Dragon Age II

 Xbox 360
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2466 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 795 out of 2466
  2. Mixed: 431 out of 2466
  3. Negative: 1,240 out of 2466
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  1. wilddemoncat
    May 19, 2011
    3
    I own every bioware game ever made, and this is only one I really have been disappointed in, don't get me wrong I did enjoy parts of the game, but clearly EA had them rush it out, reused art assets, maps and ninja's jumping down from 2nd floor or higher in full plate........ Out of everything in this game what I disliked most was the combat spawning system, no excuse to be teleporting inI own every bioware game ever made, and this is only one I really have been disappointed in, don't get me wrong I did enjoy parts of the game, but clearly EA had them rush it out, reused art assets, maps and ninja's jumping down from 2nd floor or higher in full plate........ Out of everything in this game what I disliked most was the combat spawning system, no excuse to be teleporting in units for a fight unless in startrek or some magic teleportation that makes sense.

    I found almost all the battles same, 1st group attack kill them 2nd harder group teleports in broke the game for me.

    After finishing wither 2 today I really see how much was missing from DA 2.

    BIOWARE RIP    … Expand
  2. Fascination80
    May 19, 2011
    3
    I love RPGs. I loved Dragon Age Origens. This game is not an RPG. Very linear playthrough; I played both endings (yes, only 2 endings!) and your choices don't really matter.
    You can't talk with your companions whenever you want like in Origens so you don't feel as connected to them. My iPhone is messing up so that's all I can type now but shame on you, Bioware
  3. rusina
    Jun 6, 2011
    0
    If you are a fan of Dragon Age: Origins, I recommend leaving this abomination on the store shelf. Re-used areas, one dimensional characters, tedious quests and the dumbed down combat ruin the game completely.
  4. liotius
    Jun 1, 2011
    4
    Worst BioWare game I've played yet. Remarkably unfinished to such a laughable degree. Many of the zones are _exact_ copies of other zones, with easily identifiable markings to the fact. So much so in fact that they had to jury rig blockades for areas they didn't want you to go into, not even bothering to update the minimap, causing you to continually go toward implacable barriers. TheWorst BioWare game I've played yet. Remarkably unfinished to such a laughable degree. Many of the zones are _exact_ copies of other zones, with easily identifiable markings to the fact. So much so in fact that they had to jury rig blockades for areas they didn't want you to go into, not even bothering to update the minimap, causing you to continually go toward implacable barriers. The voice acting was poorest for the main character, every remark sounded like a sarcastic one, leaving no real movement on emotion.

    Buggy quests as well, some quests remain active even if there is absolutely no way to complete them.

    As far as the storyline goes absolutely felt like a beginning but if its the beginning then why number it as 2? Poor choice by some of the higher ups on naming this game.    … Expand
  5. SarahCuda
    Aug 14, 2011
    1
    I was really excited for this game to come out, but. I wasent all impressed. The combat game play was better and that was the only this that made this game likable. I was not happy with the story. When i think Dragon age i think Grey Wardens and they did not evn go there in this game. I was not impressed.. The whole game you have to run around doing everyones arrends which made the gameI was really excited for this game to come out, but. I wasent all impressed. The combat game play was better and that was the only this that made this game likable. I was not happy with the story. When i think Dragon age i think Grey Wardens and they did not evn go there in this game. I was not impressed.. The whole game you have to run around doing everyones arrends which made the game boring toward the middle. The AI was boring, DA1 yo ugot to know your party members which made you feel attached. If your thinking of getting this game I would rethink it. Get the first one instead.… Expand
  6. Vertillian
    Nov 30, 2011
    0
    This makes a lie of all the previous praise for Bioware. Shoddy design, and lazy production values! In my opinion the inflated praise for ME2 has effected them far too much. Supposedly known for their "humility" bioware still won't admit to the outright failure and terrible reception this game has received. This is not an RPG, its a bland attempt to turn a successful Fantasy RPG into MassThis makes a lie of all the previous praise for Bioware. Shoddy design, and lazy production values! In my opinion the inflated praise for ME2 has effected them far too much. Supposedly known for their "humility" bioware still won't admit to the outright failure and terrible reception this game has received. This is not an RPG, its a bland attempt to turn a successful Fantasy RPG into Mass effect. Linear, unresponsive gameplay with no depth, nor attempt at decent storyline. No consequence to actions, nor any noticeable change to story. Shocking.… Expand
  7. Acquiredempire
    Dec 8, 2011
    0
    Bioware fan since Baldur's Gate but this game was rushed, dumb downed and in my mind a sub par money grab off the success of Origins. Barley a RPG. Could have been so much more. Bioware is trying to walk the fine line of pulling in new fans without alienating their core. I hope this is not a sign of things to come from EA.
  8. Bralz
    Dec 21, 2011
    1
    This is without a doubt the worst RPG I have ever played. Period. It's the RPG equivalent of repeatedly smacking your head against a wall. Combat is atrocious, characters are lame, dialogue is crap, and the story is boring and full of holes. Do yourself a favor, give this stinker a wide berth.
  9. ManOfSteel
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    This game is a monstrosity. After a beautiful and well-written game in DA:O, BioWare took everything about the game, burned it, dumbed down gameplay and made hack/slash combat and a boring story, and what you have is the Dragon Age name tarnished forever. The effort or this game was lazy and rushed. They were very lazy in this game, and BioWare should be ashamed. I will never play a DAThis game is a monstrosity. After a beautiful and well-written game in DA:O, BioWare took everything about the game, burned it, dumbed down gameplay and made hack/slash combat and a boring story, and what you have is the Dragon Age name tarnished forever. The effort or this game was lazy and rushed. They were very lazy in this game, and BioWare should be ashamed. I will never play a DA game again. But at least there is Skyrim :).… Expand
  10. Nichtswisser
    Apr 24, 2012
    3
    Behold one of the worst sequels in history: Dragon Age 2, the adventure of Hawk in copy&paste Land. If you ever wanted to see serious recycling this is the game for you
  11. hellogoodbye
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    "You are not the landed gentry and intelligentsia of these forums â
  12. tei15
    Mar 15, 2011
    1
    Worst sequel ever. Unbearably repetitive locations (effectively just a copy paste), boring story, weak writing, bad visuals (characters are even uglier than in the first game) . Never expected people who made ME2 to publish such low-quality game.
  13. bobloadmire
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    awful game, and EA/Bioware bans (banned from actually using the game) users for talking bad about the game on their forums. Do not buy from this company.
  14. feanor81
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    I was a huge fan of the bioware products in the 90s up until DA1, but this one really sucks
    Just an arcarde game with more cinematic than play
    No isometric ? Not an rpg, sorry EA, you really screwed up this one
  15. binarybetrayer
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    A mayor setback from the first title in every aspect of the game. maybe with more time to get the game properly made instead of rushing it and selling a halfmade thing it would really live up to the scores the rabid fanbase is spamming everywhere to hide the fact that this is actually a bad game.
  16. raviadso
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    this game doesnt work as an RPG, a strategy RPG, or even an action RPG. RPG-The story is too short, ininspired and blah to capture anyone's attention and has none of the epicness of a passable RPG.
    SRPG- The skills/classes are far too unbalanced and the games core mechanics are not designed to be terribly strategic. It just doesnt work
    ARPG- the action is fluid and fun but the totally    this game doesnt work as an RPG, a strategy RPG, or even an action RPG. RPG-The story is too short, ininspired and blah to capture anyone's attention and has none of the epicness of a passable RPG.
    SRPG- The skills/classes are far too unbalanced and the games core mechanics are not designed to be terribly strategic. It just doesnt work
    ARPG- the action is fluid and fun but the totally dumbed down equipment management (which borders on retarded), the total lack of variety of enemies and the repetition of only 10 small (SMALL!) zones make this game not even work as a dungeon crawler.    … Expand
  17. BKotick
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This game is so bad. Call of Duty: Black Ops, by Treyarch is 100x better than this! In Black Ops, there is a variety of different maps to play on (unlike this game), plus additional maps that you can buy! I don't see Dragon Age 2 offering free* additional maps!

    *After purchase, the maps become free to download again if you accidentally delete them.
  18. durgenage2
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Bioware used to be such a good developer too it really is sad to see them create something this god-awful. I would not recommend this game as a frisbee, much less as entertainment.
  19. Essense
    Mar 14, 2011
    2
    Don't support this putrid crap. Bioware sold out any soul it had left when it incubated this turd for what appears to have been a few weeks.

    Bioware and EA are out there drugding up false reviews (Fake 10 out of 10) to try and milk as much money money as possible from a game that deserves anything but any of your hard earned cash.

