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. AgentLvi
    Jun 18, 2023
    8
    Great game. The story is decent. The scoring is great, visual is really amazing, the voice & sound is also amazing
  2. TianLong1
    Mar 31, 2023
    8
    Better graphics and more stylish fights than in Dragon Age origins, but you cant really move around the world like you did before because you are stuck in one city. The fight system is more action-focused and the animations are very cool, every hit feels impactful so i can see what the devs were going for. The relationship and romance system are still in the game and they can have anBetter graphics and more stylish fights than in Dragon Age origins, but you cant really move around the world like you did before because you are stuck in one city. The fight system is more action-focused and the animations are very cool, every hit feels impactful so i can see what the devs were going for. The relationship and romance system are still in the game and they can have an impact later on, the story is rather compelling because it makes you want to take side one way or the other.… Expand
  3. cheerful_dirge
    Dec 21, 2022
    8
    The game doesn't deserve so much hate. It's still a good game despite the small game world. The atmosphere, plot and companions are excellent.
  4. Hochbichler
    Jul 28, 2022
    8
    Dragon Age II is a second installment in the classic fantasy RPG series Dragon Age. It is set after the blight, in a different part of the world, you play a different character than in Dragon Age: Origins, but the overall Dragon Age atmosphere is still here. I want to start with the negatives this times. The most important one for me is pretty general. Several major game aspects areDragon Age II is a second installment in the classic fantasy RPG series Dragon Age. It is set after the blight, in a different part of the world, you play a different character than in Dragon Age: Origins, but the overall Dragon Age atmosphere is still here. I want to start with the negatives this times. The most important one for me is pretty general. Several major game aspects are simplified versions from the DA:O. Companions no longer have armor slots, only weapons and trinkets, that does not make any sense to me at all. The tactical view is mostly gone, AOE ridiculously sticks to targets, which will make your life hell. The intro/tutorial in the Ferelden mountains look terribly bleak, I remember I could not believe that this was supposed to be an improvement of DA:O the first time I played this game. All the dungeons and caves use the same model, just some doors are sometimes blocked. That also seems like a very amateurish idea. All in all, the developers rushed this game, developed it in a little over year and it shows. However it does not make the game bad, far from it. The companions are again great and you really built strong friendships and rivalries and romantic relationships with them, that is easily the strongest aspect of the game for me. I do not hate the idea that the game is set within one city, but I would expect more parts of the city to be explorable. The story happens over 6 years and deals mostly with the good old story of mages vs. templars. There is a number of well written and interesting side quests, which present you with the typical vast array of choices, some of which are pretty harsh. I really enjoyed that part. The enemies lack greater diversity and the fights can get repetitive. The game font sucks, should be replaced with DA:O font from a mod. The difficulty seems to be pretty balanced for an RPG. Also the very end does not make much sense and feels very forced if you side with the templars all the time. This game has plenty of Horse Armor type microtransactions, no SJW politics. I played on Nightmare difficulty. Total playtime with both major DLCs: 82 hours.

    DLCs: Many, many Horse Armor DLCs. Only major ones are:

    Legacy - A nice little dark excursion underground and foreshadowing for the Inquisition. This should have been the story of Corypheus. Final boss fight is by far the longest in the game.

    Mark of the Assassin - Qunari spy game in Orlais. This whole story seemed a little far-fetched and the she-elf is very annoying. Contains the most difficult fight in the entire game (for me) - sky cult arcane horror.

    The Exiled Prince - Adds a companion with an interesting backstory. Honestly, not anyone's favorite, but plays well into your anti-mage setup or as (poor) Varric substitution.

    Dragon Age II has plenty faults when compared to its predecessor, but strangely I still have a very good feeling from this playthrough. This is not the one that ruined Dragon Age. Final Verdict: 84 %    … Expand
  5. xboy1024
    Jul 19, 2022
    8
    Pros
    +Story
    +Gameplay

    Neutral
    Graphics

    Cons
    -Just a few locations
    -The same 2-3 cave and room types are used repeatedly
  6. hyoputer
    May 7, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The story of Kirkwell was better than just saving world story. and I loved friendly/rivalry system. Dialogue words were still ambiguous, it's not good, I couldn't expect how Hawke said. And using same maps was very disappointed. But, It was great sequel of DAO.… Expand
  7. ANTtheKNEEEE
    Dec 6, 2021
    8
    Really not as bad as people make it out to be. It's only because of how good the first one is. It is definitely a downgrade but in my opinion, the combat is more fun, and the great lore and story are still there. The bads are just the limitations to the map/game world.
  8. Woolee
    Sep 29, 2021
    8
    Going into this game, I had extremely high hopes, most of which were smashed against the cliffs of mediocrity. Dragon Age II is nothing more than a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the incredible success that was Dragon Age: Origins. That said, the game has both positive and negative features that one must take into account.
  9. Asp_klg40
    Aug 10, 2021
    8
    The main plus in this game is that this is one of the few RPGs where you don't need to save the world. We play as an ordinary person with simple desires (status, money, position in society, love). This is what is lacking in RPG games - the ability to play as a human character and not just another superman. As for the minuses, enough has been written about them, I will not repeat myself
    ...
  10. zodak
    May 24, 2021
    8
    well, i completed DA2 yesterday and I can actually say for the most of the time I enjoyed it. maybe that's because I can overlook weaknesses. i know it has issues. you've seen one dungeon, you've seen them all. it's not as good as DAO, but the hard truth is, I still liked it nonetheless and that's all that matters to me. still has nice characters and let's be honest; who wouldn't reload awell, i completed DA2 yesterday and I can actually say for the most of the time I enjoyed it. maybe that's because I can overlook weaknesses. i know it has issues. you've seen one dungeon, you've seen them all. it's not as good as DAO, but the hard truth is, I still liked it nonetheless and that's all that matters to me. still has nice characters and let's be honest; who wouldn't reload a lot of times just to start a romance with Isabela.… Expand
  11. Topfpflanze
    Apr 21, 2021
    8
    Perhaps surprisingly, I find this game immersive and beautiful. Yet the story is so linear that every decision made by the player basically leads to the same result indiscriminately. Many scenes are cheaply made: copies of their predecessors, some well-known corridors taped shut, others opened. But it's all told in such a rousing way that it's still fun to play. Until, at the end, thePerhaps surprisingly, I find this game immersive and beautiful. Yet the story is so linear that every decision made by the player basically leads to the same result indiscriminately. Many scenes are cheaply made: copies of their predecessors, some well-known corridors taped shut, others opened. But it's all told in such a rousing way that it's still fun to play. Until, at the end, the difficulty level suddenly increases from "beginner" to "advanced". Maybe it's not a good role-playing game, but it's a great story told.… Expand
  12. gotterpotter56
    Jan 29, 2021
    8
    Игра оказалась не так уж и плохой, как говорят другие. Из минусов: однообразные локации, тонны врагов (для меня это показалось минусом). Из плюсов : сюжет, красочная боевка, прописанные персонажи (это всегда был главный козырь bioware). В общем мне игра понравилась!Игра оказалась не так уж и плохой, как говорят другие. Из минусов: однообразные локации, тонны врагов (для меня это показалось минусом). Из плюсов : сюжет, красочная боевка, прописанные персонажи (это всегда был главный козырь bioware). В общем мне игра понравилась!
  13. TudorPopescu
    Nov 1, 2020
    10
    Dragon Age: Origins was a stellar RPG and there were very high expectations for its sequel. So is Dragon Age II as good or even better than Origins? No, but I still think it's a competent RPG who deserves a chance. However, if you're expecting Dragon Age: Origins 2, then you'll probably be a bit disappointed by this one.

    The biggest change in Dragon Age II is the combat system. It's    Dragon Age: Origins was a stellar RPG and there were very high expectations for its sequel. So is Dragon Age II as good or even better than Origins? No, but I still think it's a competent RPG who deserves a chance. However, if you're expecting Dragon Age: Origins 2, then you'll probably be a bit disappointed by this one.

    The biggest change in Dragon Age II is the combat system. It's more fast-paced, less tactical, and more streamlined. The main character is also voiced now. These aren't inherently bad things, they're just different. Personally, I don't mind them.

    The new companions are easily the best thing in Dragon Age II. They're very interesting. I enjoyed building up my relationship with them and finding out more about them.

    What I didn't like was the fact there isn't a lot of geographic diversity. Pretty much the entire game takes place in one city. But to its credit, that does make sense in the context of the story.

    Dragon Age II is a good RPG. I had fun playing it. Most of the negative reactions are from people who wanted more Dragon Age: Origins. Dragon Age II isn't Origins. It's different. And not as good. But people are way too harsh on it. Give it a chance.    … Expand
  14. GVB
    Oct 30, 2020
    8
    So many bad critics for a great game... ok, i get it: it is not so good as DA: Origins, but it has a much more interesting main questline, and a much more focused story. So... an 8, maybe? The development of the game was rushed. And the companions are not as interesting/lovable as Origins or, of course, Inquisition, but even with that... It has some things that are brilliant.
  15. kabskannar12
    Apr 19, 2020
    8
    Despite being overshadowed by the first game, I find Dragon Age 2 as much fun as it is. Despite everything, this game is good and I definitely like to try it. It does not deserve all of the bad comments written about it.
  16. Hawk0
    Sep 13, 2019
    10
    Мне игра понравилась, довольно простой сюжет. Геимлей могло быть и лучше, за-то за ним интересно смотреть.
  17. Daggerrim
    Mar 19, 2019
    8
    The things I like and dislike about DA2
    Like 1. Great story
    Like 2. Great companions
    Like 3. Great level-up system

    Dislike 1. Gameplay
    Dislike 2. Cannot change armor for companions
    Dislike 3. Money is to easy to get and you never really spend it
  18. Ensaabahnur
    Mar 8, 2019
    8
    Good sequel to Dragon Age Origins but it feel more like a side story than a true sequel, but i still enjoyed it greatly. A bit annoying is the constant reuse of locations but i got over it.
  19. asunder
    Feb 28, 2019
    10
    Real fun playing as a mage, just bunch them up and roast 'em with firestorm & tempest, or auto atk with haste. Took about 30+ hrs ingame
  20. Karoli
    Aug 25, 2018
    8
    I was very disappointed the first time I tried this game. Then it grows on me after a while. To enjoy this game, you need to let go of Dragon Age: Origin and have 0 expectation, because it is different from the first game. You also need to correct some of its flaws with mods. The story is pretty good and the characters are very interesting. Far from being as memorable as the first one,I was very disappointed the first time I tried this game. Then it grows on me after a while. To enjoy this game, you need to let go of Dragon Age: Origin and have 0 expectation, because it is different from the first game. You also need to correct some of its flaws with mods. The story is pretty good and the characters are very interesting. Far from being as memorable as the first one, but decent if you take it for what it is. Still a shame that this game seems to be a rush job because it could have been a real masterpiece with a little more love...… Expand
  21. worshipthesquid
    Apr 20, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon Age II has a strong story, a decent combat system and an atmosphere and personality that endures in both characters and, despite its continuously recycled areas, setting. Moving from darkspawn to the threats of mage-Chantry conflict and international tensions played out on a local level was a good move that builds on the brilliant political elements of the first game and its DLC, allowing you to stick around for the effects of your actions on ordinary people by dint of more or less being one. Unfortunately, Dragon Age II doesn't take the opportunity to create more varied grinding combat encounters - and unlike the first game and its darkspawn, no theme of a huge, swarming, identical enemy is served by the repeated street thug encounters; crime in the city isn't even necessarily your enemy, story-wise. The written quests are generally good and story-contributing, though, the lore is conveyed engagingly through gameplay, and the main story and companion quests and story arcs are fun to play, well written and well acted. Perhaps most impressively, the game pulls off a story with themes - of the mage-templar issue, forgiveness and belonging - that seem complex rather than muddled while retaining a significant player influence on individual character arcs and direction.

