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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Crysis
    Mar 28, 2011
    0
    This is not even a game. I do not like bioware along with the other low scoring reviewers so I as well am giving them an incredibly low user score to make this game look bad for bioware.
  2. devilinside
    May 22, 2011
    10
    -Bu ney oluyor?

    -Witcher 2.

    -BuÄ
  3. MarcusGejm
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age: PoczÄ
  4. KwaggaDan
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age II is exactly what it promises. It's a sequel, meaning it's not DOA. It does inherit one thing from DOA however, and that is the exceptional character driven storyline. It also has extraordinary supporting characters and as is the Bioware standard; the game has exceptional writing and brilliant voice acting.

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

    That's not to say the game is flawless. There is a pretty annoying map repetition, and the close up detail is a bit lacking, but the story more than makes up for it. Just remember it's not DOA...    … Expand
  5. Llysana
    Mar 23, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age 2... just finished Act 2, and while I do enjoy it a great deal, it just doesn't compare to Dragon Age: Origins. In DA:O, the adventure was EPIC, and the companions were so much fun! In DA2, all you're trying to do is make money during the entire first Act. That's kind of lame. And the companions... I couldn't care less about them. On it's own, DA2 is a fun game, but whenDragon Age 2... just finished Act 2, and while I do enjoy it a great deal, it just doesn't compare to Dragon Age: Origins. In DA:O, the adventure was EPIC, and the companions were so much fun! In DA2, all you're trying to do is make money during the entire first Act. That's kind of lame. And the companions... I couldn't care less about them. On it's own, DA2 is a fun game, but when compared to it's predecessor, it's definitely lacking. However, I'm giving my score based on this game and not in comparison with DA:O. It was still highly addictive and the storyline gets better as it goes on.… Expand
  6. Wynne
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    Too bad a great game like this got hit by a raid. It's not worth a ten, probably no game is, but it's a marked improvement from the first game on several levels and thus is worth way more than a 4; probably an 8. This is Bioware's darkest, most tragic, most grey-morality story ever, it's fun to play, and the characters are better than the ones in Origins; more nuanced, more realistic. TheToo bad a great game like this got hit by a raid. It's not worth a ten, probably no game is, but it's a marked improvement from the first game on several levels and thus is worth way more than a 4; probably an 8. This is Bioware's darkest, most tragic, most grey-morality story ever, it's fun to play, and the characters are better than the ones in Origins; more nuanced, more realistic. The game system is better balanced and more fun. The only major negative is that the minor quest locations are sometimes very similar, and you revisit locations, but for the rest of it, it's great. If you're an RPG old-school purist who demands that the main character NOT be voiced or make facial expressions, then you will not like this game, but most other RPG fans will.… Expand
  7. dark89
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best RPG in the world. Unlike the first part of the game is 10 hours and she's fun and interesting. I do not understand people who put her 0 and 1. You even played in it?? Why spoil a game rating? Do nothing else or what?
  8. dancodan
    Apr 12, 2011
    10
    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.
    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks. None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years. It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.

    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks.
    None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years.
    It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also for the extensive campaign.

    The game should be considered as a action-rpg from now on. If you are the one who love the old pen n paper play style and prefer baldurs gate 1 & 2 in front of Dragon age 1, then maybe you should take a second thought, but I would suggest you to pick this up anyway. It's not money wasted, no matter what your preferences are.

    /dancodan    … Expand
  9. SalvadorDL
    May 27, 2011
    9
    In my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun toIn my opinion Dragon Age II is not much like the Dragon Age: Origins. There is no prolonged battles, there is completely different dialogue system (which by the way is taken from the Mass Effect) and a totally different concept (we are fighting basically not with darkspawn and problems in Kirkwall). But still, in spite of repeated locations and unfinished written story, it is still fun to play. There is pretty various and interesting characters (Merrill, my favorite :3), simple but elegant locations, and a lot of drama.… Expand
  10. Lorenna
    Sep 5, 2011
    9
    There is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeablyThere is very little wrong with Dragon Age II regardless of what others may say. Aside from the limited number of talks you can engage in with party members and the reuse of the same areas in the game which I will admit left me feeling a little disappointed, DA2 is otherwise an excellent game. It has come a long way from the mess that was Dragon Age: Origins. First and most noticeably Bioware has greatly improved the combat. I have seen another user, Danarchist, describe the combat from DA:O as a 'clumsy puppet show'. I can think of no better way to describe the combat from the first game. In DA2 instead of the silly looking combat animations of the first game where you lift a sword into the air for about 5 seconds before even striking your foe, the combat is now a much faster, aggressive, exciting and active system. The combat is not 'dumbed down' in DA2, it is more exciting and gripping and less likely to bore you to death unlike the slow paced combat of DA:O. Visually, DA2 is beautiful. While DA2 graphics might not be the best graphics ever, they are still much better in comparison to the sloppy graphics of its predecessor. For a game released in 2009 DA:O had some of the worst graphics I've seen. Games years older than it had better graphics. While DA2 does not have the best graphics they are still beautiful and can at least compete with other games out there today. Many people have expressed disappointment that you could not customize your party members appearance. I found that I hardly noticed as it does not impact your gameplay. I actually preferred it. It makes more sense. Why would people run around wearing what you told them to wear? The look of what your companions wear suits them and you can find items to upgrade the stats so you are not put at a disadvantage. Aveline for example is a member of the guard.How would it make sense for me to throw some big clunky armor on her that is not even guard uniform? It just doesn't. What companions chose to wear suits them and like with Aveline represents who they are. Bioware could have had different outfits like in Mass Effect 2 that you can unlock and switch to. However, as it stands I do not believe it's something worth crying over. It does not make the game terrible. If your really that bothered about it go find a mod. There a few out there that alter companions outfits and looks. My biggest disappointment with DA2 was that there was very few instances where I could go to have a conversation with party members. I would have liked to be able to go visit them and strike up a conversation with them at other points during the game too. This is perhaps one thing Bioware could look into in future games. The addition of each party member having their own 'base' or home was a nice change though and one I liked very much. Another thing I have heard much complaint about in DA2 is the absence of a real story, or that the story was terrible and had no structure. This is simply not true. With DA2 Bioware have attempted to do something different from your run of the mill RPG and have done so very well. The intro to the game is one of the best I've seen and pulls you in right from the beginning. The ending also is very satisfying. For those who played DA:O, it has one of those rare WTF moments you rarely find in games. The last few moments of the game change everything you thought you knew about the game from playing it to something completely different. It is not only the ending and the beginning that is very well done though, the whole story is one that is well worth experiencing. DA:O had a bland story in comparison to DA2. It does not even compare. Like so many games out there DA:O was simply monster/bad guy trying to take over the world. Go here get allies, go here get more then kill it. DA:O's story was boring and unimaginative and where it tries to shock and excite you with plot twists, they are sadly something anyone with any intelligence would have suspected from the beginning of the game. This was not the case with DA2. It is not simply a case of big scary evil that we must work to defeat. Instead each act holds new surprises. There is no big bad guy at the end which you must work through the whole game to defeat. In DA2 Bioware have tried to do something different and have done so remarkably well. DA:O is said to be the spiritual successor to Baldurs Gate. True DA:O is done in the style of older RPGS like BG but it also tries to be something its not. DA:O is not KoToR or BG and will never compare to these epic RPGS. Nor will DA2, but it's not trying to. DA2 is done in a style different to that of other RPGS and cannot be faulted for not being as good. Those who say DA2 is not as good as DA:O have perhaps not realized that games develop. They will not stay the same forever nor should they. DA2 does not pretend to be something its not, it's a new way of playing an RPG and is worth your money, more so than DA:O even for just its story.… Expand
  11. Kenobiwan
    Apr 16, 2011
    10
    This game deserves a better rating from real fans. Yes, it is nothing like Origins, but it is still a game that I spent 70 hours. Different but effective graphics, a great story, and a fast paced game play that still is exciting to play. Origins had better game play to me but I still spent a long time hacking and slashing with awe.
  12. Celes247
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This game feels a lot like Baldur's Gate 2 to me. That being said, it's very good. I feel completely immersed, the combat is EXCITING! (unlike the first), and the characters memorable and funny.

    Truly loving it, the only thing negative I can say is that it does feel a little "rushed". Still, worth the money. A lot of the negative reviews are simply because it is hard to compete with a    This game feels a lot like Baldur's Gate 2 to me. That being said, it's very good. I feel completely immersed, the combat is EXCITING! (unlike the first), and the characters memorable and funny.

    Truly loving it, the only thing negative I can say is that it does feel a little "rushed". Still, worth the money. A lot of the negative reviews are simply because it is hard to compete with a groundbreaking original. Sequels always have it harder. I played the original right before this one came out and it's still very fresh in my head. Comparing the two is easy for me, Da2 wins.    … Expand
  13. Chupwn
    Mar 24, 2011
    10
    Mass Effect 2 meats Dragon Age: Origins. More action, devastating spells with visually striking effects. This game will make your $300 video card investment shine.
  14. Liquid_Wolf
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    PC Version - Graphics are stupendous on a newer system... GTX 400 series or above should be good. 200 series is probably good too. The game is definitely not like DA:O... but I'm not disappointed. Obviously there are going to be a LOT of heartbroken people out there that were really looking forward to a return to the old style of RPGs a-la Baldur's Gate and maybe even Neverwinter Nights...PC Version - Graphics are stupendous on a newer system... GTX 400 series or above should be good. 200 series is probably good too. The game is definitely not like DA:O... but I'm not disappointed. Obviously there are going to be a LOT of heartbroken people out there that were really looking forward to a return to the old style of RPGs a-la Baldur's Gate and maybe even Neverwinter Nights... Dragon Age II is not going to be that. I enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins but I did have to struggle through it to finish before DA2 released... I enjoyed Mass Effect, but I also found myself pushing through to finish just before ME2 came out.

    With Dragon Age 2, I am having an absolute blast. I find it a very enjoyable experience, and I really like each of the characters Hawke works with. They make me laugh, cuss, and even surprise me with some of their remarks and conversations. Unlike with DA:O, I will be playing through this game at least one more time. I do not feel forced to push through playing this game... and I recall that I had a very similar experience with Mass Effect 2. Very enjoyable game, the characters are fun, and I do not believe there is a problem with the combat/mechanics. Now... This is not Dragon Age: Origins, but that does not mean this is a bad game. I tell people who ask about Dragon Age the same thing I say about Mass Effect... Play the second one first, then move on to the first one. For the majority of people new to the series/genre, ME2 and DA2 are much easier to learn and enjoy. Was I hoping that DA2 would become the next Baldurs Gate 2? Yeah... a little... But I'm not letting those hurt feelings get in the way of what is a good experience. Dragon Age 2 stands well in it's own regard even if it didn't meet the expectations of many fans of DA:O. You can probably blame EA's influence if you like... but I do believe Dragon Age 2 is worth the money.

    I've put the difficulty on hard, and find myself completing all available side quests, backtracking to collect chests/materials/loot, and talking to every party member/NPC as much as possible. I did all this in DA:O, but everything feels much faster and lively in DA2. Sure I noticed the caves/dungeons/warehouses were copied/pasted... but the story and character interactions are in place to pull your attention off it. I'm happy I no longer have to mess with EVERY single armor slot on every party member. That was tedious to me... at best. There are plenty of bad things if you look for them, but I find there are more than enough good things about this game to make it worthwhile. Anyone who can't see them is really just upset the game isn't what THEY believe it should be. I saw a review that was rated 6.5/10 that hit on a good many true points about the flaws. A 6.5 is the absolute lowest I would believe this game should have, based on flaws alone... But I believe the game is easily a 7-8.5. I'm giving it a 10 because I am getting my money's worth, and am very happy with what I am playing.

    Now... I want Bioware to update the Toolset so we can make use of mods/addons.    … Expand
  15. IndigoInsane
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    If I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas areIf I wanted to play Dragon Age Origins I would play that. Instead I wanted a good sequel that elaborates on the in game world without making me replay it. Hear that? I do not want to play a sequel and spend the entire game **** about how it isn't the first game because well duh, it's the sequel. Do I have issues with certain parts of the game? Of course, combat is to simple and areas are re-used way to often. However I absolutely loved the plot, more then Origins, and found Varric is only a close second to Alistair and although I don't like Isabella she's at least more understandable then Morrigan.… Expand
  16. orca9999
    Feb 5, 2012
    10
    OK here it is ...

