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. Bidouleroux
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    First things first: this is NOT a direct sequel to Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O). It's a sequel to Dragon Age, as in the World of Dragon Age (the term "Dragon Age" though, ultimately comes from the Chantry calendar: it is the present Age the world is in and succeeded to the Blessed Age thirty years before the events of DA:O). It is a sequel in time and geography only. You do not play the sameFirst things first: this is NOT a direct sequel to Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O). It's a sequel to Dragon Age, as in the World of Dragon Age (the term "Dragon Age" though, ultimately comes from the Chantry calendar: it is the present Age the world is in and succeeded to the Blessed Age thirty years before the events of DA:O). It is a sequel in time and geography only. You do not play the same character as in DA:O, but you come from the same region of the world, as a way to tie the two games closely and to better show the consequences of the Blight on the neighboring regions that have not been directly affected as was Ferelden. So you start the game playing Hawke, fleeing the blight that has overtaken your native city of Lothering, and you're trying to reach Kirkwall, a free city over the Waking Sea. Dragon Age 2 is the story of that guy (or gal), and that guy only, as he rises up to become the Champion of Kirkwall. In this game, there is only one origin.
    That said, Dragon Age 2 is fricken awesome. Many say it was consolized. It was not, at least not any more than DA:O was already. At worst, you could say it was MMORPG'd. Instead of you waiting hours and hours for the game to roll dices to see if you hit your enemy or not, now you just hit him, most of the time. So combat feels faster, and using your abilities feels more rewarding. The new combo system also works much better than the failed spell interactions of DA:O. It forces you to actually use your party as a team, with rogues and warriors finishing off targets softened up by your mages and vice versa. Each class can put enemies in a special combo-able state that only the two other classes can take advantage of, resulting in more tactics and deeper skill tree planning. The skill trees were redone from scratch, allowing for a more organic development than the linear "trees" from DA:O. Specializations are still here, one at level 7 and one at level 14, giving your Hawke access to two more skill trees out of three, while your companions each have a unique personal skill tree in addition to their class', with one skill activated based on whether you become friends (or rivals) with them. Some feel the fact that you can't change your companions' armor is bad, but really it's much better this way. You can still change their weapons and trinkets (belt, rings, amulet) and you can upgrade their armor throughout the story, even up to allowing you to put (removable) runes in them. This way they keep their unique look and feel, befitting their stations and way of life.
    The companions themselves are much better than in DA:O, too. The game taking place over a 10 year period in the same city, your character knows a lot of people. But only those that cross your path a lot and stay by your side all this time are your companions. And as in Mass Effect 2, companions can die. In the demo, you could see that one of your two younger siblings dies, based on which class your Hawke is. Depending on your choices, others can die too over the course of the game. Romances are also possible, of course, although not with your sibling (that would have been awesome, in a sense). From a Fereldian refugee becoming the city's captain of the guards, to a former prince of Starkhaven (another free city not far from Kirkwall), with a savvy dwarf in between, the list of companions is long and each one has their own story, in parallel to yours. Of course, as they are your companions, your paths will cross more than once, and your actions and decisions will influence their fates.
    Some may be disappointed by the story, or by the ending. They may feel it is not epic enough, or whatever. But these are the kind of people that don't invest themselves emotionally in games. They don't care about the lore. They don't care about the World of Dragon Age. That's why they don't get that Dragon Age 2 is not DA:O 2. DA:O is the story of the Blight in Ferelden, the birthplace of Andraste, founder of the Chantry. Dragon Age 2 is the story of the Champion of Kirkwall, and it puts the Chantry against the Circle of Magi in a struggle for political control over the free city. And then there's the Qunari, who play their part in this struggle. This conflict begets unforeseen consequences, which are hinted at even in the opening scene of the game, where Varric (the savvy dwarf) is being questioned by the Seeker of the Chantry. But only at the end, after your Hawke decides the fate of Kirkwall, will you know how your actions over ten years in this city have changed the World of Dragon Age. Just as in DA:O you stopped the Blight from engulfing the whole continent of Thedas, this time too your actions have global consequences. So hang on to your Dragon Age 2 save, you may very well need it for Dragon Age 3.
    The combat is faster, so 43 hours of playtime for ONE (out of at least three) complete playthrough on normal. And the bugs are nothing worse than what DA:O had at launch. People just have short memories.    … Expand
  2. Sirson
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Honestly most of these reviews are a joke, I wonder how many people even played through the whole game before they wrote these. This is a fact, this game is one of the best RPGs released in the last couple of years on the consoles and PCs, people rating it a 1-3 based should be ashamed of themselves.

    Gameplay: Very fluid, with top notch voice acting and writing. The action keeps the    Honestly most of these reviews are a joke, I wonder how many people even played through the whole game before they wrote these. This is a fact, this game is one of the best RPGs released in the last couple of years on the consoles and PCs, people rating it a 1-3 based should be ashamed of themselves.

    Gameplay: Very fluid, with top notch voice acting and writing. The action keeps the game going and don't be surprised if you find yourself playing this game until 3 in the morning. Excellent systems designs make playing a warroior rogue or mage type character equally as fun.

    Replayability: Branching storylines, different difficulty levels and character classes will bring you back for a second helping :)

    Overall: It's a great Fantasy game, ignore the haters, see for yourself.    … Expand
  3. Elricsson
    Mar 29, 2011
    10
    A mature, queer and thoughtful fantasy that finally feels like it's set in the pretty original world of Thedas, not The Forgotten Middle Azeroth blandathon we all know and hate from the last ten years of CRPG. The powerful Chantry-centric story grows organically trough 15-minute long "sidequests" (though most of them link back to the main arc eventually) mixed with act-long serial storiesA mature, queer and thoughtful fantasy that finally feels like it's set in the pretty original world of Thedas, not The Forgotten Middle Azeroth blandathon we all know and hate from the last ten years of CRPG. The powerful Chantry-centric story grows organically trough 15-minute long "sidequests" (though most of them link back to the main arc eventually) mixed with act-long serial stories as well as in the opinions and actions of your followers. Nowhere is the one-dimensional "epic journey to save the world" - **** we are forced to wade through all too often, including in Origins. Instead the city of Kirkwall is locked in an all-too recognizable political conflict between fanatic ideologies, all with their respective merit. These factions are everywhere, even in the bedchamber as your lovers take a political stand that you may have a hard time accepting. And talking about the love - BioWare has finally discovered that the first patch made to their games is usually the gender-neutral and polyamorous tweeks, so this time it's all queer all the time! While many old-schoolers may find the Hawke-persona restrictive, the character-driven setup is really no different from The Witcher, Mass Effect or any adventure game you have ever played. "Roleplaying" opportunities within the part and the story are ample and the massive hypertext novel that is DA2 is of staggering complexity, with choices from act one haunting you in act 3. The haters who find the "diplomatic, sarcastic, hateful" response-cycle restrictive have missed this: to roleplay a believable character (for instance a mage-hater) you have to constantly switch Hawke's attitude - spamming one option constantly (Paragon vs Renegade choice - I'm looking at you!) gives you a spineless git, a psychotic joker, and a very angry fellow. Think about the context of the choices and the game rewards you by reaffirming your imagined personality in a way that is sometimes downright uncanny. If you loved Mass Effect 2's focus on character arcs and minimalist rpg mechanics this is pretty much the fantasy version. If you love spending hours on optimizing builds and inventory for hour-long dungeon slogs this is not your game. But yes: if you enjoy tactics at all - playing on hard is mandatory. And finally: this is not BioWare's Great Betrayal - that came years ago when they scrapped the multiplayer for Origins, changing them from a Roleplaying Game company to a Storytelling Game company. I have never before (or after I might add) boycotted a developer. I finally got over it and played Mass Effect and yeah, even if the abandonment of the NWN-community can never be forgiven, they are decent storytellers as far as computer games go.

    Some other gripes and why they are bull****: Only one map/city - More focused. Saying it should travel more is like saying The Wire should leave Baltimore more often.

    Dumbed down - Slick. I laughed with joy at the "junk" category of the inventory. And the cross-class combo system makes battles more tactical than in Origins, not less. No RTS-style camera - Wow, I can actually see characters in action and not little moving ants that symbolize my optimized stats-packs. More immersive and better realism.

    No direct sequel - Thank the lord. Newsflash: Dragon Age: Origins wad NOT original or brilliant, it was a standard if well-executed fantasy cliché-fest with buckets of blood and some Game of Thrones thefts. And a predictably impressive hyper-text-relationship-novel on top of the ho-hum dungeoncrawling. So all you reactive, inventory-loving, chauvinist, conservative, narrow-minded crpg-freaks out there; unchain your mind, set diff to Hard and behold the quietly subversive escapist glory that is Dragon Age 2!    … Expand
  4. Artamba
    Apr 15, 2011
    8
    Alright. I know there are many idiots in this world, but honestly, look at all these negative reviews. Probably a bunch of kids who quit after the first 5 minutes. (I admit, the beginning was dreadful.)

    But really, I agree that this game doesn't compare to Origins, but it is no where near a bad game. The graphics are good (with HD texture pack). The storyline is forgettable, but not    Alright. I know there are many idiots in this world, but honestly, look at all these negative reviews. Probably a bunch of kids who quit after the first 5 minutes. (I admit, the beginning was dreadful.)

    But really, I agree that this game doesn't compare to Origins, but it is no where near a bad game. The graphics are good (with HD texture pack). The storyline is forgettable, but not bad. The combat is not as satisfying or challenging as Origins but it is decent. And people who say that the voice acting is terrible are being too harsh on DA2. The voice acting is not as amazing as some games out there (Origins), but it is not dreadful or anything close to it. You're all just sad that it's a console port. You use this 'console port' crap as an excuse to tear this game apart.

