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. TheTopazWombat
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    When Dragon Age 2 was announced, I like many hardcore RPG gamers looked forward to it. While in the past several years Bioware hasn't been producing awe-inspiring games as they once did, they've remained a very solid developer who's RPG's are interesting, characters are varied and get you involved, and build worlds which have depth and are enjoyable. Dragon Age 2 is a complete betrayal ofWhen Dragon Age 2 was announced, I like many hardcore RPG gamers looked forward to it. While in the past several years Bioware hasn't been producing awe-inspiring games as they once did, they've remained a very solid developer who's RPG's are interesting, characters are varied and get you involved, and build worlds which have depth and are enjoyable. Dragon Age 2 is a complete betrayal of this standard. The combat feels jolty and unrealistic. The characters wield a 2 handed sword that would make Braveheart sweat like it was made from tissue paper. The weapons were equally large in Dragon Age: Origins, but at least they felt like they were actually that big. Instead, what we have here is a combat system that resembles crappy anime more than anything else. As if the combat wasn't bad enough, the dialogue has been dumbed down into the wheel-of-fail style that was implemented with Mass Effect. Not only that, but every single piece of dialogue feels like it was written by an 8 year old who just read his first fantasy novel. There is no character depth, I'd as soon stab my party members as look at them, and to glue all this together the voice acting feels more like a group of Live Action Roleplayers than paid voice actors. To top all this off, the game not only doesn't look and present itself better than Origins, it actually looks worse. I can't recall another time when a sequel to a game looked worse than its predecessor. It feels as though Bioware did everything in their power to make this a worse RPG in an effort to alienate their hard-earned fan base and sell to the mass media'd console market. The only thing that kept this game from getting a 0 from me is the fact that maybe Bioware didn't intend for this to be an RPG at all, and simply another generic, boring, railroaded action game. As a lifelong Bioware fan, I truly hope they don't stay on this road. They've proven time and again their ability to make a solid RPG, but this game was an utter betrayal of everything I as an RPG fan have come to love and expect from them.… Expand
  2. aribter
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Improved upon in almost every way. More immersive, better storytelling mechanics (especially the fact that relationships develop over a series of years) and combat is just downright more fun. If you think the graphics are worse than the original, you are lying to yourself. The combat is strategic as ever, just FASTER AND MORE FUN. The abilities all actually DO something, unlike DA:OImproved upon in almost every way. More immersive, better storytelling mechanics (especially the fact that relationships develop over a series of years) and combat is just downright more fun. If you think the graphics are worse than the original, you are lying to yourself. The combat is strategic as ever, just FASTER AND MORE FUN. The abilities all actually DO something, unlike DA:O where you spent points on things you would never use. And if you really have a problem with the dialog wheel, go play D&D in your basement. Interactive cinema is what its all about.… Expand
  3. Hazey
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Game is great, personally I prefer this feel to the combat. A lot more responsive and satisfying. Mainly posting this because of all the bad reviews, can't stop playing for too long ;).

    Hopefully this will be cleared soon, bunch of spam accounts posting identical reviews.
  4. Someguy52
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Terrible graphics, terrible dialogue, forgettable music, bland characters, linear gameworld, uninteresting locations, terrible button-mashing gameplay. Overall: A very very bad game that you should avoid
  5. Gvaz
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    I'm not going to go in depth, because no one will read this but here's what's changed in DA2: (PC)
    - combat is sped up
    - voiced MC - even linear than before - Enjoy not taking a long time for quests? Well you can complete some quests by literally walking five feet. - voice actors are hit or miss, the story feels disjointed and it feels a lot like your actions are meaningless, and the wheel    I'm not going to go in depth, because no one will read this but here's what's changed in DA2: (PC)
    - combat is sped up
    - voiced MC
    - even linear than before
    - Enjoy not taking a long time for quests? Well you can complete some quests by literally walking five feet.
    - voice actors are hit or miss, the story feels disjointed and it feels a lot like your actions are meaningless, and the wheel adds nothing to the game. It's not even done properly like in ME2. Frequently your character ends up saying something totally different from the paraprhased note.

