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. judini
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    This is not a role-playing game, is this a joke?
    It should be named "Dragon Effect 2" or "Street Fighter Dragon Edition" :D What a piece of crap! I can't believe it....
  2. Jester1230
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    I have been playing PC RPGs since Ultima 7, so I kind of miss the isometric view.

    But that is about all I miss. Love the new combat (yes, you still need tactics to succeed on hard, and there are still a lot of stats to manage). Love the way the story unfolds so far. Love the friend/rivalry system. Love most of the characters. Love the new inventory system. I will say that the "tone"    I have been playing PC RPGs since Ultima 7, so I kind of miss the isometric view.

    But that is about all I miss. Love the new combat (yes, you still need tactics to succeed on hard, and there are still a lot of stats to manage). Love the way the story unfolds so far. Love the friend/rivalry system. Love most of the characters. Love the new inventory system. I will say that the "tone" dialog system is slightly limiting. I think there should have been a fourth tone option that was neutral without trying to be funny. I can see why some people might be disappointed... this is NOT the same as DA:O. It took me 4-5 hours of playing around in this system to overcome my dissonance and really get into it. But now that I'm into it, this is the most fun I've had with a video game in at least year. Bravo, Bioware!    … Expand
  3. Trotskyist
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    If you want to ever get decent, smart CRPG again, if you dont want the whole genre to die out - Dont buy this slasher game! Under any circumstances - dont buy this slasher, labelled as RPG!

    This slasher needs to flop. Bioware should go bankrupt. Laidlaw, Gaider, Muzyka - all these... ahem... businessmen... no longer have moral rights to wear the same badge as    If you want to ever get decent, smart CRPG again, if you dont want the whole genre to die out - Dont buy this slasher game! Under any circumstances - dont buy this slasher, labelled as RPG!

    This slasher needs to flop. Bioware should go bankrupt. Laidlaw, Gaider, Muzyka - all these... ahem... businessmen... no longer have moral rights to wear the same badge as Baldurs Gate 2 creators.
    If DA2 succeeds comercially, this kind of gameplay re-imagining may very well happen to possible Baldurs Gate 3. Just imagine this nightmare - Baldurs Gate 3 : God of War style.

    So skip the railroad locations, ugly graphics, nonexistant stats, uninspiring generic characters Dragon Age 2 has to offer - not only for avoiding boredom, but for the sake of brighter future for RPG gaming.    … Expand
  4. jigoku
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    (skip to the paragraph starting with "Then along came DA2" to skip the DA:O-related intro) As a PC gamer, DA:O was my introduction into RPGs. And I have to say, even getting started was daunting to me. I had envisioned a vast open world of freedom, choice, adventure and fun, based on the reviews I had read and all the buzz I had been hearing about the game. Instead what I got with the(skip to the paragraph starting with "Then along came DA2" to skip the DA:O-related intro) As a PC gamer, DA:O was my introduction into RPGs. And I have to say, even getting started was daunting to me. I had envisioned a vast open world of freedom, choice, adventure and fun, based on the reviews I had read and all the buzz I had been hearing about the game. Instead what I got with the first Dragon Age was a linear, repetitive, unimaginative and boring affair where nothing really seemed to come alive and "choice" was a thinly-veiled illusion conjured up most ham-handedly by uninspired developers. Also I did not care for the looks of this world and its inhabitants, which does not help immersion one bit (bland lighting, unimpressive structures, flat and unexpressive faces, goofy armor, ...). What got me the most though was a thing called "level scaling". Gone is the thrill of slaying a beast that once seemed completely indomitable, after having spent hours "training" your characters in preparation for your revenge. Instead everything and everyone simply levels up along with you. Disgusting. Then along came DA2. From what I was reading this true sequel to the Dragon Age saga promised to be substantially different from DA:O, and I was excited. Even though DA:O was a huge letdown, it had kindled within me the hope for something truly epic and inspired. I had been reading various outcries from die-hard RPG fans and DA:O fans, but since the latter game had disappointed me so these outcries only strengthened my conviction that DA2 might actually be different; and I might actually enjoy it. Not so. Take all the negative comments on DA:O above (uninspired, unimaginative, linear, ugly, repetitive, devoid of actual choice, ....) and multiply them by any factor you may deem impressive, and you have DA2. * The corridors of DA:O have become even narrower and more confining; * The level design is unapologetically lazy (copy-pasted dungeons and caves); * The choice of story-progressing replies has dwindled to a basic three; * The graphics are at a playstation 2 level (although the overall style has improved); * Combat has been dumbed down to a button-mashing fest artificially rendered more difficult with mid-fight enemy spawns (only remotely enjoyable difficulty setting is "nightmare" but as said before the difficulty is artificial); * Kirkwall (where all but the entire game takes place) feels and looks artificial and devoid of any bustle and - indeed - life itself; I could go on and on about how much I have started to loathe DA2, but in the end it really is my fault for pre-ordering a game which promised to be "different" but turned out to be merely "worse". Much worse.… Expand
  5. Nightrain50
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    You like to hurt me you know that you do.
    You like to think in some way that it's me and not you... but we know that isn't true.
    You like to have me jump and be good, but I don't want to do it. You don't know why I won't act the way you think I should. You thought they'd make me behave and submit. What were you thinking? Cause I don't forget. You don't know why I won't give in, to    You like to hurt me you know that you do.
    You like to think in some way that it's me and not you... but we know that isn't true.
    You like to have me jump and be good, but I don't want to do it.
    You don't know why I won't act the way you think I should.
    You thought they'd make me behave and submit.
    What were you thinking? Cause I don't forget.
    You don't know why I won't give in, to hell with the pressure I'm not caving in.
    You know that I got under your skin.
    You sold your soul but I won't let you win.
    You talk to much, you say I do, difference is nobody cares about you.
    You've got all the answers, you know everything, why nobody asked you, it's a mystery to me.
    I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me.
    You don't know who in the hell to or not to believe.
    I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me.
    You don't who you can trust now or you should believe.
    You close you eyes, all well and good, I'll kick your ass like I said that I would.
    You tell them stories they'd rather believe, use and confuse them, they're numb and naive.
    Truth is the truth hurts, don't you agree?
    It's harder to live with the truth about you than to live with the lies about me.
    Nobody owes you, not one damn thing.
    You know where to put your: "Just shut up and sing."
    I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me.
    You don't know who in the hell to or not to believe.
    I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me.
    You chose to hurt those that love you and won't set them free.
    You don't need anyone else to be sorry for you.
    You've got no heart.
    You can't see all that you've done for me.
    I know the reasons you tear me apart.

    Sorry
    Guns N' Roses
    Chinese Democracy    … Expand
  6. valero
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    just because metacritic is paid to give it good reviews (or in this case medicore since it wasn't 99/100) doesn't mean it's any good. i could write a thesis on why the game sucks, but to make it short, it's like they took a time machine and went back to 2002 to develop the game. the storyline, combat, and graphics are horrible. this is a bigger disappointment than fallout new vegas
  7. Rachanol
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    As a Player of Baldurs Gate 1 &2 , Planescape Torment , Morrowind and all the other RPG´s which deserve to be called "Role Playing Games" i am shocked were the Genre is heading. I played Dragon Age origins and enjoyed it. I loved it, Really! That´s why this game hurts so much. But now Bioware made a game where i have to think : Is this a RPG or a ActionAs a Player of Baldurs Gate 1 &2 , Planescape Torment , Morrowind and all the other RPG´s which deserve to be called "Role Playing Games" i am shocked were the Genre is heading. I played Dragon Age origins and enjoyed it. I loved it, Really! That´s why this game hurts so much. But now Bioware made a game where i have to think : Is this a RPG or a Action Adventure/Hack´n Slay ? THIS, Dragon Age 2, is the Call of Duty of RPG´s. DA2 doesn´t even deserve to be named a RPG. One Town, No Worldmap, ridiculous characters, a "not so interesting Story", Graphics from 2005 (Hello bioware, we have 2011 now, Even the current console generation hardware is bored to death with this program), really bad environments, no armor management for party mambers and always the same cloned level structures like the dungeons in Oblivion. They oversimplyfied everything in this game. DAII does not make ONE simple point better than part 1. A downgrade all along the line. DA II is no RPG. It´s a slap in the face of every single person who loves role playing games.… Expand
  8. Dread
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    What a Disappointment.!
    Why did they dumb down the game like that?!
    There is not any fun in the combats anymore! The camera mechanics are extremely frustrating. There is not enough dezoom to think any tactical choice. You can't even move the camera around. The combats are way too fast paced and look completely ridiculous. Since you pass most of your time in combat, it's hugely    What a Disappointment.!
    Why did they dumb down the game like that?!

    There is not any fun in the combats anymore!
    The camera mechanics are extremely frustrating. There is not enough dezoom to think any tactical choice. You can't even move the camera around. The combats are way too fast paced and look completely ridiculous. Since you pass most of your time in combat, it's hugely unsatisfying.

    It feels super scripted with cinematic every two seconds. Loading times every two seconds.

    I'm really sad for bioware! They are loosing a lot of credibility with this joke of a game.
    It's an insult to rpg players. It has lost almost all the elements that gave some interest to the first opus. And it was already pretty dumbed down compared to Baldur's Gate.


    Save your money!    … Expand
  9. Darrggon
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    I say briefly - this is not a RPG game, it's a true slasher. Beautiful, dramatic, easy slasher with a very simple plot. Epics? It is not. Romance? Very little. Tactics in battle? Minimal. Conversations with the characters - in its infancy.
    Make a better once more DLC for the first part, please.

    Excuse me for my poor English.
  10. iCharlie17
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    Big disappointment BioWare...we get a console port far inferior than DAO...huge mistake. We have a DX9 based game with less cameras, options and so on. I though you love gaming BioWare, and gaming on PC is by far the best for real gamers.
  11. vetr
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    Took me 18 hours to finish playing it to 100%. Most of that was traipsing around identical areas and fighting the same waves of enemies I fought since the beginning with larger health bars. The writing is mainly horrid much like the non-branching storyline. I don't think i've been quite this pissed about a game before. It starts out okay and just rolls downhill at a constant pace. GetsTook me 18 hours to finish playing it to 100%. Most of that was traipsing around identical areas and fighting the same waves of enemies I fought since the beginning with larger health bars. The writing is mainly horrid much like the non-branching storyline. I don't think i've been quite this pissed about a game before. It starts out okay and just rolls downhill at a constant pace. Gets even worse if you redo certain parts (or open the debug console) and realize there's almost no branching paths to speak of.… Expand
  12. Gavinn
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    I'm sorry Bioware, but you just took the most promising video game IP of the past decade and completely destroyed it, whilst losing most of your loyal fans and supporters in the bargain.

    The cosmetic changes and the combat revamp would have actually been fairly amazing if they had been implemented without watering the entire concept of a role-playing game down to the point where I    I'm sorry Bioware, but you just took the most promising video game IP of the past decade and completely destroyed it, whilst losing most of your loyal fans and supporters in the bargain.

    The cosmetic changes and the combat revamp would have actually been fairly amazing if they had been implemented without watering the entire concept of a role-playing game down to the point where I literally can't continue playing past the ten hour mark without beginning to feel guilty'traitorous about doing so.

    There is too much wrong here to forgive. The city where you spend 90% of the game is completely devoid of life. Constantly recycled maps. Dialogue wheel instead of real conversation options. Extremely limited loot/items. Lack of ability to fully customize companion gear. And that's just scratching the surface. (Magically instant respawning enemies zomg!)