    This, of course, is just my humble opinion.    … Expand
  5. Pirim
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself.Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself. Overall city and its inhabitants are enjoyable, but again, it didn't seem like a job well done â… Expand
  6. exp3rt
    May 19, 2011
    8
    A very good game for RPG-players. If you played original Dragon Age - you'll like it. It's not a very good graphics, but interesting story and game play. Enjoy.
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. Underscore
    Mar 18, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Previously rated an 8]
    Personal experience is 50% of what makes a game fun, not all of the weight is on Bioware's shoulders. MMORPG games can be extremely well-crafted, but still not my game of choice. My personal experience does not represent their failure to produce a great game.
    All that out of the way - I've had a lot of fun with this game; 60 hours in and most likely to break 100 hours next week. Most people gripe about the Black and White morality choices, though I haven't honestly found one that's simply put "Kill bad guy/Give bad guy weapons." The Yes/No decisions aren't as limiting as you'd think, if you are playing across multiple accounts at once, you will be able to see how differently certain quests accepted/declined affect the world around Hawke. In my opinion, the game is, in essence, simpler than DA:O. Bioware themselves have chuckled to this idea within their own game, passersby saying things like: "Have you noticed that everything is getting... Easier? Like everything from eating, to fighting is a lot Simpler?" [Talkative man, from Hanged-Man Pub.] The game certainly feels a lot more like Fable II, but that doesn't mean the entire game is just a joke and a clink of mugs, there are some moments you wish you could cut people down in, but simply cannot. Not all problems can be solved by mashing "r."
    Which brings me to combat - it is simpler, without being "Dumbed-down." In this, a Soldier is just as well to have Cunning, Dexterity, Strength, Constitution, and even Magic, whereas in DA:O, Magic was pretty passable if you had a healer, though Potent Health Poultices pretty much made the whole 'Magic increases health regained from poultices" useless. And the 'Sneak' skill is brilliantly implemented, making the original look a little weaker in the Rogue department. People have stated that 'Even on Nightmare setting it's way too easy, with no need to pause/fiddle with Tactics.' Whereas even on Normal, fighting bosses/challenging encounters may require a pause here and there. Casual is basically for people too lazy to type "runscript killallhostiles" in console, as it makes using any abilities pretty useless, considering you're mainly attacking low-tier enemies most of the time - though it's intended to be that way. I've ended up fighting a Dragon boss 3 times total, once in Nightmare, twice in Hard, and eventually beat it. To most people, they'd focus on the fact that I had to fight a Dragon 3 times, when in truth, I *wanted* to fight the dragon thrice, on a hard difficulty. Plus, Difficulty can help 'immersion,' cranking it up whenever you fight the supposed "Nightmarish Darkspawn" actually being a challenge rather than an average horde.
    I rarely thought I'd enjoy any other RPG as much as/more than DA:O, but my overall experience with DA2 certainly outdoes DA:O's (Which I have 370 hours and counting on). As an avid Dragon Age fan, DA2 isn't a disapointment, and does explore the unique world DA:O created much more in-depth than the first. In DA:O, your goal is to get aid from Mages, Dwarves, Dalish Elves, and perhaps the Arl of Redcliffe, in DA:2 your goal is to get a high enough standing to protect your family from the religious fear of your Sister's/Your magical gift, fearing the Templars will rush in some day soon...    … Expand
  10. Sarcasmo
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    It distresses me that so many people are slamming this game without giving any real evidence other than general opinion. Yes, we know you "hate the story" or "think the dialogue is garbage", but your negative opinion on the game doesn't make it a bad game. Personally, I think Halo Reach is a boring, generic FPS in space. Does it deserve the glowing scores it got? Sure it does, because itIt distresses me that so many people are slamming this game without giving any real evidence other than general opinion. Yes, we know you "hate the story" or "think the dialogue is garbage", but your negative opinion on the game doesn't make it a bad game. Personally, I think Halo Reach is a boring, generic FPS in space. Does it deserve the glowing scores it got? Sure it does, because it delivers a quality experience to the fans of the previous entries in the series. If you're going to argue that a game is bad, please back it up with evidence that TRULY supports your claim. Now, I'll start by saying that this review may be a bit biased due solely to the fact that I absolutely love the dragon age universe. I think the lore behind the game is a well thought out enhancement of the "dragons and magic" paradigm. I won't spoil any specifics, but the plot of Dragon Age 2 is broken up into three parts. These individual parts are made up of an assortment of side quests and main quests that ultimately lead up to a finale. While I think each "section" is good in its own way, the ending of the game does fall a bit flat. You're left hanging on the majority of the plot points, and it's clear that Bioware is setting up for a sequel of sorts. Graphically, the game looks nice. It's nothing ground-breaking, but the facial animations are fairly well done, body movements are captured fairly well, and lip syncing is solid. Unfortunately, you'll be spending a LOT of time in the city of Kirkwall, and the basic textures of the walls and buildings do get a bit drag after the 10th time you've walked past them. Sound is done very well, and voice acting is not only well ranged, but delivered well across the board (with the exception of Aveline and male Hawke on some occasions). Now, I played Dragon Age 2 on the Xbox originally and pretty much hated it. I felt like I was playing dynasty warriors all over again and just MASHING the A button for hours on end. It didn't really bother me after a while (mostly because I'm a sucker for RPG storytelling) but it's something to be noted. I actually ended up buying it on the PC, which offers a much different experience. It could be said that the PC version is more like "watching a movie" than it is real-time combat (considering you basically issue commands and then watch how it plays out), but fans of strategy RPG games will enjoy the pause-and-play action. It allows you to plan out each fight and adapt to drastic changes on the fly. Finally, I want to address the companions and classes. For the most part, I was pleased with my selection of party members, but I did feel as though Bioware was forcing certain party members upon me. If you don't play as a warrior, you're almost forced to use Aveline as your tank, which is very frustrating if you don't like her as a character. If you don't pick a mage and then decide to heal, you are almost forced to use Anders. I would have liked to see a bigger selection of members to choose from. The classes are well balanced and each class will give you a different experience when you play them. Even the different skill trees within each class can offer a vastly different experience. Overall, I believe Dragon Age 2 to be a very solid strategy RPG on the PC, and an action RPG on the consoles. If you love RPG games that allow you to "craft your own story" and offer up an insane amount of content in the process, you'll love Dragon Age 2. If you can't get past the small graphical glitches, repeated zones, and restriction to the city of Kirkwall, then I can't recommend this game to you. One last thing, people need to stop instantly saying "This game sucks because Origins was better and this game is a step backward in every way!!!". The game is NOT a direct sequel to Dragon Age : Origins. Bioware obviously saw the success of Mass Effect and brought in elements from that game to make this game better. Whether it worked or not is a matter of opinion, but saying that DA2 is bad because it doesn't improve on Origins is a null argument.… Expand
  11. twisted_words
    Mar 22, 2011
    9
    This has been review bombed because it's the cool thing to do, however I am going to review the game based on my 40+ (and counting) hours I have spent on it. Currently on my 2nd playthrough. First, my credentials: I'm a hardcore girl gamer. I spent countless hours on Baldur's Gate, NWN, Planescape Torment, Mass Effect to name a few, and of course DA:O. Second of all, I absolutely love itThis has been review bombed because it's the cool thing to do, however I am going to review the game based on my 40+ (and counting) hours I have spent on it. Currently on my 2nd playthrough. First, my credentials: I'm a hardcore girl gamer. I spent countless hours on Baldur's Gate, NWN, Planescape Torment, Mass Effect to name a few, and of course DA:O. Second of all, I absolutely love it for some inexplicable reason, which may have something to do with a rather engaging story requiring a lot of your input and attention, fast paced visceral (not just a buzz word) combat, beautiful looking art, some cute injokes (about the world being too brown, lulz) amazing attention to detail, a levelling system that is simplified but actually makes more real world sense than the previous one did, non-repetition (something I had a big gripe with in DA:O) and some neat throwbacks to your imported DA:O save. I have ALWAYS wanted to see where my character choices would take me over time, so it is extremely gratifying to be able to play over multiple years and really have a big impact on the events of the game, rather than just playing through them. My favourite thing about RPGs is designing characters, and in Dragon Age 2 they've allowed you plenty of room to shape Hawke how you want. There's also the thing where no matter what speech option you pick, Hawke comes off sounding completely badass and awesome. The voice acting is phenomenal. It's also worth noting that every character is voiced and lip-synched, you don't do any reading. Not long ago that was unheard of. I was unprepared for how emotionally invested I got into this, which is party why I'm rating it so highly. I really cared when... okay no spoilers, but there are some character deaths that kind of got to me. At first I was determined to play a "renegade" character, but I found myself responding to conversations with the choices I really would pick in real life, because I was so damn invested.

    One other thing I really want to mention is that I am replaying immediately after finishing the game, as I can't bear to think about all the stuff I missed by choosing certain options. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. Why it's not a 10/10: Some things were dumbed down too far, like conversation choices. It by no means stopped me from enjoying the game, but micromanagement is a popular hobby of a lot of hardcore gamers, so it's nice to have the option there. Secondly, it's too short, and the ending is rushed, I'm guessing this is because Bioware are looking forward to rolling out masses of DLC to us. I did notice the price on steam was a bit less than what I paid for DA:O on release date, (as far as I recall I paid $100 for it, which is common with AAA new releases, keep in mind I'm Australian and everything is expensive) paying $70 for a new release is a little easier to swallow. Awakening was a great expansion, so I'm up for more of that. Anyway, I just wanted to balance out the negitivity as I have really enjoyed this game and it's up there with ME2 for me. A lot of people had a whinge about how bad DA:O looked when it came out, and I have to wonder if they bothered playing it on a decent PC. These games look great pumped up to max settings. If you can't run those, then don't whinge. If you have a PS3, reflect on your inability to upgrade your video card.

    Seriously guys, stop looking for flaws and just enjoy it. It's not a perfect game for the reasons I stated above, but it really is worth playing for anyone remotely into the fantasy genre. I'm curious how many hours some of the other reviewers here spent on the game. Did they just play the demo? I thought the demo made the game look pretty **** actually. It's apparently cool to hate on big companies (that secretly review their own games) but it's not cool to just jump on a bandwagon without evaluating something for yourself first. I tell you what though, I am damn well sick of killing abominations. Makes me almost want to lock those mages up. Sorry Anders, that was a joke. I DIDN'T MEAN IT ANDERS.    … Expand
  12. Corraine
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    After replaying through the initial Dragon Age multiple a time, it was a no brainer to pick up DA2 as well. While the openers magic is slightly lost along the way the sequel does a lot right. The story itself is written nicely, albeit missing out on a lot of potential drama and interesting scenes. Characters are all around nicely done and actually have a lot of unexpected reactions andAfter replaying through the initial Dragon Age multiple a time, it was a no brainer to pick up DA2 as well. While the openers magic is slightly lost along the way the sequel does a lot right. The story itself is written nicely, albeit missing out on a lot of potential drama and interesting scenes. Characters are all around nicely done and actually have a lot of unexpected reactions and decisions which make the game feel genuinely interesting.

    On the minus side the game has a bit too much of fighting going on. After you learn the gimmick of the fight, it does get nice. Yet wave after wave of extra enemies per each fight does get kind of tiresome. Either way a very well done sequel and a way lengthy as well. Clocked at 90 hours on nightmare after completing about every quest I could find.    … Expand
  13. Deathbehind
    Mar 30, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I would like to create a long, fully elaborated review on the game to explain the core features and everything in depth, I honestly cannot, as the game is without much merit whatsoever. The combat took… Expand
  14. thomas67
    Apr 28, 2011
    10
    I am so sick of everyone bashing this game!!! I mean seriously! Yeah it's different that doesn't mean you have to hate it!!! Do you want DLC??? Do You want expansion packs??? Do you want DA3??? Then STOP bashing it!!! Seriously!
  15. daveros
    May 8, 2011
    10
    I was absolutely blown away by how fantastic this game is. Great characterisation, a wonderful story with brilliant cinematic set-pieces and very fun. A brilliant evolution of the Dragon Ago franchise. I can't wait to see more.
  16. 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
  17. SuperHombreLA
    Apr 15, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The worst Bioware game I have played. Cost cutting decisions, more than any other decision Bioware made, is what ruined this game. Let me be clear - game publishers need to manage costs - but they still need to deliver a first rate gaming experience. Bioware needs to deliver quality story telling, rather than rush a second rate experience out the door. I've listed what I think the most glaring cost cutting flaws in the game are below:
    1. My choices don't matter. I am constantly forced back into the same story loop. While I understand that there are limits on story divergence, my choices need to be about more than the flavor of the game I am playing. Not every choice I make needs to alter the story line. But some do. And at least a few need to fundamentally alter the course of the game.
    2. Characters should be memorable, and not flat. If characters can just sort of fit whatever I want to do, then ultimately it's obvious that I'm playing a video game and not interacting with soulful representations. The game ruins the veil of "suspended disbelief" so critical to fantasy on so many occasions by just allowing characters to go along with whatever I want. Fenris, for example, HATES mages, and refuses to join my fight with the mages. Good for him even though it would have made my end fight more difficult. Then, because I manage a pithy one liner about slavery, he joins my party. IF he hated slavery and mages all along, the game should have built up this conflict more within his character, so that we could see the final crisis and denoument, not have him flippantly choose one side because it's what the player feels like doing.
    3. Repetitive use of scenery. Origins got annoying after a while with the same monsters, but the scenery constantly changed. Dragon Age II made this worse by having me fight the same monster models and in the same settings three times in a row.
    4. Every male model looks like they are on roids - how about some varied body types? What about the sinewy rogue? The willowy mage? Why as a mage are my muscles still exploding from my robes?
    5. Sexuality should be more than a lifestyle choice for my romantic options. In Dragon Age, some characters were bisexual and others were not. Some got offended by homosexuality. This added an extra appreciated wrinkle to the game. Which leads me to comment 5...

