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. vetr
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    Took me 18 hours to finish playing it to 100%. Most of that was traipsing around identical areas and fighting the same waves of enemies I fought since the beginning with larger health bars. The writing is mainly horrid much like the non-branching storyline. I don't think i've been quite this pissed about a game before. It starts out okay and just rolls downhill at a constant pace. GetsTook me 18 hours to finish playing it to 100%. Most of that was traipsing around identical areas and fighting the same waves of enemies I fought since the beginning with larger health bars. The writing is mainly horrid much like the non-branching storyline. I don't think i've been quite this pissed about a game before. It starts out okay and just rolls downhill at a constant pace. Gets even worse if you redo certain parts (or open the debug console) and realize there's almost no branching paths to speak of.… Expand
  2. valero
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    just because metacritic is paid to give it good reviews (or in this case medicore since it wasn't 99/100) doesn't mean it's any good. i could write a thesis on why the game sucks, but to make it short, it's like they took a time machine and went back to 2002 to develop the game. the storyline, combat, and graphics are horrible. this is a bigger disappointment than fallout new vegas
  3. baronb
    Mar 10, 2011
    3
    It would be nice to say that Dragon Age II fell short of lofty promises and unrealistic expectations for a sequel to a quite successful game. It would be nice to say that, but DA2 is in every sense of the word rushed, and oozing focus-group driven development. DA2 is to RPGs what a mockup of Avatar done in Poser would be to film: an anaemic, shallow, mass-market appeal piece of shlock thatIt would be nice to say that Dragon Age II fell short of lofty promises and unrealistic expectations for a sequel to a quite successful game. It would be nice to say that, but DA2 is in every sense of the word rushed, and oozing focus-group driven development. DA2 is to RPGs what a mockup of Avatar done in Poser would be to film: an anaemic, shallow, mass-market appeal piece of shlock that also happens to look like crap. The same four (count em, four!) different dungeons will be trawled through the entire game, with some minor variations in which doors are hard-locked. The enemies are similarly monotonous and repetitive, coming in three types: basic, auto-attacking warriors and archers, and spellcasters that will hang back. No difference in behaviour or special abilities seem to exist between the different species of monsters. Fighting the same endless waves of spider-people and dwarf-orc "run up and attack" monsters with no variation quickly dulls the mind, which is almost comforting given the writing, setting, and level design. The encounters in which these brilliant tactical AIs are presented consist of copy-pasted waves of monsters spawning from nothing, ad nauseaum. The levels are incredibly linear, and one quickly realizes anything resembling an open area will probably just mean lots of spawns of identical mobs before trundling down the next corridor. Despite being a triple-A title from a star studio, the game manages to look like Poser models battered in jaggies and fried in tones of brownish-red low-res textures. The "Push button; receive Awesome", fun-finds-you game design leaves little or nothing to the player's imagination or skill. The dialogue is offensively cheesy, even by generous RPG standards, and the ridiculousness and awkwardness of the romances and massive out-of-place gazongas on ancient crones and tiny elf women speak to state of mind of the writers and who they were writing for. Maybe Bioware is too high on a decade's success to realize they too are capable of producing trash when churning out the most tepid, repetitive, cash-in sequel imaginable in as little time as possible. Maybe the blog posts by senior designers about the old staff not being on the project and the design going entirely another way tell the story. Either way, leaving aside the questions of developing for consoles and DLC, leaving aside expectations from old-school RPGs: Dragon Age II does not stand on its own as an RPG. It is a dull slog and a massive failure of a game. Save your money and please, vote with your wallet. Keep your hopes up for the Witcher 2 and Deus Ex 3 for quality franchise RPGs in 2011, but give DA2 the widest possible berth.… Expand
  4. Witness
    Mar 12, 2011
    0
    Having played Dragon age origins I'm sorry to say that this game is shockingly bad. Dragon age 2 is a game without a soul. It drops all pretense as a rich, character driven RPG in exchange for needlessly flashy combat animations.

    The game is enjoyable if you want to watch endless waves of goons explode for 40 hours. Otherwise you might as well use the DA2 cd as a very expensive drinks    Having played Dragon age origins I'm sorry to say that this game is shockingly bad. Dragon age 2 is a game without a soul. It drops all pretense as a rich, character driven RPG in exchange for needlessly flashy combat animations.

