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. Vaille
    Mar 11, 2011
    7
    I went into Dragon Age II with high hopes, only to be crushed summarily upon realizing that the Auto-Attack feature had not been implemented as promised, and that the importation system was supposedly broken. Much like Hawke's rise to power, however, my feelings towards the game grew steadily until I found myself staring wide-eyed at the game's climax. I'll start with graphical details,I went into Dragon Age II with high hopes, only to be crushed summarily upon realizing that the Auto-Attack feature had not been implemented as promised, and that the importation system was supposedly broken. Much like Hawke's rise to power, however, my feelings towards the game grew steadily until I found myself staring wide-eyed at the game's climax. I'll start with graphical details, though. Playing on 1080i, the graphics are a moderate improvement over those of Origins. That said, they could be better. There are a few minor clipping issues, and if you pay attention, you can definitely tell that you're playing a video game. Graphically, this is no Mass Effect. However, from an artistic standpoint, the game is impressive, to say the least. Thedesian art is shown over Varric's voiceovers, providing an experience that genuinely immerses you in the world. Furthermore, breathtaking environments outside of Kirkwall can leave you forgetting your quest at times. There are complaints of several technical issues. Most notably is the lack of an Auto-Attack feature. Chris Priestly has promised a patch that will include the feature, but until then, players are committed to button mashing in order to attack. Fans of Origins, I don't have to tell you how much of a nightmare this can be. There have also been reports of the import feature not working. However, as I haven't encountered said glitch, I won't fault the game for it. From a gameplay standpoint, the game has seen noticeable improvements (with the exception of the Auto-Attack issue). Choosing an action now sets that action immediately into motion. No longer do you have to shuffle around enemies or wait for them to stop running from you. Furthermore, ranged characters like archers and mages can now hold their own (to a degree) in close-quarters combat. However, you can no longer customize the armor of your party members, other than accessories. While this has the sense of a lack of control, it does make every party member stand out as unique. The story is drastically different from that of Origins. Where Origins was a high fantasy epic involving the defeat of Thedas' greatest known evil, Dragon Age II is a personal story that slowly builds purpose. The developers were mostly correct when they said that there's no primary antagonist. The game is divided into several acts, with the final two each having their own enemies. After a slow climb, the game reaches a world-shattering climax in its final act, with the opportunity to change Thedas much more than your Warden ever did. Unfortunately, the story to that point is almost totally devoid of the embracing feel of Origins. Additionally, the denouement is short and unfulfilling, and you find yourself hoping for an expansion that will offer some closure. Ultimately, Dragon Age II comes off as a strong game that just barely missed its mark. It hits a high point towards the end, but the journey there often feels cold and uninviting in comparison with the enthralling world of Origins. The graphics, while improved, still don't meet the standards set by many games recently released. Gameplay has seen several improvements, but in an effort to streamline, the developers were perhaps a bit too ambitious for their own good. In short, Dragon Age II is worth playing, but you shouldn't shelf the original just yet.… Expand
  2. CROSSEYEDJIM
    Mar 26, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age II has been a difficult game for me to review. On one hand, it does so many things right that it is nearly impossible not to enjoy it. On the other hand, BioWare has made some extremely lazy and downright uncharacteristic design decisions that really hamper the experience and keep it from truly living up to its potential. On a technical level, the game is a vast improvementDragon Age II has been a difficult game for me to review. On one hand, it does so many things right that it is nearly impossible not to enjoy it. On the other hand, BioWare has made some extremely lazy and downright uncharacteristic design decisions that really hamper the experience and keep it from truly living up to its potential. On a technical level, the game is a vast improvement over Origins. The graphics, while still not nearly as good as the best in the industry right now, are a massive step up from the muddled, poorly textured mess that was DA:O. However, given the fact that there are only a scant handful of relatively tiny areas in the entire game, I am personally shocked that they are not the best graphics I've ever seen. There is a distinct lack of inspiration and polish in the visuals (with the exception of the blood effects, which are excellent even if they are a little over the top), and to be honest I find that fairly unforgivable due to the small volume of content that the devs had to polish. The sound is a technical high point here; battle is a cacophony of clanging, banging, grunting, and yelling and often sounds far more epic than it actually is. The voice acting is superb in most cases, and even the bad sections are better than the acting found in most games these days. I am truly floored by the amount of work that must have gone into recording all the possible conversations for Dragon Age II, and I have to give BioWare credit for not shirking here. The musical score is decent, but there are sections that seem as if they were recycled from Mass Effect 2 and, for the most part, none of the orchestral background music really does much to add to the experience. It's just sort of there most of the time. On the narrative side, BioWare once again shows that they are the kings of story telling in video games today, and even though the vast majority of the story is told without some looming evil or major focal point beyond your character's development it still succeeded in keeping me interested. The fact that the narrative engaged me on little more than a character development is quite impressive, and I actually wish more developers would choose this route over the cliched good vs. evil stories most RPGs give us. The other characters in your party are collected through a series of missions and happenings in the first act, and by and large they are quite well fleshed out. Despite some claims I have read to the contrary, I found nearly all of the new companions to be quite memorable and unique - the Dalish Merril is cute and naive, but has a substantial darkside, Fenris is suitably bitter and revenge-focused to fit nicely into his backstory, and Isabella the sensual pirate captain is a seemingly shallow woman who actually has a somewhat tragic past. These three were by far my favorites, but other characters such as Varric and Anders were also well thought out even if I personally found them both a little irritating. There is plenty of dialogue between your companions as you wander the world, and some of it is actually quite entertaining. As for the gameplay, combat has been vastly altered; the game now plays as more of a deep hack and slash than the standard BioWare RPG (think closer to Diablo than KOTOR). While I initiallly favored this change, I soon found myself wishing for the old click-once-to-attack functionality. I think the problem is that the abilities (shield bash, backstab, etc.) take far too long to cool down in most circumstances. This is coupled with enemies that seem far tougher than one would expect in terms of hit points, and the end result is a feeling of endlessly mashing A while waiting for abilities to cool down. I think there is potential in this system - even a heavy attack button would break up the A mashing - but as it stands now it feels a bit shallow. Finally, the setting. This is where I feel a lot of people, including myself, feel a little let down by the old and faithful BioWare. Let's get one thing out of the way: this is not the world-travelling DA:O. Nearly all of the game takes place in one city. While I can appreciate that BioWare wanted to tell a focused and relatively small scale story, the game certianly needed more areas to explore. Most quests take place in only slightly altered dungeons (some doors open for some quests, and for others they close), and it's hard not to feel a bit disappointed when you recieve an achievement for exploring ten caves and know that all ten caves were actually the same tiny piece of game painted in different contexts. It is forgivable in the beginning, but by about 25 hours (the game is roughly 30-40 hours in length) it begins to feel extremely repetitive and downright lazy on the part of the dev team. I am not sure why they made this decision, and I hope it is different next time. For now, we will have do make do knowing that this great game could have been much greater. I say rent.… Expand
  3. bookamp
    Mar 10, 2011
    7
    Possibly the worst decision bioware could make after making DA:O which is much superior to this button mashing pseudo arpg. I want my money back. Why is bioware try to ripoff people by developing a sequel that is a sequel in name. This has nothing to do with DA:O except the setting and even that has been bastardized to the point of being unrecognizable.
  4. Comrade_Critic
    Mar 21, 2011
    7
    This game is deeply flawed, yet I've played it for so many hours and really do enjoy it. First, the problems. There are some major glitches, especially on the Wayward Son mission. You are best to save often if you don't want to lose hours of play like I did. Second, the DA2 guys packed a lot of story in here, but didn't pack in a lot of maps so, sorry to say it does get a bit repetitive.This game is deeply flawed, yet I've played it for so many hours and really do enjoy it. First, the problems. There are some major glitches, especially on the Wayward Son mission. You are best to save often if you don't want to lose hours of play like I did. Second, the DA2 guys packed a lot of story in here, but didn't pack in a lot of maps so, sorry to say it does get a bit repetitive. I'm glad they didn't skimp on story. I guess I'd rather have to keep going back to the same caves and beaches than have less story, but it can get stale. The voice acting was much improved over the first DA2 and the main character is a far better voice actor than the scrubs they got to do Mass Effect. Game play and graphics are also much improved over DA1, though they did dumb it down so people who don't like collecting herbs or enchanting weapons can still have fun with it. At the end of the day this is a solid game that's provided me with hours of enjoyment. It's not another Oblivion, sadly I don't think we'll ever see that again, and it's not even another Mass Effect or KOTOR. It is however a pretty fun game for fans of the genre who don't mind frequent saves and a glitch here or there.… Expand
  5. Xiphus200
    Mar 19, 2011
    7
    I found the game enjoyable, though it didn't have the same epic scope that Origins did.

