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. gregsc1
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    There seem to be lots of mean-spirited, spiteful people who give exaggerated negative ratings and reviews for this game in particular. I'm coming to believe that many RPG fans are deeply conservative in their gaming desires. They want "improved' games, as long as the new version has all the same good stuff they had before, instead of breaking new ground. That's my theory, anyway.

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

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

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

    Anyway, I don't know what else to say, except that you shouldn't be scared of all these whiny user reviews if you're interested in the game. Just don't expect it to be a conservative remake or update of the first Dragon Age.    … Expand
  2. cnewton7
    Mar 16, 2011
    6
    This game starts out with well intentions. You are tasked to save your family from the incoming darkspawn, who would of thought that would of been the most epic moment in the game. From there you will see the same buildings caves and good ole beige kirkwall the rest of the game. now if we want to break down the game into factors like other reviewers i will so i won't get taken down forThis game starts out with well intentions. You are tasked to save your family from the incoming darkspawn, who would of thought that would of been the most epic moment in the game. From there you will see the same buildings caves and good ole beige kirkwall the rest of the game. now if we want to break down the game into factors like other reviewers i will so i won't get taken down for spam. I will be comparing this game to its predecessor.(although i probably should compare it to fable or god of war since thats the way this incarnation is set up.)
    Gameplay: this game is nothing but a Spam R fest on most difficulties while removing most if not all tactical aspects of the game with the inclusion of respawning enemies. not to mention the lack of decent specializations for most classes. Sound: 7/10 i think this is the one aspect of the game that was done well so i will not bag on them more than i have to.
    Graphics: Worse than the first game even with the Hi-Res pack explain that to me.
    Story: it was going fine throughout act 1, but after and during act 2 and 3 the game just lost me and the ending was very sub par. When you complete the main story most people including my self are sitting there reading the credits thinking this is it? this is my epic 10 year story to end like this?
    Replayability: With out Origins story i dont see this game being played much more than 1 or 2 playthroughs for most my self i didn't need more than 1 to know i was done with it.

    All in all buy the first game if you haven't bought it and were thinking of buying this one. If you already have the first one save your money for the witcher 2 or skyrim, and give DA:O another run through cause its clearly a superior product.    … Expand
  3. Mortrau
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Not bad. Excellent screenplay and characters, good music and graphic. Boring gameplay, poor roleplay system (if compare with DAO). But the Story is brilliant. This is an interactive book.
  4. ujellybro
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    Poor writing, poor environments, copy pasted dungeons, bad graphics, awful fighting system, this game really is not worthy of being made by BioWare. The company that made Mass Effect and Dragon Age 1, should have known that this was an abomination, but they released it anyway. Truly a waste of money, steer well clear.
  5. Voland
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    I suggest you don't buy this game. It does so many things wrong it actually damages the rpg genre.
    The game consists in following yellow markers on the mini map to complete "quests", knowing how to read is not really necessary to complete the game.
    The story is very underwhelming and never motivates the player to keep going on. And it's quite short. Aside from the deep roads and the city    I suggest you don't buy this game. It does so many things wrong it actually damages the rpg genre.
    The game consists in following yellow markers on the mini map to complete "quests", knowing how to read is not really necessary to complete the game.
    The story is very underwhelming and never motivates the player to keep going on. And it's quite short.
    Aside from the deep roads and the city all game quests are done in the same 4-5 ambients recycled over and over again (A abandoned mansion, A creepy cellar, A natural cavern (the most used by far). and so on). It's a fraud.
    The combat system is not too bad on hard difficulty if you cripple your party enough (i've played with no belts rings and amulets) and if you have a bad party setup. Otherwise it's too easy. Nightmare mode is not well though out and it's just annoying.

    What I like about the game is the quest system. There should be more varied quests, but the fact that during the second act you face the consequences of the choices you made during act 1 is nice.
    Companions are ok i guess, but I never cared much for any of them.