    Cost containment I could accept:
    1. Focusing on fewer origin stories. Valuable development time could be saved if only a few major storylines are played. So, if I only get three origin stories instead of 15 possibilities I am OK with that. However, these three should be divergent not as close together as possible. E.g. female elven mage, male human warrior, male rogue dwarf. 2. Reuse of monster models. Every game has to do it, I get it.
    3. Limitations on the number of big decisions that alter a story arc. Understood that these cannot pop up all over the place, but there need to be some and a few need to be big ones. Mass Effect 2 demonstrated that if you have enough divergent story arcs, origin stories are less important.
    4. Simpler combat systems. I get it that there are more console games to be sold than PC games. If due to economies of scale I have to have a simpler combat system, I can handle that to if it is still fun and challenging like in Mass Effect 2.

    I accept the above cost containment, and it's because I expect the game designer to spend extra time making sure that what it DOES do is exceptional. No one has infinite resources. Rather than wisely spending its gaming investment dollars on the areas of most return for its gamers, Bioware was solely focused on their financial returns. They have made it clear that all I am to them is a dollar sign and they plan to cash out on the Dragon Age franchise. Very well, Bioware, your gaming audience understands, and I for one will sit out the next Dragon Age unless user reviews are 8.0+. You can buy off publications but not your user base.    … Expand
  18. Persephone611
    Apr 16, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is not your standard "Hero against the world" or "Hero slays a dragon" story. This is a story about conflict, politics, oppression and personal drama. Unlike most games, it offers no "good" or "evil" way out. That alone is one of its strongest points. I'll list my personal pros and cons first:

    + Breaks out of the stale "Hero defeats an ancient evil" formula. + Companions are    Dragon Age 2 is not your standard "Hero against the world" or "Hero slays a dragon" story. This is a story about conflict, politics, oppression and personal drama. Unlike most games, it offers no "good" or "evil" way out. That alone is one of its strongest points. I'll list my personal pros and cons first:

    + Breaks out of the stale "Hero defeats an ancient evil" formula.
    + Companions are all well defined, plot heavy and not just people with ten dialogue options
    + The combat system is fast and furious, it feels involved and largely improved
    + No more "You gave me 5 gifts. I wuv you" = "Romance" nonsense. Romances take time, feel real and are part of the drama
    + Side quests and Companion Quests are woven into the main story
    + It no longer takes "approval" to get to know your companions. Friendship and rivalry offer different paths, you are no longer punished for disagreeing with your companions
    + Importing DAO saves add wonderful touches and REAL cameos, unlike the hack job called Awakening
    + Gorgeous graphics
    + I encountered only two quests I could not finish
    + No hours of sludging aimlessly through the Deep Roads or the Fade, killing everything in sight

    - Re-used enviroments. While the enviroments they DID create are gorgeous in color and finely drawn, there are too few. Hopefully this will be fixed via a patch.
    - Much as I like the companion interaction being spread out, I'd have liked to see more and I'd have liked to customize them fully. But worry not, the modders are already at work

    This game is not was not meant to be a direct sequel to DAO. They tried going down that road with Awakening and we know that was a disaster. It is a bold, new way of picking up a conflict that was already hinted at in the original. Also, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The tragedies unfolding in this game cannot be blamed on an antagonist or an ancient evil but on, pardon the RPG pun, human nature. There were so many moments in this game when I was teary eyed or yelling "No, no, NO!" at my screen. I don't want to spoil anything however. Is it a perfect game? No. Was DAO a perfect game? Hell, no. DAO was horribly bugged, the last third of the game was badly written and rushed and never mind its formulaic nature and cliché ending. I love both games though. DA2 represents change and many do not like change. I happen to love it. I cannot wait for the newest DLCs and expansion and DA3 can't come soon enough either. I know the haters will pounce down on my review. It'll be an honor though, because I don't care what they think.    … Expand
  19. Edge3133t
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    Liked: Random armor generator, and shopkeepers regularly replenishing. Appearance of fully upgraded sets and armor as well as companions. (Anders and Merrill looked amazing)

    Disliked: Difficult to put together a full set of gear, say for example, a full suit of elven armor nearly took me to the end of act 2 just to get something piecemeal that looked halfway decent. Failed to put my    Liked: Random armor generator, and shopkeepers regularly replenishing. Appearance of fully upgraded sets and armor as well as companions. (Anders and Merrill looked amazing)

    Disliked: Difficult to put together a full set of gear, say for example, a full suit of elven armor nearly took me to the end of act 2 just to get something piecemeal that looked halfway decent. Failed to put my second act set together when I didn't pick a fight in the Hanged Man for the rogue chest piece. Need more sexy outfits, yes.

    Liked: Companion interaction.

    Disliked: Need to buy most of the 'gifts' to get said interaction, should have been acquired randomly like the other half of the influencing equipment.

    Liked: Overall storyline, plot progression. Ending left me wanting for more from the series.

    Disliked: Once it's over, it's over, no epilogue, no closure. You just have this vague sense that the story will continue in DLC and new expansions.

    Liked: Combat. Great, wonderful, bloody. PC version excelled in this category. Storyline, and plot had this growing 'sense' of chaos slowly consuming the entire world. Companion quests, events, dialog, and romance.

    Bugged comments: Some minor glitches, but the flow of the game and lag was low. Found a random bandit type leader on the beach non hostile close to the entrance, and never did find that kidnapped girl in act 3 on the same beach(related?)

    Final Conclusion: The end was epic, I got the girl, and killed both individuals I wanted to kill off. I managed to keep my party together, except Sebastian also which was impressive. Overall I had fun, and it's an excellent legacy to the original Origins.

    Oh the musical score... best part, without question it totally painted the scene and adding to the suspense and emotion of the game.    … Expand
  20. simonsen123
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    User- Score of 4.0? I am completely stunned by this. It's waaay down there where you would normally find titles coming out of..... Eastern Europe or Kenya? And let me make one thing clear: It cannot possibly be justified. Dragon Age 2 is a major step up from the original in terms of intriguing story-telling, gameplay and character affection. Doing all the side-quests, there is at least 30User- Score of 4.0? I am completely stunned by this. It's waaay down there where you would normally find titles coming out of..... Eastern Europe or Kenya? And let me make one thing clear: It cannot possibly be justified. Dragon Age 2 is a major step up from the original in terms of intriguing story-telling, gameplay and character affection. Doing all the side-quests, there is at least 30 hours of your time and I can guarantee that if you play on anything above normal difficulty; it will require more than simple hack'n slash as some of the 795 negative reviews have suggested. Yes, at times the combat goes on automatic mode and it may occasionally feel as if you were simply watching a movie but use that opportunity to catch your breath. You will need to do so because the story is as involving as ever and so increasingly fast-paced that at times it will almost surely take your breath away. DA2 clearly has adapted some of the better aspects from ME2 where, although slightly more limited, the conversation-wheel has been greatly simplified and 10x more perceivable. Other players have complained that a beautifully voice-acted main-character is to blame for shallow and uninteresting conversations but I personally feel this helps you retain a closer relationship with the character of Hawke and his ties with his mother, sister and Varric the always witty, Dwarven, companion with the mystical, personified, crossbow Bianca. While some compromises have been made, not only regarding voice-acting but also in combat and the selection of spells and abilities to reach a broader audience, the Wizards hat is still firmly on your head and at the time you finish the game you will have been through the entire emotional band and you will feel anxious whether or not you have taken the right choices all along. All in all I feel that DA2 is an excellent rpg which has evolved from the sort of unpolished, rough around the edges, nature of Origins to be a near perfect action oriented drama which certainly pleased me plenty. I may not be the most hardcore rpg fan but if I were to have a say I would argue that DA2 is better than, not only the previous installments, but also triumphs Mass Effect. So far, this is my GOTY 2011. If you are looking for a new Baldur's gate; look elsewhere.… Expand
  21. Dynex811
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    Why are people complaining about the combat? The combat was the WORST thing about DA:O. I had a good 70 hours with Dragon Age 2. Great characters and fantastic story. I loved Kirkwall as well. I have no complaints about this game.
  22. life
    May 22, 2011
    10
    Amazing game, not as good as Dragon Age Origin though but still very close. The story is good and there are plenty of choices to make. And most of the character are interesting.
    I recommend it. 10 points for Dragon Age 2 :)
    .
  23. Greenbullet
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    After reading Some really ridiculous reviews one involving "bioware should go bankrupt". I thought I put up a review first off The immersion of the game is still there however modified to work for everyone such as exclusion of being able to interact with your team mates constantly in my opinion this was good because through out origin you'd run in to a interaction block where theAfter reading Some really ridiculous reviews one involving "bioware should go bankrupt". I thought I put up a review first off The immersion of the game is still there however modified to work for everyone such as exclusion of being able to interact with your team mates constantly in my opinion this was good because through out origin you'd run in to a interaction block where the characters would repeat the same thing when interacting with them face to face.
    Graphically its clear that it is superior than Origins and also the battle system is more easier to use and is faster than the previous titles making it better and easier to keep you allies alive.
    I have a problem with the rehashed environments though It gets annoying always being in the same cave but named differently. But overall it was a great game lacking in the hours however still gives you a great sense of immersion and creating a connection with each characters stories just like in Origins. But don't take it from me as try it for yourself and make your own opinion of it. There are some improvements that the game should have but there's no need to say on a review when bioware check on their forums constantly looking for user input    … Expand
  24. agentdude
    May 15, 2011
    10
    First, right off the bat, anyone who said the game was too easy, Just turn the difficulty up! Overall an awesome game. Sure, the story isn't as "grand" or "epic" but that way, it's also not The Lord of the Rings for the millionth time like almost all RPG stories are. I love DA:O but come on, that story was clichéd, repetitive, and a little tired. Sure, this game has someFirst, right off the bat, anyone who said the game was too easy, Just turn the difficulty up! Overall an awesome game. Sure, the story isn't as "grand" or "epic" but that way, it's also not The Lord of the Rings for the millionth time like almost all RPG stories are. I love DA:O but come on, that story was clichéd, repetitive, and a little tired. Sure, this game has some flaws. But I think most of those come from rushed production. With more time they could have (and should have) created more than one cave, and a better item system. But, the combat is still fun and tactical, just faster paced. The story in this game was much more engaging and creative, and sure it stays in one city but I liked that. That gives you the player a better chance to actually learn about and connect to the character. This game is fun and people need to be such **** trolls about it. I do agree that the graphics need improvement though. Basically, everyone who complained about this game is a niche dying market of whiny troll PC players that need to stop. I love playing on the PC but you know why I don't like to tell people that? Because then they think I'm some crazy elitist who's trapped in the late 90's. You people are the reason PC gaming is dying! Steam is trying to save it but it can only do so much to combat these kinds of people. I would say 9/10 but I said 10/10 to try to counter just a bit what all these hating trolls have done to the user rating. There's a reason why critics rated it where they did. Cuz it's a good game with a good story that you should buy and play.… Expand
  25. IanHeres
    May 16, 2011
    10
    Dragon Age 2 is far, far better than the user reviews are indicating. I don't think most of the people giving poor reviews actually played it or Dragon Age: Origins despite complaining about how Dragon Age 2 is "dumbed down." Go back and play Origins again. I'll wait. See how slow the combat is? Do you like chasing after enemies at a brisk jog? Notice how little character developmentDragon Age 2 is far, far better than the user reviews are indicating. I don't think most of the people giving poor reviews actually played it or Dragon Age: Origins despite complaining about how Dragon Age 2 is "dumbed down." Go back and play Origins again. I'll wait. See how slow the combat is? Do you like chasing after enemies at a brisk jog? Notice how little character development there actually is? No one even responds to your dialog choices, half the time!