    Story: The main story overall didn't have much continuity other then your character, Hawke was the one responsible for solving each 'years' crisis. Your companions have better story arcs. The ending was a letdown to me, after 40 hours of game play their wasn't much resolution, no end game wrap up of    I found the game enjoyable, though it didn't have the same epic scope that Origins did.

    Story: The main story overall didn't have much continuity other then your character, Hawke was the one responsible for solving each 'years' crisis. Your companions have better story arcs. The ending was a letdown to me, after 40 hours of game play their wasn't much resolution, no end game wrap up of the events Hawke had set in motion or how each of his companions fared. It felt hollow and open ended for the obligatory sequel.

    Graphics: The biggest thing people who played Origins will notice is character design has changed a lot, and its quite jarring when you run into NPCs that made appearances in Origins/Awakening that look nothing like they did before. However, once you get past all the retcons of art design the game itself is rather well designed, though some reused textures from Origins for clothes don't show as much polish as the new armor and clothes. The scenery is lovely though.

    Combat: I actually liked the increased pace of combat and the cross-class combos were pretty fun to pull off. My main gripe about combat is the 'waves' of enemies, where you'd kill the first group of enemies and then a second and sometimes third group would materialize out of thin air. Towards the end of the game having to kill 30 enemies every fight just made things drag on and I got a bit tired of all the mindless slaughter.

    I don't regret buying this game and it did hold my attention for 40 hours and probably more in subsequent play throughs. I consider any game that I play for more then 20 hours a success. It's not the best Bioware game I've played but when stacked up against other fantasy games it can hold its weight.    … Expand
  6. Thom
    Apr 24, 2011
    7
    I think a lot of the criticism of the game has been overly focused on the combat. The combat certainly has its issues, but the real problem the game is its complete lack of pacing or plot. Origins was an epic adventure where your choices actually mattered. This game doesn't even provide the illusion of choice, as its painfully obvious that the game will rail-road you as it sees fit. ThisI think a lot of the criticism of the game has been overly focused on the combat. The combat certainly has its issues, but the real problem the game is its complete lack of pacing or plot. Origins was an epic adventure where your choices actually mattered. This game doesn't even provide the illusion of choice, as its painfully obvious that the game will rail-road you as it sees fit. This would be acceptable if the game had a decent story, but with the exception of a few interesting side quests, it really doesn't. Character motivation is often non-existent and their decisions often make no sense. The plot is painfully predictable.

    The three acts are basically unrelated. I admire what Bioware tried to do with the 7-year plot span, but it required a sense of change that wasn't present.

    My other gripe is that the game only provides about 10 hours of content, and then pads it out with recycled environments and fetch quests. I think almost everyone would agree this is a big problem.

    I'm giving the game a seven because the companions were mostly excellent. I didn't care for Merrill, because I felt her side-stories had no rationale, but most people seem to like her too. Otherwise, there are much better RPG's out there, many of them by bioware. Try one of those.    … Expand
  7. maik_kel
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    OK, I'm not through yet but there are several points i just dont like at all, compared to the first one (PC, what else?). First, the camera controls in combat. No more Birds eye view on the PC? What? Even early in the game the fights take quite some room, I loose overview all the time.
    Second, the fact that i can't put armor on my Party members... What? I know they tried to go more in the    OK, I'm not through yet but there are several points i just dont like at all, compared to the first one (PC, what else?). First, the camera controls in combat. No more Birds eye view on the PC? What? Even early in the game the fights take quite some room, I loose overview all the time.
    Second, the fact that i can't put armor on my Party members... What? I know they tried to go more in the direction of Mass Effect (which I LOVE!), but this isn't an RPG anymore, it's become an Action-RPG without ANY Micro-Management (it even Tells you what weapon is best for which Party member). I just don't have to think for myself any more. (I'm gonna play some dwarf fortress tonight to keep my brain oiled...)
    Third, Friendly Fire only on Nightmare? Whaaat? This Feature adds so much to the strategic depth and "realism". But I'll never play in Nightmare, since I don't want to try every fight a 100 times... It worked in the first game, why change this?
    All in all it seems like a very much dumbed down version of the first game (of course they want to reach a broader audience, but isnt that what Mass Effect is for???) You know there are not only kids playing this game. And for an RPG-Fan who LOVED the first one, this is quite a disapointment.
    I really like the Story, Graphics, Characters, Settings and so on. Quite a good rating since its still a lot of fun. but the first one got a 10, hands down!
    And if there wasnt the first game, i'd probably like it more. I just have to ignore the fact that this ist the successor to Dragon Age: Origins...    … Expand
  8. nexusmind
    Mar 17, 2011
    7
    I've almost arrived at the end of my Dragon Age 2 journey and I feel the need to weigh in a bit early to help boost the game back from its undeservedly low user score.

    At its core, Dragon Age 2 is yet another finely made Bioware title with all of the great atmosphere, storytelling, and characters that their previous titles have had. This time around, we're getting a far more focussed    I've almost arrived at the end of my Dragon Age 2 journey and I feel the need to weigh in a bit early to help boost the game back from its undeservedly low user score.

    At its core, Dragon Age 2 is yet another finely made Bioware title with all of the great atmosphere, storytelling, and characters that their previous titles have had. This time around, we're getting a far more focussed slice of the world. Your character is important to the city of Kirkwall, but you get the sense that far grander events are playing out elsewhere in the world. I for one like this departure; it made me feel like I had a big role to play in one small region, but wouldn't be shifting the destiny of the continent. The game is also quite a bit more policial in nature. Still, while I love Kirkwall and the new art style throughout the game, there are major downsides. The limitations of staying in one city become apparent long before the end of the game and the environments get terribly repetitive.

    As far as gameplay is concerned, you'll be diving into a mix of Origins and Mass Effect. I played Origins on PC and enjoyed its more classic top-down rpg controls, but I'm playing DA2 on xbox and I think this new control scheme is excellent as well. If you take the time to dig into it, they haven't left much out from the new controls. The command wheel lets you issue most of the same commands you could in Origins, and then lets you participate a lot more viscerally once you launch the attack. The streamlined inventory works great too, and I can't remember anything from Origins that I find myself missing terribly in DA2. However, it isn't all good news. The exploding gore and corpses get pretty silly, and larger battles can get a bit too hectic for the third person controls. It would also be nice to have more control over outfitting my party.