    Suggestions for the future: - Playing an rpg should not be like walking along a corridor, it should be more open ended.
    - Combat doesn't need to be frenetic. It can also be tactical or it can be both. Just no one wants a lackadaisical button-pressing. Gamers just need to have a fun and hard "nightmare mode".
    - Final bosses should be more varied. For God sake there are billions of really original and fun fights in WoW's dungeons. Is it so hard to get some ideas from there? I liked the boss of the deep roads though.
    - Itemization is not too bad, personally I like it if it's less streamlined with just a few really powerful items (not gamebreaking but with particular properties, like the "immune to flanking" amulet) dropped by really hard to beat enemies (think Final Fantasy secret bosses like Ozma, Dark Eons, Omega Weapon).
    - Some say that a complex level-up and party personalization system scares away non-rpg players. There doesn't need to be one. The game can also be completely skill based.    … Expand
  6. tghr182
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    A SHADOW OF ITS FORMER SELF! Normally bioware do a good job of upgrading their sequels (Example Mass Effect 2) they get rid of the probelms they had with the first. But i'm sorry to tell people but bioware have made a big boo boo with this sequel, they simplfied to the point of embarrassment and the element story that was so so solid in Dragon Age: Origins has all but disappeared, you seemA SHADOW OF ITS FORMER SELF! Normally bioware do a good job of upgrading their sequels (Example Mass Effect 2) they get rid of the probelms they had with the first. But i'm sorry to tell people but bioware have made a big boo boo with this sequel, they simplfied to the point of embarrassment and the element story that was so so solid in Dragon Age: Origins has all but disappeared, you seem to just do the quests because you want to see if the main story is going to get start and it doesn't! Big disappointment can't believe i preorder it!… Expand
  7. mrobs15
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    This game is an abortion, I have never been so disappointed by a sequel... ever. They ruined the combat system by making a button smashing, roll your head on the keyboard mess. The story is made to seem like your decisions matter, when in reality the story is on rails the entire game. Even with the texture pack the graphics are nothing special, and it looks like they spent about 5 minutesThis game is an abortion, I have never been so disappointed by a sequel... ever. They ruined the combat system by making a button smashing, roll your head on the keyboard mess. The story is made to seem like your decisions matter, when in reality the story is on rails the entire game. Even with the texture pack the graphics are nothing special, and it looks like they spent about 5 minutes on the environment. The two most frustrating things about this game are the fact that they recycle the same dungeons and levels many times over, and the new dialog system is made for people who failed 3rd grade reading comprehension. We don't need pictures telling us what effect our response is going to have on who we re talking to. Hopefully based on the awful scores this game is getting EA will let Bioware do their thing on the next installment of this game(assuming there is one). The bottom line, Don't let EA steal your money with this one, make them responsible, and tell them they need to give us worthy content when trying to expand upon a game as awesome as DA:O.… Expand
  8. KwaggaDan
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age II is exactly what it promises. It's a sequel, meaning it's not DOA. It does inherit one thing from DOA however, and that is the exceptional character driven storyline. It also has extraordinary supporting characters and as is the Bioware standard; the game has exceptional writing and brilliant voice acting.

