Dragon Age II

 PC
User Score
4.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 5052 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,397 out of 5052
  2. Mixed: 1,198 out of 5052
  3. Negative: 2,457 out of 5052
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  1. Azoteh
    Mar 14, 2011
    4
    It isn't Dragon Age 2. Where is the spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate?? If they had call it otherwise might be a good Action-Rpg but not at the expense of destroying his own saga.
  2. monkza
    Mar 20, 2011
    4
    Probably the worst game in 2011.... this game is full of bugs and the combat are really terrible... choppy the graphics are terrible the gameplay is poor....
  3. Taichoojack
    Mar 14, 2011
    4
    This sequel I must admit was a big letdown they took what was a challenging strategic game for PC and dummed it down to a button mashing console game. The combat system in DA: O was a bit slow but turning every kill into a messy kill just makes it boring, every time I slice a group of foes in half with one swing I feel like pulling out my hair...aah! Nonetheless the narration has improvedThis sequel I must admit was a big letdown they took what was a challenging strategic game for PC and dummed it down to a button mashing console game. The combat system in DA: O was a bit slow but turning every kill into a messy kill just makes it boring, every time I slice a group of foes in half with one swing I feel like pulling out my hair...aah! Nonetheless the narration has improved though the story has suffered, regurgitating codex from the previous game no use reading them. I must say I was very disappointed with the leveling up too, who told them to dumb it down to attributes and abilities that clearly don't add anything as I can hack all foes to death with normal attacks. I must say that the graphics though are better and the narration actually gets you to like your character.
    I don't see myself playing it the 4 times I have played through DA: O( maybe one more play through is in order to remember a true masterclass).That said my only salvation is that the Witcher is coming out later this year I hope they don't disappoint    … Expand
  4. NixSar
    Mar 14, 2011
    4
    I've waited for this game filled with hope that it will be at least as good as its excellent predecessor, but as soon as I've started it, quite honestly I was at a loss for words. I still am, but I will still write a couple of lines in hope to, if nothing else, feel better about buying it. Everything immediately felt wrong - the graphics looked weird - somehow improved, but also somehowI've waited for this game filled with hope that it will be at least as good as its excellent predecessor, but as soon as I've started it, quite honestly I was at a loss for words. I still am, but I will still write a couple of lines in hope to, if nothing else, feel better about buying it. Everything immediately felt wrong - the graphics looked weird - somehow improved, but also somehow completely off and worse (really cannot explain better), the controls clunky, camera erratic, combat system so wildly different to anything before, but after 10 hours of playtime still not getting any better or more familiar in my opinion. The story feels completely disconnected, I have yet to feel any kind of connection to the game, love for the characters or appeal for the storyline and so it goes on and on and on... Not a disaster if viewed without its predecessor in mind, but just a weird, unnecessary game.… Expand
  5. Baalaaxa
    Mar 27, 2011
    4
    Utterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

    I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I even    Utterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

    I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I even welcomed the few compromises for the console versions in the Origins, because despite those alterations it was still basically the same game we all know and love.

    Unfortunately, in Dragon Age 2 they took it all away and created a some kind of deformed monstrosity of a dumbed down hack'n slash action game with adhd-button-mashing-orgy of a combat. No space for tactics or strategies, and the teammates' AI is retarded. Even the abilities/talents system was simplified and aside from few exceptions, worse than in the Origins. To give the game some slack, I won't even go to the graphics thing (which was later remedied a tiny bit by the high-resolution texture pack, at least for PC). The only good thing is the storytelling part (which has always been Bioware's strong suit), and even the story lacks in some parts.

    I honestly can not recommend buying this game for any reason, except if you're so into the story or settings that you think you can bear with the game to the end. I could barely finish the demo when I first played it. I'm so sorry Bioware, but this time, you screwed up. What happened?    … Expand
  6. Hax
    Mar 13, 2011
    4
    Dragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPG games I have played so far and I really loved it.

    But this, so called "sequel" was such a disappointment and it had nothing to do with Origins. I have a very hard time understanding why on earth would Bioware let this game come out when it wasn't even done. The game is full of bugs, very bad graphics, bad story, very short gameplay for being a    Dragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPG games I have played so far and I really loved it.

    But this, so called "sequel" was such a disappointment and it had nothing to do with Origins.

    I have a very hard time understanding why on earth would Bioware let this game come out when it wasn't even done.

    The game is full of bugs, very bad graphics, bad story, very short gameplay for being a RPG game.

