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. Venomaxiv
    May 24, 2011
    3
    How can i say it. This game is bad.
    Compared to Dragon Age 1 you don't have too big choice on the character selection.
    Hordes of the enemies spawning from everywhere, you cannot keep mages in the back, they are nearly always surrounded . Rouge skills - he is disappearing and reappearing at the enemies back... mercy - teleportation in fantasy game? Without magic? I'm very happy that i could    How can i say it. This game is bad.
    Compared to Dragon Age 1 you don't have too big choice on the character selection.
    Hordes of the enemies spawning from everywhere, you cannot keep mages in the back, they are nearly always surrounded . Rouge skills - he is disappearing and reappearing at the enemies back... mercy - teleportation in fantasy game? Without magic?
    I'm very happy that i could see the demo and play at my friends PC before buying. It would be big waste of money.    … Expand
  2. knightfall88
    May 19, 2011
    0
    A huge blemish on Bioware's track record.
    Dragon Age Origins was a solid entry, sure it wasn't the best western fantasy RPG but it was still very good. Dragon Age 2 getting released a little over a year later definitely had me alarmed. A smaller game in every way and absolutely not worth paying or playing. Clearly it was rushed. Stay clear of this one and pick up Origins instead.
  3. PCmarcondes
    May 19, 2011
    0
    A poor game that do no justice to DA Origins. It is full of bugs and glitches, the graphics are poor (IMHO worse than DAO), the new FF visual style doesn't fit, every combat is just wave after wave of flying enemies.... And the worse is that the story is full of gaps and holes, and the scope is too small to compare to DAO... A terrible disappointment.
  4. Frorfvoid
    May 20, 2011
    0
    It's not often that a sequel comes out worse in every single way to its predecessor, yet the brilliant minds at BioWare have managed to accomplish just that with Dragon Age 2. This game is clearly rushed, likely due to the influence of EA, and doesn't even remotely resemble all of the greatness that Dragon Age Origins was known for. Try harder next time, BioWare, and you might win back myIt's not often that a sequel comes out worse in every single way to its predecessor, yet the brilliant minds at BioWare have managed to accomplish just that with Dragon Age 2. This game is clearly rushed, likely due to the influence of EA, and doesn't even remotely resemble all of the greatness that Dragon Age Origins was known for. Try harder next time, BioWare, and you might win back my business.… Expand
  5. obrion
    May 20, 2011
    0
    what a stupid game i cant beleive i brought it the music is baaaaaaaad the graphics are baaaaaaaad the story is baaaaaaaaaaaaad the whole game is baaaaaaaaaad
  6. Choum
    May 21, 2011
    4
    What bioware have doing to the splendid dragon age universe.
    The new combat system introduce in dragon age 2 is absolutely ridiculous.
    It's look like an hack and slash, too much gore, too much asian H&S style. The ennmy reinforcement pop in front of you, so you can not make any strategie as you don' know how lmany ennmies they are. The story and compagnions are interesting, boss are    What bioware have doing to the splendid dragon age universe.
    The new combat system introduce in dragon age 2 is absolutely ridiculous.
    It's look like an hack and slash, too much gore, too much asian H&S style.
    The ennmy reinforcement pop in front of you, so you can not make any strategie as you don' know how lmany ennmies they are.
    The story and compagnions are interesting, boss are the only real combat challenge
    The city of kirkwall is splendid but without life (static pnj, always same group of people).
    All quest use always the same environnement (kirwall, beach, etc...).
    Graphic are good in dx11.    … Expand
  7. KsidE
    May 24, 2011
    0
    Zero. This is call to Bioware that it needs to change. NO, it's not working anymore. STOP doing the same game over and over. Gamers need something new, something evolved (it's 2011 and not 2005). I don't care that they must make PS3/X360/DS version. My PC is underused with the poor graphics I see.

    One for the fans only.
  8. Birdseye
    May 25, 2011
    0
    Dreadful is how a good RPG game and solid studio may result in sequel that is by no means THE WORST RPG OF THE DECADE. Terrible controls & fighting mechanic, 4 freaking backgrounds ( locations all looks THE SAME ), enemies re-spawning on my god damn HEAD - I have no words how cheated I feel now
  9. Vlorious
    Jul 5, 2011
    3
    I was completely disappointed by this game. I kept playing only because I thought it could get better, but it actually got worse.

    The things I didn't like: The new combat system. It's extremely consolish - I play on a PC for a reason (and any tactics completely wasted by enemies springing from mid-air in the middle of a fight!) The reused graphics (over and over) Quests that finished    I was completely disappointed by this game. I kept playing only because I thought it could get better, but it actually got worse.

    The things I didn't like: The new combat system. It's extremely consolish - I play on a PC for a reason (and any tactics completely wasted by enemies springing from mid-air in the middle of a fight!)
    The reused graphics (over and over)
    Quests that finished without me even knowing they were a problem
    A end-story line that completely blew featuring "choices" between two directions I wouldn't go when the most obvious choice wasn't listed, NPC's making completely illogical choices, etc.

    I was very disappointed with this because I loved DA - Origins and played through it multiple times, have the DLC, etc. I won't be purchasing any DLC for DA2, nor do I intend to jump into another bioware game without waiting first (sorry MA3 and SWTOR).    … Expand
  10. GO-Round
    Aug 9, 2011
    0
    I clearly expected to play another ... This is an absolute failure! Boring gameplay, repetitive locations, stupid plot, monotony of what is happening ...
  11. fox294
    Nov 10, 2011
    3
    A true disappointment. I loved the original, but this couldn't be less engaging. I don't care about any of the characters and running back and forth through this stupid town has become a chore. I'd love to know how the Critic score is so high.
  12. Khalisto
    Mar 8, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Love the graphics (high texture pack), the voice acting is superb, the story telling, the combat system.
    I just wish the maps was larger and had more variety of themes.    … Expand
  13. Raskull
    May 24, 2011
    5
    I don't think this game deserves the REALLY low scores it has gotten but I too am dissapointed in the game. DA:O was a fun rpg with an engaging story that I enjoyed and actually played through several times to see what the different outcomes were. The sequel on the other hand feels like they dumbed it down. I'm not the most savvy of gamers on here but even I could tell this just didn'tI don't think this game deserves the REALLY low scores it has gotten but I too am dissapointed in the game. DA:O was a fun rpg with an engaging story that I enjoyed and actually played through several times to see what the different outcomes were. The sequel on the other hand feels like they dumbed it down. I'm not the most savvy of gamers on here but even I could tell this just didn't feel like it was made for the PC and lacked the appeal the first one had. If you HAVE to play this, wait for it to go on sale.… Expand
  14. disorient
    May 29, 2011
    6
    The story setting and atmosphere does feel exactly as though it is the Mediterranean of DA:O's setting. 2's storytelling is shallow. It's not a bad game; It feels like a hack-and-slash spinoff of the original game instead of a sequel. If Dragon Age 3 approaches the quality of Origins, 2 could be this franchise's equivalent of an odd number Star Trek film.
  15. cy3
    Jun 18, 2011
    2
    It's easy to forget this game is supposed to an RPG. Most of the time spent is running around with no sense of purpose killing repetitive enemies by repetitive means in repetitive locales. An RPG is supposed to be richer than a straight action game, but this "RPG" feels too hollow to bother with playing at all, much less compare to other RPGs. The dialogue is not engaging. The visualsIt's easy to forget this game is supposed to an RPG. Most of the time spent is running around with no sense of purpose killing repetitive enemies by repetitive means in repetitive locales. An RPG is supposed to be richer than a straight action game, but this "RPG" feels too hollow to bother with playing at all, much less compare to other RPGs. The dialogue is not engaging. The visuals offer no excitement. The rest of the game makes the experience feel more like work than play, and not in the good, rewarding way that RPGs are supposed to. Time and money spent in this game can generally be considered wasted.… Expand
  16. Flash_Over
    Jan 27, 2013
    5
    Wow, where to start. I played Dragon Age: Origins. I also played other Bioware RPG games dating back to the Star Wars Old Republic games... and I haft to say... this was by far... the worst game they ever made. Thought I liked a few changes they did, I also feel they took two steps forward and 6 steps back. This game is not and shouldn't have been be called a Dragon Age game and be namedWow, where to start. I played Dragon Age: Origins. I also played other Bioware RPG games dating back to the Star Wars Old Republic games... and I haft to say... this was by far... the worst game they ever made. Thought I liked a few changes they did, I also feel they took two steps forward and 6 steps back. This game is not and shouldn't have been be called a Dragon Age game and be named something else. Since DA2 and DA:O are completely different... First off... The combat. I loved the combat style and killing-blow animations in Dragon Age: Origins. It's Lord of the Rings style hack and slash, blood gore, ect... Thats what was expecting in DA2 from DA:O... I was so disappointed. Though I liked the now fast paced style action (Without pausing). The attack animations, the sounds... it was all terrible and unsatisfying. Plus, the selectable classes were all mashed into only 3 classes. Plus where is my option to play as a tank?! I played a Tank in DA:O... For the games setting, looking back to Star Wars and Mass Effect, I though that I would be able to play my character again from previous saves, or what I did in DA:O would be immensely relevant to the next sequel. Boy, was I wrong. Besides a few differences in dialog what you did in DA:O DOES NOT MATTER, and doesn't even effect the story in hardly anyway. In DA2 it all plays out 95% the same with, or without DA:O saves. But, the meat and bones of the game is the story and the characters... The story, the game takes place in a large city, thought i was surprised at first since I was expecting another cross country adventure as in DA:O, but no. Besides venturing out of the city walls every so often, 75% of all the activity take place in the city. In the same places, same districts, same streets, same buildings, same home, same room, same alley same cave... the only thing that changes is the name of the enemies. Its absolutely repetitive! All it is, is hacking through respawns all in hope the story will get better. But, it doesn't! The story lacked depth and it felt so vague! What happened to the epic battles against the dark spawn orcs? The Arch Demons? It is all gone. Though the Darkspawn is the ultimate evil in the Dragon Age universe you will only fight them on a HAND full of occasions. You will find yourself killing spiders... more spiders... some zombies... demons, and endless re-spawns of humanoids. All in the same places you cleared a hour or so ago. For the characters, besides Varren and Hawks sister... I hated them all... All of them. They all feel so hollow as I did not care for them. Plus, Hawks sister either dies(If you bring her to the Dark Roads) or she gets captured and jailed till the very last scene in the game! WTF? So you and Varren are stuck with a Sesame Street gang... I was not to big on Romances in RPGs, but DA2 has even less to offer. For females you have a STD ridden pirate whore, A frail and awkward elf that looks under-aged and a lesbian ginger woman. For males you have a Pretty boy elf that is always pissed off, Anders who is a whiny heterosexual wuss! Me myself, I found ever reason not to like any of them. Plus, they had to make the only normal some what attractive characters your brother and sister... So scratch them too... This game was a HUGE disappointment... This game didn't even give me any nostalgia what so ever... There was also, no crafting, no armor for your companions besides weapon and jewelry... But, to end on a positive note, the game was in a way fun to play. The UI was well dressed and organized, and the game was not as long as DA:O, but it was fairly full of content. I do think i got my monies worth of entertainment (As in time wasted). Plus, the game works and is well polished as I found NO bugs or glitches while playing. It was a very solid platform, no lag, no crashes. Which is rare in games these days. I am generously giving this game a 5/10. Simply because this game would have been INCREDIBLY good and popular if it was not related to Dragon Age; with it's title changed to something else. But, naming this game Dragon Age... Bioware simply shot themselves in the foot.… Expand
  17. vampyr75rm
    Jul 11, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was a ugly DLC?Really forgettable. Bioware must think about their "work". This is a game that cannot compare not only with the original but with Nverwinter Nights 2 too.… Expand
  18. Eavg148
    Jul 24, 2011
    5
    If you want to see how a company cashes in on a hot property by churning out a terrible sequel, then look no further then DRAGON AGE 2. The first dragon age was a classic for the ages, and this game is a classic for the dumpster. I knew withing the first 20 minutes playing this game that something had gone horribly wrong! For example the first time i used a "shield bash" attack, theIf you want to see how a company cashes in on a hot property by churning out a terrible sequel, then look no further then DRAGON AGE 2. The first dragon age was a classic for the ages, and this game is a classic for the dumpster. I knew withing the first 20 minutes playing this game that something had gone horribly wrong! For example the first time i used a "shield bash" attack, the enemy literally exploded and his arms and legs and head fell off. I can not begin to explain hwo humoursly stupid it looked and how horrified i was. Not horrified by the ultra violence, but horrified by how gosh darned stupid it was. Maybe i shouldnt have played the orignal DRAGON AGE ORIGINS from beginning to end the week before DA2 was released, because it really showed how far the game had sunk. I will make this review a bit shorter by saying the characters, story, equipment, enviroment, and for some reason even the graphics seemed to take a step or two in the wrong direction. If the first game had never existed, then this game would have been OK and thats about it. It plays just like every other console action-rpg out there today and that the problem right there. Dragon age origins was designed to be a PC GAME that got ported to consoles, and the Dragon age 2 is a CONSOLE GAME that was ported to the pc. Thats it in a nutshell. The two games were designed and made for two different groups of people and those two groups of people will see this game in two totally different ways.… Expand
  19. ricesautes
    May 25, 2012
    3
    The game isn't bad, but as the estimable Gertrude Stein noted: "There's no there there". I would probably give it a 5 on its own merits, but I have to deduct 2 points for ruining the luster on the incredibly awesome DA:O. Everything that was right in the original has been toned down and dumbed down. The story is meh, the characters are meh, the loot is meh, the locations are meh, and theThe game isn't bad, but as the estimable Gertrude Stein noted: "There's no there there". I would probably give it a 5 on its own merits, but I have to deduct 2 points for ruining the luster on the incredibly awesome DA:O. Everything that was right in the original has been toned down and dumbed down. The story is meh, the characters are meh, the loot is meh, the locations are meh, and the outcome is meh. I realize it would have been hard to top the first game, but this pales in comparison to even the Awakening DLC.… Expand
  20. chaway
    Nov 2, 2011
    6
    As a very big fan of the RPG games, like Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale etc. and after playing Dragon Age : Origins + Awakening, i really couldn`t wait for this game. Everything what developers showed us on trailers looked amazing, new battle system, new story, everything. Then day of relase came and i was more suprised than ever. After Dragon Age : Origins i expected something good as it orAs a very big fan of the RPG games, like Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale etc. and after playing Dragon Age : Origins + Awakening, i really couldn`t wait for this game. Everything what developers showed us on trailers looked amazing, new battle system, new story, everything. Then day of relase came and i was more suprised than ever. After Dragon Age : Origins i expected something good as it or even much better, but EA and Bioware suprised me with wrong decision. Ok, let`s say the main plot wasn`t that bad but could be better, side quest was almost the same and then cherry of the top of the cake THE SAME CAVES. Ok, i can understand that making some maps or caves can be very boring but if you are making game when all the caves are the same, then something is wrong, oh and one small minus for equipment for team members which you can change apart of weapons... that sux. Anyway, apart of those mistakes everything was quite ok, new battle system is very interesting, new dialog system is quite good aswell (BUT DELETE THIS SYMBOLS NEXT TO EVERY SENTENCE). If you are big fan of RPG, you can play it but don`t expect from this game too much.… Expand
  21. saintos123
    Mar 28, 2012
    3
    Such a poor, poor game...not nearly as good as dragon age I.
    This is just a laim game, poor text, poor design, i even encounterd repeatable maps, different quest same map different location. Poor design of charchter, voice acting, dialogue is annoying.
    Hawke feels like retard, I can honestly say that this game has one of the worst dialogue in rpg. I think this game has been made by some    Such a poor, poor game...not nearly as good as dragon age I.
    This is just a laim game, poor text, poor design, i even encounterd repeatable maps, different quest same map different location. Poor design of charchter, voice acting, dialogue is annoying.
    Hawke feels like retard, I can honestly say that this game has one of the worst dialogue in rpg.
    I think this game has been made by some other studio not bioware, cause its so dissapointing.
    I am trully sorry that i have paid for this game    … Expand
  22. Bellicose
    Apr 10, 2012
    1
    Unbelievably disappointing. I can't fathom why they abandoned what proved to be an awesome style of game (Dragon Age Origins) in favour of generic garbage like this.
  23. Skawn
    Mar 11, 2012
    4
    A poor sequel to DA:O. Copy pasted areas, inconsistent difficulty, and a feeling of being hemmed in.