    Overall: the gameplay (especially in combat) could fit the story better, and the repetitive environments generally fail to capitalise on the major theme of belonging and citizenship and the opportunities presented by a mostly static city setting by creating a strong sense of place, though the day/night map division is a step in the right direction. Maybe looting the same cave o' bandits ten times... reinforces... a sense of familiarity with your surroundings? Ugh no it's bad. But what comes out is a game that, impossibly, does a creditable job of not just continuing or repeating Origins' story but creating a new story that manages to keep and develop the down-to-earth, muddy feeling of the first game without sacrificing all of the far-reaching consequences and broader international story. Along with combat changes and the shift from a frequently traversed Ferelden-sized map to a game that takes place mostly in one city, this change from the first game's epic save-the-world scope to a smaller-scale, save-some-people-in-your-city story is probably responsible for a lot of disappointment with Dragon Age II, but for me it ultimately holds up well both as a sequel and as an individual game. I'm glad they put effort into making a markedly different game rather than capitalising on the success of the original by repeating a similar story.    … Expand
  22. RagingPoet
    Feb 6, 2018
    8
    Yes, it is worse than original Dragon Age, but it doesn't make it a bad game. It is still a good RPG but with smaller game world and less epic story.
  23. OberiousLocke
    Dec 14, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A sound improvement over 1st game. Graphical quality vastly improved despite being on the same engine. The terrain doesn't look so funky anymore, the armor is nice and varied (though this is mostly due to Allies having their own outfits that you can just upgrade with things instead)

    The gameplay is buttery smooth compared to Origins, so that you can now land more than one hit every hour or two as a warrior or rogue. Excellent, easily lovable characters, a fairly simple but well-written story that had me begging to slice up some Templar zealots by the end of it.

    I very much like how it did away with the black/white approval system from the first game, and how it actually remembers my personality choices (Sarcastic Hawke is best Hawke) and instead gives the Friend/Rival system where unless you go around murdering babies you don't really have to risk losing a team member, which is nice considering I successfully managed to lose my healer in Origins.

    They've still got the stat system, which I was never too keen on but it's been a bit simplified so if you want, you can just focus on the main stats for your class (Dexterity for rogue, for instance) but you'll probably have a bad time if you don't invest in stamina as a warrior or cunning as a rogue. On the upside the talent system just as good with different sets and playstyles to pick from. As a rogue you can play the silent killer brandishing daggers, the expert marksman with a bow, or one of the above augmented with stuns and smoke bombs.

    It does have some down sides when compared to the first game. You're still given 3 classes to pick from, but are locked into being a human instead of a elf or dwarf. It takes place in a relatively small area of the world of Thedas, in the Free March city of Kirkwall and the surrounding area. The thing about this is (and what some people seem to forget) that Origins was essentially just a bunch of prefab area's assembled in a few varied layouts, much like the original Mass Effect, so 2 still wins out over Origins for me. DA2 is still guilty of this, but to a lesser extent I feel like. I also feel that Kirkwall is a very engrossing place. Lowtown actually feels like a slum, Hightown actually feels like a rich snob's district. Given that part of the prologue and the first act, you are one of the people living in Lowtown, it really fits. I do feel like it's a bit easy to trivialize even the greatest of enemies, my rogue having knocked out a high dragon in about 30 seconds or less. There are also a few balance issues. I may have been building them wrong but both warrior and mages feel really wimpy, where in the first game both were perfectly overpowered and rogue was a bit weaker.

    Really, it's not as bad as people make it out to be, though. If you really loved Origins, chances are you'll enjoy the second one.    … Expand
  24. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  25. BilboBaggins123
    Nov 9, 2016
    8
    I dont understand why everyone hates this game. Sure origins is better but i have no regrets after playing this game and encourage everyone to try it.
  26. Azazelll
    Jul 14, 2016
    10
    After Dragon Age Inquisition I realized that Dragon age 2 is very good game. Arcade combat system, a lot of simplification of gameplay, but it is still the era of the dragon, dark, cruel, merciless. In contrast to the anime about a hero with a magic hand.
  27. FishForce
    May 22, 2016
    8
    I have played the entire game, and i have to say that this game is heavily underrated by the users.
    Ok the game starts very very very slow before the real story starts to begin what its really about.
    You wil see a lot of the same locations which is the downside of this game, but the ending story makes this entire game it well worth it... most of the negative users only play a part of the    I have played the entire game, and i have to say that this game is heavily underrated by the users.
    Ok the game starts very very very slow before the real story starts to begin what its really about.
    You wil see a lot of the same locations which is the downside of this game, but the ending story makes this entire game it well worth it... most of the negative users only play a part of the game but never really finish it.This game is no were worth a 0 to 4 ... which some user gave it...    … Expand
  28. moonlight_shado
    Dec 7, 2015
    8
    For me this game is amazing. It is really dark fantasy this time, not like before a cute pinky colors all the time and bad guys with lovely personality . Companions seems to be more realistic and well written. Varricks sense of humor is smashing and for other companions you really care about. In previous DA i didn't particularly like anyone, they all seems to be the same. Combat turn to aFor me this game is amazing. It is really dark fantasy this time, not like before a cute pinky colors all the time and bad guys with lovely personality . Companions seems to be more realistic and well written. Varricks sense of humor is smashing and for other companions you really care about. In previous DA i didn't particularly like anyone, they all seems to be the same. Combat turn to a full time action game which is good thing. Dont get me wrong im not fun of brainless action from slasher kind of game and i really love classics i.ex. BG2 but DA:O wasn't classic in the first place i found the exploration and combat management very unresponsive and scripted so much, so it is better this way where you can handel enemies like in the Witcher games or any proper action rpg game. Bioware tried something different this time and it worked for some people, but not necessary for fanboys who don't even try to see the beauty of this game because it is not Origins 2. Story (in a story :)) is separated from the previous and this time is more local. You are not the chosen one from the very beginning but you help more local folks and your self to begin with, to find a better life in this place of conflict. Im fidingt his part of DA to be deep, exciting and exactly to my liking. It's kinda Mass Effect 2 in the DA world. I only agree with the fact there is not much room for exploration. game looks unfinished and like the real potential is hiding there. One of a few games with very unfair score as it is a brilliant game with extraordinary story and gameplay.… Expand
  29. diaper
    Nov 27, 2015
    10
    A masterpiece. Unlike previous boring Bioware games like Mass Effect 1 and 2 and Dragon Age: Origins this game is actually fun and has fun gameplay. The characters are cool and it is just a great game. Also, it is better than the game Undertale.
  30. XxSoULxMaNxX
    Oct 25, 2015
    9
    The limited environment/game world is a negative. Otherwise, after enhancing just about every enhance-able aspect, who can deny the appeal of strange Merrill, Isabela (who basically forced me to "romance" her), getting the mansion, the Qunari in the city all with the fast-paced, no frills combat - this game is a solid, undeniable 9.
  31. MeritCoba
    Oct 2, 2015
    8
    At a certain point it dawns on the player that he or she is not that hero possessed with that unique capability to save the world from an impending doom that will otherwise thrust the whole continent into an enduring dark age of torment. This is not a game akin to its predecessor nor akin to its successor. It is something new.. and it failed to entice the maddening crowd.

    The story is    At a certain point it dawns on the player that he or she is not that hero possessed with that unique capability to save the world from an impending doom that will otherwise thrust the whole continent into an enduring dark age of torment. This is not a game akin to its predecessor nor akin to its successor. It is something new.. and it failed to entice the maddening crowd.

    The story is remarkable, not only for it's content, but most notably for the way it unfolds. The game is told in hindsight by the dwarf Varric to the seeker Cassandra and he isn't above embellishing his tale. This we see from the start. When the game kicks in the player is thrust right into a fight that (s)he easily wins because (s)he is superbly overpowered. The players sister Bethany breasts are noteworthy to say the least, because that is the way Varric likes his ladies. After this introduction the player gets to play for real.. but now (s)he isn't so powerful anymore and Bethany is far less provided with bosom.
    Somewhat later into the game we see another example of his 'tall tales' when he describes how he single handly kills a group of bad guys and you get to play that ridiculous scene. Once it has ended, you get to replay it again.. but now how it really went down.

    This is not another rehash of the Lord of the Rings, where the heroes travel far and wide to stop some incredible evil by destroying a ring, this is a tale about someone who makes his way up the ladder of power in a small city on the coast of some forgotten continent. The underlying theme is a conflict between those who see magic as a benign force and those who see the dangers. There are fanatics on both sides and you have to navigate your way between the contending forces..

    On top of that is the power struggle between the city on the one hand and Qunari on the other, which you have to resolve eventually. It leads to one of the hardest fights in the game, or the easiest depending on your class.

    Eventually the conflict between magic users and its detractors will burst into the open and when the end credits role you have become merely the one who holds the power, not that great hero that stopped a doom by sacrificing his or her live.

    Added to this are a set of interesting characters with extensive backgrounds, always a novelty. There is Avelline, an awesome fighter who has her own ideas on how the law should be maintained. There is Anders, someone who is hard to like, but has his own take on the conflict between the magic users and the priest, because he is a hard core magic user. There is Merril, apparently a much hated character for reason I cannot fantom, unless you can abide that someone cute can also be someone very dangerous. There is Isabela, not quite the thief in the party, but still an interesting character. The only one I truly disliked was Fenris, but then everyone has his or her likes and his or her dislikes.
    Each character in Dragon Age II has a whole personality.

    This then makes basically for a good story, with good characters, with a good background which is way better than the average crap that is served with games like Skyrim or Divinity.. Unfortunately it is almost completely undone by the lack luster gaming experience.

    Gamers want to loot stuff and do not care much for a story unless it is one that caters to their expectations. They want to be special and feel special and make a difference by stopping the world from that impending doom.
    Hence Dragon Age III rightly returned to what Dragon Age I was. A smart move, but regretful in a way for with it any novelty in writing went down the toilet. The future of stories for big budget game is bleak: it will see heroes with special abilities defeating impending dooms until eternity or the end of the human race, whichever comes first.