    It seems like everything you did with this game was aimed at having fewer options for the player. My question is....why? It is beyond asinine to limit the player's choices in a role-playing game. Creating and then fully fleshing out/realizing a character or party is what games in this genre are supposed to be about! If I wanted another point and click action RPG/ FPS, well, they're a dime a dozen these days. You guys were special because you were one of the last companies around still making REAL role-playing games.

    And if that's not bad enough, on day 1 you're trying to charge players for in-game content instead of just...you know...putting it in the game to improve the experience for your customers.

    What a crock.    … Expand
  13. Truesteel
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    Let me just start this by saying that Bioware games are usually pure gold. USUALLY. Dragon Age Origins was a well crafted RPG with great elements that far outweighed its many flaws. I cannot say the same for Dragon Age 2. I started the game thinking that I would be able to play it entirely maxed out graphically, after all, I more than exceed the recommended secs. When ramping up theLet me just start this by saying that Bioware games are usually pure gold. USUALLY. Dragon Age Origins was a well crafted RPG with great elements that far outweighed its many flaws. I cannot say the same for Dragon Age 2. I started the game thinking that I would be able to play it entirely maxed out graphically, after all, I more than exceed the recommended secs. When ramping up the graphics to very high with anti aliasing on, the game slows to a meager 11 frams per second with artifacts being rendered during combat. I can run Bad Company 2 on full specs, why can I not run this game that looks like it came from the PS2 era? Poor optimization because the game is rushed.

    AND IT SHOWS. Not only in the graphics but in the discontinuity within the story, the poor writing, and the shallow combat system. Sure, everyone TOTALLY jumps around and does SUPER COOL things now to appeal to all the edgy teenagers out there, but most of the combat is horribly overdone. This can vary from the main character doing leaping lunges that you had nothing to do with, to enemies EXPLODING when I stab them with a basic ability. All in all, this game has been a huge disappointment. Between the rushed look and style of the game, the poor combat, the sub par writing and story, the awful optimization for PC, and the constant nickel and diming of day one DLC, this is one title you NEED to stay away from.    … Expand
  14. Deinsleaf
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    Faster combat. Decisions that could bite your ass in the long run. Top notch voice acting. Just like what Bioware did in the Mass Effect franchise, they improved every aspect of the game. People afraid of innovations should go live in a cave or fully embrace what Bioware did with this franchise. Dragon Age II is an instant classic.
  15. dcynic
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Not worth a full zero by any means, the game works after all, but as a matter of principle the game gets one anyway.

    Combat and gameplay areas are endlessly repeated and monotonous, obvious budget cuts and rushed duedates by EA and lets not forget stripping away half of the mechanics for a streamlined massively effective experience.

    RIP Origins =(
  16. Fernell
    Mar 10, 2011
    7
    In every single way DA2 is worst than DA:Origin. But it is a bit of injustice to give it less than 5/10. I know guys that you are disappointed. I expected something different too. In spite of all, it's still quite a good game, not perfect of course, not even near to perfect but it's still fun to play !
  17. Mrozny
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    I'm totally disappointed. Simplified combat, recycled and small enviroments, weak dialogues. No isometric view. Bad character graphic (they look way worse than those from Dragon Age!) and animation (completely unrealistic - mage is turning left and right while casting a spell and characters that jump all the time while attacking - such animation is not 'cool and awesome' but stupid, thisI'm totally disappointed. Simplified combat, recycled and small enviroments, weak dialogues. No isometric view. Bad character graphic (they look way worse than those from Dragon Age!) and animation (completely unrealistic - mage is turning left and right while casting a spell and characters that jump all the time while attacking - such animation is not 'cool and awesome' but stupid, this is not Devil May Cry). Also, no possibility of changing armour for anyone else than main character and enemies spawning behind player in most stupid locations are unbelivably annoying. Dragon Age: Origins was a truly epic RPG game. Don't believe critic reviews of Dragon Age II. DA II is just another action game for consoles (and imported for PC) that simply lacks depth in every field. It is a perfect example of ruining a game instead of improving it. Sometimes it just looks like a really bad Fable clone...… Expand
  18. thesisko
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Reposting my review, which was deleted by Metacritic:

    What an insult. A sloppy console port from a company that no longer cares about the platform which put it where it is today. They couldn't even be bothered to provide a zoomed out camera. This game strips away most of the good features in Origins and compounds the worst parts, namely the encounter design. Waves upon waves of identical    Reposting my review, which was deleted by Metacritic:

    What an insult. A sloppy console port from a company that no longer cares about the platform which put it where it is today. They couldn't even be bothered to provide a zoomed out camera. This game strips away most of the good features in Origins and compounds the worst parts, namely the encounter design. Waves upon waves of identical enemies guarantee that no tactics except button-mashing is required. This game is an insult to real RPG's like Planescape:Torment and Mask of the Betrayer. Sadly, the only mainstream RPG developer left seems to be Obsidian Entertainment.    … Expand
  19. Lemonbud
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age: Origins was awesome. I like hack and slash games like Diablo and Dungeon Siege. DAO really sucked me into the fantasy world and combat. There was something in it that really was fun, addicting, and truly unique when I played it. The game kept me wanting more. Awakening was just more of what I needed. When I heard DA2 was coming out I couldn't be more excited. Finally theDragon Age: Origins was awesome. I like hack and slash games like Diablo and Dungeon Siege. DAO really sucked me into the fantasy world and combat. There was something in it that really was fun, addicting, and truly unique when I played it. The game kept me wanting more. Awakening was just more of what I needed. When I heard DA2 was coming out I couldn't be more excited. Finally the demo was released. OMG what the hell is this crap! Ok so I know I should expect a new look and updated combat and so forth unlike Fallout 3 to Fallout: New Vegas (should have been an expansion because it was the same damn game). At first it was kinda cool but then it really started to feel very cheap very quick. It felt like a fast action paced console button masher rather than a tactical team based RPG as the original. I think they tried to appeal to the mass of xbox and ps3 console gamers and completely undermined the loyal PC gamer and/or RPG fan. Based off the demo I will definitely skip this title. You know when your favorite band sells out? Seems like DA sold out unfortunately… Expand
  20. iand
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    This game is outright terrible. The combat has no depth whatsoever. The dialogues are infantile. As far as the graphics go, DA2 looks as if it was made in 2005.
  21. acylus
    Mar 10, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While DA:O was actually interesting story wise, it really didn't have engaging combat.

    But for DA2, it had amazing combat, but most of the time the quests are boring where waves upon waves of enemies are thrown at your repeatedly, and the story is sooo terrible. There isn't many places to explore either. It looks like Bioware didn't even try to do anything about the story.    … Expand
  22. Nemato
    Mar 9, 2011
    3
    This game is boring, like its predecessor. It's also shorter in length, (as indicated by the size of installation and number of words written for dialogue, compared to DA1), and dumbed down to a hack and slash game. Games like this or CoD:Black Ops make me question the validity of critic reviews. Somehow these 'big' games get positive reviews no matter what, even when the majority ofThis game is boring, like its predecessor. It's also shorter in length, (as indicated by the size of installation and number of words written for dialogue, compared to DA1), and dumbed down to a hack and slash game. Games like this or CoD:Black Ops make me question the validity of critic reviews. Somehow these 'big' games get positive reviews no matter what, even when the majority of players disagree. If there is a lesson to be learnt, it is that you should trust reader reviews, at least on this website; they're really helpful and detailed. Critic reviewers, on the other hand, are probably forced to write positive reviews on famous games made by famous developers, or maybe they're too scared to be honest about how bad these games really are. Ugh.

    Mass Effect series is much better than DA in my opinion. DA has bad story, bad graphics, bad dialogues (cheesy), and boring combat. DA2 "improved" this lackster combat by simply transforming it into a hack and slash game that can be enjoyed by simpletons who like to press a button. (Dynasty Warriors anyone?) Unlike DA1, DA2 is made with consoles in mind, and as such, the depth of the gameplay is gone from what I already considered a mediocre game. Last but not least, no, I am not blinded by PC elitism; I enjoy console games as much as PC games. I just think that DA was better off as a PC game. If I really wanted a hack and slash game, I could find many games superior to this. But there aren't that many PC RPGs anymore. DA was never to my liking, but at least it rejuvenated a dying genre. DA2 does not.    … Expand
  23. reallyrichguy
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    My feeling is that if your going to copy a Final Fantasy game make it FF7 rather than 12. To be honest Bioware should have had the decency to remove the party and go with a single protagonist, instead of perpetuating the farce that this is a sequel to a really good modern rpg. Take my advice, if your looking for an immersive, challenging and fun rpg experience with a great story go toMy feeling is that if your going to copy a Final Fantasy game make it FF7 rather than 12. To be honest Bioware should have had the decency to remove the party and go with a single protagonist, instead of perpetuating the farce that this is a sequel to a really good modern rpg. Take my advice, if your looking for an immersive, challenging and fun rpg experience with a great story go to GOG.com and buy Baldur's Gate 2. Hell, break out your old PS2 and fire up FF7, you'll thank me.… Expand
  24. Oran
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    This game is such a wasted potential. Bioware made a fortune off of preorders of fans of the original knowing full well that by over-streamlining the game and the pervasive console first attitude they would only alienate those fans. This game looks and sounds better than Orgins but that isn't what I want out of a PC rpg, I want a massive world, mountains more stats, the ability to seeThis game is such a wasted potential. Bioware made a fortune off of preorders of fans of the original knowing full well that by over-streamlining the game and the pervasive console first attitude they would only alienate those fans. This game looks and sounds better than Orgins but that isn't what I want out of a PC rpg, I want a massive world, mountains more stats, the ability to see background calculations as they are happening and mod friendly design. Once again consoles **** things up for PC gamers who want a product that utilizes their machines full capabilities.… Expand
  25. rip1988
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    Yeah, yeah, yeah....a slap for real fans of DA"O. Congratulations to everyone screaming "oh this is so bad, this is not DA, I want my money back...The true is this game is very good and your "reviews" don't mean anything because fans of DA:O aren't stupid enough to abandon buying game just because of this fake "zero-rate spam".
    And about game: It's awesome! The combat is more dynamic than    Yeah, yeah, yeah....a slap for real fans of DA"O. Congratulations to everyone screaming "oh this is so bad, this is not DA, I want my money back...The true is this game is very good and your "reviews" don't mean anything because fans of DA:O aren't stupid enough to abandon buying game just because of this fake "zero-rate spam".
    And about game: It's awesome! The combat is more dynamic than in first DA but it's still strategic and hard. For now I can't rate whole plot because I haven't finished it yet but for now it looks really good.
    For me it's 9,5/10 - the same as first DA. Don't trust trolls, try it on your own :)    … Expand
  26. Shanzu
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been playing this for the last 2 days and it's really good. We can't compare it to the first, it's more action oriented, but it's still good. The graphic are good on the PC version, but the animation during dialog aren't that good, but the weren't in the first either. It deserve a better score then the average user have put, so i put high score to revamp it. STOP TROLLING !… Expand
  27. Varjo
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    What an utter disappointment. DA 2 feels like god of war. I have trouble even calling it a real role playing game, conversation options are simple and dumbed down, decision making is relatively unimportant, gameplay remains quite linear. The world is small, the story uninspiring, the voice acting is some of Bioware's worst. As far as combat goes, it really feels dumbed down from DA:OWhat an utter disappointment. DA 2 feels like god of war. I have trouble even calling it a real role playing game, conversation options are simple and dumbed down, decision making is relatively unimportant, gameplay remains quite linear. The world is small, the story uninspiring, the voice acting is some of Bioware's worst. As far as combat goes, it really feels dumbed down from DA:O (which already felt dumbed down to me). Animations are overdone and the art direction is absolutely ridiculous. To top it all off, levels are recycled to an absurd degree and the game runs like crap on Nvidia hardware despite not looking especially great.… Expand
  28. Mikespiegel852
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Let me start by saying that I've been a fan of Bioware since KOTOR, one of my favorite game of all time, but after this I'm not sure I'll ever buy another Bioware game ever again.. The original Dragon Age wasn't the best game of all time, but I felt it had a sort of charm to it. It was average at best, but I had a lot of fun with it which is something I can't say for Dragon Age 2. TheLet me start by saying that I've been a fan of Bioware since KOTOR, one of my favorite game of all time, but after this I'm not sure I'll ever buy another Bioware game ever again.. The original Dragon Age wasn't the best game of all time, but I felt it had a sort of charm to it. It was average at best, but I had a lot of fun with it which is something I can't say for Dragon Age 2. The graphics seem to have gotten WORSE, I have no problem with bad graphics, however, I do have a problem with a sequel looking worse than its predecessor. That aside, another major issue is that I no longer felt like I was playing an rpg, but rather some hack and slash game with little to no depth. The combat is nothing short of atrocious. It felt as if Bioware was instead catering to the mindless click click click win audience. I know not everyone enjoys RPGs since they can be slow, but that's what first person shooters and action games are for. This may have been a better business move by Bioware, to aim for the larger group, but I can't help but feel betrayed by one of my favorite developers. Another issue concerning the combat was that enemies seemed to appear out of nowhere in waves which, at least for me, broke some of the immersion. I'll be honest, I wasn't really immersed in it in the first place, but it's an issue I feel Bioware has to address. Now as for the story, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. Throughout the whole game the story never really felt like it was going anywhere no matter how far I got. Maybe I'm just spoiled from some of the other great stories Bioware has made in their games. The dialogue wheel is beyond terrible, and some of the dialogue from the characters makes me cringe. One example is in the demo Bioware released. A woman is yelling "They shall not have you" to her injured husband and then says to the darkspawn"You shall not have him." Really Bioware? Really? I can't even begin to fathom how they could release a demo with such a terrible scene. As for the day 1 dlc, I'm sure people can see why I'd be annoyed by this so I won't go into it. One bad game doesn't make a developer terrible obviously. What really killed any hope I had in Bioware, was their staff on their forums. ANY criticism towards their game is dismissed as trolling. It's as if they truly believe their game is flawless. It's a shame how such a great developer turned into what it is today. I could go on and on about how much of a let down this was, but I'd rather end it now.… Expand
  29. Conscience
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    New, bold and engaging with addictive combat. Interesting and compelling characters, like Origins. Much more intelligent than the ads would make you think.