    I only recommend getting this game when its less expensive. I paid 50 bucks for a half @ssed game.

    Bioware you should be a shamed!    … Expand
  7. Th3laugh1ngman
    Mar 8, 2011
    4
    While I would like to create a long, fully elaborated review on the game to explain the core features and everything in depth, I honestly cannot, as the game is without much merit whatsoever.
    The combat took a system which felt unrefined in DA:O and rather that improving it and making it better, just completely ruined it to make a system without thought or challenge. Unless you're on hard    While I would like to create a long, fully elaborated review on the game to explain the core features and everything in depth, I honestly cannot, as the game is without much merit whatsoever.
    The combat took a system which felt unrefined in DA:O and rather that improving it and making it better, just completely ruined it to make a system without thought or challenge. Unless you're on hard mode, there is nothing to discuss as far as combat goes, you may as well be watching a film.
    For which matter, the story is far, far below Bioware's standards. Ploddingly written with a conversation wheel that not only dumbs down decisions to their smallest parts with "GOOD BAD SILLY"~esque replies, but are poorly written as they are. Voice acting is a nice touch, however, though it's frequently done without emotion. I'd like to write more on the game, but after a mere few hours with it I honestly have no drive to play it any more. That didn't happen until Orzammar with DA:O.
    Graphics are an utter trainwreck. I'm not even going to go into this. Game outright bugs out, runs horribly or doesn't run at all, despite looking awful WITH an optional HD fix. Utterly pathetic showing on PC.
    If you want the game, do not buy it now. Wait for a sale or a GOTY version with a reduced pricetag. Putting out a game that's blatantly this unfinished and rushed in a year that has many, many blockbuster titles that look stellar is quite frankly a ludicrious move, and Bioware have proven in the past that they are better than this tripe.    … Expand
  8. hokum
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Just dire. Did not think BioWare could make games this bad. Is it the EA effect? This is neither a proper action game nor a proper RPG - it's some mutant ugly hybrid trying to appeal to both types of gamer, and failing. And a cliffhanger ending? So much for epic story - just an ad for some DLC or DA3. The graphics are worse than Dragon Age 1, like some 2005 console port. The combat is justJust dire. Did not think BioWare could make games this bad. Is it the EA effect? This is neither a proper action game nor a proper RPG - it's some mutant ugly hybrid trying to appeal to both types of gamer, and failing. And a cliffhanger ending? So much for epic story - just an ad for some DLC or DA3. The graphics are worse than Dragon Age 1, like some 2005 console port. The combat is just a button mashing cartoon, dumbed down from DA1. LOTS of things have been cut. It's short - like 12 hours for the main campaign. The characters you meet feel lifeless, and the same scenery is recycled. To hide this, BioWare stuck in lots of bink cinematics and sex scenes. Get ready to be fleeced with tons of DLC now that will raise the cost of this disgusting trainwreck to over $100. Last BioWare game I buy â… Expand
  9. symple19
    Mar 8, 2011
    4
    The slovenly PC gamer review is the worst of all. Everything I want to say has been said. Save your money and teach Bioware a lesson

    That is all...
  10. Dylanmc12
    Apr 22, 2011
    4
    A dumbed down collection of kicks in the balls version of ORIGINS. Don't bother. But probally the biggest kick in the balls, is at the very start: You can only pick one race. What a rip-off! That's part of what made Origins so fun! Another kick in the balls, is that they dumped the whole "Go from place to Place" aspect (Another feature that makes Origins so fun) and instead you're stuck inA dumbed down collection of kicks in the balls version of ORIGINS. Don't bother. But probally the biggest kick in the balls, is at the very start: You can only pick one race. What a rip-off! That's part of what made Origins so fun! Another kick in the balls, is that they dumped the whole "Go from place to Place" aspect (Another feature that makes Origins so fun) and instead you're stuck in this boring, lifeless, dumb town with NPCs who keep spouting the words "Hello. Hawke, is it?" every time you get within a 5-feet radious of them. GAAH!!… Expand
  11. Ghengiz
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    I would much rather replay Dragon Age Origins than have spent money on something that is not as well polished as I have come to expect. It's not horribad, it's just not what I wanted. Your mileage may vary.
  12. Arragon
    Mar 8, 2011
    4
    Critics, wow 80+ review average.
    Us poor saps that believe them and have to spend money on the game 60- review and that is probably only because of people voting 100% for no reason other than Love of the dev's previous work.
    Personally combat is terrible- stats, skills, crafting all useless. There are no tactics required. The Story and characters are poor to laughable, don't even get    Critics, wow 80+ review average.
    Us poor saps that believe them and have to spend money on the game 60- review and that is probably only because of people voting 100% for no reason other than Love of the dev's previous work.