    Overall, it's not a bad game, but as a sequel to DA2, it simply doesn't stand up.    … Expand
  6. krash
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Don't play this on the PC or atleast get an xbox controller, this graphics/gameplay is only good for consoles. Also, Play dragon age 2 first before playing DAO so your standard bar is not set to high before playing DA2.
  7. polluxcastor
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    This is as much an RPG as Sesame Street is PG rated. The low score therefore does not just concern the product, but the way it is advertised: as catering to the RPG crowd. It does not, yet it has deliberately been marketed that way, and even been branded as such.

    If BioWare/Electronic Arts had wanted to be honest, they would not have published this game as part of the Dragon Age    This is as much an RPG as Sesame Street is PG rated. The low score therefore does not just concern the product, but the way it is advertised: as catering to the RPG crowd. It does not, yet it has deliberately been marketed that way, and even been branded as such.

    If BioWare/Electronic Arts had wanted to be honest, they would not have published this game as part of the Dragon Age franchise, a franchise that was named the 'spiritual successor' of Baldur's Gate. Instead, they could have branded it as 'Hawke's Adventures', or God knows what, and I would not have felt the need to be this straightforward with my criticism. For then they would have been honest. Selling this as a Dragon Age game is tantamount to fraud: it is dishonest advertising and BioWare deserve all the criticism that is currently being hurled towards them.

    Dragon Age 2 may be a good game, but it is a terrible RPG and that is how it is being marketed. Therefore, I have to judge it that way. It gets one point for having a story that courageously avoids the 'big bad' RPG trope and frankly that's being generous, as normally frauds shouldn't get away with any points.    … Expand
  8. shakinha
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    It`s not just a sequel. It`s more like a rebirth in fast-paced style.

    Great storytelling makes you feel like you are really there and care for the cast. The atmosphere is superb and Bioware again nails with voice acting.

    Some will not like some changes in combat, but works for me.

    Awesome game, a must buy for people who loves a great story.
  9. haydensterling
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    All I do is follow my little icon that tells me where to press A some more. No party banter, no cool icons for your trash, everything is white and streamlined and boring looking as far as loot goes, not to mention the fact that all the interesting loot is reserved for me alone. Worse than all of the hack and slash button mashing combat is the fact that even though I've made it to theAll I do is follow my little icon that tells me where to press A some more. No party banter, no cool icons for your trash, everything is white and streamlined and boring looking as far as loot goes, not to mention the fact that all the interesting loot is reserved for me alone. Worse than all of the hack and slash button mashing combat is the fact that even though I've made it to the Deep Roads, I still don't give a damn about any of my companions. For a Bioware game, that is a crying shame. Just how are they managing these (generally) high reviews from gaming sites? The payoffs must have been epic. Taking it back to the store today and going to reply DA:O on PC to wash the bad taste out of my mouth.… Expand
  10. spinspock
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    This game is a slap in the face for the PC gaming community. In an attempt to appeal to casual gamers they essentially ruined everything that made the first game enjoyable. I was absolutely shocked when I saw the PC Gamer review a few days before the game released and have to question any "reviewers" credibility when they gave this game such a high review.
  11. LtBill
    Mar 9, 2011
    4
    Bioware went the wrong way to create a Hack&Slay so Console players would enjoy it! But the PC-players are disappointed.

    I pre ordered the game and got it yesterday. And i was shocked after i played it for more than 3 hours. The Story is so lame. And the HD texture Pack is just the try of Bioware to satisfy the pc-player
  12. thoughtfull
    Mar 9, 2011
    3
    I was honestly hoping the demo was a quick hash together of what Bioware was trying to showcase. But unfortunately, it isnt.

    For a company that has prided and based its core values on polish and presentation, Bioware has let out a sloppy, poorly executed let down -Technically and creatively. The creators made a fatal error in judgement storywise, telling the game in flashback (which    I was honestly hoping the demo was a quick hash together of what Bioware was trying to showcase. But unfortunately, it isnt.

    For a company that has prided and based its core values on polish and presentation, Bioware has let out a sloppy, poorly executed let down -Technically and creatively.