    As I write this, the user score sits at 4.3, largely because a vocal minority of fans clearly don't understand how to objectively use a 0-10 scale. This game deserves far better than that. You don't slam something with a 1 or 0 out of 10 because it disappoints you or departs from your expectations, you slam something with a 0 if it's broken, awful to play, or of insultingly poor craftsmanship. This game is NONE of those things. Dragon Age 2 is far from being the best Bioware has done, and their Mass Effect titles pull off action gameplay a lot better, but it still stands above many other releases this year. I just hope they learn a lesson or two and make Dragon Age 3 the best one yet!    … Expand
  9. norse
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    I've had some time to reconsider after my initial shock; the game in and all by itself isn't so bad. My problem is more that this was the game I was most looking forward to this year and this is not the sequel I was looking for. If marketing had chosen to call it "Dragon Age: The Champion of Kirkhall", I might have looked at it differently. If they had only let the same team of artistsI've had some time to reconsider after my initial shock; the game in and all by itself isn't so bad. My problem is more that this was the game I was most looking forward to this year and this is not the sequel I was looking for. If marketing had chosen to call it "Dragon Age: The Champion of Kirkhall", I might have looked at it differently. If they had only let the same team of artists mess with the original DA:O engine and give me another 40 hours of adventure, I'd have been +10 content. This one doesn't feel nearly as complex and deep as the first Dragon Age, and I don't feel as immersed and connect to the characters. I just don't care very much about them. The other aspect I really miss is the feeling of exploring a huge, mythical country. And I struggle with the framing story that just leaves unexplored gaps.… Expand
  10. epitage
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    I've played over 20 hours on this game and I realized I didn't truly appreciate it until I changed the difficulty to 'hard'. The combat on normal is wayyyyy too easy and you will very quickly become bored. 'Hard' and 'Nightmare' actually require the tactics that DA:O did. The graphics look fine to me and I'm still enjoying it, but I'm disappointed that I cannot change most of the armorI've played over 20 hours on this game and I realized I didn't truly appreciate it until I changed the difficulty to 'hard'. The combat on normal is wayyyyy too easy and you will very quickly become bored. 'Hard' and 'Nightmare' actually require the tactics that DA:O did. The graphics look fine to me and I'm still enjoying it, but I'm disappointed that I cannot change most of the armor on my companions. Picking character skills is a blast in this game, but you won't need them unless you play on hard or nightmare.… Expand
  11. Blazing
    Mar 17, 2011
    7
    Sin duda alguna, una entrega muy inferior en relación a Origins, con muchos puntos flojos. Su único punto fuerte es que los combates contra bosses siguen teniendo "algo de estrategia", y otras pequeñas cosas sin mucha importancia. Esta entrega ha sido especialmente enfocada a todos los públicos, dejando de banda a los fieles seguidoresSin duda alguna, una entrega muy inferior en relación a Origins, con muchos puntos flojos. Su único punto fuerte es que los combates contra bosses siguen teniendo "algo de estrategia", y otras pequeñas cosas sin mucha importancia. Esta entrega ha sido especialmente enfocada a todos los públicos, dejando de banda a los fieles seguidores del rol. Personajes poco complejos, historia confusa, simplificaciones... un despropósito en si. BioWare solo tenía mejorar un poco Origins para hacer un gran juego.… Expand
  12. Kadan
    Mar 10, 2011
    7
    Ð¥Ñ
  13. Brader182
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    Everything is great in this game!!!Meet the Best Rpg for teen years Dragon age 2!!! I love this game!! I complete the game already and i want more play it.i want more adventures,i want more dlc which tell us about Hawke s fate)))dont listen people who give negative review its all flashmob
  14. sgtStones
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    Expectations are a b*tch. They have to be filtered out when trying to give some sort of a review...well at least to a point. A sentiment, not many users ( on metacritic anyway ) seem to share. I finished DA:O 6 times ( 4x on hard and twice on nightmare )... needless to say I love that game and I'm already thinking about the approach I'll take in the next playthrough.

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

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

    pros:
    - everything that reminds me of DA:O


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

    But even DA 0.5 is still good game, and certainly better ( if not by much ) then most recent rpgs ( fable 4, Ego Draconis, TwoWorlds II ). It's DEFINATELY NOT A 4    … Expand
  15. ImUnavailable
    Mar 13, 2011
    7
    Not nearly as bad as these reviews would have you believe but disappointing none the less. Combat is much more fluid than DA:O, and the graphics are marginally better. But that's about it as far as improvements go. The story isn't really about Hawke. It's about Kirkwall and its people, making for a more personal story. However, it lacks the scope of its predecessor and what I do in theNot nearly as bad as these reviews would have you believe but disappointing none the less. Combat is much more fluid than DA:O, and the graphics are marginally better. But that's about it as far as improvements go. The story isn't really about Hawke. It's about Kirkwall and its people, making for a more personal story. However, it lacks the scope of its predecessor and what I do in the game doesn't feel as significant as in DA:O. The writing is still of a high standard overall but the dialog wheel makes conversations much more confined and clunky. Kirkwall feels empty and fails to construct its own identity, something Rockstar games do very well. The lack of customization for teammates also hurts the game. In spite of all this, I enjoyed myself and I will replay it. It just wasn't the game it could have been.… Expand
  16. CPB
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    Okay, this is coming from someone who beat the game, and all in all it's not that bad. The combat feels better, the characters are like-able, and SOME of the choices in the game are compelling and make you think. Now for the negative. The graphics are below average, hawke sounds like a english **** the environments by the second act are just recycled, and most of the choices feelOkay, this is coming from someone who beat the game, and all in all it's not that bad. The combat feels better, the characters are like-able, and SOME of the choices in the game are compelling and make you think. Now for the negative. The graphics are below average, hawke sounds like a english **** the environments by the second act are just recycled, and most of the choices feel unimportant and lead to the same conclusion. So it's a good game but pales in comparison to the original.… Expand
  17. MrGerbz
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    Is DA2 a bad game? No.
    Is DA2 a bad game by Bioware standards? Definitely.
    Currently Bioware seems to become a true EA Games drone, by wanting to release a game every year at the cost of quality. It is mostly the Bioware fans that are seriously pissed off at them, and are giving all the bad scores. People who don't care much about RPG's but much rather prefer action-oriented games like    Is DA2 a bad game? No.
    Is DA2 a bad game by Bioware standards? Definitely.

    Currently Bioware seems to become a true EA Games drone, by wanting to release a game every year at the cost of quality. It is mostly the Bioware fans that are seriously pissed off at them, and are giving all the bad scores. People who don't care much about RPG's but much rather prefer action-oriented games like Call of Duty are the ones giving the high scores.

    Lets focus on the good parts first. The combat *looks* great, the companions are interesting, the graphics are pretty decent, the lore is still awesome to read, and the story while less epic than in DA:O, is still written very well. By industry standards, this is a very decent game.

    Sadly, there are also bad parts I need to mention. Like previously mentioned, the combat *looks* great, but when looking deeper at it, you'll notice it's actually pretty bland. Almost each encounter has waves of enemies (kill first group, 2nd group spawns, etc), and while interesting at first, it's overused.
    Speaking of overusing, if you have seen one cave / villa / sewer, you've seen them all. This is the biggest evidence of Bioware focussing on quantity over quality. They don't even give you a different minimap, certain passages are just blocked off.
    They've also reduced a lot of customization, with the excuse of 'streamlining' it. You can't even change your companions' outfit. But here's a newsflash Bioware: RPG fans LOVE customization. Sure, our companions may not always look great then, but this makes upgrading their outfits to more powerful ones even more satisfying.
    The biggest part of the quests you'll do are simple find and drop off quests, without even specific dialogue. You won't feel much of a connection to anyone or anything but some of your companions. Dialogue shouldn't feel like a bother, hence you should have the ability to skip it. But a total lack of it only makes us feel less involved. This goes so far that you don't even buy wares from merchants themselves, but from boxes next to them. BANG, and the immersion's gone.