    Having played Origins, I was not expecting the more action-based combat to be very good, but it was surprisingly enjoyable and maintained the same level of tactics as Origins (though I admit I don't like to micromanage my party's    New, bold and engaging with addictive combat. Interesting and compelling characters, like Origins. Much more intelligent than the ads would make you think.

    Having played Origins, I was not expecting the more action-based combat to be very good, but it was surprisingly enjoyable and maintained the same level of tactics as Origins (though I admit I don't like to micromanage my party's actions). Exploring all of the side-quests, I think I got a bit too powerful by the end and had to turn up the difficulty to make it more challenging, but it was always fun.

    The plot was a refreshing change from the 'save the world from the ultimate evil' plots that you see so often in fantasy games. Make the entire story based around a single location provided a nice focus, and made the story feel much more personal.

    The explorer in me was a bit saddened by the re-use of level graphics in many occasions, but the characters, situations, gameplay and quests themselves made up for it in the most part. The graphics and environments are simply beautiful.

    Items and equipment got some nice improvements (I've always hated sorting through piles of junky items like you are forced to in some other games). The only minor point about this that I didn't like so much was not being able to customize the armour of my party members.

    In summary, this may not be a "hard-core RPG" (a fact that some people can't seem to forgive), but it's a great RPG that has a synergy of a lot of good elements that make Dragon Age 2 stands very well on it's own as it keeps you coming back for more.    … Expand
  30. MichaelSteve
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Having been a long time wrpg fan, Dragons Age: Origins established what looked to be a great new IP breaking away from frankly tired D&D conventions. I have just finished DA2 which took a little under 16 hours, and I fear for the future of this brand. Graphically DA2 looks almost identical to DA:O origins which isn't unexpected given the very quick development time. Main characters lookHaving been a long time wrpg fan, Dragons Age: Origins established what looked to be a great new IP breaking away from frankly tired D&D conventions. I have just finished DA2 which took a little under 16 hours, and I fear for the future of this brand. Graphically DA2 looks almost identical to DA:O origins which isn't unexpected given the very quick development time. Main characters look great but scenery, NPCs and unfortunately some armor and weapons suffer from hideously low resolution textures and low polygon counts. DA2 has also developed some sort of gore fixation with every kill resulting in an exploding enemy flinging litres of blood around and staining the screen with modern warfare-esque decals over the hud. Performance with the PC version was schizophrenic - FPS changing drastically in areas containing little detail, I would guess some internal face culling was skipped in the development process.

    The voice acting suffers compared to DA:O, unfortunately I would probably link this to the quick development time as well. The male Hawke delivers the majority of his lines with a lack of expression or enthusiasm which is often unintentionally hilarious when coupled with dramatic player animations. The mass-effect conversational wheel could have been a worthy addition if it was made clear what the player was going to actually say. I found the conversations similar to alpha protocol in this respect, the main character often saying things you did not intend for them to say.

    Most disappointing to me is the lack of player choice and provisions for role playing. Many quests are initiated with the typical "Get this item/person from here and bring it back/kill them" line from an npc with your responses limited to 2 or 3 ways to say "yes" with limited occasions where you can refuse quests or hold out for more rewards etc etc...

    Combat is more or less similar to DA:O with the need to flank targets strangely removed, with characters flipping in to backstab then flipping back out again. Quite unusual given the mechanics established in the original. I can't help but think the simplification of some elements of combat removes some of what made DA:O great in the first place.

    There are other issues regarding some cringe worthy pop culture references, the bland story, repeated dungeons and your two dimensional companions, but to be honest, I'd rather forget about this experience and hope that this misstep by bioware doesn't kill off the future of this franchise.    … Expand
  31. HellFlyer
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    The game is really bad and it seems Bioware became superlazy and EA ruined another great title thanks to their marketing efforts. I dont know even where to begin

    1. Side quests are too short and similar...Kill this kill that , delivery this deliver that 2. Inventory sucks , all items look the same , only colours ...are different 3. Serious performance issues on high end PCs (GTX 480 and    The game is really bad and it seems Bioware became superlazy and EA ruined another great title thanks to their marketing efforts. I dont know even where to begin

    1. Side quests are too short and similar...Kill this kill that , delivery this deliver that
    2. Inventory sucks , all items look the same , only colours ...are different
    3. Serious performance issues on high end PCs (GTX 480 and Core i7 920 max FPS is 30-35)
    4. Its all too simplified , no tactics, no skilled battles, just slash enemies and heal yourself
    5. Time change from day to night with mouse click! seriously????
    6. Female Hawke voice is the same as her sister's voice. I was shocked and disappointed by this
    7. A lot of issues with quests which might become unavailable if you do something differently ( Dont believe me? open README file , scroll down to the bottom and see for yourself
    8. Horrible journal and codex , just a plain dull text with ugly and small font. No pictures, no bestiary images , nothing!!!


    In summary, it seems the game had great potential, interseting story and charchters BUT 2 years is to little for an RPG game. Bioware ruined amazing franchise and I lost money. Do yourself and your wallet a favour and dont buy it. Dont get me wrong I really loved DA and DAO but this game has only one thing in common. Its called Dragon Age 2    … Expand
  32. BobTheBarbarian
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Bland characters, soap opera dialogs, no choice of playable back-story or race. Combat system looks like a bloody jRPG with over-sized weapons swung at supersonic speed. Sometimes when you hit an opponent with 2h sword he vaporises into a tiny blood cloud and only his shoes are left standing... (I'm serious) T_T this game is a joke - a bad, bad joke that just makes me wanna play theBland characters, soap opera dialogs, no choice of playable back-story or race. Combat system looks like a bloody jRPG with over-sized weapons swung at supersonic speed. Sometimes when you hit an opponent with 2h sword he vaporises into a tiny blood cloud and only his shoes are left standing... (I'm serious) T_T this game is a joke - a bad, bad joke that just makes me wanna play the sh**tiest DLC from the first one and forget about that nightmare of a sequel.… Expand
  33. Nostorum
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Ok first off, Bioware did a terrible job with the initial graphics in this rushed, casualized sequel. I was not going to write a review at first, but after seeing the chasm between really high scores and really low scores it's pretty apparent to me that Bioware is doing damage control and countering these low reviews with their own high ones, it's really obvious as they are first timeOk first off, Bioware did a terrible job with the initial graphics in this rushed, casualized sequel. I was not going to write a review at first, but after seeing the chasm between really high scores and really low scores it's pretty apparent to me that Bioware is doing damage control and countering these low reviews with their own high ones, it's really obvious as they are first time reviewers. That is so slimy, I am just disgusted. This game had potential in the drawing room I am sure, but with more people being suckered into day 1 dlc cut from the game in the first one, they went full speed ahead and went overboard here. It is my firm belief that if you make a game, and almost immediately release downloadable graphical packs for it this is an admission of a rushed work and saying "We didn't do a very good job, but here's this quick fileset you can download to help reconcile for some of our shortcomings." Just garbage, also the new combat system isn't that great. It just makes it easier, not fun. Also, Bioware, I know are the reason most of the positive reviews are here - there is no reason this game should be any higher than a 6.5 on any real review site, and all your perfect 10-drones are just an insult to our intelligence as consumers.… Expand
  34. Richizzzle
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Wow, DA:O is my 4th favorite game of all time and this "Sequel" / pile of dog barf makes me wish that i had completely avoided it. Be warned if you like RPGs, Interesting stories, and engaging combat look elsewhere. However if you like casual button-mashing garbage, and picking 3 of the same "choices", please by all means go out and spend 60 dollars on this aborted fetus of a game. My eyesWow, DA:O is my 4th favorite game of all time and this "Sequel" / pile of dog barf makes me wish that i had completely avoided it. Be warned if you like RPGs, Interesting stories, and engaging combat look elsewhere. However if you like casual button-mashing garbage, and picking 3 of the same "choices", please by all means go out and spend 60 dollars on this aborted fetus of a game. My eyes strained to make sense of the "art direction". This was like staring into Rumor Willis' face while getting beaten with a sock filled with quarters and being castrated. I would rather stare into the sun for 5 hours until my eyeballs dried into tiny protein raisins, take them out of their sockets and insert them into my colon than have to play 10 more seconds of this game. What the hell was Bioware thinking?

    I can only hope to god that Laidlaw, and Gaider were just shooting up coke and saying "Hey know what would be really funny! Trolling all of our fans in a sad attempt to gain new ones while ostracizing the original ones!" Because no sane being would ever have let this pile of aborted llama fetuses ever escape from the planes of Peru. Avoid. Avoid at all cost. If you want bioware to actually make good games instead of this crap don't buy it and send them a message that you wont just gobble up this vomit because they slapped their name on it. Don't let all those "Biodrones" tell you otherwise. anyone who pledges loyalty to a company that only cares about profit isn't worth listening to. Again.