    Stay away.
  20. xnoxiousx
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    Crap dragon age 2 is not even close to as good as da1. Da1 was one of best rpgs in recent time but they took all that was great and stripped it down to crap that is dragon effect.
  21. Doublecross
    Mar 18, 2011
    0
    Wow, lol i cannot believe this, I s*** you not, like 3/4 through Act 2 i was like F*** this. Everything is the same not just map that i have already painfully accepted. But holy crap there was not 1 epic quest that actually took me a on a journey that was memorable. I really hated everything about this game. The only + was the combat, but even that got old after i have fractured my thumbWow, lol i cannot believe this, I s*** you not, like 3/4 through Act 2 i was like F*** this. Everything is the same not just map that i have already painfully accepted. But holy crap there was not 1 epic quest that actually took me a on a journey that was memorable. I really hated everything about this game. The only + was the combat, but even that got old after i have fractured my thumb on the mute...... i mean A button ;) (really Bioware?). And the lack of strategy, if there even needed to be any. When i played DAO i played the whole game on normal difficulty until the end, i just had to turn it on Casual cause i simply had no clue wtf i was doing wrong. But things would just beat the living s*** out of me. Now DA2 I played on normal the whole way through ACT 1, thinking wtf, why is this so easy. I had to turn it on Hard, and i never do that in any games, i hate challenges lol. But what the heck, all i was doing before was push a button and things started exploding right if front of me. I know its not major, but i feel like that just furthermore proofs how this games was just dumbed down to little schnitzel scheisters. Iam also playing a warrior, another thing that pissed me off is for me to wait for brittle *sigh, i need more brittle orgasms in this game. And although DOA was full of tactics and all that crap that i just wasnt used to in an RPG i began to love it. Sure it pissed me off that i spent most of the time during a battle at times in the Radial Menu, but w/e. I just missed the tactics in DA2. I also want to point out my final F*** this Game moment. So as i was doing the nightmare mission i was like yaay back in the fade killing shades and all that junk. I was sooooo prepared for like an epic long quest journey and bought poisons and potions to stock up for some action, just like in DAO. And then after 15 minutes the quest was over LOL. The dialogues before the quest took as much time as the the actuel fighting time. Wow i was pissed lol. I have to stop right here cause this isnt really constructive anymore, iam too pissed to continue, In summation DAO = Wow something new, something fresh, epic journeys, amazing world and areas, EPIC STORY DA2 = I just ran out of toilet paper, but even there it fails. I then tried DAO, and of course as clean a newborns butt. PS: Casey Hudson, I have complete Faith in you that you will not even remotely screw up Mass Effect 3, your team has brought RPGs to another level. Now please do me a favor go to your DA2 buddies office and break your foot up David Gaiders a**… Expand
  22. WarViking
    Mar 26, 2011
    0
    They said this game had a 8 month development cycle, i think most of us could tell based on how lazy everything was. The gameplay, the characters, the environments, the missions, hell even the soundtrack itself was all lazy Bioware lost respect from me after this release the game was even more lazy than Jade Empire was. It seems Bioware is destined to streamline all their games. AlsoThey said this game had a 8 month development cycle, i think most of us could tell based on how lazy everything was. The gameplay, the characters, the environments, the missions, hell even the soundtrack itself was all lazy Bioware lost respect from me after this release the game was even more lazy than Jade Empire was. It seems Bioware is destined to streamline all their games. Also Bioware needs to stop getting their dev team to come on these sites and give false good reviews own up to the crap you created.… Expand
  23. jurpque
    Mar 10, 2011
    2
    Bioware is death for me.
    Púdrete en el infierno Bioware, cómo puedes venderte de esta manera? traicionando lo que te ha hecho grande, Dragon Age II es basura. Juego sin emoción, pasillero, diálogos estériles, trama aburrida, sin cámara cenital, no vale la pena decir mucho más,
  24. shaun1021
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    -entire game takes place in 1 location, (imagine playing all of DA:O in Denerim without leaving)
    -re-used environments (you keep going to the same 100% identical dungeon)
    -you cant speak to your companions (you speak to companions once and then they ignore you) -you cant customize your companions -the companions are awful, boring, 1 dimensional and hideous looking -Filled with bugs (you    -entire game takes place in 1 location, (imagine playing all of DA:O in Denerim without leaving)
    -re-used environments (you keep going to the same 100% identical dungeon)
    -you cant speak to your companions (you speak to companions once and then they ignore you)
    -you cant customize your companions
    -the companions are awful, boring, 1 dimensional and hideous looking
    -Filled with bugs (you cant play on "very high detail" setting or the game breaks down)
    -gameplay is a joke (you stab people with your knife and they explode into jelly like they got hit by a grenade)
    -the game is short (about 20 hours, and you wont want to play again)
    -character creation uses same hairstyles, tattoos and resources from DA:O -terrible value, game not worth money, you will feel 100% disappointed
    -I want my money back    … Expand
  25. sheep
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    It's a big shame to see a studio that was responsible for legendary titles such as Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights releasing such a disgraceful title called Dragon Age 2. Generic combat, annoying cut-scenes with cheesy dialogs, closed maps - where is freedom I ask? I can't believe that major gaming sites rated this game so well. I can only think of sponsoring articles... Game just gotIt's a big shame to see a studio that was responsible for legendary titles such as Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights releasing such a disgraceful title called Dragon Age 2. Generic combat, annoying cut-scenes with cheesy dialogs, closed maps - where is freedom I ask? I can't believe that major gaming sites rated this game so well. I can only think of sponsoring articles... Game just got released and we have DLC already - laughable. Making money on well-known IP, that's all. It's sad.… Expand
  26. darkendless
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    The developers claim that they have "streamlined" the game, but in actuality all they have done is ripped out the characteristics that made DA:O fun and unique. Catering to the mainstream user was a huge failure.
  27. not_good
    Mar 23, 2011
    4
    This game is **** great if you love jrpg's.

    If you like $60 epic sequels from premiere developers to award winning and critically acclaimed games, you will be disappointed however.
  28. Ravenous
    Mar 22, 2011
    0
    This was the worst Bioware game I've ever played. Where to begin... the overall plot was pathetic, with Act 3 being a complete disaster. Act 2 should have been the final act, with the minor conflict that was Act 3 being just an event that occurred sometime before the final events of Act 2. In other words, the two acts should have been switched. In addition, the combat was terrible, withThis was the worst Bioware game I've ever played. Where to begin... the overall plot was pathetic, with Act 3 being a complete disaster. Act 2 should have been the final act, with the minor conflict that was Act 3 being just an event that occurred sometime before the final events of Act 2. In other words, the two acts should have been switched. In addition, the combat was terrible, with the respawning of enemies becoming so predictable that you can literally expect it to happen in every single fight (YAWWWWN). Just press the attack button over and over, occasionally use a special ability, and you can play the game without even looking at the screen. This game is a complete disaster, and anyone who says they like it is probably deficient in some way.… Expand
  29. Madval
    Mar 12, 2011
    1
    Simply a damn console game for inept inapt. The 1 was so much better. Fail bioware. As someone say : Boring, boring and boring ... Can't even compare it to DA:O not to mention BioWare's older RPG games. Incredible disappointment. No much more to say. Simply a damn console game for inept inapt. The 1 was so much better. Fail bioware. As someone say : Boring, boring and boring ... Can't evenSimply a damn console game for inept inapt. The 1 was so much better. Fail bioware. As someone say : Boring, boring and boring ... Can't even compare it to DA:O not to mention BioWare's older RPG games. Incredible disappointment. No much more to say. Simply a damn console game for inept inapt. The 1 was so much better. Fail bioware. As someone say : Boring, boring and boring ... Can't even compare it to DA:O not to mention BioWare's older RPG games. Incredible disappointment. No much more to say.… Expand
  30. Olf
    Mar 11, 2011
    1
    A game that resembles every other RPG game tossed out for consoles. No imagination or creativity. The ingenuity that made Dragon Age origins so ground breaking is totally lost on this sequel that would make DAO get an emancipation from Dragon Age 2 if it could so it would not stain its good name. A terrible at best sequel and a very sub par game in general. Poorly done Bioware, and EA youA game that resembles every other RPG game tossed out for consoles. No imagination or creativity. The ingenuity that made Dragon Age origins so ground breaking is totally lost on this sequel that would make DAO get an emancipation from Dragon Age 2 if it could so it would not stain its good name. A terrible at best sequel and a very sub par game in general. Poorly done Bioware, and EA you should be ashamed by the lack of imagination it took to create this game.… Expand
  31. EAsukshard
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I made an account just for this.Dragon age 2 is **** sequel ever made. Not to mention Avanost gave a 10/10 because he works at Bioware ! seriously? Give your own game a 10/10 shame on you! Umm where to start? o yea sh!t graphics, for dx11 game the game looks like junk, something that was made 4 years ago and not now, we expected great, people working on the game said it will look amazingI made an account just for this.Dragon age 2 is **** sequel ever made. Not to mention Avanost gave a 10/10 because he works at Bioware ! seriously? Give your own game a 10/10 shame on you! Umm where to start? o yea sh!t graphics, for dx11 game the game looks like junk, something that was made 4 years ago and not now, we expected great, people working on the game said it will look amazing and it turn out to be for lack of better word Sh1tty.
    Game play = Tone down so much feel like diablo 2 hack/slash all day yawn.. requires zero skills. I bet a retard with IQ of 5 can beat this game. LIterally
    Console port! 100% is a console port don't fuking bs EA or bioware this PIECE OF SH1t is a console port ~! I dont give a fuk what you say it's a **** console port! ok? everyone it's A CONSOLE PORT NOT a PC game.

    OOOO not to mention the environment is reused, so everywhere you go it looks the same, which is more like a CONSOLE PORT!!!    … Expand
  32. ADogChasingCars
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Inspired by the success of Mass Effect 2, Bioware decided to send the Dragon Age franchise down the same dirt brown road. Taking an interesting universe, populated by interesting characters, and replacing it with a bland hero story that tries to hard at every direction. The only button you should press to make something awesome happen with this game is the eject button. :D
  33. jaymac407
    Mar 16, 2011
    1
    Wow. What a disappointment. I don't know what EA are paying the critics, but it must be a very large amount.
    I've given this game a 1 instead of a 0 because the graphics are spectacular. Unfortunately, that's all that's good about this game.
    This wasn't an RPG and I didn't feel like I was in control of the story. It seemed too scripted which is unlike a typical BioWare title. I do not see    Wow. What a disappointment. I don't know what EA are paying the critics, but it must be a very large amount.
    I've given this game a 1 instead of a 0 because the graphics are spectacular. Unfortunately, that's all that's good about this game.
    This wasn't an RPG and I didn't feel like I was in control of the story. It seemed too scripted which is unlike a typical BioWare title.
    I do not see why this was called "Dragon Age II" - because there was little, if any continuation from the previous game. It was hard to see where this game linked to the first.