    It plays like a MMORPG and made it single player. But the AI is not good enough to act like other players, so they let you do so for combat. Now that being said, the combat is so fast, and the AI sucks so much that you will continually die to your stupid party mates. They found that out, so they let you "recover" or some such so every time you die becasue the party AI    OK here it is ...

    It plays like a MMORPG and made it single player. But the AI is not good enough to act like other players, so they let you do so for combat. Now that being said, the combat is so fast, and the AI sucks so much that you will continually die to your stupid party mates.

    They found that out, so they let you "recover" or some such so every time you die becasue the party AI is so bad, you can at least come back.

    But really why a MMO for a single player? I mean really we WANT TO DO cool combat stuff on our own, not just push a key when it it is not greyed out.

    Next, in this day and age we can load a HUGE world (like SKYRIM), why are we in this game only able to go to a shot list of area's?

    And even then, the running to an area made us aware of our "locality" in a world. With this game it feels like levels on a causal game map, not like were in an epic adventure.

    I did not try it without the high textures download. but one of the nice things is the great graphics. The story is fun, but when I am in it it makes me feel like I am just a bit part.

    It is a BIG step down from their last game and I am glad I got it on sale, so wasting a few hours didn't feel so bad.    … Expand
  17. clockradio
    Mar 9, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age II is an awesome game hands down. On most of the major points it is a really fun and engaging game. The combat is much better this time around, allowing you to feel more involved. This is especially true for Warrior's and Rogue's who benefit most from the combat changes. Hard to believe mage is even more awesome.

    The game really has not changed dramatically from its core    Dragon Age II is an awesome game hands down. On most of the major points it is a really fun and engaging game. The combat is much better this time around, allowing you to feel more involved. This is especially true for Warrior's and Rogue's who benefit most from the combat changes. Hard to believe mage is even more awesome.

    The game really has not changed dramatically from its core Origins roots. Overall it provides all the great aspects you expect from a Bioware game. Some of the only noticeable negatives I have found are the reuse of dungeon layouts. This was relatively disappointing since the game is centered around one area and adds to the feeling of repetition. This is where the time constraints are very obvious.

    To finish up this short review I'd like to comment on the graphics. They look great, even at the medium settings. The art style might not be to everyone's taste ( on a related note kill animations are not as satisfying) but everything from my point of view looked very nice.

    Solid game, can't go wrong, that is if you are not a jaded Origins fan.    … Expand
  18. nateg
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    ok, so here's a reasonable review. aka not a zero, or a 10. Dragon Age:Origins came out so recently that everyone, including myself, is comparing the two games. This is not unexpected, see Mass Effect 1 and 2. When compared to DA:O, this game gets a 6. That is, I wanted to play DA:O 2.0 and was let down. While this will hurt sales, the game itself is a solid 8.5. THE GOOD: Your characterok, so here's a reasonable review. aka not a zero, or a 10. Dragon Age:Origins came out so recently that everyone, including myself, is comparing the two games. This is not unexpected, see Mass Effect 1 and 2. When compared to DA:O, this game gets a 6. That is, I wanted to play DA:O 2.0 and was let down. While this will hurt sales, the game itself is a solid 8.5. THE GOOD: Your character has a remarkably unique adventure, enhanced by the ability for you to choose. I felt like a **** boss when I was champion of my little town. Voice acting was fun and it kept me engaged, when the story was interesting. The gameplay was smooth and easy to control (and is THE ONLY reason i was able to beat that red dude in a 1v1. HOLY CRAP my build was not meant for that matchup, lol). The supporting cast had goals, past issues, and uncompromising habits. I reached level 20 as i was completing the story. We meet characters from DA:O. The world map interface is pimp and easy for quests. They made items easier to manage. Scenery graphics(water reflection), special effects (spells), character heads/mouths are great. I had no bugs the entire playthrough. Abilities are so varied it's awesome. Also, i had fun playing. It was FUN.

    SPOILERS.
    THE BAD: Your particular role is not very important or driven. You are not special and you don't really have a goal(DA:O STOP THE BLIGHT NOW GOGOGOGO! Mass Effect 1: STOP THE EVIL SPECTRE OH **** END OF GALAXY SAVE GALAXY GOGOOGO!) This can cause the perception that the story is 'flat', and if the story is 'flat' the characters in that story seem 'flat'. Think, the Earth is 'flat'. One consequence was that it never SEEMED like there was a main quest line. So all of the quests felt like different ways to get xp. The story fell apart several times for me when i was able to predict it. FIRST MINUTES OF THE GAME: Oh, I have a sister and a mom with me... and it's bioware so they like to kill off characters, yea my sister's dead, and maybe my mom. (i think i could have made it so my sister didn't die, but i didnt care after i saw where it was going, sorry sis). You will never in your life have enough money for all the cool **** some vendors sell. Example, one ring was 100 gold, and i had 50 just before final missions. so if i had wanted , say, 15 of those 100 gold items to deck out my crew... yea gl with that. Protip: just play the game and before the final missions use a money cheat and buy the cool stuff. The world kind of feels the same as DA:O, with 'instanced' parts of towns and forests. But that's bad because it feels small. Like, compared to oblivion,GTA, or whatever with square miles of **** These levels really seem repetitive after a while. Character clothing/gear is still visually not up to par with what it could be. aka when you take an image and stretch it over some polygons. The final boss (for me) was a character I met more than 1/2 way thru the game. I mean, yea she's evil, but... i mean... ok i'll just kill her. im just **** because in DRAGON age 2 you dont win by killing a DRAGON. COMMENTS: The story is presented, it seems, for the exclusive purpose of making DLC's more viable. The end of the story is 'current day'. This is a cool way to tell a story, but i know what they're up to. Even the world map is just READY for another button that says "New Town 1" Also I had sex with almost every character in the game, so that was fun.    … Expand
  19. Yoshidude
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    It's a good thing that Metascore's are based on reputable publishers and not the biased opinion of a "betrayed" fanboy. There was nothing Bioware could do against the inevitable fate of a sequel to one of the greatest RPG's that ever graced humans. If you ask me, however, DA2 comes very close to sharing the glory. I've seen not hide nor hair of the issues reviewers are experiencing; quiteIt's a good thing that Metascore's are based on reputable publishers and not the biased opinion of a "betrayed" fanboy. There was nothing Bioware could do against the inevitable fate of a sequel to one of the greatest RPG's that ever graced humans. If you ask me, however, DA2 comes very close to sharing the glory. I've seen not hide nor hair of the issues reviewers are experiencing; quite the contrary in fact. For people who found the combat of DA:O to be sluggish and repetitive, DA2 is a welcome Saint. The quick-paced hack-n-slash style brawling kept my interest rather than turn me away from boredom. Granted the difficulty level has been turned down a few notches, I play RPG's for the experience and story, not to constantly have to reload my saves, which I was doing often even on Normal in DA:O. And to say that strategy is no longer needed is ridiculous. I found myself constantly pausing the game to issue commands to my party members.

    The graphics are not comparable to 2003. I don't understand how someone can even utter such a thought. The graphics are, in fact, refined in a manner that is completely reflecting of the story arc. DA:O had a serious, mature art style that utilized grey's and blues to set a mood. You were not a hero as much as you were a hope. DA2 moved away from that because the message is different. The art style utilizes more extreme blacks and reds and reminds me of scenes from Sin City. You are a champion, let your power be known!

    The equipment system is a very welcome change to me. In DA:O you had to be constantly on the look-out for upgrades for your plethora of partners. In this game your party members have "companion armor", which negates the need , or rather doesn't allow, for the equipping of head, chest, hand, and feet armor. Only Hawke can be equipped. This allows you to focus all the best equipment on him, who is your MAIN CHARACTER, rather than worrying about the NPC who usually die anyways.

    And then there's the story. I've been seeing reviews that say shallow, horrible script, no content, blah blah. Even in DA:O I wasn't physically forced to pace my room, hand on chin, staring at the floor, then the ceiling, to think about the ups and downs of saving an Elf or killing him. RPG's are meant to hurl you into a story, make you apart of the action, and DA2 does that with FLYING colors. I can choose to be cheeky, serious, kind, lovable, flirtatious, dominant, deciding, passive, or just plain rude to anyone I decide.

    This game is not only a step, but leaps and bounds separate from it's predecessor, and that's not a bad thing. To compare the games would be like comparing sandals with running shoes. Both are useful in certain situations, but trying to play beach volley ball in Nike's will cause lots of frustration. You have to see DA2 as a game rather than a sequel. It doesn't live up to DA:O standards because it creates it's own. I fully believe this game is an underrated masterpiece waiting to explode.    … Expand
  20. lagavaz
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8Generally - i liked DA2,yes - it's not as good as the the DAO but still entertaining. I Liked the characters, almost all of them(well except the elf warrior) , in DAO i liked only Alister,Morrigan, Leliana and Oghren. They were trule interesting and active characters, in DA2 all of them are active and interesting. I liked the new style, the plot but yes i would old style dialogs back ) 8 is my answer… Expand
  21. pantherfan4389
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    Play the game before you come to the internet to complain about it people. I played both Origins and I just beat this game and I love it just as much. Give the changes a chance before you condemn them for being "dumbed down."
  22. Grimm2Reaper
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    I'd love to give this game the score I think it deserves, which is a solid 9.0, but the plethora of 1 and 0 reviews force me to at least normalize the score by making mine a 10. Dragon Age II is by no means the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. This is what so many of you have missed. The flashier combat, voiced protagonist, and lack of the ability to choose your race are not BioWareI'd love to give this game the score I think it deserves, which is a solid 9.0, but the plethora of 1 and 0 reviews force me to at least normalize the score by making mine a 10. Dragon Age II is by no means the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins. This is what so many of you have missed. The flashier combat, voiced protagonist, and lack of the ability to choose your race are not BioWare attacking fans of Baldurs Gate-style RPGs. They are design decisions intended to create a new entry in the series. Hawke's story is not intended to be the player's story like the Warden's was. It is like Mass Effect, more of a Player-guided protagonist who is separate from the player. The combat, while fairly ridiculous on the higher levels, what with all the corpses exploding, is intended to change what was taken as a flaw in the previous game, the glacial combat. At no point in my several playthroughs of Origins did I feel any of my characters were actually any good at fighting. The tank would just sort of stand there and wave his sword while the ranged companions would stand off to the side, firing hordes of arrows into enemies who would simply keep walking around like pincushions. I understand that this system, with its highly tactical combat, evokes nostalgia in many PC gamers, but in this day and age, I feel that is rather outdated. I applaud their direction as far as making swords and arrows feel as though they are actually doing something to enemies. As far as graphics go, this game is a lot better than Origins. It's no Crysis 2, but the ones calling out DAII for its graphics while clinging to DA:O as a great game should look closer. There was a marked improvement between the two games. As for the story, I will not spoil anything, except to say that this game is very dark. BioWare has tried to create a dark fantasy in the Dragon Age series, and the previous game has very little in the way of dark. If you chose the right options, everything turned out all right in the end. In this game, no matter how hard you try, you never really get the classic heroic conclusion. I applaud BioWare for actually making this happen. Many games have claimed to create choices surrounded by muddy waters, but they generally do not succeed as far as one option always producing a result that is generally perceived as good. You find none of that in Dragon Age II. It makes the game that much more depressing and that much more REAL. I feel sorry for the folks at BioWare who have to sift through all these negative reviews calling for them to make another Dragon Age: Origins, because despite the massive amounts of them, chances are it's a small minority of angry ex-fans, while the people who actually like the game are still busy finishing it. In summation, a great game, much better than many I have played this year, and definitely worth my $60.… Expand
  23. gregsc1
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    There seem to be lots of mean-spirited, spiteful people who give exaggerated negative ratings and reviews for this game in particular. I'm coming to believe that many RPG fans are deeply conservative in their gaming desires. They want "improved' games, as long as the new version has all the same good stuff they had before, instead of breaking new ground. That's my theory, anyway.