    I don't know why people are saying combat is "dumbed down." What does that even mean? DA2 is pretty similar to Origins, except with some of the shuffling and delays cut out. I like actually being able to hit enemies instead of chasing after them. I'm also glad they finally got rid of the "Enemy swings his sword, you move out of the way, but you get hit anyway because the to-hit was calculated at the start of the swing" thing. That's in Origins, and it bugged the crap out of me.

    The "enemies coming in waves" thing needs to be tweaked, since it can be kind of annoying. It's not the end of the world, and it's a nice touch that they animated extra mooks joining the fight (demons appear out of the ground, humans will rappel down from rooftops, etc), but it's overused. Now, the dialog wheel with the stacking personality development is fantastic. I wish they would use this in more games. Your character actually has a personality you can develop, unlike in Origins where pretty much every character could "say" the same things. Some of the written lines in Origins were "funny" or "diplomatic" but they didn't really have a lasting impact. You could be a jerkass in one scene and a diplomat in the next, and the game didn't care. In DA2, the more responses of a type you use, the more your character becomes like that. It's organic, behind the scenes, and wonderful.

    Now, DA2 isn't perfect. They could have added more maps, but that's not the worst thing in the world. Did everyone forget the utter slog that was The Fade in the mage's tower? There's a mod to skip that section for a reason! Let's be honest: Origins had a fair amount of filler and boring crap, too.

    The story in DA2 could also use some minor improvements. There's a few spots where it would have been nice if it could branch out based on player decision, but that's always going to be a problem in a PC rpg. If you want total freedom of choice, you're going to need to play a tabletop game. I don't remember DA:O being a lot better in this regard.

    Some people seem upset that it's not another "hero saves the world" game. I don't know if this is a surprise to anyone, but an RPG doesn't have to be about a 20-year-old saving the world. It's still a good game even if it's not the typical "level up, become god-king." We've done that before, ok? To summarize, DA2 is a great game. It's not perfect, but neither was DA:O. Dragon Age 2 is faster, has better character development, a better combat system, and a reasonably good story. If you're looking for a traditional, infinity-engine D&D-based game, then this might not be for you. For everyone else, it's a great fantasy RPG.    … Expand
  26. Kaligo
    May 21, 2011
    8
    I've been playing this game for about a month now, on my 3rd play through. When I first started playing I found the game a little easy as some people had complained, but then I change it to Hard, then completed my 2nd play through on Nightmare.

    I find that people forget that not everyone is a a hardcore gamer where everything in a game has to be a challenge. A lot casual gamers get    I've been playing this game for about a month now, on my 3rd play through. When I first started playing I found the game a little easy as some people had complained, but then I change it to Hard, then completed my 2nd play through on Nightmare.

    I find that people forget that not everyone is a a hardcore gamer where everything in a game has to be a challenge. A lot casual gamers get frustrated at the complexity of some popular games and such. Bioware did a good job catering to all with this sequel, although the game story/decisions isn't as diverse and in-depth as DA:O it still tells a great story altogether.

    I like the changes to the combat system, its more fast pace, more interactive, I found that DA: O combat could get dry in long fights with its long cool downs and such. DA2 took a step in a different direction with lower cool downs, cross class combos, and faster combat.

    If you think this game is too easy, try playing it on Nightmare. I say some battles are near impossible on that setting.

    Overall I give it an 8, I like the game play, it had a good story, just wish I had more of a hand sculpting it. The game had quite a few bugs, and could of been a bit more polished before release. It's a solid sequel.    … Expand
  27. AW8
    May 21, 2011
    8
    My first playthrough was seventy hours of entertainment. Combat is fun, conversation is fun. I like that the whole game takes place in Kirkwall, and (mostly) moves in time instead of new locations. It's fun to follow questlines throughout the years. I prefer that party members have their own clothing, like in ME2. You don't have to manage them all, it's less punishing to pick a partyMy first playthrough was seventy hours of entertainment. Combat is fun, conversation is fun. I like that the whole game takes place in Kirkwall, and (mostly) moves in time instead of new locations. It's fun to follow questlines throughout the years. I prefer that party members have their own clothing, like in ME2. You don't have to manage them all, it's less punishing to pick a party member that you haven't upgraded in terms of gear. And you don't have to see the ones you don't use wear old, rusty armor because that's all you're going to let them have. You still get to customize jewelry and all the gear on yourself. there I like the skill trees, and the fact that the classes are more balanced in terms of abilites, for example, rogues can crowd control as well as mages now. Combat is just more fun than in Origins. Everything is faster and reacts quicker. The story isn't the same old "save the world"-type that Origins had, the story is much more original and interesting this time around, BW is fully using the factions they have created and are putting them against each other. The party members are also more interesting than in Origins. Voice acting is impeccable. Aveline's voice actor is making an incredibly good job.

    Crafting has been simplified, how you learn specialization classes have been simplified, don't really care.

    The minor complaints I have with this game is that often, enemies explodes in a blood for some reason. It's just comedic, and should've been left out. Then there's some sidequests that you receive when you find a lost object in loot or in the world, and you have to go to the person who's lost it and receive a small reward and hear both Hawke and the NPC exchange short, boring lines. Those quests should've just been removed, they add nothing to the game. Then there's the most awful thing with the game - the re-used locations. I'm not talking about the fact that a lot of the major plot takes place in the same locations, I'm talking about how cheap BioWare has been when making dungeons, warehouses and damn well everything. They just keep re-using the same maps, with some slight modifications, again and again. Some dungeons are used for at least three times in what is supposed to be different locations, and that's just sad.

    Overall, the game is just pure entertainment. They made the game less hardcore than Origins, but also improved things and made it more interesting. The world and lore they created in Origins are put to much better use as things aren't as good and evil anymore, the whole story is full of gray choices, even until the end - unlike Origins, there's no clear world-threatening pure evil. The conflict keeps you interested, surprised and entertained throughout the whole game.
    Avanost's review was shameless - but closer to the truth than all the 0.0's you see here. :)    … Expand
  28. lftlitm
    May 24, 2011
    10
    I don't think it deserves a ten but I'm giving it one to counter some of the haters excessively negative ratings. This game realistically shouldn't be given less than a 7. People say it's unstable, I call BS. I have a mediocre PC (was good 3 years ago) running windows 7 and I have yet to have the game crash. The graphics are actually quite good even without being able to use the HDI don't think it deserves a ten but I'm giving it one to counter some of the haters excessively negative ratings. This game realistically shouldn't be given less than a 7. People say it's unstable, I call BS. I have a mediocre PC (was good 3 years ago) running windows 7 and I have yet to have the game crash. The graphics are actually quite good even without being able to use the HD textures. The dialogue wheel works fine and your choices aren't just good, silly and bad. There are aggressive comments that are just that aggressive. There are some that are mean spirited but those are typically denoted by the fist icon as opposed to the gavel icon indicating the comment simply being aggressive. Again there are nice comments for instance when you are trying to console someone who is sad and diplomatic comments when you are trying to be just that.. diplomatic. Your dialogue choices affect your characters personality, the reactions of your comrades, special dialogue events that may only be granted to aggressive or diplomatic characters. The combat is entertaining and fast paced. I like the fact it is faster paced than origins was. If you want a more strategic fight then play on hard. Personally I like playing on normal because my character is supposed to be the champion of Kirkwall and I personally feel being forced to use "tactics" like kiting in order to beat enemies to be very lame.

    All in all it is an awesome game that will continually get better as patches and DLC are released.

    So my official rating is a 9. Some small issues but I expect many of those to be fixed over time.    … Expand
  29. 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.
  30. 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
  31. Pax_Romana
    Apr 16, 2011
    10
    I cannot understand the MASSIVE backlash of negative reviews. I loved this game for the character development, the superb voice over work, the story - which is one of the best I've seen in a video game - and because it was just a bloody good time. There were some things I missed from DAO, like slow-mo kill moves, but those were far from decisive. I give this a 10 because I walked awayI cannot understand the MASSIVE backlash of negative reviews. I loved this game for the character development, the superb voice over work, the story - which is one of the best I've seen in a video game - and because it was just a bloody good time. There were some things I missed from DAO, like slow-mo kill moves, but those were far from decisive. I give this a 10 because I walked away from this game FEELING like a champion.… Expand
  32. salty
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    I'm beginning to wonder if these people actually played the game past either the demo or the first 10 minutes.

    The combat in Dragon Age 1 was basically this: Right click, watch your character (literally) walk over, and start swinging their sword like they're about to fall asleep, and then you win. If you slow down the combat in 2, it's the same thing, but god forbid people actually think    I'm beginning to wonder if these people actually played the game past either the demo or the first 10 minutes.

    The combat in Dragon Age 1 was basically this: Right click, watch your character (literally) walk over, and start swinging their sword like they're about to fall asleep, and then you win. If you slow down the combat in 2, it's the same thing, but god forbid people actually think for more than 5 minutes.

    Graphics: I can't play the game on Highest Dx11 without my FPS dropping to 3 and textures spazzing out. So this is the only valid complaint I can see.

    As far as the difficulty complaints go: I've had to turn down the difficulty during some parts. Some boss fights are just ridiculous. There's nothing "dumbed down" at all. As I said, combat merely happens faster and abilities actually have visible effects.

    Conversations being simplified? This one is just stupid. "I don't have to THINK about what I say now!". I never did in the original and I somehow managed to get everyone to love me (usually just pressing the first option). Take away the wheel that gives you a graphical representation of what you're about to say and it's the same thing as Origins

    Either way, it seems most negative reviews focus on nothing and just say "GG BIOWARE YOU KILLED THE RPG MARKET!" without actually specifying why they hate it (which is pretty much Metacritic in a nutshell). To quote the most popular negative review on here: "Unless you're on hard mode, there is nothing to discuss as far as combat goes". It was the same in Origins. Play on Easy or Normal and you could 'lol' your way to victory. From the same review I quoted earlier "after a mere few hours with it I honestly have no drive to play it any more. That didn't happen until Orzammar with DA:O.". I don't know how people can praise the original, yet chastise the sequel when they openly admit they never finished either. 29 hours in and I'm still having a blast (albeit multiple rerolls because lol@me).    … Expand
  33. ENAK
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    While the game is not as good as it's predecessor, it surely doesn't deserve the backlash it's getting. Combat is satisfying, the story is as good as in any other Bioware game. The only negative things about seem to be some repetitive locations a smaller (but still quite big) game world and a bit lesser follower interaction. None of which disqualify the game as a triple A title.
  34. Ayuru
    May 18, 2011
    9
    One of the best RPG's I've ever played. Great characters, fun battle system, nice story. Much, much better than boring and out-of-date Dragon Age: Origins. 9.0
  35. Cuco
    May 23, 2011
    10
    Best RPG of 2011. Good story ? Check. Good characters ? Check. Difficult combats ? Check! It's just perfect. You can't go wrong with Bioware.