    Personally combat is terrible- stats, skills, crafting all useless. There are no tactics required. The Story and characters are poor to laughable, don't even get me started on the childish "romances".. And honestly I've said enough, not wasting anymore time on this abomination.    … Expand
  13. mattv30
    Mar 8, 2011
    4
    I gotta say, this game is utter garbage. You would think that they would improve SOME things from the first DA, but no, they go ahead and make a rpg for ten year olds. Let's add a couple of curse words and then charge people ten bucks for downloadable content on the first day. I mean, you completely disrespected everyone that the first game was made for. The combat is atrocious, theI gotta say, this game is utter garbage. You would think that they would improve SOME things from the first DA, but no, they go ahead and make a rpg for ten year olds. Let's add a couple of curse words and then charge people ten bucks for downloadable content on the first day. I mean, you completely disrespected everyone that the first game was made for. The combat is atrocious, the dialog is too simple, so far the decisions i've made in the game are pointless and have no weight to them. The graphics are a step up though. All you gotta do is look at the main characters last name, hawke, to tell that the developers have no clue on how to make a TRUE rpg game. Hell, the main developer left in the beginning of development! That should have been a sign for me to not buy this game. It is truly one of the most disappointing games i've played in years.… Expand
  14. StumpBeefknob
    Apr 18, 2011
    4
    Yet another example of EA destroying a gaming studio. Bioware started dying when they hooked up with EA. DA2 is a dumbed down extremely linear corridor-style RPG for ADHD meatheads who can't stand being challenged a little. Why are there so many nonsensical interactions happening? Templars witness tons of mages using magic, yet they only react if scripted.... And worst of all, continuouslyYet another example of EA destroying a gaming studio. Bioware started dying when they hooked up with EA. DA2 is a dumbed down extremely linear corridor-style RPG for ADHD meatheads who can't stand being challenged a little. Why are there so many nonsensical interactions happening? Templars witness tons of mages using magic, yet they only react if scripted.... And worst of all, continuously recycling maps in an RPG...!? Epic fail of a money grab. Studio execs are catering to the mindless spend-happy platform gamers and we end up with all these overly simplified and utterly easy games that feel like you're running down endless hallways. RIP Bioware.… Expand
  15. mt2e
    Mar 8, 2011
    4
    This is a complete insult of a game, an obvious attempt to milk the cashcow. BioWare's reputation has taken a hit because of this game. This is a review of the PC version which is a port of console version. Before I get into the PC aspects I will open the bag and say that BioWare flat-out lied about the console version having auto-attack. They knew that feature would not be included,This is a complete insult of a game, an obvious attempt to milk the cashcow. BioWare's reputation has taken a hit because of this game. This is a review of the PC version which is a port of console version. Before I get into the PC aspects I will open the bag and say that BioWare flat-out lied about the console version having auto-attack. They knew that feature would not be included, after openly saying it WOULD be included but admitted a mear 12 hours before release that their had "been a mistake". A BOLD FACE LIE.

    Onto the PC version thoughts.

    The conversation is dribble, utter dribble. For a RPG to have such a uninteresting story, AND method of story telling in a AAA title is insulting. Pressing escape is half the gameplay time, because the story is garbage. Camera view is horrible, worse then the first game. Another sign that the game was rushed. They didnt want to put in the resources in order to make this happen.

    The characters are uninspiring, very generic. The textures are uneven. Some a good while other are unacceptable.

    The combat is the only thing acceptable. If they had completely removed all story and dialog and just stuck with combat, called it a hack and slash and not named it dragon age, I would be a happy camper. I would have not been suckerpunched.

    The fact their really is no point to the inventory system considering they cherry picked what items could be equipped, shows a complete sense of ineptitude. They refused to put in the effort for "Items" and made 10% effort in what is considered baseline expectation. Considering in the first game you could pick a multitude of races to be, in this they allow for only ONE shows their lack of consideration for anybody interested in this genre.

    BioWare: Focus groups, critic bribery, lies and excuses won't save you from the laughing stock this game is, I'm sorry the only thing u can do is laugh all the way to the bank because this game is a joke and I hope you all are proud of yourselves.