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

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

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

    Anyway, I don't know what else to say, except that you shouldn't be scared of all these whiny user reviews if you're interested in the game. Just don't expect it to be a conservative remake or update of the first Dragon Age.    … Expand
  24. auberonh
    Aug 25, 2011
    8
    A good if somewhat tragic story in the Dragon Age universe, that is smaller than the first game's but spread over a ten year time span. I still find the design of some of the characters to be off-putting and the story is not quit as epic as advertised, but I enjoyed my playthrough and getting to know more of the Dragon Age world.
  25. Stormscape
    Mar 8, 2011
    10
    Don't listen to the haters this is an AMAZING game and well worth the $60 it cost me. Runs beautifully on my XFX Radeon 6870 with graphics on full 1920x1080. This is a game you'll either love or hate so try the demo first! Most fun I've had in an RPG for a long time, feels almost like 3D Baldur's Gate. Must buy if you like action oriented combat.
  26. tbone420
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    Great Game 10/10, better than DAO, which was a 9/10 imo. Love the story and the flow of combat. On nightmare mode it is an extremely challenging tactical game. I have played nearly all of the CRPG's since the PC D&D games from late 80s and early 90s (secret of the silver blades...etc) up to now I never thought action and RPG could actually exist in the same game. A great setup forGreat Game 10/10, better than DAO, which was a 9/10 imo. Love the story and the flow of combat. On nightmare mode it is an extremely challenging tactical game. I have played nearly all of the CRPG's since the PC D&D games from late 80s and early 90s (secret of the silver blades...etc) up to now I never thought action and RPG could actually exist in the same game. A great setup for future games from Bioware. This game is NOT suppose to be a DAO sequel, it is an experiment in using interactive frame narratives with RPG elements. I love forward thinking, everything evolves. GREAT GAME!… Expand
  27. bleak
    Mar 11, 2011
    8
    As for me it's a worthy continuation for the DAO. The game is interesting and entertainment. It is the same Dragon Age: Origins, but it's more bright and various.
  28. Seadogkb19
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good forI don't take issue, like so many of the others, crying about the changes to DA:2 from DA:O. I remember the same complaints from people about the changes to ME:2 from ME1. Yes, the combat system is easier and more fluid but put it on hard or nightmare and you'll being pausing till your heart's content. Yes, I understand you can't dress your friends, they dress themselves now. And good for them, they're grown ups...you can still give them weapons and jewelry if you feel the need to manhandle them. Yes, the story is not about saving the world again, its a bridge story to set up a cliffhanger for a greater conflict to come. Same as Mass Effect 2.

    Yes, you have to be human and have a name. If you want your character to actually speak and be addressed in a non generic way then you'll have to live with slightly more limited options...otherwise it's back to having a silent no personality character as in DA:O where the game is more about the npcs than you...and for me that aspect of DA:O made it lack real immersion.

    And Yes, the story primarily takes place in just one city... but so did Baldur's Gate 2 and that still worked wonderfully.

    All of these things I can live with and some I even enjoyed more than the original.

    No my problem is that the game was clearly rushed, and this is evident in the constantly repeated environments. Every cave, dungeon, beach, sewer, and house is exactly the same except for a closed door or passage here or there. It seems lazy. Had they taken their normal 24-30 month development phase, I feel like this game could have been truly wonderful. At times you can feel what could have been and its too bad. I had a sneaking suspicion that this would be an issue when I saw the release date and they ended up keeping to it. Either way its still a very enjoyable game, and a character I wouldn't mind playing some more, albeit in a more thoroughly developed environment. And all the recent bashing is really a symptom of people expecting so much from Bioware, so they should take it's for what its worth and just put more time into the next Dragon Age.

    All in all its still a 8 (maybe a 7 if you were that attached to all the trappings of DA:O) and worth playing/buying although waiting till the price drops and some DLC is announced to add more background depth is not the worst strategy if you're not a die hard fan of the series. But giving this game a 0 because you can't give your friends armor or whatnot is obviously is an intellectually dishonest overreaction.    … Expand
  29. Haon
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    This review isn't a complete one; I just want to inform potential buyers out there that DA2 isn't the train wreck most of the reviews make it seem. --First, the combat. It's not hack and slash! I have no idea where people are getting this from. Sure, it's easy on Normal, but so was BGII, NWN, NWN2, ME, ME2, DA:O.... get my point? They put hard and nightmare modes for sods like us thatThis review isn't a complete one; I just want to inform potential buyers out there that DA2 isn't the train wreck most of the reviews make it seem. --First, the combat. It's not hack and slash! I have no idea where people are getting this from. Sure, it's easy on Normal, but so was BGII, NWN, NWN2, ME, ME2, DA:O.... get my point? They put hard and nightmare modes for sods like us that don't want to run through the game feeling like we're gods. On hard it is IMPOSSIBLE to make it through tough fights without tactics and micromanagement. Enough said.
    --Second, the story(telling). Look, we've heard it all before. Guy grows up saves the world/city/girl. If you're going to slam an RPG's story, you don't want to be playing RPGs. Now, the storytelling in DA2 is a different matter. I for one love the, oh, 12 or so different choices available as responses, throughout a conversation. It really opens up the dialoge and the way the story unfolds. I've tried a bunch of differnt options out, and while sometimes it's tough to mix and match, you definitely get variety. Plus, it's nice to hear a few sentences spout from Hawke's mouth when you click a one line option, especially when you're asking questions.
    ---Three, screw the graphics. Who cares, really. I've got DA2 running fine on my Dell XPS on the "low" settings, and it's not making me puke. That's good enough for me. Remeber the original Deus Ex? Those graphics blow, but the gameplay, story and lore still make it incredible today. ---Fourth, the character development is a lot better than Origins. I mean A LOT BETTER. Branching paths, requirements, difficult choices, tougher requirements, meaningful decisions. Bioware, keep this model! Use if for every game you have coming. I mean it! It's a nice balance between old school and modern role playing models. ---Fifth, everyone's complaining about the DLC. Yeah, I agree, Bioware has sold their soul. But it's not wrecking the game, and a huge chunk of it is free, so it's more like they're in purgatory. Don't boycott the game over it, but definitely write the developer. ---Sixth, I'd say currently the game's actually a solid 9, not a 10. I just wanted to get posted at the top. :~) Thanks for reading! Go rock the world!    … Expand
  30. Loken
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I am a fan of the RPG genre and played the original, albeit lightly, the improvments over the first are noticable. The Stories frequent options for pathway choice is great and the option to take more playable characters that fit the expanding story succseed where the originals story based around none playable characters. I think the combat is tons of fun and works very well all around.I am a fan of the RPG genre and played the original, albeit lightly, the improvments over the first are noticable. The Stories frequent options for pathway choice is great and the option to take more playable characters that fit the expanding story succseed where the originals story based around none playable characters. I think the combat is tons of fun and works very well all around. There is the issue of SO MUCH day one DLC, 2 expansion missions, and a checklist of downloads some free, some only for buyers of other EA games. All in all that doesn't change that fact the combat is the core and done exceedingly well!… Expand
  31. wiwefak
    Mar 14, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age 2, isnt something what i expected it to be. Maybe i was hoping for DA:O sequal. The game does have improvment at some points. The combat is more fun now, it isnt clunky and the animations are smooth. It was nice to see my rogue just kill stuff with style. The spells and skills look nice, First time i casted rock armor i was amazed how much better it looked compared to DA:O. TheDragon Age 2, isnt something what i expected it to be. Maybe i was hoping for DA:O sequal. The game does have improvment at some points. The combat is more fun now, it isnt clunky and the animations are smooth. It was nice to see my rogue just kill stuff with style. The spells and skills look nice, First time i casted rock armor i was amazed how much better it looked compared to DA:O. The new Qunari look nice, but in the game you dont see any female Qunari's also you dont see any female Dwarfs. The dialogue wheel is something they tried to take over from ME2, but it dosent fit for DA2. In a rpg i wanna be the character and choose what i say like i did in DA:O, but with the new dialogue wheel i often felt like i didnt bother reading any options. Making me pay less attention to the story. I always knew top was good, middle was neutral and bottom was evul. So i always clicked the top one and didnt bother reading anything else. Which was a huge letdown. In DA:O you had so many diffrent choices and you chose the option which felt what you would have said so you were thinking what you would do, you were in the game. Also the dialogue options were sometimes confusing, because i hoped it to say something diffrent and it kept me sometimes wondering if i pressed something wrong or could the other options say what i wanted to say.

    Companions:
    Companion customization is dumbed down. You can't change ur companion armor, except rings,necklace, belt and weapon. In a rpg i always want to customize all my characters. Or maybe it was too much to expect. 1,5 years to make a sequal isnt that much, comparing to DA:O and i guess Bioware didnt have the time to make armors for your companions. But not being able to change armors, resulted my main character who was a rogue, have more armor/defence than my tank. Even though you can upgrade your companion armors, by getting some special upgraders or doing companion quests it isnt as effective compared to DA:O, where you could give them your old set.

    Another thing about companions, you cant talk to them everytime you want. Basically if you want to know about them you need to wait for the companion quest to open. I always was checking all my companions, because i wanted to know about them more, but i never was able to talk with them unless they had a quest and that wasnt really what i was looking forward to. In DA:O you could talk with them everywhere, which was great, but now the only chance to talk with them is during companion quests and occasionaly cutscenes. In DA:O, you talked with them everytime gave them gifts, laughed at their jokes and dialogues, but now it feels like they removed it from the game. True the companions to have funny dialogue with eachother from time to time, but here i don't bother listening to them at all, unless its Varrick whos talking. Varrick will probably be the companion i will remeber. Compared to DA:O, where i loved Alistair, Morrigan, Shale, Zevran, Oghren and so on. The companions in DA2 arent that memorable.

    The theme is Kirkwall, you spend all the time in Kirkwall and its surrounding places. Kirkwall is a huge city and you can choose to visit at night and day, which is nice, but the city is empty. I mean there arent npc-s. The huge city seems kinda empty, but that isnt a big problem, the biggest problem is the dungeons and recycled areas. After ACT1 you will spend ur time revisiting the places u visited for several more times. Basically after ACT1 you have seen the whole game. Compared to DA:O, where there were so many diffrent places, citys this seems like they didnt have money or the time to make new dungeons. After revisiting a dungeon the 20-th time you know where the most treasures are and it isnt as rewarding and the game lacks exploration.

    What is the deal with DLC before the game is even released. They are trying to milk too much money out of the gamers who like the Dragon Age universe. There are 2 dlc-s already, which 1 has a new companion and the other has some bonus items. You can play DA2 without dlc-s easily, because those dlc don't add that much depth to the game. Also on hard/nightmare the game is challenging, however some places are unbalanced and make you wanna tear your hair out. To play on nightmare you gotta exploit all the weakness and the stupidness of the enemys ai. The game started feeling like hit and run. The game isnt as tactical as DA:O, yes you can play it tactically, but after waves and waves of enemys ur tactics mostly end up being useless, because enemy's come out of nowhere and just take out ur mage or rogue. So you never can be prepeared.

    Dont get me wrong Dragon Age 2 is a good game, but i always kept comparing it to DA:O. DA2 was rushed out, it wasnt polished like DA:O. If there wasnt DA:O i would give DA2 a score of 8, but it felt for me that it isnt as good as DA;O and i always compared to it. So imma give it a 7.    … Expand
  32. sgtStones
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    Expectations are a b*tch. They have to be filtered out when trying to give some sort of a review...well at least to a point. A sentiment, not many users ( on metacritic anyway ) seem to share. I finished DA:O 6 times ( 4x on hard and twice on nightmare )... needless to say I love that game and I'm already thinking about the approach I'll take in the next playthrough.

    But now DA2 was    Expectations are a b*tch. They have to be filtered out when trying to give some sort of a review...well at least to a point. A sentiment, not many users ( on metacritic anyway ) seem to share. I finished DA:O 6 times ( 4x on hard and twice on nightmare )... needless to say I love that game and I'm already thinking about the approach I'll take in the next playthrough.

    But now DA2 was released and yes...the first 2hours of playing this long-awaited game, really disappointed me. I think that's when some people alt-tabbed to their browser, went on this site and had to let off some steam. The strange thing is, although things don't really get better as the game goes on, I still had fun with the game ( and I'm still having fun with it now ). But the moment my destined-to-be spirit healer pulls off moves like "the last airbender" I new that this won't live up to my expectations. Here are my cons: - Menu/Icon-Design really doesnt hold a candle to the beautiful art we saw in Dragon Age:origins....it looks like its been designed for a tron-movie-tie-in game
    - although Combat now looks much fancier, it's also much quicker, hence too chaotic at times and with top view removed it can be hard to keep track of everything thats happening
    - Enemies spawn into the battlefield, so you cant really tell how long a fight will go
    - Looting has lost a lot of its charm and restrictions concerning the equipment of your party members really takes away from the fun
    - the crafting system doesn't deserve the name
    - the skill trees and the associated restrictions are not to my taste - the gift mechanic has been changed dramatically, to the point of no recognition
    - it would also have been nice to see what the scale is on the friendship/rivalry bar, so that I know wtf 10 points in either direct are worth ( but I'm nitpicking, and I shall be the cop who stops it...erm me )
    - and yes: Carver is a douche ;)

    pros:
    - everything that reminds me of DA:O


    I was also a fan of Mass Effect. And in the beginning, I was disappointed in ME2 aswell. Mainly due to the ( severe ) dumbing down of the skill-system ( which wasnt the most complex to begin with ). But ME2 provided some new gameplay features, great graphics, much improved action and once more a great epic story with diverse characters, making it, in the end a superior successor. DA2 fails to deliver anything new to justify the "dumbing-down" ( or streamlining, as the industry would like to brand it ) making it inferior to its predecessor.