    A solid 98 for trying to do something different storywise and succeeding.    … Expand
  32. MenaBanana
    Jun 30, 2015
    10
    This is one of my favorite games. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I enjoyed the feel of the gameplay. I even liked the claustrophobic feel of the maps, because I felt it really enhanced the story. You are trapped, you need to get out. The city is vile, damned, beautifully complex, ready to fall apart with any misstep. You feel this in the graphics, the old wooden structures, theThis is one of my favorite games. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I enjoyed the feel of the gameplay. I even liked the claustrophobic feel of the maps, because I felt it really enhanced the story. You are trapped, you need to get out. The city is vile, damned, beautifully complex, ready to fall apart with any misstep. You feel this in the graphics, the old wooden structures, the crumbling stones. It's a great story. A really enjoyable game. I think so many people were comparing it to the massive, massive da:o that they missed what the game was really about. It's another installment in a series that intends to explore this realm over and over again. Not all stories will be the same, and neither will the games. When it comes to bioware in general, people expect way too much of this company and over react when the slightest things aren't to their liking. Meanwhile bethesda can produce game after game with troupe characters, bare bones of stories, and throw in the sandbox content (you can pick up any item!) and people go mad with glee over the games.

    Different RPGs have different directions. Even in the same IP different games are going to have different directions. Let the designers and artists explore this, instead of expecting them to pump out the same homogenized game over and over again. If you think I'm ignorant of the real issues here, then consider this question: Why can telltale games get praise for the minimalist gaming experience, but bioware can't explore the same idea?

    My opinion is they can, and they have. And they created a game that is 10 times what tell tales has done.    … Expand
  33. pinkytwist
    Jun 19, 2015
    8
    I don't get all the bad reviews for this game. True, the recycled environments are a big negative but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story and the characters, which is always what I look for on a Dragon Age game. I really enjoyed playing as Hawke, I love that she had a personality, a background, family and the companions actually feel like her friends, unlike the Inquisitor in DAI. II don't get all the bad reviews for this game. True, the recycled environments are a big negative but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story and the characters, which is always what I look for on a Dragon Age game. I really enjoyed playing as Hawke, I love that she had a personality, a background, family and the companions actually feel like her friends, unlike the Inquisitor in DAI. I also liked all the little sidequests with interesting NPCs and stories and the fact that they all had cutscenes which makes things feel more personal. And again, unlike DAI.… Expand
  34. owen1218
    Apr 5, 2015
    8
    It's sad this game was skewered so badly by critics, because so many of its advantages were thrown aside in the construction of Inquisition. Yes, clearly there are not nearly enough environments. And it's just really annoying and bad for immersion when enemies pop up out of literally nowhere. But even moreso than Origins (and FAR moreso than Inquisition), I like the fact that my Hawke wasIt's sad this game was skewered so badly by critics, because so many of its advantages were thrown aside in the construction of Inquisition. Yes, clearly there are not nearly enough environments. And it's just really annoying and bad for immersion when enemies pop up out of literally nowhere. But even moreso than Origins (and FAR moreso than Inquisition), I like the fact that my Hawke was actually a character in the story. I liked my interactions with her sister Bethany, her mom, uncle, and cousin. And I built real relationships with my characters-- notably Varric, Aveline, and Anders. And although it was terribly lousy to be stuck in one city for the whole game, at least they bothered to make that one place feel real, which is more than I can say for *any* of the environments in Inquisition (except perhaps Skyhold). I hope moving forward BioWare takes some inspiration from DA II-- rather than moving on reconstructions of popular RPG-lite exploration games like Skyrim.… Expand
  35. albinocreep
    Oct 29, 2014
    8
    It gets a five for gameplay and a three for level design but the plot and characters alone make this one of my favorites. It's definitely earned some of the scorn it gets but if you get way into a games story like I do, this is really a fun time. I suggest play it on easy and just soar through the **** parts. Hoping this stuff is ironed out in the next game in the franchise.
  36. Togan77
    Aug 16, 2014
    8
    It's hard,even for the Master's at Bioware to replecate perfection that was Dragon Age Origins. What we are presented here is a game that was rushed to release,and it clearly shows in Level Design. Alot of reused assets throught Campaign. However,what is in the game is great,better graphics than Origins,Music that is arguably better;Characters while new,are still brought to life with greatIt's hard,even for the Master's at Bioware to replecate perfection that was Dragon Age Origins. What we are presented here is a game that was rushed to release,and it clearly shows in Level Design. Alot of reused assets throught Campaign. However,what is in the game is great,better graphics than Origins,Music that is arguably better;Characters while new,are still brought to life with great writing. I have faith Dragon Age Inquisition will be more akin to Dragon Age Origins.

    Graphics=10
    Music=10
    Gameplay=8
    Story=9    … Expand
  37. thebiggerD
    Jun 9, 2014
    9
    I can see why this game received a lot of negative comments. To start off, most of DA II players have played DAO, and in my honest opinion, the former is inferior to the latter. Nonetheless, the DA II still has some commendable features...

    Graphics: Slight improvement in comparison to DAO Story: More or less in par with DAO Gameplay: This is the main advantage of DAII. First of all,    I can see why this game received a lot of negative comments. To start off, most of DA II players have played DAO, and in my honest opinion, the former is inferior to the latter. Nonetheless, the DA II still has some commendable features...

    Graphics: Slight improvement in comparison to DAO
    Story: More or less in par with DAO
    Gameplay: This is the main advantage of DAII. First of all, the mage class seems to be stronger (If you recall from DAO, mage spells like fireball and chain lightning deal ridiculously low damage). In addition, the talents and spells were also improved. The only downside of DA II's gameplay is that the "talent tree" is weird. I don't like the concept of "upgrading talents" since it wastes precious skill points. Bottomline, the gameplay of DAII has significantly improved in comparison to DAO.
    Difficulty: For some reason, I find this game way easier than DAO. I rarely die in normal difficulty, and nightmare mode is relatively less difficult than DAO's nightmare. However, I won't list this as a pro, nor will I list it as a con. I guess it is up to the player's opinion
    Dialogues: One of the cons of DAII. There are less dialogues.
    As for the MAJOR DOWNFALL of DA II, it would be the EXCESSIVE and repetitive maps. Seriously Bioware, what has gotten into you? For the duration of the game, the maps you visit in Act 1 will pretty much be the maps you will be visiting for Acts 2 and 3. To make things worse, they added this stupid "night time feature" which adds to the burden of exploring the SAME REGION just to collect items and resources. It gets more boring and tiresome as the game progresses. The only reasons why I'm still giving this game a relatively high score are the improved graphics and game play.    … Expand
  38. daikon
    May 9, 2014
    8
    Not really sure why this title gets hated on so much. I'm guessing it's mostly because avid fans of the original were expecting the second game to be very similar to the first. It's definitely different, but, in and of itself, I felt like it was an entertaining game.

    I think the bad points are already well known: -levels get re-used a lot, which feels lazy -can't equip your    Not really sure why this title gets hated on so much. I'm guessing it's mostly because avid fans of the original were expecting the second game to be very similar to the first. It's definitely different, but, in and of itself, I felt like it was an entertaining game.

    I think the bad points are already well known:
    -levels get re-used a lot, which feels lazy
    -can't equip your companions, so you find a lot of neat gear but can't put it on anybody
    -overall, a bit rushed feeling. for example, there's a lot of generic rings, etc. that you find

    But there was also plenty of good:
    -improved skill trees
    -more original storyline. Most every other rpg is about saving the world. This gets dull. DAII is a more personal story about a refugee and a city (I do wish the city changed more over the course of the game though). I also thought the framed narrative made for some cute moments.
    -combat was fast paced and flexible, so you could pretty much have whatever sort of party you wanted. If you were really in love with the more strategic, pause and play style of fighting from DA, you might be disappointed in the new style. I happen to like both, so it was fine for me.

    Overall, the game was fun to play which is basically all that really matters to me. If you really, really wanted another dragon age origins, this isn't it. If you're just looking for a solid rpg, however, then DAII is pretty good.    … Expand
  39. finns
    May 2, 2014
    8
    I wasn't going to create an account but this game deserves some more positive comments!
    At first, I hated it. Camera was annoying and at first the game was boring and scenery was similar everywhere and all that is true.
    BUT! In the end I still really liked the game. You got used to camera and all battle movements were beautiful and exciting, (especially Fenris. And mage's movements were    I wasn't going to create an account but this game deserves some more positive comments!
    At first, I hated it. Camera was annoying and at first the game was boring and scenery was similar everywhere and all that is true.
    BUT! In the end I still really liked the game. You got used to camera and all battle movements were beautiful and exciting, (especially Fenris. And mage's movements were cool) and even tho some of you deny it, but the game looked really pretty.
    I'm not experienced gamer, my difficulty was set for normal and I admit most of the battles were pretty easy but I liked it that way and if I had set it to hard or nightmare it would have been much harder.
    At first when the game started I felt like I was just watching a movie and I didn't really connect with my Hawke at all. it didn't really feel like it was MY character and MY story. But as the game went on that feeling disappeared and I really started to like what my Hawke was becoming.

    And for the story, I really liked my companions (Varric and Fenris you were the best) and I liked the plot when it finally started. I loved that I got to meet some origins/awakening characters again. I would have wanted to have more conversations with everyone and about trivial things not just when plot needed it, that's one of the game's biggest flaws for me.

    I truly don't think this game deserves so harsh comments. I spent +50 hours on it and enjoyed the game very much. It isn't a game I won't be playing the game again any time soon, because there really isn't another path I'd like my story to go but for me this one time is well worth of the money I paid.    … Expand
  40. kinom
    Apr 12, 2014
    9
    It's funny, but I didn't play this game at release due to all the bad user reviews it was getting but recently decided to do a play through before DA:I is released. I wish I'd followed my own usual advice and ignored the Internet. Hell, I'm even beginning to wonder if people weren't trolling the game at release. This game was fun. Decent story, good characters, great voice actors and aIt's funny, but I didn't play this game at release due to all the bad user reviews it was getting but recently decided to do a play through before DA:I is released. I wish I'd followed my own usual advice and ignored the Internet. Hell, I'm even beginning to wonder if people weren't trolling the game at release. This game was fun. Decent story, good characters, great voice actors and a better inventory/power management system made this a very enjoyable experience. Was it DA:O? No, definitely not. But as it's own game it was a great deal of fun to play. I'd recommend this game any time.… Expand
  41. iRakeJakei
    Apr 11, 2014
    8
    Before I start, I play games to enjoy them, not to criticize. AND THIS IS NOT DRAGON AGE ORIGINS!!! Very very very different game but i still really liked it borderline loved it.

    Positives I do like the dialog wheel much better than DAO's list. Absolutely loved the social conflict between the Mages and Templars. Preferred the combat. Despite no tactical view. Loved having    Before I start, I play games to enjoy them, not to criticize. AND THIS IS NOT DRAGON AGE ORIGINS!!! Very very very different game but i still really liked it borderline loved it.

    Positives
    I do like the dialog wheel much better than DAO's list.

    Absolutely loved the social conflict between the Mages and Templars.

    Preferred the combat. Despite no tactical view.

    Loved having voiced protagonist!!!

    Negatives
    Only being able to be human, while I am ok with that (due to the fact I like a voiced protagonist) it takes a lot of replay value away that DAO had witch made that game great.