    Oh, and releasing a DLC before the game was even out yet? Shame on you EA!    … Expand
  34. monkcocoa
    Mar 17, 2011
    0
    This game is a mess. The Ishtar of video games. Everything is a downgrade from the first game in the series. The graphics are sloppy and cheap. The game play is dumbed down. The story and characters are worse than the original, if that is even possible. Bioware has really been going downhill since they have been bought by EA.
  35. InformedGamer
    Mar 20, 2011
    0
    BIOWARE AND EA WROTE THE POSITIVE REVIEWS FOUND ON METACRITIC! Google: "Dragon Age Metacritic Review". I'm sure that most of these positive reviews were written by people with a connection to EA, Bioware or the employees friends and family. If you need to deceptively self promote that is a sign of a BIG PROBLEM! This is not even an RPG at all. Action game, yes...kind of. Devoid of anyBIOWARE AND EA WROTE THE POSITIVE REVIEWS FOUND ON METACRITIC! Google: "Dragon Age Metacritic Review". I'm sure that most of these positive reviews were written by people with a connection to EA, Bioware or the employees friends and family. If you need to deceptively self promote that is a sign of a BIG PROBLEM! This is not even an RPG at all. Action game, yes...kind of. Devoid of any life, the main city feels like an empty shell. The story is poor and the NPC's are lame. I am shocked that this was the sequel. And with the DLC, it feels like a complete money grab. Now I know why EA didn't offer a collector's edition, they can make far more money this way. Bioware has slid to a new low and this is from someone that has been a lifetime fan. All I want to do is bring forth the truth about this so we as gamers can influence a change for the better from a corporate entity that has turned their eyes to dollars instead of quality.… Expand
  36. Redfordsto
    May 22, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's impossible to review this game without comparing to it's predecessor. The most direct reason being that it's billed as a sequel with the "II" hanging there rather than a sub-title indicating this is a relative concurrent adventure to the original. I played through Origin so many times, I had to remove some of the save character profiles to a flash drive because there was a limit on how many characters that I could create. For DA2, I played through four times to find any variation with regard to choice. There wasn't any. That being said...

    Pros: -The graphics engine has been improved. The set pieces are more picturesque than the original. Even the combat animations are more diverse and compelling. -The audio. Both effects and soundtrack are even better than the original. Inon Zur earned his keep yet again. If only there was someone to download the remix of Florence and the Machine's track. -Having a voiced hero does allow for a deeper connection to your hero. It's fun to hear your hero reflect your choices in tone. And the voice acting is excellent. -There are a few more character customization options as far as hair and facial hair... -You can import your saved games from Dragon Age: Origins. -Skill progression as far as branching rather than directly progressive is was more rewarding than just unlocking the next in a row or skills. -Your companions have individual skill trees that are useful. -There were a number or armor variations and weapon variations as far as appearance and textures. -The companion characters are unique and voiced well.

    Cons: -You can import your saved games from Dragon Age: Origins, but it makes no difference at all. The only purpose is to slightly vary a dozen or so comments made by ancillary characters. -A large amount of character customization is gone. No choice of who your character is with regard to backstory. No variation of races. You can choose your class, change your face, and upgrade skills. The opportunity to give more options to the player was lost. -The skill trees were inventive, but there was little in the way of improving skills. Rather than investing in skills that work with your style of gameplay you unlock another skill. Most skills are maxed at a single upgrade. -The endless repetition of dungeons. You see the same locations again and again. And again. -While the weapons and armor looked good, only your main character can use the armor. Your companions are only slightly customizable. -Choice doesn't matter like it once did. You side with someone or help someone escape harm and you end up getting a nice letter and do all the same quests regardless of choice. Your choices don't open up new locations or options only vary dialogue. The biggest choice you have is to not do some of the quests. -You spend 85% of your time in the same city. The story is suppose to take place over a decade but any change in the city are minimal. There are no new area or expansions. There's an occasional new wall or statue and you move live... once. And the only change to your mansion after a few year is you gain a few bottles of liquor and your love interest moves in a mandolin. -Where are the traps, the different types of arrows, various grenades, the runes, and all the potions. Instead of increasing variation, they are either stripped down or just plain gone. This also decreases tactical options. -The stories of all the potential love interests are all depressing. There are no options for happy endings. You're going to find out Fenris is alone, Merrill will alienate her clan, Isabella will do anything to get her ship, and Anders will start a war. While the stories and personalities are unique, their arcs are all downers. -The main story is a set of sidequests. While many are good, when you see the same locations more than a dozen times, it blurs into a mindless hack and fetch experience. Made more boring the second time because even if I sided with the mages on the first playthrough, I get to do the same missions on the second playthrough when siding with templars. And on the third playthrough while trying to stay impartial... which you can't. Further, the threads connecting the acts are thin. I find an artifact while trying to become rich and somehow it corrupts the final boss who I never really interact with till the final act. There's no sustained rivalry and no real growth considering you're supposed to enact the emergence of a hero. Nor do your companions really evolve over the course of the story, they seem obsessed with singular goals. It's a linear story with the false promise of choice. -The highlight that should have been the connection to your family fell way short. You have one act to get to know a sibling then you don't see them till the end of the game... or they died. The promise fell to the same overly dark theme of either killing everybody off or bitter realizations. -Plain lack of satisfaction upon completion compared to most games.    … Expand
  37. milkymoor
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This is easily Bioware's worst game to date. Extremely repetitive and grueling combat. A lackluster progression system where you never feel any more powerful. A storyline with no internal consistency to itself or its predecessor and there's zero choices except for choosing whether Hawke is nice, angry or sarcastic. Companions are average at best and terrible at worst. And it's incrediblyThis is easily Bioware's worst game to date. Extremely repetitive and grueling combat. A lackluster progression system where you never feel any more powerful. A storyline with no internal consistency to itself or its predecessor and there's zero choices except for choosing whether Hawke is nice, angry or sarcastic. Companions are average at best and terrible at worst. And it's incredibly buggy with cutscenes firing out of order and other strange glitches.

    And I say this as someone who has loved Bioware since the days of Baldur's Gate. This is the game that will shake Bioware's reputation amongst fans and consumers, which is more harmful than any number of bad reviews.    … Expand
  38. vankwisha
    Mar 13, 2011
    0
    Worst game iv ever played, I think ill go play barbie playhouse instead. They've rushed this game so bad, Copy and paste copy and paste copy and paste copy and paste.
  39. jean-francois
    Mar 12, 2011
    3
    I really enjoyed the first dragon age game. It was one of my favorite game of all time. But I did not enjoy this second installment. The history is bland, the role-playing elements has been dumbed down. You cannot pick your race, talk to your companions during missions. The dialogs are boring and the characters forgettable. A note to Bioware: graphics and combat are not the onlyI really enjoyed the first dragon age game. It was one of my favorite game of all time. But I did not enjoy this second installment. The history is bland, the role-playing elements has been dumbed down. You cannot pick your race, talk to your companions during missions. The dialogs are boring and the characters forgettable. A note to Bioware: graphics and combat are not the only things that I enjoy in a game!… Expand
  40. Barman1942
    Mar 13, 2011
    2
    An unfortunate, utter disappointment. I started into this game hoping it would be as every bit enjoyable as Dragon Age: Origins, which was a pretty good RPG in its own right, if not what I would consider classic. The game is marred by shoddy writing, some rather terrible voice acting, bad facial animations (though BIoware has never been known for *good* facial animation), and copy andAn unfortunate, utter disappointment. I started into this game hoping it would be as every bit enjoyable as Dragon Age: Origins, which was a pretty good RPG in its own right, if not what I would consider classic. The game is marred by shoddy writing, some rather terrible voice acting, bad facial animations (though BIoware has never been known for *good* facial animation), and copy and paste levels, where you will often find yourself fighting through the same dungeon several times. It's also rather linear for an RPG, you feel like you're merely along for the ride with a choice here and there, than an actual driving force in the story. The only upside is the combat is sometimes fun, but even that is tarnished by the endless "waves" of enemies, which soon render it boring.

    2/10, stay away from this one, or at the most rent it.    … Expand
  41. svett
    Feb 28, 2012
    0
    This was the most disappointing game that I ever played. Not because it was the worse, but because it did not measure at all to the first one. There's only one city during the whole game. The dungeons are reused with the entrances reversed and some rooms blocked. The characters are flashy, but not very deep. You can't equip your NPC's now - what's up with that?! It's a terrible failure inThis was the most disappointing game that I ever played. Not because it was the worse, but because it did not measure at all to the first one. There's only one city during the whole game. The dungeons are reused with the entrances reversed and some rooms blocked. The characters are flashy, but not very deep. You can't equip your NPC's now - what's up with that?! It's a terrible failure in light of the previous game - it's as if the game was not made by the same company. I don't know what else to say.… Expand
  42. BakedPotato
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Well, the combat was better than the first, but that was about it. I tried to play all the way through but couldn't bear to keep playing. I am now scared for Mass Effect 3. For me it was like when something not very funny happens and someone makes a joke about it and laughs nervously while everyone else just stares at them. I was extremely disappointed, that is probably why I couldn'tWell, the combat was better than the first, but that was about it. I tried to play all the way through but couldn't bear to keep playing. I am now scared for Mass Effect 3. For me it was like when something not very funny happens and someone makes a joke about it and laughs nervously while everyone else just stares at them. I was extremely disappointed, that is probably why I couldn't enjoy it.… Expand
  43. EricNeo
    Mar 15, 2011
    4
    No multiplayer, Huge amount of copy paste, allot less skills, allot less items, enchantment system could have been flushed out and made far better then it is, and worst of all this game will not have a toolset.
  44. Morbane
    Mar 17, 2011
    1
    This sequel reminds me of the disappointment I felt when I played CoD3, after loving CoD2. Same game engine, but a completely different take on the game and game world. Not so much a sequel as a homage or reboot.

    DA2 really feels like it was made by a different studio, one with no regard for stylistic continuity. I'd argue DA2 is more linear than past incarnations of this genre and    This sequel reminds me of the disappointment I felt when I played CoD3, after loving CoD2. Same game engine, but a completely different take on the game and game world. Not so much a sequel as a homage or reboot.

    DA2 really feels like it was made by a different studio, one with no regard for stylistic continuity.