    But even DA 0.5 is still good game, and certainly better ( if not by much ) then most recent rpgs ( fable 4, Ego Draconis, TwoWorlds II ). It's DEFINATELY NOT A 4.0    … Expand
  33. anx
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I like the game. I like the way they've changed the battle. And, surprisingly, the conversation wheel from ME works just fine. To my mind it was worth waiting for.
  34. Hovis
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    There's a lot of butthurt about Dragon Age 2. Lot of nerds wanting to crunch stats, spank and tank and grind for gear. It's not that sort of RPG and, like Mass Effect 2, it is all the better for it. It's a story, one that you have a huge part to play in telling, rather than just watching it unfold, you make choices and pick sides and shape the world. Meantime you stab up a bunch of peopleThere's a lot of butthurt about Dragon Age 2. Lot of nerds wanting to crunch stats, spank and tank and grind for gear. It's not that sort of RPG and, like Mass Effect 2, it is all the better for it. It's a story, one that you have a huge part to play in telling, rather than just watching it unfold, you make choices and pick sides and shape the world. Meantime you stab up a bunch of people and get frisky with a pirate wench, among others. It's not perfect, the combat animations don't fit the tone of the game too well for example, but beyond that it's a masterpiece, far superior to the original.… Expand
  35. chronic_gamer
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Great game and really enjoying it. The combat is much improved from the last game, despite others insistence, the tactics system is still alive and well, especially in nightmare mode. The ability to center around a living person in the city of Kirkwall and follow them through years in the game is an awesome step and one that my friends and I really have enjoyed so far. Do yourself a favor,Great game and really enjoying it. The combat is much improved from the last game, despite others insistence, the tactics system is still alive and well, especially in nightmare mode. The ability to center around a living person in the city of Kirkwall and follow them through years in the game is an awesome step and one that my friends and I really have enjoyed so far. Do yourself a favor, get the game, play through it just once. You don't be disappointed and then you can take it back if you want.… Expand
  36. BioWareEmployee
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    BioWare has done it again with their most fantastic title to date! Everything from the character interaction to the graphics have been fleshed out making Dragon Age IIâ
  37. mangueJOE
    Apr 6, 2011
    9
    For me this game is far superior than the first one. Combat, graphics, voice acting, story, setting, atmosphere, everything is perfect. These people that whine so much are living in the past. This is not a Dragon Age Origins DLC.

    For me, Dragon Age Origins in unplayable, but DA2 is great!
  38. ErwinCole
    Aug 14, 2011
    8
    The game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, aThe game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, a consequences of no continuing event in Dragon Age II. The story of Dragon Age II is more of a collection of events that happened in someone life. Stories are branch-driven (with follow-up quest), and each branch rarely in connection to another. There's also missing a climax in the plot, like a line measuring from start to finish, it didn't flow as good as it should. One brilliant idea, I think, is using varric re-telling of the story to advance the plot.

    I think the game did not introduce the characters properly, and the result of that is a cast of unmemorable characters. I remember Alistair and Morrigan, their behavior, their thoughts and association and I don't think I can pinpoint any specific traits that recognized a person in Dragon Age II, other than stereotyping. Dialogue between characters feel a little bit old. Some of them are funny, but some of them are also repeated sarcastic remarks. I thinks it's better to gave out a little memorable story rather than arguing.

    For several moment i felt slightly tired to play through because there are so many unrelated events and they are quest driven rather than goal driven. I think generating motivation is important, especially one that born from the beginning of the story that's end at the final mission. Motivation, in turns generate enthusiasm and energy to play. The lack of that in Dragon Age II is like playing the Sims 3, jumping from one sim to another and then nothing.

    I read many negative comment about the combat system, but really I didn't felt a thing in that regard. However, I found it pointless to play as a mage without the spell combination in the first game. The graphic change so much it felt strange at times.

    The game felt like a prologue with a concluded event that will be carry on to the next game. The game itself managed to be interesting and funny at times. However, it doesn't feel epic or story-wise rewarding.    … Expand
  39. Gamerplays
    Aug 13, 2011
    8
    Well now, I'll be honest to say that its quite a bit different than its predecessor. Does it mean its bad? No, its just DIFFERENT but done quite nicely. It's kinda beyond me why sequels (apparently) have to be the same as the original. Doing the same trick over and over gets dull (just look at the CoD series). If you're looking for a good solid action-rpg, DA2 won't be disappointing justWell now, I'll be honest to say that its quite a bit different than its predecessor. Does it mean its bad? No, its just DIFFERENT but done quite nicely. It's kinda beyond me why sequels (apparently) have to be the same as the original. Doing the same trick over and over gets dull (just look at the CoD series). If you're looking for a good solid action-rpg, DA2 won't be disappointing just don't expect it to be an exact copy of the original DA.… Expand
  40. riker13
    Aug 11, 2011
    9
    Hey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact thatHey , I dont like posting/checking user review online because very often I tend to disagree with them, Dragon Age 2 is no exception... Here is my quick take on the game: Granted Im disaapointed on a few level with the game (because ya we have to compare it to the first one), but all and all I realy enjoyed the game, so here are my reason why I liked it and why I didnt. So the fact that they removed the tactictal view is frustrating at time to say the least, each time you click a protrait its centers the view on that charcater wich is a bit annoying because you never can get a general view of the damm thing. The massive reuse of asset, by the beginning of ACT II you start to remember that you ve seen some of the dungesons/cave (some a lot) and it get worst as the game progress, dont mind that the action is centered in one big city but please add variety so we dont the same corrirdor everywhere and more location outside that we dont go 20 times (small exageration here) by the same passage/corridor. And my last negative item is a bit of a mix feeling, the dumbing down of RPG element like removing the ability to thinker with companion Armor, realy bugged me at first but in the end I forgave the game because I liked searching everywhere to find those damm upgrade, but please dont do it again in the next installement or give us the choice to disable it if we want to equip companion ourselves. Now to the good, the heroe has a voice, witch doesnt seem big but is a big help on the immersion factor, I was much involve emotionally wih my companions than in origins, due in part how the story is told, in other part because some origins companions returned, some as new companions and some other as cameo, but mainly I was realy sad to see that I lost one of my companion for the better part of the game, and well without giving anything away, well some have chocking trutch behind them and some die + I liked the fact that you charter evolves through serveral years, made the relationship more meaningfull for me.. I didnt find as some people said that your missing some information between acts, but thats me and I like Varric as the Narrator telling what happened to the seeker on a one on one interrogation, those moment are not too frequent but it give a sense of mistery to the game, but the main focuse here is the journey of the Hawks, the benter between companions are pretty funny, from those I remebered I liked way better than those of originis, espically those between Isabelle and Merill (youll see) :), oh and last bit while I didnt like that fact that I couldnt zoom out ot have a general view of the battlefield, I like very much the new combat system, more focus, action packed. The attributes screen ares alos way more efficient, every stats are weel explained and shows what derives stats it will improved, I also like that they did with the revamp of the abilities, like it better like that... and while some say the graphics are horrible, I found to see a lot less "fuziness" on charcater and the scenery is definitely an imporvement...… Expand
  41. alceste007
    Jan 19, 2012
    9
    I recently got this game plus the downloadable content for a xmas present. I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. I liked the evade in combat that Bioware added to the game. I am surprised at the negative comments.
  42. Pneuvo
    Aug 29, 2011
    7
    I can't believe I put in over 2000 hours playing DA:O! I expected to love this one, too. I liked the look, and the story, and in the end I would say the combat is somewhat improved. Too much change for change sake, reminds me of dogs marking their territory. Too much increasing of the challenge. Not sure if they are trying to appeal to FPS players or hide a shorter story, but itI can't believe I put in over 2000 hours playing DA:O! I expected to love this one, too. I liked the look, and the story, and in the end I would say the combat is somewhat improved. Too much change for change sake, reminds me of dogs marking their territory. Too much increasing of the challenge. Not sure if they are trying to appeal to FPS players or hide a shorter story, but it ruined the replayability. I may never hit 250 hours of game play.… Expand
  43. dobserver
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    I played the first game, which was amazing and unique. I loved the story and the gameplay, the sound and the graphics and the characters! And I had high expectations for Dragon Age 2 (DA2). However, I was surprised that they tried to make the game more action packed for the more causal gamer. The graphics have been improved and they have added a story that is more like a movie. The storyI played the first game, which was amazing and unique. I loved the story and the gameplay, the sound and the graphics and the characters! And I had high expectations for Dragon Age 2 (DA2). However, I was surprised that they tried to make the game more action packed for the more causal gamer. The graphics have been improved and they have added a story that is more like a movie. The story telling is very typical Bioware which I always enjoyed, but I found that the impact of my decisions had less effect then in the previous game. The characters were also not as well built (no backstory, don't really get in touch with the personalities like in the first game). The gameplay is okay if you enjoy fast action/adventure type games, as opposed to the traditional 'pause' and lets plan our next move...which has been the tradition. Gamers who enjoyed the old system may be quite disappointed (hence the negative reviews). Overall a pretty okay game, but overshadowed by its predecessor. (Score 7.0)… Expand
  44. lagg1
    Nov 7, 2013
    7
    Goods
    - Love the new gameplay
    - Good character customization
    - Voiced MC
    - Choices
    - Faster gameplay

