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. coffcat
    Jul 17, 2011
    10
    I adored this game. I guess the question is did I like it as much as Dragon Age Origins? My answer would be yes and no. I liked it more, and less, for different reasons. Dialogue wise, the games are comparable. While there is more in the original, it seemed to me in the second that what was said was more important. Quality vs volume in other words. The battle style was definitelyI adored this game. I guess the question is did I like it as much as Dragon Age Origins? My answer would be yes and no. I liked it more, and less, for different reasons. Dialogue wise, the games are comparable. While there is more in the original, it seemed to me in the second that what was said was more important. Quality vs volume in other words. The battle style was definitely different, but I felt it was much better in the long run. I love micromanaging the attacks and this game satisfied that just fine. The storyline to me was just as good as the first. I loved the added feature of "junk items" so you weren't constantly checking to see if something was worth keeping or selling. I also liked the change in how runes were handled. While not really a complaint I was a little disappointed that the second seems to have less replay value for me, I tend to play mostly as nice/diplomatic and don't really have any desire to play it any other way, but that's ok. For the money I spent for the game I have more than received my money's worth. I can only hope that more good dlc comes out to make me want to give the game another go.… Expand
  2. Bjorik
    Jul 16, 2011
    8
    My beef with this game: NO replay value!!! This is a disaster!
    NO character creation, forget playing different races or alternative start. Combat reduced to button mashing. Almost entire game is set in the same city, yet they put no effort in making it beautiful and interesting to explore. Brown dusty streets and nothing to look at!
    To call this..abomination a sequel to Dragon age is insulting!
  3. UndercoverJack
    Jul 15, 2011
    6
    The pros: Combat is fun. The graphics are better. The companion approval/disapproval system is better. Music is decent, voice acting is mostly excellent.

    The cons: The story is very very disjointed, there is no sense of direction. You cannot talk to your companions whenever. The interface is ugly. Voiced protagonist. Waves and waves of enemies which fall out of the sky and explode at the    The pros: Combat is fun. The graphics are better. The companion approval/disapproval system is better. Music is decent, voice acting is mostly excellent.

    The cons: The story is very very disjointed, there is no sense of direction. You cannot talk to your companions whenever. The interface is ugly. Voiced protagonist. Waves and waves of enemies which fall out of the sky and explode at the slightest touch. Whole game is in 1 small city. Extremely repetitive, boring quests. Underwhelming ending. Overall: Disappointing. Could have been so much better. It is still fun though, and if you're curious about the world of Thedas, then get it for that reason at least. But don't expect more Origins. This is a very different kind of game.    … Expand
  4. riker
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 â
  5. Peregrinati
    Jul 14, 2011
    8
    Overall a great game. Excellent story / acting. Play on Hard though, normal is too easy but Hard isn't too difficult if you've got a brain and plan out your builds / cross-class-combos a bit (or build some good tactics to have your companions use them). Fairly different feel from DA:O, but it's only a feeling - at the core the mechanics are very similar it's just that things happen faster.Overall a great game. Excellent story / acting. Play on Hard though, normal is too easy but Hard isn't too difficult if you've got a brain and plan out your builds / cross-class-combos a bit (or build some good tactics to have your companions use them). Fairly different feel from DA:O, but it's only a feeling - at the core the mechanics are very similar it's just that things happen faster. The story also feels a different - there's few things that characterize a direct sequel (like, the same characters, for example. Imagine if Empire Strikes Back had Luke and Han return for the occasional cameo!) However the new characters are very good and interesting, and there's enough tie-ins to DA:O that it doesn't feel like a different world. It's also hinted that the connection between Hawke and the Warden may be stronger than anyone realizes... I'm very much looking forward to DA3 to see if it's true!

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

    Overall, I very much enjoyed it. Played it through twice, on Hard both times.    … Expand
  6. MusAddict
    Jul 12, 2011
    4
    I was skeptical when I heard Bioware had "made a lot of changes, but did not stray too far from the feel of the first game" (paraphrased from a Bioware dev video). Before I share my thoughts of how the parts of the game should be rated know this; I did not finish the game. "Why are you rating it then?" you might ask, well I'm here to tell you that I stopped playing the game because theI was skeptical when I heard Bioware had "made a lot of changes, but did not stray too far from the feel of the first game" (paraphrased from a Bioware dev video). Before I share my thoughts of how the parts of the game should be rated know this; I did not finish the game. "Why are you rating it then?" you might ask, well I'm here to tell you that I stopped playing the game because the ratings I'm about to share are how I felt when I decided I should stop. Here's how I rate the individual parts of the game:

    Story: 6, The game is tedious, and never feels like you're getting anything done. The game just feels like a bunch of side quests that you're forced to do (whereas other games like DA:O had a main quest line, and separate side quests that you could do IF you wanted)

    Combat: 5, although the combat looks nice and has some fun abilities, over all it becomes very repetitive and makes it so you don't feel any real satisfaction when completing any type of battle.

    Speech: 7, the speech mechanics that they imported from the Mass Effect series was a good addition to the enjoyability to the game (instead of needing to read and choose long responses like in DA:O) however I wasn't quite satisfied with the male voice acting. It seemed too foreign for the context of the conversations. For example, in the Mass Effect series, the voice of Shepard makes you feel like you're asking the questions and accusing enemies, but the DA2 character seems too banter-like making it hard to relate to.

    Customization: 1, There's is little to no customization in the game. Bioware is known for detailed character creation (including looks and abilities) so I'm disregarding that in this section of the review. Everything else doesn't come anywhere close to par with Bioware's history.

    Exploration: 0, What exploration? If by exploration you mean walking around 1 city, then I give it a 10. If by exploration you mean exploring wonderful landscapes, multiple cities, beautiful mountains and beaches and more, (like in DA:O) then 0, or even -1... Basically you spend the whole game in one boring city... If you played the first one, basically think of Denerim, except 4 times bigger, and you cant go anywhere else except a patch of land for elves, and eventually a non-explorable Deep Roads map.

    Mechanics: 9, Probably the only thing that Bioware actually improved upon is the UI, including menus and hotbars. Easier to use, and smoother to respond. This section includes graphics. The characters look more like Mass Effect rather than Elder Scrolls 4 (even though Bioware didn't make that :P but still)

    Overall, this game is a complete disappointment as a sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. If Bioware can combine the mechanics of DA2 and the playability of DA:O, then Dragon Age 3 will probably be Bioware's console gem (That is if you don't include Mass Effect 3 and SWtOR)    … Expand
  7. vampyr75rm
    Jul 11, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was a ugly DLC?Really forgettable. Bioware must think about their "work". This is a game that cannot compare not only with the original but with Nverwinter Nights 2 too.… Expand
  8. xavifu
    Jul 11, 2011
    1
    The game is very boring, cost me a lot to finish. Only finished because I was told that the end is good enough. I don't know what is thinking Bioware when they do this game.
  9. sowiszcze
    Jul 11, 2011
    3
    Wow! This game is just sad. After DA:O, I expected a game at the same (or similar) level. My expectations were huge. Luckily for me, at the time of game release I had my exams so I waited with the purchase. So, when I was almost on my way to the store, I decided to try the game. And thanks to that I have saved 60$. Not to mention cost of DLC. The game is weak. Control is weird. I playedWow! This game is just sad. After DA:O, I expected a game at the same (or similar) level. My expectations were huge. Luckily for me, at the time of game release I had my exams so I waited with the purchase. So, when I was almost on my way to the store, I decided to try the game. And thanks to that I have saved 60$. Not to mention cost of DLC. The game is weak. Control is weird. I played it only for 4 hours, but it was enough to now, I don't want it. Grapics is poor. Gameplay is way too easy. It doesn't seem like RPG to ma at all. Hack'nSlash maybe. The main storyline seems interesting, but on the other hand dialogs are naive. And the fact it is DragoN Age??? It hurts. Because it has nothing common with DA:O… Expand
  10. wm4l
    Jul 8, 2011
    7
    Ta gra nie jest najgorsza ( wiem że narażam siÄ
  11. ShtKck
    Jul 7, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age Origins was years in the making. Truly the spiritual successor to Bioware's claim to fame, the Baldurs Gate Series. Dragon Age II however, was made in considerably less time, with considerably less foresight. This is a wonderful example of two steps forward, one step backwards.

    Dragon Age II removes many of the classical RPG elements in order to streamline it into a Mass Effect    Dragon Age Origins was years in the making. Truly the spiritual successor to Bioware's claim to fame, the Baldurs Gate Series. Dragon Age II however, was made in considerably less time, with considerably less foresight. This is a wonderful example of two steps forward, one step backwards.

    Dragon Age II removes many of the classical RPG elements in order to streamline it into a Mass Effect type best seller. What fits one series doesn't work for everything. There are a inane amount of reused environments which are generic and sterile. Everything is rushed, between the lack of character interactions and the "when is it going to end type" story.

    They swore up and down that they didn't forget where they came from while making the first Dragon Age, and for the glimpse of time, maybe they didn't. But.. Alas the memory is gone again.    … Expand
  12. Kietharr
    Jul 7, 2011
    3
    People will look back at this game and see it as the beginning of the end for Bioware, and the sad part is it's not even their fault, it's EA Game's fault. They're doing to Bioware what they did to Westwood, forcing harsh timelines and production schedules on artists which leads to releases of unfinished **** games, doing this to drive the company and its franchises into the ground beforePeople will look back at this game and see it as the beginning of the end for Bioware, and the sad part is it's not even their fault, it's EA Game's fault. They're doing to Bioware what they did to Westwood, forcing harsh timelines and production schedules on artists which leads to releases of unfinished **** games, doing this to drive the company and its franchises into the ground before absorbing them and milking what little is left from the shriveled remnants of a once great product.

    That aside, I didn't really like the first game so I was not expecting to like this one. I played it through out of boredom while watching a friend's house. But all of the issues that plagued DA:O go double for this one. Intensely dumbed down and consolized to draw in call of duty players. Difficulty is a joke, even on the hardest difficulty I died six or seven times total. The story is a joke, skips around as if they scratched every CD coming off of the production lines by hand to cut out all of the linking things that made the brief episodes of story make sense.