    In conclusion: DA2 isn't bad, hell it's sometimes pretty good even. For the industry standard. But it's far, far away from the Bioware standard.    … Expand
  18. emersonclocks
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    The game is fun to play, loading times and graphics are significantly better than the previous game. Inventory and item management have been streamlined. Battles feel more visceral, similar to KOTR. Voice acting was superb and some of the companion stories were truly memorable. However, as mentioned before the scope of the game is more narrow, confined to a single town and the story isThe game is fun to play, loading times and graphics are significantly better than the previous game. Inventory and item management have been streamlined. Battles feel more visceral, similar to KOTR. Voice acting was superb and some of the companion stories were truly memorable. However, as mentioned before the scope of the game is more narrow, confined to a single town and the story is more linear. Additionally, it's difficult to choose companions that complement your skill set. For instance, there were only 2 choices for healers in this game, and only 1 after Act 1. A lot of the areas were also recycled. I didn't have a problem with this but I can understand why other gamers might be upset. Some of the boss fights seemed overextended and a little reliant on button mashing and potion drinking. I also didn't really see much benefit for building up various resistances, ie fire, electric, or cold resistances, in the game. I am not sure if I met an enemy that even dealt electrical damage.… Expand
  19. Talvrae
    Mar 20, 2011
    7
    As a Bioware fan girl i will try to make as much of an unbiased review i can do for this game. I'm not blind to it's flaw. But dont want to bash it rediculously for some of the scandals on the game reviews.
    Even if some of the features of Dragon Age Origins return, this is not the same game at all, for the good and the bad. We return to Thedas the same universe and we still are playing a    As a Bioware fan girl i will try to make as much of an unbiased review i can do for this game. I'm not blind to it's flaw. But dont want to bash it rediculously for some of the scandals on the game reviews.
    Even if some of the features of Dragon Age Origins return, this is not the same game at all, for the good and the bad. We return to Thedas the same universe and we still are playing a tactical RPG like the first one, who let you customise the enemies tactics (Richards that's not an unfinished feature, it's necesseries with all the customisations possibles, and it allow to to addapt the tactics to your liking).
    .
    I wills tart out with the bads
    Less customisation than the first one, It's no longer possible to play an elf or a dwarf.
    Recicled environements
    Lack of environement variety
    straight lined missions

    On the good side
    The story is nice and very personal a good change of the epics stories
    The voice acting is excellent as usual on a Bioware titles and the dialogue well work well in the game
    Uge improvement on the graphical side (the art style have changed a lot trought and you like it or you dont)
    Good replayability with lot of things who can change in the game plays

    It's not as good as the original but still a good game    … Expand
  20. RagingPacifist
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    If you are looking for a LONG game and enjoy RPGs then this is like you. At times, it plays more like a 'Choose your own Adventure' book (yeah, I am that old) and wasn't terribly thrilled with the sexual ambiguity of the game, but it was entertaining. Between the long periods of video, choose what you will say, comes the hack and slash which was a bit repetitive at times. Not horriblyIf you are looking for a LONG game and enjoy RPGs then this is like you. At times, it plays more like a 'Choose your own Adventure' book (yeah, I am that old) and wasn't terribly thrilled with the sexual ambiguity of the game, but it was entertaining. Between the long periods of video, choose what you will say, comes the hack and slash which was a bit repetitive at times. Not horribly challenging but kept me busy.… Expand
  21. omearaee
    Mar 16, 2011
    7
    It isn't a bad game. It's a good game. Really. I liked it but I don't love it. The combat is improved over DA:O's slow combat but now its too fast and ridiculous (exploding bodies). The graphics are great but character customization is limited (can't change companion armor), the character creator is virtually the same as DA:O. The story is good and the companions are great. But theIt isn't a bad game. It's a good game. Really. I liked it but I don't love it. The combat is improved over DA:O's slow combat but now its too fast and ridiculous (exploding bodies). The graphics are great but character customization is limited (can't change companion armor), the character creator is virtually the same as DA:O. The story is good and the companions are great. But the romances and the process of getting to know your fellow companions seems disjointed. It a fun game on its own merits but not as good as DA:O… Expand
  22. Mortrau
    Mar 16, 2011
    7
    Not bad. Excellent screenplay and characters, good music and graphic. Boring gameplay, poor roleplay system (if compare with DAO). But the Story is brilliant. This is an interactive book.
  23. sjuk72
    Mar 16, 2011
    7
    DA II isn't that bad, it's just not moving the game forward since DA Origins. It doesn't deserve a really bad score, I was just hoping for an improvement from the previous.
  24. Freeid
    Mar 24, 2011
    7
    I feel if they had marketed this game as something other than Dragon age 2 ( Perhaps a dragon age Tale) the reviews would have been better. People who loved the first one expected it to play like the first one and were justly disappointed.
  25. Daemon75
    Mar 25, 2011
    7
    First off, loved DA: Origins and admit to being initially disappointed in this sequel. However, as others have already said, taken on it's own merits it is actually a good game. It's only in comparison to the original that it suffers. There are a couple of things which I feel are very poor, such as the re-use of areas with parts blocked off, and the carry object to person quests which hadFirst off, loved DA: Origins and admit to being initially disappointed in this sequel. However, as others have already said, taken on it's own merits it is actually a good game. It's only in comparison to the original that it suffers. There are a couple of things which I feel are very poor, such as the re-use of areas with parts blocked off, and the carry object to person quests which had no real sense to them without being related to a conversation.
    I believe part of the perceived lack of depth could also be because we aren't newly discovering this world as in DA:O (despite taking it's inspiration from Tolkien it did have either unique or interesting twists), and so we are familiar with many things that this storyline requires (mages and their predisposition to a case of the abominations, darkspawn and the blight, the chantry/templar/mage relationship etc although the last one was fleshed out a bit more).
    There were some excellent and disturbing plot points, the companions were good (though no-one as memorable as Shale, Morrigan or Leliana - with the possible exception of Varric), the combat was good though not great (and exploding bodies was a bit daft).
    For this to be a much better game only a few things would have needed to be added
    1.) More companion content, including more conversations between companions, and personally I would prefer the ability to kit out their armour
    2.) More areas to explore, and definitely more distinct art and design
    3.) A bigger game, possibly more and longer sidequests that would increase replayability.

    I really have to disagree with all of the zero ratings, most of these state that they are in response to some of the overly hyped critic reviews but it gives an unfair picture of what is a good but flawed game.    … Expand
  26. RoldinVoir
    Mar 29, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age 2 was a Good game, However it had many flaws in it which keeps it from receiving a better score from me. DA:O was a game that was almost the perfect RPG but it too had flaws as in a slow combat system and shotty graphics for the 360. While DA 2 Fixed the slow combat system it went away from the core of what made DA:O a great game. For it didn't have varied areas and you wereDragon Age 2 was a Good game, However it had many flaws in it which keeps it from receiving a better score from me. DA:O was a game that was almost the perfect RPG but it too had flaws as in a slow combat system and shotty graphics for the 360. While DA 2 Fixed the slow combat system it went away from the core of what made DA:O a great game. For it didn't have varied areas and you were stuck in one city the entire game. While the story and the side quests were amazing, but the areas were just used over and over again and after awhile you just started to get bored of doing the same thing over and over. The only saving grace for this was the combat system was fluid and the story was amazing.

