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. Eudaemonium
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age II is a very good game, but it is not a great game. It suffers from a distinct lack of polish, poorly recycled areas, several bugs and a distinct lack of pacing during the late-game. Despite this, I found the game to be engaging, intriguing and fun to play, with well developed characters, and interesting and atypical storyline and fun, tactical combat.

    The last of these seems    Dragon Age II is a very good game, but it is not a great game. It suffers from a distinct lack of polish, poorly recycled areas, several bugs and a distinct lack of pacing during the late-game. Despite this, I found the game to be engaging, intriguing and fun to play, with well developed characters, and interesting and atypical storyline and fun, tactical combat.

    The last of these seems to be an issue with a lot of people, and I feel I should make something clear: the difficulty setting essentially completely changes the way the game has to be played. Casual and Normal play more like an action game, with little thought or tactics required on anything but the toughest of battles. Hard and (particularly) Nightmare by contrast play more tactically with precise tactics and micro-management of your team required to excel or even succeed. Nightmare, for example, introduces enemy immunities and friendly fire, which greatly change how the game needs to be played. Playing on Nightmare, I found the combat and gameplay systems far more engaging and fun, and a vast improvement on Dragon Age: Origins. My recommendations to the player is to experiment with the difficulty until they find one that matches the game they wish to play.

    That aside, the combat has several flaws. Foremost of these is the way enemies are pigeonholed into certain "types": Enemy Rogues, Templar Hunters and Rage Demons, for example, fall under a common "Assassin" category that shares behavioural traits. Short of differing elemental immunities (only on Nightmare difficulty), a carefully-thought-out tactic for dealing with assassins will work on *all* of these enemies with almost no variance. This mechanic makes combat for less strategic that it could have been. Other features, such as the more stylised animations, the 'wave' system of enemy encounters, cross-class-combo system and others are more a matter of personal preference: I enjoyed them all, and with some tweaks in future titles I feel they form the basis of an excellent combat system.

    The plot has been similarly dividing. Unlike Dragon Age: Origins, this is not a story about saving the world or defeating an ancient evil. Players looking for that story should look elsewhere. DA2's story is a lot more personal and narrow in scope, focusing on the main character and her or his family and companions as they deal with the evolving religious, social and political situations in Kirkwall, where the majority of the game is set, over a period of 7 years. Overall, I found it more engaging than that of Origins. However, it does suffer distinct pacing problems in the final Act, and ones enjoyment of the story will depend entirely on how one relates to the various companions and situations arising. Again, this an area where opinions will differ.

    A note should be made about the main character, since this is one area I found the game excelled. The player assumes the role of Hawke, a human refugee. Hawke can be male or female, a warrior, rogue or mage, and is completely voice-acted (by either Nicholas Boulton or Jo Wyatt depending on gender). Further, throughout the game the player has the option to pick from distinct 'personality' choices in dialogue. These fall broadly into 'helpful/diplomatic', 'sarcastic/humourous/charming' and 'aggressive/direct/rude'. The more the player picks one of these option, the more it cements Hawke's personality, meaning that when Hawke responds without player direction, he or she often reacts in the manner of the player-directed persona. Unlike the Paragon/Renegade selection in Bioware's other RPG, Mass Effect, the player is not penalised for switching from one personality to another, allowing more fluid role-playing. The reason I bring this up is because, for me (and opinions will vary), Hawke managed to walk the fine line between a player-customised character and a character in their own right. Hawke managed to be both *my* character and *a* character. In my experience, this is incredibly difficult to pull off and I feel Bioware should be commended for the accomplishment. For references' sake, I played an aggressively direct, sometimes sarcastic and rarely diplomatic female Mage. To summarise, Dragon Age 2 is a solid RPG with some interesting gameplay and roleplay systems, an engaging story and characters and fun combat. However, it suffers from lack of polish, recycled dungeons and somewhat underdeveloped tactical elements. The game probably needed another 6 months to a year in development to be the game it could have been. Overall, the Original may be the better game, but DA2 makes certain key improvements. It is not a great game, but it is far from a bad game. It is, indeed, a very, very good game, and well worth playing.    … Expand
  2. 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.
  3. JadedPuppy
    Jul 18, 2011
    7
    If you forget that this game is called Dragon Age 2, it is actually quite an enjoyable game. The combat isn't necessarily difficult but it is fast paced and there is quite a variety in combat styles to choose from. The story in itself is decent enough, although at times certain developments feel strained, making it too obvious that certain choices in the story are made to sacrifice goodIf you forget that this game is called Dragon Age 2, it is actually quite an enjoyable game. The combat isn't necessarily difficult but it is fast paced and there is quite a variety in combat styles to choose from. The story in itself is decent enough, although at times certain developments feel strained, making it too obvious that certain choices in the story are made to sacrifice good storytelling just to be able to insert some more (pointless) combat.