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

    That's not to say the game is flawless. There is a pretty annoying map repetition, and the close up detail is a bit lacking, but the story more than makes up for it. Just remember it's not DOA...    … Expand
  9. TheUnknownX
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    Game is full of bugs, story is stupid and you can't affect anything, graphics are sometimes ok, often ugly, quests are usually stupid and blablabla. Game is worth 10â
  10. Souljah
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    One word, disappointed. The gameplay, story, mechanics are all just plain boring. Bioware should of took a page out of blizzards book and done an open beta prior to releasing this game. The huge backlash from the community could of been avoided if they would of done so. Is it the worst RPG Ive ever played? No. Could it of been better if it wasn't rushed out the door? Absolutely. ToOne word, disappointed. The gameplay, story, mechanics are all just plain boring. Bioware should of took a page out of blizzards book and done an open beta prior to releasing this game. The huge backlash from the community could of been avoided if they would of done so. Is it the worst RPG Ive ever played? No. Could it of been better if it wasn't rushed out the door? Absolutely. To the critics giving it higher then an 8.. you should be ashamed of yourselves. I highly doubt they even played the game. Not one comment on how Bioware reused the same dungeon mapping over and over.. seems like something worth mentioning. DA2 gets a 4 just because Isabele is as hot as a videogame character can be.… Expand
  11. Pirim
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself.Story was my main concern and it is just fine. No cliffhanger in the end, not too short (although maybe a little short), not too straightforward. Several odd turns, but nothing major. Character development and interaction is quite natural, but it seems like designers didn't put the city entourage to much use. Each district varied too little from the others to leave an impression by itself. Overall city and its inhabitants are enjoyable, but again, it didn't seem like a job well done â… Expand
  12. Misstotally
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    I personally play rpg mostly for the story and not so much for the combat, so i cant say much about the combat part. It does feel a bit repetitive, but overall it is not my biggest complaint.
    Problem is they have tried to make Dragon Age 2 into a cross between Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age Origins. Problem is its not close to being as good as either of these games. Its stuck in the murky    I personally play rpg mostly for the story and not so much for the combat, so i cant say much about the combat part. It does feel a bit repetitive, but overall it is not my biggest complaint.
    Problem is they have tried to make Dragon Age 2 into a cross between Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age Origins. Problem is its not close to being as good as either of these games. Its stuck in the murky middle somewhere. There is little to no immersion, and you are stuck in one city with a few variations the whole game through. Apart from more side quests, which i think is good, the whole game feels like your just doing errands around the city, and not much variation in environment. I felt i had no control over (Shepard)Hawk at all. His companions are not boring per se, but the little you actually talk to them makes them feel disjointed from you and each other. The ME dialog wheel can make you frustrated, because it seems you can never convey the right emotions at the right time. Also the romance side of this game seems meaningless as you cant really talk much to them, and you get little heart icons on the wheel to indicate when its flirting time...DA:O was not perfect but it was far from this silly.
    The disappointment for many is probably due to this being called a sequel. It just a completely sub-par and different game ( in a bad way). Its DA:O and ME light. They could have done better with this story. The writing seems good, but they did not have time it seems to implement it the right way. They had to get it out the door quickly , and it shows.    … Expand
  13. Ramon_
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    This sequel is really disappointment, absolutely not at the level of the first chapter. The gameplay is simple hack & slash console game, boring landscape, repetitive dungeons...
  14. galaktur
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Game - disappointing year. is certainly in the game and the good moments, improvements and new approaches, but unfortunately, disadvantages outweigh all its advantages. in pursuit of excess income, usually leaves the crude product, which subsequently will only exacerbate the situation and standard condemns the continuation of game to fail. ea company should reconsider marketing policy.
  15. MarcusGejm
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age: PoczÄ
  16. Bogartnoir
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Days after finishing Dragon Age, I then moved to immerse myself into Dragon Age II. My main complaint was that I couldn't create a character from scratch, but that soon fell away as nearly inconsequential to the rest of the experience. My only standing complaint is the reuse of cave maps for too many missions, as well as some derivative music that seems lifted from Mass Effect 2. TheDays after finishing Dragon Age, I then moved to immerse myself into Dragon Age II. My main complaint was that I couldn't create a character from scratch, but that soon fell away as nearly inconsequential to the rest of the experience. My only standing complaint is the reuse of cave maps for too many missions, as well as some derivative music that seems lifted from Mass Effect 2. The characters, setting and immersion of the setting are what have drawn me in. The character back stories and concepts are interesting additions to the game's mythology.
    While not completely unfounded to make complaints about the game being dumbed down to be accessible to a broder audience, I think it pretty poor form to rate any game a 0 for a few changes. gamers seem to get more and more jaded as time goes on. I was very entertained and look forward to a trilogy.    … Expand
  17. Rif
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    I just signed up to write about this game. I have beaten it, every quest possible and I have completed Origins. The only thing that connects this so called sequel and Origins is the plot at some point, the rest...Im afraid is gone. First thing that kicks the faithfull fans in the nuts is fights - its no longer a well thought battle with deep tactics...its a SLASHER. Is it a good thing?I just signed up to write about this game. I have beaten it, every quest possible and I have completed Origins. The only thing that connects this so called sequel and Origins is the plot at some point, the rest...Im afraid is gone. First thing that kicks the faithfull fans in the nuts is fights - its no longer a well thought battle with deep tactics...its a SLASHER. Is it a good thing? Probably. But the fights, even though fast and flashy, are not memorable - wave after wave of 5-6 faceless enemies (who appear out of this air...yep magic) start to bore after about 1 hour. In the origins you could talk about one battle for 20 minutes, this one - "well I clicked on the dude and his head flew off"...The graphics are not as bad as people say - I mean how would you improve it? Everything looks alright for me. Everyone knew about the lack of customization, so lets forget this issue. The characters in the game are decent with back stories...now lets talk about the REAL PROBLEM - AREAS...I cannot find a good reason for developers to make 2 damn caves which you will have to run through OVER and OVER AGAIN! So lets sum it up:

    In this game: Decent Story and Characters (+1)
    Decent graphics (+1)
    Voice actors did a very good job (+1)
    Fighing techs (would be +1 for Xbox/PS but on pc not so much)

    there you have it - areas are: Denerim is grey textures, 2 caves, a couple of deserted areas with respawning enemies.