    Stay away, for your own safety. Please.    … Expand
  35. Gradstudent
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    It's wholly unfair to judge an entertainment product without taking the time to complete and evaluate it on its own terms; if one had skipped the finale to Lars Von Trier's masterful "Dogville," for instance, and judged it merely on its (somewhat dull) first two thirds, the criticisms one would level against it, while technically accurate, would be unfounded and unfair. Here lies myIt's wholly unfair to judge an entertainment product without taking the time to complete and evaluate it on its own terms; if one had skipped the finale to Lars Von Trier's masterful "Dogville," for instance, and judged it merely on its (somewhat dull) first two thirds, the criticisms one would level against it, while technically accurate, would be unfounded and unfair. Here lies my biggest issue with many of the first "0" reviews on Metacritic; unless these gamers live outside our time-space continuum, I cannot fathom how they could have had the time to fully evaluate the game, much less finish it. This damages the impression of many of these reviewers as it sets them up as soapbox preaching whiners who the vast populace should ignore, as well as their opinions.

    That said, I have just completed "Dragon Age II" for the PC. And yes, every complaint railed against it is pretty much dead on: Brain-dead combat that fits the PC like a children's mitten on a camel (the lack of controller support is positively nonsensical), generic writing (at best), weak characterization, massive amounts of retconning (don't expect your save game from Origins/Awakening to matter in the slightest), mostly unreactive world, atrocious, "Saturday morning cartoon" art design (even WITH the texture pack) and a plot that barely even exists. Huzzah EA, you've successfully destroyed the final AAA RPG manufacturer in the world. Congrats. Would you like a cookie?

    Do not buy this game. Please. EA does not need your money.

    Well, unless you wish to buy my used copy on Amazon. If so, do buy it so that I can be rid of this abomination. Speaking of abominations, time to go fight some in Origins.    … Expand
  36. V2Rocket
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Turned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, overTurned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, over promise and under deliver. If you like God-Of-War, but find it too complex, pretty and polished, you might want to consider buying DA2.… Expand
  37. Dorian147
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    the only GOOD thing about this game that i was lucky enough to sell it off to someone... bet they will hate me after they star playing this POS..the first game was an AMAZING experience and this one was piece of crap.. no wonder when a bioware dude in an interview says "Button = AWESOME".. only a crappy game can come out of it then
  38. TheLastOne
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Sadly, yet another developer has abandoned their PC core game base for the mass appeal of the console. Bioware games have historically been extremely deep, really customizable games, with a strong focus on tactics and strategy. The industry as a whole has been moving away from these kind of games because of the increased profitability games have on console, and the simplistic consoleSadly, yet another developer has abandoned their PC core game base for the mass appeal of the console. Bioware games have historically been extremely deep, really customizable games, with a strong focus on tactics and strategy. The industry as a whole has been moving away from these kind of games because of the increased profitability games have on console, and the simplistic console controls limit what developers can do. Dragon Age seemed to be one of the last remaining franchises truly designed to be a hardcore RPG gamer's type of game. However, the console has struck again, and we are left with Dragon Age 2, a game that does nothing but let down Bioware's long standing fanbase and fans of the genre. Let me preface this by saying that if you aren't familiar with Bioware games (aside from Mass Effect), like hack and slash type games, and are a console gamer, chances are you will enjoy this game. However, to the rest of us, this game signifies everything that is wrong with the market and the way gaming is headed. The depth of PC games of old is dead, and Bioware is no longer doing anything to prevent it.… Expand
  39. evergreenOldboy
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Everyone needs to chill out and put things into perspective. I mean honestly, I enjoyed it more than the first one. Everyone is only really trashing this game because Bioware changed the formula from the first one.
  40. CriticalKarl
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    I really don't see how taking out RPG elements out of an RPG would ever improve said RPG. This seems to be a re-occurring problem with sequels recently, removing key features for some odd reason.
  41. Killuminati
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Honestly, Dragon Age 2 is a significant improvement over Origins. Faster combat animations have been implemented while keeping the system largely the same
    The graphics look better both technically and artistically, and there are no more ugly brown environments
    -Player character is actually voiced this time, so no more silent awkward animations while talking -RPG interfaces have been    Honestly, Dragon Age 2 is a significant improvement over Origins. Faster combat animations have been implemented while keeping the system largely the same
    The graphics look better both technically and artistically, and there are no more ugly brown environments
    -Player character is actually voiced this time, so no more silent awkward animations while talking
    -RPG interfaces have been redesigned to be more balanced and easier to access and manage
    The story is told in a unique way, and really draws you in
    And the companions are far more diversified rather than just stereotypical princes, dwarves, witches, etc.

    Everything is improved aside from the fact that the game largely takes place in the city and the Elves facial design look somewhat weird. I don't understand why some people hate the game for the small changes that took place. Just give the game a try and soon you'll be caught up in its universe.    … Expand
  42. Tizlor
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    I'll preface this mini-review with: I actually like the game. I do, it's mindless. After working long days at my terrible menial job that saps my mental capacities; it's nice to sit down with a mindless game that takes absolutely no thought what-so-ever to get through. But that's a problem. This is a Bioware game. It's set to a higher standard than other games, it's supposed to draw you inI'll preface this mini-review with: I actually like the game. I do, it's mindless. After working long days at my terrible menial job that saps my mental capacities; it's nice to sit down with a mindless game that takes absolutely no thought what-so-ever to get through. But that's a problem. This is a Bioware game. It's set to a higher standard than other games, it's supposed to draw you in with it's story and setting; the characters are supposed to be memorable, witty, devious, intelligent. But none of that really applies here. What we got was a game so vapid, so unintelligent, so... test grouped, that it's now not much more than a mindless Facebook game. Re-used maps everywhere. Lack of personality in it's setting and characters. Plenty of loot, but only one character to equip it on. (Oh that's nice, a 'mage only' item that has stats that my rogue will never be able to equip. Maybe I'll equip it on to one of my mages on my team, oh wait..) Poorly written characters that are voice acted quite well. And what happened to the Qunari? I mean, what? I honestly thought they were Darkspawn. Who even thought that was a good idea? I'm starting to go off the rails, the game itself is not worthy of calling itself a sequel. The people who spent the passed year or two working on this game should not be proud of their work. They were forced to make a game that they I'm sure knew would be a big disappointment for the people who actually enjoyed the first game. Sorry fellas, people aren't trolling, they're genuinely disappointed that you (Bioware) made a subpar game. Borrow this from your friends if you really really want to play it, please do not spend your (or your parents') hard earned money on this.… Expand
  43. RPGFan2
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Bioware has created what could go down as the worst "RPG" ever made. Of course, I have to say RPG in quotations, because all RPG elements have been stripped. It is a "role playing" game I guess, but that role is a very strict one laid down by Bethesda. There are no choices to make now, as has become a Bethesda trademark, and very few dialogue trees. The dialogue now is just a linearBioware has created what could go down as the worst "RPG" ever made. Of course, I have to say RPG in quotations, because all RPG elements have been stripped. It is a "role playing" game I guess, but that role is a very strict one laid down by Bethesda. There are no choices to make now, as has become a Bethesda trademark, and very few dialogue trees. The dialogue now is just a linear rambling between two bored sounding cookie cutter people, and the instead of influencing the conversation, you are only allowed to select whether the character will do the conversation angry, soft, or sarcastic.

    Gone is any hint of stategy of depth to combat. The game is a click fest, a poor mans devil may cry, that requires no skill to beat on hard or lower difficulties. On nightmare, a mode they obviously ran out of time on balancing, is just frustratingly impossible, not because it provides a good challenge, but because instead of balancing it, they just added 10000hp to every enemy and said "done".


    The graphics represent and huge step back not only from Dragon Age origins, but for the whole generation. This looks like something you'd find on the Playstation 2. The game lacks any art direction, and any sense for colors other than brown.

    Dragon Age 2 is not only a huge step back for the series, but a huge step back for video games in general. The dumbing down of the series marks the biggest leap in what has become a trend in video game design. I can only hope that Bioware listens to the fans after this outing and, pun intended, return to their origins as RPG designers in their next outing.    … Expand
  44. w1res
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    This is just your average run of the mill hack n' slash game now. Also combat moves are just so over the top that they are very corny. Not so great...
  45. Galeon22
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Here goes...reserved the game months ago because I loved DA:O and even Awakening. Bought a couple of DLC even. Thought the game was a bone to the old-ish veteran gamers who enjoyed Baldur's gate, NWN, etc. Here's my opinion on the game:

    Pros: -Characters are pretty interesting so far (played about 8 hours) -Voice acting is great. Cons: -Action oriented, which is a matter of    Here goes...reserved the game months ago because I loved DA:O and even Awakening. Bought a couple of DLC even. Thought the game was a bone to the old-ish veteran gamers who enjoyed Baldur's gate, NWN, etc. Here's my opinion on the game:

    Pros:
    -Characters are pretty interesting so far (played about 8 hours)
    -Voice acting is great.

    Cons:
    -Action oriented, which is a matter of opinion. But considering this is the sequel to the 2009 GotY that used a completely different combat system more based on strategy, this just sounds like Bioware left its old fans behind and tried to reach for a new market. On that note, ''Strategic pause'' isn't very strategic. Button mashing feast.
    -Graphics are unpolished. Unexcusable, especially the NPC's look horrible up close.
    -Dungeons rehashed only 5 hours in the game...really Bioware?
    -No isometric view. Makes me believe the PC game was more an afterthought than anything else.
    -Story is unfocused. Jumping from point to point in time and following the story through someone else's viewpoints isnt a bad idea (Diablo 2 everyone?) but it's poorly done this time, at least in my humble opinion.
    -Dialogue wheel was fine for Mass Effect, but it breaks the mood for this game. Having a choice between being overboard angelic, a complete **** or a wisecracker doesnt sound like a lot of choice to me.
    -So little choice on how to customize the main character...human male or female. Poor immersion, I never believed for a second I was Hawke the way I identified to my warden in DA2.    … Expand
  46. NikoT
    Mar 9, 2011
    3
    Alright, after reading most of these reviews and playing the game for a few hours. I want to share a few glimpses of what I got out of the game. Well, first of all, I'd like to address the combat. In DA:O it was tactical, you had to use your brains, rushing straight-forward was a no-no. In this game, you basically spam one or two abilities on group of enemies and wait them to die. MaybeAlright, after reading most of these reviews and playing the game for a few hours. I want to share a few glimpses of what I got out of the game. Well, first of all, I'd like to address the combat. In DA:O it was tactical, you had to use your brains, rushing straight-forward was a no-no. In this game, you basically spam one or two abilities on group of enemies and wait them to die. Maybe get a heal spell from a mage or gluck down a health potion. The combat is seriously boring and repetitive, it actually makes you wish you'd just get over with and move on with the plot without beating dozens of same looking monsters in same looking environments. Now about the areas, the recycling is hell of a bad thing. Having to run the same looking mine cavern really isn't what I define as immersive. Couldn't Bioware put any more work on the areas instead of recycling every type of area (there's one cavern, one beach etc.) for the duration of the game?? Really now. The dialogue and conversations.. well they aren't bad, the voice acting is nice but.. does it really matter what you choose? It always ends up in the same situation as with every other choice. Sigh, I really expected too much of this game. It is dumbed down heavily from the original, for the CoD-playing little boys who want to see flashy gore and easy, casual gameplay. I'm going to join the bandwagon and give this a low score, for pity's sake. If it would had been a standalone game, maybe it would been decent. But this is a sequel to a great game with great combat and great dialogue. This game takes two dozen steps backwards in everything. And what's with the stupid exploding bodies? Really, I see an archer shoot a thug with an arrow, and the thug explodes into 6 pieces?! And some of the characters are just lame beyond imagination, namely this one elf.. He's a one big cliché, I've got to say. I'm already tired of this game and I haven't even finished it..… Expand
  47. phlask
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    It's amazing this is a Bioware game. How times have changed and how awful games are these days. This game has a complete lack of depth and requires very little intelligence to play. They couldn't dumb down this game anymore from the original even if they tried. This is what happens to games when they are catered to the console crowd, they are complete crap and do not deserve any of my time.
  48. FatBodies
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Terrible game. Crappy graphics, retarded dialogues, idiotic combat, skill system taken from dao and dumbed down. I feel like idiot wasting money on this piece of ****
  49. Aerozoul
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    I really liked Dragon Age: Origins but this piece of **** game is not Dragon Age, this is not even an RPG. This is junkfood for spoiled casuals.
    The combat is repetitive and looks ridiculous.
    The characters are shallow.
    The new dialogue-system is weak.
    It's basically Mass Effect with Swords (i like Mass Effect because it's Mass Effect, don't get me wrong).