    Comparing this to Dragon Age: Origins would leave this game coming up short in every aspect. Had this game been called any differently though, it would not have received such a downright hostile reception as it is receiving on this website. Make no mistake, for the Dragon Age franchise, this game is not a step forward. This game offers less choice, a worse plot, and all in all not as much eye for detail. Of course, Dragon Age: Origins had been in the works for much, much longer, while Dragon Age 2 was clearly rushed out the door, leaving it rather unpolished and unfinished in places. There is no excuse for the way areas in this game are re-used. All in all this is a decent game, it's just not a great game.    … Expand
  4. chinoyray
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Still a good game. It feels like it was rushed because it is so repetitive but the story is very good. The low score is probably because we expect Bioware to be very good and not like this. It is enjoyable but then again the use of the same assets again and again makes the game look bad. If you compare this to Dragon Age: Origins, it's like a younger brother who will never be better thanStill a good game. It feels like it was rushed because it is so repetitive but the story is very good. The low score is probably because we expect Bioware to be very good and not like this. It is enjoyable but then again the use of the same assets again and again makes the game look bad. If you compare this to Dragon Age: Origins, it's like a younger brother who will never be better than his older brother. Compare this to non-DAO games and you get a very immersing game with a good story and better combat.… Expand
  5. Osyron
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    As fair as i can be... Almost a week ago this 35 year old man sat sipping an early morning coffee in egger anticipation of the postman visiting his door, because on this morning two great things where happening... 1. the day off work (not to mention the following three as well) 2. the much anticipated Dragon age 2 signature edition was arriving. I was planing on writing an in depth,As fair as i can be... Almost a week ago this 35 year old man sat sipping an early morning coffee in egger anticipation of the postman visiting his door, because on this morning two great things where happening... 1. the day off work (not to mention the following three as well) 2. the much anticipated Dragon age 2 signature edition was arriving. I was planing on writing an in depth, insightful review but instead i am just going to list pro's and cons and a brief summery at the end. Pro's - Graphically its very good, the characters and landscapes are done with a very high level of detail i was only playing on medium settings and found some of scenery quite stunning at times. The spirit and mood of DAO is there, it pops its head up to say hellonow and then, not quite frequent enough for me to fall in love all over but often enough to keep my hopes up that it will blossom and flourish any minute now. the cast - i really liked the cast and supporting companions, i seem to be very loyal and stick with the first /tank/mage/healer that i come across in games and my fear was in this i would not take to the new characters as i would be missing the old ones to much but they grew on me instantly in most cases and for me the real reason i will revisit the game will be to tryout the characters that i did not use often in my first play through. combat - right this is tricky, im going to list comat in both the pro's and cons of the game because i do believe that improves have been made in some areas but bioware have dropped the ball in others, but as this is pro's lets stick with those first. First thing you notice is the visuals of certain abilities and spells, i played rogue in the original and in this one as well and the dynamic of this has been greatly improved, in DAO to perform backstab you had to position yourself behind your target and low and behold you could perform backstab, but targets dont often like to stand in the one spot so your character could end up chasing thenm around till they hold still long enough for you to perform backstab rendering it useless very often. In DA2 its a different story, at the click of a button you vanish, appear and perform backstab all in an instant making it a viable talent and much more pleasing on the eye . The other great thing about combat is the talent trees, there are at least six yes thats right six trees to choose from meaning you can play the same class over and over but have very different characters, experiences and results. Con's - Repetitiveness on maps, i wanted to play the whole game so i made sure i did all side quests before moving on the the main quest/storryline. I found myself repeatatly visiting the same cave/house/coastline to kill bandits/spiders/mercenaries (very similar to the bandits from where i standing) and after a while this felt like a chore rather than a joy, the quests themselves had very little imagination pretty much forgettable for the most part i can only compare it to my experience grinding in MMO's for money/XP. Something i have never before experienced with any bioware game before. combat - its easy, way to easy i was worried by my lack of a healer in the party and kept hoping to meet one down the line but i never did nor did i need to, i can only recall using 2 health potions outside of boss fights and this is with no healer in the party remember, this made fighting tedious, there was no feeling of danger at any time and the fights consist of hordes of mobs coming at you in waves but you feel like a man fighting toddlers, i personal felt like a bad ass for the first few fights but the novelty soon wore off and it became a bore, something in the way of me getting to where i wanted to go. Epicness - I keep comparing it to DAO which is slightly unfair but understandable as this is it's(supposed) successor but it just lacks the depth, variety and feeling of Epicness, overall the game still feels really good but when your riding on the coattails of Epic, really good just does not cut it.. Summery - Had this not been the follow up to Origins or a bioware game i think it would have been far better revived, i personally think Origins as close to a gaming masterpiece that you can get. and those are impossibly big shoes to fill but if anyone could i had faith bioware could. They did it with Baldurs gate, the squeal improving on the original in many ways yet keeping the same things that made everyone fall in love with the original, they did not pull that off this time. I just have the feeling bioware have gone from setting the standard to following the standard, taking the extraordinary and making it ordinary. Is this down to EA the timing of their involvement with bioware cant be dismissed as coincidence in my eyes, given biowares excellent back catalogue of games it strikes me as odd the would go from "sublime" to "quite good" all of a sudden on their own but maybe EA are an all to convenient scapegoat… Expand