    A shame really since it was a promising IP and one of the first BioWare games I just didn't like that much.

    That said, I did see it though to the end but it felt like a chore not a joy.
  24. Shechu
    Apr 2, 2012
    3
    This game is bad, initially it can seem that it goes for good way but then it becomes monotonous, boring and short. And yes, it is possible that the system of battle is better than DAO but for everything else it's a pity that shares name with a great game, his predecessor.
  25. Kerzath
    Apr 4, 2012
    0
    El mes pasado me detectaron cáncer y ayer me operaron para extirparme el tumor. Cuando me lo sacaron resultó ser el Dragon Age 2. Me cago en EA, tendrían que enterrar todas las copias de esta malformación en forma de juego y que no se volviera a saber nada más.
  26. IcoNat20
    May 15, 2012
    2
    This game has terrible story direction, bad graphics (compared to DA:O), unneeded reimagining of monsters, elves and mages alike. The dungeons are endless repeats, with waves of generic enemies coming at you at the same dungeon (but different name) that you were in an hour ago. The writing for the story feels like a weeaboo fanfic rather than a professional piece of work, and the combatThis game has terrible story direction, bad graphics (compared to DA:O), unneeded reimagining of monsters, elves and mages alike. The dungeons are endless repeats, with waves of generic enemies coming at you at the same dungeon (but different name) that you were in an hour ago. The writing for the story feels like a weeaboo fanfic rather than a professional piece of work, and the combat has been casualized click to win. Repeatedly my suspension of disbelief was taken away by quest's objectives just pulled out of air for me to complete without any mystery, especially with items found in caves. Not only that, but my control of my character was taken away from me repeatedly as well, going as far as to take years of my character's life away from me. I'd expect this from an action game, but not from an RPG. On top of this, my choices did not matter at all, and I was railroaded in the story line so no matter what I did, specific things always happened. The dialogue system was removed from DA:O, instead replacing it with a mass effect style system. Wouldn't be so bad if the dialogue was well written, instead whenever I picked the "Joke' dialogue option I felt like punching hawke in his smug **** mouth. This half finished game was not worth the 60 dollars I paid for it, and it wasn't worth 10. Buyer's remorse to the nth degree. That is all I want to say.… Expand
  27. Martin90
    Aug 31, 2012
    1
    DAO was an awesome game whit a cool story and in the second one they just trhow it away , and give us just a lame game : no continuity, awful scenarios, and characters
  28. Aralakh
    Jul 12, 2012
    4
    This game would have very likely received a slightly higher score from me had it not been named "Dragon Age II". Going into this, I had some (reasonable) expectation that the quality of the RPG would live up to its predecessor, and unfortunately I was disappointed in almost every way possible. The voice protagonist is an entertaining novelty, but I would have gladly given it up if it meantThis game would have very likely received a slightly higher score from me had it not been named "Dragon Age II". Going into this, I had some (reasonable) expectation that the quality of the RPG would live up to its predecessor, and unfortunately I was disappointed in almost every way possible. The voice protagonist is an entertaining novelty, but I would have gladly given it up if it meant a richer story and more immersive environment rather than simply trekking about a city running errands for dozens of hours. BioWare really dropped the ball with this one, and I hope they can get the franchise back on track with Dragon Age III.… Expand
  29. McKinneyKEA
    Jul 16, 2012
    2
    Boring story that didn't pull me in, unlikable characters, reuse of dungeons, butchering of the rpg genre and the dragon age franchise. There are so many things I dislike one of the more important ones......the diolouge wheel. Your are not you, this is not a sequal this is a basterdized couzinof the origonal.
  30. Ocelot113
    Sep 5, 2012
    2
    For a game that really only had to improve on the fluidity of combat, they changed pretty much everything from the first game, for the worse I might add. Combat seems to be the only thing they got right, for the most part. ----- The story was linear not allowing for multiple outcomes to situations. Bringing a hero through tragedy is okay, but absolutely dropping the story after theFor a game that really only had to improve on the fluidity of combat, they changed pretty much everything from the first game, for the worse I might add. Combat seems to be the only thing they got right, for the most part. ----- The story was linear not allowing for multiple outcomes to situations. Bringing a hero through tragedy is okay, but absolutely dropping the story after the downfall is not. The point of a hero is the journey back from disaster and the choices that they make shortly after tragedy. Dragon Age 2 after every major event skips ahead in time missing all those pivotal choices. Immense tragedy with no option for justice is a good way to piss people off, not get them emotionally invested. because there was no proper response to events it made me realize that this is a game, and I don't want to play it anymore because my reaction was not expressed. Not even close. That's the opposite of immersion. ----- Speaking of immersion, the use of a main voice actor could have been an amazing addition, IF... the tone of the voice were more versatile. RPG's requires that you feel like you are the role you are playing and when you cannot be aggressiveness sharp-tongued or be righteously stern then voice acting obliterates immersion. Forcing voice acting into pansy good guy, cheery joker, and jack-off bad guy, means you do not get real characters but cliche stereotypes. And when you are choosing multiple reactions during a scene you get unrealistic multiple personality mood swings. ----- Party Character options got an axe to the face. No ability to equip characters with armor and no ability to choose any skill tree, killed this game for ever RPGer that played, and loved Dragon Age: Origins. One of the great things about DAO was that if you didn't like someone in the party, you could give that role to someone more interesting. The fact that I had to run 90% of the game with the soulless, emotionless, thought and humor inept Aveline because she was the only tank, was... well the dumbest character choice I've ever come across in a game. Lastly, I'll quickly touch on the combat. Really the only problem I had with the combat was the cooldown system. In DOA there was a dedicated tank and a dedicated healer, for the most part. This system works, use it. Healers were made extinct because of the over-powering cooldown system. I downloaded a mod to lower all cooldowns making this game faster paced and much more fun since the healer was viable again. ----- Needed mods to enjoy: http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/3194#content (Armor for Party Members) http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/2407#content (All Skill Trees for Party Members) http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/2186 (Reduce All Cooldowns)… Expand
  31. Palenoire
    Nov 2, 2012
    2
    This is not Dragon Age. This is some Mas Effect poseur! BioWare need to slow down and think about what they are doing. Critics? I have no doubt that critics are BOUGHT by EA. They are sold-out hypocrites and they are LYING straight to your face! Another example of EA being douchebags and more bad words.
    And don;t listen critics that review EA game - they are bought by EA (I have no doubt)
  32. woodelf
    May 7, 2016
    3
    This... thing has nothing in common with the masterpiece DA:Origins
    The combat system is oversimplified, and hated the linear gameplay where whatever you do the outcome is always the same. I had to struggle hard to finish my one and only run before Inquisition. Characters are well written but hastily developed. EA was too eager to grab the money, as always.
  33. PHDIKOULAS
    Jan 23, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. review for DA 2 ultimate edition , one major spoiler so be warned

    This second part gets a 3,

    Its obvious this game was done alongside mass effect 3 and the devs where probably juggling games,The sloppiness or laziness or whatevernes permeates this game through and through.

