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. voodoohao
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    C'mon guys those of you who gave it less than 6 are pretty harsh aren't you? What did you expect a perfect game from Bioware? For God's sake if you didn't like the demo why the heck did you buy the game and then **** and moan and give it a zero?! I've played it for 10 hours so far and personally I feel that the story feels more personal this time, I'm quite intrigued by the whole idea ofC'mon guys those of you who gave it less than 6 are pretty harsh aren't you? What did you expect a perfect game from Bioware? For God's sake if you didn't like the demo why the heck did you buy the game and then **** and moan and give it a zero?! I've played it for 10 hours so far and personally I feel that the story feels more personal this time, I'm quite intrigued by the whole idea of 10 years of the main protaganist's life spanning the entire game. Really interested to see how things will progress from here on. And when you do things in the game it feels like you'll actually building up your reputation and relationships, due to the no so insignificant matter of the main character actually able to speak. That's a welcome addition and personally I feel that it covers whatever the game lacks as compared to DAO. Yeah inventory was simplified and stuff but c'mon did it really matter what your party was equipped with? If all you guys out there wanna compare DAII with Planescape Torment, Baldur's Gate or whatever fantasy epic you've put on a pedestal go ahead. And continue to **** and moan and probably not enjoy any of the games coming out now and in the near future cause you guys never will, since no modern rpg will ever match whatever exacting standards you guys have. Don't get me started on those zeros, now those are really insanity at work. Personally I'll give it a 9 because Bioware is one of those companies who consistently push out decent and enjoyable RPGs, despite having to endure the crapstorm that inevitably follows every time people don't like certain changes. Imagine having only Baldur's Gate to play for what the next ten years? I WILL go insane. Anyway just wanted to say a big thank you to the developers for loving what they do and being brave enough to change certain aspects of the game, for better or for worse, rather than spinning out Dragon Age Origins II… Expand
  2. P_Dub_S
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    Finished the game in about 60 hours really enjoyed the game. I do miss some aspects of Origins like the level up system and inventory system for companions. But its not a deal breaker . The story was alright not great but worked. I feel this was a good sequel and helps progress the story for the next Dragon Age. Graphics wise the game looked great on my system but I would like a 3rdFinished the game in about 60 hours really enjoyed the game. I do miss some aspects of Origins like the level up system and inventory system for companions. But its not a deal breaker . The story was alright not great but worked. I feel this was a good sequel and helps progress the story for the next Dragon Age. Graphics wise the game looked great on my system but I would like a 3rd rendering path for DX10 GPU's.… Expand
  3. sabarta
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ð… Expand
  4. Yatzee27
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    I loved this game. It fixed the slow, pedantic, repetitive combat, evolving it into a fast, involved scene that makes the player involved. I got an admirable 30 hours of gameplay, which is fantastic, though it flew by thanks to fast pacing. The story, as far as I know, I above average, though under par for Bioware. But under average Bioware is still leagues ahead of competitors. TheI loved this game. It fixed the slow, pedantic, repetitive combat, evolving it into a fast, involved scene that makes the player involved. I got an admirable 30 hours of gameplay, which is fantastic, though it flew by thanks to fast pacing. The story, as far as I know, I above average, though under par for Bioware. But under average Bioware is still leagues ahead of competitors. The graphics are better than the original although simplified. I attribute that fact to all the little extra details that quick opinion trolls seem to miss out on like the companion options in dialogue, differing presentation depending on what kind of dialogue you chose, and dozens of branching paths. I won't say it's perfect. Locations repeat, but never to the point of annoyance since you start in different spots most of the time. The dialogue menu, which I enjoyed since it fixed the one problem I had with Mass Effect's menu, the fact that the skip button doubled as a selection button, tended to glitch and choose an option sometimes, but usually defaulted to the sarcastic choice so nothing lost. And the game froze a few times, though that could have been the fact that I had been playing it for ten hours straight. Overall, a very good game. I want Bioware to do more games like this. Shorter, simpler, and released more frequently. Imagine if they released a new Dragon Age game every year that averaged twenty hours long with minor tweaks to the new fast gameplay. I think we all can agree that such a dream would be awesome.… Expand
  5. Kcep
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do 2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2 3)All characters in this game are elaborated 4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic. 5)This is game for everyone, not only for    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do
    2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2
    3)All characters in this game are elaborated
    4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic.
    5)This is game for everyone, not only for hardcore gamers.U have no need to spend time on collecting items,equipments, or on learning poisoning,trapping or on choosing the way how to lvl up ur character and etc.
    6)Brilliant sound.Excellent.
    And two things i don't like - same locations whole game and same faces of all npc's in game.I met like 10 mothers of main heroe during the game.
    So i give it 9 saying "Well done" to Bioware.And i also "wildly-furiously" wish to see what will happen in DA3.    … Expand
  6. maverikki
    Mar 20, 2011
    9
    I accidentally put my original review on the xbox version which I haven't played. Instead I played this on PC.
    Once you get past the horrible inventory system and if you can get past the reused dungeons, this is a really solid game. The game is also very long and I loved the unreliable narrator. The story is about the player rising from being nobody to being the champion. The story and the    I accidentally put my original review on the xbox version which I haven't played. Instead I played this on PC.
    Once you get past the horrible inventory system and if you can get past the reused dungeons, this is a really solid game. The game is also very long and I loved the unreliable narrator. The story is about the player rising from being nobody to being the champion. The story and the characters felt really diverse and I have the feeling that there should be enough content for a second or third playthrough. This is based on my experience of finishing the game on nightmare difficulty on a mage. Playtime 60 hours but that doesn't include all the reloading I would guess.    … Expand
  7. Alexanderverd
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    2 years we all (Bioware devoted fans ) were waiting this game, and at lats it is on my PC... Its hard to see that some mean and not very clever person (or group of people) has decided to spoil score of this uncommon superb game. I will not describe all than i like and that is perfectly well in new bioware game. I will simply say that it almost 10.
  8. blubseabass
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Why would they do this? What was so broken that it needed such drastic actions? I don't understand anything...of the user complaints. Dragon Age 2 has been criticized for being too easy, dumbed down and bland. I will discuss the gameplay first, then talk a bit about the setting and story. DA2 is not easy. Yes, if you pick normal in DA2 it's easier then in DA:O, but you can go up inWhy would they do this? What was so broken that it needed such drastic actions? I don't understand anything...of the user complaints. Dragon Age 2 has been criticized for being too easy, dumbed down and bland. I will discuss the gameplay first, then talk a bit about the setting and story. DA2 is not easy. Yes, if you pick normal in DA2 it's easier then in DA:O, but you can go up in difficulty if you want a better challenge. Personally, I'm playing hard, and have met quite some interesting challenges. It's even nice that you can play the game pretty easily on normal, so that everyone can enjoy the game without the but-you-played-on-easy-shame. Just pick the difficulty that fits you, and the too easy problem is fixed. I guess it's just too hard to switch to another difficulty. I seriously don't get what's the problem with dumbed down. The skills are well distributed and tons of combinations are possible. While finishing my first game as a two-handed-weapon fighter, I was already thinking how I would make my new two-handed-weapon fighter play different. I've also been moving my characters around a lot more then in DA:O, and not just because I needed to clear the way for a mages fireball. Friendly fire has been disabled, which I applaud since that does not belong in a realtime team-based RPG. Moving all the characters in DA:O before casting AoE was just annoying imo, and I'm glad its gone. The isometric top view is gone, which makes it a little harder to move around the characters or casting AoE spells, but its nothing that hindered me from having fun. The tactics work pretty good, and the AI is very decent. I still paused the game a lot in difficult situations, which is good. Potions and healing have a much bigger cooldown, so health is a valuable resource again. The only problem I have with combat is that it's easy to kite an opponent, buying time until you can drink a new potion. It almost feels like cheating, especially if there are no ranged enemies nearby. Other then that, the combat is fun and quick while being tactical whenever you want it to be due to difficulty settings. It certainly made the game more enjoyable for me. Wrapping up gameplay, it has been one of the best for RPG's, surpassing DA:O.
    The story and setting have a hard time to hit off, but once it does, it sticks pretty well. I'm very happy with the character design and like everyone of the party. I have no idea why people would say it's so much worse then DA:O. However, getting to know a character better and finding out their likes has become somewhat more difficult. The friendship between the characters must develop over the whole game, which sometimes gives an odd feeling. Why can't I talk about an issue now? What do you even like? I don't want to wait 3 years to develop something! Because of these obvious secrets, the characters grow enigmatic, even though they're not meant to be like that. Another thing that is a bit annoying about the story is that because everything is spit into acts, your character only develops significantly at the end of each act. This feels a bit unrewarding. I'd liked to see Hawke gain a normal job, rising in ranks, rising it stature etc. not only at the end of each act. One thing that is annoying in my eyes, is the derailing of the story which is almost mandatory. The game plays in different acts, and every act has 4 to 5 main quests to proceed the story. All other 30 or so quests are sidequests. It's nice to have sidequests to know the city better, but I think they slightly overdone it. The game can be played as a collection of sidequests if you don't know where you're heading, especially in Act 1. This underlines the unrewarding feeling of character development. The sidequests can also be hard to find sometimes, leaving you with the " did I miss something?" feeling a bit to much. I have mixed feelings about the environment. Kirkwall is a great city, but "propped" down a lot. Most people seem static, and if it wasn't for the sidequests, the city might feel dead. The other environments are also pretty grey, like the bonepit and sundermount. This leaves the game in a grey tint, never being refreshing like the forests in DA:O. The graphics look pretty good, but certain animations are still to clunky. especially when two characters are interacting, the suspension of disbelief breaks immediately. The game could do with a little more ambiance. The moral choices you have to make are again suburb, and the dialog wheel, even though it influences your choices to much for my taste (I want to say A, but I don't want to break my character who mostly says B), it gives Hawke some character. THANK GOD they did not made the important choices be influenced by the wheel!
    Wrapping it up together, I enjoyed DA2 alot, and I'll keep playing it to explore different situations and tactics. It certainly has some setting problems, but it's still a lot of fun. 8.8    … Expand
  9. bztang
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Main issues that people are having: lack isometric view (I agree), locked default face in character creator (I agree), streamlining of skills/addition of skill trees, difficulty (guess they haven't tried hard/nightmare; much harder than DA:O on same difficulty), reuse of the same dungeons/areas multiple times (I agree), launch DLC, high res texture pack + outdated graphics (this is reallyMain issues that people are having: lack isometric view (I agree), locked default face in character creator (I agree), streamlining of skills/addition of skill trees, difficulty (guess they haven't tried hard/nightmare; much harder than DA:O on same difficulty), reuse of the same dungeons/areas multiple times (I agree), launch DLC, high res texture pack + outdated graphics (this is really subjective), companions, just to name a few of the common complaints. Personally, I loved the original, but in my first playthrough of DA2, I didn't quite like the structure of the Champion's story much because the 3 Acts interrupted the immersion by focusing on totally different problems in Kirkwall, instead of an epic "the world is going to end" storyline found in DA:O. Still, I'd rate it 9/10 just because it was fun, and also because the main game ending story arc was quite surprising and satisfying, and hopefully will lead to another epic installment in this series. Also, I must mention that quite a few decisions and events that occur in DA2 produce unexpected results, some of which are much more heart-wrenching than in DA:O.

    I'm on my third playthrough and wouldn't rate a game so high if I didn't enjoy it, and DA2 is very enjoyable, if you can look past a few flaws, and stop comparing it to DA:O for PC. I'm certain that if the game was under a different IP and developer, the ratings would not be nearly as abysmal :O    … Expand
  10. Bogartnoir
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Days after finishing Dragon Age, I then moved to immerse myself into Dragon Age II. My main complaint was that I couldn't create a character from scratch, but that soon fell away as nearly inconsequential to the rest of the experience. My only standing complaint is the reuse of cave maps for too many missions, as well as some derivative music that seems lifted from Mass Effect 2. TheDays after finishing Dragon Age, I then moved to immerse myself into Dragon Age II. My main complaint was that I couldn't create a character from scratch, but that soon fell away as nearly inconsequential to the rest of the experience. My only standing complaint is the reuse of cave maps for too many missions, as well as some derivative music that seems lifted from Mass Effect 2. The characters, setting and immersion of the setting are what have drawn me in. The character back stories and concepts are interesting additions to the game's mythology.
    While not completely unfounded to make complaints about the game being dumbed down to be accessible to a broder audience, I think it pretty poor form to rate any game a 0 for a few changes. gamers seem to get more and more jaded as time goes on. I was very entertained and look forward to a trilogy.    … Expand
  11. gregsc1
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    There seem to be lots of mean-spirited, spiteful people who give exaggerated negative ratings and reviews for this game in particular. I'm coming to believe that many RPG fans are deeply conservative in their gaming desires. They want "improved' games, as long as the new version has all the same good stuff they had before, instead of breaking new ground. That's my theory, anyway.