  6. darksydex3226
    Mar 13, 2011
    7
    Despite the constant copy & pasted maps, and being pretty much restricted to Kirkwall, Dragon Age II is still a very fun role-playing experience, and I would recommend playing it. I'm on my second run now, and still enjoying it... the game definitely has some low points (hence the 7), like the music, level design, repetitive (but still enjoyable at the end of the day) combat, andDespite the constant copy & pasted maps, and being pretty much restricted to Kirkwall, Dragon Age II is still a very fun role-playing experience, and I would recommend playing it. I'm on my second run now, and still enjoying it... the game definitely has some low points (hence the 7), like the music, level design, repetitive (but still enjoyable at the end of the day) combat, and anti-climatic boss battles... the story is really good though, and the characters are too. All in all, a fun game to hold me over until The Witcher 2.… Expand
  7. wolverdick
    Apr 22, 2011
    8
    I give this game a solid 8. It wasn't as great as the very first in the DA series, but it isn't horrible either. The way developers dumb-down games to appeal to the console audience is the major downfall. The new skill trees leave a lot to be wondered about. But the story is good, the game-play engaging, and there is a lot more to this game than meets the eye. Sure the story isI give this game a solid 8. It wasn't as great as the very first in the DA series, but it isn't horrible either. The way developers dumb-down games to appeal to the console audience is the major downfall. The new skill trees leave a lot to be wondered about. But the story is good, the game-play engaging, and there is a lot more to this game than meets the eye. Sure the story is short, but there are tons of side quests. The interpersonal interaction with the companions is not as good as before, but that doesn't degrade the experience very much in my opinion. All in all, if you like DA you will like the game, but chances are you wont love it.… Expand
  8. harmattan
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    After having played nearly the entire way through the 1st chapiter (about 12 hrs so far), I am very much enjoying this game. The story is very good (more "the little guy's" quest than DA:O) and the voice acting and dialogue absolutely superb. I'd say the main detractions are the interface and item use is dumbed down, there's a good deal of repetition of areas and what I would describe aAfter having played nearly the entire way through the 1st chapiter (about 12 hrs so far), I am very much enjoying this game. The story is very good (more "the little guy's" quest than DA:O) and the voice acting and dialogue absolutely superb. I'd say the main detractions are the interface and item use is dumbed down, there's a good deal of repetition of areas and what I would describe a empty graphical interfaces (obvious laziness/rush-job here). Overall however, the graphics and animations are much improved over DA:O, especially with the high-res texture pack. Contrary to most posters, I didn't feel penned in being limited to a single city and its periphery: there was enough detail and variation in each space to keep me interested and sticking to some of the same areas gave them a sense of intimacy that the sprawling world of DA:O did not have.… Expand
  9. Anclaw
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Ok, so, when I first launched it and started playing as a rogue I was fascinated by the graphics, dynamics of the battle and interface. I like the newcombat system Bioware made,it brings more movement and action into the game, making it differ from other RPGs. As I continued playing and the plot started moving, I had actually mixed feelings.
    "+"
    1) New combat system that makes the game    Ok, so, when I first launched it and started playing as a rogue I was fascinated by the graphics, dynamics of the battle and interface. I like the newcombat system Bioware made,it brings more movement and action into the game, making it differ from other RPGs. As I continued playing and the plot started moving, I had actually mixed feelings.
    "+"
    1) New combat system that makes the game much better and funnier to play than it was in Origins
    2) I like the characters. They are very different, each one in its own way. I really liked Isabella, how they made her interacting with Hawke and other companions. Well, this point is a big plus
    3) The ending is epic. Not spoiling anything. Its some sort of simillar to Mass Effect 2. It was very fascinating and exciting, though pretty hard ( I was playing on Hard difficulty)
    4) Lots and lots of secondary quests to keep you busy and make you play some more hours. I did all of the secondary quests and I really liked them. They differ from Origins, because every one is unique ( You dont come to the Chantry quest desk or Mage Circle bag and silly taketurn in quests). Every quest has its own plot and influences on the gameplay and storyline aswell.
    "-"
    1) First of all... the lack of spaces. There are so little locations that in 5-6 hours you get to know every place where the game takes place. Every cave, mansion, underground is the same. Bioware just lets you go here and there depending on the quest.
    2) I really disliked the Hawke bound only armor system. Only main character can pick up and wear/ buy and wear armor. Your companions only have the standard armor type, which can change once in a game depending on your relations to them. This was just disappointing.
    3) The way Bioware tells you the story. Each time I was getting a main storyline quest I was like: "What the hell did this guy just say? Why do I have to go there? What am I doing here? What the hell is actually going on here????". I couldn't really understand the plot at all at some points, which produced some questions at the end of the game for me. I was hoping for more at this point.
    These are the main pluses and minuses I really think every player encountered in this game. Despite of being so badly scored by many gamers, I still put this game 9. In my opinion, Bioware has made a very little, but still an important step forward. I am very sure, if they combine all their experience from Origins and the second part, they will make a fantastic and an eic story which everyone will enjoy. Let us hope Bioware will fullfill 100% of our expectations in Dragon Age 3. For now, I am willingly waiting for any major DLC coming, because I want more Dragon Age 2. I advice you this game, because if you get used to it ( And you surely will if you enjoyed origins) it will fullfill your expectations, money and will give you lots of pleasant emotions from the game at the end. Goodluck playing!    … Expand
  10. Echohawkdown
    Mar 28, 2011
    10
    For those of you that liked DA:O's loosely turn-based strategy RPG, you're looking in the wrong place. DA2 is all about real-time strategy, with instantaneous execution and a heavier emphasis on the action aspect of the ARPG genre.{||||}