    I'd argue DA2 is more linear than past incarnations of this genre and doesn't shape up to offerings like Mass Effect that continue plot and character decisions across sequels. Mass Effect and DAO made me want to play them again to see how things would have turned out had I made different decisions. My choices in DA2 felt inconsequential, at least individually. The world itself is fairly linear as well, rather than the story or action pushing you forward - the maps / landscape forces you to move in a specific direction.

    Perhaps my biggest disappointment was when I realized I could not import my character from DAO, I had to be a specific new character. I could pick my gender and class, although they all looked very similar, but there were less options than DAO which went beyond the typical 3 classes and 2 genders to offer up different races and unique back stories. I really think RPG fans expect more from this genre than a choice between Mage, Warrior or Rouge. I loved DAO and to be honest was hoping for more of the same with DA2. I played DAO through as three different characters - each experience had enough unique elements to keep me coming back for more. I especially liked that I could import my characters into the expansions packs and really enjoyed Awakenings (which in my opinion felt more satisfying as a sequel than DA2).

    DA2 does allow you to import key plot points from your save game, although considering the first character I met in DA2 from DAO was one I killed in DAO - I'm not sure what impact this actually had. To be fair I think the part of DA2 I'm referring to is set before I killed said character in DAO (yep it's a kind of parallel story line as opposed to a continuation), but even so the character looked completely different. Had the name not been mentioned several times, I would not have guessed it was the same character.

    DA2 also has none of the detail or depth of DAO.

    It's highly stylised compared to DAO, icons replace images of weapons and armor in the inventory for example. Part of the fun of DAO was considering the look of the character as much as the features of items - but in DA2 with items represented by icons and the wider camera, you tend to just pick items purely on their stats like an old school Ever Quest game. Icons are a lot more abstract / stylised as well, so aren't always obvious what they represent - particularly the spells and skills. Likewise many back story elements and cut scenes are highly stylized 2d flash style animations. Similar to the flashbacks in the cartoon Mulan. The abstraction / style comes across as an animation cheat rather than an artistic decision.

    The camera perspective is higher and wider than DAO, which has the effect of taking you out of the action and makes the battle field look more like Dynasty Warriors or Warriors Orochi - it's often confusing and the wider view means you see less detail in the charters and models. This is compensated for by the inclusion of non-interactive elaborate "finish him" cut sequences when you kill a boss. Combined with the faster pace and the single action button for attack that triggers combo / attack animations - the fighting feels very much like the Samurai button mashers I mentioned. The combat in DAO was always pretty basic compared to other RPGs, DA2 has simplified it further. The speed of the action also means less detail and more animation cheats for things like spells. Again this more realistic timing has been replaced by stylistic animation loops. Action is broken up by the turn based system, but even this doesn't feel as rewarding as DAO, with the wider view effecting enemy selection. There seems to be more enemies as well, but you seem to be able to take more damage and dispatch them faster than DAO as well. The gaps in the enemy waves allow you to regenerate, so all these aspects combined mean there's less reliance on the turn based tactics and more button mashing. The specialization system is similar to what was on offer in the DAO Expansions, but the layout isn't as clear. With specialization groups displays as trees rather than in a matrix with prerequisites. AI tactics seem better, but probably because combat is less complicated. In terms of visuals, you won't be having any Red Dead Redemption moments.

    Bottom line is it really doesn't feel like a sequel. It feels more like a poor copy or a stylistic re-imagining    … Expand
  45. NoWisdomAtAll
    Mar 9, 2011
    3
    After the scam EA/Bioware pulled with the Signature Edition I decided to buy the regular copy of the game and my experience wasn't very good this whole game seems more like a scam project than a game, as many have said it's shorter than the previous title, the characters are quite interesting upon first meet but then it goes downhill from there. The areas seem different in some ways butAfter the scam EA/Bioware pulled with the Signature Edition I decided to buy the regular copy of the game and my experience wasn't very good this whole game seems more like a scam project than a game, as many have said it's shorter than the previous title, the characters are quite interesting upon first meet but then it goes downhill from there. The areas seem different in some ways but more or less copied and pasted work and for the story.....it wasn't one of Bioware's best. Overall this game as I said in the beginning feels like a giant scam.… Expand
  46. Kehfee
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    By reading this review you already put more effort forth then the designers did in this game. In fact, Bioware put more effort into trying to bump up the user score on this site then they put into their game.
  47. Apz
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age 2 was incredibly short, and felt unrefined and rushed at many points in the game. Instead of boring you with a long spiel that'd likely repeat some of the strong opinions already voiced here, you should observe Bioware/EA's response. They're kicking and screaming like a bunch of **** Threatening their player base because they made a terrible game. Their reaction is so strongDragon Age 2 was incredibly short, and felt unrefined and rushed at many points in the game. Instead of boring you with a long spiel that'd likely repeat some of the strong opinions already voiced here, you should observe Bioware/EA's response. They're kicking and screaming like a bunch of **** Threatening their player base because they made a terrible game. Their reaction is so strong because even they know their game is so ****… Expand
  48. azadi
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    I been coming to this site for many years now and I never had a need to join the website or give my opinion on a game until now. This game made me lose all my respect for Bioware and I will not buy nor play another one of their games in the future. Which is very meaningful since I brought every single game they created. This game is nothing but a boring button mashing action game. TakingI been coming to this site for many years now and I never had a need to join the website or give my opinion on a game until now. This game made me lose all my respect for Bioware and I will not buy nor play another one of their games in the future. Which is very meaningful since I brought every single game they created. This game is nothing but a boring button mashing action game. Taking place in the same reused dungeon over and over. This is very similar to Modern warfare 2 and is a insult to those who helped support this company for so many years. Let alone the insult from all the greedy downloadable content on day one. Good bye Bioware.… Expand
  49. Gixxer420
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    The combat in Dragon Age 2 was actually a lot more fun than the original. But the gameplay, story, atmosphere, music, and just about everything else made this game a steamy pile of **** compared to the original. You stay in one area for the ENTIRE game and environments are recycled 5-10 times, holy **** The characters are decent, but it's hard to get attached to them like you could inThe combat in Dragon Age 2 was actually a lot more fun than the original. But the gameplay, story, atmosphere, music, and just about everything else made this game a steamy pile of **** compared to the original. You stay in one area for the ENTIRE game and environments are recycled 5-10 times, holy **** The characters are decent, but it's hard to get attached to them like you could in Origins. Now as a modern game it was mediocre, but for a Dragon Age successor it was a huge disappointment... I think I beat the game 100% in a little over 9 1/2 hours, Dragon Age: Origins took me over 60 hours to fully complete it, huge step backwards. The story was a mess, serious **** mess, I won't spoil it for anyone but no connections are made and it's a huge cluster **** of nothing. The game has polish, but it doesn't have that epic feel like Origins did. Oh well, maybe Dragon Age 3 will be a little different.… Expand
  50. bijhun
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    I had more fun with trying to catch a ball in the cup. Now THAT is a real game and doesn't have DLC like a for a new cup and new balls that does nothing
  51. girlgamer212
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    I think the number of Bioware reps jumping onto this site to defend this sorry excuse for a game is pathetic. Oh no! People are actually going to discover what horrible dreck DA2 actually is! In all honesty, I have never been so disappointed from when I bought a game, to actually getting home and playing it. This is the worst game Bioware has ever released, and I played Jade Empire. II think the number of Bioware reps jumping onto this site to defend this sorry excuse for a game is pathetic. Oh no! People are actually going to discover what horrible dreck DA2 actually is! In all honesty, I have never been so disappointed from when I bought a game, to actually getting home and playing it. This is the worst game Bioware has ever released, and I played Jade Empire. I was so upset I even went back to the store and bought the PC version to see if it was any better......WRONG. In addition to being just as boring as the console version, the PC one was buggy beyond belief! I am never buying a Bioware game again without reading reviews first, and NOT the paid-for "professional" reviews.… Expand
  52. Blago
    Mar 9, 2011
    1
    Here's the best analogy I can think of to summarize my feeling about Dragon Age II. Imagine you love heavy metal music and this new band released their debut album (Dragon Age: Origins) a couple years ago and it was simply awesome. Heavy, deep, rewarding. You counted down the days in giddy anticipation to their second album (Dragon Age II). You couldn't wait to see how they couldHere's the best analogy I can think of to summarize my feeling about Dragon Age II. Imagine you love heavy metal music and this new band released their debut album (Dragon Age: Origins) a couple years ago and it was simply awesome. Heavy, deep, rewarding. You counted down the days in giddy anticipation to their second album (Dragon Age II). You couldn't wait to see how they could possibly improve on the first album, but you knew this band would not disappoint. Finally the day is here and you have the album in hand. You put on your best set of cans, press play, and........find out your favorite band sold out and is now producing "pop" music for the masses. Yes, they may sell more albums, but man, what a bummer. Total sell out.… Expand
  53. Sayalero
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    Bioware: 1995-2011. RIP.

    Murió de casualización aguda, agravada con una fiebre consolera que llevó a la compañía de RPG más grande a no saber ni quién es. Despreció a su antaño fiel base de usuarios, quienes aguantaron pacientemente sus desplantes hasta que DA2: El    Bioware: 1995-2011. RIP.

    Murió de casualización aguda, agravada con una fiebre consolera que llevó a la compañía de RPG más grande a no saber ni quién es. Despreció a su antaño fiel base de usuarios, quienes aguantaron pacientemente sus desplantes hasta que DA2: El Insulto Final dejó claro que el verdadero sueño de Bioware es convertirse en uno de tantos aspirantes (eternamente fracasados) a ocupar el trono de la mediocridad en el que se sienta Call of Duty.