    Bads
    - BORING CHARACTERS
    - BORING STORY BEFORE YOUR EXPEDITION

    Extras
    - Will never be as good as the first BUT i still recommend giving this game a try if you're really into RPGs
  45. Sivus
    Jun 5, 2014
    7
    They took the first game, which has polished last gen graphics and gave the new game even more slightly polished graphics. No amount of user mods were able to bring its quality up to standard. However, the graphics aren't awful either, just very old for a AAA title in 2011.
    Unlike the first game, I enjoyed the main character (female character) much more as it feels like the put slightly    They took the first game, which has polished last gen graphics and gave the new game even more slightly polished graphics. No amount of user mods were able to bring its quality up to standard. However, the graphics aren't awful either, just very old for a AAA title in 2011.
    Unlike the first game, I enjoyed the main character (female character) much more as it feels like the put slightly more effort into him/her.
    The best part of this game is Varric Tethras who steals the show from every other character.    … Expand
  46. MASTERxer0
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    One of the most anticipated games for a reason! Was able to play as the Mage in the Demo and the Rogue for the past 20 hours! As an RPG fan, this game really sucks you in with its in depth story by making you feel like you are really part this world that BioWare created for you. I look forward to spending many more hours on this.
  47. R3YNO
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    Listen to the people who played the game for than a little bit. It is clear that some people have an agenda to smear this game. I will point out the good and the bad in bullets. GOOD: * (Less Talking)- The thing that bugged me most was the British accents which seemed to not shut up. Almost exactly the same as Mass Effect also the main character speaks as apposed to standing there standingListen to the people who played the game for than a little bit. It is clear that some people have an agenda to smear this game. I will point out the good and the bad in bullets. GOOD: * (Less Talking)- The thing that bugged me most was the British accents which seemed to not shut up. Almost exactly the same as Mass Effect also the main character speaks as apposed to standing there standing every one his thoughts via brainwave. *(Combat) - Its faster and more appealing that before. *(The world) - The world is much better detailed and fleshed out than in origins. All the environments look great.
    BAD * (No variation with races) - the thing I liked most of Origins was that you can build your character even with race. Now you just start off with a human and that's that. Not a Huge Issue but one that people may find irritating. *(Not tactical cam) - If you played on PC you would know that the camera can be zoomed really far back like in Balder's Gate where you can tactically plain your attacks. Not in this game. However due to the games ability to be modded not a big issue because chances are people are making that kind of mod as I am typing. (( All and all a game defiantly worth checking out. Lucky for you there are demos on all systems and PC)    … Expand
  48. SiaG
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    I put 10 because it is really excellent game! The tree of skills became more, tactics is more clear and the drawing has not disappointed! A lot of new and it is good!
  49. skulls
    Mar 12, 2011
    0
    This game isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. Its nothing compared to DA:O but its still a decent game. Before I go on I'll admit that I am in fact a bioware fanboy. KOTOR I and II were my favorite games as a child, Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 had me squealing with joy, and Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. That's why DA2 breaks my heart. The biggestThis game isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. Its nothing compared to DA:O but its still a decent game. Before I go on I'll admit that I am in fact a bioware fanboy. KOTOR I and II were my favorite games as a child, Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 had me squealing with joy, and Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. That's why DA2 breaks my heart. The biggest problems I had with the game were firstly they re-used the same map over and over which is not just lazy but insulting to my intelligence. It was the single most immersion breaking experience I have had in an RPG, they didn't even clean up the map when there are unused passages and you can see the rest of the same cave in the mini map although you can't get to it in this particular instance. Secondly they replaced the dialogue system with a wheel based system which I put up with in Mass Effect but am very disappointed to see being used in other games and I hope is not going to be something Bioware continue to use in the future. The biggest problem I have with it is that you try to say one thing and what Hawke actually says is something else entirely, the complex dialogue trees are also gone and generally whatever you say is responded to by a single line of dialogue then the NPC just carries on as if what you said had no impact. To me the actual dialogue system is perhaps the single most important part of Bioware's games, it defines how you interact with the world around you and how you personally shape the story, somehow Dragon Age 2's dialogue wheel system failed to immerse me in the world in the same way the ME dialogue trees did and was a huge step back from all the non-linear dialogue wheels they've had in previous titles. Third there was day 1 DLC, being a bit of a perfectionist I couldn't stand playing without the DLC and forked out the money after having to pay a full sixty dollars for the game itself. What makes me even madder is that I know they're going to eventually make a big pack that has all the DLC included for 30 or 20 dollars in one or two years, itâ… Expand
  50. Jaelit
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    An excellent role-playing game, and a logical and direct evolution of the previous game, more action-focused and more polished, although its action focus won't please everyone. (c)
  51. Watchman11
    Mar 21, 2011
    9
    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.
    The story is great, far more original than the 'let's save the world again' idea in DAO, if you want    Good game, actually far better than some of the older Bioware games, but not perfect and very far from DAO.
    There are a lot of improvements compared to the predecessor, graphics, combat, animations, but in some areas DAO was a bit better, like choices which affect the world, or dialogue.

    The story is great, far more original than the 'let's save the world again' idea in DAO, if you want dark fantasy, then this is the game to play. This however also means that the story is a bit more realistic, not as grand, or epic.

    The game has a lot of potential, however it's clear that a bit more time in development would have helped a lot. Some areas are recycled over and over again, and while the main quest is perfect, the side quests are.. mehh.. less original.
    On the bright side.. it's not as bugged as DAO was on release day.    … Expand
  52. MaestroBlaBla
    Apr 9, 2011
    9
    I rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is aI rate 9 for this game. This is the best game i ever played. The graphics are solid. The wide variety of consequences that can occur from choices you make(or fail to make). Intriguing and open yet linear story. Easy combat system, and the pause is beneficial to play on hard or nightmare. Only thing I see negative about Dragon Age 2, is the repetitive use of game zones; There is a wide enough story, and number of zones, that you aren't going see how overused the zones are, unless you focus on the environment. The development of love affairs with different party members is a nice addition to the game. It will take more then 1 run at this game to see all this game has to offer. played with mods and DLC… Expand
  53. Shadow97
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    People you are not right dragon age 2 is a very good game and an excellent continuing of first part. I agree that this game is a bit different and not like the Dragon Age but you must know that Bioware is doing all the best to give pleasure to players and I think we should accept Dragon Age 2 how it is.
  54. mech
    Apr 5, 2011
    8
    This game is very different from the first Dragon Age, and I guess this is the reason for so much hate. Just about everything is different: the combat, the graphics style, the scale of story, and so on.

    The game is not Bioware's best effort by any means and clearly lacks polish, but giving it red scores out of spite is just childish, if only for one simple reason: recently there has not    This game is very different from the first Dragon Age, and I guess this is the reason for so much hate. Just about everything is different: the combat, the graphics style, the scale of story, and so on.

    The game is not Bioware's best effort by any means and clearly lacks polish, but giving it red scores out of spite is just childish, if only for one simple reason: recently there has not been a similar game by a different developer that could even come close.    … Expand
  55. askhole
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This game is good all those negative reviews are just bunch of trolls. If you feel that this game is a mindless hack and slash game try it in hard or nightmare mode, the only down side is that your companions has less option in customizing there items.
  56. julemand
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    I felt this game was interesting in story (something other people seem to disagree with, I'm not sure why??) and was very entertaining. I'm not much of a critic, but I felt I'd come with my opinion anyway, seeing as I had been slightly worried about the quality of the game after reading so many poor reviews of it.
    I truly enjoyed playing it and to me, that's really the most important part.    I felt this game was interesting in story (something other people seem to disagree with, I'm not sure why??) and was very entertaining. I'm not much of a critic, but I felt I'd come with my opinion anyway, seeing as I had been slightly worried about the quality of the game after reading so many poor reviews of it.
    I truly enjoyed playing it and to me, that's really the most important part. I'm not sure about the quality of the graphics. I rather liked them, but other people seem to find them outdated? I haven't got much to compare it to tbh because I don't play that many games. The story was good and I liked the way they did the narrative (and I also found myself really liking the narrator, lol). I knew of the companions beforehand, yet I still found myself liking some of the ones I did not expect to like. I mean, there are problems with the game, sure, hence why I didn't give it a 10, but really, they are so insignificant compared to how great the other parts are. So I think if you liked Origins and don't play Dragon Age 2 with a "GOD DAMNIT I HATE THIS" attitude from the start, you will be pleased. If you are content being dissatisfied or unwilling to try because of the bad user reviews, then your loss I suppose :/    … Expand
  57. Gingervitis
    Mar 14, 2011
    7
    As the low "user score" shows there's a ton of negative feedback from the community on this game. Some is very valid, some is sensationalism.

    The interface; Big update since DA:O. Pretty much the entire UI is nicely set up, clean, and easy to use. The first thing that will hit when you first play the game (if you played the first) is they adopted the "dialog wheel" from Mass Effect, which    As the low "user score" shows there's a ton of negative feedback from the community on this game. Some is very valid, some is sensationalism.

    The interface; Big update since DA:O. Pretty much the entire UI is nicely set up, clean, and easy to use. The first thing that will hit when you first play the game (if you played the first) is they adopted the "dialog wheel" from Mass Effect, which was a huge bonus for myself. It was something i was wishing for when playing the first dragon age. Lots of people don't seem to feel the same way as me, but i guess it all comes down to person preference here.

    The gameplay; Very fast paced, which is fun but after a few hours and you start to gain abilities, it becomes an absolute cluster****. Spell effects going off everywhere, sometimes i cant even tell if abilities are from my party or from the enemy. The game is also very difficult. I started on normal, but after wiping to one of the boss fights for about an hour i gave up and switched it to casual. Apparently i am all of a sudden bad at video games, Haha. Don't get me wrong, I find the gameplay years ahead of the first game. Which im probably alone in saying, Its much more fun to just pick up and run with. One thing that disappointed me was the fact that you couldn't give gear to your group (except for rings/belts/necklaces) which i thought was a bit lame. The talent trees are well laid out, I would say mages probably have the best set up trees of all of them, they a lot have incredibly powerful spells. But thats not much different from DA:O except now the CC is toned down quite a bit. With my playthrough I chose a rogue. After a few hours i started playing one of the mage side-characters when in combat because of how powerful they are, thankfully after getting the rogue some more abilities i switched back and she's a beast now, lots of hard hitting abilities and the gameplay for rogue after you get up to level 8-9 is just so fast paced and fun.

    The story; Well... this is probably the weakest part of the game. When going through the storyline it feels a little forced, but I still find it engaging. I would say the story is a lot more accessible than the first game. I wont get into specifics so there are no spoilers but there have been a few points that made me facepalm and say "REALLY?".

    Graphics; I dunno where the complaints about this are coming from... It looks beautiful once you get the HD texture update. But it probably takes quite a newly updated computer to seriously run it at high settings.

    All in all, This game has some major flaws, but is well worth a play-through. I had a hard time getting into DA:O. But DA2 is much more accessible and fast paced for gamers that are newer to the RPG format. Which I guess can be viewed as a good or bad thing depending on your standpoint.    … Expand
  58. AssForce
    Mar 10, 2011
    8
    Dear Bio Ware DA2 its abomination.This game horrible! How you can do that so wrong?! This is sheer frustration and misery, after such a successful project you have cut out everything except the engine, and blood, and you think it's worthy sequel? Dear developers,you may suck!
    PS: With hate.
  59. The_Gooser
    Nov 9, 2011
    6
    Not the most polished game, a little rushed, EA has taken control and mind wiped everyone at Bioware. Why must big publishers ruin a new franchise that was looking to be a mega hit regardless if it was not "actiony" enough.
  60. Hyperwolf
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    I can't even be bothered to give a full review and for all those TL:DR people out there, then I can honestly say 'first time disappointed with Bioware". Whatever jack ass tainted this IP should be sent to work in the salt mines.
  61. Mazena
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    DA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the keyDA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the key to victory.

    It takes more time to get to know the new companions, but they're all interesting and will make you interested in them. For the first time it has been difficult for me to choose which companions I want to bring with me, I never had such problem in ME games or DA:O. Also the other NPCs in the world seem to have real personalities, but you don't usually get to know them too well.

    Choices matter more than in DA:O and you have more options even in regular conversations. The way you talk to people defines your personality in the later game and you can even choose to let your companions to do the talking for you in some situations. Quests are plentiful, but the side quests can too easily distract you from the main story, just because there is a crap load of them. That can also be a good thing for you, but it is a matter of opinion.

    I will be updating this review as I get further into the game and get to know the story more, but so far it has convinced me of that the average joe flaming the game either had some very unrealistic expectations or haven't played the finished game.    … Expand
  62. agotmanov
    Mar 19, 2011
    9
    Frankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

    What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware is    Frankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

    What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware is doing something that feels fresh and new, and not yet another Baldur's Gate clone. Don't get me wrong, Baldur's Gate was great, probably the best thing that the company has ever done, and I immensely enjoyed it. Almost every game from Bioware after that tried and failed to live up to this high standard. It's time to move on. DA2 is an honest (and rather successful) attempt to do some change in the area.

    Probably, other gamers are outraged by simplification, and there is indeed a lot of that. Personally, I think that it had to be done a long time ago. NWN2, for example, was a nighmare and completely unplayable because it was overloaded with all kind of junk that simply was no fun anymore: unwieldy inventory, complicated party control, monstrous class system, etc. DA2 makes an excellent job of cutting out everything that failed to work.

    Now, dialogs. Maybe they are a bit oversimplfied, but defnitely an improvement. Don't get me started on dialogs in DA:O. They were horrible. The idea of "approval" ratings for party members was a distaster. To please everyone, your character had to be a real hypocritic bastard. The whole exprience was digusting, frustrating and boring. So good riddance. In DA2, it's "rivalry" vs. "friendship", which is much more fun, because both extremes have their advantages (similar to "paragon" and "renegate" in ME). Graphics. Ok, maybe it's not perfect. But "2003"? No way. I am running on "medium" detail level, cause my graphics card is not fast enough, and it looks great. Again, I see it as an improvement over DA:O, which didn't exactly work for me. I think in DA2 it's stylish and atmospheric. The city of Kirkwall is just beautiful. All races (dwarfs, elves) look definitely better. Darkspawn are scarier, etc. What else is needed?