    The game is enjoyable if you want to watch endless waves of goons explode for 40 hours. Otherwise you might as well use the DA2 cd as a very expensive drinks coaster.    … Expand
  5. JJDrakken
    Apr 10, 2011
    3
    Reason it's getting such a High Critic review, E.A./Bioware are literally throwing money at them to write anything nice & give it high numbers. Trust the User's, we know how much this game failed us.

    This game should never came out when it did, they just wanted to make money & be damned of the issues, they'll just throw more money at it, say look see have this great game, expect stupid    Reason it's getting such a High Critic review, E.A./Bioware are literally throwing money at them to write anything nice & give it high numbers. Trust the User's, we know how much this game failed us.

    This game should never came out when it did, they just wanted to make money & be damned of the issues, they'll just throw more money at it, say look see have this great game, expect stupid awards for it, because more money is being thrown at the judges.

    JJ    … Expand
  6. AndymanMessiah
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    The only reasonable score for a game like this is zero. Dragon Age 2 is an insulting product, rushed out the door with sub-par graphics, idiotic writing, copy-pasted dungeons and a bad attitude. If this is what we can expect of Mass Effect 3 then here's an Origin and Bullfrog fan honestly hoping EA makes the assimilation process short with their newest and most stupid acquisition.
  7. Schweinehund
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Baldur's Gate 2 was one of my favorite games. I thought Dragon Age: Origins came close enough to being its spiritual successor as advertised, and I enjoyed that game for what it was, but Dragon Age 2 is as far from being a successor to the Baldur's Gate series as possible. It was just painful to play for so many reasons. Graphically, they somehow managed to make it appear even worse thanBaldur's Gate 2 was one of my favorite games. I thought Dragon Age: Origins came close enough to being its spiritual successor as advertised, and I enjoyed that game for what it was, but Dragon Age 2 is as far from being a successor to the Baldur's Gate series as possible. It was just painful to play for so many reasons. Graphically, they somehow managed to make it appear even worse than its predecessor (not saying DA:O was bad graphically, but it certainly was groundbreaking in that aspect). The combat is now a mindless button masher, obviously tailored to please console players, because it ends up just being frustrating on the PC, only aggravated by the clunky camera. The formulaic dialogue and the cliche story are so inept in this one that it makes me want to stab furniture. Apparently BioWare were just looking for a quick cash-in. I'm definitely not buying Dragon Age 3 when it comes out (and it will, because their greediness knows no bounds).… Expand
  8. Hamakua
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    EA is starting to show through the Bioware veneer, this is not a game of "traditional" Bioware quality but your typical EA "shovelware". A re-skinned and neutered DA:O pushed out the door as a cash infusion into EA's portfolio just in time for Q1 reporting.

    The claims that EA would be hands off for on developers like Bioware and other is of course bunk. IP's get stripped as EA pumps out    EA is starting to show through the Bioware veneer, this is not a game of "traditional" Bioware quality but your typical EA "shovelware". A re-skinned and neutered DA:O pushed out the door as a cash infusion into EA's portfolio just in time for Q1 reporting.

    The claims that EA would be hands off for on developers like Bioware and other is of course bunk. IP's get stripped as EA pumps out sequel after sequel cashing in on usually solidly established franchises. By the time the fans of the respective franchise wake up, they have already moved on and you are stuck with a series of games who's quality is inversely proportional to the "series number". The higher the number, the lower the quality.

    EA is not any better than it was 5 years ago, the difference was they purchased a bunch of new developers who were hot and they "claimed" to have changed their ways. Please.

    How's it feel Bioware to be the latest EA sellout patsys? Way to flush your reputation down the drain.

    DA2 is a shadow of what DA:O was, and DA:O was a fraction of what NWN was.

    DA:2 is a simplistic and linear hack and slash that has been trimmed down so you can roll your face across the keyboard and achieve "Profit!". There is no depth in deploying tactics, hell, tactics? What are those? The game has been made significantly easier (from an already easy franchise) so to cater to the lowest common denominator. The narrative is forced and poorly executed, it feels like I am witnessing 7 year-olds perform a truncated Richard III. Great for the few parents of the 7 year-olds, the rest of us find it infantile.

