "Pro" edition in 2018. Assassin's Creed , a long-running Ubisoft franchise, also shifted towards the action RPG formula, inspired by the successes of The Witcher 3 and the Dark Souls series, with its titles Origins (2017), Odyssey (2018) and Valhalla (2020). Avalanche Software released Hogwarts Legacy in 2023. Set in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding areas,

16637-531: Was released in 2009. By May 2011, it has sold over two million copies. The aftermath of the game's ending is explored in the 2011 tie-in novel, Dragon Age: Asunder . A sequel, Dragon Age: Inquisition , was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2014. The villain from the Legacy DLC, Corypheus, returns as the primary antagonist in Inquisition , and Hawke appears as

16768-454: Was removed from the digital Steam storefront by the Valve in July 2011. According to EA, the reason was they had breached Valve's policy, which "[limits] how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content (DLC)". About a month after the game's release, EA rewarded early adopters of the game with a free download code for Mass Effect 2 , another BioWare title. The game became

16899-587: Was used as an untrained control leg. Skeletal muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were taken both before training began and 24 hours after the last training session from each of the legs. The endurance-trained leg, compared to the untrained leg, had significant DNA methylation changes at 4,919 sites across the genome. The sites of altered DNA methylation were predominantly in enhancers. Transcriptional analysis, using RNA sequencing , identified 4,076 differentially expressed genes. The transcriptionally upregulated genes were associated with enhancers that had

17030-571: Was used in many later games. T&E Soft 's Hydlide , released in December 1984, was created by Tokihiro Naito, who was influenced by The Tower of Druaga . It was the first action RPG with an overworld . The game was immensely popular in Japan, selling 2 million copies across all platforms. According to John Szczepaniak, it "cannot be overstated how influential Hydlide was on the ARPGs which followed it". The same year, Courageous Perseus

17161-408: Was used to flesh out the details of each quest. Though players can import saves from Origins into the game, the narrative was not changed significantly because the team wanted to acknowledge players' choices and pay homage to certain characters, without having to create "obligatory cameos " of characters. The team also felt that new players would be alienated if Origins ' story arc continued in

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