    The creators made a fatal error in judgement storywise, telling the game in flashback (which instantly detaches you from your character, because subconciously you dont believe you are making choices which will affect the outcome. You've already made the choices, now you're just "replaying" them back).

    On top of which, the actors were badly miscast. Hawke sounds like he is trying out a bad imitation of Sean Bean, and spends so long getting his Queen's English correct, it completely loses all emotion from the role. The others fare just as poorly, with the exceptions of the pirate woman, Isabella, and the cameo of Flemeth, Kate Mulgrew reprising her role and as expressive as ever. When you compare it to Origins, the diversity and depth of character in the actors voices alone made the experience feel more like a movie than a video game. The gameplay is repetitive and dull, with no thought seemingly gone into expanding on Origins' systems, just simplfying them for a console audience. This goes into the animations and art, which are leaning purposefully towards Japanese RPGism. Fast, unrealistic animations and a complete detachment from your characters movement all lose the charm the original cast, even with its minor flaws. The darker, more brooding look could have worked in its favour, if it had held to the principles Origins set out. Also, for some reason, cities like Kirkwall seem far less cluttered or "lived in" than places like Lothering, or the cities from the previous game. No litter, or copious amounts of barrels or gear lying outside houses or places of work. Again, you get the nagging suspicion this was cut for speed of production.

    The Qunari (an important race in DA), also, are completely redone - as if the creators didnt like the idea they had already set in motion 2 years and 6-12 months of production thinking ago. So they changed their look completely.... midway through a trilogy. Granted if George Lucas had done this with Gungans, we'd of all breathed a sigh of relief. But to do this seriously in what a company was billing as one of its major franchises is a little bit ...unnerving. What if Tolkien had decided he thought Dwarves were too small midpoint through publishing Lord of the Rings? Just changing things willynilly through a series or trilogy pangs of a lack of creative integrity and professionalism. If this becomes a trend, whats to stop JJ Abrahms changing the character of say... Chekov, in the next movie, to a female? It is these sort of amateurish small mistakes that pile on top of one another in Dragon Age 2. The small things that came off in Origins were what made and built up the game a popular following. The only, and i mean only, really redeeming feature of Dragon Age 2 - that not only lives up to, but equals, and then betters the original - is Inon Zur's wonderful soundtrack. He got the feeling of epic brutal savagry mixed with dark, poigniant despair in the original immediately, and he pulled off the grander, more unrelenting nature of what this game was *supposed* to be brilliantly. This man should be writing scores for Hollywood, not games.

    So all in all. The graphics are a let down if you dont have DX11 (cant even access high rez textures if you dont). The gameplay is a detached, unfeeling, boring mishmash of the original. The story also detaches you from your character in a way Origins never did; and the rough edges are enough to cut yourself on.

    If you love music scores though, you'd be better served waiting for the inevitable Dragon Age 2 soundtrack to be released however, rather than buying the game itself.

    So sad. One of the most anticipated games of the year has been a complete and utter let down. ... It was only time i guess before Bioware's tremendous record of creating wonderfully playable and engrossing games, came to an end. I just didnt expect it would be Dragon Age to do it.

    I rated it a 3 purely for Inon Zur's music. If not for him, i would've put this even lower. Dont listen to the professional game critics - they get paid and given incentives by the big companies. Listen to all these reviews from actual *gamers*    … Expand
  13. cryocore
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    I tried to like DA2, but I cant. This console centric garbage isnt worth the effort. Yes it looks better, the combat is smoother, and im sure the story is good (Bioware always excels here), but come on removed customisation, NPC interactions, put big bloody flag on the next objective, quests are almost all self fulfilling. Its like an RPG made for 6 year olds. Bioware peaked with 2 epicI tried to like DA2, but I cant. This console centric garbage isnt worth the effort. Yes it looks better, the combat is smoother, and im sure the story is good (Bioware always excels here), but come on removed customisation, NPC interactions, put big bloody flag on the next objective, quests are almost all self fulfilling. Its like an RPG made for 6 year olds. Bioware peaked with 2 epic games. Baldurs Gate II, and KoTOR. Both epic, complex and requiring intellect to play. DA2 breadcrumbs the entire game... garbage, utter garbage.