    One minor example is act 1 80? quests act 2 30? act 3 10 tops :D

    The plot is one of the worse i ve ever seen in a triple A title,even a blind mad stroking randomly a keyboard would have made a better story ffs

    I imported my dragon age 1 save and it had 0 effects.The effects were so minimal its laughable. Honestly from bioware i didnt expect this but hey, now in 2020 its the norm. Ill just say this and do what you will so you know what amount of laziness we re talking about. SPOILER FOLLOWS

    At one point your mother dies.Its scripted so you cant save her no matter what you do. The devs want to up their drama game. The scene is sad emotional all that stuff. After the cutscene i talked to my houses butler(you were living with your mother in same house) i talk to the butler and he had this to say

    "lovely estate you have here mesere................................................................................................"

    They didnt even bother to change the line of the first person you meet who was your family's manservant ffs , i loled so hard my sides are in andromedan orbit if you catch ma drift. So yeah,should you get this game?if you find it for 10 bucks yeah sure.Otherwise move along

    TLDR the game dosent feel anything like dragon age origins. Almost like a different game with dragon age vibes, Feels like good passionate devs started making it and some 0 fantasy no clue devs finished it as a drudgery. also critics giving 90-95% to this game? Woah they got some good money it seems to write the reviews    … Expand
  34. bpe
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Waaay overrated and not worth playing. Interface doesn't work well, and as an RPG it really doesn't have anything unique or worthwhile that makes it stand out at all. It has all the bells and whistles that please the critics but do nothing for gameplay once you actually get semi-serious about playing.
    Unless you insist on playing every single fantasy RPG ever made, save your money here.
  35. omgwot
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its hard to make a game worse than this nowadays. Any decision-maker who played this and approved it for release has either the wrong job or was under heavy pressure, or maybe he had a moment of silly or was on drugs, or both. Maybe they just wanted to deliberately piss off their user-base and destroy their image, forever. Goodbye forever.… Expand
  36. Esett
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    I so wanted this game to be great. Sadly there is NOTHING good in it. The characters are bland, Kirkwall is a ghost town with nothing interesting happening. Still it would have been great to at least see the same great quests from Dragon Age Origins(i bought 2 copies of it btw) that same great dialogue. None of that is found in Dragon Age 2. What is found then you might ask:

    Well in a    I so wanted this game to be great. Sadly there is NOTHING good in it. The characters are bland, Kirkwall is a ghost town with nothing interesting happening. Still it would have been great to at least see the same great quests from Dragon Age Origins(i bought 2 copies of it btw) that same great dialogue. None of that is found in Dragon Age 2. What is found then you might ask:

    Well in a nutshell:

    - Copy pasted combat. I am not kidding. Almost ALL fights are like this: one main strong monster, a few archers, a few melle combatants. 20 seconds into the fight more monsters show up.
    - Copy pasted dungeons. You will find a lot of very familiar areas after about 2 hours.
    - Bad voice acting.
    - Uninteresting quests that involve nothing but combat. The game plays so bad it's impossible for me to find anything good about it. It is an amazing devolution of what Dragon Age: Origins was.

    I wish i was just trolling:((    … Expand
  37. DeN_DarK
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age Origins was simple, but good RPG. Dragon Age 2 just parody on Japanese-style slasher with elements RPG. Take Dragon Age 1 cut interesting dialogs, cut D&D-style universe, cut armor and you have Dragon Age 2. I really love Fallout 1,2+NV, BG, NWN2, Planescape and Dragon Age 1. After Dragon Age 2 i have only one question. Why they did this to us? Disappointment.
  38. Slackerman
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Reasons abound to avoid DA2 and can be read elsewhere. Instead of improving upon and fixing the shortcomings of content in DA:Origins, Bioware cut them out entirely. Gone is the large and varied landscapes. Dungeons are comprised of the same tiles in a limited set, making them all appear to be the same. Character customization was eviscerated. Skill trees are still present, probablyReasons abound to avoid DA2 and can be read elsewhere. Instead of improving upon and fixing the shortcomings of content in DA:Origins, Bioware cut them out entirely. Gone is the large and varied landscapes. Dungeons are comprised of the same tiles in a limited set, making them all appear to be the same. Character customization was eviscerated. Skill trees are still present, probably because they couldn't figure out a way to remove them entirely, but are still stunted. The inventory system, likewise, is worse, and you can't even outfit any party members save your own character - and even that character's customization options are limited. That their lead developer at Bioware left early in DA2's inception is not a coincidence.

    EA's (and this Bioware's) new business plan:
    -multiplatform development, making the PC versions crippled as they are shackled by the limitations of consoles, -shortened development time and less content to cut costs and rush games to market faster;
    - recurring revenue in the form of DLC to keep their hands in our pockets, for content that should have been included in the game, anyway. Don't be fooled by the bloated critical scores. Ethics and game reviewers have very little in common, now. Remember, these are the same critics that gave Civilization V a 90. Most don't dare to score dreck like this fairly, as doing so gets them placed on blacklists that result in no new games to review and loss of advertising dollars. Others are used to having lower expectations from games as they primarily review them for consoles. If you like cRPGS, and quality games with lots of content and great gameplay, avoid this extreme example of consolitis like the plague. Our real vote is with our gaming dollars, and we need to send EA and Bioware a big fat NO to shoddy, stunted games and DLC leeching.

    -------------------------------
    Just say NO to Preorders
    DLC is the Devil.    … Expand
  39. Praesi
    Mar 11, 2011
    2
    DA2 is a disaster for all who loved DA:O , NWN (one of the bests ever) or other traditional RPG´s. Its a casual arcade game without any of the old BioWare strengths. If this is the new BioWare Style, the times were i bought BW Games blind on release Day, are over.
    The most Magazine Reviews are bad Jokes.
    Bioware...remember your roots!!

    2.0
  40. Shrimpkebab
    Mar 11, 2011
    3
    I loved DA:O and mass effect 1 and 2 but Dragon age 2 is clearly a rushed product. Shallow characters, shallow ,story, no real choices. No sense of exploration like DA:o becouse of Re-used places over and over again. This game would have needed 1 more year of development to feel complete.
  41. biship
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This is not a BIOWARE game. Its a EA dumbed down for kiddies console port. GFX are a minor upgrade from DA:0. Runs like crap (2x6970's). I cant recommend buying this game. You will find after a few hours no desire or incentive to play the game.
  42. Gladio77
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    First of all, amazing that the consumers en masse see this game for the filth it is, while the professionals give it 9 and 10's. Must be losing touch with the people they write reviews for.

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

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

    Instead they decided to do things all over and focus not on the customers who made dragon age a sales succes but to potential new customers. I.e. action console players. In all , voice acting is bad, Reuse of maps is a disgrace, ( the same cave over and over) gameplay boring. I have decided never to buy games again without downloading and testing them first. 50 euro's for this piece of garbage is ridiculous,    … Expand
  43. nyne
    Mar 15, 2011
    3
    The entire main storyline of DA2 could have been told in a expansion or a DLC and does not compare at all to the epic story of DA:O, the rest of the questing content is irrelevant fillers. Combat is simplified beyond belief and requires no strategy at all. Without the high res pack my graphics were locked at medium and only added to the disappointment.
  44. Viklo
    Mar 18, 2011
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story was my greatest disappointment. I understood that Bioware wanted to make a smaller story this time, but rpg is about making choices which have effect. I did not feel like I had the ability to choose in this story. Certain things happened no matter who I sided with, and the ending and main story remained the same. No replay value here. Different dialogue choices were just for flavor, sarcastic Hawke will have the same story as heroic Hawke.

    Lack of build-up with companions and family. I would have expected that time span of ten years would have added more depth to relationships instead of losing it. There was very little companion interaction.
    The family focus was a joke.

    Recycled areas. All caves look the same, all ruins look the same etc. Only some doors won't open, depending on location. Irritating.    … Expand
  45. thedan89
    Mar 11, 2011
    6
    I would like this game a lot more if they hadn't put Dragon Age on the cover. I do like the new art work that has gone into it but the game feels a lot different. Side character development doesnâ
  46. Cheech
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age 2 recycles the same environments over and over to artificially inflate the game's length. You play a static character devoid of personality, an abrupt change from the engaging Shepherd character from Mass Effect fame. I hate comparing a new release to a developer's previous output (preferring to judge exclusively based on the game in question), but this game is a completeDragon Age 2 recycles the same environments over and over to artificially inflate the game's length. You play a static character devoid of personality, an abrupt change from the engaging Shepherd character from Mass Effect fame. I hate comparing a new release to a developer's previous output (preferring to judge exclusively based on the game in question), but this game is a complete insult to any game Bioware has previously done. The company turned from an elite CRPG powerhouse to another corporate whorehouse developer with this title, and it really hurts. I am hoping that Dragon Age 2 is an aberration, and the Old Republic/Mass Effect 3 sustain Bioware's typically high degree of quality.… Expand
  47. BethBigTeeTees
    Mar 12, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon Age II is everything DA: O should have been... if BioWare had intended to make Origins a complete and horrible failure. Bethesda really should have known better with titles under their belt such as Mass Effect, in the end their sequals fall short such as prequels to sequels generally do. In retrospect I would actually give this game a 5.5/10 but I'm taking a stand they must have spend 2 days developing this game I'm taking a stand no more bad games!… Expand
  48. maxwell97
    Mar 12, 2011
    5
    I haven't yet played this game, and I honestly don't know if it's good or bad. I'm posting this to warn everyone who sees it not to trust the average user score, as obviously one person or a small group has been posting multiple ratings to bring down the score. My evidence for this:

    1. The ridiculous number of ratings. The game has been out for three days, and has more ratings for    I haven't yet played this game, and I honestly don't know if it's good or bad. I'm posting this to warn everyone who sees it not to trust the average user score, as obviously one person or a small group has been posting multiple ratings to bring down the score. My evidence for this:

    1. The ridiculous number of ratings. The game has been out for three days, and has more ratings for the PC version than the original PC DA has, which has been out for about a year and a half. It has over twice as many ratings as the PC version of Black Ops. It has (as another pointed out) over six times as many ratings as WoW: Cataclysm. 2. The very similar writing style in evidence between a great many reviews.
    3. The great disparity between the user rating here and on other sites. Gamespot has an average user rating of 7.1, IGN has 6.7, Game Informer has a 6.0. The 4.0 here is too far out of line to be believable. Whoever is doing this, please, get a life. If you're seriously THAT mad because a game doesn't fit your traditional PC-centric mold, and you just HAVE to bring down that average score on Metacritic, you really need to develop some other interests. Seriously, it's unhealthy.    … Expand
  49. durrdurrdurr
    Mar 13, 2011
    0
    EndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLineEndOfLine… Expand
  50. Greyhammer
    Mar 15, 2011
    3
    an absolute disappointment. from begining to end it is far inferior to DA:O and is a complete failure on bioware's part. I hope that DA3 fixes what this game broke because the world of Thedas is a cool one
  51. Scritty
    Jun 8, 2011
    3
    All I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA One
    The story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.
    Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depth    All I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA One
    The story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.
    Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depth of a spit puddle.    … Expand
  52. obscurus166
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    DA:II is, in essence, a role-playing game without the role-playing. Bioware has never been a studio which creates particularly interactive environments, but the large, wide-open spaces of nothing in particular seem particularly jarring in this game because there is so little else to occupy the gamer. Dungeons are recycled. Citizens stand around, doing nothing and having no relevance:DA:II is, in essence, a role-playing game without the role-playing. Bioware has never been a studio which creates particularly interactive environments, but the large, wide-open spaces of nothing in particular seem particularly jarring in this game because there is so little else to occupy the gamer. Dungeons are recycled. Citizens stand around, doing nothing and having no relevance: there is no pretence at their having any significance other than being part of the (non-interactive) furniture, rather than offering even the little one-liners which BioWare managed as long ago as Baldur's Gate. Quest-related characters cannot be engaged until the relevant quest has been triggered: if discovered before the appointed time, they simply stand around, looking ominous. The engaging and entertaining party interactions of the previous game have been simplified to the point of worthlessness. The party members are flat, dull and lifeless. The inventory now contains a "junk" slot, into which the vast majority of items go, as if the studio were acknowledging the pointlessness of an inventory-loot system in which the armour of three of four part members cannot be modified. The aesthetic of the game grates: Hawke and co. heft swords of frankly comedic proportions, while the armour in which some characters are kitted out seems to have been designed by people who have heard of armour, but never really seen it up close or fully understood its purpose. While other reviewers have raved about the qualities of the "dialogue wheel," I fail to see what advantages it actually offers over a list of answers. As with Mass Effect, an unwary player may be tricked into selecting an option on the basis of the synopsis on the wheel, then have Hawke say something while, which not entirely unrelated, is hardly what was foreshadowed. This is a gimmic which needs to be quietly abandoned. Even to characterise this as an "action RPG," in an effort to deflect from the fact that the game offers no immersive qualities, would be misleading, because combat is a simplified version of the same old pause, point and click. The game's increased emphasis on individualism, emphasised by the camera angles, makes approaching battles from a tactical, party-orientated perspective less rewarding and less intuitive than in DA:O. There are, of course, flashes of decent writing and some of the voice acting is quite good, but it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor. All told, this is a game which might engage fans of "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance," or "Diabolo," but gamers seeking the escapism and immersion of a "proper" role-playing game will be sorely, sorely disappointed. Bioware flaunts the positive reviews of a number of respected reviewers on its website. My only question at this stage is: can I have a go at the game they played?… Expand
  53. CRazies
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    I've am a huge dragon age fan and bioware games fan however bioware continue a trend of creating games with that think we are ten years old kids. Dragon Age 2 follow that trend, this game is a dispointment the story modiocre at best, the environment feel lifeless, use of the same zone over and over again, the control and camera suck. I wouldn't touch this game with a ten foot poo stick
  54. syg
    Mar 20, 2011
    1
    if any bioware employee reads this, i created a metacritic account to post this.

    The transition from ME1 to ME2 is similar to the transition in DA:O and DA2, just magnified in the latter case. In order to deliver a tighter story, bioware hacks off so much of the game which let ME1 and DAO seem so epic. After playing a human noble in DAO i immediately recreated a dwarf noble in an attempt    if any bioware employee reads this, i created a metacritic account to post this.

    The transition from ME1 to ME2 is similar to the transition in DA:O and DA2, just magnified in the latter case.

    In order to deliver a tighter story, bioware hacks off so much of the game which let ME1 and DAO seem so epic. After playing a human noble in DAO i immediately recreated a dwarf noble in an attempt to see how that story develops.

    This scope, is lost in ME2 and DAO. The world feels smaller and more linear. The simple act of exploring a planet in ME1 gave such a feeling of scope, even though it was not essential to the game.

    Honestly I will tolerate any graphics level in order to have greater scope. I honestly dont care if this is sub par, the story delivered in DAO i never had the slightest hangup on the graphics.

    Clunky gameplay in DA2 with certain abilities trivializing the game (assassin spec on rogue made nearly every boss a joke).

    I just want to point out that DAO felt huge and DA2 felt claustrophobic. The re-use of areas without changing the minimap left me frequently running into walls to make sure i had explored the dungeon.

    The structure of ME2 and DA2 takes a great deal away from the scope. ME2 was essentially a list of team-building exercises with a finale at the end. DA2 was ME2 in bite size form throughout the acts.

    The world in DAO was wonderfully fleshed out, and DA2 constructs a much more character driven story around the mage - templar interaction. This grows terribly tedious. Anders in the party made all flavor chat between players absolute agony as all we heard recycled a thousand times was "omg the templars are jerks"

    The NPCS are so one-note that it does not enrich the game at all. The trajectory of the story feels so forced you can anticipate the breakdown from a very early point in the game.

    Honestly, graphics be damned, the reason i bought this game out of reflex was that ME1 and DAO were so epic I was hoping for another story of that scale to take part in. ME2 and DA2 share many of the same flaws, and I hope some serious internal debate might be sparked over the necessity (in my opinion) of appropriate scope in rpgs, and the tradeoff of scope and "tightness" of storytelling.

    I hope you take these complaints seriously, I really enjoyed ME1 and DAO    … Expand
  55. Dreepa
    Apr 17, 2011
    5
    The game tries hard to appeal to a wider audience. Tries to go the story route more than the strategy route. Unfortunatelly even on the story part, the game lacks depth. You have nor real background info on your character, you do not know why you are doing what you are doing and the things you do often seem artificial and not natural. One example: Instead of gathering 50 gold to make aThe game tries hard to appeal to a wider audience. Tries to go the story route more than the strategy route. Unfortunatelly even on the story part, the game lacks depth. You have nor real background info on your character, you do not know why you are doing what you are doing and the things you do often seem artificial and not natural. One example: Instead of gathering 50 gold to make a living you gather 50 gold to invest them in something. In order to get to those 50 goldcoins you do a lot of different quests. A few of them are good, but most of them involve running around for ages seeing the same stuff over and over again... back and forth back and forth.... the story has it peaks, but is overshadowed by really bad character integration. The class you play doesnt matter much do the dialogues. Even the world does not react if you are using magic on the streets, which is forbidden in the game. Combat wise, the game is very chaotic. There is no top down view anymore, so you often have problems with controlling the party or getting a good overview. Handling of NPC equipment is reduced to a minimum and there is no "common goal" that unites your party, but rather loose ties that dont really justify the actions of the companions. To me it didnt make much sense in most cases.

    The game didnt develop naturally but feels forced by guidelines: "We need to have this, we need to have that... " In the end they should ve listened more to their stomach I think. Mediocre game with some good story moments, but lacking in most other areas.

    I can only say this:
    "If you try to please everybody you will end up pleasing noone"    … Expand
  56. wkbag
    May 3, 2011
    2
    Totally disappointing
    Bioware should be very a shame of this cheap console port whereas, the predecessor (origin) was very good game in many ways; i.e., it was deep, complex, multiple endings and nice story.
    this sequel is very shallow and unsatisfactory in many ways; i.e., no character development, no real attachment to story, shallow and speedy combat, very poor camera, silly dialogue    Totally disappointing
    Bioware should be very a shame of this cheap console port whereas, the predecessor (origin) was very good game in many ways; i.e., it was deep, complex, multiple endings and nice story.
    this sequel is very shallow and unsatisfactory in many ways; i.e., no character development, no real attachment to story, shallow and speedy combat, very poor camera, silly dialogue option.
    it is only achievement is brighter and shiner graphics, flashy and speedy combat system which is a shame as i was expecting a great sequel to a great game but these days the greed and rush for release date became primary objective of game publishers which resulted in these kind of games which can satisfy only young ages and new gamers (didn't play great RPG titles like Oblivion, Fallout 3, The Witcher and Dragon Age: Origin)
    Few hours of play convince me that this game does not deserve the space on my HD and should be uninstalled immediately.
    If anyone want to play an RPG game should avoid this title and look elsewhere.    … Expand
  57. Alex_Whatever
    May 22, 2011
    4
    There is no much more to say about this game that hasn't been said. This is a game that was made purely to satisfy investors at EA and in the long run it will even fail at that. It is in essence a piece of trash that disappoints at every level. Avoid like the plague, don't take it even if they pay you.
  58. Gozeta
    May 23, 2011
    0
    This game was so horrible compared to Origins that I wanted to slit my wrist. If it wasn't for the fact that they had bundled in ME2 with DA2 I would not have bought it. Loved ME2, DA 2 needs to burn in the fire.
  59. drosera1
    May 23, 2011
    4
    I played this game to completion and i had a mediocre time. Having just bought The Witcher 2, i realised that there was more variety and ingenuity during the first 2 hours of that game than ALL of Dragon Age 2. Why oh why did Bioware recycle SO many of the environments? It's pathetic just how copy-pasted this game is. My only wish now is that Bioware don't mess up Mass Effect 3.
  60. TruthIsOutThere
    May 22, 2011
    0
    Bioware releases another misogynistic jaunt into the Mary Sue world of 'the dragon crap.' There is hardly anything of substance to recommend this train wreck to a discerning connoisseur of RPGs. Every element of its design can be described as 'embarassingly awkward.' Animation, art direction, dialogue, writing, combat. It's a list of sad mediocrities as long as your arm. The fact of theBioware releases another misogynistic jaunt into the Mary Sue world of 'the dragon crap.' There is hardly anything of substance to recommend this train wreck to a discerning connoisseur of RPGs. Every element of its design can be described as 'embarassingly awkward.' Animation, art direction, dialogue, writing, combat. It's a list of sad mediocrities as long as your arm. The fact of the setting and characters being a shameless copy of Michael Moorcook's classic Elric of Melnibone series aside, the game itself behaves like a confused child. Does it want to be a brawler with peripheral RPG elements? Or an action RPG with brawler combat? In either situation the designers have failed to deliver on both satisfying combat or a compelling story that ever rises above the juvenile. Look to the masters at CDProject with their latest RPG epic, The Witcher 2, for inspiration in your future games, Bioware. You certainly won't find it making shallow sex simulators based on generic fantasy worlds.… Expand
  61. rusina
    May 25, 2011
    1
    Dragon Age II is a piece of "garbage" trying to ride on the success of Dragon Age: Origins. Too bad that during the making of the game they forgot all about the fans of the earlier game and chose to appeal to a "larger audience". My advice, don't buy it and encourage Bioware to keep insulting their fans.
  62. Tridus
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    Two Bioware employees have been caught posting fake 10/10 reviews to try and prop this game up. What more needs to be said? Even the guy who did the music said the game was rushed because EA wanted to cash in on a sequel ASAP.
  63. jerrybee
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Disappointed to see how Bioware decided to move away from the pc fans who made the first Dragon Age a success with this "simplified" installment. I must admit, I dont own any HD console, so I sadly had to play this game on my computer. Had I played on a console I'm sure I would probably enjoy it as I believe was intended by Bioware. Sadly this is just not a computer rpg that Dragon AgeDisappointed to see how Bioware decided to move away from the pc fans who made the first Dragon Age a success with this "simplified" installment. I must admit, I dont own any HD console, so I sadly had to play this game on my computer. Had I played on a console I'm sure I would probably enjoy it as I believe was intended by Bioware. Sadly this is just not a computer rpg that Dragon Age Origins was. Its something else entirely.… Expand
  64. Mordimer
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Terrible game on all platforms. 2000 graphics, pathetic gameplay, naive,childish story. Just go replay Baldur's Gate 2 (similar graphics) or Duke Nukem 3d (better story) instead and avoid this thing. Not much else has to be said. They've sold out and now cater to the lowest common denominator instead of providing high quality RPGs like they used to. Terrible.… Expand
  65. Norgredel
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    Pcked this up a couple days ago on Steam, and I have to say that I'm horrified. I liked DA1, although I wasn't terribly impressed but I still enjoyed the game and looked forward to improvements in the sequel. I guess I should have come here first before blindly blowing $60 (can't return it either and if I dispute the charge, my entire steam account is forfeit).