    To summarize, the game is a lot of fun. It's very well paced, packed with action, and there is much less boredom and pointless running around than it was in DA:O. Try it for yourself, if you haven't yet. However, keep in mind that the demo is real crap and doesn't give a good impression of the game.    … Expand
  63. Acher4
    Apr 8, 2011
    9
    The game has its flaws but the truth is that it is one of the few games that it is really fun to play. With a solid good scenario, interesting characters and an action filled battle system that manages to pull you in without losing its RPG true soul, Dragon Age 2 is a remarkable game and a nice addition to the universe of Dragon Age. Can't wait for the next one (and the DLC)
  64. Mortrau
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Not bad. Excellent screenplay and characters, good music and graphic. Boring gameplay, poor roleplay system (if compare with DAO). But the Story is brilliant. This is an interactive book.
  65. tcnuk
    Mar 19, 2011
    8
    Wow, I've been watching so many negative user reviews coming in and I felt that I had to speak up and say my bit. Personally, I'm rather enjoying Dragon Age II so far. To date, I've found the story engaging and the quests enjoyable, and there seems to be a significantly smaller element of "grind" to DA2 compared to the original, where some quests seemed to be endlessly long trips throughWow, I've been watching so many negative user reviews coming in and I felt that I had to speak up and say my bit. Personally, I'm rather enjoying Dragon Age II so far. To date, I've found the story engaging and the quests enjoyable, and there seems to be a significantly smaller element of "grind" to DA2 compared to the original, where some quests seemed to be endlessly long trips through tunnels facing wave after wave of identical enemies which you would handle in identical ways (heading to the Broodmother and some of the Deep Roads quests spring to mind particularly). A lot of the game so far has been centred around the city of Kirkwall without venturing much further, but the city is large and varied enough that I'm quite happy with this for now. The characters I've met so far have all been full of personality and very believable. The voice acting is also generally rather good, though the male Hawke voice can occasionally feel a little uninspired (I suppose it's harder to deliver a good performance when your character could look like just about anything and could be a mage, warrior or rogue).

    Many people seem to be unhappy with the new "Mass Effect inspired" conversation wheel. Some have complained that it reduces the depth of the conversations by turning the options into "good", "witty/wry/misc.", "bad" or "further information". However, this is all the options in the first Dragon Age ever really were anyway - it just didn't categorise quite so prominently. Further, the way that the tone is now indicated avoids those occasional moments from the original where you chose something that you thought was intended in a sarcastic sense and actually wasn't, provoking a rather unintended reaction from whoever you were speaking to. The best enhancement here is that the dialogue is now all spoken: a *huge* improvement on the bizarrely mute protagonist of the first game (and something that wouldn't work terribly well if you had just read exactly what was said).

    The combat in the game is, to me, executed in a more exciting and elegant way in DA2 than the original. However, camera problems still get in the way a lot of the time, when walls conspire to get in the way. I despise the removal of the overhead RTS-style view, which really makes it difficult for players who do a lot of tactical pausing and want to place mages' abilities precisely and quickly.

    Whilst I'm criticising, I also am extremely unimpressed with the buggy release. I had to hack unsupported graphics drivers just to get the DX11 rendering working correctly, without regular freezes. The game also insisted on my putting a disk (any disk) in my floppy drive (!) when it connected to the server, prior to the 1.01 patch being released. Even now, the DX11 renderer feels like it's not quite there.

    The "character profile" screen is a little bit "dumbed-down" compared to the original and whilst I'm happy with the information available and the system in place, it feels like there's a little bit too much clicking back and forth through menus to get to what I want.

    Overall, despite the few criticisms above, I think there's much to be happy about here. I've certainly set aside all my other games to play this. I'm a little surprised that the user response here has been so poor, considering the good critical response.    … Expand
  66. PsiCat
    Mar 24, 2011
    10
    An amazing RPG and excellent addition to the Dragon Age series. Love the faster paced combat compared to Dragon Age: Origins, and while there are a few minor flaws it is definitely not deserving of all the negative reviews from people who probably didn't even play the game. I'm eagerly waiting the next entry in the series.
  67. mcTwex
    Apr 8, 2011
    8
    Once again I find an outstanding game with which I disagree with a majority of the reviews out there. Not only was this significantly better than DOA: Origins (a game I barely recall, only that it was a good game) but it is fantastic in story and quest: This is easily one of my favorite RPG's of all time which says a lot, as normally I do not enjoy a linear experience. Strictly speakingOnce again I find an outstanding game with which I disagree with a majority of the reviews out there. Not only was this significantly better than DOA: Origins (a game I barely recall, only that it was a good game) but it is fantastic in story and quest: This is easily one of my favorite RPG's of all time which says a lot, as normally I do not enjoy a linear experience. Strictly speaking that is what this is: an elaborate fantasy novel with **** of lore and character development, nothing more. The combat is OUTSTANDING and reminiscent of the short-lived T.V show 'Legend of the Seeker' (one of my top 5 RPG moments occurs towards the beginning where a fight in the tavern breaks out into some sort of retro guitar-drum beat score and all hell breaks loose), though it is a little to easy on the easiest setting and a bit towards frustrating towards the higher end with little balance in-between. The graphics are fantastic and never miss a beat or hiccup and the character voicing is superior to even high-budget titles like Mass Effect. If you enjoy sick storytelling, tons of lore and a bit over-simplified combat that is short but gorgeous pick this up. The major con and what prevents this from being above a 9 rating for me is the replay value; there is no sense in playing a story-driven game more than once if the conversation choices (very narrow to begin with) have almost no real effect on the game world and only alter to one or two outcomes with a few different lines of dialog thrown in-between.… Expand
  68. SteveKlit
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Simply put, Dragon Age 2 is hands down the best RPG ever made. To question that means you are not a true gamer.

    Skip on the witcher 2 and buy yourself a second copy of Dragon Age 2 instead.
  69. Veji
    Jun 8, 2011
    9
    Where is BioWare I ask ? BG2 is the best cRPG in the history but then it gets worse and worse,
    and ends with DA2 a total downfall. Dunno if gamers gets more stupid or just devs think that we have no more sense of beauty and brain to spam us with crap that is on a monkey level,
    arise with BG3 or ....
  70. JoeSWAG
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    I really liked this game because it has dragons and dragons make me happy when i play my games, in the game there is a dragon that has become old and you have to make sure it dies peacefully (which explains the name of the game, ofc) after you make sure the elderly dragon is in piece you get to have sex with a womin who gves you more powers if your a mage but if your a warriro she has sexI really liked this game because it has dragons and dragons make me happy when i play my games, in the game there is a dragon that has become old and you have to make sure it dies peacefully (which explains the name of the game, ofc) after you make sure the elderly dragon is in piece you get to have sex with a womin who gves you more powers if your a mage but if your a warriro she has sex with you instead of the other way rond. i gave it 10 out of 10 because whenever i see the intro i smile. it also has a nice menu and gr8 textures… Expand
  71. killingspree
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    This is one of best games of the years. Don't believe any of the bad reviews. They are shills for other gaming companies. EA is one of the finest game makers in the business and Dragon Age II exceeds all expectations and will be the number 1 RPG for years go to come.
  72. Wyngale
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    While other loudly shout that the game is failed, i'd say that i loved this game all the way.
    Some advice for those who are angry about a product - try to judge the game as it is, without a single comparison with DAO, and you will probably like this game, in the same way as i liked that.
  73. Arertur
    Mar 10, 2011
    8
    Han hecho un juego notable, Bioware ha hecho su primer juego notable y no sobresaliente por querer llegar a un publico mas amplio, en una epoca en la que los desarrollos cuestan muchos años y muchos millones, con seguramente una presión por parte de Electronic Arts muy alta, donde te cierran el estudio por lanzar dos juegos buenísimos pero con unasHan hecho un juego notable, Bioware ha hecho su primer juego notable y no sobresaliente por querer llegar a un publico mas amplio, en una epoca en la que los desarrollos cuestan muchos años y muchos millones, con seguramente una presión por parte de Electronic Arts muy alta, donde te cierran el estudio por lanzar dos juegos buenísimos pero con unas ventas mediocres. Difícil época.
    Solo espero que con este juego consigan ver con sus estadísticas y con las buenas opiniones (me refiero a las que están bien explicadas y contextualizadas) que se han salido de su camino, que deben volver, que a quien no le gustaba el Dragon Age Origins no les va a gustar el 2, si aora dicen que si les gusta cuando lleven 20 horas de juego lo van a dejar, el publico de los COD quiere una campaña de max. 10 horas y un multijugador para jugar con los amigos que les dure tropecientas horas, pero no esto, y espero que lo vean y para la supuesta tercera parte sepan corregir las equivocaciones que en esta entrega han cometido y vuelvan a los orígenes de DA, por que esta saga, incluso con esta segunda entrega no tan buena como la primera parte pero si muy divertida y absorbente, se lo merece.
    Bioware, no podéis convertiros en una compañía que haga juegos notables, volved a buscar la perfección como hacíais antaño, vuestros fans se lo merecen.    … Expand
  74. Dave67
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    To all the suckers out there, rating the game by 6.0 or less. DIE, you worthless sons of a motherless ogre. This game, in my chart, is the second best game I've played in my life right after Mass Effect. The story's catchy, the voice-over is AMAZING and the decisions! OH THE DECISIONS! Also, romances... The only thing I'm sorry for is the lack of nudity in the romance scenes (At least someTo all the suckers out there, rating the game by 6.0 or less. DIE, you worthless sons of a motherless ogre. This game, in my chart, is the second best game I've played in my life right after Mass Effect. The story's catchy, the voice-over is AMAZING and the decisions! OH THE DECISIONS! Also, romances... The only thing I'm sorry for is the lack of nudity in the romance scenes (At least some lingerie, lol...) ! But whatever, I'll go watch a pron for that :-D All in all, this is the game for a true RPG fan. (Who has a life...) 10/10.… Expand
  75. Yatzee27
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    I loved this game. It fixed the slow, pedantic, repetitive combat, evolving it into a fast, involved scene that makes the player involved. I got an admirable 30 hours of gameplay, which is fantastic, though it flew by thanks to fast pacing. The story, as far as I know, I above average, though under par for Bioware. But under average Bioware is still leagues ahead of competitors. TheI loved this game. It fixed the slow, pedantic, repetitive combat, evolving it into a fast, involved scene that makes the player involved. I got an admirable 30 hours of gameplay, which is fantastic, though it flew by thanks to fast pacing. The story, as far as I know, I above average, though under par for Bioware. But under average Bioware is still leagues ahead of competitors. The graphics are better than the original although simplified. I attribute that fact to all the little extra details that quick opinion trolls seem to miss out on like the companion options in dialogue, differing presentation depending on what kind of dialogue you chose, and dozens of branching paths. I won't say it's perfect. Locations repeat, but never to the point of annoyance since you start in different spots most of the time. The dialogue menu, which I enjoyed since it fixed the one problem I had with Mass Effect's menu, the fact that the skip button doubled as a selection button, tended to glitch and choose an option sometimes, but usually defaulted to the sarcastic choice so nothing lost. And the game froze a few times, though that could have been the fact that I had been playing it for ten hours straight. Overall, a very good game. I want Bioware to do more games like this. Shorter, simpler, and released more frequently. Imagine if they released a new Dragon Age game every year that averaged twenty hours long with minor tweaks to the new fast gameplay. I think we all can agree that such a dream would be awesome.… Expand
  76. Kcep
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do 2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2 3)All characters in this game are elaborated 4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic. 5)This is game for everyone, not only for    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do
    2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2
    3)All characters in this game are elaborated
    4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic.
    5)This is game for everyone, not only for hardcore gamers.U have no need to spend time on collecting items,equipments, or on learning poisoning,trapping or on choosing the way how to lvl up ur character and etc.
    6)Brilliant sound.Excellent.
    And two things i don't like - same locations whole game and same faces of all npc's in game.I met like 10 mothers of main heroe during the game.
    So i give it 9 saying "Well done" to Bioware.And i also "wildly-furiously" wish to see what will happen in DA3.    … Expand
  77. Logun24x7
    Mar 20, 2011
    9
    I never got more then 10 hours into DAO but DA2 has sucked me in. The changes made to the story presentation and more actionâ
  78. Deinsleaf
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    Faster combat. Decisions that could bite your ass in the long run. Top notch voice acting. Just like what Bioware did in the Mass Effect franchise, they improved every aspect of the game. People afraid of innovations should go live in a cave or fully embrace what Bioware did with this franchise. Dragon Age II is an instant classic.
  79. Jester1230
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    I have been playing PC RPGs since Ultima 7, so I kind of miss the isometric view.

    But that is about all I miss. Love the new combat (yes, you still need tactics to succeed on hard, and there are still a lot of stats to manage). Love the way the story unfolds so far. Love the friend/rivalry system. Love most of the characters. Love the new inventory system. I will say that the "tone"    I have been playing PC RPGs since Ultima 7, so I kind of miss the isometric view.