    After ME2 I thought Bioware would have learned, but it seems the EA dragon has once again put down the "APPEAL TO THE MASSES!!!!" mantra and ensured that a rich, deep and complex title wont get made by any dev under its umbrella of mediocrity.

    I'm sure there will be cries of "PC Elitist" or some such, but when the muelling mob is appeased by sunstandard and lesser entries from a previously high sepc developer its really hard not feel better than them.

    Just another example of the big publishers slowly eroding away the quality to lower the barriers so Joe Casual wont get lost.

    Well Bioware I WAS a loyal fan. BG 1 and 2 + exp. KoTOR, NWN, DA:O, ME1, and even Jade Empire were epic and enjoyable RPGs worthy of praise and what your reputation was built on. ME2 while an epic tale was the first obvious step down the path to Casual land. Strip out RPG mechanics, focus on twitch/non RPG gameplay and profit.

    I hope EA rides Bioware into the ground, as I have lost all respect for the company.    … Expand
  14. Zebrastealer
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    What else is there to say? This isn't an RPG, this is an Action title with a 'fantasy-skin' completely dumbed-down and Consoltized...Extremely disappointing. Bioware has made a lot of great titles in the past and used to be the premier RPG studio out there. Not any longer. Sure, they'll still make great games (Mass Effect 3), but not true, traditional RPGs any more.

    Beyond that, even    What else is there to say? This isn't an RPG, this is an Action title with a 'fantasy-skin' completely dumbed-down and Consoltized...Extremely disappointing. Bioware has made a lot of great titles in the past and used to be the premier RPG studio out there. Not any longer. Sure, they'll still make great games (Mass Effect 3), but not true, traditional RPGs any more.

    Beyond that, even if the game were decent - the graphic performance on High-End nVidia hardware is attrocious and the graphics, while better than DA: Orgins are poor. Plus, on the merits of the game itself, this isn't truely a sequel...more like a sidequest....Save your money and time, wait for the Witcher 2 or Skyrim.    … Expand
  15. twothumbs
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    If you enjoyed Dragon Age:Origins, do not buy this game. The horrible dialog, the horrible combat, and the horrible camera angles reek of rushed development and sheer greed on the part of EA. Do not tarnish your memories of DA:O, stay away from this horrible console port.
  16. GottFaust
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    Looking at the other user reviews for this game, it almost looks like someone is using dummy accounts to spam-post slight variations of 2-3 different raving hate-fueled reviews with random marks from 0-2. Don't trust the spam-reviews, this game is solid. It's no Dragon Age Origins, but it's still a good RPG with a story that builds well and good character development if you get past theLooking at the other user reviews for this game, it almost looks like someone is using dummy accounts to spam-post slight variations of 2-3 different raving hate-fueled reviews with random marks from 0-2. Don't trust the spam-reviews, this game is solid. It's no Dragon Age Origins, but it's still a good RPG with a story that builds well and good character development if you get past the first 5 hours. Contrary to the apparent bulk of reviewers, you CANNOT beat the game in 10 hours even if you rush the main quest. I took the day off of work yesterday and played for 21 hours and haven't even gotten past the initial town.… Expand
  17. Deltaleader
    Mar 9, 2011
    2
    Utter disappointment. They say Dragon Age II hasn't been dumbed down, it's just more welcoming. The truth is somewhere in-between. The new art direction doesn't really cut it (Dragon Age is a gritty fantasy epic, not some cartoon-ish gorefest), the combat is terrible, lacking any kind of tactical capabilities, it is just mindless button-mashing (even on Nightmare, there is simply notUtter disappointment. They say Dragon Age II hasn't been dumbed down, it's just more welcoming. The truth is somewhere in-between. The new art direction doesn't really cut it (Dragon Age is a gritty fantasy epic, not some cartoon-ish gorefest), the combat is terrible, lacking any kind of tactical capabilities, it is just mindless button-mashing (even on Nightmare, there is simply not enough challenge), rendering the pause and play system completely useless. The environments are uninspired and the gameplay is restricted to a single corridor (most of the time). Mr. Gaider did his best to support the poor combat experience, by some mature storytelling and the framed narrative, but He fails to live up to the example of Alpha Protocol. The plotline is dramatic enough, but the undeveloped C&C, along with the cliched dialogues are well below the standards. The main protagonist is voiced, which would be good thing, had it not been for the removal of the Origin stories. The only redeeming factor of Dragon Age II is the immense work put into the soundtrack and acting. Inon Zur is brilliant as always, even though the score is not as memorable as Prince of Persia or Icewind Dale II. And whoever designed the new UI, should start again from scratch; it reminded me of Morrowind, and that masterpiece came out a decade ago.