    Gameplay is button mashing and more button mashing. AI is below par and the graphics/landscape is repetitive and feels pulled from 2002, 2003. The graphics aren't bad, per say, but they aren't pushing any envelopes, or melting any systems. Developing for consoles only then making **** ports over to PC isn't winning you any beauty contests EA-ware.

    Tell you what guys, maybe Bioware is passed it's prime, maybe you should all liquidate and move your assets over to the Madden house, you know, where all mediocre developers go to be forgotten.    … Expand
  9. Impagliazzo
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Pretty weak mechanics, bad camera, heavy. A let down! The first DA is a much more polished game with mechanics suited to the complexity of its gameplay.
  10. sheep
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    It's a big shame to see a studio that was responsible for legendary titles like Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights releasing such a disgraceful title called Dragon Age 2. Generic combat, annoying cutscenes with cheesy dialogs, limited role-playing elements, closed maps - where is freedom I ask? I can't believe that major gaming sites rated this game so well. I can only think of sponsoringIt's a big shame to see a studio that was responsible for legendary titles like Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights releasing such a disgraceful title called Dragon Age 2. Generic combat, annoying cutscenes with cheesy dialogs, limited role-playing elements, closed maps - where is freedom I ask? I can't believe that major gaming sites rated this game so well. I can only think of sponsoring articles... Game just got released and we have DLC already - laughable. Making money on well-known IP, that's all. It's sad.… Expand
  11. DJ-Lethal
    Mar 11, 2011
    1
    As has been said time and time again, Bioware have screwed up this one. And boy, did they screw it up good...
    I've rarely been so disappointed by a game, and I blame that on the fact I enjoyed the the first one in the series so much that I had quite the expectations for Dragon Age II. NOTHING came true, unfortunately.
    Everything is worse... the story, the characters, the world, the    As has been said time and time again, Bioware have screwed up this one. And boy, did they screw it up good...
    I've rarely been so disappointed by a game, and I blame that on the fact I enjoyed the the first one in the series so much that I had quite the expectations for Dragon Age II. NOTHING came true, unfortunately.
    Everything is worse... the story, the characters, the world, the graphics, the interface, the animations. It's... astounding, outraging. They actually managed to ruin a promising franchise even before it fully bloomed.
    You could write a book on what's wrong with Dragon Age II, but I'm just going to give it a 1 and move on. I have lost a great deal of respect for Bioware.    … Expand
  12. dddd2
    Mar 11, 2011
    3
    Waste of time and money, shouldn't be labeled as an RPG, more of an action/adventure hack & slash... Loved DAO, so disappointed with this game:( Why would you take perfectly good game and ruin it? for a quick profit that's why
  13. Comradepinko
    Mar 17, 2011
    0
    This game is a massive downgrade from the original. Tactical camera is missing, enemies respawn in waves making player positioning essentially worthless for most fights, dungeon maps are recycled, player companions can not equip any armor you find which makes acquiring new gear mostly a case of selling gear to vendors, the non combat trade skills have been removed (granted many wereThis game is a massive downgrade from the original. Tactical camera is missing, enemies respawn in waves making player positioning essentially worthless for most fights, dungeon maps are recycled, player companions can not equip any armor you find which makes acquiring new gear mostly a case of selling gear to vendors, the non combat trade skills have been removed (granted many were pointless but I would have preferred something different rather than complete removal), the Mass Effect style dialogue wheel is stupid, forcing the player into one role takes away quite a bit from the experience of the first, higher difficulty settings result in a kite fest rather than actual strategy, DLC content marketed AT LAUNCH and extra items given out for crap like "LIKING DRAGON AGE IN FACEBOOK" which makes a pirated copy of this game more convenient than just buying that game on STEAM since you won't have to jump through hoops to get the extras you want. I'm not sure if I could have been any more disappointed by this game. Terrible! I was hoping for another game similar to Baldur's Gate and I ended up with what feels like a crappy console port.… Expand
  14. vladyxxx
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Looks like AE game, plays like EA game, smells like EA game. Seems like EA in their infinite wisdom finally managed to kill their golden goose. Probably the last BioWare game I ever pre order, they lost my trust.
    I don't care if its similar to DAO or not. Its simply not fun. I got bored out of my mind 10 hours into the game. In the first 30 min of the game play you see everything there is    Looks like AE game, plays like EA game, smells like EA game. Seems like EA in their infinite wisdom finally managed to kill their golden goose. Probably the last BioWare game I ever pre order, they lost my trust.
    I don't care if its similar to DAO or not. Its simply not fun. I got bored out of my mind 10 hours into the game. In the first 30 min of the game play you see everything there is to see and than you get approx 70 more hours of the same. Their main selling point was alway a story telling, well 10 hours in and there is still no story to be found. The myriads of side quests the keep spamming the player blur into one monotonous meaningless mass. Most of the time you mindlessly run from quest marker to quest marker without even realising which quest you are on.
    There will be nothing to remember this game by and I shiver just thinking about replaying it as I dont think I can stand to see the same narrow city streets again.    … Expand