    Despite that, having played through DA:O - Ultimate and DA2, both have their own charms: DA:O feels more old school, with more of a Baldur's Gate feel to    For those of you that liked DA:O's loosely turn-based strategy RPG, you're looking in the wrong place. DA2 is all about real-time strategy, with instantaneous execution and a heavier emphasis on the action aspect of the ARPG genre.{||||}

    Despite that, having played through DA:O - Ultimate and DA2, both have their own charms: DA:O feels more old school, with more of a Baldur's Gate feel to it, whereas DA2 feels much more like an action RPG with the elimination of the "turn"-based combat. In addition, DA2 concentrates on a much smaller area over a longer period of time, which, along with the frame story element, allowed for a much richer development of the player character's story. {||||}

    Pros: {||||}
    Simplified Interface - I no longer have to hover over my skills to tell whether they're activated skills or sustained. A quick glance tells me everything I need to know. In addition, the XP bar extends across the entire screen, and the skill bar is even less intrusive than before, with clean skill symbols and and semi-transparent background. {||||}

    Real-time combat - One of the small complaints I've had with BioWare in their other games is the turn-based feel of combat. In short, it just didn't feel like actual combat being executed in real time. Now, with DA2, they've made it so attacks are quick and skills are executed nearly instantaneously after I queue up the order. {||||}

    POV/Storytelling mechanic - While I've never been a big fan of the frame story mechanic, BioWare was able to pull this one off quite well. I didn't think it was possible, but props to BioWare for making it work. {||||}

    VO/ME dialogue wheel - Seriously, this was exactly what DA:O needed. Well, maybe not the dialog wheel, but it definitely needed something *like* it that would convey the general tone of upcoming dialog as well as making clear whether you were advancing dialog or clarifying things. I'm ambivalent on the dialog icons, though. {||||}

    Cons: Removal of trap-disarming/spotting - Perhaps the most egregious change of all, trap spotting and disarming have been removed in favor of a 4 tier complexity system based on the cunning stat. In other words, if you want a rogue to spot and disarm traps, say goodbye to damage. {||||}

    Heavy-handed defining of character classes - No matter what class you play, BioWare seems to think only two of the six stats should define your class. If you're a warrior, you're looking at strength and constitution; rogue, dexterity and cunning; and mage, magic and willpower. No offense, but it was rather tiresome to be a warrior and be unable to keep threat simply because I kept on running out of stamina since I had to pump attribute points into constitution to wear certain armors rather than willpower. {||||}

    Companion armor - Seriously, who thought of this? I'm pretty sure BioWare just wanted to make sure your companions always looked the same, but I would much rather give them armors that, you know, actually protected them rather than looked nice, yes? {||||}

    Overall, I'd still play DA2 over DA:O, but it will take some time for BioWare to work out those kinks (if they ever do).    … Expand
  11. Joshua61679
    May 8, 2011
    10
    If you're looking for a computer version of a dice based RL rpg, then skip this. If you want a computer game that has a lot of rpg elements, Dragon Age II is as good as there is out there. I found the balance between story and interesting game play in fight scenes to be excellent. I do miss the conversation engine from DA:O, but I didn't find the conversation wheel to be game braking byIf you're looking for a computer version of a dice based RL rpg, then skip this. If you want a computer game that has a lot of rpg elements, Dragon Age II is as good as there is out there. I found the balance between story and interesting game play in fight scenes to be excellent. I do miss the conversation engine from DA:O, but I didn't find the conversation wheel to be game braking by any means.

    All in all, based on enjoyment level, of the 4 DA/ME games released so far, I found this to be the most enjoyable, followed by ME, the DA, then ME II, but I would consider them all top notch games. I thought the story, including the expanded time frame, was compelling, and the ending left me wanting more in a good way.

    DA II's combat system, to me, felt far more immersive than it predecessors, especially when playing as a rogue. You can hack and slash your way through the game on normal difficulty, but higher difficulties require some tinkering with the tactics settings, which are much improved as well.

    Just as with a lot of BW games, there were a host of bugs on release, many of which have been fixed in subsequent patches. I do wish there had been a little more crossover from DA:O, but there were strong hints given that there will be something later in the series that ties things together. I also found the frequent recycling of maps leaving me underwhelmed at times. Yes, a city make of stone won't change much, if any, over the course of 10 years, but there should be more than 2 cave formations in outlying area's, and more than 3 building designs. Even small changes would have been appreciated.

    The choices you make throughout the game do have a bearing on some things, though little affect on end game scenarios. Were this a stand alone game, I would be exceedingly disappointed, but viewed with the expected full series, I understand why some things have to be. It's a rather "Doctor Who" type of view of history and what can and can't be changed.