    Trust in Bioware, go with me.
  36. 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.
  37. Obsidien
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    For me; This game it's so beautyful but not private to many bugs. Also the city present in this game give us an important emotional investigates players; It's so a very big game with differents protagonists with them unique characters. The Graph's game is an concentrate of all moderns technology in video game. Bio-Ware it's alway faithful of him.
  38. Aerthos
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I have put in a little over a dozen hours on Dragon Age 2, and overall I would say it is a solid RPG with an excellent narrative that should be given credit for what it is--a great story of a refugee of Ferelden and his rise to become something more. If DA2 is to be compared to any other game it should be Dragon Age: Origins, and as such any comparisons are between these two titles.

    The    I have put in a little over a dozen hours on Dragon Age 2, and overall I would say it is a solid RPG with an excellent narrative that should be given credit for what it is--a great story of a refugee of Ferelden and his rise to become something more. If DA2 is to be compared to any other game it should be Dragon Age: Origins, and as such any comparisons are between these two titles.

    The story itself is not the expansive storyline veterans might have been expecting, but is rather a much more tailored storyline following a member of the Hawke family. The story, which of a different scope, is just as richly detailed as DA:O and is easier for the player to navigate thanks to the improved dialogue system. There are also far more sidequests available than in Origins, which more often than not leads to more character depth for the NPCs than before.

    The talent trees have been drastically changed, and it is purely a matter of preference if this is for the better or the worse. Personally, I like the less linear progression and the concept of upgrades, but I am frustrated by the very large number of potential choices compared to the realistic number of points available to spend during the course of a play through.

    The inventory and crafting systems have been streamlined as well. Crafting is far simpler; now it is just a matter of finding a source of crafting materials and vendors allow you to do the rest. Inventory has made two notable changes. Firstly, there has been the implementation of a "star" system for items to indicate their relative usefulness for characters (mostly useless for veterans of RPGs). Secondly, you are no longer able to equip armor on your companions as they have their own unique armor that you can find upgrades for. While this is a fun concept, it is also incredibly frustrating because it leads to a large number of armor pieces that you are forced to sell because they are not for Hawke's class. Seems rather a heavy-handed way of getting players to play through the game multiple times (if they want to see all the different armors), but it just as well might have been an unthought-of side effect to the upgradeable companion armors.

    Certainly the single most damaging thing to DA2 is dungeon areas being recycled throughout the course of the game. When so much of the rest of the game shines, this is really just a glaring weakness. It might have been less obvious even if the map for the area was not the exact same with a few "doors" simply ones that you are unable to open. Misleading and frustrating as--for me--it really distracted from what has otherwise been a rather enjoyable experience.    … Expand
  39. Hawke24
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    I think this game deserves 86/100. All characters quite interesting, some of them so awesome... I liked Hawke's family, especially Bethany, Varrick, Merril, and Isabella for sure. I know I am hopeless fan of Bioware ^^.Yes, there's some negative moments, such as lesser duration of game than DaO. For now i completed game 1 time, but i want more of it! Sorry for my English (I'm from Russia)
  40. devilinside
    May 22, 2011
    10
    -Bu ney oluyor?

    -Witcher 2.

    -BuÄ
  41. MarcusGejm
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age: PoczÄ
  42. KwaggaDan
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age II is exactly what it promises. It's a sequel, meaning it's not DOA. It does inherit one thing from DOA however, and that is the exceptional character driven storyline. It also has extraordinary supporting characters and as is the Bioware standard; the game has exceptional writing and brilliant voice acting.

    That's not to say the game is flawless. There is a pretty annoying map    Dragon Age II is exactly what it promises. It's a sequel, meaning it's not DOA. It does inherit one thing from DOA however, and that is the exceptional character driven storyline. It also has extraordinary supporting characters and as is the Bioware standard; the game has exceptional writing and brilliant voice acting.

    That's not to say the game is flawless. There is a pretty annoying map repetition, and the close up detail is a bit lacking, but the story more than makes up for it. Just remember it's not DOA...    … Expand
  43. Llysana
    Mar 23, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age 2... just finished Act 2, and while I do enjoy it a great deal, it just doesn't compare to Dragon Age: Origins. In DA:O, the adventure was EPIC, and the companions were so much fun! In DA2, all you're trying to do is make money during the entire first Act. That's kind of lame. And the companions... I couldn't care less about them. On it's own, DA2 is a fun game, but whenDragon Age 2... just finished Act 2, and while I do enjoy it a great deal, it just doesn't compare to Dragon Age: Origins. In DA:O, the adventure was EPIC, and the companions were so much fun! In DA2, all you're trying to do is make money during the entire first Act. That's kind of lame. And the companions... I couldn't care less about them. On it's own, DA2 is a fun game, but when compared to it's predecessor, it's definitely lacking. However, I'm giving my score based on this game and not in comparison with DA:O. It was still highly addictive and the storyline gets better as it goes on.… Expand
  44. Wynne
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    Too bad a great game like this got hit by a raid. It's not worth a ten, probably no game is, but it's a marked improvement from the first game on several levels and thus is worth way more than a 4; probably an 8. This is Bioware's darkest, most tragic, most grey-morality story ever, it's fun to play, and the characters are better than the ones in Origins; more nuanced, more realistic. TheToo bad a great game like this got hit by a raid. It's not worth a ten, probably no game is, but it's a marked improvement from the first game on several levels and thus is worth way more than a 4; probably an 8. This is Bioware's darkest, most tragic, most grey-morality story ever, it's fun to play, and the characters are better than the ones in Origins; more nuanced, more realistic. The game system is better balanced and more fun. The only major negative is that the minor quest locations are sometimes very similar, and you revisit locations, but for the rest of it, it's great. If you're an RPG old-school purist who demands that the main character NOT be voiced or make facial expressions, then you will not like this game, but most other RPG fans will.… Expand
  45. dark89
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best RPG in the world. Unlike the first part of the game is 10 hours and she's fun and interesting. I do not understand people who put her 0 and 1. You even played in it?? Why spoil a game rating? Do nothing else or what?
  46. dancodan
    Apr 12, 2011
    10
    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.
    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks. None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years. It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.

    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks.
    None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years.
    It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also for the extensive campaign.

    The game should be considered as a action-rpg from now on. If you are the one who love the old pen n paper play style and prefer baldurs gate 1 & 2 in front of Dragon age 1, then maybe you should take a second thought, but I would suggest you to pick this up anyway. It's not money wasted, no matter what your preferences are.

    /dancodan    … Expand
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. Kenobiwan
    Apr 16, 2011
    10
    This game deserves a better rating from real fans. Yes, it is nothing like Origins, but it is still a game that I spent 70 hours. Different but effective graphics, a great story, and a fast paced game play that still is exciting to play. Origins had better game play to me but I still spent a long time hacking and slashing with awe.
  50. Celes247
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This game feels a lot like Baldur's Gate 2 to me. That being said, it's very good. I feel completely immersed, the combat is EXCITING! (unlike the first), and the characters memorable and funny.

    Truly loving it, the only thing negative I can say is that it does feel a little "rushed". Still, worth the money. A lot of the negative reviews are simply because it is hard to compete with a    This game feels a lot like Baldur's Gate 2 to me. That being said, it's very good. I feel completely immersed, the combat is EXCITING! (unlike the first), and the characters memorable and funny.

    Truly loving it, the only thing negative I can say is that it does feel a little "rushed". Still, worth the money. A lot of the negative reviews are simply because it is hard to compete with a groundbreaking original. Sequels always have it harder. I played the original right before this one came out and it's still very fresh in my head. Comparing the two is easy for me, Da2 wins.    … Expand
  51. Chupwn
    Mar 24, 2011
    10
    Mass Effect 2 meats Dragon Age: Origins. More action, devastating spells with visually striking effects. This game will make your $300 video card investment shine.
  52. Liquid_Wolf
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    PC Version - Graphics are stupendous on a newer system... GTX 400 series or above should be good. 200 series is probably good too. The game is definitely not like DA:O... but I'm not disappointed. Obviously there are going to be a LOT of heartbroken people out there that were really looking forward to a return to the old style of RPGs a-la Baldur's Gate and maybe even Neverwinter Nights...PC Version - Graphics are stupendous on a newer system... GTX 400 series or above should be good. 200 series is probably good too. The game is definitely not like DA:O... but I'm not disappointed. Obviously there are going to be a LOT of heartbroken people out there that were really looking forward to a return to the old style of RPGs a-la Baldur's Gate and maybe even Neverwinter Nights... Dragon Age II is not going to be that. I enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins but I did have to struggle through it to finish before DA2 released... I enjoyed Mass Effect, but I also found myself pushing through to finish just before ME2 came out.

    With Dragon Age 2, I am having an absolute blast. I find it a very enjoyable experience, and I really like each of the characters Hawke works with. They make me laugh, cuss, and even surprise me with some of their remarks and conversations. Unlike with DA:O, I will be playing through this game at least one more time. I do not feel forced to push through playing this game... and I recall that I had a very similar experience with Mass Effect 2. Very enjoyable game, the characters are fun, and I do not believe there is a problem with the combat/mechanics. Now... This is not Dragon Age: Origins, but that does not mean this is a bad game. I tell people who ask about Dragon Age the same thing I say about Mass Effect... Play the second one first, then move on to the first one. For the majority of people new to the series/genre, ME2 and DA2 are much easier to learn and enjoy. Was I hoping that DA2 would become the next Baldurs Gate 2? Yeah... a little... But I'm not letting those hurt feelings get in the way of what is a good experience. Dragon Age 2 stands well in it's own regard even if it didn't meet the expectations of many fans of DA:O. You can probably blame EA's influence if you like... but I do believe Dragon Age 2 is worth the money.

    I've put the difficulty on hard, and find myself completing all available side quests, backtracking to collect chests/materials/loot, and talking to every party member/NPC as much as possible. I did all this in DA:O, but everything feels much faster and lively in DA2. Sure I noticed the caves/dungeons/warehouses were copied/pasted... but the story and character interactions are in place to pull your attention off it. I'm happy I no longer have to mess with EVERY single armor slot on every party member. That was tedious to me... at best. There are plenty of bad things if you look for them, but I find there are more than enough good things about this game to make it worthwhile. Anyone who can't see them is really just upset the game isn't what THEY believe it should be. I saw a review that was rated 6.5/10 that hit on a good many true points about the flaws. A 6.5 is the absolute lowest I would believe this game should have, based on flaws alone... But I believe the game is easily a 7-8.5. I'm giving it a 10 because I am getting my money's worth, and am very happy with what I am playing.

    Now... I want Bioware to update the Toolset so we can make use of mods/addons.    … Expand
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. clockradio
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age II is an awesome game hands down. On most of the major points it is a really fun and engaging game. The combat is much better this time around, allowing you to feel more involved. This is especially true for Warrior's and Rogue's who benefit most from the combat changes. Hard to believe mage is even more awesome.

    The game really has not changed dramatically from its core    Dragon Age II is an awesome game hands down. On most of the major points it is a really fun and engaging game. The combat is much better this time around, allowing you to feel more involved. This is especially true for Warrior's and Rogue's who benefit most from the combat changes. Hard to believe mage is even more awesome.

    The game really has not changed dramatically from its core Origins roots. Overall it provides all the great aspects you expect from a Bioware game. Some of the only noticeable negatives I have found are the reuse of dungeon layouts. This was relatively disappointing since the game is centered around one area and adds to the feeling of repetition. This is where the time constraints are very obvious.

    To finish up this short review I'd like to comment on the graphics. They look great, even at the medium settings. The art style might not be to everyone's taste ( on a related note kill animations are not as satisfying) but everything from my point of view looked very nice.