    All summarized in one sentence: Dragon Age II is an insult to the first game and the RPG genre.    … Expand
  18. anewlow
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Shocking. The dumbed-down sequel to a legendary game, obviously catering to the masses of xbox jocks and stupid girls. A big sloppy profitable dump on anybody who has every praised Bioware for making innovative and beautiful intelligent games for people who appreciate them, and in years to come what will be viewed as the watershed moment that all major game releases looked more and moreShocking. The dumbed-down sequel to a legendary game, obviously catering to the masses of xbox jocks and stupid girls. A big sloppy profitable dump on anybody who has every praised Bioware for making innovative and beautiful intelligent games for people who appreciate them, and in years to come what will be viewed as the watershed moment that all major game releases looked more and more generic, in the same way that pop chart music all sounds the same. Welcome to consoleville.… Expand
  19. Kainz
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Terrible and primitive RPG. Can't even compare it to DA:O not to mention BioWare's older RPG games. It's like fail of Arcania: Gothic 4. Shame on BioWare.
  20. Roarshack
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a great successor to the classic and a good candidate for a GOTY of 2011. Way better fighting system than bloaty and unintuitive Origins one make the gameplay so much more fun. Story is interesting and exciting, you grown really attached to the characters thorough the game. Voice acting on Hawke really puts life into him instead of being a marionette without feelings likeDragon Age 2 is a great successor to the classic and a good candidate for a GOTY of 2011. Way better fighting system than bloaty and unintuitive Origins one make the gameplay so much more fun. Story is interesting and exciting, you grown really attached to the characters thorough the game. Voice acting on Hawke really puts life into him instead of being a marionette without feelings like in the first game. Overall must have for all RPG fans.… Expand
  21. RightIKnow
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    This is the Dragon Age game to get into if you have never played Dragon Age Origins. I played through my 120 hour campaign of Dragon Age Origins/Awakenings and this game is a breath of fresh air and this is why.

    I didn't want Dragon Age 2 to be Dragon Age Origins 2. Here are the main gripes people have. 1. It's a console port. 2. The graphics are terrible. 3. The combat is overly    This is the Dragon Age game to get into if you have never played Dragon Age Origins. I played through my 120 hour campaign of Dragon Age Origins/Awakenings and this game is a breath of fresh air and this is why.

    I didn't want Dragon Age 2 to be Dragon Age Origins 2. Here are the main gripes people have.

    1. It's a console port.
    2. The graphics are terrible.
    3. The combat is overly simplified.
    4. The conversation wheel.

    1. There is no way around this. The market is what it is. Vote with your dollar, and know that other people are voting with theirs. If a developer needs to put the title out on multiple platforms, so be it. I'm not sure what they're talking about with this complaint. 2. The graphics are the best I've seen in a fantasy game in a long time. Especially with the day 1 Texture Pack you can download, and if you have a directx11 capable card. 3. Playing through DAO I know the combat was different. The combat in DAO always felt clunky to me. Strategic yes, but clunky. Almost like your characters were in slo-mo. Now, the combat is visceral and fast paced and does not lack the depth that most users have commented on.