    Menos mal que nos queda CD Project. Y que esto sirva de advertencia para Bethesda.    … Expand
  54. hero_85
    Mar 11, 2011
    0
    Haven't seen such a rush job since Knights of the Old Republic 2. But, at least there they started hacking things out of the game. Here, they decided to just fill the game with copy and pasted areas (seriously). I loved the first game, and pretty much everything else Bioware has done, but this game is a complete joke with all the bugs and terrible looking graphics. Send EA a messageHaven't seen such a rush job since Knights of the Old Republic 2. But, at least there they started hacking things out of the game. Here, they decided to just fill the game with copy and pasted areas (seriously). I loved the first game, and pretty much everything else Bioware has done, but this game is a complete joke with all the bugs and terrible looking graphics. Send EA a message that this is okay, and stay far away from this game (or rent it).… Expand
  55. L0stR3negade
    Mar 26, 2011
    3
    Horrible ending and just like the first game it just falls really short. This game needed more time in development. Not worth 60 dollars at all =(....
  56. acedeck
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    This game oversimplifies everything! What happened to the "RPG" of DA? While I'm at it, what happened to the story? This game is pure crap. I'm so disappointed in Bioware with this game. I could get by with a terrible story if the characters were interesting, but they simply aren't. Inventory management and items in this game seem so half-assed. Honestly, DA:O was dumbed downThis game oversimplifies everything! What happened to the "RPG" of DA? While I'm at it, what happened to the story? This game is pure crap. I'm so disappointed in Bioware with this game. I could get by with a terrible story if the characters were interesting, but they simply aren't. Inventory management and items in this game seem so half-assed. Honestly, DA:O was dumbed down enough. The amount this game has been dumbed down for universal appeal is beyond ridiculous. I can't recommend this game to anyone, not even as a rental. Save your time for a game that deserves your attention.… Expand
  57. Tata
    Mar 25, 2011
    0
    Bioware, I find your lack of effort disturbing in Dragon Age II.
  58. CitizenCook
    Mar 26, 2011
    4
    A very disappoint sequel.
    The original was disappointing in itself, but this game manages to undermine that effort in almost every way. The combat mechanic has been improved, but the story is boring, and play areas are extremely uninteresting and repetitive. A rushed sequel, one to avoid.
  59. Goikotxea
    Mar 10, 2011
    1
    Not only this is not a step forward from what was already a "not so good but somewhat promising" RolePlaying Game, this is officially two steps back. Some people like to call those gamers that like to think, when playing, other than smashing buttons expecting awesome things to happen, i don't care, i refuse to call what is an extremely dumbed down, very poorly written action game with itsNot only this is not a step forward from what was already a "not so good but somewhat promising" RolePlaying Game, this is officially two steps back. Some people like to call those gamers that like to think, when playing, other than smashing buttons expecting awesome things to happen, i don't care, i refuse to call what is an extremely dumbed down, very poorly written action game with its own, childish concept of "mature content"(which means sex scenes and lots of blood-- give me a break) anything more than horrible. Poor job Bioware.… Expand
  60. Alexandr_n
    Mar 11, 2011
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. She was the most anticipated game of the year. With trepidation, I watched all the interviews and news. And now the game is released. A feeling that we were betrayed and sold.… Expand
  61. remaxjon
    Mar 11, 2011
    2
    Its not that this game is so bad its just that it was such a let down. I really enjoyed the first Dragon age. I played through twice and purchased all the DLC. The biggest problem I had with this game is the magical appearing enemy. I would have my mage in the back being protected by my tank casting spells only to be found defenseless by a buncy of enemys who spawn from no where. ItIts not that this game is so bad its just that it was such a let down. I really enjoyed the first Dragon age. I played through twice and purchased all the DLC. The biggest problem I had with this game is the magical appearing enemy. I would have my mage in the back being protected by my tank casting spells only to be found defenseless by a buncy of enemys who spawn from no where. It was awful. I could write about a lot more that I hated but I really just wanted to get this 2 on the board. 10 hours is what Dragon Age 2 got from me. I just returned the game and got $35 dollar credit from gamestop so I'm out $25. This is the first bioware game ever I have not liked. I really hope they don't ruin mass effect next.… Expand
  62. Valhakar
    Mar 11, 2011
    4
    2o2P/AGE player. First off, this game is a narrative, not a an exploration. You know the ending before you get out of the first act. While this may have worked for the movie "The Princess Bride", if fails miserably at providing an immersion laced plot that makes you care about your party members or the story. I found that the game was pretty much a streamlined RPG to showcase the2o2P/AGE player. First off, this game is a narrative, not a an exploration. You know the ending before you get out of the first act. While this may have worked for the movie "The Princess Bride", if fails miserably at providing an immersion laced plot that makes you care about your party members or the story. I found that the game was pretty much a streamlined RPG to showcase the increased animations and spell effects. Site locations were reused over and over so they bumped up the pretty (only a little) and gutted the unique locations and non-plot based interactions. The dialogue is ONLY for plot progression. No more poking around in the heads of your party members. The combat is improved pace wise but much of the strategy of DA:O is lost. It almost feels like they were looking to compete with the now delayed release of Diablo 3. Even if it was not, it feels rushed and shallow.

    DA2 is akin to dating a blonde coed in college. Pretty to look at and fun to play with for a while, then you find it lacking and uninteresting. Add in the immediate DLC offering, you also get a lighter wallet like said coed. I'll stick with the "quirky brunette" that is DA:O. This will be a financial success for EA, so look for more of the same. I will not be ordering the next installment.    … Expand
  63. Larkin90
    Mar 15, 2011
    1
    dragon age 2 is the worst game made by bioware, the graphics, animations, story,dialogues , character design...all looks really terrible. if i wanted a action rpg i would play diablo. but i expect much more from bioware
  64. DetonNation
    Mar 15, 2011
    3
    What a disappointment... I went out and picked up the game first thing. Repetitive environments! Lack of a story that makes you want to play. I think I notice some of the same environments from Dragon Age 1. They are just recycled! The first Dragon Age was so cool. This one leaves me cold.
  65. KiddPablo
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I bought this game because I loved DA Origins so much. I've never been so disappointed. It's horrible. How hard would it have been to use the same engines and mechanics as Origins? No. They completely replaced the game with a dumbed down, buggy, ridiculous game that seems designed to appeal to 10 year-olds. It's a terrible game. Try the Witcher if you're really in need of an RPG fix.
  66. dckburry
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    First and foremost, this game is pretty terrible. I wonder if any of them have actually played the game really,,, for the most part you can ASSUME anything positive you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference from people in bed with the devil.

    The immersion and combat of this game terribly! A truly puke-worthy and relentlessly stupid story is all you get from    First and foremost, this game is pretty terrible. I wonder if any of them have actually played the game really,,, for the most part you can ASSUME anything positive you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference from people in bed with the devil.

    The immersion and combat of this game terribly! A truly puke-worthy and relentlessly stupid story is all you get from this experience. For what it is, it is a slap in the face to those that enjoyed the first game and certainly done by the B-team. I would be more forthcoming but I don't want to get banned by EA.    … Expand
  67. Corvus
    Mar 18, 2011
    1
    i cant believe what bio did with this game. they take the name of a good rpg and put it on a hack and slash dungeon crawler for consoles. the name of the game reminds of dragon age origins and the theme. nothing else. everything is made with consoles in mind. i don't want to destroy my keyboard and mouse after all. graphics are a joke and the hi res texture pack for pc is nonsense. manyi cant believe what bio did with this game. they take the name of a good rpg and put it on a hack and slash dungeon crawler for consoles. the name of the game reminds of dragon age origins and the theme. nothing else. everything is made with consoles in mind. i don't want to destroy my keyboard and mouse after all. graphics are a joke and the hi res texture pack for pc is nonsense. many say that a good rpg doesn't need good visuals but no one plays text based adventures anymore. we live in 2011.
    the only good thing about the game is that with its lunch dao ultimate edition sells for 18 euros for pc.    … Expand
  68. tbaker
    Mar 27, 2011
    0
    This game is awful. Combat is faster but looks absolutely ridiculous. RPG players usually want more detail - not less. I spent over 120 hours on various playthroughs of Origins (that's more than 5 days). I tapped out and returned my signature edition of DA2 after less than 5 hours. I never write these reviews but I'm hoping it will give Bioware a hint going forward.
  69. Devil_Man_X
    Jul 5, 2011
    3
    The User ratings have this one almost dead on. No it's not the worst game out there but just because you can make a game look relatively pretty doesn't mean it's good. Dragon age suffers from one game breaking flaw, greed. EA and Bioware show their true colors here. They have changed everything that made Dragon Age Origins such an incredible game. Not in the name of improvement but to sellThe User ratings have this one almost dead on. No it's not the worst game out there but just because you can make a game look relatively pretty doesn't mean it's good. Dragon age suffers from one game breaking flaw, greed. EA and Bioware show their true colors here. They have changed everything that made Dragon Age Origins such an incredible game. Not in the name of improvement but to sell more copies. I do see how some of the changes could have been for the better if done properly yet others are just senseless. The battle system needed reworked if only for the console versions. However the changes they made left it feeling less like an RPG and more like a bad hack and slash. Gone are all the deep character customizations. You simply choose gender and class. No more custom backstory. If this was any other franchise it would have been better off. Calling it a sequel to Dragon Age simply ruined it. No one buys a sequel hoping it will be more simplistic with a simple story and fewer options. If you buy a sequel to a beloved franchise you expect it to improve on itself. The story is borderline garbage and the way it's delivered is even worse. Don't get excited for some upcoming exploration or engaging plotline as the game will simply skip ahead just as you're getting into it. Yes this dungeon looks exactly like the last one just make a left here instead of a right. Bioware has openly admitted to using the same dungeon layout multiple times. Here is the bottom line. I like many others was expecting a sequel. Hoping to continue my story or atleast flesh out the world of Dragon Age. Instead I was sold a crappy 5 yr old baldurs gate wannabe with modern graphics. I was not expecting Mass Effect Medieval Edition. Bioware is hands down the most overrated developer around. They consistently make terrible games that have great stories. They really should just consider making movies instead of games. We would all be better off… Expand
  70. ruxi
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Compared to DA1, the sequel is trash in my honest opinion. The game lacks depth in storytelling, lore and quests. Storytelling was even lower quality than DA1. What I mean is that if I am playing a "movie RPG" like DA2, I expect to see some scripted custom animations, high quality dialogue or even nice prerendered cut scenes but when I completed the game I felt empty handed. I was also expecting to see some advancement in the Dragon Age core lore but after the brief introduction of Flemeth and her reappearance mid-game, the game just kept centering on the Champion of Kirkwall. Lore-wise speaking the game should have been an expansion or DLC to original DA, very much like DA:O. The quests themselves are mindless, which might be enough for some people but I feel that there should be something new to these "go to the point X, kill Y and bring me the Z". Recycling maps is usually acceptable in this kind of games but if we are just running around one city lik in DA2, I get the expression the game was pushed out too early. Every mansion looks the same, every house has the same rooms and even all the close by caves, five or six of them, look completely the same. I felt like playing one of those low grade Asian role-playing game made for kids which would not see the similarity of the maps.