  15. JamesSteal
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age II for Bioware is what the Sendai earthquake is to Japan, A disaster. Simply an uninspired game developed to market the Dragon Age series towards children.
  16. DigitalAcuity
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Geeze, can they possibly dumb down these games any more. Blatant copy-paste areas and revisiting the same locations over and over, very lazy design. So many waves of mobs that its almost border-lining on hack and slash game. that wouldn't even matter so much if the combat was good but it's not, like everything else totally dumbed down. I just can't stand to play this game any more, itsGeeze, can they possibly dumb down these games any more. Blatant copy-paste areas and revisiting the same locations over and over, very lazy design. So many waves of mobs that its almost border-lining on hack and slash game. that wouldn't even matter so much if the combat was good but it's not, like everything else totally dumbed down. I just can't stand to play this game any more, its just bad in just about every area, way to linear and tedious and an incredible disappointment, a huge step backwards in my opinion. Total proof that publishers are paying these top reviewers to give good reviews.… Expand
  17. Chuckwow
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Chuckwow Mar 10, 20110 You go to the shop to buy milk cos you love milk, and you see a carton labelled MILK 2, wow, that sounds great. Oh, it is, they tell you, look, even the local paper says so. You buy the carton. You go home and pour a suspiciously thin yellow liquid into your tankard, hey, they said it might look a bit different, but it's sure gonna taste even better than milk, so whyChuckwow Mar 10, 20110 You go to the shop to buy milk cos you love milk, and you see a carton labelled MILK 2, wow, that sounds great. Oh, it is, they tell you, look, even the local paper says so. You buy the carton. You go home and pour a suspiciously thin yellow liquid into your tankard, hey, they said it might look a bit different, but it's sure gonna taste even better than milk, so why not? You swirl it round your mouth, glug it down, and savour the unusual taste...before going into spasms and projectilve vomiting in every direction. You do not feel good. You stumble outside choking, saying, my friends, be wary of Milk 2, it really isn't anything like that beautiful liquid we adored. Others, also retching, nod in agreement. Yet in the crowd there are a few strangers wearing "Milk 2 Rules" t-shirts. Where did they come from? "Milk 2 rocks," they say. Just cos it's different from Milk doesn't mean it's the worst liquid you can imagine drinking. But, yes, actually it is.â… Expand
  18. JesusHKriest
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    This is ridiculous. The scores metacritic has listed for this game are nowhere near accurate, as evidenced by user reviews. The story is ridiculous... I don't even understand why people are traveling with me. The main quest is short, devoid of story and back-story, and to make matters worse I suddenly am having intercourse with two females at the same time. I don't even know them; I don'tThis is ridiculous. The scores metacritic has listed for this game are nowhere near accurate, as evidenced by user reviews. The story is ridiculous... I don't even understand why people are traveling with me. The main quest is short, devoid of story and back-story, and to make matters worse I suddenly am having intercourse with two females at the same time. I don't even know them; I don't even remember hitting on them.
    The combat is ridiculously easy, even on Nightmare difficulty. Bosses can be kited (as in, you can run around in circles over and over again and they will never catch you) as your friends continually shoot them, essentially making every boss nonexistent. For combat, all you have to do is rack up as much damage output as physically possible and nuke EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean waves and waves of random people who are attacking me for reason unknown. I'll just be running a little errand for some guy in exchange for money, and SUDDENLY 50 people will charge out of nowhere to prevent me from delivering an old man his medicine (I made up that scenario as to prevent spoilers).
    I am not usually one to care about graphics (especially considering I still play 8-bit games), but in all seriousness this game makes me feel like I am playing on a Nintendo 64. And that's not saying the N64 was bad, it's just very old. Every character seems to be colored in a poorly textured splash of blood at all times, and it's just not realistic. Speaking of realism, every character seems to have 100 pound swords that they swing around like baseball bats, which seems a little lame. I'm going to stop here; as I write I am continually lowering the score I am giving this game, and so I should stop before it gets down to 1 for the sake of Bioware.    … Expand
  19. TheMitherer
    Mar 10, 2011
    4
    I thought that DA:O (decent game though it was) was the beginning of the end for Bioware and this just confirms it. Bioware have, in the past, given me more value for money than I could ever hope for. And for that I am ever grateful. But this game, this game is a disgrace. Companions I know little about and a main character that I care about even less. Extremely repetitive dungeons, lackI thought that DA:O (decent game though it was) was the beginning of the end for Bioware and this just confirms it. Bioware have, in the past, given me more value for money than I could ever hope for. And for that I am ever grateful. But this game, this game is a disgrace. Companions I know little about and a main character that I care about even less. Extremely repetitive dungeons, lack of any driven storyline, poor artwork, far too much (oversimplified) combat in any given period of time, environments pared down to the bone, uninspiring weapons, uninspiring armor, uninspiring enemies, not a few essential elements deliberately left out so that they can be put back in via DLC. The list does not end here.