    But that is about all I miss. Love the new combat (yes, you still need tactics to succeed on hard, and there are still a lot of stats to manage). Love the way the story unfolds so far. Love the friend/rivalry system. Love most of the characters. Love the new inventory system. I will say that the "tone" dialog system is slightly limiting. I think there should have been a fourth tone option that was neutral without trying to be funny. I can see why some people might be disappointed... this is NOT the same as DA:O. It took me 4-5 hours of playing around in this system to overcome my dissonance and really get into it. But now that I'm into it, this is the most fun I've had with a video game in at least year. Bravo, Bioware!    … Expand
  80. KillerYeh
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best RPG I have ever played... such a progress since Dragon Age: Orgins... I won't write a lot - I'll point out the good and bad points:
    + Great storyline
    + Great artwork, design + Nice soundtrack + Super characters, each of them has it's story... + Great graphics, it looks super on maximum settings! + Awesome action, not so boring as in DAO And now... - A wait? I can't    This is one of the best RPG I have ever played... such a progress since Dragon Age: Orgins... I won't write a lot - I'll point out the good and bad points:
    + Great storyline
    + Great artwork, design
    + Nice soundtrack
    + Super characters, each of them has it's story...
    + Great graphics, it looks super on maximum settings!
    + Awesome action, not so boring as in DAO
    And now...
    - A wait? I can't remember any!!!    … Expand
  81. Wolwerine
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Yes, a dubious idea of clothing - the only misses, lubricants impression of Dragon Age 2. Extraordinarily narrow scope, a different system of "pumping", dizzyingly dynamic battlefield, it would seem, to frighten and repel, but do not believe the first experience. Wee see, a great RPG, one of the best works BioWare.S
    it's a Great Game! thanks BioWare    … Expand
  82. Wolfram
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I'm not hugely far into the game. I haven't experienced all it has to offer. But I played DA:O for ~30-40 hours before I just gave up on it. I didn't like it, playing on PS3. DA2 so far is just a much more fun and smooth experience. I have a fairly high end PC (two 5850 in crossfire) but it plays great at 50-60fps with DX11, all options on, Very High detail, and the HD texture pack. No lagI'm not hugely far into the game. I haven't experienced all it has to offer. But I played DA:O for ~30-40 hours before I just gave up on it. I didn't like it, playing on PS3. DA2 so far is just a much more fun and smooth experience. I have a fairly high end PC (two 5850 in crossfire) but it plays great at 50-60fps with DX11, all options on, Very High detail, and the HD texture pack. No lag or crashes yet. If I set it to 4xAA I can record video just fine (which I'm doing) above 45fps. The funny thing about some of the negative comments is they comment on the convo wheel sucking then also praise former BioWare RPGs. Apparently they never heard of Mass Effect... Anyway while it's hilarious that some fanboys or whatever they think they are decided to negative bomb this game, it's definitely worth picking up. If you're on the fence just go check out some Let's Play videos and decide for yourself. I'll be uploading my stuff to YouTube on the weekend (TheWolfram23).… Expand
  83. richgw
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    Game is a HUGE step up from Dragon Age 1. The only reason people don't like it and why it's getting unfavorable reviews is because it's not EXACTLY THE SAME as dragon age 1. If they called it something else and cut off all ties with the first game it would get 10's across the board. There's more emphasis on combat and human interaction than ''adventure'' and lore. Personally i love theGame is a HUGE step up from Dragon Age 1. The only reason people don't like it and why it's getting unfavorable reviews is because it's not EXACTLY THE SAME as dragon age 1. If they called it something else and cut off all ties with the first game it would get 10's across the board. There's more emphasis on combat and human interaction than ''adventure'' and lore. Personally i love the direction they're going with both this game and mass effect 2, and i hope it continues.

    Keep up the good work, bioware!    … Expand
  84. ColonGlock
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    I have enjoyed this game very much since release. I think the graphics are beautiful, and the game play enjoyable. ( I have a high end PC) I feel I have already got my monies worth out of it, and I have barely scratched the surface.
    Yes, the playable areas are recycled more than I would like, but the combat is satisfying, especially if you have a weapon that creates extra gore. Pausing the    I have enjoyed this game very much since release. I think the graphics are beautiful, and the game play enjoyable. ( I have a high end PC) I feel I have already got my monies worth out of it, and I have barely scratched the surface.
    Yes, the playable areas are recycled more than I would like, but the combat is satisfying, especially if you have a weapon that creates extra gore. Pausing the game right when an enemy gets dismembered is classic. I am enjoying the game for what it is, not what I want it to be.    … Expand
  85. IronGuy410
    Aug 10, 2011
    8
    There are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it'sThere are lots of people writing hateful and malicious reviews about this game because it didn't live up to their sky high expectations and in my opinion when you're expectations are as high as theirs then you are bound to be disappointed. But that's just my opinion. While it's true that this game feels somewhat rushed and quite simple compared to its hard, strategy-heavy predecessor, it's not the complete disaster many people make it out to be. The combat is fun for the first two acts of the game but becomes kind of repetitive towards the end because of the fact that it has been simplified to the point where not much strategy is required in battle and there isn't much variety to the enemies that at certain points towards the end feel like they are endlessly respawning to drag out the length of the game. The story is split into three acts, with an overarching plot that is somewhat present in the first two acts and eventually builds up to the events of the third act and an ending begging for a third game. The problem with this is that the acts don't really feel connected to each other as a plot, so it's almost like you are playing three completely different stories. The characters, however, are very interesting and complex, and by the end of the game I really grew to like them all. Graphically the game looks great, with colorful environments and nice character models. However, as you are always in the same city throughout the entire game, the scenery can get repetitive. The music and voice acting are fantastic, and they really sold me on the world the developers have created. Overall, this game absolutely does not deserve all the hate its been getting for the fact that it's a solid sequel to an incredible first game, because despite failing to live up to it's predecessor, it's still a very good game and with a length of about 40 hours, it's definitely worth buying if you're a fan of Bioware or RPGS.… Expand
  86. IdeaLista
    Jun 4, 2011
    8
    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing    Actually DA2 is what DA1 should be and the biggest disappointment is the disconnection between those two. DA1 had a far more flat story, huge problems with the camera, non-voiced player character dialogues etc. etc. It's main advantage was it's 'Baldurness' which - let's face it - has little room in modern RPGs.
    The problem with the whole DA series is, that it actually introduces nothing fresh: romance copied from Mass Effect, steering from Baldur's Gate + 3D, Grey Wardens concept from The Witcher, DA2 story (templar-mages confilct) from The Witcher, DA2 dialogue concept on Mass Efect and so on...
    Nothing new to combat...

    DA2 advantages - quite coherent story, interesting characters,
    DA2 disadvantages - walking same-looking locations over and over again...    … Expand
  87. piraterose
    Jun 14, 2011
    7
    I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game, my friends had convinced me to play it. I tried the demo for the 360 version and didn't like the controls. Tried the PC version and found it much more comfortable to use. The first game seemed very dull, long, and tedious by comparison. Thus my hesitation with picking up the sequal. I loved the characters and the story the most inI was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game, my friends had convinced me to play it. I tried the demo for the 360 version and didn't like the controls. Tried the PC version and found it much more comfortable to use. The first game seemed very dull, long, and tedious by comparison. Thus my hesitation with picking up the sequal. I loved the characters and the story the most in DA2. There are a lot of strong female characters in this game and there are actually homosexual relationships for the male protagonist. Most of the previous Bioware games I've played have reserved homosexuality for the female protagonist. Dragon Age 1 had just one. Dragon Age 2 has two. Overall the game did not feel like it was meant only for the straight, white male demographic like many games out there are. The game is progressive with the fact that Bioware is clearly recognizing that the video game audience is growing and changing. I applaud them for going against the video game norm.

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

    Overall, I wouldn't call it game of the year, but it is an enjoyable game to be considered. I have and will continue to recommend it to customers and friends.    … Expand
  88. wangxiuming
    Jun 15, 2011
    8
    It is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun andIt is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun and tactical gameplay system, and building a strong fanbase for future games to capitalize on - it's no wonder that the game took 5 years for the RPG veteran Bioware to complete.

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

    That was probably the first clue that something was wrong.

    See the full text of the review here: http://boredomsadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-dragon-age-2-da2.html    … Expand
  89. evergreenOldboy
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    Everyone needs to chill out and put things into perspective. I mean honestly, I enjoyed it more than the first one. Everyone is only really trashing this game because Bioware changed the formula from the first one.
  90. JamesDeSavoy
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    Okay, I've been playing every spare moment I've had since the midnight release and this is a phenomenal title by Bioware. Graphics: if you want max graphics you need a GeForce 500 series card or higher to enable it, or you'll stutter. High is for DX 11 cards and it would only let me have medium with my 240. So more graphic control on the PC with clearer wording on what I can use and what IOkay, I've been playing every spare moment I've had since the midnight release and this is a phenomenal title by Bioware. Graphics: if you want max graphics you need a GeForce 500 series card or higher to enable it, or you'll stutter. High is for DX 11 cards and it would only let me have medium with my 240. So more graphic control on the PC with clearer wording on what I can use and what I can't would have been nice. Reused locales are present and I had thought after ME 1 they had learned to stop rehashing stuff, but then again this game's development time was a fraction of the first titles. The reason? They tell a very specific story in a refreshing 2nd person narrative. Characters all go through development over the title, people who want a challenge: roll with Nightmare. Combat on console: people keep posting about button mashing. It's optional, go into the options and turn on auto attack if you don't like it. Cliffhanger endings: It's BiowareEA, there's going to be a stream of DLC, there's going to be an expansion pack, and there's going to be a GOTY edition. Events from your DA:O game transfer, most of the cast make guest appearances, and the lore is solid. It's clear this is being considered a franchise and that we haven't seen the last of DA or the main character, they've told us from the start what this title is about: one man's rise to fame and glory. BG 2 fan? Tactical view is toast. DA:O was a claim to the past, DA2 is moving forward mainstream style. It's huge, lots of content, lots of choices, fully voiced, and replay value for days with lots (almost all) of the quests that take about 15 minutes or less to complete. Can't choose your race, but you get gender and class. For the casual, you can bring who you want without worry of party balance and still make it through. Inventory: mostly your PC exclusive. Most characters have their own weaponsarmor so you can't outfit their every detail. Micromanagers will be sad, I think that's obvious in the user reviews. I absolutely adore BG2, Neverwinter 2, Witcher, Mass Effect 1 and lived and breathed Mass Effect 2 and DA:O. Hope this review helps/… Expand
  91. Noelemahc
    Mar 13, 2011
    9
    An interesting marriage of the decision-making mechanics codified by Alpha Protocol, an extensively rehashed dialogue system of the Mass Effect series and the role-playing system of the original Dragon Age, this game would have received a lot less undeserved criticism if people were judging it as a Gaiden game instead of being a true sequel. It feels and acts like a Gaiden game, after allAn interesting marriage of the decision-making mechanics codified by Alpha Protocol, an extensively rehashed dialogue system of the Mass Effect series and the role-playing system of the original Dragon Age, this game would have received a lot less undeserved criticism if people were judging it as a Gaiden game instead of being a true sequel. It feels and acts like a Gaiden game, after all - most of its events are not significantly related to those of Origins, although the decisions you've made there certainly make an impact on the otherwise insular world of Kirkwall and the Free Marches.
    The streamlined dialogue system, caused mostly by the introduction of a voiced protagonist, now tracks your overall behaviour and that affects how your character acts and reacts to outside stimuli when out of your direct control - something added for cinematic impact, and something a lot of people find jarring and unpleasant for an unbelievably wide amount of (mostly) daft reasons.
    The rehashed combat is faster-paced, aimed obviously at pleasing those who did not enjoy the previous game's rather old-school approach to tactical combat, while not flawless, still behaves better than the one in KotOR, for example, the thought of which it was obviously supposed to invoke due to the overall similarity. While it may be uncomfortable for hardened PC veterans to get used to the idea of a non-detachable camera, it does not detract from the enjoyment of the game, as those who play with direct control over one character and AI tactics over the others will not notice it at all, and those who play via micromanaging every character's every breath in battle will generally manage on a level too micro for it to cause them statistically significant discomfort.
    The story itself, based off the foregone conclusion that your protagonist has somehow gone and helped the world become a worse place through trying to make it a better one, makes a lot of people complain that there is no core to the story - how they missed the focus on the evolution of a refugee into the Champion of a city-state is beyond me. Most of the quests - both central to the story and not - revolve around you and your involvement in the city's internal affairs, and the game goes out of its way to show the impact it can and will have on the day-to-day lives of its people. Those expecting something more similar to the first game's crusade against evil will probably be disappointed - but that does not mean that this game's story is any weaker than the last one's.
    The companions you will travel with are a mix of new and old - two NPCs from Origins return as actual companions - Isabela, the pirate queen you could have a tryst with as the Grey Warden, and Merrill, the protagonist's friend in the Dalish Elf origin - and two companions from Awakenings return as, well, one companion - Anders has become the new vessel for the Spirit of Justice, but that did not go well for either of them. The rest of the team are new to the story of the setting, but they all come with their own load of emotional baggage, issues and aspirations - wildly conflicting ones, at that - which you will have to take into account when dealing with them.
    Another nice element borrowed from Alpha Protocol is the rivalry element - you no longer suffer penalties from having your companions hate you, as was the case in Origins (though if you play your cards wrong they WILL leave the party and never come back), instead, their personality changes to reflect the wrongs you inflicted on them and they gain bonuses that benefit them and them alone, instead of you or the whole party. A nice touch, that, and another handy step towards the humanization of our companions - they will often clash with each other about their beliefs and intentions while walking with you through the city or the surrounding landscapes, often with hilarious conclusions.