    No tactical view. Though i prefer the combat in this one compared to DAO, when you play a nightmare play-through, you NEED tactical view!

    Not really a faithful sequel, it changed a little to much from DAO.

    Fourth, and my biggest gripe with this game that made me what to stop playing my second time threw, was the size of Kirkwall and how they reused areas. I would rather a game take another year to finish then to due what they did here. I would assume most people would have overlooked all it slights if it didn't reuse map after map. Come on Bioware change it up a bit! It was the must frustrating thing in the DA franchise, even more frustrating then the FADE!!!!    … Expand
  42. Khalisto
    Mar 8, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Love the graphics (high texture pack), the voice acting is superb, the story telling, the combat system.
    I just wish the maps was larger and had more variety of themes.    … Expand
  43. t4th002th
    Feb 17, 2014
    8
    sure thing. this is not dragon age origins. what we loved about the first part is a total mess in da2. the other way around, everything not so cool about dragon age origins is made perfect in the second part. the teamfights for example are one of the best ive seen in strategic rpgs. the talent- trees are much better than in the first part and specially as mage i got addicted in lvling up.sure thing. this is not dragon age origins. what we loved about the first part is a total mess in da2. the other way around, everything not so cool about dragon age origins is made perfect in the second part. the teamfights for example are one of the best ive seen in strategic rpgs. the talent- trees are much better than in the first part and specially as mage i got addicted in lvling up.
    no question, story and characters are lousy compared to his predecessor. but if you see this game just as a good strategic rpg simulation you got a good game. there are not much games outthere with such good combat-simulation. shame, the other stuff went wrong.    … Expand
  44. benpaco
    Feb 6, 2014
    8
    Let me start by saying that I first played this on Xbox 360, then PC, THEN played the first game. The PC version, while better looking, didn't seem optimized control wise for this game. The console version just seemed ... better. Some very interesting things here still, not a BAD game at all, but it is the worst incarnation of DA I've played outside of EA's attempt at a flash game version.
  45. SasBorg
    Jan 5, 2014
    8
    I love to see how users all around the world acclaim other RPGs with massive stories, but feel disappointed by DA2. Why? It's arcade combat system? I find it pretty useful to have an easy way of fighting your way in the world, but have plenty of time to explore the story, people and places that this wonderful game has to offer. No doubt that DAO was more interesting in this aspect, combat,I love to see how users all around the world acclaim other RPGs with massive stories, but feel disappointed by DA2. Why? It's arcade combat system? I find it pretty useful to have an easy way of fighting your way in the world, but have plenty of time to explore the story, people and places that this wonderful game has to offer. No doubt that DAO was more interesting in this aspect, combat, but still, this sequel gives you an interesting view over Thedas, and grants Inquisition plenty of opportunities. It is a lovely game, beautiful graphics, wonderful motions, great story, and most of all, the characters in it are full and seem so alive. Bad parts, it felt shorter, for some reason, compared to DAO. Still, one of the great games of this age.… Expand
  46. bensmith43
    Dec 16, 2013
    9
    Dragon Age Origins took five years to make, Dragon Age II took two years. Companies can't always devote that amount of time to interactive experiences like the DA series. Dragon Age II still delivers a solid RPG experience with an entertaining combat system. Yes of course it's not as good as DAO but it's still worth playing from start to end. I'm on my second play through now. You canDragon Age Origins took five years to make, Dragon Age II took two years. Companies can't always devote that amount of time to interactive experiences like the DA series. Dragon Age II still delivers a solid RPG experience with an entertaining combat system. Yes of course it's not as good as DAO but it's still worth playing from start to end. I'm on my second play through now. You can role play different types of characters from a blood mage, chantry minded, rogue. The dialogue options let you easily role play any type of character you want.… Expand
  47. wpolo64
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    This is not as bad of a game as many people say it is. Yes, it's completely different from Dragon Age: Origins, but it's not deserving of the deluge of down-votes that's brought it to a 4 user rating. It's still one of my favorite games. Is it a 10, no. But it's not the 0 a bunch of people have given it, so whatever. Hopefully this helps balance them out slightly.
  48. huss2215
    Nov 14, 2013
    9
    Graphics: The graphics are definetly an improved compared to the previous game, and the blood couldn’t look any better. Character models look smooth, environments look okay. It’s not the best looking game out, but it still looks great. 9.
    Sound: The soundtrack has some moments but overall it’s not as good as the themes from Dragon Age origins. 9.
    Gameplay: The gameplay is an    Graphics: The graphics are definetly an improved compared to the previous game, and the blood couldn’t look any better. Character models look smooth, environments look okay. It’s not the best looking game out, but it still looks great. 9.
    Sound: The soundtrack has some moments but overall it’s not as good as the themes from Dragon Age origins. 9.
    Gameplay: The gameplay is an improvement from the previous game, but also some elements are missing. It plays similar to Dragon Age origins but a lot faster paced, and casual. The mechanics are much more fluid, meaning every hit is now more realistic, and the spells look a lot more action packed. Some of the new specs are great and like Origins I played a rogue, and the gameplay felt much better and more simplified (one of the reasons for the hate of this game). I enjoyed every last moment of the game, and I highly recommend this title. This is an excellent sequel but it does have its fall points. Unlike origins, when you meet a group of enemies and you kill all of them on screen, the game feels the need of spawning more enemies that drop in from random spots around you. This makes the game more frustrating and annoying. Another fall point is the fact that every place you travel is within and around Kirkwall, meaning you will revisit the same areas over and over again, and the funny thing is, the maps become undiscovered even though you fully explored it 3 times earlier. 9.
    Story: I enjoyed the story of Dragon Age 2, and I did import all of my decisions from the previous DA:origins/awakening/witch hunt, and you get the idea. It is amazing how moments in the game you meet up with familiar faces. Bioware has always been known for its fantastic storytelling, and connect from a previous game to the next. Only one fall point was that in Origins I never recruited or interacted with Leliana, and in Dragon Age 2 supposedly she helped the hero of Feraldin. The game follows Hawke instead of your previous imported character, which could also be a fall point, but the fact that Hawke is an amazing character, makes this acceptable. The story always progresses nicely, although you never know your main end game goal, just playing through the story is quite fun. The ending leaves room from a 3rd, and I cannot wait. 9.
    Lasting Appeal: Definitely worth getting, I bought the game and played all the expansions as well, definitely worth playing Mark of the Assassin and Legacy. The exiled prince is also a nice addition to the story. I won’t separate them into impressions because they aren’t known as other campaign like DA:Origins had it. Either way if you haven’t played this game, it is worth getting. 10.
    Overall Score: 9.2 out of 10.    … Expand
  49. TheXand
    Oct 8, 2013
    10
    Well you guys, I loved it. The characters, music and setting were all spot on. My only qualms about it was that it didn't develop much in the lore, because obviously the first Dragon Age was the first game and introduced a whole new world of fantasy to me as well as only being able to choose the one race to play as. The combat was a vast improvement where attacks felt more powerful andWell you guys, I loved it. The characters, music and setting were all spot on. My only qualms about it was that it didn't develop much in the lore, because obviously the first Dragon Age was the first game and introduced a whole new world of fantasy to me as well as only being able to choose the one race to play as. The combat was a vast improvement where attacks felt more powerful and the skill tree was much more tightly focused with less useless "filler" spells. I think the only reason people hated this is because Bioware took the game in a different direction and focused on the one city and a genuinely unique story this time around instead of the clichéd "evil horde, one saviour to stop it" plot. PC gamers don't like change, which is why new things bomb. Dragon Age 2 actually put me in mind of Planescape in many regards since it's setting revolves around the one central hub, which is the city of Kirkwall, and a lot of the enjoyment from the game stems from your companions, all of whom were excellent in DA2 and easily the equal to, if not superior to those seen in Origins. Even Anders was given a much needed overhaul so he's not just an Alistair clone this time around.… Expand
  50. trekwood
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    It was a solid game. The gameplay was just as good as the first game, the dialog was better, your actions have direct consequences later in the game (as you should expect from a Bioware game), and it was a lot of fun. My only real complaint is that they recycled maps so much. Every cave in the game is the same, only with some passages shut off. Same goes for mansions in Hightown, backIt was a solid game. The gameplay was just as good as the first game, the dialog was better, your actions have direct consequences later in the game (as you should expect from a Bioware game), and it was a lot of fun. My only real complaint is that they recycled maps so much. Every cave in the game is the same, only with some passages shut off. Same goes for mansions in Hightown, back alleys in Low Town, and Deep Roads areas. I also really like the endgame, it's exciting and sets the tone for the next game in the series.… Expand
  51. Velnon
    Jul 19, 2013
    8
    Dragon Age II is a very enjoyable experience. It has a greatly refurbished combat system that feels like DA:O while still improving on the clumsiness of the original, it feels smooth and enjoyable and significantly faster paced then the original. The story, while not following the grey wardens, is both well written with plenty of references to the DA:O story. The characters are wellDragon Age II is a very enjoyable experience. It has a greatly refurbished combat system that feels like DA:O while still improving on the clumsiness of the original, it feels smooth and enjoyable and significantly faster paced then the original. The story, while not following the grey wardens, is both well written with plenty of references to the DA:O story. The characters are well designed, and even though you are stuck in one city, the city feels vibrant and interesting. A great game to get if you want to get into Dragon Age or you played the first one and want more to do in the same universe.… Expand
  52. Rennn
    Jun 27, 2013
    8
    Dragon Age 2 is a mixed improvement over Dragon Age: Origins.

    The game is not as short as many people say. It's easy to put in about 40 hours on one playthrough, as long as you go out of your way to find side quests. If you just try to burn through the story, you'll come out at probably 15 hours. This is a departure from DAO, because in DAO you run into almost every side quest simply by    Dragon Age 2 is a mixed improvement over Dragon Age: Origins.

    The game is not as short as many people say. It's easy to put in about 40 hours on one playthrough, as long as you go out of your way to find side quests. If you just try to burn through the story, you'll come out at probably 15 hours. This is a departure from DAO, because in DAO you run into almost every side quest simply by visiting the story locations. In DA2 you have to search. This isn't necessarily good or bad, it's just a change that many people missed.

    The characters are at least as good as those in Origins, though they're not similar in personality. Stories are consistently multifaceted, with many correct points of view, and which characters you love mostly depends on which one you find the most convincing. Every character's motivations make sense from their point of view. I love Merrill, but I've met people online who think she's the biggest idiot of all time. Likewise, I hate Fenris, but some people love him. Bioware's curse is that they always make characters so deep and multifaceted that a significant portion of the audience hates most of them, because their personalities don't line up with that specific player's view of a good person.

    The story is completely different from Origins. Rather than a single epic climax, it has two climaxes, and the setting is halfway across the world from Origins. A completely different set of problems faces the characters in DA2. It's not a good or bad thing for the series, simply different.