    This game is just disrespectful to all fans of Bioware. It is so obvious that it was rushed purely for money making purposes without any care for fans or even for Bioware's own integrity. Their marketing department nowadays is tacky, untruthful and quickly becoming synonymous with unadulterated greed on one hand and total BS on the other. It's fine making money boys, but where the hell has your pride gone?

    I thought I'd get double digit playthoughs of DA:O. I managed 2. I tuned out of this one after 10 hours. I'll give you this one Bioware. I'll give you this one because you have done fantastically well by me in the past. But please, get your pride and integrity back.    … Expand
  20. V2Rocket
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Turned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, overTurned an unrefined RPG with a lot of promise into a hack-and-slash with a color coded dialog system which gives you the ability to be, good, bad or stupid. I was expecting something better, having felt DA:O I had expectations for improvements and create something pretty amazing. It's not a bad game, it's mediocre, EA and Bioware should learn to under promise and over deliver not, over promise and under deliver. If you like God-Of-War, but find it too complex, pretty and polished, you might want to consider buying DA2.… Expand
  21. Roycon
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Fans of RPGs will find this a huge disappointment. It's falsely-advertised and very dumbed down in order to appeal to a younger audience.

    There's little good to be said. And there's a lot of bad things to known. Sadly, truth hurts. The most noticeable change lies in combat. It's faster, grittier, more responsive and... not very tactical. I kept using the very same tactic throughout the    Fans of RPGs will find this a huge disappointment. It's falsely-advertised and very dumbed down in order to appeal to a younger audience.

    There's little good to be said. And there's a lot of bad things to known. Sadly, truth hurts.

    The most noticeable change lies in combat. It's faster, grittier, more responsive and... not very tactical. I kept using the very same tactic throughout the game the whole. 'Cause it was the fastest way to slay my foes. It involved having one melee unit (in this case a warrior specialized in two-handed combat) and 3 ranged units (one, preferably a healer). It's simple. I would let the A.I. control the warrior, he jumped into the fray and did whatever he wanted - Gathering the attention of my enemies. At the same time I would have all my 3 units selected at all times. And order to them to focus fire on the same target and when it dies, move onto the next target. Most often combat lasted less than a minute using this method - It was very dull.

    But what about the story? I can tell you it's great, though disappointing. It's a lot like the one in Mass Effect 2. Dragon Age 2 lacks a real [visible] plot. Instead you'll follow Hawke and company for years in the city of Kirkwall. While playing, it will feel like a giant side quest, that contains side quests. It's not too bad, as there's a lot of good moments in the game, some that comes completely unexpected, depending on your relationship to your companions. The ending is however very disappointing and makes the game seem like a pro-logue.

    The visuals are mostly dull. There's very little to be seen and the animation is stiff and awkward, which is strange seeing how we've had, and it still is, outstanding animation in games that was released in the early 2000s. And there's a total of 3-4 dungeons in the game that you will be visiting, over and over and over again (in side quests). AND THE BLOOD IS STILL AWKWARDLY APPLIED TO YOUR CHARACTERS FACES.