    I am disappointed BioWare.
  50. Githzerai
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    This is without a doubt one of the laziest, most poorly designed, poorly made, and just plain awful games i have ever played. Although i have to congratulate Bioware on making a game that requires impressive system specs, particularly the need for DX11 to use the higher graphics settings, AND still somehow manages to look like a first generation PS2 game.

    The dialog is awkward and    This is without a doubt one of the laziest, most poorly designed, poorly made, and just plain awful games i have ever played. Although i have to congratulate Bioware on making a game that requires impressive system specs, particularly the need for DX11 to use the higher graphics settings, AND still somehow manages to look like a first generation PS2 game.

    The dialog is awkward and uninteresting even by bioware standards, the area design is so linear and simplistic, everything is just dull and awful looking. The combat is annoying, far too simple and just plain boring. When DA:O came out i was hoping for a modern day version of Baldurs Gate 2 or Icewind Dale and was fairly disappointed but at least that game was playable and even enjoyable at times. DA2 on the other hand somehow took the dumbed down, simplified gameplay from DA:O and sucked every last bit of fun from it.

    Every moment i spent playing this game felt so shallow and tedious. DA:O was an RPG with some depth, strategy, exploration, a nice amount of content. DA2 on the other hand is a huge step backwards, i've played free flash games with more depth and content. Bioware take note, this is what happens when you compromise your game to try and appeal to the lowest common denominator. I'm sure you'll make a huge profit and your shareholders will be happy, but brand recognition is everything and i now recognize Bioware as a company that have lost the ability to produce RPGs.

    The only redeemable quality this game has is the satisfaction i received from uninstalling it. The most remarkable thing of all however is the high ratings this received from game journalists compared to the almost universally bad ratings from actual gamers. I guess Bioware probably should have spent more on making a decent game instead of all the marketing and advertising dollars spent on strong-arming good reviews out of the useless and dishonest game journalists.    … Expand
  51. toby99
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    - realy dont know where Bioware wanted to take this story but they really fell short of their goal. - multiple elements simplified or cut completly. Another case of Bioware trying to fix what wasnt broken I guess
    -"Tactical" combat is not really tactical to put it nicely
    -if you want a good computer button masher then maybe you should wait for Diable 3
  52. 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
  53. jp7843
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Were all the critics bribed? how is this game managing to get such a high critic rating!? this is a terrible game, awful graphics & rubbish story held together with average gameplay. Avoid at all costs, I wish I had...
  54. pppotamo
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Terrible decepción. Se ha consolidado el juego en PC. ¿Ha esto ha quedado reducido el legado de Baldur´s gate?
    Graficos desfasados, falta la visión cenital.
    Parche con texturas de casi 1GB tras su venta.
  55. Rogue69
    Mar 9, 2011
    3
    Like many others I have to say that DA2 has been a disappointment. Others who have mentioned that DA2 is like a fantasy Mass Effect game is actually insulting the Mass Effect series; Mass Effect I/II were great action-oriented RPGs in their own right and should not be lumped in with this incomplete game called DA2. When you played Mass Effect you felt as if you were in a futuristicLike many others I have to say that DA2 has been a disappointment. Others who have mentioned that DA2 is like a fantasy Mass Effect game is actually insulting the Mass Effect series; Mass Effect I/II were great action-oriented RPGs in their own right and should not be lumped in with this incomplete game called DA2. When you played Mass Effect you felt as if you were in a futuristic world. When one plays DA2 you fell like..... well you dont feel anything really. I've played RPGs for over 25 years and I have to say without a doubt that the interface in DA2 was one of the worst ever conceived and used in any RPG game to date. DA:O used a very stylistic, engrossing interface that featured bloodied parchment to display multiple fantasy elements. DA2 uses a characterless, lifeless interface that does not support a fantasy setting (nor a futuristic setting for that matter). In fact if a gamer was just shown the DA2 interface without prior knowledge to the game he/she would have problems identifying what genre of game they were looking at; this should never be the case.... ever.... If that wasn't bad enough the producers decided to simplify the game so that my 3 year old daughter could participate in combat... and WIN!!! Now I know what youre thinking....'He's just saying that... He's exaggerating..' The really sad part is no... Im not. My 3 year old daughter did in fact fight one of my battles and actually killed several creatures before the battle was over (difficulty was on hard). The inventory/character screens are also TERRIBLE! For example.... the equipment that my character has equipped are represented by symbols..... SYMBOLS!! You dont even get a graphic icon to represent the equipment; its all done with symbols much like from a map legend!! I cant tell one ring or amulet from another except when i mouse over and get a very detailed description such as this 'RING +3% to physical damage'; no item history, no description, not even a picture.... I could go on and on and on, but why should I? I really wish I read the user reviews before purchasing this game. I would have honestly passed on this one and thats really sad considering Im the biggest DA fanboy going! I cope with this game like I cope with the movie series "The Matrix", I just pretend that only the first Matrix was ever created....… Expand
  56. josshykins
    Mar 9, 2011
    5
    Think of everything that made Dragon Age Origins a great game. Now subtract all of that and you have Dragon Age 2. The EA Games hammer of crap has really taken it's toll on poor Bioware, and it shows. It's a complete lobotomy of the RPG genre. Striped down to nothing more than a casual action RPG.

    For shame I say.
  57. Kilbane
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    My first Bioware game was Baldur'saGate 2 and the sad thing is that this is their far best game until now. Dragon Age 2 is absolute disaster. I don't care about shiny graphic, this is RPG, graphic comes second in games like this. Dragon Age Origins was ok game, not brilliant but ok, and only thing they could do to make it better is make it more complex, not to simplified it.
  58. zwaps
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    1. Rogue Archer is useless. The NPC dude is much better and it's almost impossible to run from mobs with two rogues and one mage. I had to cheese every single engagement. I hope you get a warrior if you keep playing because ****
    The worst thing: The difficulty on insane is not from tactical depth. All you need is luck and button-mashing (and running around in circles, if your party    1. Rogue Archer is useless. The NPC dude is much better and it's almost impossible to run from mobs with two rogues and one mage. I had to cheese every single engagement. I hope you get a warrior if you keep playing because ****
    The worst thing: The difficulty on insane is not from tactical depth. All you need is luck and button-mashing (and running around in circles, if your party sucks).

    At least I can spec the Dwarf to be melee if I want my character to be ranged.
    Oh wait I can't. That's right, **** your RPG-ism. You play like we want.


    2. The gameplay has nothing to do with tactical RPG. Your only real option is when to press the ability buttons.
    Tactical placement of characters, stealth, backstab etc. doesn't mean **** All you need to do is press the button since _everything_ is an ability now.
    I don't even see what I could be doing differently. There are a few battles where you can chokepoint enemies in doorframes, otherwise there is little to do tactically.
    It feels like half of the elements of BG2 combat are missing. In BG2 I usually ended up planning hard engagements, leading different enemies into traps I set earlier, buying specific items and buffs just for that engagement. DA2 is so far away from that complexity. DA:O wasn't perfect, but it was at least a bit closer.
    Rogue used to be about using a few things like stealing, positioning and stealth. Now it's just like beeing a mage - a Rogue mage.

    Also, I hate the amount of enemies. The screen is littered with em and any amount of tacticality that remained is pretty much an efford in futility. Most mobs should have been about the size of your party, but with interesting foes. I don't even particulary analyze what enemies I am fighting, I am doing the same charade over and over again.
    Miles and miles away from previous RPGs.


    3. You never get to plan ahead anyway, since ALL enemies just drop on you literally. This is the worst thing ever and I can't grasp how they thought this would be a good idea.
    It's almost like Mass Effect 2 now. "Oh look an empty room. Welp, ambush. How surprising"
    Preparation doesn't get you any further. I also haven't used any potions or buffs yet previous to engagements. Maybe it was too early in the game for that though.

    4. Camera angle.. whatever. Isometric view wouldn't have salvaged the gameplay.

    5. Everything feels so restricting. You have almost no choice in what your character does and how he looks etc. Inventory has become more or less obsolete. It doesn't even feel like an RPG in that sense.
    For some reason the character creation process and the initial RPG immersiveness has - for me- never felt so disappointing in any PC RPG.
    It feels like a movie.
    Everytime. Cutscene. Go somewhere, enemies appear out of thin air, second wave, cutscene. Repeat. Every.. single .. time.
    Immersion level is very low. If you care about those things.

    6. Graphics are fine, voice acting is nice etc.

    7. Art style is ****ed. The ****ing Dalish elves look like cartoon characters. This has bothered me the most. It's like an anime. I expect this will be even worse later on. Not that the gameworld is completely unattractive. It just feels like EVERY SINGLE THING they changed is worse than in DA:O.
    I HAVE to use that dwarf with the cyberpunk Machine gun in an high fantasy RPG? Yeah thanks, totally works for me. **** you.

    8. You can interact even less with the gameworld. In the spirit of dumbing it down this is not too surprising. But there is so little loot, so little to pick up or see or get.
    You just don't get the feeling the enemies are actually carrying weapons or whatever.
    It feels like you get a generic reward, instead of actually "going through their stuff for useful ****".
    Feels wrong.

    9. The interface is **** I don't even know why, but it annoys me hugely. Probably because back in the day the interface symbolized a backback or inventory or a spellbook or whatever. Now it's literally a list of computer buttons. Just like the loot is not actual loot, but a computer-given reward. Also feels wrong.



    With a decent story I could see myself buying this for 10â    … Expand
  59. RobertParker
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Don't even bother pirating this, it's the Godfather 3 of RPGs. The combat is easy yet tedious, the graphics are designed to run on the equivalent of five year old computers (AKA consoles) and the dialogue was obviously written by aspergers addled game developers who never leave the office. If you MUST try a modern RPG then give Fallout New Vegas a shot.
  60. jadelith
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    mass effect with swords. the game is so horrid its not even worth my time to write a review about it.

    I don't believe anyone could give this game a good score. I'm thinking, the reviewing sites (gamespot etc) are scared bioware won't give them any more interviews, which is why they gave it an 8, instead of a deserved 3 or 4. the game is not dragon age 2, simple as that. if you want to    mass effect with swords. the game is so horrid its not even worth my time to write a review about it.