    I can only imagine that if Bioware kept this game in development for another 6months it would have produced a much better game. As it stands sadly while the game was fun it just wasn't as impressive as DA:O was with it's epic feel of adventure, and settings. DA2 had a better story and combat system however it just fell down on variety and the feel of epic. Cause really I'll never forget going into the Deep Roads and the mage tower in the first game, The experience these places produced were one of a kind.    … Expand
  27. solitas777
    Mar 31, 2011
    7
    On it's own Dragon Age 2 is a good game, not a great game or an epic game mind you, but a good game. Good: The combat system is streamlined and simplified (a blessing for console players but a curse for PC gamers). Good/Excellent/Serviceable- voice acting. The visual style is excellent, with excellent facial expressions and interesting and varied character designs (from the buxom isabella,On it's own Dragon Age 2 is a good game, not a great game or an epic game mind you, but a good game. Good: The combat system is streamlined and simplified (a blessing for console players but a curse for PC gamers). Good/Excellent/Serviceable- voice acting. The visual style is excellent, with excellent facial expressions and interesting and varied character designs (from the buxom isabella, small thin flat chested elves, tall horned qunari, short stout dwarves). The quest locator system is awesome, just awesome. I also appreciated the fast travel abilities. The load times after I installed it on my HD was quick, i loved it. Visually it's not a bad looking game. The interface is much easier to navigate. Bad- A roleplaying game lives and dies by its story and its level designs. This is where DA2 dies a hard death. The pacing of the story is a disjointed mess. There is no flow. The epic storyline is absent here, A story, should have an arc, a climax, and a conclusion but the climax is so abrupt and conclusion so unsatisfying that it takes away what should be dramatic moments of the game. The level design is actually good, so what detracts from it then? It is reused to such a degree that you will begin to dread having to slog through the same cityscapes, soulless buildings types, dungeons, and outdoor environments. This kills the replay value for me. I swear by the end of the game I had the perverse wish that I could cast mega apocalypse just so I would never have to suffer through one more stupid repetitive level.