    The game is intensely limited in its scope, but not only is it short, it is also shallow. Zones are reused so much even the characters joke about it. Guess what bioware? We don't think it's funny. I certainly wouldn't be amused if I had spent $60 on this game only to have Bioware designers make fun of me for being such a damned sucker through the game's characters. According to sales statistics I've seen DA2 has less than half of the sales DA:O had at this point. I didn't consider DA:O a gem, but it was certainly better than this, the market agrees. Trying to lure Call of Duty players into a fantasy RPG at the price of pissing off the rest of us nerds probably isn't a good idea.    … Expand
  13. jorge100
    Jul 6, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age 2 is epic like if pooping in your pants in public was epic. Waste of money terrible game play. Characters were lacking. Skill tree and talents were horrible. Items stunk, customization across the board stunk. I would rather chew off my own arm than play this game. If you like Dragon Age 2 you are either paid to, or your a moron.
  14. Devil_Man_X
    Jul 5, 2011
    3
    The User ratings have this one almost dead on. No it's not the worst game out there but just because you can make a game look relatively pretty doesn't mean it's good. Dragon age suffers from one game breaking flaw, greed. EA and Bioware show their true colors here. They have changed everything that made Dragon Age Origins such an incredible game. Not in the name of improvement but to sellThe User ratings have this one almost dead on. No it's not the worst game out there but just because you can make a game look relatively pretty doesn't mean it's good. Dragon age suffers from one game breaking flaw, greed. EA and Bioware show their true colors here. They have changed everything that made Dragon Age Origins such an incredible game. Not in the name of improvement but to sell more copies. I do see how some of the changes could have been for the better if done properly yet others are just senseless. The battle system needed reworked if only for the console versions. However the changes they made left it feeling less like an RPG and more like a bad hack and slash. Gone are all the deep character customizations. You simply choose gender and class. No more custom backstory. If this was any other franchise it would have been better off. Calling it a sequel to Dragon Age simply ruined it. No one buys a sequel hoping it will be more simplistic with a simple story and fewer options. If you buy a sequel to a beloved franchise you expect it to improve on itself. The story is borderline garbage and the way it's delivered is even worse. Don't get excited for some upcoming exploration or engaging plotline as the game will simply skip ahead just as you're getting into it. Yes this dungeon looks exactly like the last one just make a left here instead of a right. Bioware has openly admitted to using the same dungeon layout multiple times. Here is the bottom line. I like many others was expecting a sequel. Hoping to continue my story or atleast flesh out the world of Dragon Age. Instead I was sold a crappy 5 yr old baldurs gate wannabe with modern graphics. I was not expecting Mass Effect Medieval Edition. Bioware is hands down the most overrated developer around. They consistantly make terrible games that have great stories. They really should just consider making movies instead of games. We would all be better off.… Expand
  15. Freeman1977
    Jul 5, 2011
    1
    Baldur's Gate is Dungeon's and Dragons at it's finest. Memorable story, D&D game play, and the ability to build a character and then transfer that character into the sequel. Dragon Age has none of these virtues. It's a boring click-fest.
  16. Vlorious
    Jul 5, 2011
    3
    I was completely disappointed by this game. I kept playing only because I thought it could get better, but it actually got worse.

    The things I didn't like: The new combat system. It's extremely consolish - I play on a PC for a reason (and any tactics completely wasted by enemies springing from mid-air in the middle of a fight!) The reused graphics (over and over) Quests that finished    I was completely disappointed by this game. I kept playing only because I thought it could get better, but it actually got worse.

    The things I didn't like: The new combat system. It's extremely consolish - I play on a PC for a reason (and any tactics completely wasted by enemies springing from mid-air in the middle of a fight!)
    The reused graphics (over and over)
    Quests that finished without me even knowing they were a problem
    A end-story line that completely blew featuring "choices" between two directions I wouldn't go when the most obvious choice wasn't listed, NPC's making completely illogical choices, etc.

    I was very disappointed with this because I loved DA - Origins and played through it multiple times, have the DLC, etc. I won't be purchasing any DLC for DA2, nor do I intend to jump into another bioware game without waiting first (sorry MA3 and SWTOR).    … Expand
  17. Tolhaller
    Jul 3, 2011
    3
    Nice graphics, but I never felt I was in control of anything except slashing things. Apalling game play, but no doubt delicious for the console crowd who don't demand too much depth to their gameplay.
  18. Hiei987
    Jul 3, 2011
    0
    One step forward, 5 steps back. This game has better interface than the original and fails at eevrything else. The ratings and sales should be a good sign for Bioware to think about with their future games.
  19. Biss
    Jul 2, 2011
    0
    Florence and the Machine Florence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the Machine
  20. Caiobrz
    Jun 30, 2011
    3
    The first game was awesome: nearly perfect graphics, involving (and evolving) story-line, decent story-telling, very likable characters with good nuances on their relationships, good game dynamics and so on. NONE of that is found at this second instance.

    Graphics are on the same level (actually, the design is cartoonist instead of realistic like the first), but system requirements are    The first game was awesome: nearly perfect graphics, involving (and evolving) story-line, decent story-telling, very likable characters with good nuances on their relationships, good game dynamics and so on. NONE of that is found at this second instance.

    Graphics are on the same level (actually, the design is cartoonist instead of realistic like the first), but system requirements are bigger (try to understand that), characters are simple and plain, there is actually no story and you have NO CLUE why you are playing - you just play, you know you are supposed to do something but have no idea why, and all of the sudden, the game ends. If you try and pursue relationships with your companions, you will be disappointed - and don't expect anything spicy for the more intimate moments, for there are none!

    Add the fact that strategy was ruined with friendly-fire not existing, and the dumbing-down of most game mechanics, and what you have here is weak and pointless, and the hard fan will only play it just to see it though and pretend he/she got a minimal worth from the money ill spent.

    In short: a perfect example of how to ruin a good game because of consoles, money and dumbing it for "the masses". Result: 4.2 user score, hope E.A. and Bioware get the message.    … Expand
  21. xMaschine
    Jun 28, 2011
    3
    Looking at the trailers, advertisements, and all the marketing beforehand, DA2 looks spectacular and comes by as a must have for every avid fantasy rpg fan. In reality, the game was sloppily put together, designed with no room for creativity or imagination, it's presentation and storyline poorly executed, and many of the role-playing elements that capture the imagination and bring RPGsLooking at the trailers, advertisements, and all the marketing beforehand, DA2 looks spectacular and comes by as a must have for every avid fantasy rpg fan. In reality, the game was sloppily put together, designed with no room for creativity or imagination, it's presentation and storyline poorly executed, and many of the role-playing elements that capture the imagination and bring RPGs to life were "dumbed down" or completely removed in order to attract an audience that doesn't care for such things. Looking back at the short development cycle and it's primary goal of "reaching out to a wider audience", it's obvious the game was designed with the concept of quantity over quality in mind.… Expand
  22. Frottle
    Jun 26, 2011
    2
    This game is probably one of the least entertaining games I have ever played in my gaming career, and that's saying something considering the large library of games I have completed. But, even with sheer force of will, I couldn't stand to continue past Act 1 in this game. The game had no reason to urge you to continue playing. Combat was sub-par, and was boring and consisted of rightThis game is probably one of the least entertaining games I have ever played in my gaming career, and that's saying something considering the large library of games I have completed. But, even with sheer force of will, I couldn't stand to continue past Act 1 in this game. The game had no reason to urge you to continue playing. Combat was sub-par, and was boring and consisted of right clicking on an enemy and sitting while your character attacked. The story was too bare bones to even be considered worth using, and wrapped itself up nicely, 1/3 of the way into the game. There was simply no lasting conflicts, the game could have ended at the end of Act 1 and nothing would have changed. And then dialog is another problem in this large list of "Why Dragon Age 2 is terrible". Hawke simply shows little to no emotion when speaking, even if you chose a dialog option from the limited "Nice, Funny, Mean, Details" dialog wheel that seemed like it would provoke some emotion in this solid concrete wall.
    Overall, Dragon Age 2 is a bad game that should not have made it to the floor at all, due to many many flaws and very little points of redemption.    … Expand
  23. Ahria
    Jun 25, 2011
    1
    To be blunt, I cannot believe that EA has whored Bioware out to the point that Bioware as a name no longer means anything to me. I have been a avid fan of Bioware to the point they were like Blizzard I saw the name and bought, no matter the reviews or anything else. The blatent laziness of reusing maps, same crowds over and over again, no epic novel to live through and honestly to buyTo be blunt, I cannot believe that EA has whored Bioware out to the point that Bioware as a name no longer means anything to me. I have been a avid fan of Bioware to the point they were like Blizzard I saw the name and bought, no matter the reviews or anything else. The blatent laziness of reusing maps, same crowds over and over again, no epic novel to live through and honestly to buy the end of the game is totally unacceptable. When I buy a novel the I don't expect to get the last three chapters torn out. Thats DA2 is lazy development no story (you don't feel like a hero) and you have to pay for the end.

    What a load of crap. EA you don't understand your market and you have ruined some really good houses in gaming. I will never ever from now on will buy another EA game without some serious time before I know how useless the game is.    … Expand
  24. KaiEkkrin
    Jun 24, 2011
    4
    Dragon Age II would be a moderately OK CRPG if it had been made by an unknown developer and published standalone. As a sequel to Origins, it's a disaster. Pluses: still a well-crafted story, side plots, romances, etc. Minuses: pretty much everything else. Forced to play as a Human. Constant location re-use, with the same map standing in for every cave in the country, for example.Dragon Age II would be a moderately OK CRPG if it had been made by an unknown developer and published standalone. As a sequel to Origins, it's a disaster. Pluses: still a well-crafted story, side plots, romances, etc. Minuses: pretty much everything else. Forced to play as a Human. Constant location re-use, with the same map standing in for every cave in the country, for example. Top-down view gone, and teleports enemies down in random places during encounters, ruining the excellent tactical combat system inherited from Origins and replacing it with a slog (there is a *lot* of combat). Awash with meaningless side quests; I ended up scooping them up in MMO style and following glowing objectives, not remembering or caring what it was I was actually doing. Even the main quest is a flop: the main character is someone that things just happen to, and appears to have no real effect on the world, even though the game keeps insisting that you're AWESOME really. Completely fails at doing an epic story that doesn't involve saving the world, making you feel like a nobody instead (see Mask of the Betrayer for how this should be done). I no longer believe the word of the professional reviewers who gave this disappointment 90% scores.… Expand
  25. SquattingBear
    Jun 20, 2011
    0
    This game is complete trash, and seems to be a pathetic money grab by EA. The worst part is that it worked. Bioware has always pushed out complete trash DLC for Mass Effect and even DA:O, but I didn't expect them to do the same for an entire game. I played 10 hours and quit. It's terrible enough that I didn't even want to play it. It tries to be mass effect, but all the characters areThis game is complete trash, and seems to be a pathetic money grab by EA. The worst part is that it worked. Bioware has always pushed out complete trash DLC for Mass Effect and even DA:O, but I didn't expect them to do the same for an entire game. I played 10 hours and quit. It's terrible enough that I didn't even want to play it. It tries to be mass effect, but all the characters are terrible. Story is terrible. Quests are exactly what you might expect.... from World of Warcraft. Most quests are meaningless "Go here, kill that, return xxx items to xxx person". Hawke is bland and the dialogue is often... just bad. Ok so the story is a joke, what about the combat you might ask? It is far too easy and all strategy is trumped by AOE spamming. Controlling your squad isn't necessary, and even if you wanted to the lack of isometric view combined with terrible camera angles make it tough.

    What about equipment and the like? Well that is a disappointment as well. Nearly all the useful items are only wearable by Hawke, and not your party members. Why they did this I have no idea. If you have a Mage Hawke, you find a ton of warrior gear that is only useable by Hawke, causing you to throw it away instead of giving it to your tank ( Which I doubt you even need in this game, its that easy.)