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

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

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

    Anyway, I don't know what else to say, except that you shouldn't be scared of all these whiny user reviews if you're interested in the game. Just don't expect it to be a conservative remake or update of the first Dragon Age.    … Expand
  12. Persephone611
    Apr 16, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is not your standard "Hero against the world" or "Hero slays a dragon" story. This is a story about conflict, politics, oppression and personal drama. Unlike most games, it offers no "good" or "evil" way out. That alone is one of its strongest points. I'll list my personal pros and cons first:

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

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

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

    This game is not was not meant to be a direct sequel to DAO. They tried going down that road with Awakening and we know that was a disaster. It is a bold, new way of picking up a conflict that was already hinted at in the original. Also, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The tragedies unfolding in this game cannot be blamed on an antagonist or an ancient evil but on, pardon the RPG pun, human nature. There were so many moments in this game when I was teary eyed or yelling "No, no, NO!" at my screen. I don't want to spoil anything however. Is it a perfect game? No. Was DAO a perfect game? Hell, no. DAO was horribly bugged, the last third of the game was badly written and rushed and never mind its formulaic nature and cliché ending. I love both games though. DA2 represents change and many do not like change. I happen to love it. I cannot wait for the newest DLCs and expansion and DA3 can't come soon enough either. I know the haters will pounce down on my review. It'll be an honor though, because I don't care what they think.    … Expand
  13. senshi
    Mar 17, 2011
    9
    Anybody that gives this game a score less than 5 needs to pull their head out of the extremely dark place it has wedged itself into. We gamers have all basically agreed upon a 10 point scale for universally rating our games. 10 means this game is so utterly fantastic it will more than likely be named in the all time greatest games list, 8-9 says this game is worth playing even if youAnybody that gives this game a score less than 5 needs to pull their head out of the extremely dark place it has wedged itself into. We gamers have all basically agreed upon a 10 point scale for universally rating our games. 10 means this game is so utterly fantastic it will more than likely be named in the all time greatest games list, 8-9 says this game is worth playing even if you typically do not like this genre, 7 shows this game has potential but for some reason has fallen short of the must play scores in other words completely average. 5-6 says this game is not really worth your time or money. Now a 4 means that this game is COMPLETELY BROKEN, this is Superman 64. So everyone that is reviewing this game with a score of 4 or less is saying that Dragon Age 2 should sit next to Superman 64 in the craptastic section of your video game library. I understand some people have a problem with the direction this game took but the majority of you are acting like a bunch of whiny and spoiled little bed-wetters. Please grow up because your little crusade is quite frankly proving to the rest of the entertainment industry that games are for kiddies.

    Now onto the game. I like it! Have not finished yet as work has been hectic. The story so far seems to be highly personal and not the "we have an imminent danger knocking on our doorstep we must hurry" kind of story, I have no problem with the latter type of story and neither do I with the former they are just different. Let me say that there are things I feel were improved on and things which took a step back in comparison to origins and awakenings. I truly like the faster paced combat in comparison to origins but do miss the top down "pulled back view" that was lost from the pc version. I am seeing people gripe about the combat and how there is no tactics needed for most of the battles, well there were not very many battles in origins where tactics were needed either it is still mostly the boss battles where you feel you need to micromanage things. The speed is what I am really enjoying, especially if playing a mage. If you were a mage in origins you cast your spells then auto attack, in DA2 you cast your spells then auto attack but I look a heck of a lot cooler during the second part of this equation, which is the same for both games. The quest structure is intriguing and I do like it better than the 1 major quest per area of its predecessor. In origins it seemed you did the side quests for the major area, then went onto the major quest for the area and then onto the next major area. I am enjoying doing a portion of the major quest for the act, then some side quest sprinkled in between each scenario. I do not have a problem with the graphical style as some seem to. Elves look worse than they did in Origins but humans looks better and Dwarfs will always be ugly. The Qunari designs are very nice in my opinion as are most of the monster types. The environments are hit and miss, some look good some not so much. I do have a problem with the re-using of dungeons and interiors, just like I did for the original Mass Effect and most every game I play. I look past it and tell myself they must have pre-fab buildings in their universe as well. The spell animations are wonderful, a major step up from origins. The companions are great, nice writing so far. I have mixed feelings about the party members equipment. On one hand the character designs are wonderful and you avoid the cookie cutter appearance we had in Origins but I am old school and enjoy finding a helm and saying that definitely goes to Isabela, now it is just accessories so most equipment you find becomes vendor trash.

    All in all this game so far has been a blast and all the boo-hoo's and "you're sellouts" barking is just getting on my nerves and making every gamer on the planet look like a bunch of children. Baldur's Gate is one of the greatest games of all time, but if someone made a game today like that I would say its crap and so would you. I am not saying all of the complaints are unfounded, I have some as well, but this organized effort to hurt this game is just crazy. They told us everything they were changing, if you have a problem with the changes its because you let them happen. If you don't like them voice your complaints but don't exaggerate as the majority on the net are doing. I assure you a score of 7 hurts a whole lot more than a 2. That 2 says a vocal minority of idiots are trying to make a point, a 6 or 7 says we really got some things wrong and need to address them.

    When Origins came out I felt it was a game that deserved and 8.5 rating, I feel the same way about DA2. Once the modding community and expansions and DLC came out for Origins I felt it was deserving of a 9.5 rating, I feel confident that will hold true here as well, so long as people grow up and quit trying to cause this game to fail.    … Expand
  14. ToPe
    Mar 17, 2011
    9
    DragonAge2 kind of reminds me of ME2 its not much like the first one, but its still a great game.
    Yeah its shorter and has no origin story, the gameplay is a lot faster.But the way it tells the story is something new and kind of cool.Buhuhu its not a Dragon Age "Origins 2" but its still a good game, better than the most common rpgs.If you not just rush the mainplot you really can enjoy    DragonAge2 kind of reminds me of ME2 its not much like the first one, but its still a great game.
    Yeah its shorter and has no origin story, the gameplay is a lot faster.But the way it tells the story is something new and kind of cool.Buhuhu its not a Dragon Age "Origins 2" but its still a good game, better than the most common rpgs.If you not just rush the mainplot you really can enjoy the game.It absolutely has its moments.    … Expand
  15. aylw
    Mar 24, 2011
    9
    I have no idea why people hat this game so much. '4'? '1'? I can only assume that's in comparison to other Bioware Games, and not RPGs in general. I've played a lot of RPGs, and to me Baldur's Gate is the king. This game is NOT Baldur's Gate. That's fine. I don't mind trying different games.

    This RPG is a surprisingly refreshing breath of air. It's certainly more playable than    I have no idea why people hat this game so much. '4'? '1'? I can only assume that's in comparison to other Bioware Games, and not RPGs in general. I've played a lot of RPGs, and to me Baldur's Gate is the king. This game is NOT Baldur's Gate. That's fine. I don't mind trying different games.

    This RPG is a surprisingly refreshing breath of air. It's certainly more playable than Origins, which I quit half-way through. Frankly, I'm kind of over most of the 'meta' games that are RPG tropes - equipment, elaborate tech trees, etc.

    What Dragon Age 2 DOES do, is gets what I like about RPGs - Character building, interaction between characters, and a sense that quests matter - to someone, at least. I LIKE the conversation wheel. Puzzling out what each sentence means in the traditional conversation tree is another un-fun metagame, and it breaks the flow of a fully voiced game. Dragon Age 2 is a lot like watching a movie, and THAT'S A GOOD THING. That means to me it's engrossing, while still allowing you to effect the world. The only thing that draws me in more than movies is Books, and saying that a game plays like a movie is a rather large compliment in my books.

    I'm not sure why people would say this story is worse than the previous game. The last one (dragon age: Origins) was so cliched, I expected Origins to have a huge surprise ending... but it didn't. This one, I'm actually drawn to the characters, and the plot keeps me guessing. Aveline's plot line is hilarious, and VERY different. I love how the different characters chatter with each other so often, a refreshing return from games of yore.

    As for combat, it's fast, and visceral - Very enjoyable, compared to the snooze-fest that was Origins. Hard does not equal fun, nor strategically interesting. I'm done with RPGs that claim to be strategic. If it doesn't say 'strategy' on the box, I don't trust it to deliver on mind-bending fights. Just give me fun, which Dragon Age 2 is, and I'll get my strat dose elsewhere.

    There are a few places that it falls short - Re-used environments, equipment not feeling epic, and a lack of visual flare, but it doesn't stop all the other things I enjoy from making it the best RPG I've played in a long time.

    If you're looking for 'traditional' crpgs, as in, Baldur's Gate 3, look elsewhere. But if the idea of a fun, fast-paced, character-driven game that plays like a movie appeals to you - This game delivers.    … Expand
  16. simejack
    Mar 20, 2011
    9
    Great game, not quite sure what people seem to have against it, i'ts great story, and much improved game-play; just look at the critic's reviews to see how good a game this actually is.
  17. Logun24x7
    Mar 20, 2011
    9
    I never got more then 10 hours into DAO but DA2 has sucked me in. The changes made to the story presentation and more actionâ
  18. Bigben
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Game without soul.You have killed system rpg in game.Now, I am disappointed in your company.Ð… Expand
  19. Watchman11
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.
    The story is great, far more original than the 'let's save the world again' idea in DAO, if you want    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.

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

    The game has a lot of potential, however it's clear that a bit more time in development would have helped a lot. Some areas are recycled over and over again, and while the main quest is perfect, the side quests are.. mehh.. less original.
    On the bright side.. it's not as bugged as DAO was on release day.    … Expand
  20. Loki_2000
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    Can't believe all the hate here.... Are on my second play through and not disappointed at all. Graphics are clearly improved from DAO, but the style is a bit different. Voice acting is good overall and generally on par with DAO, while the story in my opinion is better. The conversation wheel works fine and for me the voiced protagonist is much better than the silent expressionless glare ofCan't believe all the hate here.... Are on my second play through and not disappointed at all. Graphics are clearly improved from DAO, but the style is a bit different. Voice acting is good overall and generally on par with DAO, while the story in my opinion is better. The conversation wheel works fine and for me the voiced protagonist is much better than the silent expressionless glare of the warden. I didn't see the combat as "dumped" down. Its true that it's a bit easier on normal than DAO, but I still managed to die a couple of times and tactics are needed to win the harder battles - even on normal. On the downside, the combat can feel a bit rushed at times and the gore is way over the top. All in all not a perfect game, but still a great one (and just as good as DAO).… Expand
  21. andysdead
    Mar 22, 2011
    9
    9/10 (would have given a 9.5 or so), because it's obviously not perfect, but I think it's a very good game. The new combat system is really a step in the right direction -- more action, more gore, more fun. I don't like all the characters, but I don't get the feeling like I'm supposed to like all the characters. The ones I do like, I like a lot, and the ones I don't like, I hate. I'm not9/10 (would have given a 9.5 or so), because it's obviously not perfect, but I think it's a very good game. The new combat system is really a step in the right direction -- more action, more gore, more fun. I don't like all the characters, but I don't get the feeling like I'm supposed to like all the characters. The ones I do like, I like a lot, and the ones I don't like, I hate. I'm not talking about the way they've been characterized, but I mean their actual personalities. I find the game very engaging.

    I like the new skill tree system, and the dialog wheel that gives you an indication of what kind of persona you're going to portray before you select something. Some of the dialog options in DA:O were a little vague so you might accidentally say something you didn't mean. The wheel system (ala Mass Effect) takes the vagaries out.

    I also find the story to be very engaging, and for me this is the most important aspect of any RPG. Without getting into spoilers, I have found the story to be driving enough to lead me to replay the game multiple times in order to get a different story. I'm also something of an achievement addict, so naturally I have to get all the achievements!