    This game is a good game, but usually I associate bioware games with the height of excellent. This game I associate with the height of mediocrity. By all means...buy the game....when the price drops and its a remastered edition with DLC bundled in it but don't buy brand new. Not worth it.    … Expand
  28. JJShredder
    Apr 4, 2011
    7
    While I had my issues with this game, I feel like all they did was go the route that Mass Effect 2 did with streamlining, cutting fat, and focusing on character stories more than a main story. Strangely enough though, because this game did it, people are out in droves to give it an unfair 0 rating. I mean really? is that not the same crap you blame critics for when it comes to the gameWhile I had my issues with this game, I feel like all they did was go the route that Mass Effect 2 did with streamlining, cutting fat, and focusing on character stories more than a main story. Strangely enough though, because this game did it, people are out in droves to give it an unfair 0 rating. I mean really? is that not the same crap you blame critics for when it comes to the game being overrated, you turn around and severely underrate it? So why are the user reviews of ME 2 so high when for the most part they went the same route with DA 2? I don't get it, this is a solid game that does nothing special but yet does not deserve the self-serving terrible review a lot of you have given it. At least rent it and try for yourself.… Expand
  29. Narnodewish
    Apr 7, 2011
    7
    Dragon Age 2 was a let down from the previous Dragon age game. The more "Spartan" like fighting scheme did not work as well as I first thought. It became less about tactics and became more "Get Money!" and endless pressing of the attack button. It was a good game with a plot that did not enjoy me Although it was a good enough game to play to pass the time.
  30. DWlubu1998
    Apr 15, 2011
    7
    This may be a step down from origins but its still a good game and there are some improvements. Most of the beginning of the game you are doing boring quest that have you going from one place to the other then the other then the other... But once you get further into the game it gets more enjoyable. There are some unexpected moments along the way. The customization from the first game wasThis may be a step down from origins but its still a good game and there are some improvements. Most of the beginning of the game you are doing boring quest that have you going from one place to the other then the other then the other... But once you get further into the game it gets more enjoyable. There are some unexpected moments along the way. The customization from the first game was mostly taken away seeing how your character is picked for you but you can pick his/her face and that about it besides armor and weapons. Dont get me wrong i still like this game but the first one was better.… Expand
  31. SuctorialDave
    Apr 20, 2011
    7
    Not as good as "Dragon age: Origins" but not bad. I find it good that the combats are now more action-packed. The story is interesting but not as epic as it was in Origin. What i really hated was the copy-paste levels. In every Chapter the levels were the same. I am a little bit disapointed but nonetheless it is a good game.
  32. Fenrir81
    Apr 22, 2011
    7
    I've been a fan of Bioware since KOTOR, but I am the first to admit that with Dragon Age 2, they dropped the ball. Big time. The product of one year of lazy and extremely rushed development, this game remains good compared to other videogames on the market, but as per Bioware standards, it is truly mediocre. The sequel to the masterful Dragon Age Origins falls (very short) in every domainI've been a fan of Bioware since KOTOR, but I am the first to admit that with Dragon Age 2, they dropped the ball. Big time. The product of one year of lazy and extremely rushed development, this game remains good compared to other videogames on the market, but as per Bioware standards, it is truly mediocre. The sequel to the masterful Dragon Age Origins falls (very short) in every domain but the graphics. The levels are re-used ad nauseum, the characters are boring and unlikable (the worst thing that can happen to an RPG), the story is a deconstructed mess, the fighting is more dynamic but less deep... Overall, the game is a severe failure and a huge step back.… Expand
  33. tbaltimore
    Apr 25, 2011
    7
    This game is a mixed bag both for newcomers to Dragon Age and to players of Origins. On the one hand, the conversation and elements of combat are improved. On the other hand, there's lots to be disappointed in. This is the best game I've played that I'd rate a 7 out of 10. While disappointing in some aspects, it is still fun to play. Unfortunately, the overall story does not feel asThis game is a mixed bag both for newcomers to Dragon Age and to players of Origins. On the one hand, the conversation and elements of combat are improved. On the other hand, there's lots to be disappointed in. This is the best game I've played that I'd rate a 7 out of 10. While disappointing in some aspects, it is still fun to play. Unfortunately, the overall story does not feel as epic as Origins, but the characters are good. There's a little too much sexual innuendo from just about every companion in the game, instead of one or two where appropriate. Probably the worst part of the game is the reuse of the same city, and the same 10 or less "zones" in 3 different Acts. Also, the maps are reused without updating inaccessible areas of the maps. Is the game fun? Yes, I think so, but be forewarned, it is not the game we all hoped for.… Expand
  34. WarX
    May 18, 2011
    7
    It's a Great Game, but ya they could have done better, but still a good buy for PC, I like that the main character can talk, gives more life to your character, the story so far for is great, my favourite character is the dwarf Varric, he is a good Narrator, gives more flavour for the Story...
  35. e_cop
    Jun 29, 2011
    7
    This game is a step backwards from DA:O, while i like the new combat system and graphics have been improved, the rest of the game feels uninspired. They stripped custumizaton for all your companions, so 70% of objects you pick up are junk, and sell very cheap by the way, good items are incredibly expensive, so by the time you buy them the game is almos over. Your companions are no whereThis game is a step backwards from DA:O, while i like the new combat system and graphics have been improved, the rest of the game feels uninspired. They stripped custumizaton for all your companions, so 70% of objects you pick up are junk, and sell very cheap by the way, good items are incredibly expensive, so by the time you buy them the game is almos over. Your companions are no where near as interesting as in DA:O. It no longer matters if you play as a good or a bad guy because the story plays the same way with little consequence. to sum up: Graphics 7, Sound 7, Story 6, Gameplay 8, Replay value 8… Expand
  36. ijy101
    Aug 1, 2011
    7
    while I want to give this game a great rating because I loved origins, this game just felt completely different and wasn't nearly as deep as the first one. It felt very shallow and while I did like the characters, the story just made me want to cry. also the lack of different areas to explore and the same dungeon areas just disappointed the hell out of me. though I do think that if theywhile I want to give this game a great rating because I loved origins, this game just felt completely different and wasn't nearly as deep as the first one. It felt very shallow and while I did like the characters, the story just made me want to cry. also the lack of different areas to explore and the same dungeon areas just disappointed the hell out of me. though I do think that if they can combine origins and two for the third one they can definitely make an awesome game worthy of the the bio ware title.… Expand
  37. ShadowReaver
    Aug 3, 2011
    7
    I would say that this is a brilliant game but despite the awesome graphics and wicked fighting system its flawed in the story line which i think its safe to say is what really built up the dragon age series, it gave our main character a voice which is what i liked i also like the the designs of the equipment but the story again was still to bare, unlike in origins you had multiple startI would say that this is a brilliant game but despite the awesome graphics and wicked fighting system its flawed in the story line which i think its safe to say is what really built up the dragon age series, it gave our main character a voice which is what i liked i also like the the designs of the equipment but the story again was still to bare, unlike in origins you had multiple start points this you only had one also it seemed like a quick fix ending not to spoil anything, but general a good game but a let down for the series but never the less i am looking forward to dragon age 3 and its new installments and with a hope of a more detailed story line one that will surpass origins.… Expand
  38. Kaylith
    Sep 3, 2011
    7
    If you had never played Dragon Age: Origins, you would love this game. Yes, in comparison with the original it isn't as epic, and it feels like it was probably rushed a little bit, however, its still a pretty sweet game. The humor, action, and story were still great. If you have 25 hours to burn you won't be disappointed. On the negitive side alot of the "instance" areas are copiedIf you had never played Dragon Age: Origins, you would love this game. Yes, in comparison with the original it isn't as epic, and it feels like it was probably rushed a little bit, however, its still a pretty sweet game. The humor, action, and story were still great. If you have 25 hours to burn you won't be disappointed. On the negitive side alot of the "instance" areas are copied thru multiple quests, so you will get a bit of repetition from that, and the mobs come at you in waves now which can be a little annoying. Some companions can also be impossible to get on your side based on your class. Some of the original magic is there though and it's a 6 or 7 if you thought Origins was a 9-10.… Expand
  39. CappyBlack
    Nov 28, 2011
    7
    While this game is a step in the wrong direction for the series, overall it is still a fine game. As long as you can overlook some of what they took away, and appreciate the faster paced combat, and more confined space, it is a worthy edition to any rpg gamer's collection. Pros - Likable characters - Clever writing - Good amount of content - Fun gameplay Cons - The game feels very confinedWhile this game is a step in the wrong direction for the series, overall it is still a fine game. As long as you can overlook some of what they took away, and appreciate the faster paced combat, and more confined space, it is a worthy edition to any rpg gamer's collection. Pros - Likable characters - Clever writing - Good amount of content - Fun gameplay Cons - The game feels very confined when compared to origins - The first chapter of the game is very slow, and filled with "fluff" quests - Graphical glitches occur fairly often - The game seems to have been developed around the release of dlc.… Expand
  40. SoothSayer
    Feb 14, 2013
    7
    I am a huge DA:O fan, beat the game four times and got all the achievements except for some of the DLC. It was and still is one of my favorite games ever. DA: 2 is a decent sequal and a respectable game. Its terribly low reviews are a cause of two issues. Misleading PR and dramatically different style in both visuals and story.
    The Good. Dragon Age 2, was well polished visually and    I am a huge DA:O fan, beat the game four times and got all the achievements except for some of the DLC. It was and still is one of my favorite games ever. DA: 2 is a decent sequal and a respectable game. Its terribly low reviews are a cause of two issues. Misleading PR and dramatically different style in both visuals and story.
    The Good. Dragon Age 2, was well polished visually and mechanically both in terms of stability and core game mechanics. Animations, cutscenes and voice acting are all well done, dialog and body movements when conversing received a much needed upgrade. Combat is fluid, visually pleasant, stable and easily accessible while retaining its difficulty to master. What is best about the improvements in combat is fundamentally it is still the same combat system, just flashier. For those who were die hard tactics and micromanagers in DA: Origins will still find all the challenge and depth if they knock up the difficulty rating (normal is far to easy).
    The game also makes cameos of prior characters and impressively they actually make comments and intertwine some events which occurred based upon your prior save.
    Some character quests and and core character events were well done and excellently pull some empathy and create suspicion and even worry.
    The best upgrade or improvement in my eyes for DA 2 is the conversation reactions and animation. They were sorely lacking in the first but was made up for by the fine writing and excellent voice acting.
    Much of the conversing with party members was improved, as with the first one, chatting and your actions impact your party and their attitude towards you. The implementation of the Rival Friend system was an excellent move which allowed you to purposely piss off the characters you hate and treat them like dirt without the worry of losing the benefits and stat bonuses or risks of leaving which the first game offered.
    The Bad. Most of the 'bad' stuff in the game really was not all that bad, but the DA:O fanbase simply did not want or expect certain changes.
    Truly the worst part about this game is its story. Although not the worst I have seen, played or read, it suffers more flank and critique because it is the sequel to DA: Origins. Origins had a massive and immersive story where everything and one felt like it belonged and all the choices and action which took place felt like they and you the character had weight and influence in the world.
    Much of these feeling is gone in the second. It removes itself from the beloved Ferelden and all its politics, characters and world which the prior game setup and established. The new story by (keyword here being contrast) contrast feels weak. It also makes no attempt to continue the original story, where they left off with many questions which I cannot say specifically due to spoilers.
    Streamlined RPG. This game is noticeably less customizable and very much less open than its predecessor. They removed the party armor system and simply have it upgrade by buying items in stores which have no visual reflection or upgrade on your party members. The only true weapon and armor customization you may have is with your character, even this though is oddly lacking in variety.
    Many people will disagree with me on this point; the loss of 'choose your own story' element. I loved the take back and traditional move DA:O did with its conversation. The old choose your dialog option took me back to my youth when I read those old choose your adventure style novels which heavily influenced the game. The new Mass Effect dialog wheel is not bad and helps make the conversations flow but I would have prefered the old dialog option.
    Lack of immersion. Never in the game, did I feel fully pulled into the story, or very attached to many of the characters. Their introductions were often random and usually had little impact or relevance to the story. Many of the quests you go about feel tacked on and are there simply as filler. Though to their credit, many of the side quest even if they were boring did get mentioned and had some consequences which affected later story.
    Some of the combat (events) felt very superficial. Like the whole purpose of the quest was just an excuse to go and kill something. Not like DA: O where several quests were literally you talking and making choices which would later affect the game.
    In conclusion, Dragon 2's biggest flaw is it is the sequel to a fantastic and possibly impossible to outdo game. Many of the issues with the first game were resolved and improved upon, while its lack of story polish and open world and adventure feel removed. Character dialog as a whole was less believable (I know its a fantasy game) and several characters felt forced or unnecessary. However, many decent story elements remain Narrative is strong, many actions of the first game influence the second. If you liked the fisrt one, its worth playing the second. Just expect some changes. Good and bad.    … Expand
  41. rpgmaster
    Nov 23, 2011
    7
    Dont think this game deserves to be ranked a 4 on the user scores. Can understand why people did this and that would be frustration in that it did not live up to dragon age origins and the hype surrounding it. The graphics in the game are very good and it has a decent storyline, however the actual combat at times was rediculious.
  42. Klijpo
    Feb 28, 2012
    7
    Certainly a mixed bag, Dragon Age 2 gets a lot of unfair criticism in among the well landed blows. Coming out only 16 months after 2009's Dragon Age: Origins, the follow up feels rushed and unpolished. The new more action oriented combat system, while pacier than its predecessors pedestrian fighting, also lacks some of the tactical planning, and could have done with more development. WorseCertainly a mixed bag, Dragon Age 2 gets a lot of unfair criticism in among the well landed blows. Coming out only 16 months after 2009's Dragon Age: Origins, the follow up feels rushed and unpolished. The new more action oriented combat system, while pacier than its predecessors pedestrian fighting, also lacks some of the tactical planning, and could have done with more development. Worse is the repeated use of the same maps over and over, which makes the exploration feel repetitive. However, despite the quick turnaround the story does not suffer much for it. Eschewing the epic battle against all odds of the previous game (and many other game narratives), DA2 is a character study of the (male or female) protagonists Hawke and his or her friends and family, told over 7 to 10 years, in 3 main acts. Fully voiced (using the same kind of dialogue wheel system from Mass Effect) and well written and acted, there are many subtle and clever subplots and arcs woven through the main narrative, mostly involving a cast of well developed characters all with back stories ranging from intriguing to powerful. BioWare have at least tried something different with the storyline, and while it does get a little restrictive towards the end, it is mostly successful. If it had had a few more months to solidify the story, and polish up the gameplay and environments, it could have as much improved over the original as Mass Effect 2 was to Mass Effect. However, the gameplay problems, while disappointing, are by no means terrible, and the game is still an entertaining experience for 30-40 hours or so. That hate this game gets is certainly extremely excessive, and it should not deter BioWare in trying out different types of story to tell.… Expand
  43. DixreuX
    Feb 29, 2012
    7
    It is so sad that the story in DA2 was so bad. In my opinion, DA and DA2 should never have been related.
    BUT the game did have som really good gameplay and fairly god visuals
  44. fitscotgaymer
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    This game really gets a bum rap as far as games go, and the reason for it is two fold.