    Overall, this is an outstanding game, with great replayablity and solid story. If you take it for what it is, and not what perhaps you wish it were (DA:O, or The Witcher) then it delivers. If you where hoping for a remake of the seminal title of the series, you'll probably be a bit disappointed.    … Expand
  12. 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!
  13. pwnYourBrian
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    After playing for 40h (yes it does take that long), I can say that this game is amazing. Almost all of the flaws have been taken out from Origins, the combat is much more fun, the leveling system is better, the animations are far superior, and most importantly of all, the story is good. I completely disagree with the negative reviews, and suspect that a fair few are simply trolls.
  14. verbose
    May 6, 2011
    7
    I enjoyed a lot of what this game changed. Unlike many, I enjoyed the change to the battle system, and I think that the battle system has been improved and streamlined from the first game. I am ambivalent about not being able to change anyone's armor but the main character, but I can live with that. I enjoy customizing my entire party, however, there is a different kind of enjoyment thatI enjoyed a lot of what this game changed. Unlike many, I enjoyed the change to the battle system, and I think that the battle system has been improved and streamlined from the first game. I am ambivalent about not being able to change anyone's armor but the main character, but I can live with that. I enjoy customizing my entire party, however, there is a different kind of enjoyment that can come from not having to worry about your companions gear very much(especially when half of them are very rarely used). I did not enjoy the fact that certain characters were essentially mandatory for much of the game if you did not pick a mage due to the fact that there is only one real healer in the game. I thought the story was decent. It was not the epic that DA:O was, but it was still interesting to see how one person inadvertently caused a chain reaction. There are three things that I really do not like about this game. 1. DA:O took me roughly 80 hours to finish and do everything there was to do in the game. This game took me roughly 25 hours to do the same. 2. This game uses recycled areas for the entire game. In all of the Acts of this game, you will be revisiting areas that you have already been to over and over and over again. This is probably my biggest gripe of the game. 3. There are too few references to the characters and events of DA:O. As a sequel, and specifically, as a Bioware sequel, I expected to have more appearances from characters of the first game. Also, when characters from the first game do appear, I felt unsatisfied. It seems that they put the characters in the game just to have an appearance rather than actually weaving them into the story of the game. That said, I initially greatly enjoyed this game. It is not a perfect game, but it is still fun.… Expand
  15. soccerball
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Loved it. All of the best elements of mass effect brought over to the series and they streamlined a lot of the tedious things in rpg's that used to annoy the hell outta me like loot management, time of day specific quests, and hand me down armor to the rest of the party.
  16. JaylaClark
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    No, I'm not clinically insane, or a hack-and-slash fan. I actually do like the game enough that its flaws are overcome by the enjoyment, in my opinion.

    Combat, to my eyes, is improved -- I don't feel constrained to take more than one warrior to any one place anymore, as opposed to the last game where my tank (Alistair, or Sten) had to come by every single mission. The story, too, is    No, I'm not clinically insane, or a hack-and-slash fan. I actually do like the game enough that its flaws are overcome by the enjoyment, in my opinion.

    Combat, to my eyes, is improved -- I don't feel constrained to take more than one warrior to any one place anymore, as opposed to the last game where my tank (Alistair, or Sten) had to come by every single mission. The story, too, is more immersive by my standards.

    If it weren't for fit and finish issues, like the recycled maps and the more cartoonish face morphs, I'd say this was clearly the better game. They're enough of an issue to cause me to take two whole points off, I'll admit, but they didn't kill the game for me.    … Expand
  17. LlamaHerder
    May 15, 2011
    9
    As someone who found Dragon Age:Origins to be disappointing (good, but not great), DA2 was actually good enough to actually make me like DA:O better than I originally did - as all good sequels should. The storytelling shows off the depth of the game world, and the storyline actually has something to offer beyond, "The big bad is coming and only you can kill it." The game improved on everyAs someone who found Dragon Age:Origins to be disappointing (good, but not great), DA2 was actually good enough to actually make me like DA:O better than I originally did - as all good sequels should. The storytelling shows off the depth of the game world, and the storyline actually has something to offer beyond, "The big bad is coming and only you can kill it." The game improved on every factor that actually matters to me:

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The bad:

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

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

    I still had to run around looting after every single battle, and I still had to destroy gear constantly to keep enough space in my pack. Deliver the gear on a silver platter and give me unlimited inventory space. When are game developers going to stop imposing artificial inventory limits? I'm already carrying around 15 suits of platemail on my person - is it really a stretch to just ditch the limits entirely?    … Expand
  18. dxmpsycho
    Apr 4, 2015
    0
    Я искренне удивляюсь, когда кто-то пишет или говорит, что игра Dragon Age 2 - это конечно не Origins, но тоже пойдет. Рассмотрим подробнее:

    Плюсы: + не замечены критические баги и вылеты - и больше плюсов не замечено Минусы: - ужасные, уродливые лица персонажей (особенно мать глав.героя) . в Origins лица в 100 раз красивее и живее. здесь же ощущение, что лица слепил пьяный левой    Я искренне удивляюсь, когда кто-то пишет или говорит, что игра Dragon Age 2 - это конечно не Origins, но тоже пойдет. Рассмотрим подробнее:

    Плюсы:
    + не замечены критические баги и вылеты - и больше плюсов не замечено

    Минусы:
    - ужасные, уродливые лица персонажей (особенно мать глав.героя) . в Origins лица в 100 раз красивее и живее. здесь же ощущение, что лица слепил пьяный левой ногой за полчаса. вся остальная графика сделана неплохо, и только с самими фигурками персонажей какая-то ужасная лажа.
    - и из своего персонажа можно слепить только нечто не очень приятное на вид
    - анимация боя в стиле аниме, с дурацкими прыжками и кривляньями. битва теперь больше похожа на цирк
    - в бою сперва ты дерешься, допустим, с 6-ю противниками, побеждаешь их, потом откуда-нибудь спрыгивают еще 8, потом еще по 4 выбегают с двух сторон (неважно, что за спиной у тебя уже все зачищено, они вылезут и оттуда), а потом еще штук 10. это довольно-таки сильно раздражает и надоедает - потому что это нормальное явление, и так проходит КАЖДЫЙ бой
    - массовые заклинания теперь не действуют на своих (что за читерство?)
    - тупейшие диалоги. впечатление, что их писал умственно отсталый первоклассник
    - главный персонаж - не герой, который пришел всем помочь и всех спасти, а жалкая и ничтожная личность, которая если и помогает, то как-то неохотно. а в иных случаях наоборот - как-то чрезмерно экзальтированно.
    - выбор ответа совершенно ни на что не влияет - вежливо ли ты говоришь, шутя ли, или агрессивно. никто не замечает твой выбор - добро ли ты совершаешь, зло ли. на сюжет не влияет совершенно. - события в игре бестолковые - и добро не добро, и зло не зло. а какая-то скучная неинтересная ерунда, до которой, судя по диалогам, глав.герою нет никакого дела. а мне, игроку, почему должно быть дело?
    - какое-то издевательство над миром первой части игры. в Origins был довольно логичный интересный мир - маги, которые должны пройти обучение, чтобы не стать одержимыми демонами (что было серьезной угрозой окружающему миру), и храмовники, которые можно сказать, жизнь кладут на то, чтобы надзирать за магами, чтобы сдерживать одержимых. в Dragon Age 2 мы видим, что маги - это такие вольные художники, которым демоны не беда. главная беда -это жестокая и кровавая тирании храмовников, которые только и умеют, что подавлять нежную и мятущуюся душу мага, и делают это исключительно от природной жестокости
    - бестолковые скучные квесты спутников, где нужно решать их проблемы, которые мне как-то совершенно до лампочки. сами персонажи скучны и пусты, и никак не раскрываются
    - тупейший, скучнейший сюжет. даже не сюжет, а какие-то разрозненные куски. удивительно тупой финал, в котором снова продемонстрировано, что игрок абсолютно никак не влияет на сюжет

    игру хотелось бросить с самого начала, и в процессе игры интереса к ней не было никакого. прошла игру со скрипом и только чтобы узнать, хоть над финалом-то постарались разработчики? оказалось нет, не старались ни в начале, ни в конце.
    в целом игра выглядит дешевой поделкой, которую сделали на отвяжись, и которая ничем не маскирует то, что она дешевая поделка. просто заплатили потом за отличные рецензии. рейтинг 82 процента у этого убожества? это просто смешно. не каждой ХОРОШЕЙ игре дашь такой рейтинг.
    в общем, Bioware очень сильно облажался, но главное, не переживает по этому поводу абсолютно    … Expand
  19. Chaozzak
    Nov 6, 2011
    4
    Horrible. port of console with average graphics and poor level design. Fast and easy combat where enemies popping everywhere. I finished this game and its really disappointing again Origins. I hope that DA3 will be much better
  20. Olaf
    Mar 17, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age 2 though being a good game is a big let down for RPG fans. It tries to cater to a very large gamer base thus sacrificing a lot of which made DAO a huge success. The story at best is average, the voice acting is average though it does shine at times, the combat is more of a hack n slash, enemies explode in countless bits with one hit from a weapon. The combat consists of waves nDragon Age 2 though being a good game is a big let down for RPG fans. It tries to cater to a very large gamer base thus sacrificing a lot of which made DAO a huge success. The story at best is average, the voice acting is average though it does shine at times, the combat is more of a hack n slash, enemies explode in countless bits with one hit from a weapon. The combat consists of waves n waves of enemies spawning at you out of thin air which is absolutely immersion breaking and it continues throughout most of the game in the same manner. The environments are reused again n again n again n again....... The companions are not that great no feeling of attachment, romance is not implemented well, no companion customization, poor inventory system. I could go on n on but Ill stop. Please Bioware check you priorities you can't serve two masters at the same time...… Expand
  21. ZombiePowered
    Mar 24, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a fantastic game, and a great next step in the Dragon Age world. It fills that main gap that Origins had: an inspired, original story that matches the originality of the world it is set in. Instead of a generic fight against ultimate evil, DA2 gives us a much more morally muddled world. The conflict between Templars and mages is finally flesh out: we are given ample reasonDragon Age 2 is a fantastic game, and a great next step in the Dragon Age world. It fills that main gap that Origins had: an inspired, original story that matches the originality of the world it is set in. Instead of a generic fight against ultimate evil, DA2 gives us a much more morally muddled world. The conflict between Templars and mages is finally flesh out: we are given ample reason to fear reason, while at the same time supplied with further evidence that the Templars may not be the best people to guard them. The addition of the Qunari as a force to be reckoned with is even more welcome, and their philosophy is further explored, as well as put into direct conflict with the rest of the world in a truly interesting conflict that I'm left begging for more of.
    The great part of the story is the change of focus. Origins was all about stopped the Archdemon, with the Warden and his companions, interesting and deep as they were, as tools to be used to complete this task. In DA2, however, the focus is Hawke. His rise to power and birth into legend is the story, and it is a great one at that. The addition of a voice, and fantastic dialogue, also adds to his depth, and all in all I found myself identifying more with my Hawke than with any other player character in any previous RPG.
    The companions are just as great, and the choice to let them choose their own clothing adds further to their sense of individuality. The great thing about the companions is that, unlike in Origins, they are not all directly tied to the issues in Kirkwall, but instead are tied to Hawke. They feel much more like friends and rivals who stick around because of their personal relationship with Hawke, not because external events force them to stay. The dialogue, both with Hawke and with each other, ranged from hilarious to caring to baleful, and it makes for some excellent and deep group relationships. My only complaint is that Hawke is unable to talk to his companions at will; they will only talk when they have something to say. With such rich connections between characters, I would have liked to experience more group events, or at least the chance to talk with them one-on-one more often. More dialogue, especially Bioware dialogue, is never a bad thing.
    The new combat system is fast, fun, and engaging, but doesn't sacrifice the tactics of Origins. In fact, on higher difficulty it requires far more thought into abilities and positioning than was ever needed in Origins. I found myself pausing frequently to set up nasty combos and to manage my companions movements, though on normal I mostly only used Hawke in real-time (on hard I found myself switching for more often to ranged companions like Varric to keep them kiting nasty melee enemies around the room). The moves are all more reactive and their results brutal (the dismemberment can be a bit ridiculous, and I hope it will be toned down more in future installments). The one negative aspect compared to Origins is the lack of executions; it was one of the best aspects of Origins combat, and I hope it will return in either expansions or future installments of Dragon Age.
    As many have noted, many environments are reused. However, these mostly consist of caves and houses, and you'd have to be quite picky (and a bit petty) to let them significantly impact your experience with the game.
    Finally, the music. The music was... acceptable. It was not notable, though the music certainly fit the mood of the game. However, I felt DA2's fast pace and Hawke's habit of being nothing less than badass made DA2 and excellent choice for incorporating the guitar-embellished music seen in the Destiny trailer. Additionally, pausing of the music whilst the game is paused, and then picking up when combat resumes, would have greatly accentuated the impressive combat and made a more cinematic experience. Overall, definitely a 9.5/10, and definitely worth playing several times.    … Expand
  22. Jinngo
    May 1, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Truly Excellent Game Which i Look Forward To Replaying.