    Technically, the graphics are very nice, and the game actually has less bugs (for my system at least) than Dragon Age: Origins did. Overall, the game would have gotten a 10/10 if it weren't for the companion armor system (which I don't like).    … Expand
  22. jesE
    Mar 31, 2011
    9
    Great action oriented, mixed with strategy elements, gameplay, Very strong storytelling, all new development Skill Tree. Loved the ability to evade an attack like an action game combined with the need of strategic gameplay (at least in Hard difficulty setting).
    People judge not for what it is but for what it could be. Game looks a lot like Mass Effect which was a huge success.
    This game    Great action oriented, mixed with strategy elements, gameplay, Very strong storytelling, all new development Skill Tree. Loved the ability to evade an attack like an action game combined with the need of strategic gameplay (at least in Hard difficulty setting).
    People judge not for what it is but for what it could be. Game looks a lot like Mass Effect which was a huge success.
    This game can't get a score of 1. I understand for some it's a bad game, but it can't be THAT bad.    … Expand
  23. ZombiePowered
    Mar 24, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a fantastic game, and a great next step in the Dragon Age world. It fills that main gap that Origins had: an inspired, original story that matches the originality of the world it is set in. Instead of a generic fight against ultimate evil, DA2 gives us a much more morally muddled world. The conflict between Templars and mages is finally flesh out: we are given ample reasonDragon Age 2 is a fantastic game, and a great next step in the Dragon Age world. It fills that main gap that Origins had: an inspired, original story that matches the originality of the world it is set in. Instead of a generic fight against ultimate evil, DA2 gives us a much more morally muddled world. The conflict between Templars and mages is finally flesh out: we are given ample reason to fear reason, while at the same time supplied with further evidence that the Templars may not be the best people to guard them. The addition of the Qunari as a force to be reckoned with is even more welcome, and their philosophy is further explored, as well as put into direct conflict with the rest of the world in a truly interesting conflict that I'm left begging for more of.
    The great part of the story is the change of focus. Origins was all about stopped the Archdemon, with the Warden and his companions, interesting and deep as they were, as tools to be used to complete this task. In DA2, however, the focus is Hawke. His rise to power and birth into legend is the story, and it is a great one at that. The addition of a voice, and fantastic dialogue, also adds to his depth, and all in all I found myself identifying more with my Hawke than with any other player character in any previous RPG.
    The companions are just as great, and the choice to let them choose their own clothing adds further to their sense of individuality. The great thing about the companions is that, unlike in Origins, they are not all directly tied to the issues in Kirkwall, but instead are tied to Hawke. They feel much more like friends and rivals who stick around because of their personal relationship with Hawke, not because external events force them to stay. The dialogue, both with Hawke and with each other, ranged from hilarious to caring to baleful, and it makes for some excellent and deep group relationships. My only complaint is that Hawke is unable to talk to his companions at will; they will only talk when they have something to say. With such rich connections between characters, I would have liked to experience more group events, or at least the chance to talk with them one-on-one more often. More dialogue, especially Bioware dialogue, is never a bad thing.
    The new combat system is fast, fun, and engaging, but doesn't sacrifice the tactics of Origins. In fact, on higher difficulty it requires far more thought into abilities and positioning than was ever needed in Origins. I found myself pausing frequently to set up nasty combos and to manage my companions movements, though on normal I mostly only used Hawke in real-time (on hard I found myself switching for more often to ranged companions like Varric to keep them kiting nasty melee enemies around the room). The moves are all more reactive and their results brutal (the dismemberment can be a bit ridiculous, and I hope it will be toned down more in future installments). The one negative aspect compared to Origins is the lack of executions; it was one of the best aspects of Origins combat, and I hope it will return in either expansions or future installments of Dragon Age.
    As many have noted, many environments are reused. However, these mostly consist of caves and houses, and you'd have to be quite picky (and a bit petty) to let them significantly impact your experience with the game.
    Finally, the music. The music was... acceptable. It was not notable, though the music certainly fit the mood of the game. However, I felt DA2's fast pace and Hawke's habit of being nothing less than badass made DA2 and excellent choice for incorporating the guitar-embellished music seen in the Destiny trailer. Additionally, pausing of the music whilst the game is paused, and then picking up when combat resumes, would have greatly accentuated the impressive combat and made a more cinematic experience. Overall, definitely a 9.5/10, and definitely worth playing several times.    … Expand
  24. Anclaw
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Ok, so, when I first launched it and started playing as a rogue I was fascinated by the graphics, dynamics of the battle and interface. I like the newcombat system Bioware made,it brings more movement and action into the game, making it differ from other RPGs. As I continued playing and the plot started moving, I had actually mixed feelings.
    "+"
    1) New combat system that makes the game    Ok, so, when I first launched it and started playing as a rogue I was fascinated by the graphics, dynamics of the battle and interface. I like the newcombat system Bioware made,it brings more movement and action into the game, making it differ from other RPGs. As I continued playing and the plot started moving, I had actually mixed feelings.
    "+"
    1) New combat system that makes the game much better and funnier to play than it was in Origins
    2) I like the characters. They are very different, each one in its own way. I really liked Isabella, how they made her interacting with Hawke and other companions. Well, this point is a big plus
    3) The ending is epic. Not spoiling anything. Its some sort of simillar to Mass Effect 2. It was very fascinating and exciting, though pretty hard ( I was playing on Hard difficulty)
    4) Lots and lots of secondary quests to keep you busy and make you play some more hours. I did all of the secondary quests and I really liked them. They differ from Origins, because every one is unique ( You dont come to the Chantry quest desk or Mage Circle bag and silly taketurn in quests). Every quest has its own plot and influences on the gameplay and storyline aswell.
    "-"
    1) First of all... the lack of spaces. There are so little locations that in 5-6 hours you get to know every place where the game takes place. Every cave, mansion, underground is the same. Bioware just lets you go here and there depending on the quest.
    2) I really disliked the Hawke bound only armor system. Only main character can pick up and wear/ buy and wear armor. Your companions only have the standard armor type, which can change once in a game depending on your relations to them. This was just disappointing.
    3) The way Bioware tells you the story. Each time I was getting a main storyline quest I was like: "What the hell did this guy just say? Why do I have to go there? What am I doing here? What the hell is actually going on here????". I couldn't really understand the plot at all at some points, which produced some questions at the end of the game for me. I was hoping for more at this point.
    These are the main pluses and minuses I really think every player encountered in this game. Despite of being so badly scored by many gamers, I still put this game 9. In my opinion, Bioware has made a very little, but still an important step forward. I am very sure, if they combine all their experience from Origins and the second part, they will make a fantastic and an eic story which everyone will enjoy. Let us hope Bioware will fullfill 100% of our expectations in Dragon Age 3. For now, I am willingly waiting for any major DLC coming, because I want more Dragon Age 2. I advice you this game, because if you get used to it ( And you surely will if you enjoyed origins) it will fullfill your expectations, money and will give you lots of pleasant emotions from the game at the end. Goodluck playing!    … Expand
  25. soccerball
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Loved it. All of the best elements of mass effect brought over to the series and they streamlined a lot of the tedious things in rpg's that used to annoy the hell outta me like loot management, time of day specific quests, and hand me down armor to the rest of the party.
  26. Sirson
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Honestly most of these reviews are a joke, I wonder how many people even played through the whole game before they wrote these. This is a fact, this game is one of the best RPGs released in the last couple of years on the consoles and PCs, people rating it a 1-3 based should be ashamed of themselves.

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

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

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

    Overall: It's a great Fantasy game, ignore the haters, see for yourself.    … Expand
  27. Dovahkiin
    Mar 27, 2011
    9
    Most Origins players will say that Dragon Age 2 does not live up to the original. However I was not a big fan of Origins, it felt like a chore to play. Dragon Age 2 actually feels fun to me, it's more streamlined and easier to play. It's not as frustrating as Origins was and it gives more focus on the story. The fact that you can only upgrade your companions' armour does kind of suck butMost Origins players will say that Dragon Age 2 does not live up to the original. However I was not a big fan of Origins, it felt like a chore to play. Dragon Age 2 actually feels fun to me, it's more streamlined and easier to play. It's not as frustrating as Origins was and it gives more focus on the story. The fact that you can only upgrade your companions' armour does kind of suck but at the same time it is less to worry about and makes the game overall less stressful. The game is very combat heavy and it can get tiresome fighting limitless amounts of enemies over and over again. But this is made up for by the enjoyment of the combat itself. No matter what class you play there is fun to be had when slaying demons and defeating Templars. Sure it's only one city with outskirts but Bioware makes this work, especially for the story. Playing as a set character with a fantastic story and still having those many difficult choices there makes the game even better. Unravelling your companions' pasts and learning about how they came to be living in Kirkwall is one of the best parts of the game. All the RPG elements of leveling up your character and choosing their specialization are not only still there, but are drastically improved. There isn't as much customization as Origins but I don't think Bioware games work well with Origin's level of customization. I think that level of customization is more suited for Bethesda games, not Bioware. Bioware is better at making story driven masterpieces, such as Mass Effect, and should continue to do so.… Expand
  28. Acher4
    Apr 8, 2011
    9
    The game has its flaws but the truth is that it is one of the few games that it is really fun to play. With a solid good scenario, interesting characters and an action filled battle system that manages to pull you in without losing its RPG true soul, Dragon Age 2 is a remarkable game and a nice addition to the universe of Dragon Age. Can't wait for the next one (and the DLC)
  29. mangueJOE
    Apr 6, 2011
    9
    For me this game is far superior than the first one. Combat, graphics, voice acting, story, setting, atmosphere, everything is perfect. These people that whine so much are living in the past. This is not a Dragon Age Origins DLC.

    For me, Dragon Age Origins in unplayable, but DA2 is great!
  30. MaestroBlaBla
    Apr 9, 2011
    9
    I rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is aI rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is a wide enough story, and number of zones, that you aren't going see how overused the zones are, unless you focus on the environment. The development of love affairs with different party members is a nice addition to the game. It will take more then 1 run at this game to see all this game has to offer. played with mods and DLC… Expand
  31. SilentKitty
    Apr 17, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was completely in love with DA:O and when I had beaten it I looked into the ME-universe and played them. Now I'm back in Thedas and it's not the same game as DA:O but for me this is better.

    Fighting:
    I think fighting is more fun this time around. I have beaten the game with one mage and one rogue and they feel much more responsive than DA:O. I prefer the abilty trees in DA2 to the DA:O version when you had to get them all in a straigh line. Story:
    You are following Hawke and his/her family after they have fleed their home due to the blight, so no big bad thing to fight against from the get go. I like it, it was certainly different from most other games I've played so far.

    * Act 1: You meet up with the majority of the party ( except for Sebastian the dlc-prince ) and get to know Kirkwall. You are dirt-poor and just try to get by. This is pretty much when I try to get a feel for my current Hawke. Do-goody or evil jerk? Night and day-mode was pretty nice and easy to understand on my first Hawke that I played without spilers or info. It can feel perhaps a little long but there are many fun q's and they introduce the characters and lore of the city. Many q's in this act will have a story that continues in the following acts.

    * Act 2: After a few years you and your companions are starting to get to know eachother better, some might even fall in love with you. Others might not. Things are starting to get more heated politicly and since Hawke has moved up in the world gets to be involved in it. My fave-act. I have a tremendous amount of fun with the q's and companions. This act has the two funniest q's involving Varric and Avaline and the sadest q with Hawke's mom. Great story-telling with highs and lows and romance if you choose to pursue it.

    * Act 3: Things get more and more out of hand. You and your comanions might really get to know eachoter better and if you're lucky there is a conclusion to your romance. It ended a bit abruptly. Conclusion to choosen romance if pursued. Have tried the end fight with two Hawkes and it was fun on both. Companion bases:
    Each companion has their own place where you can talk to them, think of Mirandas office in ME2. I like it, this time around we get scenes with our companions and not just see them from the shoulders and up when we talk to them. There are a mention in the q-logg when you should go around to them. I know some people dislike it, feeling that that means that they aren't free to talk to their friends when they like. For me this works better because a) I don't have to run around doing the Garrus-calibrations-routine. If there is something for me to see then I'll know. No point in running around if they've got nothing to say b) in DA:O Leliana had nothing to say for the finishing 1/4 of the game. Since I had used up all my conversations. This way I get to have the romantic conclusion in the end of the game.

    Rivalmance and romance
    One of the best changes they have done to the game. There is a possibility to develop friendship from a point of agreement or more of a agree to disagree-version. This influences dialouge and there are significat changes to the romance-path. Easily one of my favourite changes. Remember always leaving Morrigan at camp because she keept disagreeing with me. In DA2 I would simply have rivalmanced her and that would have been one hell of a romance. Great replay-value to see a romance from a different side.

    Voice and wheel:
    I love having a voice, after playing ME and ME2 I used to really dislike my silent warden. One of the big changes in the game. Prefer F!Hawke but that's just me. I prefer F!Shepard to male shepard also.

    Tone:
    There are 3 different major tones that your Hawke can take on in game. This, and the romance/rivalmance are the two best changes for me. You can call them diplomatic, snarky and direct. Have sofar tried diplomatic and snarky. Both were good but snarky was a bit more fun. One of the best things about it is that it made a second Hawke with a new tone feel very different from the previous Hawke. Great replay-value for me at least. There are also dialouge options that only are open to a specific tone but you won't see that if you don't play several Hawkes.

    What I would have liked to see more of:
    * Perhaps a little more intro to the Hawke family but perhaps they dropped us and the Hawkes straight into action simply so that there would take so much time for the player to get to Kirkwall. Remember having read somewhere that a large number of wardens got stranded in Ostagar and I'm not surprised. I have 2 there at the moment. But that would have made me happy.    … Expand
  32. Jinngo
    May 1, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Truly Excellent Game Which i Look Forward To Replaying.