    Solid game, can't go wrong, that is if you are not a jaded Origins fan.    … Expand
  56. nateg
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    ok, so here's a reasonable review. aka not a zero, or a 10. Dragon Age:Origins came out so recently that everyone, including myself, is comparing the two games. This is not unexpected, see Mass Effect 1 and 2. When compared to DA:O, this game gets a 6. That is, I wanted to play DA:O 2.0 and was let down. While this will hurt sales, the game itself is a solid 8.5. THE GOOD: Your characterok, so here's a reasonable review. aka not a zero, or a 10. Dragon Age:Origins came out so recently that everyone, including myself, is comparing the two games. This is not unexpected, see Mass Effect 1 and 2. When compared to DA:O, this game gets a 6. That is, I wanted to play DA:O 2.0 and was let down. While this will hurt sales, the game itself is a solid 8.5. THE GOOD: Your character has a remarkably unique adventure, enhanced by the ability for you to choose. I felt like a **** boss when I was champion of my little town. Voice acting was fun and it kept me engaged, when the story was interesting. The gameplay was smooth and easy to control (and is THE ONLY reason i was able to beat that red dude in a 1v1. HOLY CRAP my build was not meant for that matchup, lol). The supporting cast had goals, past issues, and uncompromising habits. I reached level 20 as i was completing the story. We meet characters from DA:O. The world map interface is pimp and easy for quests. They made items easier to manage. Scenery graphics(water reflection), special effects (spells), character heads/mouths are great. I had no bugs the entire playthrough. Abilities are so varied it's awesome. Also, i had fun playing. It was FUN.

    SPOILERS.
    THE BAD: Your particular role is not very important or driven. You are not special and you don't really have a goal(DA:O STOP THE BLIGHT NOW GOGOGOGO! Mass Effect 1: STOP THE EVIL SPECTRE OH **** END OF GALAXY SAVE GALAXY GOGOOGO!) This can cause the perception that the story is 'flat', and if the story is 'flat' the characters in that story seem 'flat'. Think, the Earth is 'flat'. One consequence was that it never SEEMED like there was a main quest line. So all of the quests felt like different ways to get xp. The story fell apart several times for me when i was able to predict it. FIRST MINUTES OF THE GAME: Oh, I have a sister and a mom with me... and it's bioware so they like to kill off characters, yea my sister's dead, and maybe my mom. (i think i could have made it so my sister didn't die, but i didnt care after i saw where it was going, sorry sis). You will never in your life have enough money for all the cool **** some vendors sell. Example, one ring was 100 gold, and i had 50 just before final missions. so if i had wanted , say, 15 of those 100 gold items to deck out my crew... yea gl with that. Protip: just play the game and before the final missions use a money cheat and buy the cool stuff. The world kind of feels the same as DA:O, with 'instanced' parts of towns and forests. But that's bad because it feels small. Like, compared to oblivion,GTA, or whatever with square miles of **** These levels really seem repetitive after a while. Character clothing/gear is still visually not up to par with what it could be. aka when you take an image and stretch it over some polygons. The final boss (for me) was a character I met more than 1/2 way thru the game. I mean, yea she's evil, but... i mean... ok i'll just kill her. im just **** because in DRAGON age 2 you dont win by killing a DRAGON. COMMENTS: The story is presented, it seems, for the exclusive purpose of making DLC's more viable. The end of the story is 'current day'. This is a cool way to tell a story, but i know what they're up to. Even the world map is just READY for another button that says "New Town 1" Also I had sex with almost every character in the game, so that was fun.    … Expand
  57. Yoshidude
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    It's a good thing that Metascore's are based on reputable publishers and not the biased opinion of a "betrayed" fanboy. There was nothing Bioware could do against the inevitable fate of a sequel to one of the greatest RPG's that ever graced humans. If you ask me, however, DA2 comes very close to sharing the glory. I've seen not hide nor hair of the issues reviewers are experiencing; quiteIt's a good thing that Metascore's are based on reputable publishers and not the biased opinion of a "betrayed" fanboy. There was nothing Bioware could do against the inevitable fate of a sequel to one of the greatest RPG's that ever graced humans. If you ask me, however, DA2 comes very close to sharing the glory. I've seen not hide nor hair of the issues reviewers are experiencing; quite the contrary in fact. For people who found the combat of DA:O to be sluggish and repetitive, DA2 is a welcome Saint. The quick-paced hack-n-slash style brawling kept my interest rather than turn me away from boredom. Granted the difficulty level has been turned down a few notches, I play RPG's for the experience and story, not to constantly have to reload my saves, which I was doing often even on Normal in DA:O. And to say that strategy is no longer needed is ridiculous. I found myself constantly pausing the game to issue commands to my party members.

    The graphics are not comparable to 2003. I don't understand how someone can even utter such a thought. The graphics are, in fact, refined in a manner that is completely reflecting of the story arc. DA:O had a serious, mature art style that utilized grey's and blues to set a mood. You were not a hero as much as you were a hope. DA2 moved away from that because the message is different. The art style utilizes more extreme blacks and reds and reminds me of scenes from Sin City. You are a champion, let your power be known!

    The equipment system is a very welcome change to me. In DA:O you had to be constantly on the look-out for upgrades for your plethora of partners. In this game your party members have "companion armor", which negates the need , or rather doesn't allow, for the equipping of head, chest, hand, and feet armor. Only Hawke can be equipped. This allows you to focus all the best equipment on him, who is your MAIN CHARACTER, rather than worrying about the NPC who usually die anyways.

    And then there's the story. I've been seeing reviews that say shallow, horrible script, no content, blah blah. Even in DA:O I wasn't physically forced to pace my room, hand on chin, staring at the floor, then the ceiling, to think about the ups and downs of saving an Elf or killing him. RPG's are meant to hurl you into a story, make you apart of the action, and DA2 does that with FLYING colors. I can choose to be cheeky, serious, kind, lovable, flirtatious, dominant, deciding, passive, or just plain rude to anyone I decide.

    This game is not only a step, but leaps and bounds separate from it's predecessor, and that's not a bad thing. To compare the games would be like comparing sandals with running shoes. Both are useful in certain situations, but trying to play beach volley ball in Nike's will cause lots of frustration. You have to see DA2 as a game rather than a sequel. It doesn't live up to DA:O standards because it creates it's own. I fully believe this game is an underrated masterpiece waiting to explode.    … Expand
  58. lagavaz
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8 is my answer… Expand
  59. pantherfan4389
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    Play the game before you come to the internet to complain about it people. I played both Origins and I just beat this game and I love it just as much. Give the changes a chance before you condemn them for being "dumbed down."
  60. Grimm2Reaper
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    I'd love to give this game the score I think it deserves, which is a solid 9.0, but the plethora of 1 and 0 reviews force me to at least normalize the score by making mine a 10. Dragon Age II is by no means the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. This is what so many of you have missed. The flashier combat, voiced protagonist, and lack of the ability to choose your race are not BioWareI'd love to give this game the score I think it deserves, which is a solid 9.0, but the plethora of 1 and 0 reviews force me to at least normalize the score by making mine a 10. Dragon Age II is by no means the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. This is what so many of you have missed. The flashier combat, voiced protagonist, and lack of the ability to choose your race are not BioWare attacking fans of Baldurs Gate-style RPGs. They are design decisions intended to create a new entry in the series. Hawke's story is not intended to be the player's story like the Warden's was. It is like Mass Effect, more of a Player-guided protagonist who is separate from the player. The combat, while fairly ridiculous on the higher levels, what with all the corpses exploding, is intended to change what was taken as a flaw in the previous game, the glacial combat. At no point in my several playthroughs of Origins did I feel any of my characters were actually any good at fighting. The tank would just sort of stand there and wave his sword while the ranged companions would stand off to the side, firing hordes of arrows into enemies who would simply keep walking around like pincushions. I understand that this system, with its highly tactical combat, evokes nostalgia in many PC gamers, but in this day and age, I feel that is rather outdated. I applaud their direction as far as making swords and arrows feel as though they are actually doing something to enemies. As far as graphics go, this game is a lot better than Origins. It's no Crysis 2, but the ones calling out DAII for its graphics while clinging to DA:O as a great game should look closer. There was a marked improvement between the two games. As for the story, I will not spoil anything, except to say that this game is very dark. BioWare has tried to create a dark fantasy in the Dragon Age series, and the previous game has very little in the way of dark. If you chose the right options, everything turned out all right in the end. In this game, no matter how hard you try, you never really get the classic heroic conclusion. I applaud BioWare for actually making this happen. Many games have claimed to create choices surrounded by muddy waters, but they generally do not succeed as far as one option always producing a result that is generally perceived as good. You find none of that in Dragon Age II. It makes the game that much more depressing and that much more REAL. I feel sorry for the folks at BioWare who have to sift through all these negative reviews calling for them to make another Dragon Age: Origins, because despite the massive amounts of them, chances are it's a small minority of angry ex-fans, while the people who actually like the game are still busy finishing it. In summation, a great game, much better than many I have played this year, and definitely worth my $60.… Expand
  61. gregsc1
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    There seem to be lots of mean-spirited, spiteful people who give exaggerated negative ratings and reviews for this game in particular. I'm coming to believe that many RPG fans are deeply conservative in their gaming desires. They want "improved' games, as long as the new version has all the same good stuff they had before, instead of breaking new ground. That's my theory, anyway.

    Dragon    There seem to be lots of mean-spirited, spiteful people who give exaggerated negative ratings and reviews for this game in particular. I'm coming to believe that many RPG fans are deeply conservative in their gaming desires. They want "improved' games, as long as the new version has all the same good stuff they had before, instead of breaking new ground. That's my theory, anyway.

    Dragon Age II certainly isn't perfect-- what is?-- but it's extremely improved and refined in many ways over a product (DA:O) that was flawed but nonetheless outstanding. I play in Hard mode on a mid-level PC, and the sequel is greatly improved graphically. The storylines are somewhat less cliche, and at least as well-written and voice-acted as before. The cinematics, which I don't usually get into, are much MUCH better. DA2 is a smaller game than Origins, yes, but it's still a very big game. I'd certainly like more environments/locales, but I understand Bioware's reasons for focusing on Kirkwall. The environments are great.

    What really baffles me is how anyone can perceive this product as tactically "dumbed-down" in any way. The only rational justification for such opinion is the fact that there are so many unpredictable new waves of enemies in some major encounters. I do find this a bit excessive at times, but if anything it requires MORE tactical finesse and situational awareness than before. I love the fact that it forces me to pace battles, reserving key AoE and crowd control, etcetera at times in case of emergencies. DA2 also often requires more aggro management than in Origins, depending on party structure. The class and talent designs are more well-defined and much more, well, awesome than before. Overall, the combat is by far the best tactical RPG combat I've ever experienced, although I haven't played (for example) Icewind Dale. My only serious criticism is that the game does indeed have some stability issues on my system (with nvidia 9800 GTS+) as well as others. It doesn't crash any more often than lots of other new games, though, and I expect that Bioware will patch for performance in the fairly near future.