    4. I LOVE the conversation wheel. I'm around 4 hours into it and I LOVE the fact that the game plays through like a movie similar to Mass Effect. After 130 hours or so of DAO I was pretty happy not to be reading a novel while I was playing my game. I should let you know that Bioware has been VERY communicative about relaying the information to their fans prior to release and there was a demo on PC. That said, there should be no reason why any fanboys of DAO would be dissapointed as they have had ample time to become educated before making a purchase. This of course would speak to the invalidity of many of these user reviews. If you knew what you were buying why did you buy it? I don't see any legitimacy to the claims the negative feedback users are putting out there. They simply don't like it, and they give it a bad review without playing it. There's no law against it, but I love this game and I wanted to put out my two cents.    … Expand
  22. Wildfire8
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age II will be recorded as one of the worst blunders in video game history. Bioware somehow managed to take a promising series, and do a Tomb Raider with it. The game visually looks like a mod for Knights of the Old Republic, if that mod were to lower all the games textures and was inspired by minecraft.

    The writing in this game is exactly what you'd expect an autistic 12 year old    Dragon Age II will be recorded as one of the worst blunders in video game history. Bioware somehow managed to take a promising series, and do a Tomb Raider with it. The game visually looks like a mod for Knights of the Old Republic, if that mod were to lower all the games textures and was inspired by minecraft.

    The writing in this game is exactly what you'd expect an autistic 12 year old farm hand. Gone are the "grey" moral areas, and choices that affect the story. Instead, a dialogue wheel now lets you choose between 3 options, Sissy school girl, comedic relief in b-movie, and complete jerkwad. With such rivieting dialogue options as "Hey, I wunna be a dragon too!" and "Boy, I'm hungry", it's hard not to believe that Bioware is doing a psychological experiment to see how much punishment masochistic fans will put up with.

    Most of the game takes place in the confines of a single "city". I say "city" loosely, because it is actually nothing more than a collection of buildings, devoid of life. All areas outside of the city and bland and repetitive. Let me be clear on this: EVERY SINGLE OUTDOOR AREA outside of the city consists of a rock wall on one side of the map, and a large, lifeless, poorly textured vista on the other. I've seen 2 year olds that can color better than the job Bioware did with this vista. Dungeons are frequently repeated. Yes, you heard that right, the exact same cave is used over and over and over again.

    You can no longer equip armor to companions, and the new companions are dull and lifeless. Every voice actor in the game sounds the exact same, and they all sound utterly bored with their jobs.

    Of course, I needed even comment on the combat to anyone who has played the demo. Bioware decided to strip out all tactical and RPG elements, and instead turn the game into a poor man's Dynasty warriors, complete with waves of spawning powder rangers running at you, while you perform the same over the top animations over and over carrying massive JRPG styled swords.