    How did a company fall so    Pcked this up a couple days ago on Steam, and I have to say that I'm horrified. I liked DA1, although I wasn't terribly impressed but I still enjoyed the game and looked forward to improvements in the sequel. I guess I should have come here first before blindly blowing $60 (can't return it either and if I dispute the charge, my entire steam account is forfeit).

    How did a company fall so far from producing Baldur's Gate 2, MDK 2, Knights of the Old Republic, and Neverwinter Nights to producing this monstrosity? Already, it's been released with some serious bugs that were simply ignored in development. It has over 20 DLCs on its first day (including a "high resolution texture pack") that should have simply been in the game. Bioware developers said it was because they "ran out of time before the release date". If they were too busy to get basic game items and textures in there, I can see why it has so many bugs in the game itself. It's really sad that they didn't have time to put 1.5 GB worth of content (approximately 30% of the total game size) into the game.

    The writing is a bunch of over-the-top tripe that was written by high-school freshmen. The combat has gone from RPG style to a generic hack-n-slash. The story has been neutered beyond belief...

    All they needed to do was tweak a couple of things from the first one and this one would have been legendary, or at least passable. But it's like they just gave up; this game has no soul because the developers simply didn't care.    … Expand
  66. TheGuineaPig
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    Just terrible, it''s just disgusting how Bioware can alienate their audience and call their game a RPG. They removed so much and added so little just so they can appeal to an audience that doesn't care about the genre. The gameplay requires very little, as the generalization of "button-mashing" would come into effect, the graphics are sub-par, there is no excuse for this since they aren'tJust terrible, it''s just disgusting how Bioware can alienate their audience and call their game a RPG. They removed so much and added so little just so they can appeal to an audience that doesn't care about the genre. The gameplay requires very little, as the generalization of "button-mashing" would come into effect, the graphics are sub-par, there is no excuse for this since they aren't going for any kind of art style. The storyline is just terrible, as well as the dialogue making no sense and having no relation with what you chose on the dialogue wheel. There is very little customization, which is what a RPG is supposed to have. The game sacrifices deep and compelling storyline and gameplay for a bloodfest. It's sad to see that Bioware is going this way, and I hope Mass Effect 3 doesn't suffer the same problems if they haven't already.… Expand
  67. Breenns
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Combat had a big drop. Caves all look the same. Story was generic. More of the same "good response, neutral response, bad response" choices for dialog. It's like you kept all the things I don't like from your games and got rid of the enjoyable parts of DA:O.

    Furthermore, I can no longer support a company that has a division within EA that is willing to suspend people's single player    Combat had a big drop. Caves all look the same. Story was generic. More of the same "good response, neutral response, bad response" choices for dialog. It's like you kept all the things I don't like from your games and got rid of the enjoyable parts of DA:O.

    Furthermore, I can no longer support a company that has a division within EA that is willing to suspend people's single player gameplay for activity on their forums. In a multi-player setting, it is sometimes appropriate to ban individuals who ruin the game for others. But that is not the case when we are considering single player activity, especially not with forums. http://i.imgur.com/xkhUI.png - Source.

    In summary: Poor decisions in game design. Poor design in company policy.    … Expand
  68. Marvik
    Mar 11, 2011
    1
    Unfortunately I must admit .... disappointed, from DAO made â
  69. hf2016
    Mar 12, 2011
    5
    To start, Dragon Age II is not actually bad enough to deserve the scores of 0-2 that many people are giving it. The problem is that it really is not very good either. People have come to expect a certain standard of quality from Bioware, and DA2 simply does not meet that standard.

    Combat is horrible. In fact, it is probably DA2's worst flaw. On the recommended combat difficulty setting,    To start, Dragon Age II is not actually bad enough to deserve the scores of 0-2 that many people are giving it. The problem is that it really is not very good either. People have come to expect a certain standard of quality from Bioware, and DA2 simply does not meet that standard.

    Combat is horrible. In fact, it is probably DA2's worst flaw. On the recommended combat difficulty setting, playing the game feels disturbingly similar to watching a mediocre film. You spend the early levels of the game clicking a few buttons every 15-20 seconds. Groups of enemies never pose a serious threat, yet still live long enough to make combat tedious. Combat improves later, especially if you raise the difficulty, but it never reaches the tactical depth or difficulty offered frequently in its predecessor.

    Dialogue is mediocre. There are fewer options than there were in Origins, the quality of the writing is surprisingly low for a Bioware title, and much of the voice-acting is disappointing.

    The new art style is matter of taste I suppose, but I personally dislike it. To begin with, changing the appearances of various established creatures was in rather poor taste. The Qunari now resemble something from The Lower Planes while the Hurlocks are reminiscent of Skeletor. The "visceral" combat is simply preposterous. The amount of gore if you can even call it that is so exaggerated that it makes combat even less satisfying. My character's sword should not produce similar results to an airstrike.

    As with the previous game, the graphics were mediocre while the musical score was quite good. It would hardly be fair to blame Bioware for the fact that certain people insist on selling and developing for six-year-old hardware that wasn't even all that it was made out to be on release. The problems with Nvidia cards are not so easily dismissed, however. There is a little thing called testing that is supposed to prevent little things like that. That being said, the game performs quite well on my modest dual-core ATI/AMD machine.

    Overall, I would say that DA2 will be worth purchasing for fans of the first game when it sees a drop in price. Until then, it is not worth your time or money. As an RPG and a sequel, DA2 is mediocre at best.    … Expand
  70. pipayka26
    Mar 13, 2011
    4
    The game is nothing. But I was infuriated with the problems of conservation and the same type of location. I was expecting more.ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
  71. Gamer77
    Mar 14, 2011
    1
    "Darker, sexier, prettier" were the advertising words for this sequel. Unfortunately the ONLY thing that actually has got better (in some parts of the game) is combat dynamics. Story line itself is very narrow comparing to original DAO, darkness has been replaced with fierce button smashing combating and then sex... well that's completely REMOVED. Okay, you actually can get to kiss someone"Darker, sexier, prettier" were the advertising words for this sequel. Unfortunately the ONLY thing that actually has got better (in some parts of the game) is combat dynamics. Story line itself is very narrow comparing to original DAO, darkness has been replaced with fierce button smashing combating and then sex... well that's completely REMOVED. Okay, you actually can get to kiss someone and invoke some dirty dialogue, but anyone who has actually played DAO will be very disappointed. There's no passion, no mature decisions to be made and absolutely nothing to see in terms of mature gaming. It looks like this sequel is more targeted to 13 years old console gamers than to people who actually played and enjoyed the original Dragon Age.

    The only thing that could save the game amongst DAO players would be fast introduction of expansions and toolset, that would make possible to enchange game in mentioned areas. Without that, I think the game is doomed and will only result financial loss and more sadly, ruin the name of Dragon Age.    … Expand
  72. Icee
    Mar 14, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age: Origins its a great game. Dragon Age 2 just **** sorry but its true. Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game Don't buy this game
  73. Golem25
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (1.0)

    Gameplay; 1.0/10.0

    The combat in DA2 is a huge step back from Dragon Age Origins. The underlying system is the same, but by upping the pace and letting the player control normal attacks directly, combat feels incredibly dumbed down, which becomes rather boring, rather quickly. Successful attacks are met with a slashing sound. The fighting styles between the three classes (warrior, mage, rogue) feel as almost the same, as do different specializations within a class. Difficulty levels are incredibly unstatic, enough to accomodate neither gamers looking for hack `n` slash action, nor for gamers who want full control over their party, and utilizing the pause menu to issue tactical commands for setting up combos.

    STORY: 1/10

    The tale within a tale narrative structure is kinda interesting at first, but any curiosity you might have quickly dies down, however, as poor storytelling makes you lose any connection to Hawke you may have had at the beginning. There are two issues with the plot devices used in DA2. The first is the timeskip. Between each act of the game, there is a gap in which you do not participate. This makes you feel less engaged at the start of the next act, because whatever new predicament Hawke finds himself in, you were not there to experience it. Moreover, Hawke occasionally meets people that he supposedly met during a timeskip, but you as a player have never met. This really wrenches you out of Hawke's shoes, as you realize that despite controlling Hawke's actions and choices for certain parts of his life, you are ultimately just a spectator.

    The second plot device that I have trouble with is something that is common in RPGs. Basically, you have a main objective, but have to do a bunch of other stuff before you can achieve that objective. DA2's side quests are incredibly boring (more on this later), thus making this common RPG plot device much more obvious. After literally spending hours doing side quest after side quest that have no relation to the main plot whatsoever, it's easy to get sidetracked and forget what Hawke's main goal was in the first place.

    Finally, conversations in DA2 are a step down from the ones in DAO. The fully written dialogue choices from DAO are done away with. Instead, DA2 uses a dialogue wheel similar to Mass Effect. What this means is that Hawke talks exclusively in one-liners, and that conversations are all short and to the point, presumably so they wouldn`t get in the way of the mind-numbingly boring action. Moreover, all conversation choices are marked with an emotion icon (heart, halo, you get the idea). While potentially useful, what these icons really do is making sure gamers don`t have to think about how to phrase a response. Instead, conversation quickly boils down to choosing the stance you want to take, like in the much better, but also quite rushed, Alpha Protocol. Conversations with random NPCs are gone too. Now, every conversation is with a quest-giver. This makes Kirkwall a horribly lifeless place, as everyone you talk to just wants you to help solve their problems. It also means that no one talks to you about Dragon Age lore in the game. Instead, all lore is obtained through the Codex, and not conversations. This means that people who hate reading on a screen like me aren't able to learn much about the lore of the DA universe. Then again, it wasn`t interesting in the first place, but still.

    Conclusion;

    Dragon Age II is an incredibly messy game, which smothered any potential it had with bugs, missed opportunities, and general laziness. Kirkwall is a lifeless place, á la the settlements in Borderlands, while dungeons are reused and reused and reused untill you can literally traverse them with your eyes closed. This, of course fits with the dumbing down of the other elements of DA2. The developers spoke of trying to capture the audience of the Call of Duty series, which is, in my eyes, a grave mistake; firstly because this`ll leave RPG-fans and more serious gamers in the cold, and secondly because COD-fans rather occupy themselves with things like Bulletstorm and sports games, outside of COD.