    Overall the game is an extreme disappointment and I have lost all respect for Bioware. They went from being in my top 3 favorite developers to near the bottom of the list. I feel cheated and will not purchase anymore bioware games until well after they are thoroughly reviewed....BY PLAYERS, not critics trying to shore up a mass effect 3 exclusive for their publication by giving inflated reviews.    … Expand
  26. zzzz2006
    Jun 20, 2011
    9
    Great game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. TheGreat game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. The downside is your toons seem to be overly dependent on it to actually trigger any of their skills. My tank lady absolutely refused to used shield slam till I scripted it in. My only complaints are so far it has seemed very on rails (3 hours in), almost as much movie as game. And in cities its frustrating having to run around with you tab key held down so you can actually find the vendors etc. The inventory screen is reminiscent graphically of x-com and looks slightly rushed to market.… Expand
  27. Alkemic
    Jun 19, 2011
    1
    Comparing to DA:O, this is a worthless production, only to made a cash. Only better thing in sequel is that they make spells looks better, and environment still looks nice. Game play and mechanics are broken, but storyline isn't bad. Don't waste your money like I waste.
  28. tomasdee
    Jun 19, 2011
    0
    awful story / awfully repetitive --> very disapointing.
    It felt like they spent more time on the cut scenes than that actually did on the game content. I didn't mind the combat system so much but the whole effort to complete the game just felt pretty pointless. I"m still a little puzzled at the choice of plot line - in the end there was really no sense of 'satisfaction' at completing the    awful story / awfully repetitive --> very disapointing.
    It felt like they spent more time on the cut scenes than that actually did on the game content. I didn't mind the combat system so much but the whole effort to complete the game just felt pretty pointless. I"m still a little puzzled at the choice of plot line - in the end there was really no sense of 'satisfaction' at completing the game. Certainly not worth a replay IMO.    … Expand
  29. taupoke
    Jun 18, 2011
    0
    An incomprehensible mess of a cash in. Utterly lazily made with the same dungeon map used over and over, cringe worthy line delivery from the voice actors and a storyline that jumps constantly from theme to theme. This game also highlights what is very wrong with the gaming industry, as almost all "professional" reviewers give it 80+ despite the 4.2 user score. This is because EAAn incomprehensible mess of a cash in. Utterly lazily made with the same dungeon map used over and over, cringe worthy line delivery from the voice actors and a storyline that jumps constantly from theme to theme. This game also highlights what is very wrong with the gaming industry, as almost all "professional" reviewers give it 80+ despite the 4.2 user score. This is because EA blackmails reviewers into giving good reviews by threatening to blacklist them if they don't give positive reviews. In short, it's a pathetic game and anyone who likes it is either a rabid fanboy or a corporate sellout.… Expand
  30. cy3
    Jun 18, 2011
    2
    It's easy to forget this game is supposed to an RPG. Most of the time spent is running around with no sense of purpose killing repetitive enemies by repetitive means in repetitive locales. An RPG is supposed to be richer than a straight action game, but this "RPG" feels too hollow to bother with playing at all, much less compare to other RPGs. The dialogue is not engaging. The visualsIt's easy to forget this game is supposed to an RPG. Most of the time spent is running around with no sense of purpose killing repetitive enemies by repetitive means in repetitive locales. An RPG is supposed to be richer than a straight action game, but this "RPG" feels too hollow to bother with playing at all, much less compare to other RPGs. The dialogue is not engaging. The visuals offer no excitement. The rest of the game makes the experience feel more like work than play, and not in the good, rewarding way that RPGs are supposed to. Time and money spent in this game can generally be considered wasted.… Expand
  31. miller
    Jun 18, 2011
    5
    Dragon Age Origins had its number of flaws. One would expect that these flaws are reduced/removed in its sequel. This is not the case. Most of these flaws are still present in Dragon Age 2, including new ones which Bioware labelled as "innovative ideas". One of these "innovative ideas" is the new story structure. The story of Dragon Age 2 is told in a frame narrative. This might have beenDragon Age Origins had its number of flaws. One would expect that these flaws are reduced/removed in its sequel. This is not the case. Most of these flaws are still present in Dragon Age 2, including new ones which Bioware labelled as "innovative ideas". One of these "innovative ideas" is the new story structure. The story of Dragon Age 2 is told in a frame narrative. This might have been a good feature, if it was implemented correctly. The primary and mostly only reason Bioware uses a frame narrative is to rationalize the time-skip which happens during the game. Another "innovative idea" is to confine the player to a single city called Kirkwall. This city is split up into several areas, which can be accessed through fast travel on a "world" map. The areas aren't connected directly, thus the city feels like a small place. The city is too clean and empty. There is supposed to be a refugee crisis, yet there are almost no refugees in the streets. The game spans 10 years and Kirkwall never changes. There are certain NPCs which stand around in the same spot, spouting the same stuff for years. This is immersion breaking. Here is what I expect from a city, which basically is the whole game world: A huge free-roaming and lively place, which features a dynamic day and night cycle with tons of NPCs who have a daily schedule. This city should change dramatically over the course of the game. Now let me get to the next flaw of Dragon Age 2: Reused environments. This problem was already present in Dragon Age Origins to some extent. The developers have outdone themselves with Dragon Age 2. Caves, warehouses, back alleys are being blatantly copy/pasted throughout the game. This problem is even more grave, considering the small game world. Combat: The combat system is more action-packed. Enemies spawn out of nowhere. You kill a group of enemies and another wave of enemies appears, it is dull and repetitive. Dialog: The conversation system has been imported from Mass Effect. You are reduced to good, evil and humorous answers, instead of a large number of responses that weren't black and white in Dragon Age Origins. Clearly a step back compared to DAO. Party: You can use up to 3 party members. The problem is, that you can only change the equipment of the main character and not that of your party members. If there are party members in a RPG, then I expect to have full equipment control over them. Graphics: The graphics are a mixed bag. Bioware should consider licensing a game engine (e.g. Mass Effect series), instead of using their own game engine. Sound: Nice score and good voice work. Violence and Sexual content: The blood and gore content has been increased compared to DAO (exploding enemies, even more blood on your characters after a battle) the sexual content is still on the usual Bioware-underwear-sex level. Bioware could learn a thing from CD Projekt's (e.g. The Witcher 2) approach to sex in video games. Conclusion: Dragon Age 2 turns out to be a mediocre game, due to the number of flaws. The reason for most of these flaws is probably a short development cycle and "new innovative ideas", which were included to appeal to a wider audience.… Expand
  32. Davver73
    Jun 17, 2011
    1
    This is ridiculous. Nobody can tell me that EA didn't buy off the reviewers. This is without a doubt the worst way I have ever spent $60. A perfect example of what happens when a company gets too big. EA just told Bioware to grind out another Dragon Age game in a year to milk more money off the franchise and that is exactly what it feels like. No thought was put into this game whatsoever.This is ridiculous. Nobody can tell me that EA didn't buy off the reviewers. This is without a doubt the worst way I have ever spent $60. A perfect example of what happens when a company gets too big. EA just told Bioware to grind out another Dragon Age game in a year to milk more money off the franchise and that is exactly what it feels like. No thought was put into this game whatsoever. The blatant level recycling is unbelievable. The gameplay is dumbed down. I only forced myself to play through this boring mess because I spent money on it. I will never buy another Bioware game without waiting on user reviews first. Your money is better spent on the first Dragon Age or a different RPG franchise altogether.… Expand
  33. KuriousJorj
    Jun 16, 2011
    5
    Inferior to DA Origins in almost every way. Doesn't warrant an in-depth analysis, so I'll just skim over it... DA2 has small, forgettable characters, in a small, forgettable, story, in a small, forgettable "world." (world = 1 city) The entire first act is just fetching quests; you're an errand boy. You can't customize your companions' armor. You can't talk to them when you please.Inferior to DA Origins in almost every way. Doesn't warrant an in-depth analysis, so I'll just skim over it... DA2 has small, forgettable characters, in a small, forgettable, story, in a small, forgettable "world." (world = 1 city) The entire first act is just fetching quests; you're an errand boy. You can't customize your companions' armor. You can't talk to them when you please. The quests are all "scattered" randomly throughout the ONE single city where a vast majority of the game takes place. This means there's no sense of progression, as you can basically do any quest in any order (usually based on whichever one is closest to you). The city doesn't age or change, and neither do you. The graphics, or more accurately, the art design, is simplistic and even cartoonish.

    COMBAT WAS A JOKE. Childish consolized hack n' slash garbage made for kiddies and monkeys.

    Choices mean nothing. Not even an illusion of something. It makes almost no difference whatsoever what you do or say, to the overwhelming majority of events in the game.

    They did improve the crafting, and arguably the skill-trees. Also, being either 'negative' or 'positive' to a companion can still get rewards with them.

    Anyhow, I could barely play this garbage twice, and then, just to try and get my money's worth.

    Don't go to the official forums; the mod fascists strike down anyone not kissing the game's ass, while the cheerleader fanboi trolls have free reign. They've pretty much gotten what they deserve out of this slop; future DA projects won't sell now that the truth is out.    … Expand
  34. Antix
    Jun 16, 2011
    3
    A really bad game. Plain and simple. The 'level design' - and you have to use that term loosely - just consists of a few a very narrow corridors. The areas are shamelessly reused. How a developer can get away with making about 6 tiny areas for a 40 hour long game and calling it a day is beyond me. The game mostly takes place in a city and its surroundings. Needless to say, they never evenA really bad game. Plain and simple. The 'level design' - and you have to use that term loosely - just consists of a few a very narrow corridors. The areas are shamelessly reused. How a developer can get away with making about 6 tiny areas for a 40 hour long game and calling it a day is beyond me. The game mostly takes place in a city and its surroundings. Needless to say, they never even bothered to design a city, only 3 separate and small areas that you can fast travel to.

    The combat is frantic. Gone are the strategic battles of Origins. A lot of enemies bumrush you in the small corridors and you have to press the awesome button. On top of that, it is very tedious, since each and every single encounter you have will have about 4-5 waves of the exact same enemies literally teleporting in out of nowhere to bore you to death. Ridiculous game design. Not to mention that most encounters are random i.e. you just walk around and explore and don't see your enemy until the fight begins. Quite ironic from the company that bashes jrpgs. The difficulty curve is pretty much nonexistent if you keep your equipment in check since level scaling is in effect. A hurlock won't be easier to kill at lvl20 than at lvl1.

    Your character, Hawke, has 3 stock replies locked in their respective places: Good, funny or aggressive. Funny is especially bad. Like "wanting to punch whoever wrote that crap" kind of bad. Good or aggressive is most of the time what you'd expect. Emphasis on most of the time, since the few words they put in the dumb dialogue wheel so you don't bother your pretty litle brain with too much reading can be misleading. Sometimes extra options or questions show up but most of the times they're just stuff that isn't worth asking or has already been answered.

    The party members feel like wasted potential. You have to visit them in their homes so they all explain their backstories in about 2-3 conversations over time and all have a chain of quests tied to it. At the core, they're not all that bad but everything feels very formulaic so you end up not caring much about them. But hey, they're mostly bisexual and you can romance them since that's obviously more important than the rest of the game, so it's all good. Their armor isn't customizable but weapons, stats and skills are up to you.

    Finally, the story. If you last long enough (trust me, that's difficult) to make it to the final act, you'll have a somewhat interesting story on your hands that just ends up being predictable, but at least you get the 'epic' high fantasy feel for a while and a laughable final boss. The first act just feels like a needless prologue and you will feel a general lack urgency or motivation. Act 2 is more bearable but still nothing to write home about. The side quests are all derivative and boring.

    Lazy game design, bad writing, and poor production values are what make this a title that isn't just hard to recommend, but should simply be avoided by anyone. The icing on the cake is that overall, the game feels like a slap to the face for the people who had hope in the Dragon Age franchise and took it the exact opposite direction from what they were hoping for.    … Expand
  35. DubiousPigeon
    Jun 16, 2011
    3
    The cons glaringly outweigh the good, which is unfortunate. The levels/areas are reused and recycled despite being purportedly different places. The flexibility of the game is extremely limited. Combat is fun to look at for awhile but becomes boring and repetitive after fighting the same bandits in the same 3 places with the same 2 weapon types.

    It looks like visual designs of weapons    The cons glaringly outweigh the good, which is unfortunate. The levels/areas are reused and recycled despite being purportedly different places. The flexibility of the game is extremely limited. Combat is fun to look at for awhile but becomes boring and repetitive after fighting the same bandits in the same 3 places with the same 2 weapon types.