    Combat and skill system is surely better than in DA1. Fighting in general feels more smooth and even thought number of abilities/spells was reduced, I think the general feel of the abilities/spells is better. The "combo states" (staggering etc.) game the fighting a little more depth too but overall these positive features can't save the game.

    All-in-all, I feel like I've brought an overpriced and hurried expansion pack to Dragon Age. Makes me a sad panda.    … Expand
  71. ExiledMimic
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age 2 takes you on a tour of Kirkwall, a new city outside Ferelden in the Free Marches. You see new culture, a deviation in social standing as well as a different take on several subjects from the original Dragon Age: Origins. As you play through the game you run through both Kirkwall and immediate area outside it's gates doing side quests as well as plot quests that are supposeDragon Age 2 takes you on a tour of Kirkwall, a new city outside Ferelden in the Free Marches. You see new culture, a deviation in social standing as well as a different take on several subjects from the original Dragon Age: Origins. As you play through the game you run through both Kirkwall and immediate area outside it's gates doing side quests as well as plot quests that are suppose to help tell the tale of Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, as over the course of 7 years (not 10 as advertised) becomes a central person in the events that would change the world.

    Fans of Dragon Age: Origins will like most of the improved combat. No more shuffling to the exact spot to throw a shield slam, or throwing small balls of light from your mage's staff only to hit blocking terrain and do nothing. For those who are playing the console version the auto-attack feature didn't make it onto the disc, so expect to be spam-smashing the A button on your 360 for hours on end while you try to kill anything. You also wont see the tactical decisions you use to make. Instead of controlling the whole party for optimal results, you have more tactics slots to use to make sure that while you smash your buttons to cause damage, your party can function without you for the most part. However the companions are not as reliant on the tactics as they use to be. They have a will of their own at times, and will skip petty things like healing to throw attack spells if the AI thinks it's necessary. Which isn't as bad as you think since this go around a tank OR a healer will get you through all but the most difficult encounters.

    Unlike Origins you also have a more forgiving tier. Casual is about the same, leading you to slaughter the world in order to enjoy the story or just beat the game. Where Normal isn't a huge leap like in Origins, so you don't feel like the learning curve is so severe if you decide to replace at higher challenge levels.

    Companions, this time, are sadly bland. Your class choice (warrior, rogue, mage) decides which of your two siblings survives to reach Kirkwall to begin with. Bethany, your sister, is a mage. So if you choose Warrior or Rogue, you'll have her around to help out. Where Carver, your brother, will be there for you if you play a Mage. Which is fine and good, however by comparing the two companions Bethany is by far the more reasonable and likeable sibling. In terms of story it's a sad thing if you like Mage since Carver is so lack-luster.

    The rest of your companions have their gems. Varric is easy to get along with, and he tells your story throughout the game, but he's not very interesting. He's just a comfortable friend on par with the person you'll use for his skills and get a few chuckles out of his reactions. Isabella is for those who want plenty of sex jokes through the game, and Merrill is the sweet innocent girl who you'll love instantly (even if she practices blood magic). The rest of the companions seem to lack true depth. But each have their moments where they become interesting. Sadly by the time something is there to like you stopped caring.

    The story in Dragon Age: Origins is epic. Defeating the blight and solving problems as you mass an army to do so. In DA2 you're just sort of a bi-standard to the events of the world, even if an important one. The linear angle of the story means most of your choices are simply fluff. You can't affect the world much beyond the scope of how the story lets you. And at times the decisions you make that seem to have real impact, are forgotten by NPCs suddenly for the sake of required conflicts. The perfect example is that if you side with mages constantly, a group of them made up from those you've helped with suddenly decide that you are against them for no reason and require you to fight them.

    The ending tells how rushed the game was as you have more than a few fights that just don't seem to belong. As well as being punished for choosing a side in the end conflict (no matter which side you choose) despite the fact you couldn't decide to sit it out because of how muddled the conflict is. This leads to an ending that will leave you angry that you spent the time you did to get there.

    All in all the game would have been successful as an expansion pack, or perhaps a side game. But as a sequel to DAO it falls very flat and fails to capture the hearts of the player, or breath life into a world you already love. Strangely if you like God of War you will like some of the combat options, or if you like most run-and-smash games that leave gore in your wake. However if you want an immersible RPG experience, this is not the game for you.

    For those who didn't like Origins you'll probably like this game. For those who did? Read the wiki entry soon and just be glad you didn't have to live it. Hawke may be the Champion of Kirkwall, but when it comes down to it? The Warden's dog had more personality and charisma.    … Expand
  72. mirimar
    Apr 28, 2011
    3
    Another disappointing cash run from a major developer. Clearly rushed; yet most mainstream review blogs and magazines pander to Bioware and give praise to this abortive money grabber. Don't these reviewers know they lose the trust of their readers when they do this?
  73. LD9000
    May 2, 2011
    1
    This game is very disappointing. The plot is on rails, and the same X number of locations are reused ad nauseum. The dialog wheel takes away from the quality of interactions, and doesn't really offer any choices. You say what you have to say, just in 3 different forms...

    Now if you take Dragon Age out of the title, the score may be something like 6 or so. It's an ok action rpgish game.    This game is very disappointing. The plot is on rails, and the same X number of locations are reused ad nauseum. The dialog wheel takes away from the quality of interactions, and doesn't really offer any choices. You say what you have to say, just in 3 different forms...

    Now if you take Dragon Age out of the title, the score may be something like 6 or so. It's an ok action rpgish game. It's not deserving of the Dragon Age Title    … Expand
  74. kalisnik
    May 20, 2011
    1
    Absolutly the biggest crap I ever played..Graphic is soooooooooo ugly,gameplay and story is boring ugly and It seems ea and bioware wants to just earn money,becose if this have to be serius game thay all must be fools
  75. Rizla
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    It's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anythingIt's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anything character or story wise.

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

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

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

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

    This game might of been received better if it hadn't been named the sequel to DA:O. But even if you take the first game out of the picture it still doesn't add up to a very good game in it's genre. I'd say i would rate it a 6 without ever playing DA:O. It's just not good. :(    … Expand
  76. whisky
    May 5, 2011
    0
    DA2 is a huge disappointment. Being a sequel to DA:O, it has nothing to do with the Dragon Age universe. Instead, DA2 told some lame story about politics and earning money. Some of you may think it's ridiculous to give this game a zero, but I'll tell you why: Ugly art style, bland environments, ugly user interface, no tactical camera, exploding bodies parts, thousands waves of teleportingDA2 is a huge disappointment. Being a sequel to DA:O, it has nothing to do with the Dragon Age universe. Instead, DA2 told some lame story about politics and earning money. Some of you may think it's ridiculous to give this game a zero, but I'll tell you why: Ugly art style, bland environments, ugly user interface, no tactical camera, exploding bodies parts, thousands waves of teleporting enemies, DMC combat style, no companion interactions, boring companions, boring ugly city, recycle maps, no armor customization for companions, retarded darkspawn design, painfully boring story and conversations choices. If I give a minus (-1) for every bad aspect above, DA2 will get a negative score. Sadly, we all know it's impossible to give a negative score, so zero is my only choice.… Expand
  77. Kosma
    May 8, 2011
    4
    Simple, dumbed down, lacking everything that made the original have such potential. Bland story, constant reusing of the same locales.

    This is the most disappointing game of 2011 so far, feels like a budget cash-in for Bioware.
  78. azza
    May 11, 2011
    2
    I used to really love Bioware and every game they made. KOTOR was fantastic as was Mass Effect. With Dragon Age: Origins being such an amazing game i expected Dragon Age 2 to be of the same calibre but it simply wasn't. They seem to have a problem when it comes to sequels, they get them all wrong. Mass Effect 2 is another example, while it was still a good game, not great, it paled inI used to really love Bioware and every game they made. KOTOR was fantastic as was Mass Effect. With Dragon Age: Origins being such an amazing game i expected Dragon Age 2 to be of the same calibre but it simply wasn't. They seem to have a problem when it comes to sequels, they get them all wrong. Mass Effect 2 is another example, while it was still a good game, not great, it paled in comparison to the original. If something is working great, it should keep the main elements and build upon it, not completely change everything about it. Dragon Age: Origins was a true core RPG and that was why it received such praise. So why shift the focus to action and put story telling on the back burner? Was it so it would appeal to a mass market and make Bioware and EA more money, at the cost of alienating fans of the original? I don't know but i hope they fix these issues in the next one, which at this stage i donâ… Expand
  79. sg1fan75
    May 20, 2011
    1
    The speed of combat was good and smooth, the story is so weak and boring. Being stuck in 1 city was dumb and usually Bioware is know for strong story. I did like the Magic powers they were fun. The only being human sucked. The repetitive environments made me angry I will never buy any Dragon Age games again very disappointed by this game.
  80. tzedan
    Jun 20, 2011
    4
    Bioware should have released this game first and then DAO; that would at least give the impression of improvement. As it stands, this game provides no continuity of significance with Dragon Age Origins. The game play is dumbed down, the character development is no where to be found and the plot is weak. Seems like Bioware is betting all it's money on Mass Effect 3. I just hope then don'tBioware should have released this game first and then DAO; that would at least give the impression of improvement. As it stands, this game provides no continuity of significance with Dragon Age Origins. The game play is dumbed down, the character development is no where to be found and the plot is weak. Seems like Bioware is betting all it's money on Mass Effect 3. I just hope then don't mess that game up.… Expand
  81. SupR_G
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    An absolute mess of a game. Buggy, full of nonsensical subplots and scenery that is constantly recycled in a way that just comes off as lazy - this game did not impress me. In terms of story and writing, it paled in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins and just came off as a cheap sequel you would see in theaters (like Speed 2). While I found some of the artistic re-designs of familiar racesAn absolute mess of a game. Buggy, full of nonsensical subplots and scenery that is constantly recycled in a way that just comes off as lazy - this game did not impress me. In terms of story and writing, it paled in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins and just came off as a cheap sequel you would see in theaters (like Speed 2). While I found some of the artistic re-designs of familiar races was refreshing and gave more distinction, overall the game suffered from the lack of a coherent and compelling story. Some of the characters got on my nerves and combat had little substance. The entire game seemed to forebode some "great threat" that we never see or understand, and the ending simply gives a cliffhanger into the next game. On top of this, the DLC is terrible and slapped together with little care. All in all a poor game that I would recommend to nobody.… Expand
  82. Vaeleth
    Mar 22, 2011
    4
    I could write an essay on this game. I'll keep it short....