    I don't believe anyone could give this game a good score. I'm thinking, the reviewing sites (gamespot etc) are scared bioware won't give them any more interviews, which is why they gave it an 8, instead of a deserved 3 or 4.

    the game is not dragon age 2, simple as that. if you want to make another mass effect, use a different franchise name, instead of insulting dragon age fans.    … Expand
  61. PalladiumGM
    Mar 9, 2011
    5
    As the sum of it's parts Dragon Age II adds up to a soon to be forgotten game. This is not inspired storytelling or game design - it feels as compelling you would expect from a component of an over-managed, fully monetized IP franchise. It thrills me in the same way as a new release of Crystal Reports would.|||||||||

    No RPG is perfect, but the story and game system are supposed to    As the sum of it's parts Dragon Age II adds up to a soon to be forgotten game. This is not inspired storytelling or game design - it feels as compelling you would expect from a component of an over-managed, fully monetized IP franchise. It thrills me in the same way as a new release of Crystal Reports would.|||||||||

    No RPG is perfect, but the story and game system are supposed to work together to cover each other's faults. Good combat, crunchy stats and equipment obsession help you when the story lags and compelling story gets you through so-so gameplay. It just doesn't happen in DA2.|||||||||

    There are some excellent quips and a few of the NPCs are great characters, but that's a given for any professional RPG. The dialogue wheel is clumsy, the male main character's voice makes me twitch, the story never really takes of in a meaningful way and the narrative style is lazy. Even a good twist or two later will not unmake 30 hours of meh.|||||||||

    There are many, many, many nitpicks and issues like the horrible "loading..." mid-level and the fact that enemies are made of high explosive jello, but they are too many to name here.|||||||||

    Perhaps the biggest problem is that Bioware's unconcealed purpose for making DA2 was to make you buy DLC for DA2. |||||||||

    This is just part of a massive, cross promotion strategy and it plays like it.|||||||||

    It doesn't deserve the 0 scores that it's getting here, it deserves this 5. It's a phoned in effort that will not be joining the pantheon of great Bioware games.|||||||||

    Buy it when it's repackaged on Steam with all DLC.|||||||||

    Two years from now.|||||||||

    At $9.99.    … Expand
  62. Erilos
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    I tried hard to like it but the exploding people, rehashed areas, **** dialouge, and gameplay. This is the biggest thing though marketing it as the best old school style tactical RPG only for it to turn into a **** of sexual innuendo, gore, bad VA, PS2 era graphics, hack n' slash gameplay, limited customizability and a 12 hour story mode. So all in all it had potential to be a great gameI tried hard to like it but the exploding people, rehashed areas, **** dialouge, and gameplay. This is the biggest thing though marketing it as the best old school style tactical RPG only for it to turn into a **** of sexual innuendo, gore, bad VA, PS2 era graphics, hack n' slash gameplay, limited customizability and a 12 hour story mode. So all in all it had potential to be a great game but Bioware sold out producing what will be the biggest disappointment of the year if not the biggest disaster of the decade. Oh how the mighty have fallen, Bioware going from a game like Baldur's Gate 2 down a game like this and the worst part is knowing that the people of today will eat this **** up.… Expand
  63. NukeDukem
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Bioware decides to ditch the gameplay mechanics that made Dragon Age 1 such an engaging and strategic experience, in favor of making an action ARR PEE GEE on par with Fable 2 or Fable 3 in it's lackluster execution. Every design choice, graphical rendering, movement control scream out "MADE FOR CONSOLES." Regardless, it will make all of it's developers money back, due to it's two previousBioware decides to ditch the gameplay mechanics that made Dragon Age 1 such an engaging and strategic experience, in favor of making an action ARR PEE GEE on par with Fable 2 or Fable 3 in it's lackluster execution. Every design choice, graphical rendering, movement control scream out "MADE FOR CONSOLES." Regardless, it will make all of it's developers money back, due to it's two previous sucessful entries, Dragon Age has changed for the worse in this sequel. 0/10… Expand
  64. RustyShackle
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Outdated graphics, there were better looking PS2 games than this , Bad story, Gameplay isn't even remotely fun.

    Bioware dropped the ball on this one. There is nothing else to add to this review besides pointing out the corny 10/10 reviews that seem extremely fishy.
  65. checkem22
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Terrible game, david gayder should be ashamed of himself. this is a spit in the face to all rpgs.

    more linear than FFXIII if you can believe that.
    and the gameplay? was watching tv while spamming random buttons and i beat the game
    the writing is atrocious, its almost as bad as this review.
  66. GrumpySpike
    Mar 9, 2011
    5
    Preordered this game for PC because I enjoyed Origins so much (had at least 350 hours logged on steam). Played the demo beforehand. Tried to ignore all the negative press it was getting, as well as the hype EA was pushing out. I felt I knew what to expect. I'm about half way through the game so far, but I will finish it. So far though, while there are some things that it did a bit betterPreordered this game for PC because I enjoyed Origins so much (had at least 350 hours logged on steam). Played the demo beforehand. Tried to ignore all the negative press it was getting, as well as the hype EA was pushing out. I felt I knew what to expect. I'm about half way through the game so far, but I will finish it. So far though, while there are some things that it did a bit better than Origins, the sum of its parts is leaving me frustrated and disappointed on many levels, as a fan of Origins.

    Pros:
    - Aesthetic design is improved (Textures not included sadly). Some of the character models feel better constructed as well, such as dwarves, elves, Qunari. They feel like their own distinct races. Not a huge fan of Hurlock redesign though, but it doesn't bother me too much. Overall, the world has its own distinct feel now and not quite so much a mish mash of undetermined Lord of the Rings/Baldur's Gate aesthetics.
    - The environments (what few of them there are) look nicer, in terms of design (again, not graphically or in terms of textures), than Origins. - Combat animations look nicer (some don't like them, I feel they're better looking than Origins).
    - Combat itself doesn't feel as chunky, and is, generally, more fluid.

    In the Middle:
    - Voice acting. Overall it's about the same as Origins. Generally it's better in terms of differentiating races, and they sound a bit more varied but I get annoyed with Hawke's voice though and a few other NPC voices have made me cringe from time to time. Not really a Pro or Con.
    - Music is pretty much the same quality as Origins. Not really a Pro or Con.

    Cons:
    - Graphically, it looks worse than Origins due to lack of decent textures and overlarge polygons. Bioware lied about this point apparently (claiming it to be graphically superior to Origins).
    - Tactically, combat is a nightmare, since Bioware removed isometric view on the PC (apparently for no good reason). It's annoying trying to place an area of effect spell or trying to position party members when you can't see everything that's going on in a nice overhead picture. Instead it makes you switch between characters to get a total view of the combat which can be a bit confusing when trying to coordinate attacks.
    - Plot. There doesn't seem to be much of one. This is probably the most frustrating thing of all for me. Origins was compelling, not because the story itself was so original, but because the central conflict was always apparent. In Dragon Age 2 there is no central conflict. It just skips around to various side-quests that all feel equally unimportant. As a result, the game itself feels messy, unorganized, uninteresting. Which is a shame.
    - There is hardly any interaction with characters. In Origins you could interact with anyone at almost any given time and explore rather detailed dialogue trees. Dragon Age 2 follows the model of Awakening more closely in the sense that you can't really delve deep into characters except at scripted events. It all feels very shallow and as a result the characters seem completely uninteresting. It's almost like your characters don't need to be there. They chime in at certain points during certain quests but there's no exploration of personality to speak of. Truly disappointing.
    - There are too few environments. While the environments that do exist feel nicely designed, it get's extremely tiring having to back track constantly between the same few areas you've been to over and over again (Kirkwall, Wounded Coast, Sundermount, etc.).
    - The Dialogue wheel, surprisingly, felt very irritating in this game. I didn't mind it at all in Mass Effect, but in this game it doesn't feel satisfying at all. Hawke still doesn't say what you want him to, despite the "helpful" chat icons that appear in the center of the wheel. By far I would have preferred written out dialogue like in Origins. At least then I could properly gauge others reactions towards my choices.

    This game is quite disappointing. And the more I write the more annoyed I get with it to be honest. There are some fun things about it, but overall the game feels incredibly rushed. Bioware should be ashamed for claiming such a game to be a "spiritual successor" to Baldur's Gate. While that title may have been more pertinent to Origins, Dragon Age 2 doesn't feel like any Baldur's Gate game I've ever played. This game definitely doesn't compare to the first. It's not satisfying. It's not interesting. It doesn't feel very deep in any sense. I doubt I'm going to get much replay value out of this game. Hell, I'll probably just replay Origins after this... or sell it back so I can afford the Witcher 2.

    Truly a big damn shame. Wait for the price to drop significantly or just rent it. Game isn't any way worth $60 new.    … Expand
  67. SpectralAnubis
    Mar 9, 2011
    6
    Reading some of the negative user reviews on meta-critic,I wonder if this is not just disbelief that Bioware would venture into a different direction. I personally have no objection for a company, entertainment or not trying new ideas. Dragon Age II is an experimental game. Yes, it does retain a quantum of Origins, however much of it's predecessor has been stripped away. What was strippedReading some of the negative user reviews on meta-critic,I wonder if this is not just disbelief that Bioware would venture into a different direction. I personally have no objection for a company, entertainment or not trying new ideas. Dragon Age II is an experimental game. Yes, it does retain a quantum of Origins, however much of it's predecessor has been stripped away. What was stripped away will definitely irk fans of the first. The inability to customize equipment for companions. The change in chat dialogue. The graphics, and faster combat pace. Lack of spell combination's. No death animations. Whatever one's reasons, surely you can find fault in this product. The glaring, yet easily fixable issues of this game, fall in the games mechanics specifically the A.I. Tank A.I is awful, you'll find yourself (no matter what difficulty) controlling the tank character. The character(s) will activate taunt when enemies are not present, and attempt to spam it's damage reduction moves constantly. Your companions hardly adhere to positional commands either. You'll find yourself using the hold position command, and manually controlling the party. Scripts, must be improved in future patches, if Bioware/EA wishes to sell future DLC's. The good in this game, is the storyline. The game engine runs smoothly on many systems as well. Bioware has always done a excellent job optimizing their products. The characters are believable, yet may or may not hold the same charm as the first games'. The voice acting for the main is exceptional, both male and female. The voice acting in general is very good. The combat can get frustrating, but it retains the "joy" which Origins brought. The skill system is much improved, they condensed it but hardly loses any of it's flare. You'll just have to evaluate this title for what it is: A Different Approach.… Expand
  68. Max_R
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Seems that there are no more old-style rpgs: Dragon Age Origins was far from Baldur's Gate series as well as Dragon Age 2 is far from Dragon Age Origins and I don't want console-looking games in my pc, especially if they claim to be solid rpg when they aren't at all. It's a murder. There are already Mass Effect that is an eccellent action game series.
    P.s.
    @Bioware, do not apply some dx11    Seems that there are no more old-style rpgs: Dragon Age Origins was far from Baldur's Gate series as well as Dragon Age 2 is far from Dragon Age Origins and I don't want console-looking games in my pc, especially if they claim to be solid rpg when they aren't at all. It's a murder. There are already Mass Effect that is an eccellent action game series.
    P.s.
    @Bioware,
    do not apply some dx11 feature to the engine makeing it heavier when this force you to make an "essential graphics". It's not necessary: it's stupid, . Gamers prefere less feature and more artistic style: we aren't benchers.    … Expand
  69. Zzgashi
    Mar 9, 2011
    6
    Dragon Age 2 certainly is a step backwards for the series in a few respects, but at it's core it still provides an entertaining role playing experience. My biggest gripe with the game is the control. The right mouse button is both attack and camera control. Without the tactical camera of it's predecessor the camera needs to be constantly adjusted to get a good view of the battlefield,Dragon Age 2 certainly is a step backwards for the series in a few respects, but at it's core it still provides an entertaining role playing experience. My biggest gripe with the game is the control. The right mouse button is both attack and camera control. Without the tactical camera of it's predecessor the camera needs to be constantly adjusted to get a good view of the battlefield, and even then the camera moves on it's own whenever the characters do anything. This makes is quite difficult to target enemies in the heat of battle. The violence looks quite silly as the characters swing over sized weapons in quick exaggerated movements like an anime. The enemies just look slightly stunned every time they get hit until their HP reaches 0 and the pop like kind of meat balloons.