    Anyway, I don't know what else to say, except that you shouldn't be scared of all these whiny user reviews if you're interested in the game. Just don't expect it to be a conservative remake or update of the first Dragon Age.    … Expand
  62. 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.
  63. Stormscape
    Mar 8, 2011
    10
    Don't listen to the haters this is an AMAZING game and well worth the $60 it cost me. Runs beautifully on my XFX Radeon 6870 with graphics on full 1920x1080. This is a game you'll either love or hate so try the demo first! Most fun I've had in an RPG for a long time, feels almost like 3D Baldur's Gate. Must buy if you like action oriented combat.
  64. tbone420
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    Great Game 10/10, better than DAO, which was a 9/10 imo. Love the story and the flow of combat. On nightmare mode it is an extremely challenging tactical game. I have played nearly all of the CRPG's since the PC D&D games from late 80s and early 90s (secret of the silver blades...etc) up to now I never thought action and RPG could actually exist in the same game. A great setup forGreat Game 10/10, better than DAO, which was a 9/10 imo. Love the story and the flow of combat. On nightmare mode it is an extremely challenging tactical game. I have played nearly all of the CRPG's since the PC D&D games from late 80s and early 90s (secret of the silver blades...etc) up to now I never thought action and RPG could actually exist in the same game. A great setup for future games from Bioware. This game is NOT suppose to be a DAO sequel, it is an experiment in using interactive frame narratives with RPG elements. I love forward thinking, everything evolves. GREAT GAME!… Expand
  65. bleak
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    As for me it's a worthy continuation for the DAO. The game is interesting and entertainment. It is the same Dragon Age: Origins, but it's more bright and various.
  66. Seadogkb19
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good forI don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good for them, they're grown ups...you can still give them weapons and jewelry if you feel the need to manhandle them. Yes, the story is not about saving the world again, its a bridge story to set up a cliffhanger for a greater conflict to come. Same as Mass Effect 2.

    Yes, you have to be human and have a name. If you want your character to actually speak and be addressed in a non generic way then you'll have to live with slightly more limited options...otherwise it's back to having a silent no personality character as in DA:O where the game is more about the npcs than you...and for me that aspect of DA:O made it lack real immersion.

    And Yes, the story primarily takes place in just one city... but so did Baldur's Gate 2 and that still worked wonderfully.

    All of these things I can live with and some I even enjoyed more than the original.

    No my problem is that the game was clearly rushed, and this is evident in the constantly repeated environments. Every cave, dungeon, beach, sewer, and house is exactly the same except for a closed door or passage here or there. It seems lazy. Had they taken their normal 24-30 month development phase, I feel like this game could have been truly wonderful. At times you can feel what could have been and its too bad. I had a sneaking suspicion that this would be an issue when I saw the release date and they ended up keeping to it. Either way its still a very enjoyable game, and a character I wouldn't mind playing some more, albeit in a more thoroughly developed environment. And all the recent bashing is really a symptom of people expecting so much from Bioware, so they should take it's for what its worth and just put more time into the next Dragon Age.

    All in all its still a 8 (maybe a 7 if you were that attached to all the trappings of DA:O) and worth playing/buying although waiting till the price drops and some DLC is announced to add more background depth is not the worst strategy if you're not a die hard fan of the series. But giving this game a 0 because you can't give your friends armor or whatnot is obviously is an intellectually dishonest overreaction.    … Expand
  67. Haon
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    This review isn't a complete one; I just want to inform potential buyers out there that DA2 isn't the train wreck most of the reviews make it seem. --First, the combat. It's not hack and slash! I have no idea where people are getting this from. Sure, it's easy on Normal, but so was BGII, NWN, NWN2, ME, ME2, DA:O.... get my point? They put hard and nightmare modes for sods like us thatThis review isn't a complete one; I just want to inform potential buyers out there that DA2 isn't the train wreck most of the reviews make it seem. --First, the combat. It's not hack and slash! I have no idea where people are getting this from. Sure, it's easy on Normal, but so was BGII, NWN, NWN2, ME, ME2, DA:O.... get my point? They put hard and nightmare modes for sods like us that don't want to run through the game feeling like we're gods. On hard it is IMPOSSIBLE to make it through tough fights without tactics and micromanagement. Enough said.
    --Second, the story(telling). Look, we've heard it all before. Guy grows up saves the world/city/girl. If you're going to slam an RPG's story, you don't want to be playing RPGs. Now, the storytelling in DA2 is a different matter. I for one love the, oh, 12 or so different choices available as responses, throughout a conversation. It really opens up the dialoge and the way the story unfolds. I've tried a bunch of differnt options out, and while sometimes it's tough to mix and match, you definitely get variety. Plus, it's nice to hear a few sentences spout from Hawke's mouth when you click a one line option, especially when you're asking questions.
    ---Three, screw the graphics. Who cares, really. I've got DA2 running fine on my Dell XPS on the "low" settings, and it's not making me puke. That's good enough for me. Remeber the original Deus Ex? Those graphics blow, but the gameplay, story and lore still make it incredible today. ---Fourth, the character development is a lot better than Origins. I mean A LOT BETTER. Branching paths, requirements, difficult choices, tougher requirements, meaningful decisions. Bioware, keep this model! Use if for every game you have coming. I mean it! It's a nice balance between old school and modern role playing models. ---Fifth, everyone's complaining about the DLC. Yeah, I agree, Bioware has sold their soul. But it's not wrecking the game, and a huge chunk of it is free, so it's more like they're in purgatory. Don't boycott the game over it, but definitely write the developer. ---Sixth, I'd say currently the game's actually a solid 9, not a 10. I just wanted to get posted at the top. :~) Thanks for reading! Go rock the world!    … Expand
  68. Loken
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I am a fan of the RPG genre and played the original, albeit lightly, the improvments over the first are noticable. The Stories frequent options for pathway choice is great and the option to take more playable characters that fit the expanding story succseed where the originals story based around none playable characters. I think the combat is tons of fun and works very well all around.I am a fan of the RPG genre and played the original, albeit lightly, the improvments over the first are noticable. The Stories frequent options for pathway choice is great and the option to take more playable characters that fit the expanding story succseed where the originals story based around none playable characters. I think the combat is tons of fun and works very well all around. There is the issue of SO MUCH day one DLC, 2 expansion missions, and a checklist of downloads some free, some only for buyers of other EA games. All in all that doesn't change that fact the combat is the core and done exceedingly well!… Expand
  69. anx
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I like the game. I like the way they've changed the battle. And, surprisingly, the conversation wheel from ME works just fine. To my mind it was worth waiting for.
  70. Hovis
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    There's a lot of butthurt about Dragon Age 2. Lot of nerds wanting to crunch stats, spank and tank and grind for gear. It's not that sort of RPG and, like Mass Effect 2, it is all the better for it. It's a story, one that you have a huge part to play in telling, rather than just watching it unfold, you make choices and pick sides and shape the world. Meantime you stab up a bunch of peopleThere's a lot of butthurt about Dragon Age 2. Lot of nerds wanting to crunch stats, spank and tank and grind for gear. It's not that sort of RPG and, like Mass Effect 2, it is all the better for it. It's a story, one that you have a huge part to play in telling, rather than just watching it unfold, you make choices and pick sides and shape the world. Meantime you stab up a bunch of people and get frisky with a pirate wench, among others. It's not perfect, the combat animations don't fit the tone of the game too well for example, but beyond that it's a masterpiece, far superior to the original.… Expand
  71. chronic_gamer
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Great game and really enjoying it. The combat is much improved from the last game, despite others insistence, the tactics system is still alive and well, especially in nightmare mode. The ability to center around a living person in the city of Kirkwall and follow them through years in the game is an awesome step and one that my friends and I really have enjoyed so far. Do yourself a favor,Great game and really enjoying it. The combat is much improved from the last game, despite others insistence, the tactics system is still alive and well, especially in nightmare mode. The ability to center around a living person in the city of Kirkwall and follow them through years in the game is an awesome step and one that my friends and I really have enjoyed so far. Do yourself a favor, get the game, play through it just once. You don't be disappointed and then you can take it back if you want.… Expand
  72. BioWareEmployee
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    BioWare has done it again with their most fantastic title to date! Everything from the character interaction to the graphics have been fleshed out making Dragon Age IIâ
  73. mangueJOE
    Apr 6, 2011
    9
    For me this game is far superior than the first one. Combat, graphics, voice acting, story, setting, atmosphere, everything is perfect. These people that whine so much are living in the past. This is not a Dragon Age Origins DLC.

    For me, Dragon Age Origins in unplayable, but DA2 is great!
  74. 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
  75. 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
  76. 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
  77. 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.
  78. MASTERxer0
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    One of the most anticipated games for a reason! Was able to play as the Mage in the Demo and the Rogue for the past 20 hours! As an RPG fan, this game really sucks you in with its in depth story by making you feel like you are really part this world that BioWare created for you. I look forward to spending many more hours on this.
  79. R3YNO
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    Listen to the people who played the game for than a little bit. It is clear that some people have an agenda to smear this game. I will point out the good and the bad in bullets. GOOD: * (Less Talking)- The thing that bugged me most was the British accents which seemed to not shut up. Almost exactly the same as Mass Effect also the main character speaks as apposed to standing there standingListen to the people who played the game for than a little bit. It is clear that some people have an agenda to smear this game. I will point out the good and the bad in bullets. GOOD: * (Less Talking)- The thing that bugged me most was the British accents which seemed to not shut up. Almost exactly the same as Mass Effect also the main character speaks as apposed to standing there standing every one his thoughts via brainwave. *(Combat) - Its faster and more appealing that before. *(The world) - The world is much better detailed and fleshed out than in origins. All the environments look great.
    BAD * (No variation with races) - the thing I liked most of Origins was that you can build your character even with race. Now you just start off with a human and that's that. Not a Huge Issue but one that people may find irritating. *(Not tactical cam) - If you played on PC you would know that the camera can be zoomed really far back like in Balder's Gate where you can tactically plain your attacks. Not in this game. However due to the games ability to be modded not a big issue because chances are people are making that kind of mod as I am typing. (( All and all a game defiantly worth checking out. Lucky for you there are demos on all systems and PC)    … Expand
  80. SiaG
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    I put 10 because it is really excellent game! The tree of skills became more, tactics is more clear and the drawing has not disappointed! A lot of new and it is good!
  81. Jaelit
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    An excellent role-playing game, and a logical and direct evolution of the previous game, more action-focused and more polished, although its action focus won't please everyone. (c)
  82. Watchman11
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.
    The story is great, far more original than the 'let's save the world again' idea in DAO, if you want    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.

    The story is great, far more original than the 'let's save the world again' idea in DAO, if you want dark fantasy, then this is the game to play. This however also means that the story is a bit more realistic, not as grand, or epic.

    The game has a lot of potential, however it's clear that a bit more time in development would have helped a lot. Some areas are recycled over and over again, and while the main quest is perfect, the side quests are.. mehh.. less original.
    On the bright side.. it's not as bugged as DAO was on release day.    … Expand
  83. MaestroBlaBla
    Apr 9, 2011
    9
    I rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is aI rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is a wide enough story, and number of zones, that you aren't going see how overused the zones are, unless you focus on the environment. The development of love affairs with different party members is a nice addition to the game. It will take more then 1 run at this game to see all this game has to offer. played with mods and DLC… Expand
  84. Shadow97
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    People you are not right dragon age 2 is a very good game and an excellent continuing of first part. I agree that this game is a bit different and not like the Dragon Age but you must know that Bioware is doing all the best to give pleasure to players and I think we should accept Dragon Age 2 how it is.
  85. mech
    Apr 5, 2011
    8
    This game is very different from the first Dragon Age, and I guess this is the reason for so much hate. Just about everything is different: the combat, the graphics style, the scale of story, and so on.

    The game is not Bioware's best effort by any means and clearly lacks polish, but giving it red scores out of spite is just childish, if only for one simple reason: recently there has not    This game is very different from the first Dragon Age, and I guess this is the reason for so much hate. Just about everything is different: the combat, the graphics style, the scale of story, and so on.