    DA2 could have redeemed itself with other features, like the score, but fails with that too.

    My final verdict;

    GAMEPLAY; 1.0/10.0
    STORY; 2.0/10.0
    SCORE; 4.0/10.0
    REPLAY VALUE; 1.0/10.0
    GENERAL FEEL; 1.0/10.0

    This adds up to around a 1.5, but seeing as things like gameplay are much more important than the score, I have to give this game a 1.0. Bioware dropped the ball big time with this game, and I look forward to Mass Effect 3 with fear, anticipating a failure of a game, much like Dragon Age 2    … Expand
  74. Eikinskjaldi
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The worst sequel i ever played. Perhaps developers planned this game for dumb heads? 3 variants of answers in dialogs, poor armor and weapons arsenal, stupid, oh sorry, idiotic combat system, absolutely predictable story and a lot of other "great" innovations...
    Am i sleep or this guys really developed the greatest rpg games in past?
    Also, about magazines score - Are U F Kidding? 9/10 - for what? O_o
    2.0/10.0 - enough for this "masterpiece"    … Expand
  75. Reeemul
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I play Rpg games on pc by 15 years. I have them all starting by Ultima 8 avatar...
    This game is a pure disaster on each side you try to judge it.
    Dialogues are bad, Combact is bad, Graphic is bad (I play at max resolution 2500*1600), History is bad, party is bad, Inventory is bad, statistics and talents are bad. Environment is bad. Difficulty is ridicolous (i am playing at most difficult    I play Rpg games on pc by 15 years. I have them all starting by Ultima 8 avatar...
    This game is a pure disaster on each side you try to judge it.
    Dialogues are bad, Combact is bad, Graphic is bad (I play at max resolution 2500*1600), History is bad, party is bad, Inventory is bad, statistics and talents are bad. Environment is bad. Difficulty is ridicolous (i am playing at most difficult level and believe me it is too easy...) Camera and pause are soo bad that even seems they not exists... It is quite impossible to make tattics with a so bad camera angle.
    Really a disaster... Even Hack and slash games are better than this... Where is the Bioware of the past that releases true rpg games like Baldur's gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape Torment ???
    I buy the signature edition and i wont my money back...    … Expand
  76. threwasadeer
    Mar 15, 2011
    4
    Bottom line, If I didn't play DAO, this game would be ...ok. But if it was not labeled DA2, I would never have bought it. I understand the move to cater to console, I don't agree with it, but I understand it. I feel like i just got kicked in the nads by my grandma after she promised me fresh baked cookies. How disappointing... and painful. I'm a casual gamer, but man, i was really lookingBottom line, If I didn't play DAO, this game would be ...ok. But if it was not labeled DA2, I would never have bought it. I understand the move to cater to console, I don't agree with it, but I understand it. I feel like i just got kicked in the nads by my grandma after she promised me fresh baked cookies. How disappointing... and painful. I'm a casual gamer, but man, i was really looking forward to this one, I don't think Ive ever been so let down with a game release. Why would they alienate their loyal RPG supporters? It just seems foolish at best. I'm not outraged, just annoyed and confused to the core. I feel/felt nothing with this game and that is possibly the worst thing that can happen when playing a "RPG" title.

    -Graphics were ok, but lack of effort takes away considerably. Cut and paste! Really? Mods were released for DAO with more original thought(and my hat tips to all of those who work on mods...for free, Dev team was paid, whats their excuse?). And speaking of which, no tool set info...c'mon guys. DAO tool-set was released far after the game, but to leave everyone so in the dark makes me think that there isn't even one being planned, and the elusive attitude about it is just a way get more sales. what happened with auto attack on consoles...."a mistake was made", right. And it only came to attention a day before release, which makes no sense, because the game was already sent off, and we would all have seen this "mistake". Clear, in your face, deception. The good,(i suppose)Lots of gore, fast paced, voice acting is acceptable, interesting characters.
    The bad, Story in general, cut and paste used frequently, cant even dress companions, no tool-set, dumb dialogue choices, No tactics needed, Buggy, and most importantly the sheer amount of recycled material from other titles. Graphics models=DAO, but with a new format to screw over modders. Menu/dialogue=Ripped right out of ME series. What exactly took two years to develop in this game?

    As a standalone game, its a 6. entertaining for about 90 minutes, then repetitive...literally.
    As a sequel to the GOTY DAO, its a 0. doesn't even deserve to stand in the prequels shadow.    … Expand
  77. LP04
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    I was shocked by how bad this game was. I am not a hardcore gamer and don't follow all the industry news, but isn't this the same team that designed Dragon Age: Origins? How is that even possible? That was such a great game that I bought DA2 on Steam without even playing the demo. Shame on me. I'm a pretty simple gamer. I've bought buy every Civilization sequel and every Dragon QuestI was shocked by how bad this game was. I am not a hardcore gamer and don't follow all the industry news, but isn't this the same team that designed Dragon Age: Origins? How is that even possible? That was such a great game that I bought DA2 on Steam without even playing the demo. Shame on me. I'm a pretty simple gamer. I've bought buy every Civilization sequel and every Dragon Quest sequel since I first played those games in the 80's. I like a certain style of game, and I don't often take a chance and try a new game. I did for Origins and was quickly hooked. I bought all the DLC. The story and visuals were simply amazing, and the game was completely immersive. Dragon Age II is much too bland and boring to be immersive. I played five or six hours before deciding I was never going to get that feeling in this game. I know my rating is harsh, but that is my anger at the complete waste of money. They should not have used the Dragon Age name for this game.… Expand
  78. Baalaaxa
    Mar 27, 2011
    4
    Utterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

    I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I even    Utterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

    I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I even welcomed the few compromises for the console versions in the Origins, because despite those alterations it was still basically the same game we all know and love.

    Unfortunately, in Dragon Age 2 they took it all away and created a some kind of deformed monstrosity of a dumbed down hack'n slash action game with adhd-button-mashing-orgy of a combat. No space for tactics or strategies, and the teammates' AI is retarded. Even the abilities/talents system was simplified and aside from few exceptions, worse than in the Origins. To give the game some slack, I won't even go to the graphics thing (which was later remedied a tiny bit by the high-resolution texture pack, at least for PC). The only good thing is the storytelling part (which has always been Bioware's strong suit), and even the story lacks in some parts.

    I honestly can not recommend buying this game for any reason, except if you're so into the story or settings that you think you can bear with the game to the end. I could barely finish the demo when I first played it. I'm so sorry Bioware, but this time, you screwed up. What happened?    … Expand
  79. Tpiom
    Mar 26, 2011
    5
    Dragon Age II tries to change stuff when it's not necessary, such as the dialogue wheel. The combat system is... improved, but not by much - it's almost too fast and fancy now.

    The story line is completely broken. It doesn't even conclude properly. You're spending the first act of the game doing side quests, the second and third act is really where the game begins. Repetitive levels and    Dragon Age II tries to change stuff when it's not necessary, such as the dialogue wheel. The combat system is... improved, but not by much - it's almost too fast and fancy now.

    The story line is completely broken. It doesn't even conclude properly. You're spending the first act of the game doing side quests, the second and third act is really where the game begins.

    Repetitive levels and being set in ONE city (plus its outlying regions) doesn't help much either.
    I'm not a fan of giving a voice to the player either, as it feels like I'm watching a film. One or two of the companions are pretty good, the rest are acceptable.    … Expand
  80. tk421storm
    Mar 25, 2011
    5
    Pros: Combat is more fluid and fun, graphics are of high quality if un-optimized on the PC, texturing is attractive

    Cons: Single location, multiple reuse of maps, missing main story/thread, random quests that pop into and out of your journal, seem to have little effect on the world, lackluster companions with fewer and more black and white dialog choices

    TLDR: Ultimately tedious and pointless.
  81. Suleiman
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    Per quanto concerne la mia esperienza di gioco, in un'ottica GDR, dopo diverse ore di gioco a questo nuovo titolo, devo dire che è davvero poco appagante.
    Non c'è immersione: ci si limita a galleggiare in superficie, intuendo che poteva esser fatto molto di più.
    La grafica è abbastanza curata, anche se preferivo i toni più    Per quanto concerne la mia esperienza di gioco, in un'ottica GDR, dopo diverse ore di gioco a questo nuovo titolo, devo dire che è davvero poco appagante.
    Non c'è immersione: ci si limita a galleggiare in superficie, intuendo che poteva esser fatto molto di più.
    La grafica è abbastanza curata, anche se preferivo i toni più maturi di DAO. Quello che non va proprio bene è che ci saranno una cinquantina di location che vengono riproposte allo sfinimento, il che non aiuta certo ad immergersi in un gioco di ruolo, dove l'ambientazione dovrebbe essere resa minuziosamente a video.
    La grafica dei menù è a dir poco oscena. Mi chiedo, con una grafica tanto scarna, come sia stato possibile rendere il sistema di menù più confusionario rispetto al precedente DAO... mah: ci sono riusciti, proponendo, ad esempio, un sistema grafico di avanzamento nei talenti che richiede ogni volta di visualizzare un albero di skill, impedendo una visione globale ed un confronto veloce tra le varie abilità.
    Il sistema di dialoghi è abominevole: in base a quale malato ragionamento non si può più cliccare sulla esatta frase che il nostro PG dovrebbe pronunciare, con senso chiaro, ma si deve interpretare una linea di scelta che spesso ci mette in bocca cose che non volevamo dire?
    Lasciamo perdere il combat system, e la gestione dell'inventario, il sistema di crafting, la possibilità di interagiore con gli altri personaggi in senso ampio, che di ruolo qui hanno mantenuto solo ed esclusivamente la dicitura.
    Coerenza a video rispetto alle abilità dei PG, a quelle che dovrebbero essere le loro effettive capacità e limitazioni: inesistente.
    Si salva qualcosa? Forse la storia sì, quella si salva, anche se è raccontata in modo non più che discreto.

    Ma parliamo di altri aspetti: COERENZA ed IMMEDESIMAZIONE..
    Ogni mondo, quello reale, ma anche quelli immaginari, ha delle regole.
    Regole sia fisiche imposte dalla natura, forza di gravità etc, sia convenzionali imposte dalla società, sistemi giuridici, etc., sia di altro tipo.
    Queste regole sono fondamentali perché qualsiasi mondo possa funzionare.
    Stessa cosa in un gioco fantasy, in cui i personaggi si muovono in un mondo di certo immaginario, ma comunque con delle regole.
    Se, ad esempio, un mago passa tutto il suo tempo a studiare magie, di certo non avrà potuto studiare le tecniche di combattimento corpo a corpo... se volesse imparare queste tecniche dovrebbe sacrificare parte del suo tempo (leggi: punti abilità) e così si creerebbe un personaggio ibrido mago/guerriero, che però non eccelle in nessuna delle due classi.
    Stessa cosa per le caratteristiche fisiche del guerriero: un'arma a due mani implica colpi più lenti, ma più potenti.
    Insomma le "regole dei mondi" fanno sì che se tiri la coperta da una parte, la accorci dall'altra...
    E allora?
    Semplice, tutto ciò è fondamentale per due cose importantissime: CREDIBILITA' e, quindi, IMMEDESIMAZIONE.
    E l'immedesimazione è tutto ciò a cui punta un GDR.
    Se faccio venir meno il realismo fregandome delle regole, tutto il mondo immaginario creato crolla, e non è più credibile: e la mancanza di credibilità fa venir meno l'immedesimazione.
    Per questo la COERENZA è tanto importante, in ogni sistema-mondo fantasy: perché rispettando il realismo (con riferimento alle regole del mondo immaginario creato) permette l'immedesimazione.
    Se in un film di cawboy ambientato nel passato del nostro mondo ad un certo punto gli indiani si mettessero a volare come pipistrelli, lo spettatore verrebbe catapultato di forza fuori dalla storia e comincerebbe a ridere.
    In un mondo fantasy, quindi, il realismo è ancor più importante che nel mondo reale: per il semplice motivo che nel mondo reale il realismo c'è per forza... e ci mancherebbe! Mentre in un mondo immaginario va creato e mantenuto con arte e sforzo e fatica: ma è prprio da quel realismo che nasce la magia!
    Ora, Dragon Age 2 non rispetta le regole del mondo in cui è ambientato, e quindi non è credibile, e quindi non è coerente e quindi chiude le porte in faccia all'immedesimazione.
    Cosa comporta ciò? Che:
    - se DA2 fosse un DGR, sarebbe davvero un pessimo GDR
    - se DA2 fosse un gioco action, sarebbe un brutto gioco action se paragonato ad altri del genere (soprattutto dungeon siege...)
    - se DA2 fosse un misto action-GDR, lo troverei tirato via e poco studiato.