    Combat has immeasurably improved. You can now actually stab with your daggers and swing your sword, rather than flopping every weapon through the air like a broken tennis racket. More spells are available for mages that allow them to funnel enemies into position for tanks, and every class has more methods of breaking up crowds (which were hopelessly annoying in Origins). The downside to this is that enemy AI has not noticeably improved from Origins, meaning that all your new abilities, it's easy to win after the first 10 hours unless you play on the hardest difficulty.

    As usual for a Bioware game, the characters are the incredible part, and they're better than ever. Only Mass Effect does characters as well, and that makes sense considering they're from the same developer.    … Expand
  53. MaxGayLord
    May 16, 2013
    10
    Yes, the level design is utterly terrible and the visuals are sub-par, but everything else is pure gold. I acknowledge the game has its flaws, however I feel that those flaws are only minor blemishes when compared to the many redeeming aspects of Dragon Age 2.
  54. MightyThor
    Mar 17, 2013
    8
    I'm very disappointed in the massive amounts of negative reviews for DA:2. It is not origins 2, it is not skyrim, it is dragon age 2 so stop trying to make it what you want it to be and enjoy the game for what it is! I understand to an extent where they are coming from, but for the most part it is a good game, and the number one complaint is it's not Dragon Age Origins 2 but a totallyI'm very disappointed in the massive amounts of negative reviews for DA:2. It is not origins 2, it is not skyrim, it is dragon age 2 so stop trying to make it what you want it to be and enjoy the game for what it is! I understand to an extent where they are coming from, but for the most part it is a good game, and the number one complaint is it's not Dragon Age Origins 2 but a totally different game. Why can't each game stand on its own? I think DA:2 does. First to address the poor points of 2 in my opinion, one the world has very few locations. It is not open, but neither was origins. Origins just had more instanced places to go. DA2 focuses on a central location and unlocking small instances there for storyline and quests. It plays very similarly to mass effect 2 in that way. Which personally is fine by me, but many people criticize that feature.

    The other flaw to me is the combat animations can get a little over the top. It's a little bit borderline anime when you're playing a rogue. But to me it's a huge improvement over origin's animations (try playing a two handed dwarf in origins, you look ridiculous when you swing).

    The last flaw is you can't create your own hero or play races other than human. Boohoo. Playing a dwarf would've been fun but I can live with this.

    The good points, I like the fully voiced dialogue more. Instead of picking a fully written response you select a flavor of response or question and your hero speaks it, like you pick a humorous response or an angry one so you don't know exactly what he'll say. The game keeps track of what you pick and you start to sort of develop a personality. And it's much better than mass effect's series where you're always trying to be all bad or good because it doesn't work that way here so you can respond to each situation however you like and reactions are done individually and don't need to be unlocked that way.

    Another thing I like is the talent tree. It's an actual tree now so it feels like you're making more of a build instead of just picking a selection of skills. You can also combine effects with other classes for combos so there's some depth there. Battle is not as tactical as origins but in general I like the combat and talents.

    The story is compelling and good to me. It's not on such a grand scale as origins but you're following a family as they rise in importance and it's cool to watch it play out. There's still plenty of lore involved and it's immersive enough.

    In general it's not as deep as origins but still a very enjoyable game.    … Expand
  55. Pantheon
    Jan 18, 2013
    8
    I could write paragraph after paragraph here about why DA2 isn't even 25% as bad as the majority of critics here would want you to believe, but it would be to no avail I'm sad to say. In the first place, I'm suspect of any rating between 0-3, I'm also suspect of 10's. I could see some people finding this game enjoyable enough to give it a 9, or annoying/disappointing enough to give it aI could write paragraph after paragraph here about why DA2 isn't even 25% as bad as the majority of critics here would want you to believe, but it would be to no avail I'm sad to say. In the first place, I'm suspect of any rating between 0-3, I'm also suspect of 10's. I could see some people finding this game enjoyable enough to give it a 9, or annoying/disappointing enough to give it a bland mediocre rating of 4-6. I can see where some people don't think the graphics are better than in DA: Origins, but the graphics are fine --- not exceptional. The storyline was interesting and some of the characters were downright hilarious, so I really don't understand any complaints on that end. Sure, some of the dialogue could be better ... and all games seem to suffer from repetitiveness, some more than others. I do agree that they overused the same areas/caves which almost gave the game a DLC quality, but I can't see how that merits a drastically diminished overall rating. It's true that combat is simplified and any difficulty encountered relies more on the excessive respawning of mobs than on the mobs' AI and innate abilities .... and it's true that they removed the complexity (or hassle to some) of having to outfit/equip your companions ... still though, the story is fun and intriguing despite its slightly bizarre ending. Yes, it falls short of DAO, then again how many sequels truly surpass their predecessors? I was hesitant to give it an 8, but giving it a flat 7 seemed a bit too low. I think this is one case where the Critic Reviews are closer to the truth than the User Reviews ---- note that they range from 58 to 95. Buy this game on sale and decide for yourself.… Expand
  56. ChoicestGames
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    It's true. Dragon Age II did for Dragon Age, what Mass Effect 2 did for Mass Effect. This means the combat is more streamlined and there was more time left to put an effort into an epic storyline spanning several years of the protagonist's life. To me, this is a good thing. If you're an RPG conservative though, probably not.
  57. WingedAnomaly
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    I'm going to keep this short and simple. It's not DA:O - hell, it's barely an RPG, but it's a good game. I found myself wrapped up in the world, the characters, and the story, enjoying the combat and the tension, reveling in the soundtrack, and generally enjoying myself. There are a number of glaring flaws, but if you don't walk into it expecting Dragon Age: Origins, you'll probablyI'm going to keep this short and simple. It's not DA:O - hell, it's barely an RPG, but it's a good game. I found myself wrapped up in the world, the characters, and the story, enjoying the combat and the tension, reveling in the soundtrack, and generally enjoying myself. There are a number of glaring flaws, but if you don't walk into it expecting Dragon Age: Origins, you'll probably enjoy yourself, just like I did.… Expand
  58. IndigoInsane
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    If I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas areIf I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas are re-used way to often. However I absolutely loved the plot, more then Origins, and found Varric is only a close second to Alistair and although I don't like Isabella she's at least more understandable then Morrigan.… Expand
  59. Parvarteshwar
    Sep 12, 2012
    8
    Now that a few years have passed I can say Dragon Age 2 is actually a pretty good game. Sure, it's not an epic game like Origins but it's still pretty good. The combat is fast paced, highly varied from class to class and even from character to character, and much more frequent. It's a lot of fun to select spells, switch characters, select attacks, switch characters, complete cross-classNow that a few years have passed I can say Dragon Age 2 is actually a pretty good game. Sure, it's not an epic game like Origins but it's still pretty good. The combat is fast paced, highly varied from class to class and even from character to character, and much more frequent. It's a lot of fun to select spells, switch characters, select attacks, switch characters, complete cross-class combo and watch health bars plummet. It's a huge improvement on Origins and you have a lot more control over your companions. The Tactics menu is even improved so you can focus most of your attention on a single character and the AI will still perform adequately up to Hard mode. Dialogue is really improved. Say what you want about the Dialogue Wheel, it has made it a lot easier to choose a response and your no longer surprised when an NPC gets angry at something you said. in Origins you didn't always know when a particular phrase was sarcasm or animosity but now it's clearer and you can make better choices. You don't generally have five or six responses but the ones you do have are just as sufficient to make your impact. The player character is now pre-set and fully voiced in dialogue. This does take away from the 'create your own experience' aspect but Bioware has always had good dialogue and they did not disappoint. You can still role-play as Penis Johnson, now he is Penis Hawke which in my mind is just as juvenilely hilarious. Your companions are just as varied and can be just as interesting as in Origins but they have a lot more companion quests and they will no longer get pissed off and leave if you do something they don't like. You now have a Friend/Rival meter which offers bonuses for being at one end of the extreme, you can even Romance a character that has a -100 opinion. There are now more Romances and you can have several without other companions getting too jealous. Ferelden was a closed world with a few dozen maps spanning a continent but Kirkwall (not the wonderful tourist destination in Orkney) is comparatively small. It has about the same number of maps but they are meshed into a single city and therefore it feels much smaller than it actually is and it fails to create the illusion of a free world like Origins. You do have a lot more quests so now you will revisit the same map a dozen times which does get tedious well before the final chapter. You also never leave the city. I think they did this because they wanted you to feel attached and care for the outcome of its inhabitants. To a degree they succeeded but it is still lacking compared to the first game. The story is a lot more low key than Origins which is where many people get pissed off. Instead of destroying an unstoppable horror from consuming a continent as the leader of a mysterious and storied order, you are just a poor refugee who pulls him/herself up by his/her bootstraps to become the most powerful person in town. You can either be help an independent city-state remain free and happy or you can destroy it. It's closer to The Witcher than Origins but it gets the job done and is interesting enough to keep you going. Each chapter has a different goal and a different theme so even though you never leave the city it does change dramatically. Just don't expect to feel like you've saved the world but do expect to feel like you've created a city. And the most important aspect of any video game: Immersion. Yes, it's easy to get lost in Hawke and the voice actor does a really good job of reciprocating my intent for each given response. The world is still Dragon Age and there is a lot of depth there, just don't expect to sink as far as you did in Origins. In conclusion, it's a good game with a lot more positives than faults and most importantly it is fun. It has the 'Middle Game' problem where they don't want to introduce the big finale but they need a lot of filler and for filler Dragon Age 2 is the best there is.… Expand
  60. Synapse
    Aug 13, 2012
    10
    Stunning game, superb story and characters, and combat is faster and flows better than Origins. Has a few issues with reuse of environments etc. but doesn't detract from the games brilliance. A must for roleplaying fans.
  61. Aegrus
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    As a game, it was pretty good. As a character relationship simulator, it was amazing. This truly is the only game I've seen that has characters equal to or better than those in Mass Effect 2 and DA:O. Dungeons are recycled, which gets irritating after a while. However, the combat has been improved greatly from Origins. It's now faster and more responsive, with the new ability treesAs a game, it was pretty good. As a character relationship simulator, it was amazing. This truly is the only game I've seen that has characters equal to or better than those in Mass Effect 2 and DA:O. Dungeons are recycled, which gets irritating after a while. However, the combat has been improved greatly from Origins. It's now faster and more responsive, with the new ability trees adding more strategy to levelling your characters classes. The graphics on release are better than those in DA:O, but free HD texture dlc makes them actually look modern. There's a two-pronged story this time, focusing first on the Qunari invasion, but primarily on the Mage-Templar conflict. The story is less epic than that of DA:O, but more emotional and personal. (Certainly more original.)