    It looks like visual designs of weapons were handled by different parties and thrown in the game without communicating with one another. it leaves a sense of disconnect to see cartoony, over-colored plastic swords next to weapons whose designers were trying way to hard to make them look edgy and cool.

    Alot of the character writing is excellent, which is one of the few redeeming qualities of the game. And while the areas are absurdly recycled, they tend to be visually appealing.

    I really wanted to like this game but there is simply too much wrong with it to be content.    … Expand
  36. jacob-renner
    Jun 16, 2011
    3
    Dragon Age 2 is an action-RPG developed by Bioware . The story which spans a decade is told through a framed narrative. The time skips break the immersion and the outcome of your tale is already known and fixed. The poorly written main plot line revolves around political intrigues and features boring and tedious quests. The game gives you choices, but they don't effect the outcome at theDragon Age 2 is an action-RPG developed by Bioware . The story which spans a decade is told through a framed narrative. The time skips break the immersion and the outcome of your tale is already known and fixed. The poorly written main plot line revolves around political intrigues and features boring and tedious quests. The game gives you choices, but they don't effect the outcome at the end. Party members are shallow and forgettable. The game world is small. Most of the game takes place inside a city called Kirkwall. The city is lifeless, dull and lacks atmosphere. Inhabitants stand around in the same spot for years and the city doesn't change over a decade. There are many identical environments like back alleys, interiors and a few caves outside Kirkwall which are being reused and recycled throughout the game. Combat in Dragon Age 2 is action orientated. Waves of enemies pop out of nowhere. There is not much strategy involved. The dialogue system is simple, you choose a good, bad, or funny response. The paraphrases often don't match the actual answers. There are no dialogue related skills in Dragon Age 2. Party equipment management is very limited. You can't change the armor of your party members. The graphics in Dragon Age 2 are sub-par. The art style is bad. Hurlocks look like Skeletor from the Masters of the Universe franchise and the elves look like non-blue Na'vi from the Avatar motion picture.
    My final verdict: Dragon Age II is an obviously rushed game plagued with bad design decisions. 3/10    … Expand
  37. wangxiuming
    Jun 15, 2011
    8
    It is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun andIt is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun and tactical gameplay system, and building a strong fanbase for future games to capitalize on - it's no wonder that the game took 5 years for the RPG veteran Bioware to complete.

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

    That was probably the first clue that something was wrong.

    See the full text of the review here: http://boredomsadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-dragon-age-2-da2.html    … Expand
  38. Cassagir
    Jun 15, 2011
    6
    -Combat system too simple - no brains required.
    -Story weak at the start - get's better later on.
    -Companion complexity doesn't get near DAO.
    -Repeating maps to a ridiculous degree.
  39. piraterose
    Jun 14, 2011
    7
    I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game, my friends had convinced me to play it. I tried the demo for the 360 version and didn't like the controls. Tried the PC version and found it much more comfortable to use. The first game seemed very dull, long, and tedious by comparison. Thus my hesitation with picking up the sequal. I loved the characters and the story the most inI was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game, my friends had convinced me to play it. I tried the demo for the 360 version and didn't like the controls. Tried the PC version and found it much more comfortable to use. The first game seemed very dull, long, and tedious by comparison. Thus my hesitation with picking up the sequal. I loved the characters and the story the most in DA2. There are a lot of strong female characters in this game and there are actually homosexual relationships for the male protagonist. Most of the previous Bioware games I've played have reserved homosexuality for the female protagonist. Dragon Age 1 had just one. Dragon Age 2 has two. Overall the game did not feel like it was meant only for the straight, white male demographic like many games out there are. The game is progressive with the fact that Bioware is clearly recognizing that the video game audience is growing and changing. I applaud them for going against the video game norm.

    The story takes a leap from the typical, predictable Bioware story. There are clear indications they tried to use influences from the Mass Effect series, however a lot of it such as the voiced protagonist and the dialogue wheel was a very good thing. The scenery could stand to have some variation and more creativity put into it. The ending felt a little rushed and if one is not careful, it's extremely easy to trigger it before you're ready by simply reading a message.

    Overall, I wouldn't call it game of the year, but it is an enjoyable game to be considered. I have and will continue to recommend it to customers and friends.    … Expand
  40. DMAD
    Jun 13, 2011
    0
    Very disappointing game. Shame on you $EAWare!!! Dovreste vergognarvi di aver venduto l'anima per una manciata di dollari, la prostituzione intellettuale è la rovina della sociretà!!!
  41. Varur
    Jun 13, 2011
    4
    A letdown compared to DA1, expected more. The combat system is more hack/slash with little need to think. Extensive reuse of certain area maps. Story telling isn't as good as DA1, characters are forgettable (I didn't feel for or connect with any character).
  42. ducklings
    Jun 12, 2011
    3
    I am not a long-term Bioware fan (I have to admit never played BG or Neverwinter back in the day) but I am a lover of RPGs and Dragon Age: Origins was my introduction to Bioware's games. Needless to say I was very impressed. It was a fantastic, well-written and beautifully executed game that I fell in love with. Despite being warned that Dragon Age 2 will not live up my expectations, I hadI am not a long-term Bioware fan (I have to admit never played BG or Neverwinter back in the day) but I am a lover of RPGs and Dragon Age: Origins was my introduction to Bioware's games. Needless to say I was very impressed. It was a fantastic, well-written and beautifully executed game that I fell in love with. Despite being warned that Dragon Age 2 will not live up my expectations, I had to give it a go. How can another Dragon Age be so bad? So I went into this game with a fairly positive yet cautious attitude. And... well... it's disappointing. Not just as a sequel to Origins, but as a roleplay game in general. Especially from a company like Bioware who I'm led to believe is a bit of an authority on the genre.

    The combat is tedious. It's altogether less tactical and more hack-and-slash. There's no tactical camera, and wave combat with enemies appearing from all angles and even dropping from the sky that makes it pretty impossible to place companions, manage potions and generally devise a battle plan. I may be hyperbolising here, but this sort of combat is fit for games like Serious Sam, not Dragon Age. I have no idea why they dumb-downed the combat in this way. It's obvious that a lot of fights were added in as filler combat. There's various encounters that are just waves and waves of uninteresting unimportant enemies that last far too long and then just as you finish up and turn the corner... another one. And another. It gets boring.
    To add to that, it looks ridiculous. Perhaps Origins' combat needed to be speeded up a bit, but not like this. It feels like a JRPG, and instead of looking cool it looks stupid. Also, far too much blood. And exploding bodies.

    The companions are okay. I wouldn't say they are as well-written as Origin's characters, but they're okay. Interaction is quite horrible though. You only ever get to speak to your companions in their house, and that's only when they have something to say to you, usually involving a quest, or when you give them a gift, of which there about 2 for each. You get a very limited amount of these brief scenes with them, and that's it. For a romance, you get a sex scene and a couple extra conversations - well, I say /sex/ scenes - Origins' sex scenes may have been a little comical, but at least their was some nudity. For an M rated game, I expected a little more than a bit of making out.
    I don't know about others, but I felt a lot more distant to my companions than I did in Origins. And I think that being able to speak to your companions when you want, for as little or as long as you want, is important. It's something that felt missed in Awakenings, and it's worse in DA2.
    Party banter, however, is just as golden as it ever was! Hawke was an awkward invention. It seems Bioware couldn't decide on creating a blank-canvas character that can be almost fully imagined and created as your own (like the Warden was) or a pre-defined personality (say like, Geralt from The Witcher). And so they went with... both. Hawke felt half like your own creation, and half like a pre-defined character. This was difficult to contend with. It was hard to imagine Hawke as you wanted as you never knew what he was going to say or how he was going to behave. Sure you could choose 'good/funny/bad' but that isn't enough freedom. You also couldn't assume Hawke's personality and roleplay him, because you weren't given enough definition for him. Because there was hardly any of it. As a result, a lot of the time it almost felt like watching a film. You can dictate what Hawke does, but you can't really invent him and you can't really roleplay him. It just didn't work. The story was very messy. I liked the idea of the game being retold by a character, but the time skips were awkward to deal with. There was some interesting writing, but instead of being pushed along with a sense of urgency to an important goal like in Origins, it felt very much like you were just dawdling around a city and falling into trouble. Companions felt more like hirelings going along for the ride or using you now and again, then people devoted or forced into aiding your cause. There's no real drive to do anything except at the end of act 2 and the end of act 3. Not to say the story wasn't enjoyable, it was, but it wasn't great.