    If anyone at Bioware is reading the reviews...guys I will pay twice as much for the next game if you make it more like Origins, I am deeply dissapointed and sad...I couldnt find a game which weill really "take" me and then I bought Origins, so when I heard about 2nd part I was so excited you wouldnt believe...And I get this mindless unfinished H'n'S    … Expand
  18. bztang
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Main issues that people are having: lack isometric view (I agree), locked default face in character creator (I agree), streamlining of skills/addition of skill trees, difficulty (guess they haven't tried hard/nightmare; much harder than DA:O on same difficulty), reuse of the same dungeons/areas multiple times (I agree), launch DLC, high res texture pack + outdated graphics (this is reallyMain issues that people are having: lack isometric view (I agree), locked default face in character creator (I agree), streamlining of skills/addition of skill trees, difficulty (guess they haven't tried hard/nightmare; much harder than DA:O on same difficulty), reuse of the same dungeons/areas multiple times (I agree), launch DLC, high res texture pack + outdated graphics (this is really subjective), companions, just to name a few of the common complaints. Personally, I loved the original, but in my first playthrough of DA2, I didn't quite like the structure of the Champion's story much because the 3 Acts interrupted the immersion by focusing on totally different problems in Kirkwall, instead of an epic "the world is going to end" storyline found in DA:O. Still, I'd rate it 9/10 just because it was fun, and also because the main game ending story arc was quite surprising and satisfying, and hopefully will lead to another epic installment in this series. Also, I must mention that quite a few decisions and events that occur in DA2 produce unexpected results, some of which are much more heart-wrenching than in DA:O.