    Story-changing choices are lacking compared to Dragon Age Origins, but there are even more ways that your reactions with characters can develop. This is a trade off. I got 45 hours out of the game going completionist, so for an rpg, it's a little on the shorter side. Still, it costs about $20 now. I say, try it out now that the hype's worn off. It's not a perfect game, but it's better than the naysayers with ultra-high expectations claim it to be.    … Expand
  62. neowiz73
    Jun 6, 2012
    9
    Awesome game, It ties in story elements from the first one real well and makes a nice continuation of the original. Great story effecting elements Bioware has crafted into all it's newer games. Great story, Great gameplay and Great character development options. Not much else I could want.
  63. Larwood
    May 28, 2012
    8
    The good: fluid, enjoyable combat; good characters; involving storytelling; nice character progression system.
    The bad: almost no replayability; the story leaves you at a rather awkward moment, leaving blatant room for a sequel; some strange gearing mechanics (like the sets that nobody will ever bother to collect; not many actual dragons(?).
    The ugly: constantly reused environments.
  64. shyrofox
    May 15, 2012
    9
    Honestly I loved Dragon Age II. The quests felt important, the story had wonderful immersion, and the voice acting was incredibly fun to play with and listen to. I admit the lack of a variety of equipment was a little disappointing, but I never found that to be horribly important to the overarching plot. The ending is lovely and epic, but it has a very cut short feeling to it that leavesHonestly I loved Dragon Age II. The quests felt important, the story had wonderful immersion, and the voice acting was incredibly fun to play with and listen to. I admit the lack of a variety of equipment was a little disappointing, but I never found that to be horribly important to the overarching plot. The ending is lovely and epic, but it has a very cut short feeling to it that leaves you going, "That's it? Wait... that's the end?" I look forward to Dragon Age III in hopes that this confusion might be cleared up. Still, one of my favourite games, even if the combat does lack the challenge present in DA:O.… Expand
  65. Certate0
    Apr 30, 2012
    8
    I try to review based on the merrits of the game in question, not on its predecessors and not on ideas about how the game should have been. Dragon age is graphically great, the fighting is enjoyable and the story works well. The dungeons and other areas are very repetetive which was a little dissapointing but did not marr the experience. The inability to enhance armour on team mates alsoI try to review based on the merrits of the game in question, not on its predecessors and not on ideas about how the game should have been. Dragon age is graphically great, the fighting is enjoyable and the story works well. The dungeons and other areas are very repetetive which was a little dissapointing but did not marr the experience. The inability to enhance armour on team mates also dissapointing. These are all minor issues and overall I really enjoted the experience and would recommend giving it a spin.… Expand
  66. mrqrvitz
    Apr 7, 2012
    8
    I've bought the game knowing that it has many bad reviews and made Bioware fans angry. But I like this game. It's story is far better than the story of its predecessor. We have some plot twists, not many things are predictable. The gameplay is very dynamic, but it lacks of tactics. You can take control over your companions, but it's not necessary. The only use of that is when you try toI've bought the game knowing that it has many bad reviews and made Bioware fans angry. But I like this game. It's story is far better than the story of its predecessor. We have some plot twists, not many things are predictable. The gameplay is very dynamic, but it lacks of tactics. You can take control over your companions, but it's not necessary. The only use of that is when you try to avoid damage from area spells. Anyway, it is fun. Crafting system is also quite good. Main flow of the game is area recycling - you will march through the same caves, mansions and underground passages all the time. But it's not that you will come back to the same places - you visit completely new locations looking like several other places but with different doors locked, blocked passages etc. It's the same mistake that was made during developing original Mass Effect. It seems that someone was very lazy. Anyway, I am very fond of this game, especially its plot. At last, we are not saving the world, we are watching a political struggle. It's more mature than contemporary RPGs, particularly other games made by Bioware.… Expand
  67. okm974
    Apr 2, 2012
    9
    I am really baffled by the strongly negative reviews that have been posted. I thought the game was very much in the spirit of DA:O, but with improved graphics and gameplay. I logged over 100 hours on nightmare, going back through multiple times to try different builds and plot developments. I was a huge fan of the cross-class combinations, finding it an improvement over the spells-onlyI am really baffled by the strongly negative reviews that have been posted. I thought the game was very much in the spirit of DA:O, but with improved graphics and gameplay. I logged over 100 hours on nightmare, going back through multiple times to try different builds and plot developments. I was a huge fan of the cross-class combinations, finding it an improvement over the spells-only combos of DA:O; playing as a rogue and backstabbing staggered enemies was extremely satisfying. The writing was just as good as any Bioware production--some parts of the main plot were a little clumsy and the scope of the plot wasn't as epic as DA:O by nature of its set-up, but it had good pacing and coherence. Party dialogue was also great. I found the characters extremely compelling and felt very attached to every recruitable companion. I've heard of people avoiding the game because of the negative fan feedback, which is unfortunate; even if people think the game doesn't live up to DA:O, it certainly doesn't deserve a 0, 1, or 2. It's solid and enjoyable, warranting at least one playthrough, and can easily suck up a lot of time and provide a lot of fun if players are completionists or like broody elves.… Expand
  68. AlexanderVallin
    Mar 28, 2012
    9
    I'm a huge fan of DA:O and enjoyed this game as well. I understand that people would have appreciated more variety in the landscape, but I found the storyline to be interesting and I liked the cast. I played through this game twice, which says a lot given my limited free time these days. Anyway, if you play primarily for character development and character interaction, this might beI'm a huge fan of DA:O and enjoyed this game as well. I understand that people would have appreciated more variety in the landscape, but I found the storyline to be interesting and I liked the cast. I played through this game twice, which says a lot given my limited free time these days. Anyway, if you play primarily for character development and character interaction, this might be worth picking up.… Expand
  69. andraip
    Mar 23, 2012
    8
    Not as good as DA:O but still a lot of fun to play, besides the recicled caves and endless waves.

    The voiced PC gives the game a lot more depth and I also liked the faster combat and the more personal story.
  70. Riddlefang
    Mar 20, 2012
    8
    Dragon Age 2 has been very much criticized by fans of the first game, and I understand why. It's true that the areas in the game are way to few and that the story and characters aren't as good, but I enjoyed this game a lot. It may not be one of my favourite rpg's, but it provides at least 40 hours of content. I'm not saying the game is flawless, cause the combat is certainly not as goodDragon Age 2 has been very much criticized by fans of the first game, and I understand why. It's true that the areas in the game are way to few and that the story and characters aren't as good, but I enjoyed this game a lot. It may not be one of my favourite rpg's, but it provides at least 40 hours of content. I'm not saying the game is flawless, cause the combat is certainly not as good as the previous one. It's less tactical and more like an mmo, but it's still fun to control 4 characters at once, and the boss battles are probably a little better. There's also better graphics, voice acting and music, and all in all it's actually a pretty good game… Expand
  71. brigitte134
    Feb 24, 2012
    10
    Great game.
  72. orca9999
    Feb 5, 2012
    10
    OK here it is ...

    It plays like a MMORPG and made it single player. But the AI is not good enough to act like other players, so they let you do so for combat. Now that being said, the combat is so fast, and the AI sucks so much that you will continually die to your stupid party mates. They found that out, so they let you "recover" or some such so every time you die becasue the party AI    OK here it is ...

    It plays like a MMORPG and made it single player. But the AI is not good enough to act like other players, so they let you do so for combat. Now that being said, the combat is so fast, and the AI sucks so much that you will continually die to your stupid party mates.

    They found that out, so they let you "recover" or some such so every time you die becasue the party AI is so bad, you can at least come back.

    But really why a MMO for a single player? I mean really we WANT TO DO cool combat stuff on our own, not just push a key when it it is not greyed out.

    Next, in this day and age we can load a HUGE world (like SKYRIM), why are we in this game only able to go to a shot list of area's?

    And even then, the running to an area made us aware of our "locality" in a world. With this game it feels like levels on a causal game map, not like were in an epic adventure.

    I did not try it without the high textures download. but one of the nice things is the great graphics. The story is fun, but when I am in it it makes me feel like I am just a bit part.

    It is a BIG step down from their last game and I am glad I got it on sale, so wasting a few hours didn't feel so bad.    … Expand
  73. alceste007
    Jan 19, 2012
    9
    I recently got this game plus the downloadable content for a xmas present. I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. I liked the evade in combat that Bioware added to the game. I am surprised at the negative comments.
  74. CKhound
    Nov 16, 2011
    8
    This game is very very good to be honest. I know that some people throw some bad scores at it but the fact is that it does provide a very good experience. Now, having said that, i am a huge dragon age and bioware fan in general. This game is moreso like a mass effect game when you look at the speaking options in the game and also the way that you interact with things. It is stll a dragonThis game is very very good to be honest. I know that some people throw some bad scores at it but the fact is that it does provide a very good experience. Now, having said that, i am a huge dragon age and bioware fan in general. This game is moreso like a mass effect game when you look at the speaking options in the game and also the way that you interact with things. It is stll a dragon age game but it just doesnt feel like the first one at all, i 100% find dragon age origins to be one of the most fun games that i have ever laid my hands on, and even though dragon age 2 doesnt live up to it hardly, it is still an amazing game that is recommended for anyone who likes rpgs.… Expand
  75. ttocs
    Oct 31, 2011
    8
    It's in no way a bad game, it just doesn't reach the heights that the first one did. The console heavy gameplay on the PC really isn't well suited for the type of game most people expected. This should have been an off shoot Dragon Age game, not 2.
  76. zachirag
    Oct 13, 2011
    10
    What a great game... not perfect but very good.
    in fact it just like DAO.
    so why i gave it a 10. Well because i dont agree with the user score. the user score need to be at least 8.5 I didnt play BG1 or 2 so I am not a "true" fan of rpg but i finished DA1 with over 120 hours and of DA 2 and the two DLC MOTA , legacy with over 70 hours, fallout 3 -60, fallout NV-150, oblivion-350, DIABLO    What a great game... not perfect but very good.
    in fact it just like DAO.
    so why i gave it a 10. Well because i dont agree with the user score. the user score need to be at least 8.5
    I didnt play BG1 or 2 so I am not a "true" fan of rpg but i finished DA1 with over 120 hours and of DA 2 and the two DLC MOTA , legacy with over 70 hours, fallout 3 -60, fallout NV-150, oblivion-350, DIABLO 1-2-90, torchlight-55, dungeon siege 1,2,3-76 , sacred 1-2-140, Divinity 1,2-135, so yea i am not what you consider a rpg lover, i dont role play,, expect in bed, i dont play D&D of any kind, i dont buy most games but DAO and DA2 i pre-ordered.
    skyrim here i come............ DA3333333    … Expand
  77. Kimmeh
    Sep 23, 2011
    8
    1st and foremost, taken on it's own merit, dragon age 2 is a good game. It tries to do a lot of things different from its predecessor and it has mixed success. Giving it a score of anything below a 5 is ridiculous. Why? Because it's still a good rpg. Having said that, there are things that stand out as annoying. I didn't like the constant reuse of dungeon areas but it wasn't a deal1st and foremost, taken on it's own merit, dragon age 2 is a good game. It tries to do a lot of things different from its predecessor and it has mixed success. Giving it a score of anything below a 5 is ridiculous. Why? Because it's still a good rpg. Having said that, there are things that stand out as annoying. I didn't like the constant reuse of dungeon areas but it wasn't a deal breaker. The choices you make don't really effect a huge proportion of the story either. Certain events are inevitable and the choices that have some presumable impact don't do it on the scale we saw in origins with choices effecting allies we could call upon in the end of the game. It's still a good game after the fact. Party members can still have their abilities and skills tailored if not their outfits. You have to play Hawke but it's not a bad thing. I find it difficult to see how dragon age 2 is continually slated and the Witcher 2 gets away with a lot less. For instance dragon age 2's controls are far more intuitive and easier to customize. If you play the Witcher 2 you have to exit the game before being able to effectively customize keyboard controls. Combat is even less strategic than da2 and party customization is non existent given that Geralt is a one man show. I think it's important to compare the two. Both are good games with there own faults but da2 is taking a lot of flack for not being dragon age origins 2. I enjoy da2 and I replay it a fair bit. It's definitely different, from the experience of dragon age origins but trying something a bit different is sometimes a good thing. Don't be put off by scores less than 5 in my opinion. It may not have been the dragon age 2 everyone was hoping for but it's still worthy of a good long play through or two.