    CONCLUDENDO
    Dopo aver giocato per diverse ore la versione definitiva di DA2, purtroppo, devo confermare le mie impressioni inziali.
    Brutto gioco, fatto in fretta e male: basta guardare la ripetività delle location o la scarnissima grafica dei menù.
    Coerenza zero, tatticità zero, personaliazzione zero.
    La storia si salva, ma non è assolutamente ai livello di DAO.
    Io ragiono nell'ottica GDR, che è quello che mi aspettavo di trovare e che mi sarebbe piaciuto giocare.
    Peccato!
    Spero che alla Bio ritrovino presto il senno e sfornino un GDR che sia un GDR vero!    … Expand
  82. SteamConvert
    Mar 22, 2011
    1
    Bottom Line: Wait for a serious price drop. My price of admission was $70 because they are selling DLC that should have been in the core came (Exiled Prince) and having almost one hundred percented the game I can tell you it's worth $30 on a good day. Quality is very uneven. Endless waves of magically appearing enemies made of nitroglycerine and jello are just stupid. Story is meh.Bottom Line: Wait for a serious price drop. My price of admission was $70 because they are selling DLC that should have been in the core came (Exiled Prince) and having almost one hundred percented the game I can tell you it's worth $30 on a good day. Quality is very uneven. Endless waves of magically appearing enemies made of nitroglycerine and jello are just stupid. Story is meh. Dialogue has it's moments. My advice: Try Fallout NV, Batman Arkham Asylum or Just Cause 2 until it's $19.99.… Expand
  83. Uncrow
    Mar 20, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As you can see from the Score i am more then disapointed...
    a Few Questions and Answers

    Does this Game really deserve 0 rating when you look and play the game?

    No it doesnt, but game publishers like EA needs to be reminded that they cant just Ruin or push/rush games without backlash or consequense.

    EA takes a product that works and Milks it, it is unacceptable.

    But the game...

    You start the game and choose your class, you will then be put into a combat sequense where you learn too use the Combat system. Pretty neat... but this cant be switched off and gets rather anoying.

    After playing the game for a few hours i had too push Exit to windows never too return.
    The amound of short cuts that has been taken in this game is insane, ever group you meet is set up the same way, every Map you discover you will return too again and again.
    The items you use you will have to change out for a better set after each act, your companions armor has been removed too save Items in the game.

    All item drops are fixed from bosses, theirs no suprises any where in this game.

    Its boring and an insult to the Gaming industry.    … Expand
  84. John_Bull
    Mar 23, 2011
    0
    After reading all the negative user reviews, I assumed people were over-reacting. As a fan of the first game I anticipated a similar engaging, driving storyline with enough RPG elements to make it more than just a by-the-numbers action adventure. Instead after 10 hours of play, I feel no compulsion to play on anymore. It feels like a poor copy of the original, with all the interestingAfter reading all the negative user reviews, I assumed people were over-reacting. As a fan of the first game I anticipated a similar engaging, driving storyline with enough RPG elements to make it more than just a by-the-numbers action adventure. Instead after 10 hours of play, I feel no compulsion to play on anymore. It feels like a poor copy of the original, with all the interesting bits taken out. Granted, if the game were called something else altogether, it may be more enjoyable - but having played the original, this just feels like a big disappointment. The grey warden fighting the forces of darkness was an interesting idea, well implemented, and fun to play through to the end. A generic "champion" raising money to go on treasure hunt is not.… Expand
  85. MNguyen1985
    Mar 24, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was evident that Dragon Age 2 was a rush job; much of the complexities that were in Dragon Age: Origins were stripped from the sequel. There are no skills to invest in such as Coercion, Pick-pocketing, and etc. Much of the class and skills are simplified into shorter trees of advancement. If I wanted to bring Merrill for the majority of my adventuring and needed healing, the problem was that all of the characters had their own skill and specialization trees and Anders the mage was the only one with a Healing skill tree. So yes, bad Merrill, no healing skills for you! The story wouldâ… Expand
  86. Qazi
    Mar 26, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Short version: High expectations not met. Disclaimer: If you never played the oldschool PC RPGs and loved ME2, go for DA2. It is a good game. This review is from the POV of one of those oldschool gamers well experienced with Bioware's track record.

    High expectations not met. That is the one-liner best to describe DA2 with. DA:O was the best PC RPG of recent time and hyping for a sequel was understandably easy. I have to add that I also played Mass Effect 1+2 and enjoyed those games. And actually thought the changes made to simplify ME2 were fitting. However I was pretty disappointed with the main plot in ME2 and the progression was "collected" at certain bridges to make the storytelling easy, but guiding the RPG experience too much.
    Due to this I was utterly disappointed with DA2. They use the same insulting progression that leaves the player with a feeling of running down a one-way tunnel. The side-quests are entertaining, but they leave a sour taste in the mouth when you realize that they overshadow the main plot. The main plot quests feels like just another side-quest and you just do not feel Hawke has any reason to consider those quests more important than the others. Like going to the deep roads. The plot's reason for Hawke to go there was to earn money, yet in parallel you have the family story and the fact that Hawke's mother actually works on getting their estate back. Personally I would have said screw-it to Bertrand and done something else to work my way up. There was nothing in the plot that indicated that the deep roads would make a major impact, yet you somehow knew you had to go because the author of the story had decided to build the plot there. Very forced and fake.
    Same with the companions. They each have their own stories and it feels more like they cross path with Hawke rather than joining in his quest (perhaps because there is no quest when Hawke picks up his companions). It feels like they went with the ME2 recipe, but forgot that ME2 had a credible reason for Shepard to fly around the galaxy getting his team together. In DA2 Hawke magically manage to keep his companions around and they will join him on the quests even if he continuously piss them off. It just seems fake.

    I can accept the changes they made. I miss the crafting, the companion gear, the ability to shape my companions pretty much how I want them, and the need to use your brain in combat. But none of those changes are game-breaking. At most they would bring the score down from 9/10 to a more average 8/10. Mostly because the gameplay is still fun.
    I am not very fond of the emphasis put on cross-class combos though. The point will be missed by the lazy gamers the game is dumbed down for, and the better gamers will spend 2 minutes setting up tactics and have access to "EZ-mode" in all game difficulties. The tactics works so well that you can trivialize all combat but the boss-fights (which also explains why people complain about the Rock Wraith fight - since it is the first time you cannot sit and watch your 3 companions do everything).
    However the lack of engaging story and the ditching of the non-linear plot from DA:O totally butchers the game's potential. Had it been a non-franchised game from an unknown developer it could have gotten away with being an alright game. But with the expectations to a Bioware game and the Dragon Age franchise it falls way below what a customer would expect.

    Add the overly positive critic reviews and you have a recipe for scamming the gamers. DA2 is in no way worth the $50 pricetag. Not when compared to Bioware's track record, where you got really deep games for that price.
    And because the main problem with the game is the storyline, DLC will not be able to fix it. No matter how many more sidequests you add to the game it will not change the fact that you feel you are running down that one-way tunnel for no other reason than because "that is what Hawke should do".

    It is by no means a bad game. And if your experience with RPGs is limited to Mass Effect, then by all means throw your money at DA2. Unless you really hate swords and magic you will not be disappointed.
    However, if you are part of the older PC gamer tradition and are familiar with Bioware's ability to write fantastic plots worthy of comparison with great fantasy novels, then you better prepare yourself to be disappointed.    … Expand
  87. pnass
    Mar 26, 2011
    5
    I went into this game expecting it to be different and, hopefully, challenging; It wasn't. Forget the story, forget the characters, forget the port quality shine, forget everything but the core game play of the first. The difficult and deep combat system was the meat and potatoes of that game. Out of everything, that is what kept me coming back for more. I have not been that into a gameI went into this game expecting it to be different and, hopefully, challenging; It wasn't. Forget the story, forget the characters, forget the port quality shine, forget everything but the core game play of the first. The difficult and deep combat system was the meat and potatoes of that game. Out of everything, that is what kept me coming back for more. I have not been that into a game since... well the last good game bioware made.
    I have beaten the game, albeit begrudgingly. It reminded me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I remember going to see it in theaters with my dad and the first scene was great but it quickly went down hill and the only reason my dad and I didn't leave was because we loved the first one so much. "Come on Paul, lets go see a different movie." "No, it might get better in a few minutes. How many times can she say, "INDY!!!"" This game feels like the Temple of Doom. The only reason I could play though it was because I loved Origins so much, but the reason I found this game so mediocre was because I loved Origins so much. The only thing that has overshadowed this 'let down' was the fact that PC Gamer gave this game a 90+ rating.
    I used to wait for the mailman to get my copy of PC gamer every month for fifteen ducking years. In fact when I cancelled my subscription they called me back offering a free year but I'd had had enough. Either PC gamer is out of touch or they are trying to sell the game for EA. Either way I can no longer get an unbiased review from them. The 'review' PC gamer gave DA 2 seemed like it was just emailed to them from EA with some gift cards packaged in. Now don't get me wrong, there are some things about DA 2 that I liked. Except that those wonderful improvements were small potatoes compared to where Bioware screwed up. The clumsy exposition and dialogue was fit for a cartoon network after school special. I'd rather watch the Golden Girls with my girlfriend, who almost left me when I got into the first game.
    What I am trying to say, is that we, the customers, should make a statement. DON'T BUY THIS GAME! On its own it is an average game but, given the circumstances, it must be a great game. So don't buy this game, don't pirate this game, and don't buy/read PC gamer until they all get their **** together. I would have rather waited another year or two for a better game then be here telling everyone how pissed I am.    … Expand
  88. maliusmaximus
    Mar 30, 2011
    3
    Epic fail. So disappointed as Dragon Age was the game that got me interested in Bioware. Bought Mass Effect 1 and 2, also Bioshock as a direct result of DAO. There is enormous re-use of maps that makes the game feel very repetitive (they just seal and open different parts of the same map for many quests).
    The killer though is the game breaking Isabela friendship bug. This corrupts the    Epic fail. So disappointed as Dragon Age was the game that got me interested in Bioware. Bought Mass Effect 1 and 2, also Bioshock as a direct result of DAO. There is enormous re-use of maps that makes the game feel very repetitive (they just seal and open different parts of the same map for many quests).
    The killer though is the game breaking Isabela friendship bug. This corrupts the character file and makes the game literally completely unplayable on PC after a few hours if you switch Isabela in and out often. No solution by Bioware so unless you are happy to edit your savegame, you are stuck with a PC copy that doesn't work. A game always has known bugs upon release, but the developer can choose if the bugs are major enough to warrant a release delay. Bioware felt that they could still release a game that literally does not work on PC after a few hours. This either shows a complete disregard for their customers or far too little beta testing. This is the first time I pre-purchased a game. It will certainly be the last time I pre-purchase (and possibly pay for at all) a Bioware game.    … Expand
  89. kweeks1
    Mar 31, 2011
    1
    What a disapointment no store line, repetative locations, boring quests, hardly any interaction with your companions. Replay ability is about nothing unless you include moving the lever from casual to nightmare mode.
  90. Stoo
    Apr 7, 2011
    4
    Less than great. I bought it sight unseen because of how fully realized and fun DAO was. Never making that mistake again.