    1) The gaming media has so skewed the ratings system that most people think anything less than a 9 or a 10 is positively awful. This is a belief shared by big publishing houses, and by developers also. It has rendered the ratings system useless; and is, I believe, responsible in part for the negative    This game really gets a bum rap as far as games go, and the reason for it is two fold.

    1) The gaming media has so skewed the ratings system that most people think anything less than a 9 or a 10 is positively awful. This is a belief shared by big publishing houses, and by developers also. It has rendered the ratings system useless; and is, I believe, responsible in part for the negative overreaction to this game as evidenced by the inaccurate and unfair Zero's, One's, and Two's.

    2) Bioware's Marketing Department is really really bad. They gave a distinct impression to the fan base about what Dragon Age "2" was going to be like, and then what was delivered was quite different. Which explains much of the backlash.

    Granted none of this was helped by the extremely short development cycle that resulted in a game that feels incomplete and has a really crappy, bland, and boring ending.

    In spite of this however I still feel like a lot of the really low user reviews are unfair, because IMO the game is decent.
    The engine runs much more smoothly, and is much more stable than in Dragon Age Origins. The Character based textures are much cleaner, and much prettier. The dialogue, and interpersonal interactions with NPC companions are much deeper and more emotive than in Dragon Age Origins. And the overall story arc is coherent and mostly complete, even if it ends a little abruptly, and crappily with SuperEvilNinja!Meredith.

    Claims that the combat has been dumbed down to flashy hack'n'slash mechanics are untrue. Combat runs almost exactly the same as in DAO. The differences are mostly cosmetic, with faster animations, a lack of "finishing" moves, and the missing isometric camera.
    Or are different in the execution/presentation of the combat scenes - example: The Parachuting from the Sky Heavily Armoured Waves of enemies, or occasional cut scene "finishing" move.
    Tactics work the same, and talents (although streamlined) work the same. The guts, the actual mechanics of combat are exactly the same.

    If DA2 were an exam, it would get a solid and respectable B IMO (with DAO getting an A).    … Expand
  45. Ghost67
    Jan 12, 2015
    7
    There is alot of hate for this game. Some of it is warranted - while some of it is not.

    Alot of the hatred that comes for DA:2 is the fact that the original game was a much different animal than the sequel. The original - Dragon Age: Origins was described as a modern love letter to old traditional Western RPG classics, A la Balder's Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights. While DA: O    There is alot of hate for this game. Some of it is warranted - while some of it is not.

    Alot of the hatred that comes for DA:2 is the fact that the original game was a much different animal than the sequel. The original - Dragon Age: Origins was described as a modern love letter to old traditional Western RPG classics, A la Balder's Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights. While DA: O is a very solid game, Bioware decided to take a very far left turn with Dragon Age 2.

    It's kind of funny, they did a similar turn with the Mass Effect series as well. With both sequels, Bioware took some big risks changing core gameplay mechanics.

    And I can respect that.

    The main difference is that Mass Effect 2 did an exceptional job at this transition. Dragon Age 2's attempt however, was sloppy.

    But it's not a bad game.

    I feel like alot of the hatred for this game just stems from the fact that its not as complex as Origins. There are things that DA2 lacks. It lacks a deep character customization system. It's inventory system, like ME2, has been stripped down. Some people really enjoy decking out their characters - you can't really do that in DA2. Even the skill trees themselves have been scaled down.

    Moreever, I agree that running through the same dungeons can be tedious and it's "kind of" lazy. In DA2, there are dungeons that are reused, over and over. The layouts are exactly the same, the same location is reused. It's kind of lazy, and its recycled content.

    The other major gripe with this game is the quests. DA2 suffers from Side Quest syndrome. You are given a ton of quests to complete in DA2. Unfortunately, many of these quests do not relate to the main story. So it feels as if you are working towards the main course. Other RPG's also do this, and its frustrating. A couple side quests is OK, but the fist Act alone has you probably do over 20 side quests. On the one hand, I can appreciate the work that has gone into these quests. But - I don't really care. We're not emotionally invested into these side quests.

    But DA2 excels in is where it counts; roleplaying and characters. And let's face it, the characters are generally better in DA2 than DA:O. They are better. If you liked ME2's storytelling, you will like DA2's, as the dialogue options and the general rythmn of characterization is there. And it's GREAT.

    Hawke is probably the best PC that I've roleplayed to date. His voice acting is fantastic and has charisma. Credit needs to given where its due. You're usually given 3 options to respond, an agreeable/nice/peaceful option, a hardass option and everyone's favorite, the dry sarcastic humorous neutral option. The joking dialogue option is a great addition and Hawke can be pretty funny at times. In my opinion he even beats out Shepard. Hawke just has more personality and charisma. The character creation system has been ramped up, and you can actually make a good looking Hawke. In fact my Hawke is probably the best looking PC character I've made.

    Characters evolve with you over time. DA2 is a long saga that takes place over many years. A very ambitious project attempted by Bioware and I applaud them for it.

    Part of the charm of running through these same dungeons is the way that they change. DA2 is about change, it's a long saga over a long time period. You see character change and evolve, relationships are not formed for one adventure - but multiple adventures in one overarching story. Your actions really do matter, and they ripple across the story.

    My main problem with DA2 is that its wandering away from strategic parts of gameplay. The complaints of it being dumbed down are not completely unwarranted. The challeges presented in DA2 are...iffy. But then again, the pause and play combat of these titles have always been questionable. It's difficult to judge, because at the core this is a Roleplaying game, and DA2 executes the roleplaying aspect flawlessly. That is the heart of Bioware's games.