    Unless of course not being able to change your party's outfits drastically, turns you emo    … Expand
  78. Lorenna
    Sep 5, 2011
    9
    There is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeablyThere is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeably Bioware has greatly improved the combat. I have seen another user, Danarchist, describe the combat from DA:O as a 'clumsy puppet show'. I can think of no better way to describe the combat from the first game. In DA2 instead of the silly looking combat animations of the first game where you lift a sword into the air for about 5 seconds before even striking your foe, the combat is now a much faster, aggressive, exciting and active system. The combat is not 'dumbed down' in DA2, it is more exciting and gripping and less likely to bore you to death unlike the slow paced combat of DA:O. Visually, DA2 is beautiful. While DA2 graphics might not be the best graphics ever, they are still much better in comparison to the sloppy graphics of its predecessor. For a game released in 2009 DA:O had some of the worst graphics I've seen. Games years older than it had better graphics. While DA2 does not have the best graphics they are still beautiful and can at least compete with other games out there today. Many people have expressed disappointment that you could not customize your party members appearance. I found that I hardly noticed as it does not impact your gameplay. I actually preferred it. It makes more sense. Why would people run around wearing what you told them to wear? The look of what your companions wear suits them and you can find items to upgrade the stats so you are not put at a disadvantage. Aveline for example is a member of the guard.How would it make sense for me to throw some big clunky armor on her that is not even guard uniform? It just doesn't. What companions chose to wear suits them and like with Aveline represents who they are. Bioware could have had different outfits like in Mass Effect 2 that you can unlock and switch to. However, as it stands I do not believe it's something worth crying over. It does not make the game terrible. If your really that bothered about it go find a mod. There a few out there that alter companions outfits and looks. My biggest disappointment with DA2 was that there was very few instances where I could go to have a conversation with party members. I would have liked to be able to go visit them and strike up a conversation with them at other points during the game too. This is perhaps one thing Bioware could look into in future games. The addition of each party member having their own 'base' or home was a nice change though and one I liked very much. Another thing I have heard much complaint about in DA2 is the absence of a real story, or that the story was terrible and had no structure. This is simply not true. With DA2 Bioware have attempted to do something different from your run of the mill RPG and have done so very well. The intro to the game is one of the best I've seen and pulls you in right from the beginning. The ending also is very satisfying. For those who played DA:O, it has one of those rare WTF moments you rarely find in games. The last few moments of the game change everything you thought you knew about the game from playing it to something completely different. It is not only the ending and the beginning that is very well done though, the whole story is one that is well worth experiencing. DA:O had a bland story in comparison to DA2. It does not even compare. Like so many games out there DA:O was simply monster/bad guy trying to take over the world. Go here get allies, go here get more then kill it. DA:O's story was boring and unimaginative and where it tries to shock and excite you with plot twists, they are sadly something anyone with any intelligence would have suspected from the beginning of the game. This was not the case with DA2. It is not simply a case of big scary evil that we must work to defeat. Instead each act holds new surprises. There is no big bad guy at the end which you must work through the whole game to defeat. In DA2 Bioware have tried to do something different and have done so remarkably well. DA:O is said to be the spiritual successor to Baldurs Gate. True DA:O is done in the style of older RPGS like BG but it also tries to be something its not. DA:O is not KoToR or BG and will never compare to these epic RPGS. Nor will DA2, but it's not trying to. DA2 is done in a style different to that of other RPGS and cannot be faulted for not being as good. Those who say DA2 is not as good as DA:O have perhaps not realized that games develop. They will not stay the same forever nor should they. DA2 does not pretend to be something its not, it's a new way of playing an RPG and is worth your money, more so than DA:O even for just its story.… Expand
  79. auberonh
    Aug 25, 2011
    8
    A good if somewhat tragic story in the Dragon Age universe, that is smaller than the first game's but spread over a ten year time span. I still find the design of some of the characters to be off-putting and the story is not quit as epic as advertised, but I enjoyed my playthrough and getting to know more of the Dragon Age world.
  80. alexania
    Aug 21, 2011
    9
    I know everyone slates this game and while everything everyone says has some merit to it, I still enjoyed this game IMMENSELY. I enjoyed the Rogue combat much more than the first game, I enjoyed that two shades of grey they made me pick between, I enjoyed stabbing a certain character in the back and watching him die. They could have added more fully straight guys though... just saying.I know everyone slates this game and while everything everyone says has some merit to it, I still enjoyed this game IMMENSELY. I enjoyed the Rogue combat much more than the first game, I enjoyed that two shades of grey they made me pick between, I enjoyed stabbing a certain character in the back and watching him die. They could have added more fully straight guys though... just saying. Can't wait for three.… Expand
  81. ErwinCole
    Aug 14, 2011
    8
    The game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, aThe game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, a consequences of no continuing event in Dragon Age II. The story of Dragon Age II is more of a collection of events that happened in someone life. Stories are branch-driven (with follow-up quest), and each branch rarely in connection to another. There's also missing a climax in the plot, like a line measuring from start to finish, it didn't flow as good as it should. One brilliant idea, I think, is using varric re-telling of the story to advance the plot.

    I think the game did not introduce the characters properly, and the result of that is a cast of unmemorable characters. I remember Alistair and Morrigan, their behavior, their thoughts and association and I don't think I can pinpoint any specific traits that recognized a person in Dragon Age II, other than stereotyping. Dialogue between characters feel a little bit old. Some of them are funny, but some of them are also repeated sarcastic remarks. I thinks it's better to gave out a little memorable story rather than arguing.

    For several moment i felt slightly tired to play through because there are so many unrelated events and they are quest driven rather than goal driven. I think generating motivation is important, especially one that born from the beginning of the story that's end at the final mission. Motivation, in turns generate enthusiasm and energy to play. The lack of that in Dragon Age II is like playing the Sims 3, jumping from one sim to another and then nothing.

    I read many negative comment about the combat system, but really I didn't felt a thing in that regard. However, I found it pointless to play as a mage without the spell combination in the first game. The graphic change so much it felt strange at times.