    I'm on my third playthrough and wouldn't rate a game so high if I didn't enjoy it, and DA2 is very enjoyable, if you can look past a few flaws, and stop comparing it to DA:O for PC. I'm certain that if the game was under a different IP and developer, the ratings would not be nearly as abysmal :O    … Expand
  19. Agamemnon
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    The immersion and combat of this game are unmatched! A truly moving and fun epic. Anything negative you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference. For what it is, it is flawlessly executed and endlessly entertaining
  20. blubseabass
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Why would they do this? What was so broken that it needed such drastic actions? I don't understand anything...of the user complaints. Dragon Age 2 has been criticized for being too easy, dumbed down and bland. I will discuss the gameplay first, then talk a bit about the setting and story. DA2 is not easy. Yes, if you pick normal in DA2 it's easier then in DA:O, but you can go up inWhy would they do this? What was so broken that it needed such drastic actions? I don't understand anything...of the user complaints. Dragon Age 2 has been criticized for being too easy, dumbed down and bland. I will discuss the gameplay first, then talk a bit about the setting and story. DA2 is not easy. Yes, if you pick normal in DA2 it's easier then in DA:O, but you can go up in difficulty if you want a better challenge. Personally, I'm playing hard, and have met quite some interesting challenges. It's even nice that you can play the game pretty easily on normal, so that everyone can enjoy the game without the but-you-played-on-easy-shame. Just pick the difficulty that fits you, and the too easy problem is fixed. I guess it's just too hard to switch to another difficulty. I seriously don't get what's the problem with dumbed down. The skills are well distributed and tons of combinations are possible. While finishing my first game as a two-handed-weapon fighter, I was already thinking how I would make my new two-handed-weapon fighter play different. I've also been moving my characters around a lot more then in DA:O, and not just because I needed to clear the way for a mages fireball. Friendly fire has been disabled, which I applaud since that does not belong in a realtime team-based RPG. Moving all the characters in DA:O before casting AoE was just annoying imo, and I'm glad its gone. The isometric top view is gone, which makes it a little harder to move around the characters or casting AoE spells, but its nothing that hindered me from having fun. The tactics work pretty good, and the AI is very decent. I still paused the game a lot in difficult situations, which is good. Potions and healing have a much bigger cooldown, so health is a valuable resource again. The only problem I have with combat is that it's easy to kite an opponent, buying time until you can drink a new potion. It almost feels like cheating, especially if there are no ranged enemies nearby. Other then that, the combat is fun and quick while being tactical whenever you want it to be due to difficulty settings. It certainly made the game more enjoyable for me. Wrapping up gameplay, it has been one of the best for RPG's, surpassing DA:O.
    The story and setting have a hard time to hit off, but once it does, it sticks pretty well. I'm very happy with the character design and like everyone of the party. I have no idea why people would say it's so much worse then DA:O. However, getting to know a character better and finding out their likes has become somewhat more difficult. The friendship between the characters must develop over the whole game, which sometimes gives an odd feeling. Why can't I talk about an issue now? What do you even like? I don't want to wait 3 years to develop something! Because of these obvious secrets, the characters grow enigmatic, even though they're not meant to be like that. Another thing that is a bit annoying about the story is that because everything is spit into acts, your character only develops significantly at the end of each act. This feels a bit unrewarding. I'd liked to see Hawke gain a normal job, rising in ranks, rising it stature etc. not only at the end of each act. One thing that is annoying in my eyes, is the derailing of the story which is almost mandatory. The game plays in different acts, and every act has 4 to 5 main quests to proceed the story. All other 30 or so quests are sidequests. It's nice to have sidequests to know the city better, but I think they slightly overdone it. The game can be played as a collection of sidequests if you don't know where you're heading, especially in Act 1. This underlines the unrewarding feeling of character development. The sidequests can also be hard to find sometimes, leaving you with the " did I miss something?" feeling a bit to much. I have mixed feelings about the environment. Kirkwall is a great city, but "propped" down a lot. Most people seem static, and if it wasn't for the sidequests, the city might feel dead. The other environments are also pretty grey, like the bonepit and sundermount. This leaves the game in a grey tint, never being refreshing like the forests in DA:O. The graphics look pretty good, but certain animations are still to clunky. especially when two characters are interacting, the suspension of disbelief breaks immediately. The game could do with a little more ambiance. The moral choices you have to make are again suburb, and the dialog wheel, even though it influences your choices to much for my taste (I want to say A, but I don't want to break my character who mostly says B), it gives Hawke some character. THANK GOD they did not made the important choices be influenced by the wheel!
    Wrapping it up together, I enjoyed DA2 alot, and I'll keep playing it to explore different situations and tactics. It certainly has some setting problems, but it's still a lot of fun. 8.8    … Expand
  21. wertyxious
    Mar 16, 2011
    1
    This game is terrible. I don't think this can be even called an RPG at all. It looks just plain ugly, recycles the same exact locations. The gameplay is simply a joke. Doesn't Bioware have any shame selling this to people? Biggest disappointment this year so far.
  22. commonperson
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    While not a perfect game, this metacritic score is skewed due to a "backlash" over two reviews written by Bioware employees (there is currently no evidence they were doing it at the behest of their employers simply they wrote two glowing reviews and if they were close to the game they may have a skewed perspective on the content.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Not a perfect game but well worth checking out.

    (And for the record I am not an employee of Bioware and never have been, I think instead of giving zeros to the game out of spite people should give genuine ratings on how they feel as many of these people giving zeros have never even played the game.)    … Expand
  23. Rizla
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    It's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anythingIt's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anything character or story wise.

    I miss bird eye view alot when positioning party members, which is a shame since you haveto reposition alot due to enemies spawning out of nowhere. Simplified loot system is so uninteresting and easy to get around with that it's an annoyance to be bothering with.

    Managing companions has been reduced to giving them jewelry. I never liked Massive effect to start with and the introduction of that wheel selection thing is just horrid to me.

    In the end i felt like all options that would activate some braincells have been reduced to such simple tasks that i can't find it more challenging than setting one foot in front of another. It's so straightforward and linear :-S

    The character selection system is restrictive and doesn't offer in any way what DA:O did, not at all. I don't feel like i'm playing a unique character at all in this game.