    I award this game no points, and may God have mercy on it's soul.    … Expand
  23. Ramaah
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    One of the most overrated games ever, second to Treyarch's works. You say graphics are good? In my opinion old Dungeon Siege looks better and juicier. Game looks like poor MMORPG. Dialogues are flat, boring, predictable, and trying so hard to be epic, that are actually parody of RPG genre. The whole history of hero's family is like "The Bold and the Beautiful" or "Dallas" with dragons. TheOne of the most overrated games ever, second to Treyarch's works. You say graphics are good? In my opinion old Dungeon Siege looks better and juicier. Game looks like poor MMORPG. Dialogues are flat, boring, predictable, and trying so hard to be epic, that are actually parody of RPG genre. The whole history of hero's family is like "The Bold and the Beautiful" or "Dallas" with dragons. The most funny thing is the masturbation mode for 12 y.o.: dragon-sized boobs everywhere. Hell yeah, I just drowned in epicness, singing the song of the old days. What is good? I really don't know, maybe music here and there? This game is not BAD, it deserves more than 3.0 (user score at the time I'm writing) - I'd say it's something between 5 and 6 (7 if you really love dragons). It still offers adventure and ugly creatures to kill and for sure it's better than Arcania.. But in order to balance these crazy optimistic rates I give it 1. Because I have enough of this stupid trend, that if BioWare made this, or Bethesda made that, or some part of the title says "Call of Duty", than we give 8 or 9 at the very beginning and then we play the game. No, folks, all the glitters is not gold! And Dragon Age 2 don't deserve to be called VERY good game (8/10), fantastic game (9/10) or masterpiece (10/10). This game has nothing more to offer, than dozens of similar RPG games. My score is my protest against such practice mentioned above. (Sorry for bad spelling).… Expand
  24. schnoogens
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    I created an account because I couldn't believe the low scores on this game...and I was a big fan of the first one. I still find myself pausing the game, issuing orders, and it's satisfying. I even took everyone's word for it and started on hard, which worked fine for the first 30 minutes but soon became frustrating...there is no "auto-win" button like people are claiming. It's far tooI created an account because I couldn't believe the low scores on this game...and I was a big fan of the first one. I still find myself pausing the game, issuing orders, and it's satisfying. I even took everyone's word for it and started on hard, which worked fine for the first 30 minutes but soon became frustrating...there is no "auto-win" button like people are claiming. It's far too early for me to submit a full review, but my impression after 2-3 hours has been very favorable and I felt the need to provide some honest, legitimate feedback.… Expand
  25. Superstring
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    As an **** CRPG gamer, I wasn't big fan of DA. Though DA had it's good moments. This isn't a proper review, since I could only stand more than 20 minutes of DA2, and I must say it was horrible. Primitive dialog options, characters made of cardboard, enemies spawning from nowhere and swarming the claustrophobic area. Maybe I'm just too old for this kind of entertainment and it's time toAs an **** CRPG gamer, I wasn't big fan of DA. Though DA had it's good moments. This isn't a proper review, since I could only stand more than 20 minutes of DA2, and I must say it was horrible. Primitive dialog options, characters made of cardboard, enemies spawning from nowhere and swarming the claustrophobic area. Maybe I'm just too old for this kind of entertainment and it's time to pass RPG genre to newer generation of players.… Expand
  26. Dikkus
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    When everyone around me was telling me how bad this game was going to be, I couldn't believe them. I defended this game till my last stand. I even replayed all of DA:O including its expansion and some of the DLC. Finally the game was out, and I was pumped, I loaded up my game and imported my save and shortly after an hour I was a bit dissapointed: I was questioning every move that BiowareWhen everyone around me was telling me how bad this game was going to be, I couldn't believe them. I defended this game till my last stand. I even replayed all of DA:O including its expansion and some of the DLC. Finally the game was out, and I was pumped, I loaded up my game and imported my save and shortly after an hour I was a bit dissapointed: I was questioning every move that Bioware made, and there are so many plot holes it hurts, and by the time I beat it (Only took me 10 hours, which, by the way was 40 hours shorter than origins) I was so depressed in how awful the game was.

    Most of the characters were interesting, but other characters (Isabella) who comes back as a minor character from origins has a complete make-over and is a walking stereotype of a pirate. She greets you in a standard "Captain" Jack Sparrow fashion and asks you-- a person she has never met before to guard her during a duel. Once you are at this duel you do all of the fighting for her, and once you are done with the fighting? She tells you that she wants to have sexual intercourse with you.

    It's this type of crap that I was tired with throughout the whole game, the "mature" theme (M RATED GAMES FOR MATURE GAMERS LIKE MYSELF GUYS!) that didn't even need to be there. The story was uninispired, the voice acting was standard-fare, and the graphics were that of a PS2. Bioware has turned their back on the PC gaming community and are just showing how much of a joke their games can really be.

    Oh, and by the way: There are two endings, and the only difference is a about a line of dialogue. Game of the year!    … Expand
  27. Redwarlock
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    This game is an absolute joke. They've taken the best parts of DA:O and excised them, choosing instead to distill the franchise through a Mass Effect 2 flavored filter and then serve the resulting abomination with a nice glass of Console Port. The funny thing is, I played the demo on my PC and was already disappointed; I don't know why I was expecting the actual game to be any different.This game is an absolute joke. They've taken the best parts of DA:O and excised them, choosing instead to distill the franchise through a Mass Effect 2 flavored filter and then serve the resulting abomination with a nice glass of Console Port. The funny thing is, I played the demo on my PC and was already disappointed; I don't know why I was expecting the actual game to be any different. There's a big difference between "simplified" and "dumbed-down," and DA2 gruesomely illustrates the latter. Options, preferences, camera controls and dialogue options, all reduced to the absolute minimum of interaction and usability. Bioware (likely at EA's behest, with the aim of broadening market appeal) has created a hobbled gameplay experience that is neither pedestrian enough to appeal to mainstream console audiences nor nuanced enough to appeal to hardcore PC RPG enthusiasts. In trying to please everyone, they've pleased no one.