    The Game Is Not Dragon Age: Origins, Because DA:O Was Most Likely The Prequel To Everything That Is About To Happen In The World Of Dragon Age, At Least That's How i See It Nonetheless Dragon Age 2 Is a Amazing Game But You've Got To Look At It For What It is Not What You Expected It To Be, There Are Some Minor Elements That Might Trouble Even The Most Loyal Of Bioware Fans Like That You Will Be Wandering The Same Dungeons And Areas Over The Course Of The Game, This Did Not However Bother Me Since You Are In fact Set In Kirkwall Not An Country Or State Like In DA:O And Of Course It's Not Going To Be As Big As Fereldan In DA:O, Well Anyway I Have Almost Only Good Things To Say About Dragon Age 2 In fact My Only Complaint Is i Just Wish It Was Longer. It Was Truly Money Well Spent And I Hope Bioware Continues To Make Amazing Games Like This One.    … Expand
  23. 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!
  24. maddocks2379
    Mar 26, 2011
    9
    Dragon age 2 is one of the best games so far this year, it has a great story, great characters and an improvement combat system however it does have some issues like recycling levels far too often.
    The Skills system has seen a vast improvement with more skills to choose from and each allies has a unique skillset
  25. Lackadaisy
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    I would like to start off by saying that while I do not regret buying Dragon Age 2, I do regret paying $60 for it. This game is not worth the $60 in it's current state, and the writing at some points is downright terrible to a degree of which made me want to kill small animals.
    On to what I do like:
    I find that the game is in many ways better than it's predecessor and one of them is    I would like to start off by saying that while I do not regret buying Dragon Age 2, I do regret paying $60 for it. This game is not worth the $60 in it's current state, and the writing at some points is downright terrible to a degree of which made me want to kill small animals.
    On to what I do like:
    I find that the game is in many ways better than it's predecessor and one of them is companion inventory. Along with Mass Effect, it's inventory management system was a complete mess. With the removal of said problem, the game got considerably easier to play. Another bonus was the visual aid to the dialogue options. Sometimes things are difficult to decipher when just words, or the small description isn't enough. The combat is smoother, the dialogue entertaining, and the storyline immersive. But there is still one problem.
    Text.
    The massive blocks of test.
    Stop doing this BioWare.
    I bought a game to play it, not to read several novels worth of text.
    I give it an 8/10, but will change it if the game does not receive its much needed patches.    … Expand
  26. CaptainScalawag
    Mar 13, 2011
    7
    As of right now I'm about 10 hours into the game and must say that it's not as bad as everyone here seems to think it is. No, it's not nearly as good as the original but if you liked the original then chances are you will probably like this as well. DA:O was a complex RPG but I'm sure that might have thrown off a ton of people because DA:II seems to go too far in the other direction andAs of right now I'm about 10 hours into the game and must say that it's not as bad as everyone here seems to think it is. No, it's not nearly as good as the original but if you liked the original then chances are you will probably like this as well. DA:O was a complex RPG but I'm sure that might have thrown off a ton of people because DA:II seems to go too far in the other direction and simplify way too much. First I'm glad they changed the skill trees for the classes and got rid of the alternative skill tree (herbalism, posion, etc.) and instead opted to allow you to make anything as long as you had the recipe, coin, and ingredients to back it up. The skill trees, like I said, have been streamlined and I think they're far better in this since the trees aren't as linear and there are passive buffs that reward you for investing a lot of points in one tree. The combat is better in some aspects. Heal actually feels like a useful spell to have since it does so much this time around. The attacks also feel like they have more weight, especially as a mage, and I really like feeling like I'm having an affect on the battle rather than being a guy in the background clicking on things.