    The Game Is Not Dragon Age: Origins, Because DA:O Was Most Likely The Prequel To Everything That Is About To Happen In The World Of Dragon Age, At Least That's How i See It Nonetheless Dragon Age 2 Is a Amazing Game But You've Got To Look At It For What It is Not What You Expected It To Be, There Are Some Minor Elements That Might Trouble Even The Most Loyal Of Bioware Fans Like That You Will Be Wandering The Same Dungeons And Areas Over The Course Of The Game, This Did Not However Bother Me Since You Are In fact Set In Kirkwall Not An Country Or State Like In DA:O And Of Course It's Not Going To Be As Big As Fereldan In DA:O, Well Anyway I Have Almost Only Good Things To Say About Dragon Age 2 In fact My Only Complaint Is i Just Wish It Was Longer. It Was Truly Money Well Spent And I Hope Bioware Continues To Make Amazing Games Like This One.    … Expand
  33. goldenturf
    May 26, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a really awesome game. Besides a few bugs (Which will probably be fixed in a couple of patches) it delivers the storyline and gameplay of an RPG. Really, a terrific game
  34. LlamaHerder
    May 15, 2011
    9
    As someone who found Dragon Age:Origins to be disappointing (good, but not great), DA2 was actually good enough to actually make me like DA:O better than I originally did - as all good sequels should. The storytelling shows off the depth of the game world, and the storyline actually has something to offer beyond, "The big bad is coming and only you can kill it." The game improved on everyAs someone who found Dragon Age:Origins to be disappointing (good, but not great), DA2 was actually good enough to actually make me like DA:O better than I originally did - as all good sequels should. The storytelling shows off the depth of the game world, and the storyline actually has something to offer beyond, "The big bad is coming and only you can kill it." The game improved on every factor that actually matters to me:

    The main character has a voice. One of the big benefits of playing RPGs from this generation is that my character doesn't communicate telepathically.

    The combat isn't miserable anymore. I personally loved the BG series, but that was more than a decade ago, and we've moved past it. The retro gameplay of DA:O brought up vivid memories of how long and miserable the Underdark dungeon crawl was in DA2. I have no problem with having to work to win in boss fights, but when I have to pause and give orders to every group member every 5 seconds to beat routine trash fights, every dungeon crawl becomes an awful slog. I remember wishing every last dungeon crawl in DA:O was over before it even began. Combat in DA2 is actually enjoyable, which is a nice change from every RPG ever made prior to Mass Effect. It's not even the fact that it's easier, which it is. It's the feel of the gameplay, which feels more like a video game and less like a second job.

    More interesting companion characters, who have real motivations behind the way they react to your actions. Instead of Morrigan's "You did a nice thing for someone, so I hate you," your people have backgrounds and causes that make them behave the way they do. They're also hilarious.

    The focus of the plot is a genuine moral quandary. It's not just "Beat the bad guys who are obviously bad." When you talk to Cullen about his beliefs, you understand why he feels the way he does and can sympathize with him.

    A lot of tedium was removed. Inventory management was less of an issue, and I didn't have to worry as much about gearing out my companion characters. Thank God. I don't know about everyone else, but I definitely do not play video games to fish through my inventory every two minutes looking for Frostrocks and Nature Salves to destroy so I can pick up things that matter. The only thing lacking in this respect was the absence of a "Destroy all Junk" button.

    The sidequests were, nearly without exception, fantastic. I never felt like the legendary hero retrieving cats from trees for old ladies as I have so many times in so many RPGs in the past - including DA:O. They all felt appropriate for someone of my stature at each stage of the game.

    The bad:

    Reused areas. The first time you see any given dungeon, you can count on seeing it countless times afterwards. It's irritating, but not game-breaking.

    A major portion of the plot was pushed a little too hard. Especially at the end.

    I still had to run around looting after every single battle, and I still had to destroy gear constantly to keep enough space in my pack. Deliver the gear on a silver platter and give me unlimited inventory space. When are game developers going to stop imposing artificial inventory limits? I'm already carrying around 15 suits of platemail on my person - is it really a stretch to just ditch the limits entirely?    … Expand
  35. Ayuru
    May 18, 2011
    9
    One of the best RPG's I've ever played. Great characters, fun battle system, nice story. Much, much better than boring and out-of-date Dragon Age: Origins. 9.0
  36. f8tal1ties
    May 25, 2011
    9
    I absolutely loved this game and was so absorbed in the story I hardly slept for 3 evenings so I could finish it. Loved the characters and the dialog change. An absolutely great game. I know some people didn't like the recycled dungeons and it would have been nice to have some different scenery, which is the only reason I have downgraded this to a 9. Kudos bioware!
  37. SalvadorDL
    May 27, 2011
    9
    In my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun toIn my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun to play. There is pretty various and interesting characters (Merrill, my favorite :3), simple but elegant locations, and a lot of drama.… Expand
  38. HalfEmpty77
    Jun 2, 2011
    9
    I can't believe that a game this freaking good scored this freaking low! i have Played through four times now! the story is top notch, the characters are great and the loot is good! who cares if a few environments were recycled a couple times! It was a great game! Can't wait for the third DA game and I can't wait for DLC and expansions for DA2.
  39. Veji
    Jun 8, 2011
    9
    Where is BioWare I ask ? BG2 is the best cRPG in the history but then it gets worse and worse,
    and ends with DA2 a total downfall. Dunno if gamers gets more stupid or just devs think that we have no more sense of beauty and brain to spam us with crap that is on a monkey level,
    arise with BG3 or ....
  40. riker
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 â
  41. riker13
    Aug 11, 2011
    9
    Hey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact thatHey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact that they removed the tactictal view is frustrating at time to say the least, each time you click a protrait its centers the view on that charcater wich is a bit annoying because you never can get a general view of the damm thing. The massive reuse of asset, by the beginning of ACT II you start to remember that you ve seen some of the dungesons/cave (some a lot) and it get worst as the game progress, dont mind that the action is centered in one big city but please add variety so we dont the same corrirdor everywhere and more location outside that we dont go 20 times (small exageration here) by the same passage/corridor. And my last negative item is a bit of a mix feeling, the dumbing down of RPG element like removing the ability to thinker with companion Armor, realy bugged me at first but in the end I forgave the game because I liked searching everywhere to find those damm upgrade, but please dont do it again in the next installement or give us the choice to disable it if we want to equip companion ourselves. Now to the good, the heroe has a voice, witch doesnt seem big but is a big help on the immersion factor, I was much involve emotionally wih my companions than in origins, due in part how the story is told, in other part because some origins companions returned, some as new companions and some other as cameo, but mainly I was realy sad to see that I lost one of my companion for the better part of the game, and well without giving anything away, well some have chocking trutch behind them and some die + I liked the fact that you charter evolves through serveral years, made the relationship more meaningfull for me.. I didnt find as some people said that your missing some information between acts, but thats me and I like Varric as the Narrator telling what happened to the seeker on a one on one interrogation, those moment are not too frequent but it give a sense of mistery to the game, but the main focuse here is the journey of the Hawks, the benter between companions are pretty funny, from those I remebered I liked way better than those of originis, espically those between Isabelle and Merill (youll see) :), oh and last bit while I didnt like that fact that I couldnt zoom out ot have a general view of the battlefield, I like very much the new combat system, more focus, action packed. The attributes screen ares alos way more efficient, every stats are weel explained and shows what derives stats it will improved, I also like that they did with the revamp of the abilities, like it better like that... and while some say the graphics are horrible, I found to see a lot less "fuziness" on charcater and the scenery is definitely an imporvement...… Expand
  42. alexania
    Aug 21, 2011
    9
    I know everyone slates this game and while everything everyone says has some merit to it, I still enjoyed this game IMMENSELY. I enjoyed the Rogue combat much more than the first game, I enjoyed that two shades of grey they made me pick between, I enjoyed stabbing a certain character in the back and watching him die. They could have added more fully straight guys though... just saying.I know everyone slates this game and while everything everyone says has some merit to it, I still enjoyed this game IMMENSELY. I enjoyed the Rogue combat much more than the first game, I enjoyed that two shades of grey they made me pick between, I enjoyed stabbing a certain character in the back and watching him die. They could have added more fully straight guys though... just saying. Can't wait for three.… Expand
  43. alceste007
    Jan 19, 2012
    9
    I recently got this game plus the downloadable content for a xmas present. I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. I liked the evade in combat that Bioware added to the game. I am surprised at the negative comments.
  44. Lorenna
    Sep 5, 2011
    9
    There is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeablyThere is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeably Bioware has greatly improved the combat. I have seen another user, Danarchist, describe the combat from DA:O as a 'clumsy puppet show'. I can think of no better way to describe the combat from the first game. In DA2 instead of the silly looking combat animations of the first game where you lift a sword into the air for about 5 seconds before even striking your foe, the combat is now a much faster, aggressive, exciting and active system. The combat is not 'dumbed down' in DA2, it is more exciting and gripping and less likely to bore you to death unlike the slow paced combat of DA:O. Visually, DA2 is beautiful. While DA2 graphics might not be the best graphics ever, they are still much better in comparison to the sloppy graphics of its predecessor. For a game released in 2009 DA:O had some of the worst graphics I've seen. Games years older than it had better graphics. While DA2 does not have the best graphics they are still beautiful and can at least compete with other games out there today. Many people have expressed disappointment that you could not customize your party members appearance. I found that I hardly noticed as it does not impact your gameplay. I actually preferred it. It makes more sense. Why would people run around wearing what you told them to wear? The look of what your companions wear suits them and you can find items to upgrade the stats so you are not put at a disadvantage. Aveline for example is a member of the guard.How would it make sense for me to throw some big clunky armor on her that is not even guard uniform? It just doesn't. What companions chose to wear suits them and like with Aveline represents who they are. Bioware could have had different outfits like in Mass Effect 2 that you can unlock and switch to. However, as it stands I do not believe it's something worth crying over. It does not make the game terrible. If your really that bothered about it go find a mod. There a few out there that alter companions outfits and looks. My biggest disappointment with DA2 was that there was very few instances where I could go to have a conversation with party members. I would have liked to be able to go visit them and strike up a conversation with them at other points during the game too. This is perhaps one thing Bioware could look into in future games. The addition of each party member having their own 'base' or home was a nice change though and one I liked very much. Another thing I have heard much complaint about in DA2 is the absence of a real story, or that the story was terrible and had no structure. This is simply not true. With DA2 Bioware have attempted to do something different from your run of the mill RPG and have done so very well. The intro to the game is one of the best I've seen and pulls you in right from the beginning. The ending also is very satisfying. For those who played DA:O, it has one of those rare WTF moments you rarely find in games. The last few moments of the game change everything you thought you knew about the game from playing it to something completely different. It is not only the ending and the beginning that is very well done though, the whole story is one that is well worth experiencing. DA:O had a bland story in comparison to DA2. It does not even compare. Like so many games out there DA:O was simply monster/bad guy trying to take over the world. Go here get allies, go here get more then kill it. DA:O's story was boring and unimaginative and where it tries to shock and excite you with plot twists, they are sadly something anyone with any intelligence would have suspected from the beginning of the game. This was not the case with DA2. It is not simply a case of big scary evil that we must work to defeat. Instead each act holds new surprises. There is no big bad guy at the end which you must work through the whole game to defeat. In DA2 Bioware have tried to do something different and have done so remarkably well. DA:O is said to be the spiritual successor to Baldurs Gate. True DA:O is done in the style of older RPGS like BG but it also tries to be something its not. DA:O is not KoToR or BG and will never compare to these epic RPGS. Nor will DA2, but it's not trying to. DA2 is done in a style different to that of other RPGS and cannot be faulted for not being as good. Those who say DA2 is not as good as DA:O have perhaps not realized that games develop. They will not stay the same forever nor should they. DA2 does not pretend to be something its not, it's a new way of playing an RPG and is worth your money, more so than DA:O even for just its story.… Expand
  45. neowiz73
    Jun 6, 2012
    9
    Awesome game, It ties in story elements from the first one real well and makes a nice continuation of the original. Great story effecting elements Bioware has crafted into all it's newer games. Great story, Great gameplay and Great character development options. Not much else I could want.
  46. Khalisto
    Mar 8, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Love the graphics (high texture pack), the voice acting is superb, the story telling, the combat system.
    I just wish the maps was larger and had more variety of themes.    … Expand
  47. AlexanderVallin
    Mar 28, 2012
    9
    I'm a huge fan of DA:O and enjoyed this game as well. I understand that people would have appreciated more variety in the landscape, but I found the storyline to be interesting and I liked the cast. I played through this game twice, which says a lot given my limited free time these days. Anyway, if you play primarily for character development and character interaction, this might beI'm a huge fan of DA:O and enjoyed this game as well. I understand that people would have appreciated more variety in the landscape, but I found the storyline to be interesting and I liked the cast. I played through this game twice, which says a lot given my limited free time these days. Anyway, if you play primarily for character development and character interaction, this might be worth picking up.… Expand
  48. okm974
    Apr 2, 2012
    9
    I am really baffled by the strongly negative reviews that have been posted. I thought the game was very much in the spirit of DA:O, but with improved graphics and gameplay. I logged over 100 hours on nightmare, going back through multiple times to try different builds and plot developments. I was a huge fan of the cross-class combinations, finding it an improvement over the spells-onlyI am really baffled by the strongly negative reviews that have been posted. I thought the game was very much in the spirit of DA:O, but with improved graphics and gameplay. I logged over 100 hours on nightmare, going back through multiple times to try different builds and plot developments. I was a huge fan of the cross-class combinations, finding it an improvement over the spells-only combos of DA:O; playing as a rogue and backstabbing staggered enemies was extremely satisfying. The writing was just as good as any Bioware production--some parts of the main plot were a little clumsy and the scope of the plot wasn't as epic as DA:O by nature of its set-up, but it had good pacing and coherence. Party dialogue was also great. I found the characters extremely compelling and felt very attached to every recruitable companion. I've heard of people avoiding the game because of the negative fan feedback, which is unfortunate; even if people think the game doesn't live up to DA:O, it certainly doesn't deserve a 0, 1, or 2. It's solid and enjoyable, warranting at least one playthrough, and can easily suck up a lot of time and provide a lot of fun if players are completionists or like broody elves.… Expand
  49. shyrofox
    May 15, 2012
    9
    Honestly I loved Dragon Age II. The quests felt important, the story had wonderful immersion, and the voice acting was incredibly fun to play with and listen to. I admit the lack of a variety of equipment was a little disappointing, but I never found that to be horribly important to the overarching plot. The ending is lovely and epic, but it has a very cut short feeling to it that leavesHonestly I loved Dragon Age II. The quests felt important, the story had wonderful immersion, and the voice acting was incredibly fun to play with and listen to. I admit the lack of a variety of equipment was a little disappointing, but I never found that to be horribly important to the overarching plot. The ending is lovely and epic, but it has a very cut short feeling to it that leaves you going, "That's it? Wait... that's the end?" I look forward to Dragon Age III in hopes that this confusion might be cleared up. Still, one of my favourite games, even if the combat does lack the challenge present in DA:O.… Expand
  50. IndigoInsane
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    If I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas areIf I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas are re-used way to often. However I absolutely loved the plot, more then Origins, and found Varric is only a close second to Alistair and although I don't like Isabella she's at least more understandable then Morrigan.… Expand
  51. huss2215
    Nov 14, 2013
    9
    Graphics: The graphics are definetly an improved compared to the previous game, and the blood couldn’t look any better. Character models look smooth, environments look okay. It’s not the best looking game out, but it still looks great. 9.
    Sound: The soundtrack has some moments but overall it’s not as good as the themes from Dragon Age origins. 9.
    Gameplay: The gameplay is an    Graphics: The graphics are definetly an improved compared to the previous game, and the blood couldn’t look any better. Character models look smooth, environments look okay. It’s not the best looking game out, but it still looks great. 9.
    Sound: The soundtrack has some moments but overall it’s not as good as the themes from Dragon Age origins. 9.
    Gameplay: The gameplay is an improvement from the previous game, but also some elements are missing. It plays similar to Dragon Age origins but a lot faster paced, and casual. The mechanics are much more fluid, meaning every hit is now more realistic, and the spells look a lot more action packed. Some of the new specs are great and like Origins I played a rogue, and the gameplay felt much better and more simplified (one of the reasons for the hate of this game). I enjoyed every last moment of the game, and I highly recommend this title. This is an excellent sequel but it does have its fall points. Unlike origins, when you meet a group of enemies and you kill all of them on screen, the game feels the need of spawning more enemies that drop in from random spots around you. This makes the game more frustrating and annoying. Another fall point is the fact that every place you travel is within and around Kirkwall, meaning you will revisit the same areas over and over again, and the funny thing is, the maps become undiscovered even though you fully explored it 3 times earlier. 9.
    Story: I enjoyed the story of Dragon Age 2, and I did import all of my decisions from the previous DA:origins/awakening/witch hunt, and you get the idea. It is amazing how moments in the game you meet up with familiar faces. Bioware has always been known for its fantastic storytelling, and connect from a previous game to the next. Only one fall point was that in Origins I never recruited or interacted with Leliana, and in Dragon Age 2 supposedly she helped the hero of Feraldin. The game follows Hawke instead of your previous imported character, which could also be a fall point, but the fact that Hawke is an amazing character, makes this acceptable. The story always progresses nicely, although you never know your main end game goal, just playing through the story is quite fun. The ending leaves room from a 3rd, and I cannot wait. 9.
    Lasting Appeal: Definitely worth getting, I bought the game and played all the expansions as well, definitely worth playing Mark of the Assassin and Legacy. The exiled prince is also a nice addition to the story. I won’t separate them into impressions because they aren’t known as other campaign like DA:Origins had it. Either way if you haven’t played this game, it is worth getting. 10.
    Overall Score: 9.2 out of 10.    … Expand
  52. bensmith43
    Dec 16, 2013
    9
    Dragon Age Origins took five years to make, Dragon Age II took two years. Companies can't always devote that amount of time to interactive experiences like the DA series. Dragon Age II still delivers a solid RPG experience with an entertaining combat system. Yes of course it's not as good as DAO but it's still worth playing from start to end. I'm on my second play through now. You canDragon Age Origins took five years to make, Dragon Age II took two years. Companies can't always devote that amount of time to interactive experiences like the DA series. Dragon Age II still delivers a solid RPG experience with an entertaining combat system. Yes of course it's not as good as DAO but it's still worth playing from start to end. I'm on my second play through now. You can role play different types of characters from a blood mage, chantry minded, rogue. The dialogue options let you easily role play any type of character you want.… Expand
  53. kinom
    Apr 12, 2014
    9
    It's funny, but I didn't play this game at release due to all the bad user reviews it was getting but recently decided to do a play through before DA:I is released. I wish I'd followed my own usual advice and ignored the Internet. Hell, I'm even beginning to wonder if people weren't trolling the game at release. This game was fun. Decent story, good characters, great voice actors and aIt's funny, but I didn't play this game at release due to all the bad user reviews it was getting but recently decided to do a play through before DA:I is released. I wish I'd followed my own usual advice and ignored the Internet. Hell, I'm even beginning to wonder if people weren't trolling the game at release. This game was fun. Decent story, good characters, great voice actors and a better inventory/power management system made this a very enjoyable experience. Was it DA:O? No, definitely not. But as it's own game it was a great deal of fun to play. I'd recommend this game any time.… Expand
  54. thebiggerD
    Jun 9, 2014
    9
    I can see why this game received a lot of negative comments. To start off, most of DA II players have played DAO, and in my honest opinion, the former is inferior to the latter. Nonetheless, the DA II still has some commendable features...