    To summarize the whole game. It traded in the strategic and tactical thinking that Dragon Age: Origins had for a hack'n KITE and some slash game. Story is hidden and it will feel like a side quest, but you'll go "ah" when it's all revealed and probably disappointed. The interactions between you and your companions are better than ever. But even that won't save the game from it's flaws.

    5/10. Bioware made the same mistakes in Mass Effect 2. Which you'd think they learned anything from. But it couldn't be further from truth. They are forsaking the RPG players tactical play, characters customization and much more in order to appeal to none-RPG players.    … Expand
  22. Fr0s7y
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Unlike some who appear outraged over Dragon Age 2, all this game has really managed to do to me is make me somewhat sad. Sad that I have to see such an amazing developer fall so far in releasing an obviously rushed, horribly over-simplified game in order to target what appears to be their new demographic, the "console crowd". Where to start.. The game has been "streamlined" and simplifiedUnlike some who appear outraged over Dragon Age 2, all this game has really managed to do to me is make me somewhat sad. Sad that I have to see such an amazing developer fall so far in releasing an obviously rushed, horribly over-simplified game in order to target what appears to be their new demographic, the "console crowd". Where to start.. The game has been "streamlined" and simplified in areas where it just wasn't necessary.. The combat is laughable, simply wave after wave of enemies that not only die in a single hit, they somehow explode. Tactics are nonexistent.. Sure, on Nightmare you'll micromanage through waves of enemies that somehow follows the same formula regardless of what you're fighting.. Sorry, but I don't really consider that "tactical" play.

    The UI is absolutely hideous, clearly having been designed with a console in mind. Yet another change that was absolutely unnecessary, all to appeal to the crowd that hasn't given a damn about BioWare while those of us that have supported them for years are casually tossed to the side.

    The graphics are about the only reason this game is receiving a 2 from me.. While I noticed others are complaining about them as well, I have to give credit where credit is due and say that on DX11 with the high resolution textures the game is quite beautiful (if you can ignore the fact that every area you're in is nothing but a simple corridor). It's sad, but this game has brought me to a point where I can say that I will never, ever again pre-order a BioWare title, despite having supported almost every major release of theirs since KotOR. If you're thinking of purchasing this game, I can assure you that you really aren't missing out on much, especially if you're expecting anything even remotely resembling what made the original Dragon Age popular.

    Thanks for all the great times, BioWare.. You've just really messed up on this one.    … Expand
  23. No1R
    Mar 11, 2011
    1
    I'll just leave this here.

    http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dragon_age_ii/b/pc/archive/2011/03/08/dragon-age-ii-pc-review-a-port-caught-in-the-middle.aspx
  24. dcynic
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Not worth a full zero by any means, the game works after all, but as a matter of principle the game gets one anyway.

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

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

    AND IT SHOWS. Not only in the graphics but in the discontinuity within the story, the poor writing, and the shallow combat system. Sure, everyone TOTALLY jumps around and does SUPER COOL things now to appeal to all the edgy teenagers out there, but most of the combat is horribly overdone. This can vary from the main character doing leaping lunges that you had nothing to do with, to enemies EXPLODING when I stab them with a basic ability. All in all, this game has been a huge disappointment. Between the rushed look and style of the game, the poor combat, the sub par writing and story, the awful optimization for PC, and the constant nickel and diming of day one DLC, this is one title you NEED to stay away from.    … Expand
  26. jackitsu
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Critics are rigged. This game was so bad on so many levels, I don't know where to begin. More than anything it was disappointing, because it could have been a great game and fell short on everything and got so far from its roots that its barely recognizable. It strings you along with hopes that it will take you back to the world you loved but never does. Disappointing. Bad.
  27. MichaelSteve
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Having been a long time wrpg fan, Dragons Age: Origins established what looked to be a great new IP breaking away from frankly tired D&D conventions. I have just finished DA2 which took a little under 16 hours, and I fear for the future of this brand. Graphically DA2 looks almost identical to DA:O origins which isn't unexpected given the very quick development time. Main characters lookHaving been a long time wrpg fan, Dragons Age: Origins established what looked to be a great new IP breaking away from frankly tired D&D conventions. I have just finished DA2 which took a little under 16 hours, and I fear for the future of this brand. Graphically DA2 looks almost identical to DA:O origins which isn't unexpected given the very quick development time. Main characters look great but scenery, NPCs and unfortunately some armor and weapons suffer from hideously low resolution textures and low polygon counts. DA2 has also developed some sort of gore fixation with every kill resulting in an exploding enemy flinging litres of blood around and staining the screen with modern warfare-esque decals over the hud. Performance with the PC version was schizophrenic - FPS changing drastically in areas containing little detail, I would guess some internal face culling was skipped in the development process.