    P.S. Don't F'up ME3 or the MMO.....Fool me once shame on you fool me twice......    … Expand
  16. Tipjar
    Mar 21, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My experience with Dragon Age 2 has been a complete mess (similar to all the Bioware/EA PR incidents that have been happening lately) since I picked the game up on release date, fully regretting it. While the presentation, graphics and sound of the game are bordering on average the biggest difficulty lies with this less than mediocre game relying on the name of it's predecessor for sales while failing in all the areas that should have been improved. While the graphical style is good and does make for a nice looking game the extremely low resolution textures and terrible models of certain people in Kirkwall stand out extremely badly, not only that but because every location in the game is repeated ad naueseum you notice it every single time. There is literally nothing in the soundtrack that stands out compared to some of the tracks in DA:O that really drives home the point that the composer mentioned in an IGN interview about being rushed by EA to push the game out as soon as possible. Now it is the gameplay that really causes the game to fall apart and where the poor work that was put into the game is clearest. The two main portions of the game- combat and conversation- were terribly done due to their desire to appeal to as many non-RPG fans as possible without attempting to cater to their true fanbase, the most insulting part of the game. The combat was pointless and repetitive where fights without 20 enemies falling out of the sky as reinforcements was an oddity and a severe lack of tactics became obvious as I never had to make custom tactics on the hard difficulty. Conversation under the mass effect wheel was even worse than it was in mass effect with the vaguest statements being available on your "choices" which hardly change a thing in the game and only give you an illusion of having a decision. Not only that but the story was so terribly written it must be embarrassing for anyone from the original DA:O team to play through it: a refugee where everyone that you care about dies, constant fast-forwarding that give you no incite on your character, random plot devices being thrown in such as the lyrium idol turning into Meredith's sword which seemed more like a "HEY REMEMBER THIS FROM 3-6 YEARS AGO?", random DA:O cameos that make absolutely no sense without explanation, stupid decisions by NPCs that they make for no reason and without any explanation such as Orlin using blood magic, Merril being kidnapped without any mention and still having the ability to use her to save her from her own kidnapping, terribly written romances (obviously Twilight referenced)... I can't keep going on without feeling sad for the state of this sequel, Bioware and the current direction video games are taking. There isn't even any lasting appeal to the game as you already play through the same area 100 times by the end of the game anyway. The idea about centering the story and game around a single city and how it was influenced by your character and what changed during your life isn't a bad idea but the implementation where nothing else changes in the scenery and absolutely everything remains the same for the 7 years of gameplay just pulls away from any semblance of immersion this game can give you. Just save your money, you'll find way better RPGs from budget studios than you will from Bioware now it seems.… Expand
  17. malautomedonte
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    I've played the first part of the game (PC version). Well, DA2 is absolutely below any average expectation, an insult to RPG games: the combat mechanics are directly mutuated by a consolish system which simply brings the player to "press a button repeatedly" (or by clicking in my case)... And "something awesome" DOESN'T HAPPEN. Animations are mediocre and feels like watching a japaneseI've played the first part of the game (PC version). Well, DA2 is absolutely below any average expectation, an insult to RPG games: the combat mechanics are directly mutuated by a consolish system which simply brings the player to "press a button repeatedly" (or by clicking in my case)... And "something awesome" DOESN'T HAPPEN. Animations are mediocre and feels like watching a japanese cartoon. During dialogues, npc's are stuck like mannequins and facial animations are poor. Did I say dialogues? Oh, yes... Dialogues are simply awful, are they written by a 12 years old boy? They are poor in content and in words themselves, with no "verve" and inspiration, the same fantasy rpg-like pattern always replicated. Well... Wow! Technically the game is discreet, neither generous in details, nor scandalously lacking of polygons (don't expect something great anyway). To finish, the plot isn't interesting at all, there is a sensation of deja-vu everywhere, and voice acting doesn't help. A reccomendation: don't buy this game and wait for The Witcher 2.… Expand
  18. Venatir
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Boring button-mashing combat, okey story, dull dialogues, lame dialogue options.

    Overall, should not be classified as an RPG. Way too linear and laughable so-called "romance".
  19. thecrius
    Mar 15, 2011
    4
    Playing this game is like having "just" sex with the same girl for more than 1 months. Boring.

    That's your Waterloo, Bioware, Let's put down the hats.
  20. LtBill
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Bioware went the wrong way to create a Hack&Slay so Console players would enjoy it! But the PC-players are disappointed.