    Overall, I enjoyed the game. But I wouldn't pay for it. Perhaps in a year or so for a knocked down price, or bundled in with an expansion or some DLC, but not now - it's not worth it. And although I feel I shouldn't compare it to Origins, surely I am allowed to, as it's supposed to be a sequel. It not only failed to improve on Origins, it failed to even reach it's level. In fact, it was considerably worse than the original Dragon Age and that is not a success. Oh, and I think the graphics got worse. The eyebrows in the game are frightening. And Zevran - poor Zevran.    … Expand
  43. twolayers
    Jun 12, 2011
    0
    This game is terrible. There is no meaning character interaction, the camera angle is frustrating, the combat consists of mashing the same button without a thought of skill or strategy, the same three environments are used for every mission so it quickly becomes tedious plus you cannot equip any armour or weapons on your companions so exploring and looting becomes meaningless. The overallThis game is terrible. There is no meaning character interaction, the camera angle is frustrating, the combat consists of mashing the same button without a thought of skill or strategy, the same three environments are used for every mission so it quickly becomes tedious plus you cannot equip any armour or weapons on your companions so exploring and looting becomes meaningless. The overall result is a tedious few hours of mindlessly pressing the same button before giving up, turning it off and wishing you could have your time and money back.… Expand
  44. Dumbo
    Jun 12, 2011
    6
    I can understand the frustration and disappointment of a lot of the players. I was expecting the follow-up sequel of Dragon age Origin to be as good if not better than the original. I was one of the people that was showered with joy when I heard how soon the sequel would arrive. Looking back now, I really wished they put more time in this sequel because it clearly showed that it was beingI can understand the frustration and disappointment of a lot of the players. I was expecting the follow-up sequel of Dragon age Origin to be as good if not better than the original. I was one of the people that was showered with joy when I heard how soon the sequel would arrive. Looking back now, I really wished they put more time in this sequel because it clearly showed that it was being rush. Once again I don't like repeating what others have said already. Just to summarize the negative aspect of the game. Heavy level re-use, decisions that aren't as impactful, difficultly is too easy, game breaking bugs and overall story feel very detached. However with that being said, this is not a bad game. If you have to judge this game as a stand-alone, it's a average if not very decent game. The AAA voice over work brings the character to life and the rich lore are the game's strongest point. I actually enjoy the new battle system even with its issues. We have to remember guys, that bioware is trying something new and is brave enough to take some risk in its decision. We don't want to play the same game over and over again and they're trying to delivery something different. It's just that they didn't get it right this time but that doesn't mean they should go back and clone the very same game that they been making since the hay days. Just one thing though, bioware, please stop with the 20 dlc on launch day. If you have half as many item in dlc than in the actual game, you're doing something very wrong.… Expand
  45. Thothistox
    Jun 10, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It looks like it was designed by a two teams: a group responsible for combat/character design and another responsible for story. The trouble is that they didn't talk to each other, and the resulting game doesn't make any sense. People on these review threads complain about other things: the GUI, the recycled areas, the waves of goons, but the crux of the problem is that the game didn't do anything for them and they don't even know why... and so they blame it on the details. Well, I'll tell you why: it's the story. To begin with, it's one of the least interesting sub-plots of Origins made into it's own game. The beauty of western RPGs is their appeal to moral ambiguity, but this only works if the conflicts within the game are an analogy for something in the real world. That doesn't happen with the concept of mages and blood magic. (Why is blood magic evil? Well, who cares really.) But it goes beyond the basic concept, the trouble is the game ignores what choices you make in the game. It ignores who you decide your character is. It gives you almost exactly the same plot whether you're a mage or not. It gives you whiny companions who keep following you and fighting for you even if you denounce them. You can get the captain of the guard help you assist smugglers and assassins. You can get mage-hating Fenris to help you fight for the mages. ...and the NPCs very rarely acknowledge anything about who you are or what stance you've taken. That's if they acknowledge anything at all: many of them stand around quietly as if stoned. The plot is full of holes and cringeworthy scenes, and there are at least two dangling plot threads that are never addressed (Flemeth and the return of the Wardens). If you don't know much about the game before playing it, you'll have no idea what the goal is or where the game is heading because the dangling plot threads create the misleading impression that something important will happen, but it doesn't. The result is an alienating experience. You don't feel that the character you've created matters and the world he inhabits doesn't make sense. It's not an RPG. There is no role here. Stay away from this game.… Expand
  46. Apollo45
    Jun 9, 2011
    4
    Bioware has created some great games. Dragon Age 2, when compared to most other developer's lineup, would come across as slightly above-average. Overall, it's not a bad game. But it's not a good one either, and when compared to other games that Bioware has put out, it comes across as outright bad. It has its good points:
    -The combat animations have been improved
    -Varric and Aveline are    Bioware has created some great games. Dragon Age 2, when compared to most other developer's lineup, would come across as slightly above-average. Overall, it's not a bad game. But it's not a good one either, and when compared to other games that Bioware has put out, it comes across as outright bad. It has its good points:
    -The combat animations have been improved
    -Varric and Aveline are both excellent characters
    -The storyline, at face value, is good
    -The skill trees are a good way to go in my opinion However, its bad points heavily outweigh the good ones: -The combat has been "simplified" to the point of being able to click auto-attack and just let your character do the work on every difficulty level but Nightmare. -The combat situations have been reduced to randomly spawning enemies that have little to no reason to be there in the first place.
    -Enemies get "reinforcements" during every battle that immediately surround you and eliminate any strategic positioning of your characters that was so key in DA:O
    -Dungeons are re-used throughout the game; there are about four total dungeon maps, and every "new" area consists of those maps re-used with areas closed off or opened. Enemies remain much the same as well.
    -The other characters feel very shallow. As Hawke, you get to know them over the course of ten years, yet I feel like by the end of any other Bioware game I got to know more about my companions than Hawke ever did, despite only knowing them for a year at the very most.
    -Graphics seem worse than in DA:O, and certainly are worse than other recent Bioware games. Everything looks flat and dull.
    That's not everything, but those are the big things. Overall, it feels rushed and very much geared towards console players, which isn't a bad thing in itself, except that Bioware left out and changed things that didn't need to be changed so that console players would have it easier, even though it made playing the game on PC more annoying and much less immersive.

    This game doesn't deserve the high scores critics gave it, and, while not as bad as people make it out to be, definitely ranks among the worst Bioware games to date.    … Expand
  47. FRancium34
    Jun 8, 2011
    6
    Would be a 7 or 7.5 if not for the huge drop-off from Dragon Age 1. Story--7. It focuses on the conflicted hinted at in the first game. Some of your decisions will carry on to future quests, but not nearly enough influence in the end. My defense for this is that the developers clearly have a trilogy in mind, so the 2nd one has to end the way they designed. But yes that's extremelyWould be a 7 or 7.5 if not for the huge drop-off from Dragon Age 1. Story--7. It focuses on the conflicted hinted at in the first game. Some of your decisions will carry on to future quests, but not nearly enough influence in the end. My defense for this is that the developers clearly have a trilogy in mind, so the 2nd one has to end the way they designed. But yes that's extremely frustrating, giving the feeling that all your decisions and effort was worthless. Hey, that's life sometimes. Character interactions--9. Banter in your group is fully voiced, and really lets the character jump out. It was also fulfilling to see some of the old characters from the first game make an appearance, some quite important. Graphics--8. I couldn't run it high or on D11, but it was a significant improvement on the original. Exploration--3. The killer for a lot of players. Dungeons were reused over and over again, unacceptable for such a big name release. When freely roaming the areas, NPCs and environment felt less interactive.Combat and talents--8. Solid, every character, even ones of same profession, felt different enough and close to character.

    All in all, the game is entertaining and has its moments. However, it fails as an RPG, and it doesn't deserve to stand beside the original Dragon Age. Sure glad I didn't pre-order this!    … Expand
  48. 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 ....
  49. Scritty
    Jun 8, 2011
    3
    All I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA One
    The story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.
    Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depth    All I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA One
    The story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.
    Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depth of a spit puddle.    … Expand
  50. recondite
    Jun 7, 2011
    0
    This game irritated me SO much that I had to join this site to write a review in hopes of stopping anyone that reads it from buying this game for PC. The creators of this game decided it would be a good idea to say "SCREW YOU PC GAMERS FOR SUPPORTING US IN THE BEGINNING, WE ARE NOW ALL ABOUT CONSOLES!", so what did they do? Everything in the game now feels circular, and I'm sure that wouldThis game irritated me SO much that I had to join this site to write a review in hopes of stopping anyone that reads it from buying this game for PC. The creators of this game decided it would be a good idea to say "SCREW YOU PC GAMERS FOR SUPPORTING US IN THE BEGINNING, WE ARE NOW ALL ABOUT CONSOLES!", so what did they do? Everything in the game now feels circular, and I'm sure that would be JUST FANTASTIC if we were playing the game with an Xbox controller, but we are not. You get thrown into the action of the game without so much as a single tutorial (The tutorial you do get is ignored because you are being attacked by 20 enemies the second you start the game, so you ignore the text if you want to live). The only thing this game is good for is that I can throw it like a frisbee into a lit fireplace. What a waste of money.… Expand
  51. merl
    Jun 7, 2011
    2
    Epic fail. It is boring, simple and unfinished (I mean gameplay), and, yes, I'm fan of the DA:O. May be (if the name of the game does not contain words "dragon age") I'll give another score, little better...
  52. Fursnake
    Jun 6, 2011
    3
    I really enjoyed the first game a good deal and ultimately found the sequel to be a big letdown. The combat is more enjoyable and I the companion AI seems more flexible and responsive. The main character feels like it has a bit more personality having a voice. That is about as good as it gets. The narrative does not feel as cohesive as the original game nor does it feel like it has theI really enjoyed the first game a good deal and ultimately found the sequel to be a big letdown. The combat is more enjoyable and I the companion AI seems more flexible and responsive. The main character feels like it has a bit more personality having a voice. That is about as good as it gets. The narrative does not feel as cohesive as the original game nor does it feel like it has the same epic sense. The lighter roleplaying elements and the more limited character creation choices detract from the freedom of the roleplaying experience. I did not feel like I was forging my own destiny/story in DA 2 like I did in DA:O. The game world design sucks; the city hub setup that lasts for the whole game is uninspiring both in layout and in visualizations. The repeated use of the same scant amount of maps/areas throughout the entirety of the game is repetitive and speaks of cheap, lackluster game design. Overall DA2 is mostly a letdown as a sequel and part of the Dragon Age world. The overall experience feels a bit more streamlined but at the cost of being much more on rails than the sequel, as well as having a narrower and less epic storyline and being entirely too repetitive and un-immersive. Honestly, I am in the third act of the game, almost near the end, and I just can't find the interest to finish it. Poorly done Bioware, poorly done… Expand
  53. foxx1337
    Jun 6, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I frown upon games that seem to have more money put into marketing than into the actual art/engineering from under the hood. Dragon Age II seems like such a game. I envision the developer being forced by the publisher, maybe even against the studio's strategy, to release something that would appeal to the mass of COD players out there. Had my hopes pretty high after Dragon Age: Origins.
    The character design is clunky at most (the hero's sibling death scene from the beginning feels like "ok, let's get this over with, and fast, because we have an awesome button to mash" - no emotional involvement, sterile at most), the remaining developments feel rushed and often interrupted by fast-forwards in time (you don't get to experience the "impending doom" from DA:O anymore). You're basically this Hawke person, bullying and pimping around through a world nothing links you to.
    The spell effects look way better than in the first game, the camera is worse, the combat dynamics also lack, the story is weak, characters unmemorable, level design through copypaste, If this is what gaming is going to, I'll first boycott the $$$ hungry a$$e$ in charge, then I'll resort to more lucrative activities if my efforts prove to be in vain.    … Expand
  54. Tweed
    Jun 5, 2011
    0
    Supposedly this, thing is suppose to be the sequel to one of the best RPGs seen on the PC since the days of Baldur's Gate. However, for some unfathomable reason Bioware decided that the best thing to do was make a quick cash in rush job and completely eliminate every element that made the previous game good. The writing is flat and lazy, peppered with too many Internet memes and out ofSupposedly this, thing is suppose to be the sequel to one of the best RPGs seen on the PC since the days of Baldur's Gate. However, for some unfathomable reason Bioware decided that the best thing to do was make a quick cash in rush job and completely eliminate every element that made the previous game good. The writing is flat and lazy, peppered with too many Internet memes and out of place profanity in some lame attempt to make the game appear edgier. No effort was spent in actually making any of the party members seem believable or unique, when the characters aren't being completely two dimensional stereotypes or boring they're irritating to the core. If the game had admitted that it was entirely linear it wouldn't be so bad, but you're given the illusion of freedom and nothing you do ever really has any lasting effect. Nearly all story events will play out the way the writers wanted it, It's Bioware's world, you're just playing in it.

    Combat is artificially tweaked to make it appear to be fast paced when in reality it' handles much like a MMORPG, waves of monsters literally rain from the sky as you try in vain to use any special abilities against all but the weakest of them. The same system also causes all boss battles to slow to a crawl as you're forced to whittle away at them bit by bit. The inventory and loot system have been reduced to a Diablo clone style to try to make the player feel better about having to kill so many monsters before moving on to the next boring fight in another generic warehouse. The skill system was also redone to reflect a Diablo clone style with many of the abilities from the previous game being done away with and most of whatever is left over either being useless or forcing the player to be shackled to a particular set of abilities or spells thus removing most of the strategic elements from the game as well. In fact all the game play changes can be summed up as Bioware trying to removing everything that made the player actually have to think.