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

    Graphics: Slight improvement in comparison to DAO
    Story: More or less in par with DAO
    Gameplay: This is the main advantage of DAII. First of all, the mage class seems to be stronger (If you recall from DAO, mage spells like fireball and chain lightning deal ridiculously low damage). In addition, the talents and spells were also improved. The only downside of DA II's gameplay is that the "talent tree" is weird. I don't like the concept of "upgrading talents" since it wastes precious skill points. Bottomline, the gameplay of DAII has significantly improved in comparison to DAO.
    Difficulty: For some reason, I find this game way easier than DAO. I rarely die in normal difficulty, and nightmare mode is relatively less difficult than DAO's nightmare. However, I won't list this as a pro, nor will I list it as a con. I guess it is up to the player's opinion
    Dialogues: One of the cons of DAII. There are less dialogues.
    As for the MAJOR DOWNFALL of DA II, it would be the EXCESSIVE and repetitive maps. Seriously Bioware, what has gotten into you? For the duration of the game, the maps you visit in Act 1 will pretty much be the maps you will be visiting for Acts 2 and 3. To make things worse, they added this stupid "night time feature" which adds to the burden of exploring the SAME REGION just to collect items and resources. It gets more boring and tiresome as the game progresses. The only reasons why I'm still giving this game a relatively high score are the improved graphics and game play.    … Expand
  55. XxSoULxMaNxX
    Oct 25, 2015
    9
    The limited environment/game world is a negative. Otherwise, after enhancing just about every enhance-able aspect, who can deny the appeal of strange Merrill, Isabela (who basically forced me to "romance" her), getting the mansion, the Qunari in the city all with the fast-paced, no frills combat - this game is a solid, undeniable 9.
  56. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  57. ttocs
    Oct 31, 2011
    8
    It's in no way a bad game, it just doesn't reach the heights that the first one did. The console heavy gameplay on the PC really isn't well suited for the type of game most people expected. This should have been an off shoot Dragon Age game, not 2.
  58. xboy1024
    Jul 19, 2022
    8
    Pros
    +Story
    +Gameplay

    Neutral
    Graphics

    Cons
    -Just a few locations
    -The same 2-3 cave and room types are used repeatedly
  59. Fireside
    Mar 17, 2011
    8
    Seriously folks- this game on the nightmare setting is a man's endeavor. It requires utilization of cross class combos, precise management of group member placements during AOE attacks, constant pausing to micro-manage, and twice as much mustard as DOA. The black emporium DLC is pretty much a requirement so you can respec your character and your party members (like countless times to getSeriously folks- this game on the nightmare setting is a man's endeavor. It requires utilization of cross class combos, precise management of group member placements during AOE attacks, constant pausing to micro-manage, and twice as much mustard as DOA. The black emporium DLC is pretty much a requirement so you can respec your character and your party members (like countless times to get everything right). Again, I think the reuse of dungeons and the lack of an immersive or expansive environment really detracts from this game, and I can get behind the grumblings where that is concerned, but I am really appalled by players saying this game is too easy or requires no strategy. This is about 66% harder than DOA on nightmare (although I did play DOA with the OP arcane warrior spec, so there's that to consider). For the half-men out there, goto the dragon age nexus website and download the mod that allows you to make nightmare difficulty setting easier but still play with Friendly Fire: without it the game is for preemies.… Expand
  60. Aerthos
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I have put in a little over a dozen hours on Dragon Age 2, and overall I would say it is a solid RPG with an excellent narrative that should be given credit for what it is--a great story of a refugee of Ferelden and his rise to become something more. If DA2 is to be compared to any other game it should be Dragon Age: Origins, and as such any comparisons are between these two titles.

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

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

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

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

    Certainly the single most damaging thing to DA2 is dungeon areas being recycled throughout the course of the game. When so much of the rest of the game shines, this is really just a glaring weakness. It might have been less obvious even if the map for the area was not the exact same with a few "doors" simply ones that you are unable to open. Misleading and frustrating as--for me--it really distracted from what has otherwise been a rather enjoyable experience.    … Expand
  61. ErwinCole
    Aug 14, 2011
    8
    The game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, aThe game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, a consequences of no continuing event in Dragon Age II. The story of Dragon Age II is more of a collection of events that happened in someone life. Stories are branch-driven (with follow-up quest), and each branch rarely in connection to another. There's also missing a climax in the plot, like a line measuring from start to finish, it didn't flow as good as it should. One brilliant idea, I think, is using varric re-telling of the story to advance the plot.

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

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

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

    The game felt like a prologue with a concluded event that will be carry on to the next game. The game itself managed to be interesting and funny at times. However, it doesn't feel epic or story-wise rewarding.    … Expand
  62. javiveras
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    Although it went away from a hardcore RPG to a more action oriented combat I still find it fun to play and quite addictive (not as much as DA:O). It would be a 9 if it wasn't for the repetitive scenarios. In my opinion, a different game but still a good one.
  63. wolverdick
    Apr 22, 2011
    8
    I give this game a solid 8. It wasn't as great as the very first in the DA series, but it isn't horrible either. The way developers dumb-down games to appeal to the console audience is the major downfall. The new skill trees leave a lot to be wondered about. But the story is good, the game-play engaging, and there is a lot more to this game than meets the eye. Sure the story isI give this game a solid 8. It wasn't as great as the very first in the DA series, but it isn't horrible either. The way developers dumb-down games to appeal to the console audience is the major downfall. The new skill trees leave a lot to be wondered about. But the story is good, the game-play engaging, and there is a lot more to this game than meets the eye. Sure the story is short, but there are tons of side quests. The interpersonal interaction with the companions is not as good as before, but that doesn't degrade the experience very much in my opinion. All in all, if you like DA you will like the game, but chances are you wont love it.… Expand
  64. GottFaust
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    Looking at the other user reviews for this game, it almost looks like someone is using dummy accounts to spam-post slight variations of 2-3 different raving hate-fueled reviews with random marks from 0-2. Don't trust the spam-reviews, this game is solid. It's no Dragon Age Origins, but it's still a good RPG with a story that builds well and good character development if you get past theLooking at the other user reviews for this game, it almost looks like someone is using dummy accounts to spam-post slight variations of 2-3 different raving hate-fueled reviews with random marks from 0-2. Don't trust the spam-reviews, this game is solid. It's no Dragon Age Origins, but it's still a good RPG with a story that builds well and good character development if you get past the first 5 hours. Contrary to the apparent bulk of reviewers, you CANNOT beat the game in 10 hours even if you rush the main quest. I took the day off of work yesterday and played for 21 hours and haven't even gotten past the initial town.… Expand
  65. Danarchist
    Mar 8, 2011
    8
    Great game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. TheGreat game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. The downside is your toons seem to be overly dependent on it to actually trigger any of their skills. My tank lady absolutely refused to used shield slam till I scripted it in.