    Good: *Classes and skills have much more synergy. *Companion dialog remains witty and amusing. *Companion quests are fun. *Initial story is OK *Crafting is streamlined. - Some don't like this change, it made the game less tedious. The BAD: *The game and environments are hollow. Kirkwall is nice, but it is a ghost town. All    I could write an essay on this game. I'll keep it short....

    Good:
    *Classes and skills have much more synergy.
    *Companion dialog remains witty and amusing.
    *Companion quests are fun.
    *Initial story is OK
    *Crafting is streamlined. - Some don't like this change, it made the game less tedious.

    The BAD:
    *The game and environments are hollow. Kirkwall is nice, but it is a ghost town. All dialog is scripted.
    *Copy and pasted environments are a kick in the balls.
    *Imported saves from DA:O hold no impact.
    *Dialog wheel is misleading.
    *Most boss fights are just tedious attrition kites.
    *Linear environments. You literally cannot explore at all. There are no hidden goodies to be found.
    *Para dropping enemies. All fights come in waves of enemies that appear out of nowhere.
    *Linear story. Your actions have zero impact on the MAIN story.
    *You cannot interact with companions past the rare and quick scripted events.
    *Character cameos from DA:O are forced and hold no meaning.
    *Day 1 DLC that tries to milk more money out of you. Another kick in the balls.
    *The game falls flat in the end. The outcome is the same, regardless of everything you've done.
    *Most equipment is junk, most loot is junk. - Literally. You just killed a boss? He drops... Junk and one good item. -If you are lucky.
    *Bugged quests.
    *Side quests are hollow and pointless. You loot an item and magically know to give it to x or y stranger for gold. ZERO dialog.
    *Enemies just explode, not finishers are satisfying animations.    … Expand
  83. Hunterx1x
    Feb 4, 2012
    0
    This game is an insult to players who have played DA:O. I do not see how Mike Laidlaw could have allowed this half***ed game to be released. Does he really think customers are that dumb that we wouldn't notice the recycled maps? Or he just didn't care because he's making good money off it? I played DA:O beginning to finish over 10 times and couldn't even finish DA2 a second time as a mageThis game is an insult to players who have played DA:O. I do not see how Mike Laidlaw could have allowed this half***ed game to be released. Does he really think customers are that dumb that we wouldn't notice the recycled maps? Or he just didn't care because he's making good money off it? I played DA:O beginning to finish over 10 times and couldn't even finish DA2 a second time as a mage versus a warrior. I could go on and on but it's not worth it. I will wait and see DA3's USER reviews first before I think about buying it. Same goes for ME3(… Expand
  84. coelo
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    This game sucks so bad.
    Graphics are not as good as the first DA.

    Also, the environment just repeats over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over...


    See how it felt to have to read that?
    That's how it feels to play DA II.

    The game sucks hard.
  85. weedlord
    Nov 9, 2011
    0
    There was no button-awesome connection for me. I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry!
  86. Loco
    Jan 9, 2012
    1
    Dear EA,

    We all know that you corrupt the poor developers who join your money-making operation, and I don't mind any more. I don't even care that you have sucked the soul out of Bioware, who used to be one of the best developers in the industry. It hurts, but I can deal with you killing talent in the way that you do. It's in your nature. I'm beyond complaining. But killing Dragon Age?    Dear EA,

    We all know that you corrupt the poor developers who join your money-making operation, and I don't mind any more. I don't even care that you have sucked the soul out of Bioware, who used to be one of the best developers in the industry. It hurts, but I can deal with you killing talent in the way that you do. It's in your nature. I'm beyond complaining.

    But killing Dragon Age? After all the promise the first game had? All that potential, just wasted? Even you, EA, must recognise that you've crossed a line too far this time.

    So go ahead. Kill my favourite developers. Drain the life out of the whole industry if you have to. But leave Dragon Age alone. For the love of Ferelden, please, stop Mass Effect-ing what was once the greatest RPG franchise of this generation. Even you have to draw the line somewhere.

    -Loco    … Expand
  87. Crustypirate
    Jan 17, 2012
    0
    The story of dragon age 2 has a number of problems but the most evident one is that it doesn't have any relevance to the dragon age series in the slightest. In fact It feels more at home in the assassins creed universe. My best guess at bioware's thinking is that they wanted to cash in on the success of the assassins creed games and were pushed for time by EA their publisher. TheThe story of dragon age 2 has a number of problems but the most evident one is that it doesn't have any relevance to the dragon age series in the slightest. In fact It feels more at home in the assassins creed universe. My best guess at bioware's thinking is that they wanted to cash in on the success of the assassins creed games and were pushed for time by EA their publisher. The gameplay would be fine if not for the fact that this game bears the title of dragon age 2. The second game in a series is supposed to improve upon a game, refine and add to the mechanics and deliver a better experience. Dragon age 2 dumbs down already simple combat bringing it to a pathetic hack and slash style. Complexity and large numbers of abilities have been thrown out due to bioware attempting to build the game for a controller one of the worst design decisions that can ever be made yet I see repeated over and over. Basically the game is a simplified husk devoid of any interesting lore or gameplay. Do not waste your money on this garbage.… Expand
  88. bubblegumNtaffy
    Mar 3, 2012
    0
    The first RPG game I ever played was KoTOR. From then on I was instantly hooked, even calling it my favorite game. I bought every Bioware release from then on. Although Oblivion eventually replaced KoTOR as my favorite RPG/game of all time, Bioware continued to make me happy. I enjoyed Jade Empire, loved Mass Effect, and honestly I was mesmerized by Dragon Age. No story has fully engrossedThe first RPG game I ever played was KoTOR. From then on I was instantly hooked, even calling it my favorite game. I bought every Bioware release from then on. Although Oblivion eventually replaced KoTOR as my favorite RPG/game of all time, Bioware continued to make me happy. I enjoyed Jade Empire, loved Mass Effect, and honestly I was mesmerized by Dragon Age. No story has fully engrossed me as Dragon Age did. The characters were real. The plot was fantastic and felt as though ti was fully customizable and world that was yours to develop. Lets get this out of the way first, I have always been a console boy. Now onto DA2.... I have never been more let down by a video game. EVER. If you thought Mass Effect 2 was bad then you're in for a rude awakening. Mass Effect 2 at least kept me interested in the ME world. I have completely lost interest in everything relating to the DA world. I was bored the second hour into this game. The combat, is only slightly entertaining... for the first couple of fights. There is no tactical advantage at all. The only reason I finished the game was to finish the game. The game was pure filth. I honestly cannot say any more that anyone else hasn't said. Even those who have been at Bioware for years agree with most here. If you go to Wikipedia you'll read this:

    During the pre-development of the game, Brent Knowles, a veteran lead designer who had been with Bioware for a decade and the central figurehead behind Dragon Age: Origins, decided to resign during the designing process of Dragon Age II and eventually left the company, stating "I'm not the same person I was when I started, and BioWare isn't the same company."[10] He later went on to clarify his decision to leave, elaborating "I never thought Dragon Age 2 would be a terrible game. It was just that a highly cinematic, action-leaning RPG wasnâ    … Expand
  89. TheVindelator
    Mar 5, 2012
    2
    This game was a big disappointment for me. A huge step down from the original. The world is so incredibly small and limited. What I thought was the starting city turned out to be the entire game.

    If you haven't played Dragon Age Origins 1st, absolutely don't buy this. Play the original.
  90. Notonlytheend
    Apr 3, 2012
    1
    If this game didn't have the "Dragon Age" in it's title, it wouldn't have gotten any attention. It's a crap game with a good trailer. The story is confined to the same city and dungeon maps you'll see till you can run through them blind. Your "friends" can barely be called that as they all just pine over some obsession for the course of the game. The character customization is far lessIf this game didn't have the "Dragon Age" in it's title, it wouldn't have gotten any attention. It's a crap game with a good trailer. The story is confined to the same city and dungeon maps you'll see till you can run through them blind. Your "friends" can barely be called that as they all just pine over some obsession for the course of the game. The character customization is far less than previous or comparable games. And the combat isn't fun or tactical. The RPG element have been stripped to appeal to action gamers. They want a wider audience, but it just ends up alienating anyone older than 12. Finally, the story tries to be dark. It's not dark. It's damn bleak. The vast majority of the people you meet are the worse for the encounter and nothing you do can ebb a coming war. At the end, everything stands in ruin and you just walk away. Personally, I don't play videogames to be depressed. I play to save the world and be the hero. They went for dark, they hit train wreck tragedy.… Expand
  91. Tubey
    Jul 3, 2012
    2
    This game, along with Fable 3, destroyed my RPG soul in the space of six months, as these two releases made me realise that big studios no longer give a monkeys about producing a technically proficient game; rather, they're more interested in rushing a half finished product out the door as soon as possible to bring in the cash.