    This game might of been received better if it hadn't been named the sequel to DA:O. But even if you take the first game out of the picture it still doesn't add up to a very good game in it's genre. I'd say i would rate it a 6 without ever playing DA:O. It's just not good. :(    … Expand
  24. mjwilliams84
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    Thoroughly disappointing sequel to a fantastic RPG. Fans of Origins and/or anyone interested in immersive, character-based roleplay should avoid this like the plague. Gone are the multiple choice dialogue options of true RPG classics, replaced by the dialogue wheel seen in Mass Effect. While that works in the epic setting of what is effectively a sci-fi blockbuster, it doesn't here. ItsThoroughly disappointing sequel to a fantastic RPG. Fans of Origins and/or anyone interested in immersive, character-based roleplay should avoid this like the plague. Gone are the multiple choice dialogue options of true RPG classics, replaced by the dialogue wheel seen in Mass Effect. While that works in the epic setting of what is effectively a sci-fi blockbuster, it doesn't here. Its shallow, poorly written characters and script are totally forgettable. Seldom does your choice of action or speech affect anything at all. The environments themselves would look average 10 years ago. Areas that look awful in the first place are re-used many times over. The one saving grace is the combat, but with so many other faults, it's barely worth mentioning. The bullet-point nature of this review feels apt, as the disappointments hit home one after the other. As a friend of mine put it; "About as gripping as a lubed-up hand with no bone structure." Colour me shocked and appalled, Bioware.… Expand
  25. islesofurth
    Mar 16, 2011
    7
    shame people cant be realistic with reviews...

    just finished the game and heres what i think PROS: the new combat sysytem is great, allows for more fluid fights so great if you dont like to pause all the time. skill trees that are unique to chracters other than the main, encourages people to try diferant teams rather than the one team all the time. character stats remake, stats are    shame people cant be realistic with reviews...

    just finished the game and heres what i think

    PROS:
    the new combat sysytem is great, allows for more fluid fights so great if you dont like to pause all the time. skill trees that are unique to chracters other than the main, encourages people to try diferant teams rather than the one team all the time. character stats remake, stats are much more role specific making it less strenuous by not having to balace stats. the storyline is extreamly adaptive and unless you actuly try to you will never play it the same way twice, also with the ability to create the backbone of the story with a DAO save.

    CONS:
    the game is based in a single town so the landscape get old. some DAO cons are follow into DA2 such as multiple sotryline 'busness ventures' that the player may invest into or buy and that do not actuly bring in any income other than a possible longer quest line for that 'venture'. some parts of the game put you at a fork with quests allowing you to take one and not the other however it does not specify that you wouldnt be able to do both you simply need to figure it out the hard way. gold just like in DAO is extreamly hard to come buy if your wanted decent items, if you do all the quests and sell everything you find you wil get about 250g total, depending on the dificulty alot of that will be spent on potions, runes and armour for your team so you will only ever have enough gold to buy one item that is 120g or there abouts and saving for it will take all game if you dont skimp.

    even tho this game has alot of cons i dont know any game that doesnt
    i had fun playing this game, i probly wont beat it with every class but i will certainly beat it one more time over on the hardest possible trying to get everything

    with a few patches this game will be much better

    and to all those people who rated this a bad game, i certainly hope your not waiting for D3 to come out coz it wont have much more specially not in the graphics department    … Expand
  26. CRazies
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    I've am a huge dragon age fan and bioware games fan however bioware continue a trend of creating games with that think we are ten years old kids. Dragon Age 2 follow that trend, this game is a dispointment the story modiocre at best, the environment feel lifeless, use of the same zone over and over again, the control and camera suck. I wouldn't touch this game with a ten foot poo stick
  27. bluntinstrument
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    This game has many problems. It deserves a zero b/c as a sequal to to DA:O, it has to be compared to DA:O. If it was just some new game in a new IP, I'd give it a 5 or 6. Bioware has really trashed this IP though.

    1. It's not "innovative" to have the whole "RPG" take place in one generic and forgettable location. It's just lazy and cheap. 2. It's a shame that the combat was changed    This game has many problems. It deserves a zero b/c as a sequal to to DA:O, it has to be compared to DA:O. If it was just some new game in a new IP, I'd give it a 5 or 6. Bioware has really trashed this IP though.

    1. It's not "innovative" to have the whole "RPG" take place in one generic and forgettable location. It's just lazy and cheap.
    2. It's a shame that the combat was changed from a complex tactical/strategy game into a more of a light show where you mash the same button over and over. Once again, if this wasn't a sequal to DA:O, I wouldn't mind so much. But you can't follow up a game like DA:O with a game like this. It's sort of like, what if Dead Space 2 had been made into a halo clone w/o any blood, in order to appeal to a "broader audience."
    3. The game was clearly rushed. You shouldn't waste 60 bucks when half the content is still in development. In a year, you can buy the game, along with the other half of the content, for less money. It's not like the game is new or innovative in any way shape of form. So why buy it now? Just wait until the DLC is packaged so it wont' be such a ripoff. Or better yet, just dont' buy the piece of garbage.    … Expand
  28. Gladio77
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    First of all, amazing that the consumers en masse see this game for the filth it is, while the professionals give it 9 and 10's. Must be losing touch with the people they write reviews for.