    My only complaints are so far it has seemed very on rails (3 hours in), almost as much movie as game. And in cities its frustrating having to run around with you tab key held down so you can actually find the vendors etc. The inventory screen is reminiscent graphically of x-com and looks slightly rushed to market.    … Expand
  66. Siven
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    Unfortunately a lot of negative reviews here are a result of an organised campaign who dont seem to have even played the game. Even some positive reviews are way OTT.

    DA2 is not a DAO clone. It isnt an old school complex for complexity sake crpg. It is streamlined and easier to use and play which isnt a bad thing. It is a more modernized approach which should bring more people into the    Unfortunately a lot of negative reviews here are a result of an organised campaign who dont seem to have even played the game. Even some positive reviews are way OTT.

    DA2 is not a DAO clone. It isnt an old school complex for complexity sake crpg. It is streamlined and easier to use and play which isnt a bad thing. It is a more modernized approach which should bring more people into the RPG fold without drowning them in complex systems some games do.

    You still levelup, place attributes and pick talents and spells. You still have a party you use and can chat too. The game takes place mainly in 1 city with several areas to it. I would have preffered more varied location though, but it still plays nice.

    Combat is a little faster than DAO and the classes are more distinct, but the essence of the combat is the same as DAO without the slow shuffling about the original had. You will need to bump difficulty up to hard for more challenge and tactical feel though, as normal is just far too easy.
    The cross class combo system is fantastic.

    The narrative story works well, and they have taken a gamble in not using the tried and tested save the world plot most rpgs use in place of a more focused diplomatic storyline which i think works well but does lack an epic feel to it.

    Graphics are fine if not spectacular, but the game does seemed like EA rushed them by using the same cave with different openings etc. Its a good RPG, but not great due to EA rushing the development time.    … Expand
  67. Shengren
    Mar 8, 2011
    8
    I usually won't write a review for something that I'm 99% sure NOBODY in the users section has finished yet, but with all the number of people raving about terrible this and that - had to chime in:

    If you are one of the people who rated this 0-4 and are complaining about "casualized" combat or that it's "too easy" etc etc.. for heavens sakes take it off normal, nuke your game, start it    I usually won't write a review for something that I'm 99% sure NOBODY in the users section has finished yet, but with all the number of people raving about terrible this and that - had to chime in:

    If you are one of the people who rated this 0-4 and are complaining about "casualized" combat or that it's "too easy" etc etc.. for heavens sakes take it off normal, nuke your game, start it over again on nightmare.
    That's why they have it there. Yes, normal mode you could probably close your eyes and mash buttons to win, but crank the difficulty up and you will have to pause it quite a bit and make your decisions carefullly.
    (I can't even imagine what casual difficulty would be like.. but hey, maybe if your non-gaming significant other wants to run through for the experience)

    If you're concerned about graphics.. just DL the demo before buying.. that's what it looks like - I can't see how anyone is surprised at this point. I enjoy it myself. A number of people are still experiencing graphics bugs, though I understand some of this is due to nvidia drivers - I would assume a lot of this will change with time.

    So far I'm enjoying the game quite a bit and do not regret plopping my money down early.
    People seem to be freaking out and panning this thing.. but I'll just assume they were expecting mana from heaven and not what this is: a game.    … Expand
  68. schnoogens
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    I created an account because I couldn't believe the low scores on this game...and I was a big fan of the first one. I still find myself pausing the game, issuing orders, and it's satisfying. I even took everyone's word for it and started on hard, which worked fine for the first 30 minutes but soon became frustrating...there is no "auto-win" button like people are claiming. It's far tooI created an account because I couldn't believe the low scores on this game...and I was a big fan of the first one. I still find myself pausing the game, issuing orders, and it's satisfying. I even took everyone's word for it and started on hard, which worked fine for the first 30 minutes but soon became frustrating...there is no "auto-win" button like people are claiming. It's far too early for me to submit a full review, but my impression after 2-3 hours has been very favorable and I felt the need to provide some honest, legitimate feedback.… Expand
  69. harmattan
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    After having played nearly the entire way through the 1st chapiter (about 12 hrs so far), I am very much enjoying this game. The story is very good (more "the little guy's" quest than DA:O) and the voice acting and dialogue absolutely superb. I'd say the main detractions are the interface and item use is dumbed down, there's a good deal of repetition of areas and what I would describe aAfter having played nearly the entire way through the 1st chapiter (about 12 hrs so far), I am very much enjoying this game. The story is very good (more "the little guy's" quest than DA:O) and the voice acting and dialogue absolutely superb. I'd say the main detractions are the interface and item use is dumbed down, there's a good deal of repetition of areas and what I would describe a empty graphical interfaces (obvious laziness/rush-job here). Overall however, the graphics and animations are much improved over DA:O, especially with the high-res texture pack. Contrary to most posters, I didn't feel penned in being limited to a single city and its periphery: there was enough detail and variation in each space to keep me interested and sticking to some of the same areas gave them a sense of intimacy that the sprawling world of DA:O did not have.… Expand
  70. Arertur
    Mar 10, 2011
    8
    Han hecho un juego notable, Bioware ha hecho su primer juego notable y no sobresaliente por querer llegar a un publico mas amplio, en una epoca en la que los desarrollos cuestan muchos años y muchos millones, con seguramente una presión por parte de Electronic Arts muy alta, donde te cierran el estudio por lanzar dos juegos buenísimos pero con unasHan hecho un juego notable, Bioware ha hecho su primer juego notable y no sobresaliente por querer llegar a un publico mas amplio, en una epoca en la que los desarrollos cuestan muchos años y muchos millones, con seguramente una presión por parte de Electronic Arts muy alta, donde te cierran el estudio por lanzar dos juegos buenísimos pero con unas ventas mediocres. Difícil época.
    Solo espero que con este juego consigan ver con sus estadísticas y con las buenas opiniones (me refiero a las que están bien explicadas y contextualizadas) que se han salido de su camino, que deben volver, que a quien no le gustaba el Dragon Age Origins no les va a gustar el 2, si aora dicen que si les gusta cuando lleven 20 horas de juego lo van a dejar, el publico de los COD quiere una campaña de max. 10 horas y un multijugador para jugar con los amigos que les dure tropecientas horas, pero no esto, y espero que lo vean y para la supuesta tercera parte sepan corregir las equivocaciones que en esta entrega han cometido y vuelvan a los orígenes de DA, por que esta saga, incluso con esta segunda entrega no tan buena como la primera parte pero si muy divertida y absorbente, se lo merece.
    Bioware, no podéis convertiros en una compañía que haga juegos notables, volved a buscar la perfección como hacíais antaño, vuestros fans se lo merecen.    … Expand
  71. AssForce
    Mar 10, 2011
    8
    Dear Bio Ware DA2 its abomination.This game horrible! How you can do that so wrong?! This is sheer frustration and misery, after such a successful project you have cut out everything except the engine, and blood, and you think it's worthy sequel? Dear developers,you may suck!
    PS: With hate.
  72. bleak
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    As for me it's a worthy continuation for the DAO. The game is interesting and entertainment. It is the same Dragon Age: Origins, but it's more bright and various.
  73. lagavaz
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8 is my answer… Expand
  74. marchmaninov
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    AAAAhhhhhhh!!! not you!!! Bioware !!!! what have you done...... its not a good game ....its not a rpg.... and its a rushed development.
    WE ARE NOT COW!!!
    i expect its a unique fail, and unique treason of the pc community. i loved your previous game , Bioware was a god for me , but now , i lost my faith.
    this game is not Dragon age 2, its an adventure action game for massive selling action.
  75. Lackadaisy
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    I would like to start off by saying that while I do not regret buying Dragon Age 2, I do regret paying $60 for it. This game is not worth the $60 in it's current state, and the writing at some points is downright terrible to a degree of which made me want to kill small animals.
    On to what I do like:
    I find that the game is in many ways better than it's predecessor and one of them is    I would like to start off by saying that while I do not regret buying Dragon Age 2, I do regret paying $60 for it. This game is not worth the $60 in it's current state, and the writing at some points is downright terrible to a degree of which made me want to kill small animals.
    On to what I do like:
    I find that the game is in many ways better than it's predecessor and one of them is companion inventory. Along with Mass Effect, it's inventory management system was a complete mess. With the removal of said problem, the game got considerably easier to play. Another bonus was the visual aid to the dialogue options. Sometimes things are difficult to decipher when just words, or the small description isn't enough. The combat is smoother, the dialogue entertaining, and the storyline immersive. But there is still one problem.
    Text.
    The massive blocks of test.
    Stop doing this BioWare.
    I bought a game to play it, not to read several novels worth of text.
    I give it an 8/10, but will change it if the game does not receive its much needed patches.    … Expand
  76. BillTheB
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    If you are looking for a game with a good storyline and decent voice acting for the protagonist this game is great. The fighting is quick paced and the graphics are a step above the predecessor but only if you get the high res pack and run DX11. If you are looking for a Dragon Age: Origins clone with a new story then you will be disappointed. The game has the great lore of the originalIf you are looking for a game with a good storyline and decent voice acting for the protagonist this game is great. The fighting is quick paced and the graphics are a step above the predecessor but only if you get the high res pack and run DX11. If you are looking for a Dragon Age: Origins clone with a new story then you will be disappointed. The game has the great lore of the original but lacks a bit of personality as they didn't have enough time to fully develop the world around Kirkwall. I would guess that after the DLC comes out the Ultimate edition will be great and on par with the world of Thedas in Origins. All in all. I love the game and find the story gripping.… Expand
  77. Donotpushme
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    If you are fan of Mass Effect, then you will love it, like me. Bio ware you are best.
    Dragon Age 1 path to 2 part looks like Me1 to Me2. Many people forgot that is rpg means Role Play Game, when you play a role with your decisions in dialogs.
  78. Sylvaticus
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    Wow, I am not liking the haters on this one. The graphics are beautiful, they story is great, the combat is a bit dumbed down but I am still thoroughly enjoying this game. Isabella is a better Leliana and Alistair is a drunk in a bar. Origins was iconic but this game is great as well. My wife and I have already got 15 hours into the game each, and we are greatly enjoying it. Don't listenWow, I am not liking the haters on this one. The graphics are beautiful, they story is great, the combat is a bit dumbed down but I am still thoroughly enjoying this game. Isabella is a better Leliana and Alistair is a drunk in a bar. Origins was iconic but this game is great as well. My wife and I have already got 15 hours into the game each, and we are greatly enjoying it. Don't listen to the smelly trolls, this game is a blast.… Expand
  79. Brader182
    Mar 12, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Everything is great in this game!!!Meet the Best Rpg for teen years Dragon age 2!!! I love this game!! I complete the game already and i want more play it.i want more adventures,i want more dlc which tell us about Hawke s fate)))dont listen people who give negative review its all flashmob… Expand
  80. IronGuy410
    Aug 10, 2011
    8
    There are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it'sThere are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it's not the complete disaster many people make it out to be. The combat is fun for the first two acts of the game but becomes kind of repetitive towards the end because of the fact that it has been simplified to the point where not much strategy is required in battle and there isn't much variety to the enemies that at certain points towards the end feel like they are endlessly respawning to drag out the length of the game. The story is split into three acts, with an overarching plot that is somewhat present in the first two acts and eventually builds up to the events of the third act and an ending begging for a third game. The problem with this is that the acts don't really feel connected to each other as a plot, so it's almost like you are playing three completely different stories. The characters, however, are very interesting and complex, and by the end of the game I really grew to like them all. Graphically the game looks great, with colorful environments and nice character models. However, as you are always in the same city throughout the entire game, the scenery can get repetitive. The music and voice acting are fantastic, and they really sold me on the world the developers have created. Overall, this game absolutely does not deserve all the hate its been getting for the fact that it's a solid sequel to an incredible first game, because despite failing to live up to it's predecessor, it's still a very good game and with a length of about 40 hours, it's definitely worth buying if you're a fan of Bioware or RPGS.… Expand
  81. JxG1991
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    Below is the first review I submitted. You can ignore that if you'd like. The reason I'm submitting this is so I can say that there's something very, very wrong here. The number of negative reviews is outrageous! And, for the most part, notice that the negative reviews get the most helpful votes while the positive reviews, no matter how well written and well thought out, get un-helpfulBelow is the first review I submitted. You can ignore that if you'd like. The reason I'm submitting this is so I can say that there's something very, very wrong here. The number of negative reviews is outrageous! And, for the most part, notice that the negative reviews get the most helpful votes while the positive reviews, no matter how well written and well thought out, get un-helpful votes. Take a look at other sites with community reviews. gamespot.com ( http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/dragon-age-2/index.html ) currently has DA2 at a 7.1 user score on PC, an 8.3 on 360, and an 8.3 on PS3. The user score for PC on g4tv.com ( http://www.g4tv.com/games/pc/64225/dragon-age-ii/ ) is at a 4.4 out of 5, while 360 and PS3 are at a 3.9 and 3.8 out of 5, respectively. DA2 currently has a user score of 6 on Gameinformer.com ( http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dragon_age_ii/b/pc/archive/2011/03/08/dragon-age-ii-pc-review-a-port-caught-in-the-middle.aspx ) and a score of 7 on PS3, 7.5 on 360. Should I go on? I'm not going to go and say this is some coordinated attack. But just look at the data and how it's dramatically skewed in the negative direction while most other gaming websites put the average score at a solid 7. Just... don't pay attention to all of this bull. Play the game yourself and make the decision. Wow... what's with all the hate? ... Whatever. These are my thoughts... Where should I begin with this game? How about combat since I see so much ranting and raving about how it's so drastically different... what? I mean really, WHAT?! How is it "drastically" different? Are you suddenly required to solve a complex physics equation prior to each attack? On consoles? Yeah sure, it's different; but this is area is for PC reviews. The same basic principals of the original still apply; see enemies, pause game, position party, select enemies, select attacks, un pause game and watch your enemies scour the ground for their skull fragments. (As for consoles, I've heard Bioware intends to release a patch of sorts to implement the auto-attack function. And if you're going to wail on about it then I sincerely hope you slam your finger in a car door. You forget that there are people working at B-Ware, and all people are prone to mistakes regardless of where they work. So far I've experienced no problems with my game. Not a one. I'd say they've done a pretty good job so far.) What I don't like about the combat is how unbalanced the difficulty can be. One minute I'm turning my foes into pincushions for my arrows, and the next minute I'm wondering how my body parts came to be scattered throughout the room. Graphics are just, meh. Not great but not terrible. Some of the characters look like they've taken a trip through the "uncanny valley" and will proceed to haunt your nightmares. Other characters don't look half bad however (Varric's chest hair anyone? woof.) Most of the environments tend to repeat themselves giving the "randomly generated dungeon" feel. But the city of Kirkwall itself isn't a bad looking place. But what's with all the gangs out at night? I suppose the guardsmen are all on there lunch break... I love the characters. I like having a PC with a voice and a personality. The silent protagonist thing from the first game was plenty fun, but giving the PC a voice, emotions, personality, and a social conscious of it's own makes me feel more like I'm projecting myself into my character. The companions are all very well written and well voiced. I might hate some of them, but I love to hate them. The story may lack depth at times. I mean all you really need to know is you're a guy/girl who's trying to start a new life in a kind of messed up place and you get tied up in politics eventually I'm sure. But it's refreshing to not have to save the world again. But some potentially amazing stories are set up in this game and it's worth it to get to know them. Just being back in the Dragon Age world is great to me. I don't know what else I can say. I like the game. I like it enough to sit here and write about it. The decision to try it out is really up to you though.… Expand
  82. Hawke24
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    I think this game deserves 86/100. All characters quite interesting, some of them so awesome... I liked Hawke's family, especially Bethany, Varrick, Merril, and Isabella for sure. I know I am hopeless fan of Bioware ^^.Yes, there's some negative moments, such as lesser duration of game than DaO. For now i completed game 1 time, but i want more of it! Sorry for my English (I'm from Russia)
  83. Karyuuken
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    Man, look at all these idiots here attacking this game for no real reason... Story sucks?! We leave in a world where games like Call of Duty are popular and this game's story sucks?Let's get to the bottom of this because we clearly have a problem here.
    GRAPHICS: It's the same engine with improved textures, environment is generally generic and not so impressive
    SOUND: Let's make one thing    Man, look at all these idiots here attacking this game for no real reason... Story sucks?! We leave in a world where games like Call of Duty are popular and this game's story sucks?Let's get to the bottom of this because we clearly have a problem here.
    GRAPHICS: It's the same engine with improved textures, environment is generally generic and not so impressive
    SOUND: Let's make one thing perfectly clear: the sound in this game is one of its strong parts, the music is just splendid and the voice acting is one of the best around, the music is composed by Inon Zur, the same guy that made the music for Origins.
    GAMEPLAY: Oh boy... well, about the gameplay... let's say it's the game's biggest flaw... first of all, they improved the combat but they made everything else bad, there is no way you can interact with your companions unless they have a quest you have to take from them, they replaced the ability to choose your companions' sets with a half assed 'upgrade' system that made absolutely no sense at all, seriously why did they change that?! there was no reason for them to do so, it was perfect just like it was, the UI sucks badly too, so do the icons for spells and items. Bottom line: don't fix it if it isn't broken.
    STORY: Well this is where the other reviews got it all wrong... they imply that the story sucks because it has little reference to Origins, I do agree that this game could use more of it since it's a sequel. But as I said, in a world where games like Call of Duty dominate the stores, how in the name of all that's holy does this game have a crappy story?! It is tragic, sad and kept me going even if the quests were plain stupid. Speaking of quests, this game suffers from the same problem as the DLCs for Mafia 2, there are like 5 quests that advances the plot, and about 20 'main' quests that make absolutely no sense.
    Bottom Line: The story is what you'd expect from Bioware... maybe a bit less...
    CONCLUSION : This game is NOWHERE NEAR Origins and I mean it... it kind of disappointed me, but looking pass the whole sequel thingy... it's a game worth playing. Now you haters can start hate again...    … Expand
  84. PaniCcakE
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    So, after watching the hate for this game explode all over the internet, it has left me wondering if people actually give games a fair go these days. people complain about the difficulty been stupidly easy on anything but hard, but Bioware did say that this would be the case, saying that each difficultly was made to suit different play styles and is it even that bigger hassle to turn upSo, after watching the hate for this game explode all over the internet, it has left me wondering if people actually give games a fair go these days. people complain about the difficulty been stupidly easy on anything but hard, but Bioware did say that this would be the case, saying that each difficultly was made to suit different play styles and is it even that bigger hassle to turn up the difficulty? and about 5 hours into the game it really does start to feel like the way a dragon age game should be. now dont get me wrong, i am still disappointed in how it turned out, with the graphics especially, but it still for a game that was rushed by its producers. its a great game without a doubt.… Expand
  85. Haylzorz
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    I can agree with some of the already stated negative factors about this game, such as the combat system needing little thought or planning (unless on hard mode) and that some of the dialogue options seem a little... well, sloppy. What I will say about the graphics is that I have a high end gaming PC with an nvidia geforce gtx 570 and therefore I downloaded the hi-res texture package and II can agree with some of the already stated negative factors about this game, such as the combat system needing little thought or planning (unless on hard mode) and that some of the dialogue options seem a little... well, sloppy. What I will say about the graphics is that I have a high end gaming PC with an nvidia geforce gtx 570 and therefore I downloaded the hi-res texture package and I see little improvement. Although I find the graphics only slightly underwhelming, it is a little off putting when there's such a diverse mix between shoddy textures and higher quality ones. Some armour looks great, some looks dreadfully out dated. However this all said and done, I am enjoying the game immensly. I find the storyline involving and dramatic (without seeming to try too hard) and the party members you can recruit are all very intriguing and different. The replay value of the game, in my opinion, is very high. There are quite a few options and paths you can take and I for one am looking forward to my second character already. And as for being stuck in the city mainly, which I heard about before even playing the game, hasn't been an issue for me. The only disappointing thing I will point out is that house/cave/deeproads layouts are all reused quite a lot. Overall I think Dragon Age 2 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. It feels much like the first game and although it does seem to have been dumbed down ever so slightly (mainly with the combat and character relationship factors) I can see it appealing to a wider variety of gamers. And you don't need to have played the first game to enjoy this one.… Expand
  86. CroGamer002
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    Game is just absolutely amazing. But let me start with cons. I seriously dislike new design of the Darkspawn and I hate those horns on Quinari. Didn't like idea that party members can't be equipped with other armor and robes and reused maps is just stupid. Well now the pros. Characters are amazingly on same level as DA:O characters which was a huge surprise for me. Plot is far, FARGame is just absolutely amazing. But let me start with cons. I seriously dislike new design of the Darkspawn and I hate those horns on Quinari. Didn't like idea that party members can't be equipped with other armor and robes and reused maps is just stupid. Well now the pros. Characters are amazingly on same level as DA:O characters which was a huge surprise for me. Plot is far, FAR superior to DA:O and plot twist at the end was just shocking and wanted to beat the crap out of my favorite character for that, in the good way. Some side quest actually impact main story, graphics are nice, soundtrack nice too. Gameplay is largely the same as DA:O, only is much more fast-paced which makes it harder and more fun.