    Indeed, the game is not devoid of problems - the need to download the high-quality textures as a separate patch to make the game look even remotely modern, the horrifyingly crippling graphical card compatibility problems which require a lot of shamanic magic to attain a stable FPS count on an nVidia chipset, especially an older one, and the copy-and-paste based dungeons stand out as the foremost ones. However, none of these really detract from the fun you could be having with this game instead of bashing it on the Internet, and the subtlety of some of the design decisions (like the fact that the appearance of your family members will change along with the appearance of your protagonist, or that the magical cure-all Special Dialogue Option Button borrowed from Mass Effect along with its dialogue system will no longer actually solve ALL the problems) helps reinforce the fact that this is, in fact, a beneficial step in the evolution of the genre.

    It is with that thought that I end my review - this game WILL BE LEGENDARY. If only because of its impact on the gaming community.    … Expand
  92. Karyuuken
    Mar 13, 2011
    8
    Man, look at all these idiots here attacking this game for no real reason... Story sucks?! We leave in a world where games like Call of Duty are popular and this game's story sucks?Let's get to the bottom of this because we clearly have a problem here.
    GRAPHICS: It's the same engine with improved textures, environment is generally generic and not so impressive
    SOUND: Let's make one thing    Man, look at all these idiots here attacking this game for no real reason... Story sucks?! We leave in a world where games like Call of Duty are popular and this game's story sucks?Let's get to the bottom of this because we clearly have a problem here.
    GRAPHICS: It's the same engine with improved textures, environment is generally generic and not so impressive
    SOUND: Let's make one thing perfectly clear: the sound in this game is one of its strong parts, the music is just splendid and the voice acting is one of the best around, the music is composed by Inon Zur, the same guy that made the music for Origins.
    GAMEPLAY: Oh boy... well, about the gameplay... let's say it's the game's biggest flaw... first of all, they improved the combat but they made everything else bad, there is no way you can interact with your companions unless they have a quest you have to take from them, they replaced the ability to choose your companions' sets with a half assed 'upgrade' system that made absolutely no sense at all, seriously why did they change that?! there was no reason for them to do so, it was perfect just like it was, the UI sucks badly too, so do the icons for spells and items. Bottom line: don't fix it if it isn't broken.
    STORY: Well this is where the other reviews got it all wrong... they imply that the story sucks because it has little reference to Origins, I do agree that this game could use more of it since it's a sequel. But as I said, in a world where games like Call of Duty dominate the stores, how in the name of all that's holy does this game have a crappy story?! It is tragic, sad and kept me going even if the quests were plain stupid. Speaking of quests, this game suffers from the same problem as the DLCs for Mafia 2, there are like 5 quests that advances the plot, and about 20 'main' quests that make absolutely no sense.
    Bottom Line: The story is what you'd expect from Bioware... maybe a bit less...
    CONCLUSION : This game is NOWHERE NEAR Origins and I mean it... it kind of disappointed me, but looking pass the whole sequel thingy... it's a game worth playing. Now you haters can start hate again...    … Expand
  93. Orak
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    I find it annoying to see all the lowscore reviews from people that clearly never even finished the first chapter of the game, or in fact never played anything else than the demo. The game is not without a few minor flaws, but is all in all absolutely brilliant. The story isnt as focused as stories usualy are in rpgs but that actualy have a rather posetive effect on the game. Its muchI find it annoying to see all the lowscore reviews from people that clearly never even finished the first chapter of the game, or in fact never played anything else than the demo. The game is not without a few minor flaws, but is all in all absolutely brilliant. The story isnt as focused as stories usualy are in rpgs but that actualy have a rather posetive effect on the game. Its much more personal and more than anyhting else I praise the choise to finaly abandon the "chosen one" or "save the world approach". The world is brilliant in its complexity, the normal boring "go here and fetch this" sidequests are almost nonexistent. Graphics is a huge improvment over origins and I cant understand anyone that claime the game looks bad or even worse than origins. I have some minor issues with inventory and the dialogue wheel but all in all an excellent game.… Expand
  94. Morri--Xen
    Mar 18, 2011
    10
    Simply the best RPG of the last 10 years, together with Dragon Age Origins.

    Incredible plot
    Incredible OST
    Incredible gameplay
    Incredible storytelling

    Bioware learns how to create games, as always.

    10.0
  95. Koukalaka
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    First, I will justify why *I* rate this game as a 10, I think this game is a pure masterpiece in story-telling, gameplay and just overall "fun", this game appeals to me on so many levels, it is so immersive, the voice-acting is of the highest quality, the story is insanely good, the combat is "fun", on the higher difficulties the combat is challenging and the best thing I can say to sum upFirst, I will justify why *I* rate this game as a 10, I think this game is a pure masterpiece in story-telling, gameplay and just overall "fun", this game appeals to me on so many levels, it is so immersive, the voice-acting is of the highest quality, the story is insanely good, the combat is "fun", on the higher difficulties the combat is challenging and the best thing I can say to sum up this game, is when it ended I wanted to go through it again and again, regardless of the "lack of reasons" to repeat the content: I wanted to do it.
    I'll point out some negative points first though, The default difficulty is too easy, I mean I appreciate the toning down of the "spikyness" of DA:O normal difficulty, but essentially it is a fuel for people to hate this game, having said that Hard is a very good difficulty setting and normal needed to be somewhere between where it is in the game and hard, I am playing through on hard and I have to use a large amount of tactics, position my characters carefully and aim spells properly. Pausing is a major part of my gameplay and although FF is only on in nightmare, it also means I can have more fun with freedom of spells in my arsenal rather than being limited to a "nightmare only" build.
    There are also some lazy layout designs, most of the time the game revolves around a generic "dungeon" for each type of area, a generic cave, a generic sewer, a generic camp, a generic mansion. Where the only differences in layout are where they decided to wall off the area, this certainly was very lazy imo, but it doesn't detract from the gameplay experience.
    A mixed point is the amount of "console-porting" this game has done, and in reality I find it has done very little, the only major one is the removal of the tactical camera. Whilst I don't care about this because I believe it reduced the difficulty of lots of fights in DA:O to the point of obscurity, I would like to have seen a system where I could pan with the aiming of my spells rather than limited to my controlled characters field of vision in order to try and place a spell, it doesn't really matter on any difficulty besides nightmare but it is going to make nightmare have an arbitrary difficulty scaling.
    Having said that the combat is fun, it is active, but it retains all the tactical positioning of it's predecessor. If I am not careful about positioning my mages in relation to my tank they can be dead in seconds. Boss fights require you to "move out of the fire", whilst adopting large amount of phases to their battles forcing you to change tactics midfight, healing has changed (for the better imo) to be more supporting, healing has a long cooldown so using it at the right time in combination with potions (which again have a shared cooldown) mean that it's ever so important your weaker party members don't get jumped on or they are dead.
    However, I think the hugest selling point of DA:2 is it's immersive story. Arguably it's story is actually quite weak at the core, but the way it is told, the way it slowly leaks information to you, the way that your actual character stays in character (If you are very jokey with your choices your character is very jokey when investigating or making plot decisions, same is said of being aggresive etc). So in a sense you feel like you are being consistant, even if I make an aggresive move as a "jokey" character, I do the aggression in a more candid tone.
    I got the feeling that this story was essentially placed as a "filler" to get from DA:O to DA:3, but the story is told in such an amazing way that drew me in like no game ever has done. The female Hawke voice is exceptional, along with the other voice-acting work on this title. Having read reviews I was expecting the story to be not that special, but in reality the story was insanely well told, small elements coming back up later to be huge influences to key plot points. Whilst all the time remaining totally unpredictable. Whilst, I kinda knew how the game was going to turn out before the final scenes, I couldn't have guessed how awesome the ending would be.
    DA:2 surprised me again and again, made me burst out laughing from snippets from your DA:O imported history and from my character just staying in character and putting the thumb up to authority at the right times I wanted to. I want to point out that the demo is nowhere near indicative of how this title sizes up on the whole, the fact the demo was limited to normal difficulty was a poor decision by the devs imo. Hard is a great difficulty setting and anybody playing this game should start out with this setting unless you only want to see the story, which is just as worth it.
    To sum up:Play the game before judging, it's an amazing RPG imo    … Expand
  96. Fernell
    Mar 10, 2011
    7
    In every single way DA2 is worst than DA:Origin. But it is a bit of injustice to give it less than 5/10. I know guys that you are disappointed. I expected something different too. In spite of all, it's still quite a good game, not perfect of course, not even near to perfect but it's still fun to play !
  97. lotr0710
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    game was worse than the original, but still very solidly madeâ
  98. NotBioWare
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    The Immersion and combat of this game are unmatched! A truly moving and fun epic. Anything negative you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference. For what it is, it is flawless executed and endlessly entertaining.
  99. zzzz2006
    Jun 20, 2011
    9
    Great game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. TheGreat game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. The downside is your toons seem to be overly dependent on it to actually trigger any of their skills. My tank lady absolutely refused to used shield slam till I scripted it in. My only complaints are so far it has seemed very on rails (3 hours in), almost as much movie as game. And in cities its frustrating having to run around with you tab key held down so you can actually find the vendors etc. The inventory screen is reminiscent graphically of x-com and looks slightly rushed to market.… Expand
  100. Kimmeh
    Sep 23, 2011
    8
    1st and foremost, taken on it's own merit, dragon age 2 is a good game. It tries to do a lot of things different from its predecessor and it has mixed success. Giving it a score of anything below a 5 is ridiculous. Why? Because it's still a good rpg. Having said that, there are things that stand out as annoying. I didn't like the constant reuse of dungeon areas but it wasn't a deal1st and foremost, taken on it's own merit, dragon age 2 is a good game. It tries to do a lot of things different from its predecessor and it has mixed success. Giving it a score of anything below a 5 is ridiculous. Why? Because it's still a good rpg. Having said that, there are things that stand out as annoying. I didn't like the constant reuse of dungeon areas but it wasn't a deal breaker. The choices you make don't really effect a huge proportion of the story either. Certain events are inevitable and the choices that have some presumable impact don't do it on the scale we saw in origins with choices effecting allies we could call upon in the end of the game. It's still a good game after the fact. Party members can still have their abilities and skills tailored if not their outfits. You have to play Hawke but it's not a bad thing. I find it difficult to see how dragon age 2 is continually slated and the Witcher 2 gets away with a lot less. For instance dragon age 2's controls are far more intuitive and easier to customize. If you play the Witcher 2 you have to exit the game before being able to effectively customize keyboard controls. Combat is even less strategic than da2 and party customization is non existent given that Geralt is a one man show. I think it's important to compare the two. Both are good games with there own faults but da2 is taking a lot of flack for not being dragon age origins 2. I enjoy da2 and I replay it a fair bit. It's definitely different, from the experience of dragon age origins but trying something a bit different is sometimes a good thing. Don't be put off by scores less than 5 in my opinion. It may not have been the dragon age 2 everyone was hoping for but it's still worthy of a good long play through or two.

    Unless of course not being able to change your party's outfits drastically, turns you emo    … Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

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