    The characters and interaction however are one thing DA2 does right, and I feel it's the most important part of an RPG experience. The Dragon Age world is well fleshed out with enjoyable characters (Although some feel very familiar of previous Bioware games). I quite liked DA2's "over time" feel. The game takes place over a long period of time, and you can really feel the characters and world change.

    Overall I feel that DA2 technically disappointed, but still entertained.    … Expand
  70. 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
  71. godfather830
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age II is a decent game, but fades in comparision with its predecessor. Most of the changes made just made the game less fun and less great. The only two positive changes are that the graphics have improved (slightly) and the main character can now talk.

    I regret purchasing it. I think it may have been worth $15 or so to me, so I would have preferred buying it at a huge discount,    Dragon Age II is a decent game, but fades in comparision with its predecessor. Most of the changes made just made the game less fun and less great. The only two positive changes are that the graphics have improved (slightly) and the main character can now talk.

    I regret purchasing it. I think it may have been worth $15 or so to me, so I would have preferred buying it at a huge discount, even 2-3 years later. But I would have gladly paid $100 for Dragon Age: Origins.    … Expand
  72. dricks
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Boring.
    Each time i launch this game, i feel like playing Final Fight.
    Even the character selection screen seems to say "Guy, Cody, or Haggart ?". First stage. Fight, then go forward, and other waves of enemies comes. Then the boss, a giant and tough enemy which run on me, head down. Wait, this is the exact description of the beginning of DA2. Isn't it supposed to be an RPG ? Well, i'll    Boring.
    Each time i launch this game, i feel like playing Final Fight.
    Even the character selection screen seems to say "Guy, Cody, or Haggart ?".
    First stage. Fight, then go forward, and other waves of enemies comes.
    Then the boss, a giant and tough enemy which run on me, head down.

    Wait, this is the exact description of the beginning of DA2. Isn't it supposed to be an RPG ?

    Well, i'll put a 2 on this one, because i really liked Final Fight. But as a fighting game, it's really less fun. And as an RPG, it really sucks.    … Expand
  73. xXxSephirothxXx
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    I can't believe I paid full price for this game, what a total let down.
    I absolutely loved DA:O, and this game was a total kick to the pants.
    I've never felt so strongly to actually leave a review before on here, but this game has really rustled my jimmies. Even FFXIV is better than this game. Shame on you bioware for releasing this absolutely disastrous videogame. You should consider    I can't believe I paid full price for this game, what a total let down.
    I absolutely loved DA:O, and this game was a total kick to the pants.

    I've never felt so strongly to actually leave a review before on here, but this game has really rustled my jimmies.

    Even FFXIV is better than this game.
    Shame on you bioware for releasing this absolutely disastrous videogame.
    You should consider yourself lucky people can't get a refund!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  74. BananaPuncher
    Mar 9, 2011
    5
    Bioware's identity crisis and tribute to the color brown gets a sequel with an even greater identity crisis. If Dragon Age: Origin's crisis came from its overly generic universe, it was at least an honest attempt to recreate the magic of Baldur's Gate, even if it had none of the charm of Forgotten Realms, needless micromanaging, and 1% of the monster variety (Darkspawn and dragons, yay. IBioware's identity crisis and tribute to the color brown gets a sequel with an even greater identity crisis. If Dragon Age: Origin's crisis came from its overly generic universe, it was at least an honest attempt to recreate the magic of Baldur's Gate, even if it had none of the charm of Forgotten Realms, needless micromanaging, and 1% of the monster variety (Darkspawn and dragons, yay. I thought dragons were supposed to be hard to kill and usually optional?). In Dragon Age: 2, the identity crisis extends to the gameplay, where it either feels like a dumbed down version of Dragon Age: Origins, or a really bad God of War, depending on your personal preferences. This is really too bad because the dialogue is solid; they replaced the mute character of Dragon Age: Origins with a Mass Effect-style dialogue system and the story is decent enough for an RPG, in my opinion. It just doesn't feel like enough to make up for the bastard-child gameplay.… Expand
  75. Kermutten
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    First off I want to say that before today I didnt have a user here on metacritic I registered solely so I could share my utter hatred for this abomination called "Dragon Age 2", it's the bastard child of Bad Console ports, and stupid greed. First off I was a mega DA:O fanboi, i loved it to death, and aside from Mass Effect 2 which I consider a poor port aswell and not deserving of anyFirst off I want to say that before today I didnt have a user here on metacritic I registered solely so I could share my utter hatred for this abomination called "Dragon Age 2", it's the bastard child of Bad Console ports, and stupid greed. First off I was a mega DA:O fanboi, i loved it to death, and aside from Mass Effect 2 which I consider a poor port aswell and not deserving of any praise what so ever, I was actually a bioware fanboi, this changed today, and let me explain why. 1. Removal of tactical overview, this does not need to be explained if you're a PC gamer, this was a **** decision and it proved to be one of the worst side steps EVER! 2. You Can't upg. the armor on your companions now what the **** is this? That is the stupidest **** I ever heard, you can't upg armor in an RPG? Makes you feel VERY disconnected from your party. 3. Targetting, and inability to use out of combat spells? I can't for the life of me figure out why I'm not allowed to throw a fireball through a door and hit like i could in DA:O, you have to wait until the enemy engages you thats down right retarded, pick your battles much? 4. Bugged combat on nightmare, basically with the removal of multiple spells from the wizard cycle you have less tactical manevouring to do which means that you get stuck in some awful situations that you just can't get out of. Not saying it's impossible to complete on nightmare at all, im saying is there really such a thing as constant permanent knock downs? If you played the game, you know what I mean. 5. Removed the interaction with NPC's all together, and shop keepers are now tables, and chests? Now what the **** is up with that? Unless they have a glimmering ****ing ! like in world of warcraft over their head, you can't speak to them? Why did bioware decide to make a city feel this ghost like instead of building on from denerim? 6. Boss Fights / Spawn points, now here is a thing that really bugged the **** out of me in this game there seems to be random spawn points, just build for a console so you don't have to look to far around to find some action, which means if you actually TRY to be tactical and position your mages behind a shield walled tank, dont feed safe, and why not? Well because soldiers in this game have wings, which means they land from the ****ing SKY and drop down like command troops in second world war, to my disbelief a good tactic turned **** because my mages suddenly got pummeled, removing once again the tactical aspect of the RPG. 7. This brings me to the hack and slash aspect, they talk about the new mechanics like it's soo refined and polished, all i see is alittle more combat animations, sure it's nice and all, but all you do now is move a rogue behind people and hit them, and watch things die, it's no challenge on anything but nightmare, and on nightmare you will suffer from the removal of tactic, which makes this another dumbed down diablo 2 hack'n'slash clone with a little prettier graphics and some voice acting, big whoop. This is a review written after 9 hours of gameplay on nightmare, and I'm not returning to the game, I will try to get a refund on this piece of **** I do not want it in my house, if I can't get it refunded im selling it in resale.

    And all those fanboys who give this game 10, does not mean what true RPG means, I have played all the old fall-out games, all the old black isle games, and i would trade good graphics for decent gameplay any day of the week, so i piss on your "graphics" and say this in return "consoles are killing the PC"    … Expand
  76. DigitalAcuity
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Geeze, can they possibly dumb down these games any more. Blatant copy-paste areas and revisiting the same locations over and over, very lazy design. So many waves of mobs that its almost border-lining on hack and slash game. that wouldn't even matter so much if the combat was good but it's not, like everything else totally dumbed down. I just can't stand to play this game any more, itsGeeze, can they possibly dumb down these games any more. Blatant copy-paste areas and revisiting the same locations over and over, very lazy design. So many waves of mobs that its almost border-lining on hack and slash game. that wouldn't even matter so much if the combat was good but it's not, like everything else totally dumbed down. I just can't stand to play this game any more, its just bad in just about every area, way to linear and tedious and an incredible disappointment, a huge step backwards in my opinion. Total proof that publishers are paying these top reviewers to give good reviews.… Expand
  77. Johnbot
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    This is nothing but a dumbed down sad console port. Graphics are bland and low quality.
    All the party controls are gone and we're left with the **** "tactics". Combat is basically button mashing and waiting for cool downs.
    Choice in dialogs have been replaced with the **** Mass Effect-style "pick a style and stick to it". God forbid a choice would actually have unpredicted consequences.
  78. 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
  79. Jimbobbrown
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Well just played the demo and it was enough to make sure i wouldn't be buying it. What a disappointment as i loved the first game. It would seem every decision they made was designed to alienate fans of the original. Could go into all the faults but others have already, don't believe the press this game is not anywhere near the caliber of origins and plays like a dumbed down jrpg. NoWell just played the demo and it was enough to make sure i wouldn't be buying it. What a disappointment as i loved the first game. It would seem every decision they made was designed to alienate fans of the original. Could go into all the faults but others have already, don't believe the press this game is not anywhere near the caliber of origins and plays like a dumbed down jrpg. No thanks Bioware.… Expand
  80. jimmy2x2x
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    A real disappointment, Bioware has gone to the dogs. Everything about this game stinks: The drab graphics (even with the high res texture pack), horrible dialogue, lack of variety in location, limited party control, poor combat - you can't see what the hell is going on half the time. It feels like a tacky Playstation 2 game, not a bleeding edge title released in 2012. Dragon Age 2 isA real disappointment, Bioware has gone to the dogs. Everything about this game stinks: The drab graphics (even with the high res texture pack), horrible dialogue, lack of variety in location, limited party control, poor combat - you can't see what the hell is going on half the time. It feels like a tacky Playstation 2 game, not a bleeding edge title released in 2012. Dragon Age 2 is garbage - don't even buy it when its on sale.… Expand
  81. wormhole
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    this game sux in any way it can. worst console port ever. DA1 was good RPG, not perfect but just good.
    DA2 is just step back: bad graphics, bad gameplay, bad story and incredible high requirements.

    if u want play good cRPG just stay away from DA2. it's waste of ur time
  82. madisonjacka
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Read these comments

    The majority of the people played only a couple hours of this game before realizing that it wasnt worth it to invest anymore time into playing something like this. By proof of contradiction, I will show you why this game doesnt deserve anything above a 5 Suppose, that the true rating of this game was actually 90+ as rated by PC Gamer, then it must be the case that    Read these comments

    The majority of the people played only a couple hours of this game before realizing that it wasnt worth it to invest anymore time into playing something like this.

    By proof of contradiction, I will show you why this game doesnt deserve anything above a 5

    Suppose, that the true rating of this game was actually 90+ as rated by PC Gamer, then it must be the case that this would be:

    *The best RPG ever
    *The biggest and most interesting town that you ever seen in RPG
    *Many player choices with consequences on the story.
    *Well written story that will make your eyes wet many times
    *Much more attaching companions, more so than any of DAO.
    etc.

    But anyone who has played the game will see that:

    *The best RPG ever?

    Not by a lightyear

    *The biggest and most interesting town that you ever seen in RPG

    What?

    *Many player choices with consequences on the story.