    This game is a must buy for anyone who like RPG games and future DLC's are expected for this game and Bioware doesn't fail with DLC's.    … Expand
  87. phil_is_random
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    DA2 is not your "traditional" Dragon Age, mind you - but what means traditional, if there has only been one title of the series so far? It's fast-paced, action-filled, gory goodness and at least I enjoyed playing it very much. Just don't expect as much RPG as in Dragon Age - if you are okay with that, you will have fun!
  88. SolInvictus
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    The Good:
    -The Characters and banter( especially Varric)
    -Animations are better (especially facial)
    -Kirkwall is not Athkala but it's far better than Denerim, and -Art Style
    -Game Play
    -Good Greek Tragedy of a story

    The Bad:
    -No iso-metric camera
    -The ending
    -The same maps over and over again
    -Combat gets repetitive
  89. Xalius
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    While I do agree that the game have some rough edges, I think it's kinda a shame that the game has received such harsh reviews. I think BioWare has done it again in making a good game, the story, the new combat system and the game-play itself is amazing. I do not wish to only give this game positive words, I think it's a shame that there are places in the game where the graphics are lowWhile I do agree that the game have some rough edges, I think it's kinda a shame that the game has received such harsh reviews. I think BioWare has done it again in making a good game, the story, the new combat system and the game-play itself is amazing. I do not wish to only give this game positive words, I think it's a shame that there are places in the game where the graphics are low rendered, and it's also a shame that you cannot enter dialog with your companions whenever you wish, but other than that - Dragon Age II is a great game, and I certainly recommend it.

    8/10    … Expand
  90. leg_lamp
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    Sleeker and faster combat, improved interface, improved graphics, and great characters. The plot isn't as urgent or immersive as the former game, but the game was still quite enjoyable.
  91. Pinely
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon Age II is, obviously, a divisive game. This reviewer found it to be a net improvement over Dragon Age: Origins, primarily thanks to the improved writing, visual style, companions, and combat. However, the game is far from perfect, mostly due to repetitive environments, inconsistent difficulty, confounding item decisions, and a weak introductory level(s).

    The writing isn't for everyone, I'll admit that. I, however, appreciated a storyline that wasn't about saving the world from an enemy hell bent on destroying it. It is a well executed romp of survival, friendship, family, and politics. Bioware learned some lessons about companions as well. Origins companions suffered because Morrigan, Allistair, and Loghain were so central to the story. In DA2, each companion is of roughly equal importance (aside from Varric, who is slightly more important). Lastly, Bioware is saying more with less. Origins had characters over elaborate (particularly companions), which became frustrating. I get it Morrigan, you're a wilds apostate, I don't need you to remind me each time I talk to you. DA2 does a better job at avoiding this.

    I can't say DA2's visuals are perfect. There are still a lot of textures that are simply bad. But, for the most part, DA2 presents a consistent visual style for items, areas, and characters. It isn't Crysis, but it runs well on older machines and looks decent while doing so. Unlike Origins, it doesn't feel like every item is a generic fantasy weapon or armor.

    Combat (at least on the PC) has improved. The time it takes in between actions being queued and executed has been reduced. I like to pause constantly in combat and this seemingly small change has made combat much more fun. In Origins, I would queue up abilities, wait 3 seconds as my party gradually executed their orders, and then pause again. In DA2, I'm not waiting for very long, making combat feel more involved. There is no top down view, but being that I pause combat I never found much use for that view in Origins. Lastly, the skill trees are now actual trees, instead of linear progressions. This opens up more options for a particular character.

    Kirkwall is mostly nice, but for some inexplicably reason Bioware decided that it would be nice to reuse the same dungeons over and over again. I don't mind that it all takes place in Kirkwall, but does every freaking cave, cellar, and house in Kirkwall have to be identical? By the time you hit the third act, this becomes a bit comical.

    I've played the game through normal and halfway through hard. Bioware, puzzlingly, decided to have reinforcements appear in nearly every battle in the game. I don't mind having enemies show up mid way through a battle, it keeps me on my toes and adds difficulty to an encounter. But, they range from wet noodle to Spartan and often appear from thin air. I often find myself saving before every possible encounter because I just don't know how it will pan out, which is an annoyance.