    I pre ordered the game and got it yesterday. And i was shocked after i played it for more than 3 hours. The Story is so lame. And the HD texture Pack is just the try of Bioware to satisfy the pc-player
  21. pppotamo
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Terrible decepción. Se ha consolidado el juego en PC. ¿Ha esto ha quedado reducido el legado de Baldur´s gate?
    Graficos desfasados, falta la visión cenital.
    Parche con texturas de casi 1GB tras su venta.
  22. TheMitherer
    Mar 10, 2011
    4
    I thought that DA:O (decent game though it was) was the beginning of the end for Bioware and this just confirms it. Bioware have, in the past, given me more value for money than I could ever hope for. And for that I am ever grateful. But this game, this game is a disgrace. Companions I know little about and a main character that I care about even less. Extremely repetitive dungeons, lackI thought that DA:O (decent game though it was) was the beginning of the end for Bioware and this just confirms it. Bioware have, in the past, given me more value for money than I could ever hope for. And for that I am ever grateful. But this game, this game is a disgrace. Companions I know little about and a main character that I care about even less. Extremely repetitive dungeons, lack of any driven storyline, poor artwork, far too much (oversimplified) combat in any given period of time, environments pared down to the bone, uninspiring weapons, uninspiring armor, uninspiring enemies, not a few essential elements deliberately left out so that they can be put back in via DLC. The list does not end here.

    This game is just disrespectful to all fans of Bioware. It is so obvious that it was rushed purely for money making purposes without any care for fans or even for Bioware's own integrity. Their marketing department nowadays is tacky, untruthful and quickly becoming synonymous with unadulterated greed on one hand and total BS on the other. It's fine making money boys, but where the hell has your pride gone?

    I thought I'd get double digit playthoughs of DA:O. I managed 2. I tuned out of this one after 10 hours. I'll give you this one Bioware. I'll give you this one because you have done fantastically well by me in the past. But please, get your pride and integrity back.    … Expand
  23. V2Rocket
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Turned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, overTurned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, over promise and under deliver. If you like God-Of-War, but find it too complex, pretty and polished, you might want to consider buying DA2.… Expand
  24. jhoncarmack
    Mar 12, 2011
    4
    I still do not believe in like Bioware sold out so well for EA, and transform one of the best RPGs of all time in a toxic **** like DA2 specially made based on the consoles, and the worst is that I played all versions and all are garbage.
  25. Varjo
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    What an utter disappointment. DA 2 feels like god of war. I have trouble even calling it a real role playing game, conversation options are simple and dumbed down, decision making is relatively unimportant, gameplay remains quite linear. The world is small, the story uninspiring, the voice acting is some of Bioware's worst. As far as combat goes, it really feels dumbed down from DA:OWhat an utter disappointment. DA 2 feels like god of war. I have trouble even calling it a real role playing game, conversation options are simple and dumbed down, decision making is relatively unimportant, gameplay remains quite linear. The world is small, the story uninspiring, the voice acting is some of Bioware's worst. As far as combat goes, it really feels dumbed down from DA:O (which already felt dumbed down to me). Animations are overdone and the art direction is absolutely ridiculous. To top it all off, levels are recycled to an absurd degree and the game runs like crap on Nvidia hardware despite not looking especially great.… Expand
  26. reallyrichguy
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    My feeling is that if your going to copy a Final Fantasy game make it FF7 rather than 12. To be honest Bioware should have had the decency to remove the party and go with a single protagonist, instead of perpetuating the farce that this is a sequel to a really good modern rpg. Take my advice, if your looking for an immersive, challenging and fun rpg experience with a great story go toMy feeling is that if your going to copy a Final Fantasy game make it FF7 rather than 12. To be honest Bioware should have had the decency to remove the party and go with a single protagonist, instead of perpetuating the farce that this is a sequel to a really good modern rpg. Take my advice, if your looking for an immersive, challenging and fun rpg experience with a great story go to GOG.com and buy Baldur's Gate 2. Hell, break out your old PS2 and fire up FF7, you'll thank me.… Expand
  27. Judge3030
    Mar 10, 2011
    4
    The first game was very good. This is just crap. I liken it to the step backwards neverwinter nights 2 was when compared with the first neverwinter nights.
  28. Edelweiss
    Mar 22, 2011
    4
    this game is mass game culture triumph:
    1..all game aspects are simplified - EA has to attract mass consumers
    2. game was made really fast - productivity is important
    3. Just about everything in this game feels as being below average due to above-mentioned; Playing this game is like eating Mcdonadl;s junk food; how about new term for this type of games - Mcgame? RIP Bioware
  29. desmond
    Mar 10, 2011
    4
    Dragon Age II is a slap in the face of CRPG fans. The combat system has been revamped to an action-oriented style. The aerial tactical view from the first game is gone. Targeting specific enemies is often problematic, due to the limited camera view.
    The graphics are average, and not on par with Mass Effect 2. A dialogue system, similar to the Mass Effect series, is used in Dragon Age II.    Dragon Age II is a slap in the face of CRPG fans. The combat system has been revamped to an action-oriented style. The aerial tactical view from the first game is gone. Targeting specific enemies is often problematic, due to the limited camera view.
    The graphics are average, and not on par with Mass Effect 2. A dialogue system, similar to the Mass Effect series, is used in Dragon Age II. You'll get to choose from a set of paraphrased dialogue options rather than full text lines. These paraphrased dialogue options rarely have the expected result, which turns the dialogue system into a confusing guessing game.
    Most of the game takes place in Kirkwall. There are only a few outside locations. Several cave maps are identical, despite the relatively small game world.
    The item system, or more precisely party management, has taken a turn for the worse. You only have full control over the equipment for your main character. You can't change the armor of your party members.