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

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

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

    There are other issues regarding some cringe worthy pop culture references, the bland story, repeated dungeons and your two dimensional companions, but to be honest, I'd rather forget about this experience and hope that this misstep by bioware doesn't kill off the future of this franchise.    … Expand
  28. Rohlio
    Mar 11, 2011
    4
    Pretty much stripped everything out of DA:O that I liked,

    I actually do like the reactivity of the combat now ( it feels much faster and smoother), but outside of that it feels like a downgrade in everyway. Basically they decided to limit my choices in every avenue that they should have been expanding them. I actually like equipping my companions and choosing what they are using in order    Pretty much stripped everything out of DA:O that I liked,

    I actually do like the reactivity of the combat now ( it feels much faster and smoother), but outside of that it feels like a downgrade in everyway. Basically they decided to limit my choices in every avenue that they should have been expanding them.

    I actually like equipping my companions and choosing what they are using in order to tailor the party to my needs.

    I enjoy picking crafting classes.

    Not having the isometric pullback camera is just a freaking joke.

    Using the same "cave" for every mission, or the same layout of every building is just pathetic. Gaming should be about options. If you wanted to make a game that was more "Accessible" that is fine, create toggle switches. Let those of us who actually enjoy the details have them, let people who don't want to worry about it turn those options off. Seriously this feels like a step backward in so many areas it is hugely disappointing.    … Expand
  29. Lolipop
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    My review? Recycled characters ( no more than 5 models for each race) , like 3 types of caves , 1 interesting boss fight , empty city , only ONE city , unidimensional characters ( the whore , the innocent , the brave ). MOST **** RPG EVER , whoever gives this piece of **** more than 5 most be paid by Bioware . I WANT MY MONEY BACK.

    OOO , and you call the blood bath gore and realism? You    My review? Recycled characters ( no more than 5 models for each race) , like 3 types of caves , 1 interesting boss fight , empty city , only ONE city , unidimensional characters ( the whore , the innocent , the brave ). MOST **** RPG EVER , whoever gives this piece of **** more than 5 most be paid by Bioware . I WANT MY MONEY BACK.

    OOO , and you call the blood bath gore and realism? You must be **** kidding me , you don't blood all over your body when you kill a SKELETON , you retards .

    Don't buy it , if you did , try to get your money back . You sold yourself to Ea , bioware , **** YOU    … Expand
  30. kingslayer
    Mar 8, 2011
    1
    Dragon Age was an above average game with many decent elements that should have been improved upon. The biggest flaw of Dragon Age was the uninspired encounter design, where they tried to replace the lacking quality of encounters with the quantity of copy-pasted trash encounters. Instead of improving / enriching the character system and reactivity of the story and the game world andDragon Age was an above average game with many decent elements that should have been improved upon. The biggest flaw of Dragon Age was the uninspired encounter design, where they tried to replace the lacking quality of encounters with the quantity of copy-pasted trash encounters. Instead of improving / enriching the character system and reactivity of the story and the game world and providing challenging tactical combat, with proper encounter dosing and design, the designers decided to cut the gameplay out of the game in order to replace their former target audience with intellectually impaired people who are unable of performing tasks like basic arithmetic and basic reading comprehension. Character customization and development and character stat based gameplay, which is the staple of RPG genre, is gone, tactical elements of combat are gone in favour of button mashing, text responses are gone, replaced by dialogue wheel for the illiterate attention deficit disorder crowd. God forbid that there are proper multiple dialogue choices consisting of complete sentences in the game, it would hurt the feelings of the target audience. Sticks and stones may break their bones, but big words hurt their tiny brains. Instead there is the game that has done away with numbers and reading, and replaced it with "cinematics" and button mashing. Of course, numerous trash encounters have only increased in number and frequency. Without a proper character system and considering the way story is presented, Dragon Age 2 is more of a homosexual porn movie than it is an RPG.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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