    It's truly misleading to call this a "Sequel," as this game has very little in common with its predecessor, choosing to ride the coat tails of name recognition instead. And the promise of perpetual DLC down the road from day one (arguably content that should have been included for the price but was held back in favor of stretching profits) only further exposes this shameless $60 cash grab for what it is. The fact that it's receiving such glowing reviews by paid critics leads me to believe that somewhere, someone was crossing palms with a few "gold pieces" of their own to get some good feedback.    … Expand
  28. Ghufds
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Coming from someone who has played and loved cRPGs for his entire life, I have to say that this game is just plain mediocre, and comes as an insult to all hardcore RPG fans. When Dragon Age: Origins came out, Bioware claimed it would be the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. I know quite a few people who normally pirate their video games, who instead chose to buy that game in order toComing from someone who has played and loved cRPGs for his entire life, I have to say that this game is just plain mediocre, and comes as an insult to all hardcore RPG fans. When Dragon Age: Origins came out, Bioware claimed it would be the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. I know quite a few people who normally pirate their video games, who instead chose to buy that game in order to support Bioware's return to the cRPG market. Dragon Age: Origins may not have been perfect, but it still seemed like it could be a sign of things to come- Bioware finally giving a new series to the very specific audience that brought Bioware such success in the first place. With DA2, however, Bioware practically spat in the face of those fans, in favor of a quick cash-out. Everything about this game is either dumbed-down for the lowest common denominator, or horribly broken. The story and dialog is simply horrid; rather than offer the choices and consequences one expects from a good cRPG, Bioware chose to implement the dialog wheel from Mass Effect. Any role-playing aspect is utterly demolished, as the character is forced into one of three choices in every conversation, which essentially boil down to "Generic Goody Two-Shoes," "Evil Bastard Just for the Sake of it," and "Snarky Bastard." Furthermore, the options displayed on the dialog wheel are often completely different from what the character actually says. Some of the dialog options are just laughably bad, too: "I Want to be a Dragon"? Seriously, Bioware? Combat is extremely easy, and even on Nightmare difficulty, the average cRPG fan will simply not be challenged at all. Graphics, though by no means the most important part of any game, still ought to factor into the score, as they show just how little Bioware cares about making a good PC game. The graphics are just plain horrible- it honestly looks as though the game is from 2004-5. In order to increase the graphical quality of the game, one must download a high-resolution texture pack from Bioware's website. The fact that this wasn't even included on the disc on release reveals Bioware's complete lack of respect for the PC platform. Another large gripe I have with the game is the DLC- Bioware does it precisely in the manner one should NOT do DLC. DLC is supposed to be extra content that had to be cut from the game because it couldn't be completed in time for release. With Bioware, however, they practically cut chunks of the game out, then decided to sell it back to the player. Some of the DLC is actually located ON the game disc. In conclusion, if you have any respect or love for the game industry, classic cRPGs, or the company Bioware once was, I highly suggest that you avoid buying Dragon Age 2, or any other new Bioware games, for that matter.â… Expand
  29. vanzi
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    A major step back from the DA:O and Awakening. As I loved DA:O and all the addons, now I'm really disappointed. It's not even RPG, it's now just hack&slash console game - and as for a console game it might be pretty decent, but as for PC gameplay - it sucks.
  30. qwertxy
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    This game is just a disgrace to the name Dragon Age and even more so to the name Bioware. Just stay away from this misery, it represents everything that goes wrong right now in the gaming industry. Dont buy Dragon Age 2, thank you!
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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