    I get the sense DA2 was just too rushed. The combat, the quests, endless map rehashing and even recycled music from DAO just hugely disappointed me. Fairly weak story on top of it. And yes the ham fisted handling of dialog was just sloppy and very unappealing. For    Less than great. I bought it sight unseen because of how fully realized and fun DAO was. Never making that mistake again.

    I get the sense DA2 was just too rushed. The combat, the quests, endless map rehashing and even recycled music from DAO just hugely disappointed me. Fairly weak story on top of it. And yes the ham fisted handling of dialog was just sloppy and very unappealing. For example you get +10 rival with Anders when you pass on his homosexual come-on. I get the sense this is an old guy's idea of giving something for everyone and an equally dated concept of PC approaches to sexuality by actually increasing rival points for choosing "Not interested". The flashiness of the combat, the 'edgy' dialog, all of it just adds up to a very dated and cynical delivery of someone's idea of what people are supposed to want instead of the openness and focus on a quality game I got from DAO.

    I am trying to be fair and try to factor out my frame of reference with DAO but at best I can still only come up with a slightly below average rating. There are far more in depth reviews here than mine but they're accurate. I rate it below average without my DAO bias, which would otherwise have made it higher. In all truth I played it once and have absolutely no desire to play it again. The one play added up to some 20+ hours of game play vs the 50+ of its predecessor    … Expand
  91. Vermillion
    Apr 11, 2011
    6
    Good graphics, combat and music. The story is alright in my book. There are still many bugs present in the game. For instance, one quest did not even show up in the game world. I'm disappointed in Bioware's decision to recycle the areas throughout the game. At some point, you will know when and where to expect traps and treasures. Also, the game doesn't feel very lively any more at someGood graphics, combat and music. The story is alright in my book. There are still many bugs present in the game. For instance, one quest did not even show up in the game world. I'm disappointed in Bioware's decision to recycle the areas throughout the game. At some point, you will know when and where to expect traps and treasures. Also, the game doesn't feel very lively any more at some point. Replayability is high due to the various class combinations that are possible. I hope that the next installment will be more akin to Dragon Age: Origins.… Expand
  92. Geroge
    Apr 19, 2011
    5
    the game was obviously rushed the combat gets very repetitive after a while and the maps are recycled the story is shorter but although it's a good one i say it's very disappointing game but still if u like stories and rpg in general it s still a good one
  93. blackShawarma
    May 1, 2011
    6
    First, I loved DA:O. It was an amazing game and I had very high hopes for DA2, but unfortunately it's a big let-down. By no means is it a bad game, but it lacks the 'magic?' of DA:O leaving it indistinguishable from its competition.

    DA:O did a great job with the companions - Alistair, Morrigan and Leliana were great characters with great dialogue--the game did an awesome job expounding    First, I loved DA:O. It was an amazing game and I had very high hopes for DA2, but unfortunately it's a big let-down. By no means is it a bad game, but it lacks the 'magic?' of DA:O leaving it indistinguishable from its competition.

    DA:O did a great job with the companions - Alistair, Morrigan and Leliana were great characters with great dialogue--the game did an awesome job expounding on their backstories and personalities as time passed and the major plot-line advanced. Other than Varric, the companions in DA2 feel rushed, irrelevant, artificial and unnatural. This is a major blow to the game as companions are so central to DA:O's success.

    The changes to the dialog system were good, as was the move to a MassEffect-like friend/rival system.. this isn't dumbing-down and is one of the few improvement over DA:O.

    The fighting, while very cool at first, becomes excruciatingly repetitive very quickly. How many freakin' Shrieks did the developers think we needed to kill? I mean if you're going to build this complex and finely-tuned combat system, why the hell would you populate the maps with Shriek after Shriek, then a big Shriek or spider, over and over and over...

    I was very disappointed by the lack of different locations in the game. You spend pretty much the entire game (~40 hours?) in one city - Kirkwall. That's it. In DA:O you explore an entire continent, from the the cities to the mountains, hidden temples, castles and battlefields... In DA2 you go uptown then downtown, a trip to a cave, and that's about it.

    Overall I'm really disappointed - all they had to do was keep doing what they did so right with DA:O, but apparently that wasn't the plan. To be fair, it's a decent game, but it could have been so much better, and the franchise as a whole has probably lost some legitimacy.    … Expand
  94. Etnos
    May 7, 2011
    0
    I don´t get this BIoware what are you thinking, they had all this beautiful assets and brand new wonderful engine in Origins.. you dish all that out.. To make Dragon age of Duty! is this really, are they going to dumb down all games!? like whats the point if I'm to see a cheap tv lord of the rings clone, I might as well do it for free in my TV.. I dont need another "tour content" rpg.
  95. Kagd
    May 16, 2011
    1
    What a disappointment.
    Don't buy this game if your expecting anything similar to Dragon Age Origins, or in the same line as KOTOR or Baldur's gate. Instead of improving on the what was good about DA:O, Bioware (now a an EA subsidiary) choose to appeal to the lowest common denominator and dumb down the game to it's very core. The result is a tepid hack'n'slash with some childish dialog in    What a disappointment.
    Don't buy this game if your expecting anything similar to Dragon Age Origins, or in the same line as KOTOR or Baldur's gate. Instead of improving on the what was good about DA:O, Bioware (now a an EA subsidiary) choose to appeal to the lowest common denominator and dumb down the game to it's very core. The result is a tepid hack'n'slash with some childish dialog in the mix. I cannot believe the critics rate this game so high. EA must truly be a power to be feared. I rarely regret purchasing a game but here is one example. Do not get this game. You will regret it.    … Expand
  96. aha62
    May 17, 2011
    1
    Reused areas. Stuck in the same city for the duration of the game. Almost no link with the first game. Action oriented. Ugly character models (just google Merril's hands). Cliché story.

    A pathetic attempt at grabbing money from fans of DA1. A rushed game that's a slap in the face to all RPG fans out there. An abomination.
  97. N_Stannard
    May 17, 2011
    0
    Bioware releases another misogynistic jaunt into the S#!t Mountain world of 'Dragon Age.' There is hardly anything of substance to recommend this train wreck to a discerning connoisseur of RPGs. Every element of its design can be described as 'embarrassingly awkward.' Animation, art direction, dialog, writing, combat. It's a list of sad mediocrities as long as your arm. The game itselfBioware releases another misogynistic jaunt into the S#!t Mountain world of 'Dragon Age.' There is hardly anything of substance to recommend this train wreck to a discerning connoisseur of RPGs. Every element of its design can be described as 'embarrassingly awkward.' Animation, art direction, dialog, writing, combat. It's a list of sad mediocrities as long as your arm. The game itself behaves like a confused child. Does it want to be a console port with mediocre graphics? Or a PC game with bad graphics? In either situation the designers have failed to deliver on both satisfying combat or a compelling story that ever rises above the juvenile. Look to the masters at CD Projekt RED with their latest RPG epic, The Witcher 2, for inspiration in your future games, Bioware.… Expand
  98. Poleaxe
    May 17, 2011
    0
    One of the worst games ever made. It takes a rather intellectually challenged individual to even put forth the idea that people enjoy running through EXACTLY THE SAME caves and buildings 10+ times for 10 different quests, let alone to make a game based on that principle.

    If you're looking for a good RPG, search elsewhere.
  99. neppakyo
    May 18, 2011
    3
    What can I say that others haven't? DA2 is a commercial failure. See what short dev time, and an idiotic Lead Dev who does a 180 to fix things that weren't broken, and break other things. Why if you have such a short time, you go and tr to re-invent the wheel? Why not fix, tweak, and build upon origins instead of doing this silly drivel? I did love the concept of the story, but it wasWhat can I say that others haven't? DA2 is a commercial failure. See what short dev time, and an idiotic Lead Dev who does a 180 to fix things that weren't broken, and break other things. Why if you have such a short time, you go and tr to re-invent the wheel? Why not fix, tweak, and build upon origins instead of doing this silly drivel? I did love the concept of the story, but it was horribly executed, so many plot holes that you could drive an aircraft carrier through. Not to mention all the immersion breaking stuff as well. Don't get me started on BW's attempt at Final Fantasy characters(Fenris is cloud) and flashy lame combat that takes no thought at all.
    Story: 7 (good idea, bad execution. Drop the frame narrative bioware, you suck at it)
    Graphics: 5 (overly not an improvement over DA:O. Some better character models, but I prefer the grittiness of DAO over it)
    Audio: 6 (Even the music was rushed. Inon did an excellent job regardless and upped my score for it.)
    Combat: 2 (While some balance issues were addressed, the whole balloon body exploding meth induced speed combat, idiotic animations, waves, armored ninjas falling from the sky..)

    When I originally played it, I was generous and gave it a 6-7 /10 on the "official" forum. As you spend more time with it, the lower the score keeps going. Way too many faults. The piles of crap in DA2 out weigh all the good thats in it.
    4 / 10. Must be nice having EA pay off a bunch of professional reviewers, eh?    … Expand
  100. HungerSTGF
    May 18, 2011
    4
    Probably the biggest disappointment of the year thus far. Dragon Age Origins was such a well-crafted RPG, so what went wrong with the sequel? In short, the game went casual. Everything that catered to the RPG fans out there has been simplified completely. Sure, I can welcome a simplified conversation system, and I can welcome some easier skill management, but where the line is drawn is atProbably the biggest disappointment of the year thus far. Dragon Age Origins was such a well-crafted RPG, so what went wrong with the sequel? In short, the game went casual. Everything that catered to the RPG fans out there has been simplified completely. Sure, I can welcome a simplified conversation system, and I can welcome some easier skill management, but where the line is drawn is at the combat. What used to be a strategic combat system is now along the lines of Dynasty Warriors, having players spam a single button to do most of the dirty work, occasionally pressing other buttons to trigger skills. On top of that, the visuals seem very dated and more importantly the maps are simplified, in fact the maps of dungeons in the beginning of the game remain the same by quests near the end of the game. Reusing maps, really? I can't see any effort put into this game, and this is very disappointing considering I've loved everything else that Bioware has put out. Unfortunately the copypasta of the same maps and the barbaric combat is just not my thing.… 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 »