    I DO have to admit that I did not finish the game, I could not force myself to go any further after I reached the 3rd Act and I realized I that was completely trapped within the city and it's excuse for an outdoor area, but somehow I doubt that the game magically became 95% better after I dropped out. The fact of the matter is this: This game is completely inexcusable and unacceptable from a company that KNOWS better. And they knew exactly what they were doing when they choose to produce this game the way it is, but I imagine they couldn't have anticipated the sense of betrayal the player base would feel or the amount of negative backlash they would receive for it. There is no patch they can develop for this game that will "fix" it or turn it into something it's not and it is NOT a sequel to Dragon Age:Origins.    … Expand
  55. karibou
    Jun 5, 2011
    0
    I'm disgusted. Disgusted by what Bioware have done to a good franchise, by their attitude, and by the reviews of the so called "professionnals' of the video games magazines. I shouldn't have bought this game, and Bioware shouldn't have made it.
  56. Marsten
    Jun 5, 2011
    3
    I consider myself to be a hardcore RPG gamer, and I am a huge fan of BioWare Games. I was raised on Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and I also love their modern titles such as Mass Effect, and also Dragon Age:Origins. But dragon Age 2 is just a big misunderstanding. This rushed, inconsistent and monotonous piece of crap is just a sad, sad attempt to cash in on a promising franchise. HowI consider myself to be a hardcore RPG gamer, and I am a huge fan of BioWare Games. I was raised on Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and I also love their modern titles such as Mass Effect, and also Dragon Age:Origins. But dragon Age 2 is just a big misunderstanding. This rushed, inconsistent and monotonous piece of crap is just a sad, sad attempt to cash in on a promising franchise. How can such good IP deteriorate so quickly, is just beyond me. Remember how in Origins we could travel through Ferelden, have an epic adventure fighting Darkspawn, and save the whole land? You can forget that here. Action takes place in one city - Kirkwall. ONE GOD DAMN CITY! Yeah, sure, we have few locations in the outskirts, but they are recycled so often, that you will constantly return to the same places, and just fight different mobs depending on the quest that you will be doing. That is just a lazy design. And what about the plot? In Origins we were trying to stop a monster invasion, so we traveled from city to city, trying to unite the land and build an army. You can forget such epic storytelling here. To tell you the truth there is no backbone for a plot here, it just feels like one overlonged prolouge. You want to know what the plot is? Warning spoilers: How we became a champion. Thats it. We have three chapters, that seem totally unrelated with each other. And so first we will be preparing for a trasure hunt (best one), and then we will just be dealing with political machinations. It is all just boring, and uninspired. Whats more, this game is laughably easy even on hard difficulty, and has a dumbed down dialog system. Combat? Please. Characters animation during the fights reminds me a free to play korean MMO. Furthermore forget about any tactics. You will be fighting waves after waves of weak enemies, that will literally fall from the sky or even from ceilings. You will just maw through them without any strategy. it looks like a damn cartoon, and not a hardcore dark fantasy RPG. What to say more... How abou the fact, that your decisions in Origins have almost no impact on the plot of Dragon Age 2. Yeah, sure you'll meet some references here and there, and once I think you'll meet a character from the first game. But it does not change anything overall. Summarising Dragon Age 2 is a worst BioWare Game I have ever played. I hope they will takes their fans opinions to heart and improve upon in the next installment. I really, REALLY hope so.… Expand
  57. Powderkeg40
    Jun 5, 2011
    4
    Compared to the first Dragon age this game is lacking in the story line department. Though there are many ways to play through it I found that unlike the first, once was enough. Another Blah sequel that could of and should of been so much more.
  58. diabloNtoqe
    Jun 4, 2011
    0
    this game is an insult to rpgs, an insult to my intelligence, and an insult to the pc gaming itself, they fraudulently took 60 dollars from me and in return it only included just 1 freeking city with dungeons that repeats over and over and over again. whats going on with this world ? are we that dumb ? this game is an abomination! DONT buy this game please!
  59. IdeaLista
    Jun 4, 2011
    8
    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing fresh: romance copied from Mass Effect, steering from Baldur's Gate + 3D, Grey Wardens concept from The Witcher, DA2 story (templar-mages confilct) from The Witcher, DA2 dialogue concept on Mass Efect and so on...
    Nothing new to combat...

    DA2 advantages - quite coherent story, interesting characters,
    DA2 disadvantages - walking same-looking locations over and over again...    … Expand
  60. 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.
  61. Geralt
    Jun 2, 2011
    10
    How come game developers decided that if a game is successful the sequel should be dumbed down? It used to be the other way round - remember ancient great games such as: Warcraft (version II much better than I), Command and Conquer, Civilization, Myth and, Bioware own, Baldur Gate? While Baldur Gate II was a great game the sequel i.e. Neverwinter Nights was mediocre even though theHow come game developers decided that if a game is successful the sequel should be dumbed down? It used to be the other way round - remember ancient great games such as: Warcraft (version II much better than I), Command and Conquer, Civilization, Myth and, Bioware own, Baldur Gate? While Baldur Gate II was a great game the sequel i.e. Neverwinter Nights was mediocre even though the graphics were much improved. The story line was not interesting, the humor was gone, the likeable characters were gone (Minsk, Jan) - the player just walked around whacking everything that moved.
    Now, the idea of "whacking everything" in a Dungeons and Dragons type game is not new - it was perfected in Diablo II (and some other games) and rehashing it in Dragon Age II was not a great idea. I have bought the game recently and was able to finish it on "normal" difficulty without dying once (or loosing a character). Bottom line: not very interesting, too easy, too dumbed down - an overall disappointment.    … Expand
  62. LonBorah
    Jun 1, 2011
    10
    First of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whatsFirst of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whats with this small map and playing with only one human is another negative but still has its positive like the story is pretty good along with the character models and the r.p.g elements Overall Its quite playable but still i recommend the predecessor why the hell the product was rushed I was suppode to give it a score of 7 but with all those negative comments its better to give it a 8… Expand
  63. zeevico
    Jun 1, 2011
    5
    Gameplay makes the game, ultimately and that's the biggest failing in DA2. Plenty of reviewers have already mentioned the wave-based combat system and recycled environments. Put simply, they ruin the gameplay. You simply can't face the same enemies, over and over again, using the same tactics, over and over again, in the same maps, over and over again. It's not hard: it's boring.
    I    Gameplay makes the game, ultimately and that's the biggest failing in DA2. Plenty of reviewers have already mentioned the wave-based combat system and recycled environments. Put simply, they ruin the gameplay. You simply can't face the same enemies, over and over again, using the same tactics, over and over again, in the same maps, over and over again. It's not hard: it's boring.
    I wouldn't recommend this game for that reason alone. It simply becomes unplayable and boring somewhere by the beginning of the third Act. The combat/talent system breaks at that time too as there are no more appealing abilities left to pick for the next eight levels to make the game more interesting. There's nothing left to the game by the end of Act II.
    To add insult to injury, the game railroads you into making the decisions it wants you to make. The voice acting and cinematics are neither compelling nor interesting. Overall, this is probably the worst Bioware game to date.
    I tried to like this game. I really did. On reflection, however, it gets a fail mark of 5 out of 10.    … Expand
  64. LordOFlibertY
    Jun 1, 2011
    4
    The sequel to the decade's best RPG game created. Now the question everybody has asked; Does it live up to the sequel?
    Unfortunatly that is a BIG F NO. Dragon Age 2 fails in every single way and is not a worthy sequel. The 'enhanced graphics' was an utter sham. The health bars looks like something from Mass Effect and the dark, grim graphics approach in Origins was imported terribly in    The sequel to the decade's best RPG game created. Now the question everybody has asked; Does it live up to the sequel?
    Unfortunatly that is a BIG F NO. Dragon Age 2 fails in every single way and is not a worthy sequel. The 'enhanced graphics' was an utter sham. The health bars looks like something from Mass Effect and the dark, grim graphics approach in Origins was imported terribly in Dragon Age 2 and felt like they over done it in some areas. I would say that the only good aspect in this game is the many design concepts that they have developed and succeed.
    Overall for players that played through Dragon Age Origins casually like any ol' game, Dragon Age 2 but be as enjoyable. If you're a die hard Origin lover like me Dragon Age 2 may make you cry from such failures it made. If you simply want to know the story and explore more of the worlds, I suggest renting it .    … Expand
  65. MachShot
    May 30, 2011
    2
    If "Requiem for a Dream" could be made into an adaptation for a corporation instead of individuals, the main actor would be BioWare. This is a company that was legendary years ago, and somehow in the span of time following their purchase by EA it has eroded into a cesspit of bad ideas, bad production, and just plain bad employees. I'll be honest, I didn't finish the game. I couldn't. ButIf "Requiem for a Dream" could be made into an adaptation for a corporation instead of individuals, the main actor would be BioWare. This is a company that was legendary years ago, and somehow in the span of time following their purchase by EA it has eroded into a cesspit of bad ideas, bad production, and just plain bad employees. I'll be honest, I didn't finish the game. I couldn't. But let this review start off with the few good things about this heap of a game.

    Sound track is pretty good, some would say its generic medieval lore stuff but that main theme almost makes you think that your about to play a great game.

    Combat for rouge classes has improved in some ways, now an entirely useful class.

    Now for the things this game is horrible at. The games idea of difficulty is just more enemies that spawn behind you. The game's idea of a plot was lead by a woman who the internet has widely renamed as "Hamburger Helper" who's past works make Sonic the Hedgehog/Twilight crossover fan-fiction look like Pulitzer prize winning literature. The main plot has no real presence until the end of the game if the summaries I'm reading are true. To save processing power the game's non-vital NPC's in the ONE city available have facial graphics comparable to that of Morrowind (on lowest graphical settings). Again I'll say that this game has ONE town, so don't expect exploring anything to be a part of the game. It recycles dungeons and textures to the point where you think Greenpeace would give them a happy face sticker. it's "art design" is just a graphics reduction. It's dialog is focused on either being respectful, a jokester, or a prick with no actual effect on dialog results. It's romance is focused purely on being respectful to the homosexual community, but to the extent that would disturb even a San Francisco pride marcher with the realization that in BioWareLand it's biologically normal for the majority of people to be bisexual. And to top it off, the lack of correlation between professional and user reviews demonstrates "incentive" offered by EA for better reviews, and virtually all 10 ratings of this game can be traced directly to staff members on the BioWare forums if you just Google their username.

    This game tried to appeal to all demographics. The result was pissing of all but the most stupid of people. An RPG that tries to get "Call of Duty's audience" according to their chief employees is about as stupid as a radical communist trying to get the libertarian vote. And to think I was a fan of Mass Effect in the past, it's obvious now that the final installment of that trilogy however won't even be worth a pirate. BioWare is but a shell of the business they once were, its sad really.

    Note that if you forget every RPG you ever played in your life, and if you devote weeks of your life to bioware forum indoctrination and END OF LINE banter (head over there if you want to understand that), you can brainwash yourself to thinking its a decent game if you already made the unfortunate mistake of purchasing it.

    One point for good music and one point because I still remember when BioWare made great games.    … Expand
  66. Wren
    May 30, 2011
    3
    The combat felt more engaging and exciting, but the interaction with companions was sacrificed, which made the game far less enjoyable. I wouldn't purchase another game in this series if this is the way things keep going.
  67. thaje
    May 29, 2011
    3
    I started Dragon Age II with eager expectation, but after an hour I found myself having to motivate myself just to keep playing... "It MUST get better soon"... but it didn't. Bioware has stripped out everything good about Origins and made what was bad even worse. The combat is even easier and more simplified; the plot is confusing and hollow at best; the environments are repetetive (c'monI started Dragon Age II with eager expectation, but after an hour I found myself having to motivate myself just to keep playing... "It MUST get better soon"... but it didn't. Bioware has stripped out everything good about Origins and made what was bad even worse. The combat is even easier and more simplified; the plot is confusing and hollow at best; the environments are repetetive (c'mon Bioware, like we wouldn't notice...); the characters are lame and undeveloped. In fact, everything about the game just feels poor. Worth a play for Bioware fans, but by no means get your hopes up.… Expand
  68. spaghettiwestrn
    May 29, 2011
    0
    A god awful abortion of a game, made by a development team of pompous, arrogant children who can not take criticism in any form. David Gaider and Stanley "End of Line" Woo spent more time trolling their company forums than they did writing or developing.
  69. disorient
    May 29, 2011
    6
    The story setting and atmosphere does feel exactly as though it is the Mediterranean of DA:O's setting. 2's storytelling is shallow. It's not a bad game; It feels like a hack-and-slash spinoff of the original game instead of a sequel. If Dragon Age 3 approaches the quality of Origins, 2 could be this franchise's equivalent of an odd number Star Trek film.
  70. MathewRD
    May 27, 2011
    2
    With Bioware rigging the user reviews, you can't help but think they're rigging the critic reviews as well. Bioware was already caught rigging DA II's user scores on Metacritic by having employees give it good scores. Bioware's response was that it was the same thing as Barrack Obama voting for himself.