    That being said my main strategy seems to be "spam area of effect spells" which isn't really much of an exciting strategy. I think they went too far in simplification too, because now you can't get armor for your allies, which is a real shame because I enjoyed going through all the hidden side quests in the last game to get my allies equipped with godly armor, now it feels like I won't get that option. It also feels a bit too easy. I'm playing on normal and despite a few minor setbacks I've hardly died at all. I actually beat a creature in this game (no spoilers) that took me forever to beat in the last game on my first try! It was ridiculous!

    It's not a bad game, but I think they simplified it way too much from the complexities of the first one. If you liked the first one chances are you'll at least get a kick out of this. Maybe in Dragon Age 3 they'll learn from their mistakes and combine the strengths of DA:O and DA II and if they did that, I honestly believe it could be one of the greatest RPGs Bioware ever released.    … Expand
  27. dragunrising
    Apr 16, 2011
    8
    Judging by the review scores, I'm guessing there are a bunch of disappointed Dragon Age: Origins fans and/or perpetually depressed people purposely exaggerating minor annoyances. If you review Dragon Age 2 based on its own merits and not its prequel, its hardly the bad game other people make it out to be. Giving the protagonist a voice? Progress. Speeding up the game play and reducing theJudging by the review scores, I'm guessing there are a bunch of disappointed Dragon Age: Origins fans and/or perpetually depressed people purposely exaggerating minor annoyances. If you review Dragon Age 2 based on its own merits and not its prequel, its hardly the bad game other people make it out to be. Giving the protagonist a voice? Progress. Speeding up the game play and reducing the number of available special abilities? Better combat. The menu system is less complicated. The game is a tad bit shorter as well. Most adults/people with jobs hardly have the time to play a game as large as Dragon Age. Good decision in making the game easier to finish for busy people. The bottom line is that sequels are sequels for a reason. They "try" to make improvements for the better. If your going to harp about anything, talk about the reused level design and assets. That is something worth discussing.… Expand
  28. RolandDeschain
    May 19, 2011
    10
    This game is a proof that games are a form of art. BioWare has brought us yet another masterpiece that sets a new standard for this genre.
    Dragon Age 2 is the epitome of everything a sequel should be. Before us is a game that is both accessible and challenging enough to satisfy both the experienced players and beginners. I am most impressed by the new visual style that is genuine and    This game is a proof that games are a form of art. BioWare has brought us yet another masterpiece that sets a new standard for this genre.
    Dragon Age 2 is the epitome of everything a sequel should be. Before us is a game that is both accessible and challenging enough to satisfy both the experienced players and beginners. I am most impressed by the new visual style that is genuine and represents a real refreshment in the sea of photorealistic games. The story is well written and very unpredictable. Redesigned combat system is much more fun than the one from DA: O.
    Be sure to buy DA2 if you love a good RPG and generally a good game.    … Expand
  29. FredIK
    Mar 16, 2011
    7
    Dragon age 2 (DA2) have put a real dynamic fighting BUT too many bugs in the strategic mode made this game disappointing. Too many details (conversation, equipement) with companions, choice of race and background of own characters, the cue aren't reflect sometimes what the characters said (it is perhaps a problem of translation, i don't know). In fact the fans of RPG will find less inDragon age 2 (DA2) have put a real dynamic fighting BUT too many bugs in the strategic mode made this game disappointing. Too many details (conversation, equipement) with companions, choice of race and background of own characters, the cue aren't reflect sometimes what the characters said (it is perhaps a problem of translation, i don't know). In fact the fans of RPG will find less in Dragon Age 2 than In DA Origins. I have more said "it's a pitty" than "Excellent" in my play of DA2.
    My score is 7, sure there are gaps but it stay a real good RPG game. People wait perhaps too much from Bioware which perhaps have to take much time to finish Dragon Age 2. It's not an Epic fail, just choices from Bioware, not really satisfied their gamers.    … Expand
  30. riker
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 â
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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.
    Read full review
  3. CPUGamer
    Apr 11, 2011
    85
    For a rushed product that is still battling bugs, the currently offered product still provides 40 hours of challenging and engaging gameplay. This combines to provide a good, but not great gaming experience.
    Read full review
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