    Bioware turned Dragon Age II into an action RPG, and tailored it for consoles. They simplified the dialogue system, added hack-and-slash combat, and removed a fundamental RPG feature - the party members equipment management. Dragon Age II has some good points like storytelling, but that's about it. The bad parts outweigh the good ones. It's sad to see a company, which released a masterpiece like Baldur's Gate II, fall to such a low level.    … Expand
  30. The013
    Mar 14, 2011
    4
    I rated DA2 4/10. Let me explain why I deducted 6 points from maximum to get this score.
    First: you cannot equip your party members. This is an RPG for god's sake and most of the equipment you find gets trashed as it cannot be used by anyone except the PC. Sorry Bioware, this is not how RPGs work.
    Second: dumbed down dialogue system. Again, RPG means role playing. How can you "play the    I rated DA2 4/10. Let me explain why I deducted 6 points from maximum to get this score.
    First: you cannot equip your party members. This is an RPG for god's sake and most of the equipment you find gets trashed as it cannot be used by anyone except the PC. Sorry Bioware, this is not how RPGs work.
    Second: dumbed down dialogue system. Again, RPG means role playing. How can you "play the role" if you have no idea what your character is about to say?
    Third: copy-pasted locations. You will spend a lot of time there and you will learn them by heart. One particular foundry is where three different quests take place. Four quests will have you search one particular warehouse. All caves are similar, etc blah-blah-blah. Trust me, you will be tired of visiting the same locations over and over again.
    Fourth: glaring errors in lore and storyline. The dalish camp stays in one place for six years even though they are supposed to move. Mages (mostly enemy mages but your companions as well) can teleport even though official "laws of magic" say this is impossible. And I'm just scratching the surface here.
    Fifth: boring combat. Bioware designers believe that sending in waves after waves of enemies on party from all sides is challenging. It is not, it's stupid, unimaginative and overly repetitive. First I was outright laughing at enemies appearing out of thin air then it just became annoying. And by the way, you can throw tactics out of the window too: what point is "trying to hold a chokepoint" as in-game tips suggest when you have enemies popping out of nowhere all over the place?
    Sixth: immutable storyline. Sure, your hero does have a profound impact on the game world but your choices are of little, if any significance.
    There's only one thing that does matter in DA2 - the story. It is indeed set in stone but it is great and keeps you moving forward despite all of the game drawbacks. I suggest to knock down the difficulty level to Easy and just enjoy the narrative. Pretend you're watching an interactive movie and you might actually enjoy it - even though the endless battles can still bore you down to death.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best PC Game of 2011
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
19
#19 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 45
  3. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 18, 2011
    90
    Moving even further from the classic RPG, strong story and clever combat are nonetheless still found within Dragon Age II. [May 2011, p.52]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Apr 12, 2011
    58
    Despite some advancement in storytelling approach and liberal borrowing from Bioware's Mass Effect approach to gameplay, Dragon Age 2 on the PC has a lot of bugs and is populated with re-used settings that make this feel like a play performed on a stage with two sets.
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  3. CPUGamer
    Apr 11, 2011
    85
    For a rushed product that is still battling bugs, the currently offered product still provides 40 hours of challenging and engaging gameplay. This combines to provide a good, but not great gaming experience.
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