    Anyways, about the game. It targets a larger audience by dumbing things down but loses    With Bioware rigging the user reviews, you can't help but think they're rigging the critic reviews as well. Bioware was already caught rigging DA II's user scores on Metacritic by having employees give it good scores. Bioware's response was that it was the same thing as Barrack Obama voting for himself.

    Anyways, about the game. It targets a larger audience by dumbing things down but loses its original audience it once had. You stay in the same area for most of the game, the dialogue wheel is incredibly limited, and the voice acting isn't very good. Dragon Age II went from being a strategic form of game to more of a Devil May Cry clone without the fun that DmC had.

    You'll be better of with the Witcher 2.    … Expand
  71. google_calasade
    May 27, 2011
    3
    In a word, this game is atrocious. The NPCs are shallow. The graphics are cartoonish. The storyline is, well, boring. This is not its predecessor. Indeed, I am not sure what it is, or what it tries to be. It attempts action, hack n slash and RPG and succeeds at NONE of those. In my life, I've never rated a game below a 5...until now. Being an optimist, I start at 10 and deductIn a word, this game is atrocious. The NPCs are shallow. The graphics are cartoonish. The storyline is, well, boring. This is not its predecessor. Indeed, I am not sure what it is, or what it tries to be. It attempts action, hack n slash and RPG and succeeds at NONE of those. In my life, I've never rated a game below a 5...until now. Being an optimist, I start at 10 and deduct points (normally decimals) for those areas where I believe a game is lacking. If it lacks enough, I will subtract a whole point.

    Immersiveness = -2

    Repeated Areas = -2

    Wow, we're already down to 5. There is no immersiveness here. Kirkwall is a blank slate. The people within it stay the same and have no life cycle during the game's timeline (10 years). They do not react to you nor what happens around them. Fun, huh?

    The repeated areas? No game prior to this has offended by repetition quite so badly. It is AWFUL.

    Storyline = -1
    Graphics = -1
    Gameplay = -1

    And voilla, we're well below a 5, which is average.

    Do not waste your time or money with this rushed hack job.    … Expand
  72. 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
  73. tobas1
    May 27, 2011
    3
    I have only one thing to say - don't fix things that are not broken-this will never work. Instead of fixing working ideas when you have clearly not enough time given to you by investors than just focus at content. Coz if you have not enough time and still trying to change not only scenario and environment but also game-play, mechanics and graphics and doing it for few platforms at the sameI have only one thing to say - don't fix things that are not broken-this will never work. Instead of fixing working ideas when you have clearly not enough time given to you by investors than just focus at content. Coz if you have not enough time and still trying to change not only scenario and environment but also game-play, mechanics and graphics and doing it for few platforms at the same time you just can't win. If this game would have unchanged gameplay and only little more polshed graphics it would be also bashed for not being creative but wouldn't get REAL avarage rating less than 7-8, but with focusing at scenario and as a sequel of good game i would expect at least 8,5-9,5. now it has 4 and in my opinion still too much… Expand
  74. Sovereign
    May 27, 2011
    0
    go play the witcher 2, punish bioware for this nonsense. copy paste everywhere, flemmeth talking crap without sense, horrible graphics, boring characters, horrible dialog tree, everyone is bisexual? (doesnt make sense, no discrimination here) and forced cammeos of all the DAO characters! everything in one place Dragon Age "2"............
  75. magsix
    May 26, 2011
    1
    I have played pretty much every major pc title released since i was 10 years old , now im 23 and I've played alot of games. RPG's are my favourite games by far and I absolutely loved the original Dragon Age , having put over 200 hours into it on steam.

    Now they release this hoax and dare call it a sequal.. it is really quite a shame believe me. Loving different RPG's from the Gothic    I have played pretty much every major pc title released since i was 10 years old , now im 23 and I've played alot of games. RPG's are my favourite games by far and I absolutely loved the original Dragon Age , having put over 200 hours into it on steam.

    Now they release this hoax and dare call it a sequal.. it is really quite a shame believe me. Loving different RPG's from the Gothic series to the elder scrolls and the classics icewind dale and baldurs gate. I can honestly say I quit this game before even getting halfway , it's that bad... It says its an rpg but its really just a bad fighting game with overexaggerated blood effects to appeal to god knows who! i wouldnt even think kids found that cool... dont support bad sequals guys... for your own good.    … Expand
  76. jim008
    May 26, 2011
    3
    This is a prime example of don't trust the critics to be objective. This game tried to reinvent the wheel and instead completely alienated those who enjoyed the first Dragon Age. Problem is that they designed this game to be a cheap action thrill. After awhile you completely lose interest in the story and might as well skip every scene. Seriously, how can anybody be interested in aThis is a prime example of don't trust the critics to be objective. This game tried to reinvent the wheel and instead completely alienated those who enjoyed the first Dragon Age. Problem is that they designed this game to be a cheap action thrill. After awhile you completely lose interest in the story and might as well skip every scene. Seriously, how can anybody be interested in a story so thin as you are now the badass so keep on questing because that's what badasses do. The combat is good and that's basically it because cheap action games only focuses on game play. The graphics are so good that the developers decided that you must run through the same areas over and over again until you want to poke your eyes out. I'm sorry but if DA origins was anything like this game, it would have flopped and nobody would have purchased this sequel. I think they purposely made this game horrible so that DA3 would be like a legend among the Dragon Age series. This game tried to be an RPG but the story sucked and there is absolutely no real feel in the world as monster just randomly spawn when you're running through the same area for the 12th time. This game tried to also be an action game but it's not really fun since it only has pretty good combat. Basically it tried to be good at multiple things but failed at being good with anything.… Expand
  77. 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
  78. sambeckard
    May 26, 2011
    6
    Pleasant, but a little bored me. And the graphics ... This is not the DA1.
    Good entertainment, but not an outstanding game. I expected something more.
    Now I'm waiting for DA3 - I hope it will be much better!
  79. PsyCoil
    May 26, 2011
    0
    Developer: BioWare
    Genre(s): Role-Playing Those two lines are very inaccurate, This game doesn't look like any game BioWare made and It's certainly not a Role-playing game but an action game. If you have to call it RPG then call it Arcade-RPG.
    The game was clearly designed for little kids, Sexy? No, Nothing sexy about a bunch of companions hypocrites. Better graphics? No. There is no    Developer: BioWare
    Genre(s): Role-Playing Those two lines are very inaccurate, This game doesn't look like any game BioWare made and It's certainly not a Role-playing game but an action game. If you have to call it RPG then call it Arcade-RPG.
    The game was clearly designed for little kids, Sexy? No, Nothing sexy about a bunch of companions hypocrites. Better graphics? No. There is no variety in the graphics, everything is just BROWN, everywhere you look You'll see BROWN. Better Story? NO. Many plot holes from origins. Better gameplay? No. This game combat is so unrealistic, even the Matrix looks more realistic then this.

    I know some of you DA:O fans reading all those bad reviews here and think "It can't be that bad, there's no wayyy". I also know some of you think this is some of sequel to the original game, Well, If you don't listen to those bad reviews here You'll get a BIG FUUUU to your face when playing this game.    … Expand
  80. BobTheSCV
    May 25, 2011
    6
    If this was any game, by any developer, completely stand alone game that wasn't a sequel to Dragon Age: Origins, I would have probably given it a higher rating. But as it is, Bioware has set a certain standard in it's games. Never once have I played a Bioware game that didn't adhere to the very finest standards of quality. ... until Dragon Age 2. It feels rushed, watered down, andIf this was any game, by any developer, completely stand alone game that wasn't a sequel to Dragon Age: Origins, I would have probably given it a higher rating. But as it is, Bioware has set a certain standard in it's games. Never once have I played a Bioware game that didn't adhere to the very finest standards of quality. ... until Dragon Age 2. It feels rushed, watered down, and downright uninspiring.

    Dungeons are frequently re-used. In Dragon Age 1, some maps would be re-used, typically in random encounters and the like where it didn't really matter. In Dragon Age 2, this is taken to a whole 'nother level. In general, level design has taken a hit as well. It's just less interesting. Less features. Less attention to detail. The world doesn't feel lived in anymore. Feels like a film set.

    The combat has serious issues. The combat mechanics aren't glitchy, but very poorly balanced. Either it's face-rollingly easy, or extremely difficult, with very little in terms of a middle ground. The difficulty also comes from the unforgiving wave mechanic that has units spawning out of nowhere in waves, which means it's virtually impossible to recover from mistakes. Did I mention that potions are on a global cooldown? Sometimes, games with broken mechanics are redeemed by the amount of love put into them by the developers, but this game feels mostly as an attempt to see just how many corners can be cut before people react. And clearly they've cut one corner too many.

    To re-iterate, by industry standards it's not a bad game. But by bioware standards, it's disappointing. If you find it on a discount, by all means pick it up for the story if nothing else, but don't expect another masterpiece like Dragon Age: Origins.    … Expand
  81. 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!
  82. rusina
    May 25, 2011
    1
    Dragon Age II is a piece of "garbage" trying to ride on the success of Dragon Age: Origins. Too bad that during the making of the game they forgot all about the fans of the earlier game and chose to appeal to a "larger audience". My advice, don't buy it and encourage Bioware to keep insulting their fans.
  83. UWHusky
    May 25, 2011
    3
    I found this to be a very difficult game ot review. I was extremely excited about getting this game as I am a long-time fan of bioware's products: Knights of the Old Republic, KOTOR II, DA:O, Mass Effect, and Mass Effect II were all games that I greatly enjoyed, and as such I had rather high expectations from Dragon Age II. I guess I should say that my first hint at my concerns showed upI found this to be a very difficult game ot review. I was extremely excited about getting this game as I am a long-time fan of bioware's products: Knights of the Old Republic, KOTOR II, DA:O, Mass Effect, and Mass Effect II were all games that I greatly enjoyed, and as such I had rather high expectations from Dragon Age II. I guess I should say that my first hint at my concerns showed up with the initial watching of the trailer where the main character summons something to rip the arms off of his enemy. The trailer itself didn't make any sense, and I was wondering to myself why he just didn't do that in the first place.

    I guess you could say that this about sums up the game.... It doesn't make any sense. I played the game for hours, continually expecting some sort of solidified story to show up, and after what seemed like an eternity, I realized that I was no longer interested in the game whatsoever. The story line never materialized, the combat, while initially was intriguing, rapidly became frustrating as I realized my NPC healer, Anders, couldn't heal anything, my tank couldn't hold aggro, and generally, as a rogue all I did was mash buttons. My biggest letdown though was something many people have already brought up: Bioware apparently ran out of ideas in creating their areas as they decided to create one area and make it work for multiple areas by opening and closing doors. The first time I saw it I didn't think much of it, but later I realized that it was the norm rather than the exception, I quickly started losing interest in the game.