    My proof? The game is graphically inferior to Dragon Age 1,    This game, along with Fable 3, destroyed my RPG soul in the space of six months, as these two releases made me realise that big studios no longer give a monkeys about producing a technically proficient game; rather, they're more interested in rushing a half finished product out the door as soon as possible to bring in the cash.

    My proof? The game is graphically inferior to Dragon Age 1, for a start. Not really sure how that's possible but it's true. The script has either never seen an active revision by a team of writers before release, or the whole team are raving idiots. This is the same company that brought us the amazing Jade Empire... it's beggars belief a game of this low quality passed through their doors.

    Gameplay? Awful. So very dumb to the extent that this is a generic hack and slasher with little to no requirement for strategy. Again, in stark contrast to the first game. Character development - something that should be a standard for an RPG, right? Nope. Nothing. In fact, three months after playing this title I dare you to recall three names from it. The sound effects and general atmosphere, so immersive in DA1, are completely gone. So how about the ability to move around the open world, discover places etc.? Nope, it's as linear as they come. In fact, it's almost a dungeon crawler. DA1 let you off the beaten track for a while which worked, even if you had to go back to the main story after a while; DA2 doesn't let you do this at all, ever. This would be forgivable, if the story was fine tuned and memorable, but no, no, no. It's completely generic and something your average 15 year old emo could write in a week. The completely irony is that if they'd taken the original Dragon Age graphics engine and overall game and just slapped a new story on it with reskinned characters, then they'd have had a hit. Instead, they managed to balls up everything (and I mean everything; not one single improvement and no redeeming qualities introduced) on the previous game.

    So thanks Bioware and Lionhead, you've destroyed my gaming innocence and the long held hope that some gaming studios actually gave a monkeys about making a decent game first and a profit second.

    The worst game of 2011 when taking into account the overall execution and expectations of the title. So bad, that I can no longer play Dragon Age: Origins without feeling angry about the franchise as a whole.

    So, just like Fable 3, this is potentially a franchise killer. A heartless, soulless train wreck of a game that doesn't deserve so much as $10 from anyone unlucky enough to find this in a bargain bin somewhere down the line. A game so bad that whenever I check for a review of a new game on a website, I check to see what score they gave Dragon Age 2. If it's anything over 6/10, I move on, as it'd be a ludicrous score. For me, 2/10, and those two points are solely for the fact that the game works when you put the disc in and it responds to the actions of your control pad. That's it.    … Expand
  92. noesis790
    Jun 18, 2012
    0
    I created an account just so I could review this game.
    This is a sequel that takes a step backward in almost every area of the game.
    It doesn't even compare to Dragon Age: Origins.
    Skip.
  93. ChrisGames
    Oct 23, 2012
    0
    This is the worst video game i have ever played without a doubt. You will go to the same cave 100 times, and each time the game will rename the cave, telling you it is a new and mysterious place you have never seen before. And then its just the exact same cave. Bioware has no shame for releasing something like this.
  94. Vehement
    Jun 25, 2012
    0
    Bad game. Bioware took everything I loved about DA:O,and destroyed them in DA2. Stiff, locked, and awkward hack and slash really messed up DA2 for me. The characters in DA2 is no where as interesting and heartfelt like Origin. What happened to the many choices I can pick? Why am I getting a choice wheel? This is not f'n Mass Effect. Also, Tons of fetching/killing quests that willBad game. Bioware took everything I loved about DA:O,and destroyed them in DA2. Stiff, locked, and awkward hack and slash really messed up DA2 for me. The characters in DA2 is no where as interesting and heartfelt like Origin. What happened to the many choices I can pick? Why am I getting a choice wheel? This is not f'n Mass Effect. Also, Tons of fetching/killing quests that will have you backtracking the same map over and over and over again. DA2 and ME3 really dropped my confidence in Bioware's game quality.… Expand
  95. hiimbigdave
    Jul 2, 2012
    0
    After playing the marvellous game that was the original Dragon Age this will be nothing but a disappointment to any person who chooses to play it. I suggest you instead use your time wisely and instead grind you way to the next prestige level in Call of Duty
  96. Socratease
    Feb 16, 2013
    2
    Worst. Bioware game. Ever. At least Mass effect 3 did a pretty good job of covering up its crappyness. With dragon age 2, however, bioware seemed to think it a rather amusing joke to throw as much said crappyness as possible at their consumers, AND BOY WAS THERE A LOT OF IT!!

    First off, the only two characters in the game that were even marginally interesting were the antagonist, and    Worst. Bioware game. Ever. At least Mass effect 3 did a pretty good job of covering up its crappyness. With dragon age 2, however, bioware seemed to think it a rather amusing joke to throw as much said crappyness as possible at their consumers, AND BOY WAS THERE A LOT OF IT!!

    First off, the only two characters in the game that were even marginally interesting were the antagonist, and Varric, the dwarf without a beard!!!

    Nobody reacted to ANYTHING you did (EX: stealing from a guard, using magic RIGHT. IN FRONT. OF TEMPLARS, drawing your weapon in public, etc. I thought this series was going to evolve, not devolve). It`s not a living, breathing world like ME1s and DA:Os were: it`s a bland, empty, artists nightmare filled with carboard cut outs in place of NPCs. The facial animations are terrible. Half the NPCs look like they had their faces partially melted, and the elves looked like retarded little fairy creatures. bu-but the protagonist is fully voiced!!

    Whoopdie. Fu--ing. Doo. Does it make up for the other 98% of the games bad parts?

    But the combat is more action oriented!

    Did dragon age ever NEED to be a mindless hack n slash?! Did it ever need to be something so witless that only the hapless little lab monkeys at EA games and Activision would find it enjoyable?!

    Somethings rotting in the state of bioware and it has a name: Electronic. Goddamned. Arts.

    Dragon age was, WAS, the spiritual successor to Baldurs gate and Neverwinter nights. But now it`s a final fantasy wannabe, complete with final fantasy rejects (Fenris. Nough said).

    Who in their right mind would give this game a score any higher than a 3/10?! Oh, that`s right: the bought and paid for game ''journalists'', if that`s what you want to call them. Personally, i think a more appropriate term for them would be: corporate spokespersons. Pay no attention to those pravda rejects.

    This game is NOT AN RPG by ANY stretch of the imagination: it`s a witless hack n slash for six year olds, and should be burned in the streets along with similar games like mindjack and, lets count sand (okay, i made that up, but you get the point). Unless you`re six years old and don`t know any better yet, DO NOT buy this game!!    … Expand
  97. Theraton
    Feb 4, 2013
    1
    A waste of time. The beginning was very promising. Interesting new talent system, good graphic, new world/adventures. So much to discover.... Ye not really. The first act was kinda good, but there will much more to see in the second? No! You walk the following 20 hours in the same dungeons. To be precise: There are only 2 cavemaps total, whatever cave you enter, you are on the same mapA waste of time. The beginning was very promising. Interesting new talent system, good graphic, new world/adventures. So much to discover.... Ye not really. The first act was kinda good, but there will much more to see in the second? No! You walk the following 20 hours in the same dungeons. To be precise: There are only 2 cavemaps total, whatever cave you enter, you are on the same map just another entrance. this map recycling!! The whole game world map is as big as one event in Dragon age Origins. The "boss fights" are very poor also. No special abilities for your main hero. This game was way to fast published, and the fault goes 100 to EA… Expand
  98. mikereview
    Aug 1, 2018
    2
    Dragon Age 2 plays like an unimaginative console port. The story is lackluster, the battle consists of brainless button mashing and the graphics are ugly and dated. They even recycled several maps. There's very little this game has in common with either DA1 or DA:Inquisition except the name. It is a turd sandwich so stay away from this game.
  99. gqmasters3
    May 11, 2019
    2
    I cannot give this game a "zero" because it IS playable and it has a mild amusement value, but it is the worst sequel ever. The game is clearly very rushed, dungeons are reused over and over (to the degree it is insulting to the gamer), you spend the entire game in one town and the plot is quite scattered and unengaging. I personally did not like the different battle gameplay, but it isI cannot give this game a "zero" because it IS playable and it has a mild amusement value, but it is the worst sequel ever. The game is clearly very rushed, dungeons are reused over and over (to the degree it is insulting to the gamer), you spend the entire game in one town and the plot is quite scattered and unengaging. I personally did not like the different battle gameplay, but it is not terrible.… Expand
  100. wormhole
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    this game sux in any way it can. worst console port ever. DA1 was good RPG, not perfect but just good.
    DA2 is just step back: bad graphics, bad gameplay, bad story and incredible high requirements.

    if u want play good cRPG just stay away from DA2. it's waste of ur time
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
19
#19 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 75
  3. Negative: 1 out of 75
  1. GamingExcellence
    Aug 3, 2011
    85
    I'll give Bioware points for trying to do something different in their world, but they really did have it right the first time in terms of character building and the scope of the story.
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  2. Gaming Nexus
    May 1, 2011
    75
    Faulty game mechanics and disappointing maps, combat scenarios and storyline direction aside, Dragon Age II still has a surprising amount of intrigue hidden beneath the blemishes. The depth of character relationships, as well as the complex nature of the world of the Dragon Age franchise are a savior to a game that would otherwise forever be remembered by its mistakes.
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  3. Game Chronicles
    Apr 22, 2011
    90
    Above all, it seems like Dragon Age II is an experiment. If you're a fan of the first game and expect a direct continuation, either in story or mechanics, you'll be disappointed. If you're not willing to put up with some rough edges and some mechanics that don't quite work as intended, you'll end up having a hard time. But if you're going for a game that has some of the best storytelling in RPGs in a while, or you're looking for a BioWare RPG to tide yourself over until Mass Effect 3, you won't do much better right now than Dragon Age II.
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