    Im hungry

    *Well written story that will make your eyes wet many times

    lol

    *Much more attaching companions, more so than any of DAO.
    etc.

    nope

    And there you see by proof of contradiction 0/10    … Expand
  83. crescent
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Somehow my previous review magically disappeared. I don't know how that can happen but i guess metacritic either deleted it or it got flagged? (based on the sincereity of my other reviews i don't think i was being a troll or a guy who ate too many sour grapes). Anyways...WNxWind pointed me out in his review that i have never played the game and am bashing it to the ground without anySomehow my previous review magically disappeared. I don't know how that can happen but i guess metacritic either deleted it or it got flagged? (based on the sincereity of my other reviews i don't think i was being a troll or a guy who ate too many sour grapes). Anyways...WNxWind pointed me out in his review that i have never played the game and am bashing it to the ground without any understanding of it. Although at the time of my previous review(early yesterday) i have only played the game for 4 hours, i felt that i have experienced enough to review DA:2. I won't be repeating what i have wrote again, i'll state that this game has been a real let down. Wake up bioware.… Expand
  84. 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
  85. thedecline
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Bioware has farted out probably the worst thing ever to come out of their behinds, thank you Biodrones, for supporting the decline of RPG's. The decline of RPG's begins with DA2 The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins withBioware has farted out probably the worst thing ever to come out of their behinds, thank you Biodrones, for supporting the decline of RPG's. The decline of RPG's begins with DA2 The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2The decline of RPG's begins with DA2.… Expand
  86. AngryGamer
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Dragon Fail 2=Epic fail Lol at those who gave an 8 or 9 out of 10.
    This game sucks and is an insult to all the pc gamers out there.It has been dumbed down and consolised.On top of all that the graphics suck ass and it runs like sit even on high end hardware.
    Bioware has failed.
  87. Esoteric
    Mar 9, 2011
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon age 2 is an insult to my intellect. This game gives me a good reason to find a new hobby. Instead of a classic tactical story driven old school crpg I found some kind of action game for retards. Big boobed pirates and dancing mages [I think bioware calls it dynamic casting]. Fells like a cheap imitation of god of war.… Expand
  88. Tacgnol
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Combat = Derped
    Interface = Derped
    Graphics = Derped
    Writing = Fail

    Banal, Boring, "Streamlined", Popamole ****

    Avoid, whatever the cost.

    Do not enable Bioware in their derpification of the genre.
  89. beyd667
    Mar 9, 2011
    6
    While the game has dialogue that seems much more fluid and the ability to hear your character speak is nice, the game placed the road block of having to be in specific locations in order to speak to each individual member of your party. I'm not sure if that is the major reason for not caring very much about my party members, but the reality is that I don't care about them.

    The    While the game has dialogue that seems much more fluid and the ability to hear your character speak is nice, the game placed the road block of having to be in specific locations in order to speak to each individual member of your party. I'm not sure if that is the major reason for not caring very much about my party members, but the reality is that I don't care about them.

    The environments in the game are very redundant and it doesn't take very long to feel like you've been fighting in the exact same locales for the last 10 hours. It also doesn't feel like you travel much, if any when changing places in the game.

    The combat system is more refined although I found from time to time that clicking on individual targets to switch was annoying, and the moment that I tried to reposition myself behind a character I found myself having to re-click the same target to resume attacking.

    When it came time to ditch side quests and perform things relevant to the actual main storyline, I found myself far more interested in what was going on, but when you take into account the fact that in modern western RPG's side quests are 90% of what you do in the game that doesn't mean much.

    Honestly, while this game has things that are notably better about it when compared to other RPGs and occasionally the original game itself, I found myself very quickly getting bored with this game.    … Expand
  90. RedAvatar
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction withDragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction with the world has been severely limited, the combat has less tactics and is more scripted not to mention the game is far too easy on normal and you basically end up spamming every ability and spell while making sure no-one croaks. Do that, and you can easily survive in "hard" mode. Sorry, but that's not how RPGs are supposed to work. On top of that, the game makes so many more mistakes - no free-roaming camera to oversee battles, no way to gear up your team mates or swap gear (meaning every piece of armour or ring you pick up, you have to wear), dialog has become ridiculously simple with the dialog choices having virtually no impact. This is essentially Mass Effect: Fantasy Edition - taking all the stuff that made Mass Effect 2 less fun than the first Mass Effect and jamming it into a game which sold millions and was loved by many.… Expand
  91. 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.
  92. AdrianaLF
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Dragon Age II is a great story with lots of emotion. I love the characters and the graphic style. Combat is really good ... one of the best combat executions for an RPG. Best of all words ... I just love the game.
  93. RainmakerNL
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    What can i say? This game fails on every aspect you can imagine. From promised DX11 graphics we went to watered down character models and a bland city which is the main course of the game. This game suffers from acute and extreme consolitis. Bad graphics, way to simple gameplay (whack a mole) and the interface is completely tailored for consoles! Do NOT believe any "official" reviewWhat can i say? This game fails on every aspect you can imagine. From promised DX11 graphics we went to watered down character models and a bland city which is the main course of the game. This game suffers from acute and extreme consolitis. Bad graphics, way to simple gameplay (whack a mole) and the interface is completely tailored for consoles! Do NOT believe any "official" review sources, they get paid big money by EA to give it a 8 or 9!

    The biggest insult of them all is the load of DLC there is pre-installed on your disc, but you cant acces it without paying or doing stupid facebook games.

    Steer clear of this game and any future BioWare games, vote with your wallet!    … Expand
  94. LastRite
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    What have they done to my beloved Dragon Age? Shoddy performance on Nvidia and the game feels very rushed and simplified. I won't be pre-ordering the next one!
  95. Troll
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Nononono.

    Nothing like the original, and even in an original sense it fails in every conceivable way. It's over-stylized, as if making a game an eyesore is somehow better than a drab, boring looking landscape full of boring looking people (they're both terrible, I guess I have a tolerance for the latter, given how I hate this game) Combat is identical to any hack-n-slash console game-    Nononono.

    Nothing like the original, and even in an original sense it fails in every conceivable way. It's over-stylized, as if making a game an eyesore is somehow better than a drab, boring looking landscape full of boring looking people (they're both terrible, I guess I have a tolerance for the latter, given how I hate this game)

    Combat is identical to any hack-n-slash console game- even on PC, no tactical camera, pause and play is merely optional which completely destroys the point of it even being there, the combat does look more fluid and fun but it's still not my cup of tea, and wasn't the reason I bought the original.

    Adding a dialog wheel is insulting, I've never been satisfied with the way Mass Effect did things, either you're cyber Jesus or future Hitler, and there's no in-betweens, the voice actor for Hawke is mediocre at best.

    It's playable, yes, but it's also the destruction of what was the only isometric tactical RPG franchise we still had.

    Shame on you, Bioware.    … Expand
  96. EverettLamb
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Console port FTL. Simplified and dumb down. What happened to the Bioware of the Baldur's Gate era? Let down and disappointed Bioware of that past is no more and is now fixated and focused on the consoles. This game feels like a punch to the face of dedicated and loyal PC Gamers. Was a sequel even needed or necessary? Should have left Dragon Age with just Origins, as Origins is farConsole port FTL. Simplified and dumb down. What happened to the Bioware of the Baldur's Gate era? Let down and disappointed Bioware of that past is no more and is now fixated and focused on the consoles. This game feels like a punch to the face of dedicated and loyal PC Gamers. Was a sequel even needed or necessary? Should have left Dragon Age with just Origins, as Origins is far superior in terms of gameplay and enjoyable.… Expand
  97. johnGamer34
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    DA2 has to be the saddest excuse for either an action game or a roleplaying game, or a combination of the two. The glitches that result from trying to import the save file from Origins alone make it clear that Bioware wasn't even trying with this one. Just rush out a sequel as quickly as possible to milk your fans for all they're worth. Really pathetic. The gameplay is horrible, theDA2 has to be the saddest excuse for either an action game or a roleplaying game, or a combination of the two. The glitches that result from trying to import the save file from Origins alone make it clear that Bioware wasn't even trying with this one. Just rush out a sequel as quickly as possible to milk your fans for all they're worth. Really pathetic. The gameplay is horrible, the graphics are from 2 generations ago at best, and the story is completely forgettable garbage. They even had the gall to end on a cliffhanger!!!! Probably just to sell more DLC that will hopefully end the story properly. Disgusting, Bioware. You've lost a customer.… Expand
  98. krogan2010
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    I had to write a review seeing all the haters out there. i am a few hours in and really enjoying it. I loooooooooved DAO, and so far i am enjoying DAII as much. Yes the small inventory can be a pain at times, and spending so much time in Kirkwall could get a bit repetitive if the story and the action was not constantly driving you forward. But overall it is a great RPG that will beI had to write a review seeing all the haters out there. i am a few hours in and really enjoying it. I loooooooooved DAO, and so far i am enjoying DAII as much. Yes the small inventory can be a pain at times, and spending so much time in Kirkwall could get a bit repetitive if the story and the action was not constantly driving you forward. But overall it is a great RPG that will be engrossing for event the hardest cynics.… Expand
  99. sgeGaming
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Bioware has turned into money hungry idiots like activision.
    They are just blowing games out of their asses now and expecting to get praised for it. This game was atrocious. It's like playing dynasty warriors with an even worse story. If you are thinking of picking this up for any reason, stop right there. Dont give this company the satisfaction of thinking they made something good. They    Bioware has turned into money hungry idiots like activision.
    They are just blowing games out of their asses now and expecting to get praised for it. This game was atrocious. It's like playing dynasty warriors with an even worse story. If you are thinking of picking this up for any reason, stop right there. Dont give this company the satisfaction of thinking they made something good. They seem to have spent no time in this at all, and need to stop.    … Expand
  100. mQCmD
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    I'm a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, easily clocked over 100hours in to the game and really enjoyed it over all. Now about Dragon Age 2.

    Graphics: They suck I mean they really suck after what I saw in Dragon age Origins they are really bad, I had everything maxed out on my i7@4.0 two GTX580 and 8gig of ram, they look like something from Playstation 2 era and its 2011, not to mention the    I'm a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, easily clocked over 100hours in to the game and really enjoyed it over all. Now about Dragon Age 2.

    Graphics: They suck I mean they really suck after what I saw in Dragon age Origins they are really bad, I had everything maxed out on my i7@4.0 two GTX580 and 8gig of ram, they look like something from Playstation 2 era and its 2011, not to mention the frame rates dont go past 25 and sometimes they drop to 1fps for god knows what reason, the only thing that fixes it is alt+tabing.

    Gameplay: No matter how much better Origins is the only thing they improved in this is the Combat, yes it faster and better, obviously much more oriented towards console peasants. While playing origins when you use to become General of an army so to say and maxed out with best items you just wanted to rape **** left and right like God of War that you are, nonetheless other than combat improve men't nothing else deserves mentioning the game it self feels rushed the interaction wheel haves its ups and downs the perfect combo would be if you could chose texts like in origins and your character would talk would be pretty good that you could chose voice for him such as suave or mystic, but then again we will never see something like this from console port, the game feels like its 70-80% -/+ complete like it unfinished but then again they did what they did for console people.
    I give this game 3/10- Because its a console port, feels like rushed and unfinished game, ****ty graphics and ****ty companions. Deal with it. Gonna go play Origins.    … Expand
Page:

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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  3. CPUGamer
    Apr 11, 2011
    85
    For a rushed product that is still battling bugs, the currently offered product still provides 40 hours of challenging and engaging gameplay. This combines to provide a good, but not great gaming experience.
    Read full review
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