    The game felt like a prologue with a concluded event that will be carry on to the next game. The game itself managed to be interesting and funny at times. However, it doesn't feel epic or story-wise rewarding.    … Expand
  82. Gamerplays
    Aug 13, 2011
    8
    Well now, I'll be honest to say that its quite a bit different than its predecessor. Does it mean its bad? No, its just DIFFERENT but done quite nicely. It's kinda beyond me why sequels (apparently) have to be the same as the original. Doing the same trick over and over gets dull (just look at the CoD series). If you're looking for a good solid action-rpg, DA2 won't be disappointing justWell now, I'll be honest to say that its quite a bit different than its predecessor. Does it mean its bad? No, its just DIFFERENT but done quite nicely. It's kinda beyond me why sequels (apparently) have to be the same as the original. Doing the same trick over and over gets dull (just look at the CoD series). If you're looking for a good solid action-rpg, DA2 won't be disappointing just don't expect it to be an exact copy of the original DA.… Expand
  83. riker13
    Aug 11, 2011
    9
    Hey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact thatHey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact that they removed the tactictal view is frustrating at time to say the least, each time you click a protrait its centers the view on that charcater wich is a bit annoying because you never can get a general view of the damm thing. The massive reuse of asset, by the beginning of ACT II you start to remember that you ve seen some of the dungesons/cave (some a lot) and it get worst as the game progress, dont mind that the action is centered in one big city but please add variety so we dont the same corrirdor everywhere and more location outside that we dont go 20 times (small exageration here) by the same passage/corridor. And my last negative item is a bit of a mix feeling, the dumbing down of RPG element like removing the ability to thinker with companion Armor, realy bugged me at first but in the end I forgave the game because I liked searching everywhere to find those damm upgrade, but please dont do it again in the next installement or give us the choice to disable it if we want to equip companion ourselves. Now to the good, the heroe has a voice, witch doesnt seem big but is a big help on the immersion factor, I was much involve emotionally wih my companions than in origins, due in part how the story is told, in other part because some origins companions returned, some as new companions and some other as cameo, but mainly I was realy sad to see that I lost one of my companion for the better part of the game, and well without giving anything away, well some have chocking trutch behind them and some die + I liked the fact that you charter evolves through serveral years, made the relationship more meaningfull for me.. I didnt find as some people said that your missing some information between acts, but thats me and I like Varric as the Narrator telling what happened to the seeker on a one on one interrogation, those moment are not too frequent but it give a sense of mistery to the game, but the main focuse here is the journey of the Hawks, the benter between companions are pretty funny, from those I remebered I liked way better than those of originis, espically those between Isabelle and Merill (youll see) :), oh and last bit while I didnt like that fact that I couldnt zoom out ot have a general view of the battlefield, I like very much the new combat system, more focus, action packed. The attributes screen ares alos way more efficient, every stats are weel explained and shows what derives stats it will improved, I also like that they did with the revamp of the abilities, like it better like that... and while some say the graphics are horrible, I found to see a lot less "fuziness" on charcater and the scenery is definitely an imporvement...… Expand
  84. IronGuy410
    Aug 10, 2011
    8
    There are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it'sThere are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it's not the complete disaster many people make it out to be. The combat is fun for the first two acts of the game but becomes kind of repetitive towards the end because of the fact that it has been simplified to the point where not much strategy is required in battle and there isn't much variety to the enemies that at certain points towards the end feel like they are endlessly respawning to drag out the length of the game. The story is split into three acts, with an overarching plot that is somewhat present in the first two acts and eventually builds up to the events of the third act and an ending begging for a third game. The problem with this is that the acts don't really feel connected to each other as a plot, so it's almost like you are playing three completely different stories. The characters, however, are very interesting and complex, and by the end of the game I really grew to like them all. Graphically the game looks great, with colorful environments and nice character models. However, as you are always in the same city throughout the entire game, the scenery can get repetitive. The music and voice acting are fantastic, and they really sold me on the world the developers have created. Overall, this game absolutely does not deserve all the hate its been getting for the fact that it's a solid sequel to an incredible first game, because despite failing to live up to it's predecessor, it's still a very good game and with a length of about 40 hours, it's definitely worth buying if you're a fan of Bioware or RPGS.… Expand
  85. FenrisPlz
    Jul 30, 2011
    10
    I understand how people are quite upset since the story is different as to the story in DAO. Never the less I loved this game, like I loved Origins. 10/10 for sure
  86. Accountant
    Jul 20, 2011
    10
    Well I just got done with the game (ah the joys of the long 4th of July weekend). I am someone who loved DA:O and wrote a glowing review on it. Frankly I liked DA2 more and find it hard now to go back to DA:O anymore. I just don't really understand the hate for this game but than everyone is entitled to their views. When I play games I am looking for some good, fun times and really not anyWell I just got done with the game (ah the joys of the long 4th of July weekend). I am someone who loved DA:O and wrote a glowing review on it. Frankly I liked DA2 more and find it hard now to go back to DA:O anymore. I just don't really understand the hate for this game but than everyone is entitled to their views. When I play games I am looking for some good, fun times and really not any kind of serious challenges or overly complex tactical scenarios maybe because my real life already has all that and games to me are mechanism of fun escapism and DA2 fits the bill here perfectly. I am currently on my second play through as a mage and it's again fun so far playing a different class and I am not bored or anything. I think Bioware kind of fumbled really bad on the marketing of this game. This is not a true sequel but rather a stand alone rpg set in the world of DA:O. I guess if they would have positioned the game correctly it may not have suffered the kind of wrath it did. Now that being said the game in my view has been trashed sometimes unfairly bordering on hate for the sake of hate just because it's not a clone of DA:O. A lot has been said on this game so I am going to keep my review concise and highlight what I liked and disliked about the game. The game does have some Cons but the Pros far exceed them. PRO's: 1) The graphic engine (with the high texture patch) is leagues ahead of the original. The buildings, interiors, exteriors, dungeons, armor, cut-scenes etc. look beautifully rendered and highly detailed in my view. 2) The voiced protagonist lends a more cinematic and personal feel to the game. One of my complaints with the original game was the disconnect I felt with my silent Grey Warden and DA:O to me felt backwards coming to play it after ME2. The conversation wheel in my view makes it more stream-lined to follow the story of the quest and it is much more intriguing to see what Hawke will actually say which lends to a more cinematic feel. 3) The story line of the game feels more personal as it is the story of Hawke rising to fame & glory from rags. It doesn't have the epic feel of clear-cut good vs evil fight of the original but it does appeal to me more in the form of my (Hawke) story line amidst all the political and other schemes going on. 4) The combat system is indeed a real improvement over DA:O. I many times thought of giving up on DA:O just because the combat was slow, sluggish and boring. DA2 combat is lot more fun, faster plus the animations are real good, and funny sometimes (I can never have enough of those exploding enemies hehe). Playing a warrior in DA2 was lot more fun than it was in the original. 5) The banter between the companions is back and is better than ever. Try to put Isabella with other ladies and hear the amusing fireworks. Sometimes it's quite fun to be had. :) CONS: 1) Repeated use of the same maps. Initially it doesn't matter much but as you are in Act 2 and up you do begin to notice this. Frankly DA:O used the same recycled maps in most interior dungeons but the game did had us travel to different locations which eased the fact that interior dungeons were recycled. I think in DA2 having the player just stay in and near Kirkwall exacerbated this feeling greatly. I hope in DA3 Bioware really pays attention to this fact. 2) Limited ability to equip the party members. I am 50/50 on it. In DA:O though initially i liked dressing up my party members but later it just became a irritating hassle. I am somewhat glad they toned it down in DA2 but i think they toned it down too much. I think I should be allowed to equip my party members with basic armor and weapons of all kind without any restrictions. Bioware should address this too in DA3. 3) A bit too overt gay angles in the game. I mean it looks like almost all male characters wants to start a romance while it takes quite a effort to work on the females party members (except Isabella ofcourse). Very soon whether it was the optimal configuration or not my team members were all females hehe. In all I ended my journey of DA2 on a happier note, felt my money spent was worth it and looking forward to DLC's and DA3. Now if Bioware can combine what made DA2 great like the voiced protagonist, the new combat system with DA:O epic story line and customization options they might make amends to the offended fan base and have a hit rpg once again.… Expand
  87. Jagtus
    Jul 20, 2011
    8
    In some areas, it fell short compared to Dragon Age: Origins. In other departments, it surpassed it. If you aren't expecting Origins 2, you will like this.
  88. coffcat
    Jul 17, 2011
    10
    I adored this game. I guess the question is did I like it as much as Dragon Age Origins? My answer would be yes and no. I liked it more, and less, for different reasons. Dialogue wise, the games are comparable. While there is more in the original, it seemed to me in the second that what was said was more important. Quality vs volume in other words. The battle style was definitelyI adored this game. I guess the question is did I like it as much as Dragon Age Origins? My answer would be yes and no. I liked it more, and less, for different reasons. Dialogue wise, the games are comparable. While there is more in the original, it seemed to me in the second that what was said was more important. Quality vs volume in other words. The battle style was definitely different, but I felt it was much better in the long run. I love micromanaging the attacks and this game satisfied that just fine. The storyline to me was just as good as the first. I loved the added feature of "junk items" so you weren't constantly checking to see if something was worth keeping or selling. I also liked the change in how runes were handled. While not really a complaint I was a little disappointed that the second seems to have less replay value for me, I tend to play mostly as nice/diplomatic and don't really have any desire to play it any other way, but that's ok. For the money I spent for the game I have more than received my money's worth. I can only hope that more good dlc comes out to make me want to give the game another go.… Expand
  89. Bjorik
    Jul 16, 2011
    8
    My beef with this game: NO replay value!!! This is a disaster!
    NO character creation, forget playing different races or alternative start. Combat reduced to button mashing. Almost entire game is set in the same city, yet they put no effort in making it beautiful and interesting to explore. Brown dusty streets and nothing to look at!
    To call this..abomination a sequel to Dragon age is insulting!
  90. riker
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 â
  91. Peregrinati
    Jul 14, 2011
    8
    Overall a great game. Excellent story / acting. Play on Hard though, normal is too easy but Hard isn't too difficult if you've got a brain and plan out your builds / cross-class-combos a bit (or build some good tactics to have your companions use them). Fairly different feel from DA:O, but it's only a feeling - at the core the mechanics are very similar it's just that things happen faster.Overall a great game. Excellent story / acting. Play on Hard though, normal is too easy but Hard isn't too difficult if you've got a brain and plan out your builds / cross-class-combos a bit (or build some good tactics to have your companions use them). Fairly different feel from DA:O, but it's only a feeling - at the core the mechanics are very similar it's just that things happen faster. The story also feels a different - there's few things that characterize a direct sequel (like, the same characters, for example. Imagine if Empire Strikes Back had Luke and Han return for the occasional cameo!) However the new characters are very good and interesting, and there's enough tie-ins to DA:O that it doesn't feel like a different world. It's also hinted that the connection between Hawke and the Warden may be stronger than anyone realizes... I'm very much looking forward to DA3 to see if it's true!

    The only major downside is the lack of different levels - so many of them are reused that you can visit a "new" dungeon and have a pretty good idea where to go right away.

    Overall, I very much enjoyed it. Played it through twice, on Hard both times.    … Expand
  92. zzzz2006
    Jun 20, 2011
    9
    Great game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. TheGreat game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. The downside is your toons seem to be overly dependent on it to actually trigger any of their skills. My tank lady absolutely refused to used shield slam till I scripted it in. My only complaints are so far it has seemed very on rails (3 hours in), almost as much movie as game. And in cities its frustrating having to run around with you tab key held down so you can actually find the vendors etc. The inventory screen is reminiscent graphically of x-com and looks slightly rushed to market.… Expand
  93. wangxiuming
    Jun 15, 2011
    8
    It is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun andIt is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun and tactical gameplay system, and building a strong fanbase for future games to capitalize on - it's no wonder that the game took 5 years for the RPG veteran Bioware to complete.

    Comparatively, Dragon Age 2 was released in March of 2011, less than 1.5 years from the release of the original in November of 2009.

    That was probably the first clue that something was wrong.

    See the full text of the review here: http://boredomsadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-dragon-age-2-da2.html    … Expand
  94. Veji
    Jun 8, 2011
    9
    Where is BioWare I ask ? BG2 is the best cRPG in the history but then it gets worse and worse,
    and ends with DA2 a total downfall. Dunno if gamers gets more stupid or just devs think that we have no more sense of beauty and brain to spam us with crap that is on a monkey level,
    arise with BG3 or ....
  95. IdeaLista
    Jun 4, 2011
    8
    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing fresh: romance copied from Mass Effect, steering from Baldur's Gate + 3D, Grey Wardens concept from The Witcher, DA2 story (templar-mages confilct) from The Witcher, DA2 dialogue concept on Mass Efect and so on...
    Nothing new to combat...

    DA2 advantages - quite coherent story, interesting characters,
    DA2 disadvantages - walking same-looking locations over and over again...    … Expand
  96. HalfEmpty77
    Jun 2, 2011
    9
    I can't believe that a game this freaking good scored this freaking low! i have Played through four times now! the story is top notch, the characters are great and the loot is good! who cares if a few environments were recycled a couple times! It was a great game! Can't wait for the third DA game and I can't wait for DLC and expansions for DA2.
  97. Geralt
    Jun 2, 2011
    10
    How come game developers decided that if a game is successful the sequel should be dumbed down? It used to be the other way round - remember ancient great games such as: Warcraft (version II much better than I), Command and Conquer, Civilization, Myth and, Bioware own, Baldur Gate? While Baldur Gate II was a great game the sequel i.e. Neverwinter Nights was mediocre even though theHow come game developers decided that if a game is successful the sequel should be dumbed down? It used to be the other way round - remember ancient great games such as: Warcraft (version II much better than I), Command and Conquer, Civilization, Myth and, Bioware own, Baldur Gate? While Baldur Gate II was a great game the sequel i.e. Neverwinter Nights was mediocre even though the graphics were much improved. The story line was not interesting, the humor was gone, the likeable characters were gone (Minsk, Jan) - the player just walked around whacking everything that moved.
    Now, the idea of "whacking everything" in a Dungeons and Dragons type game is not new - it was perfected in Diablo II (and some other games) and rehashing it in Dragon Age II was not a great idea. I have bought the game recently and was able to finish it on "normal" difficulty without dying once (or loosing a character). Bottom line: not very interesting, too easy, too dumbed down - an overall disappointment.    … Expand
  98. LonBorah
    Jun 1, 2011
    10
    First of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whatsFirst of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whats with this small map and playing with only one human is another negative but still has its positive like the story is pretty good along with the character models and the r.p.g elements Overall Its quite playable but still i recommend the predecessor why the hell the product was rushed I was suppode to give it a score of 7 but with all those negative comments its better to give it a 8… Expand
  99. SalvadorDL
    May 27, 2011
    9
    In my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun toIn my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun to play. There is pretty various and interesting characters (Merrill, my favorite :3), simple but elegant locations, and a lot of drama.… Expand
  100. goldenturf
    May 26, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a really awesome game. Besides a few bugs (Which will probably be fixed in a couple of patches) it delivers the storyline and gameplay of an RPG. Really, a terrific game
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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.
    Read full review
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