    So.... breakdown:
    Pros:
    -Improved combat in that you no longer just point and click, but this does get old when you realize all you ever do is button mash.
    -Characters: this has historically been bioware's strong suit, and Dragon age II doesn't disappoint. I was generally intrigued with the characters, with the exception of Anders who simply came across as a big crybaby.

    Cons:
    -No longer can choose multiple races, like in DA:O. This offered a slightly different option for multiple playthroughs.
    -Lame, boring storyline. I have to be honest and say that I gave up on the game before Act III, so maybe a storyline does eventually appear, but I don't think a game should take 6 hours of gameplay to create the rudiments of a storyline that is intriguing.
    -Lame, boring side-quests.
    -Poor combat balancing. Initially I enjoyed the multiple waves of enemies that appear which makes combat sequences last longer, but later in the game I came to realize that this was a huge pain because your tank's taunt ability doesn't keep up with these waves, your healer can't heal anything because his heal skill takes what seems like 10 minutes to recharge, and everybody ends up dying unless you continually use healing items, which cost money. Frustrating.
    -DLC content abuse? Don't know how else to put it. I was rather shocked when I checked the DLC content and found about 100 things to download on the first day I played the game. This tells me that I paid 60 bucks for an incomplete game. I don't mind buying DLCs down the road, but it makes me wonder when such a huge amount of DLC content is not included with the game on day one. It screams of Bioware attempting (and succeeding) in extorting more money from their fan base.

    Overall... Very disapointed. Was very excited about this game, which is why I think I put up with the game for as long as I did. This game reeks of mass-produced money raking. Shame on bioware. I traded it back in to Amazon today with a tear in my eye. Here's hoping they don't mess up Mass Effect 3.    … Expand
  84. Birdseye
    May 25, 2011
    0
    Dreadful is how a good RPG game and solid studio may result in sequel that is by no means THE WORST RPG OF THE DECADE. Terrible controls & fighting mechanic, 4 freaking backgrounds ( locations all looks THE SAME ), enemies re-spawning on my god damn HEAD - I have no words how cheated I feel now
  85. SargeGO
    May 25, 2011
    8
    While I still found this game to be great, it wasn't as good as DA:O. While I think that the gameplay got better, the dungeons got too repetitive and it was not nearly as replayable as DA:O. I think the story was just as good, if not better than DA:O.
  86. Raskull
    May 24, 2011
    5
    I don't think this game deserves the REALLY low scores it has gotten but I too am dissapointed in the game. DA:O was a fun rpg with an engaging story that I enjoyed and actually played through several times to see what the different outcomes were. The sequel on the other hand feels like they dumbed it down. I'm not the most savvy of gamers on here but even I could tell this just didn'tI don't think this game deserves the REALLY low scores it has gotten but I too am dissapointed in the game. DA:O was a fun rpg with an engaging story that I enjoyed and actually played through several times to see what the different outcomes were. The sequel on the other hand feels like they dumbed it down. I'm not the most savvy of gamers on here but even I could tell this just didn't feel like it was made for the PC and lacked the appeal the first one had. If you HAVE to play this, wait for it to go on sale.… Expand
  87. shadowsreaver
    May 24, 2011
    4
    The discrepancy between user and critic opinions says it all about bioware. This game is a travesty. I still rate it 4 and not 2 is because of respect towards other bioware game series and sometimes the mindless action is enjoyable. This game is far worse than origins which itself was only an okay game. Everything in this game is done wrong. EVERY character is cliche (except Varric thoughThe discrepancy between user and critic opinions says it all about bioware. This game is a travesty. I still rate it 4 and not 2 is because of respect towards other bioware game series and sometimes the mindless action is enjoyable. This game is far worse than origins which itself was only an okay game. Everything in this game is done wrong. EVERY character is cliche (except Varric though the only one i liked was Fenris), the story is almost nonexistent, caves and even ROOMS are recycled a thousand times, graphics are terrible, enemies explode into a shower of blood when poked with a knife.....it goes on and on. A complete and utter failure. Shame on you bioware. And screw you EA for i feel you had a big hand in this abomination.… Expand
  88. AkarnisGath
    May 24, 2011
    0
    Do NOT buy this game. If you get the reference that my name is, you are probably an old school BioWare fan. This means that you KNOW they dropped the ball on this one. When I played DA: O I felt that it was a departure from RPGS I was used to, and somewhat bland of a game, and uninspired storywise. But a bad game? No way. DA: O is just what RPGs look like after the reign of WoW. It was aDo NOT buy this game. If you get the reference that my name is, you are probably an old school BioWare fan. This means that you KNOW they dropped the ball on this one. When I played DA: O I felt that it was a departure from RPGS I was used to, and somewhat bland of a game, and uninspired storywise. But a bad game? No way. DA: O is just what RPGs look like after the reign of WoW. It was a fun game for what it was. But Dragon Age 2 is just an abomination. BioWare made a *BAD* game and I never thought this day would come. They made a button-mashing borefest designed for people who don't like or care about RPGs. I really hope they learn from this mistake, because I feel really guilty for giving them money for this affront to the RPG genre. It's pretty obvious the EA has paid reviews (shills) to give it a rating it doesn't deserve. User reviews speak the truth.… Expand
  89. KsidE
    May 24, 2011
    0
    Zero. This is call to Bioware that it needs to change. NO, it's not working anymore. STOP doing the same game over and over. Gamers need something new, something evolved (it's 2011 and not 2005). I don't care that they must make PS3/X360/DS version. My PC is underused with the poor graphics I see.

    One for the fans only.
  90. Venomaxiv
    May 24, 2011
    3
    How can i say it. This game is bad.
    Compared to Dragon Age 1 you don't have too big choice on the character selection.
    Hordes of the enemies spawning from everywhere, you cannot keep mages in the back, they are nearly always surrounded . Rouge skills - he is disappearing and reappearing at the enemies back... mercy - teleportation in fantasy game? Without magic? I'm very happy that i could    How can i say it. This game is bad.
    Compared to Dragon Age 1 you don't have too big choice on the character selection.
    Hordes of the enemies spawning from everywhere, you cannot keep mages in the back, they are nearly always surrounded . Rouge skills - he is disappearing and reappearing at the enemies back... mercy - teleportation in fantasy game? Without magic?
    I'm very happy that i could see the demo and play at my friends PC before buying. It would be big waste of money.    … Expand
  91. lftlitm
    May 24, 2011
    10
    I don't think it deserves a ten but I'm giving it one to counter some of the haters excessively negative ratings. This game realistically shouldn't be given less than a 7. People say it's unstable, I call BS. I have a mediocre PC (was good 3 years ago) running windows 7 and I have yet to have the game crash. The graphics are actually quite good even without being able to use the HDI don't think it deserves a ten but I'm giving it one to counter some of the haters excessively negative ratings. This game realistically shouldn't be given less than a 7. People say it's unstable, I call BS. I have a mediocre PC (was good 3 years ago) running windows 7 and I have yet to have the game crash. The graphics are actually quite good even without being able to use the HD textures. The dialogue wheel works fine and your choices aren't just good, silly and bad. There are aggressive comments that are just that aggressive. There are some that are mean spirited but those are typically denoted by the fist icon as opposed to the gavel icon indicating the comment simply being aggressive. Again there are nice comments for instance when you are trying to console someone who is sad and diplomatic comments when you are trying to be just that.. diplomatic. Your dialogue choices affect your characters personality, the reactions of your comrades, special dialogue events that may only be granted to aggressive or diplomatic characters. The combat is entertaining and fast paced. I like the fact it is faster paced than origins was. If you want a more strategic fight then play on hard. Personally I like playing on normal because my character is supposed to be the champion of Kirkwall and I personally feel being forced to use "tactics" like kiting in order to beat enemies to be very lame.

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

    So my official rating is a 9. Some small issues but I expect many of those to be fixed over time.    … Expand
  92. drosera1
    May 23, 2011
    4
    I played this game to completion and i had a mediocre time. Having just bought The Witcher 2, i realised that there was more variety and ingenuity during the first 2 hours of that game than ALL of Dragon Age 2. Why oh why did Bioware recycle SO many of the environments? It's pathetic just how copy-pasted this game is. My only wish now is that Bioware don't mess up Mass Effect 3.
  93. Cuco
    May 23, 2011
    10
    Best RPG of 2011. Good story ? Check. Good characters ? Check. Difficult combats ? Check! It's just perfect. You can't go wrong with Bioware.

    Trust in Bioware, go with me.
  94. SpiritTauren
    May 23, 2011
    5
    Most of us, fans, compare DA2 to DAO and can not help being upset, It is however fully understandable that console gaming influences every single genre nowadays and an RPG designed to fit both PC and X-box/PS3 can not retain old DnD-alike style due to its unpopularity amongst evolved intellectual beings who master a stunning ability to chose between all three icons when a dialog commences.Most of us, fans, compare DA2 to DAO and can not help being upset, It is however fully understandable that console gaming influences every single genre nowadays and an RPG designed to fit both PC and X-box/PS3 can not retain old DnD-alike style due to its unpopularity amongst evolved intellectual beings who master a stunning ability to chose between all three icons when a dialog commences. Given that one may doubt DA2 would have disappointed console players. But those lads surely do not appreciate copy-paste dungeons, go 'n kill MMORPG quests and tiny corridors. And that we PC and console users have in common. This game would have scored 9/10 if it was called "Hawke: adventures of a homeless thug". Unfortunately it claims to be a DA sequel. Personally I admire Bioware regardless of this unique case, for my belief in them capable of making masterpieces can not fade away only because of EA.… Expand
  95. Gozeta
    May 23, 2011
    0
    This game was so horrible compared to Origins that I wanted to slit my wrist. If it wasn't for the fact that they had bundled in ME2 with DA2 I would not have bought it. Loved ME2, DA 2 needs to burn in the fire.
  96. Alex_Whatever
    May 22, 2011
    4
    There is no much more to say about this game that hasn't been said. This is a game that was made purely to satisfy investors at EA and in the long run it will even fail at that. It is in essence a piece of trash that disappoints at every level. Avoid like the plague, don't take it even if they pay you.
  97. devilinside
    May 22, 2011
    10
    -Bu ney oluyor?

    -Witcher 2.

    -BuÄ
  98. DevilhornsMag
    May 22, 2011
    5
    The first truly mediocre game by Bioware. I enjoyed DA: Origins very much and pre-ordered this as soon as it became an option, sure it would be more of the same greatness. Recycled dungeons, waves of space-invaders type enemies, terrible dialogue, nonexistent script and worst of all, plasmatic choices that do not matter in the slightest, this is a travesty of an RPG and a shame upon allThe first truly mediocre game by Bioware. I enjoyed DA: Origins very much and pre-ordered this as soon as it became an option, sure it would be more of the same greatness. Recycled dungeons, waves of space-invaders type enemies, terrible dialogue, nonexistent script and worst of all, plasmatic choices that do not matter in the slightest, this is a travesty of an RPG and a shame upon all it's creators. As a stand-alone game it's merely mediocre, a good natured if clumsily executed fumble at indie gamemaking.… Expand
  99. life
    May 22, 2011
    10
    Amazing game, not as good as Dragon Age Origin though but still very close. The story is good and there are plenty of choices to make. And most of the character are interesting.
    I recommend it. 10 points for Dragon Age 2 :)
    .
  100. SJ_pl
    May 22, 2011
    5
    It's good. It has a ton of flaws but I finished the game and not all games made me do that especially that I've spend a lot of time with it (more then 20 hours). - Repeated levels
    - boring characters
    - boging skills

    + fighting mechanics...
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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