    I was waiting with the utmost expectations for this game. I mean just polish dragon age give it new maps improve graphics and you have a hell of a game. Instead they decided to do things all over    First of all, amazing that the consumers en masse see this game for the filth it is, while the professionals give it 9 and 10's. Must be losing touch with the people they write reviews for.

    I was waiting with the utmost expectations for this game. I mean just polish dragon age give it new maps improve graphics and you have a hell of a game.

    Instead they decided to do things all over and focus not on the customers who made dragon age a sales succes but to potential new customers. I.e. action console players. In all , voice acting is bad, Reuse of maps is a disgrace, ( the same cave over and over) gameplay boring. I have decided never to buy games again without downloading and testing them first. 50 euro's for this piece of garbage is ridiculous,    … Expand
  29. Tridus
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    Two Bioware employees have been caught posting fake 10/10 reviews to try and prop this game up. What more needs to be said? Even the guy who did the music said the game was rushed because EA wanted to cash in on a sequel ASAP.
  30. obscurus166
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    DA:II is, in essence, a role-playing game without the role-playing. Bioware has never been a studio which creates particularly interactive environments, but the large, wide-open spaces of nothing in particular seem particularly jarring in this game because there is so little else to occupy the gamer. Dungeons are recycled. Citizens stand around, doing nothing and having no relevance:DA:II is, in essence, a role-playing game without the role-playing. Bioware has never been a studio which creates particularly interactive environments, but the large, wide-open spaces of nothing in particular seem particularly jarring in this game because there is so little else to occupy the gamer. Dungeons are recycled. Citizens stand around, doing nothing and having no relevance: there is no pretence at their having any significance other than being part of the (non-interactive) furniture, rather than offering even the little one-liners which BioWare managed as long ago as Baldur's Gate. Quest-related characters cannot be engaged until the relevant quest has been triggered: if discovered before the appointed time, they simply stand around, looking ominous. The engaging and entertaining party interactions of the previous game have been simplified to the point of worthlessness. The party members are flat, dull and lifeless. The inventory now contains a "junk" slot, into which the vast majority of items go, as if the studio were acknowledging the pointlessness of an inventory-loot system in which the armour of three of four part members cannot be modified. The aesthetic of the game grates: Hawke and co. heft swords of frankly comedic proportions, while the armour in which some characters are kitted out seems to have been designed by people who have heard of armour, but never really seen it up close or fully understood its purpose. While other reviewers have raved about the qualities of the "dialogue wheel," I fail to see what advantages it actually offers over a list of answers. As with Mass Effect, an unwary player may be tricked into selecting an option on the basis of the synopsis on the wheel, then have Hawke say something while, which not entirely unrelated, is hardly what was foreshadowed. This is a gimmic which needs to be quietly abandoned. Even to characterise this as an "action RPG," in an effort to deflect from the fact that the game offers no immersive qualities, would be misleading, because combat is a simplified version of the same old pause, point and click. The game's increased emphasis on individualism, emphasised by the camera angles, makes approaching battles from a tactical, party-orientated perspective less rewarding and less intuitive than in DA:O. There are, of course, flashes of decent writing and some of the voice acting is quite good, but it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor. All told, this is a game which might engage fans of "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance," or "Diabolo," but gamers seeking the escapism and immersion of a "proper" role-playing game will be sorely, sorely disappointed. Bioware flaunts the positive reviews of a number of respected reviewers on its website. My only question at this stage is: can I have a go at the game they played?… 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

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 45
  3. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 18, 2011
    90
    Moving even further from the classic RPG, strong story and clever combat are nonetheless still found within Dragon Age II. [May 2011, p.52]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Apr 12, 2011
    58
    Despite some advancement in storytelling approach and liberal borrowing from Bioware's Mass Effect approach to gameplay, Dragon Age 2 on the PC has a lot of bugs and is populated with re-used settings that make this feel like a play performed on a stage with two sets.
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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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