    The game is not Bioware's best effort by any means and clearly lacks polish, but giving it red scores out of spite is just childish, if only for one simple reason: recently there has not been a similar game by a different developer that could even come close.    … Expand
  86. askhole
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This game is good all those negative reviews are just bunch of trolls. If you feel that this game is a mindless hack and slash game try it in hard or nightmare mode, the only down side is that your companions has less option in customizing there items.
  87. julemand
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    I felt this game was interesting in story (something other people seem to disagree with, I'm not sure why??) and was very entertaining. I'm not much of a critic, but I felt I'd come with my opinion anyway, seeing as I had been slightly worried about the quality of the game after reading so many poor reviews of it.
    I truly enjoyed playing it and to me, that's really the most important part.    I felt this game was interesting in story (something other people seem to disagree with, I'm not sure why??) and was very entertaining. I'm not much of a critic, but I felt I'd come with my opinion anyway, seeing as I had been slightly worried about the quality of the game after reading so many poor reviews of it.
    I truly enjoyed playing it and to me, that's really the most important part. I'm not sure about the quality of the graphics. I rather liked them, but other people seem to find them outdated? I haven't got much to compare it to tbh because I don't play that many games. The story was good and I liked the way they did the narrative (and I also found myself really liking the narrator, lol). I knew of the companions beforehand, yet I still found myself liking some of the ones I did not expect to like. I mean, there are problems with the game, sure, hence why I didn't give it a 10, but really, they are so insignificant compared to how great the other parts are. So I think if you liked Origins and don't play Dragon Age 2 with a "GOD DAMNIT I HATE THIS" attitude from the start, you will be pleased. If you are content being dissatisfied or unwilling to try because of the bad user reviews, then your loss I suppose :/    … Expand
  88. AssForce
    Mar 10, 2011
    8
    Dear Bio Ware DA2 its abomination.This game horrible! How you can do that so wrong?! This is sheer frustration and misery, after such a successful project you have cut out everything except the engine, and blood, and you think it's worthy sequel? Dear developers,you may suck!
    PS: With hate.
  89. Hyperwolf
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    I can't even be bothered to give a full review and for all those TL:DR people out there, then I can honestly say 'first time disappointed with Bioware". Whatever jack ass tainted this IP should be sent to work in the salt mines.
  90. Mazena
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    DA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the keyDA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the key to victory.

    It takes more time to get to know the new companions, but they're all interesting and will make you interested in them. For the first time it has been difficult for me to choose which companions I want to bring with me, I never had such problem in ME games or DA:O. Also the other NPCs in the world seem to have real personalities, but you don't usually get to know them too well.

    Choices matter more than in DA:O and you have more options even in regular conversations. The way you talk to people defines your personality in the later game and you can even choose to let your companions to do the talking for you in some situations. Quests are plentiful, but the side quests can too easily distract you from the main story, just because there is a crap load of them. That can also be a good thing for you, but it is a matter of opinion.

    I will be updating this review as I get further into the game and get to know the story more, but so far it has convinced me of that the average joe flaming the game either had some very unrealistic expectations or haven't played the finished game.    … Expand
  91. agotmanov
    Mar 19, 2011
    9
    Frankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

    What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware is    Frankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

    What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware is doing something that feels fresh and new, and not yet another Baldur's Gate clone. Don't get me wrong, Baldur's Gate was great, probably the best thing that the company has ever done, and I immensely enjoyed it. Almost every game from Bioware after that tried and failed to live up to this high standard. It's time to move on. DA2 is an honest (and rather successful) attempt to do some change in the area.

    Probably, other gamers are outraged by simplification, and there is indeed a lot of that. Personally, I think that it had to be done a long time ago. NWN2, for example, was a nighmare and completely unplayable because it was overloaded with all kind of junk that simply was no fun anymore: unwieldy inventory, complicated party control, monstrous class system, etc. DA2 makes an excellent job of cutting out everything that failed to work.

    Now, dialogs. Maybe they are a bit oversimplfied, but defnitely an improvement. Don't get me started on dialogs in DA:O. They were horrible. The idea of "approval" ratings for party members was a distaster. To please everyone, your character had to be a real hypocritic bastard. The whole exprience was digusting, frustrating and boring. So good riddance. In DA2, it's "rivalry" vs. "friendship", which is much more fun, because both extremes have their advantages (similar to "paragon" and "renegate" in ME). Graphics. Ok, maybe it's not perfect. But "2003"? No way. I am running on "medium" detail level, cause my graphics card is not fast enough, and it looks great. Again, I see it as an improvement over DA:O, which didn't exactly work for me. I think in DA2 it's stylish and atmospheric. The city of Kirkwall is just beautiful. All races (dwarfs, elves) look definitely better. Darkspawn are scarier, etc. What else is needed?

    To summarize, the game is a lot of fun. It's very well paced, packed with action, and there is much less boredom and pointless running around than it was in DA:O. Try it for yourself, if you haven't yet. However, keep in mind that the demo is real crap and doesn't give a good impression of the game.    … Expand
  92. Acher4
    Apr 8, 2011
    9
    The game has its flaws but the truth is that it is one of the few games that it is really fun to play. With a solid good scenario, interesting characters and an action filled battle system that manages to pull you in without losing its RPG true soul, Dragon Age 2 is a remarkable game and a nice addition to the universe of Dragon Age. Can't wait for the next one (and the DLC)
  93. Mortrau
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Not bad. Excellent screenplay and characters, good music and graphic. Boring gameplay, poor roleplay system (if compare with DAO). But the Story is brilliant. This is an interactive book.
  94. tcnuk
    Mar 19, 2011
    8
    Wow, I've been watching so many negative user reviews coming in and I felt that I had to speak up and say my bit. Personally, I'm rather enjoying Dragon Age II so far. To date, I've found the story engaging and the quests enjoyable, and there seems to be a significantly smaller element of "grind" to DA2 compared to the original, where some quests seemed to be endlessly long trips throughWow, I've been watching so many negative user reviews coming in and I felt that I had to speak up and say my bit. Personally, I'm rather enjoying Dragon Age II so far. To date, I've found the story engaging and the quests enjoyable, and there seems to be a significantly smaller element of "grind" to DA2 compared to the original, where some quests seemed to be endlessly long trips through tunnels facing wave after wave of identical enemies which you would handle in identical ways (heading to the Broodmother and some of the Deep Roads quests spring to mind particularly). A lot of the game so far has been centred around the city of Kirkwall without venturing much further, but the city is large and varied enough that I'm quite happy with this for now. The characters I've met so far have all been full of personality and very believable. The voice acting is also generally rather good, though the male Hawke voice can occasionally feel a little uninspired (I suppose it's harder to deliver a good performance when your character could look like just about anything and could be a mage, warrior or rogue).

    Many people seem to be unhappy with the new "Mass Effect inspired" conversation wheel. Some have complained that it reduces the depth of the conversations by turning the options into "good", "witty/wry/misc.", "bad" or "further information". However, this is all the options in the first Dragon Age ever really were anyway - it just didn't categorise quite so prominently. Further, the way that the tone is now indicated avoids those occasional moments from the original where you chose something that you thought was intended in a sarcastic sense and actually wasn't, provoking a rather unintended reaction from whoever you were speaking to. The best enhancement here is that the dialogue is now all spoken: a *huge* improvement on the bizarrely mute protagonist of the first game (and something that wouldn't work terribly well if you had just read exactly what was said).

    The combat in the game is, to me, executed in a more exciting and elegant way in DA2 than the original. However, camera problems still get in the way a lot of the time, when walls conspire to get in the way. I despise the removal of the overhead RTS-style view, which really makes it difficult for players who do a lot of tactical pausing and want to place mages' abilities precisely and quickly.

    Whilst I'm criticising, I also am extremely unimpressed with the buggy release. I had to hack unsupported graphics drivers just to get the DX11 rendering working correctly, without regular freezes. The game also insisted on my putting a disk (any disk) in my floppy drive (!) when it connected to the server, prior to the 1.01 patch being released. Even now, the DX11 renderer feels like it's not quite there.

    The "character profile" screen is a little bit "dumbed-down" compared to the original and whilst I'm happy with the information available and the system in place, it feels like there's a little bit too much clicking back and forth through menus to get to what I want.

    Overall, despite the few criticisms above, I think there's much to be happy about here. I've certainly set aside all my other games to play this. I'm a little surprised that the user response here has been so poor, considering the good critical response.    … Expand
  95. PsiCat
    Mar 24, 2011
    10
    An amazing RPG and excellent addition to the Dragon Age series. Love the faster paced combat compared to Dragon Age: Origins, and while there are a few minor flaws it is definitely not deserving of all the negative reviews from people who probably didn't even play the game. I'm eagerly waiting the next entry in the series.
  96. mcTwex
    Apr 8, 2011
    8
    Once again I find an outstanding game with which I disagree with a majority of the reviews out there. Not only was this significantly better than DOA: Origins (a game I barely recall, only that it was a good game) but it is fantastic in story and quest: This is easily one of my favorite RPG's of all time which says a lot, as normally I do not enjoy a linear experience. Strictly speakingOnce again I find an outstanding game with which I disagree with a majority of the reviews out there. Not only was this significantly better than DOA: Origins (a game I barely recall, only that it was a good game) but it is fantastic in story and quest: This is easily one of my favorite RPG's of all time which says a lot, as normally I do not enjoy a linear experience. Strictly speaking that is what this is: an elaborate fantasy novel with **** of lore and character development, nothing more. The combat is OUTSTANDING and reminiscent of the short-lived T.V show 'Legend of the Seeker' (one of my top 5 RPG moments occurs towards the beginning where a fight in the tavern breaks out into some sort of retro guitar-drum beat score and all hell breaks loose), though it is a little to easy on the easiest setting and a bit towards frustrating towards the higher end with little balance in-between. The graphics are fantastic and never miss a beat or hiccup and the character voicing is superior to even high-budget titles like Mass Effect. If you enjoy sick storytelling, tons of lore and a bit over-simplified combat that is short but gorgeous pick this up. The major con and what prevents this from being above a 9 rating for me is the replay value; there is no sense in playing a story-driven game more than once if the conversation choices (very narrow to begin with) have almost no real effect on the game world and only alter to one or two outcomes with a few different lines of dialog thrown in-between.… Expand
  97. SteveKlit
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Simply put, Dragon Age 2 is hands down the best RPG ever made. To question that means you are not a true gamer.

    Skip on the witcher 2 and buy yourself a second copy of Dragon Age 2 instead.
  98. 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 ....
  99. JoeSWAG
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    I really liked this game because it has dragons and dragons make me happy when i play my games, in the game there is a dragon that has become old and you have to make sure it dies peacefully (which explains the name of the game, ofc) after you make sure the elderly dragon is in piece you get to have sex with a womin who gves you more powers if your a mage but if your a warriro she has sexI really liked this game because it has dragons and dragons make me happy when i play my games, in the game there is a dragon that has become old and you have to make sure it dies peacefully (which explains the name of the game, ofc) after you make sure the elderly dragon is in piece you get to have sex with a womin who gves you more powers if your a mage but if your a warriro she has sex with you instead of the other way rond. i gave it 10 out of 10 because whenever i see the intro i smile. it also has a nice menu and gr8 textures… Expand
  100. killingspree
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    This is one of best games of the years. Don't believe any of the bad reviews. They are shills for other gaming companies. EA is one of the finest game makers in the business and Dragon Age II exceeds all expectations and will be the number 1 RPG for years go to come.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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