    I like the UI and the Skill Changes. I like how the items look. I do not, however, like how Bioware implemented Armor. First, companions have their own custom armors that cannot be changed and are upgraded throughout the game. Giving companions a unique visual style is a good thing, but removing companion itemization sucks. Second, there appear to be certain sets of armor that are clearly superior than the others during each Act. I'd like a little more variety in a game based upon the RPGs of yore. Lastly, although 5 armor classes was a bit too much in Origins, I think DA2 needs one more set to sit in between Leather and Plate.

    My final criticism lies with the games introduction. You start the game having already fled from Lothering, in a bland wasteland. You lose a companion that you haven't even really met within the first 15 minutes and you get mystically whisked away to safety. And then you do another brief area in which you sell yourself into servitude for a year. About an hour of content that feels like a complete waste of time. The fun part doesn't begin until you pick up Varric, which is a shame.

    I typed more than I intended. In spite of its flaws, I'd recommend Dragon Age 2 to any RPG fan, particularly fans of Dragon Age Origins. I feel that a lot of the negative criticism is more about how the game is perceived by players and less about actual faults. That said, it only edges out Origins by the slimmest of margins. If Bioware intends for Dragon Age to become a stable franchise, they'll need to bring some more of Origins into Dragon Age 3.    … Expand
  92. MorningStar
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    I accept some of the criticisms leveled at this game, but some of them are just plain wrong. Graphically to my eyes this is a big improvement over the disjointed and inconsistent Origins, which looked great one minute and awful the next. With the hi-res texture pack and all the DX11 effects on it's an impressive sight in my opinion. The depth of field and motion blur are especiallyI accept some of the criticisms leveled at this game, but some of them are just plain wrong. Graphically to my eyes this is a big improvement over the disjointed and inconsistent Origins, which looked great one minute and awful the next. With the hi-res texture pack and all the DX11 effects on it's an impressive sight in my opinion. The depth of field and motion blur are especially improved over DAO. While I'm not a fan of the re-used environments they're generally more detailed than the same old caves that DAO recycled through the deep roads and half the rest of the game.

    Difficulty is a bit iffy so far for me, playing a mix of normal and hard I've found a lot of the game too easy, excepting a boss fight that took me 5 goes to get through on hard. Let's not forget this is far (FAR) better than the train wreck of difficulty in DAO that seemed to be programmed by a bipolar sitcom star. A few random encounter wolves harder than masses of darkspawn anyone?

    Anyone who expects Bioware to keep remaking Baldurs Gate for all eternity to appease the D&D crowd, or compares this unfavorably to NWN2 (I enjoyed it, but really?)

    For mine this is more of a return to KOTOR, a much better an refined return at that. It deserves the ~85% it's getting from real reviewers (who've actually played the game, unlike most of the posters here who seem to be going off the demo - a couple even admit to never playing the finished game).    … Expand
  93. Underscore
    Mar 18, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Previously rated an 8]
    Personal experience is 50% of what makes a game fun, not all of the weight is on Bioware's shoulders. MMORPG games can be extremely well-crafted, but still not my game of choice. My personal experience does not represent their failure to produce a great game.
    All that out of the way - I've had a lot of fun with this game; 60 hours in and most likely to break 100 hours next week. Most people gripe about the Black and White morality choices, though I haven't honestly found one that's simply put "Kill bad guy/Give bad guy weapons." The Yes/No decisions aren't as limiting as you'd think, if you are playing across multiple accounts at once, you will be able to see how differently certain quests accepted/declined affect the world around Hawke. In my opinion, the game is, in essence, simpler than DA:O. Bioware themselves have chuckled to this idea within their own game, passersby saying things like: "Have you noticed that everything is getting... Easier? Like everything from eating, to fighting is a lot Simpler?" [Talkative man, from Hanged-Man Pub.] The game certainly feels a lot more like Fable II, but that doesn't mean the entire game is just a joke and a clink of mugs, there are some moments you wish you could cut people down in, but simply cannot. Not all problems can be solved by mashing "r."
    Which brings me to combat - it is simpler, without being "Dumbed-down." In this, a Soldier is just as well to have Cunning, Dexterity, Strength, Constitution, and even Magic, whereas in DA:O, Magic was pretty passable if you had a healer, though Potent Health Poultices pretty much made the whole 'Magic increases health regained from poultices" useless. And the 'Sneak' skill is brilliantly implemented, making the original look a little weaker in the Rogue department. People have stated that 'Even on Nightmare setting it's way too easy, with no need to pause/fiddle with Tactics.' Whereas even on Normal, fighting bosses/challenging encounters may require a pause here and there. Casual is basically for people too lazy to type "runscript killallhostiles" in console, as it makes using any abilities pretty useless, considering you're mainly attacking low-tier enemies most of the time - though it's intended to be that way. I've ended up fighting a Dragon boss 3 times total, once in Nightmare, twice in Hard, and eventually beat it. To most people, they'd focus on the fact that I had to fight a Dragon 3 times, when in truth, I *wanted* to fight the dragon thrice, on a hard difficulty. Plus, Difficulty can help 'immersion,' cranking it up whenever you fight the supposed "Nightmarish Darkspawn" actually being a challenge rather than an average horde.
    I rarely thought I'd enjoy any other RPG as much as/more than DA:O, but my overall experience with DA2 certainly outdoes DA:O's (Which I have 370 hours and counting on). As an avid Dragon Age fan, DA2 isn't a disapointment, and does explore the unique world DA:O created much more in-depth than the first. In DA:O, your goal is to get aid from Mages, Dwarves, Dalish Elves, and perhaps the Arl of Redcliffe, in DA:2 your goal is to get a high enough standing to protect your family from the religious fear of your Sister's/Your magical gift, fearing the Templars will rush in some day soon...    … Expand
  94. ENAK
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    While the game is not as good as it's predecessor, it surely doesn't deserve the backlash it's getting. Combat is satisfying, the story is as good as in any other Bioware game. The only negative things about seem to be some repetitive locations a smaller (but still quite big) game world and a bit lesser follower interaction. None of which disqualify the game as a triple A title.
  95. Rezear
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Another great game from Bioware! I don't understand the people giving this game a negative review, did they even play the same game? The gameplay is far better than the slow-paced gameplay of Dragon Age: Origins and the story is amazing. Sure the graphics could be better but I think these graphics fit the game. Dragon Age 2 is a must have for every rpg fan out there!
  96. Seadogkb19
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good forI don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good for them, they're grown ups...you can still give them weapons and jewelry if you feel the need to manhandle them. Yes, the story is not about saving the world again, its a bridge story to set up a cliffhanger for a greater conflict to come. Same as Mass Effect 2.

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

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

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

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

    All in all its still a 8 (maybe a 7 if you were that attached to all the trappings of DA:O) and worth playing/buying although waiting till the price drops and some DLC is announced to add more background depth is not the worst strategy if you're not a die hard fan of the series. But giving this game a 0 because you can't give your friends armor or whatnot is obviously is an intellectually dishonest overreaction.    … Expand
  97. Sarcasmo
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    It distresses me that so many people are slamming this game without giving any real evidence other than general opinion. Yes, we know you "hate the story" or "think the dialogue is garbage", but your negative opinion on the game doesn't make it a bad game. Personally, I think Halo Reach is a boring, generic FPS in space. Does it deserve the glowing scores it got? Sure it does, because itIt distresses me that so many people are slamming this game without giving any real evidence other than general opinion. Yes, we know you "hate the story" or "think the dialogue is garbage", but your negative opinion on the game doesn't make it a bad game. Personally, I think Halo Reach is a boring, generic FPS in space. Does it deserve the glowing scores it got? Sure it does, because it delivers a quality experience to the fans of the previous entries in the series. If you're going to argue that a game is bad, please back it up with evidence that TRULY supports your claim. Now, I'll start by saying that this review may be a bit biased due solely to the fact that I absolutely love the dragon age universe. I think the lore behind the game is a well thought out enhancement of the "dragons and magic" paradigm. I won't spoil any specifics, but the plot of Dragon Age 2 is broken up into three parts. These individual parts are made up of an assortment of side quests and main quests that ultimately lead up to a finale. While I think each "section" is good in its own way, the ending of the game does fall a bit flat. You're left hanging on the majority of the plot points, and it's clear that Bioware is setting up for a sequel of sorts. Graphically, the game looks nice. It's nothing ground-breaking, but the facial animations are fairly well done, body movements are captured fairly well, and lip syncing is solid. Unfortunately, you'll be spending a LOT of time in the city of Kirkwall, and the basic textures of the walls and buildings do get a bit drag after the 10th time you've walked past them. Sound is done very well, and voice acting is not only well ranged, but delivered well across the board (with the exception of Aveline and male Hawke on some occasions). Now, I played Dragon Age 2 on the Xbox originally and pretty much hated it. I felt like I was playing dynasty warriors all over again and just MASHING the A button for hours on end. It didn't really bother me after a while (mostly because I'm a sucker for RPG storytelling) but it's something to be noted. I actually ended up buying it on the PC, which offers a much different experience. It could be said that the PC version is more like "watching a movie" than it is real-time combat (considering you basically issue commands and then watch how it plays out), but fans of strategy RPG games will enjoy the pause-and-play action. It allows you to plan out each fight and adapt to drastic changes on the fly. Finally, I want to address the companions and classes. For the most part, I was pleased with my selection of party members, but I did feel as though Bioware was forcing certain party members upon me. If you don't play as a warrior, you're almost forced to use Aveline as your tank, which is very frustrating if you don't like her as a character. If you don't pick a mage and then decide to heal, you are almost forced to use Anders. I would have liked to see a bigger selection of members to choose from. The classes are well balanced and each class will give you a different experience when you play them. Even the different skill trees within each class can offer a vastly different experience. Overall, I believe Dragon Age 2 to be a very solid strategy RPG on the PC, and an action RPG on the consoles. If you love RPG games that allow you to "craft your own story" and offer up an insane amount of content in the process, you'll love Dragon Age 2. If you can't get past the small graphical glitches, repeated zones, and restriction to the city of Kirkwall, then I can't recommend this game to you. One last thing, people need to stop instantly saying "This game sucks because Origins was better and this game is a step backward in every way!!!". The game is NOT a direct sequel to Dragon Age : Origins. Bioware obviously saw the success of Mass Effect and brought in elements from that game to make this game better. Whether it worked or not is a matter of opinion, but saying that DA2 is bad because it doesn't improve on Origins is a null argument.… Expand
  98. commonperson
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    While not a perfect game, this metacritic score is skewed due to a "backlash" over two reviews written by Bioware employees (there is currently no evidence they were doing it at the behest of their employers simply they wrote two glowing reviews and if they were close to the game they may have a skewed perspective on the content.)

    Any how, having played the game I can say whilst not    While not a perfect game, this metacritic score is skewed due to a "backlash" over two reviews written by Bioware employees (there is currently no evidence they were doing it at the behest of their employers simply they wrote two glowing reviews and if they were close to the game they may have a skewed perspective on the content.)

    Any how, having played the game I can say whilst not perfect it improves on the formula behind the first game. The first game was much of the time, at best, unforgiving but since you could drop the play slider down to easy and not suffer any loss of game play or even achievements/trophies it compensated.

    Thus far the game play does not show the same level of challenge, again a game best suited for the PC the graphical fidelity is vastly improved but even on my high end machine at times there are moments when Frame Rate drops through the basement. The load screens are much improved over the previous iteration and the story, as always, is well crafted. This is where Bioware excels.

    One short coming is the change in scenery, or lack there of. Dragon Age: Origins and it's expansions gave you a vast swath of geography to cover. Dragon Age 2 does not, you have Kirkwall and a handfull of external locations. Now the story with it's framing device is setting this up as a Usual Suspects/Noir Fantasy. The city of Kirwall is intended to be as much of a character in the game as the players. That being said it doesn't carry off as well as hoped. I have a feeling if as extensively supported via DLC as Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins was this will be remedied as more DLC comes out but right now there are anemic points where it feels like you are rehashing locations and enemies over and over.

    Combat is much more frenetic with more lifelike animations and in the case of the Xbox 360 due to a glitch button mashy game play (which isn't the case on other platforms as it still has the auto attack ability.) This will supposedly be addressed via a patch shortly. The PC really is still the premiere platform for this title, you maintain the same style of gameplay from the first game with the ability to zoom out and que commands for characters.

    They have streamlined some aspects, the ability to micromanage gear on your characters has been reduced, not removed entirely but reduced which detracts from some of the old school feel but this is an extension of the Bioware ethos which is using games as a platform for story telling. The story it's self is compelling with interesting character interactions and some genuine relationships developing in interesting ways.

    Not a perfect game but well worth checking out.

    (And for the record I am not an employee of Bioware and never have been, I think instead of giving zeros to the game out of spite people should give genuine ratings on how they feel as many of these people giving zeros have never even played the game.)    … Expand
  99. MarcusGejm
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age: PoczÄ
  100. Pirim
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself.Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself. Overall city and its inhabitants are enjoyable, but again, it didn't seem like a job well done â… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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