    DA2 is not a perfect game, but alot of the hate is unfair. Metacritic can be a cruel master, and does not always reflect the true value of a game. Like this one. This is due to a rabid fanbase feeling betrayed upon release. At the end of the day, I had fun playing DA2. If you can grab this game with some of the DLC's for $20-$30, it's money well spent. In fact, I think I had more fun playing this game than DA:O. Hate to say it, but its the truth.

    And that's what matters.

    At the end of the day, DA2 is a good game. That is the bottom line.    … Expand
  46. Rox22
    Dec 12, 2012
    7
    There is allot wrong with this game. It feels like it was rushed and released far to quickly. The repeated environments and rather poorly rendered character models (aside from Isabella) are proof of this. HOWEVER, production SNAFUs aside, the game is pretty good. I loved the almost all the characters (I just love Merrill to bits!) Story is really dark and really focuses on the Templars vsThere is allot wrong with this game. It feels like it was rushed and released far to quickly. The repeated environments and rather poorly rendered character models (aside from Isabella) are proof of this. HOWEVER, production SNAFUs aside, the game is pretty good. I loved the almost all the characters (I just love Merrill to bits!) Story is really dark and really focuses on the Templars vs Mages theme. A really clever comparison to the church vs free thinking of the dark ages (but I'm sure the average gamer didn't notice this.) Overall: A good really good game with a great story and solid combat mechanics, but it should have left in production for at least a further 6 months. This is what happens when you rush. A shame.… Expand
  47. Jay_Sherman
    Feb 23, 2013
    7
    Dragon Age II is not BioWare's finest game, nor is it the most polished game they've ever released, but I think it's an underrated game whose finer qualities are overlooked because of its flaws. Inevitably it is compared to its predecessor, the superb Dragon Age: Origins. The first Dragon Age game was a labour of love, years in the making.

    Dragon Age II, given even half the time that    Dragon Age II is not BioWare's finest game, nor is it the most polished game they've ever released, but I think it's an underrated game whose finer qualities are overlooked because of its flaws. Inevitably it is compared to its predecessor, the superb Dragon Age: Origins. The first Dragon Age game was a labour of love, years in the making.

    Dragon Age II, given even half the time that BioWare had to work on DA:O, could have been another polished, memorable, well-loved game, albeit one that took risks and changed the formula of its predecessor. Instead, due to publisher pressure, they were forced to put out a game with recycled maps and less content and features than I suspect they would have liked. Its strength lies in its story, its characters, and the themes it contains. With Hawke they attempted to dissect the classic Hero's Journey, and I think they nearly succeeded.

    I refuse to believe that BioWare deliberately trolled fans by putting out an inferior product or were just looking to make a quick buck. Fans are welcome to gripe and nitpick about this or that detail they didn't like or this or that element they thought was poorly implemented or altogether absent. It wasn't a perfect game, but I believe the blame lies with the publisher and they hold executive power over the developers of games under their banner. Like LucasArts when they stupidly forced Obsidian to release Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords early in order to have it available for X-Mas, Electronic Arts made a critical error in forcing BioWare to release Dragon Age II before it was truly ready for public consumption. Blame EA if you must blame anyone.

    Underneath the messier, uglier aspects of Dragon Age II lies a good game, one that could have been a great game. I hope Dragon Age III will be the game that DA2 was never allowed to be. I hope it is able to strike a perfect balance between what made DA:O great and the things that worked well in DA2.    … Expand
  48. Khaosom
    Mar 18, 2014
    7
    While most people try to compare this game to Bioware's other games and along with it, the previous title in the series. I'm taking a different approach to the review of this game. Sadly this game wasn't as fun and didn't hold the same replay to me as other games of the game genre, However it's worth a few play throughs just to see all the stories at the beginning. Not to mention theWhile most people try to compare this game to Bioware's other games and along with it, the previous title in the series. I'm taking a different approach to the review of this game. Sadly this game wasn't as fun and didn't hold the same replay to me as other games of the game genre, However it's worth a few play throughs just to see all the stories at the beginning. Not to mention the game play is solid, and the story isn't half as bad as the others make it out to be. Having played many games in this genre this is one of the top 3 choices for me when I feel like playing an action RPG.… Expand
  49. whitepawn
    Jun 19, 2014
    7
    Some spoilers, kept general enough to not give much away.

    THE BAD: The game was rushed. The landscape closed in. There is one cave that uses different entrances on repeat. There is one house that uses different entrances, or not, on repeat. The companions lacked the depth of DA: O. The romances were a joke (beyond the usual). The tutorial. The game opens on a WTF tutorial and    Some spoilers, kept general enough to not give much away.

    THE BAD: The game was rushed. The landscape closed in. There is one cave that uses different entrances on repeat. There is one house that uses different entrances, or not, on repeat. The companions lacked the depth of DA: O. The romances were a joke (beyond the usual). The tutorial. The game opens on a WTF tutorial and I'm not really sure what the rationale was for that nonsense.

    THE GOOD: Yes, there is some. Expectation breeds disappointment, after all.

    GRAPHICS: Much better. Helmet off option available (personal pet peeve).

    DIALOGUE: Protagonist has a voice! About time. Voice acting again done well for the companions. More bickering, camaraderie, romance as you walk around. There are once again LOL moments sitting at your keyboard, which is as it should be. (Example: See Varric and Isabela discussing chest hair.)

    STORY: Here's where people get upset. They wanted to play a warden again and didn't get one. Boo hoo. Hawke is your everyman trying to get by in the same world, flees the blight and works herself up from nothing. This is also the transition story. This is the explanation of how everything went to Hell in Thedas. Sure, they kicked the blight, but now they have bigger problems. Also, the Qunari. The religion was an alluring addition. Again, simple idea given great depth in this game. One understands Sten much more after this game. The mage/chantry/Trevinter/templar interplay adds much depth to the storyline of Thedas.

    VARRIC: Best. Companion. Ever. Period. Varric narrates. The premise here is that he's telling this story of Hawke to an Inquisitor who wants to know just what catalyzed everything going to Hell. Hawke was there. Varric was with her (or him). And so the story is told...cutting away from your gameplay to a Varric cutscene every now and then as the inquisitor stops him to call **** Which does raise the question...is part of this story **** Guess Inquisition is required to find out.

    BATTLE: I guess the easy mode faceroll whiners got to Bioware because you need to turn the difficulty up to Nightmare to get friendly fire. Nightmare isn't Nightmare, it's about right, which is kind of lame, but tactics are required at least. The AI is so much better. Ranged DPS moves away from people trying to hit them and such. The clunkiness is gone for melee. I had so much fun playing a rogue in DA2. Assassinate and watch your victim explode into bits of gore. It is awesome. Warriors always feel clunky to me, I don't roll them, so I couldn't tell you how that works out.

    DLC: Legacy and the Orlesian bit are worth it. The former for a Warden/Magister tie in. The latter for depth on both Orlesians and Qunari. Nightmare mode on the final fights for both offer some challenge.

    ROMANCE: All the hetero male options here are douchebags. Idk about the female hetero options for the guys, but neither choice looks stable there either. Bioware fail on this one for not offering something other than douchbag, but maybe the developer on this one was just jaded and trying to be realistic by their perception of things...

    REPLAYABILITY: Almost none. Maybe if you want to try another class, but the repeat landscape is so heavy here it's difficult to play this game through more than once.    … Expand
  50. adpirtle
    Dec 5, 2016
    7
    The gap between this game's reception by critics and players shows how much Bioware missed the mark with this one. Not that the game isn't very good, because it is, but it's so different from its predecessor as to be nearly in a different genre. DA:O was a classic-PC-style RPG, which meant going heavy on customization and tactics. Its sequel almost completely eschews those virtues in favorThe gap between this game's reception by critics and players shows how much Bioware missed the mark with this one. Not that the game isn't very good, because it is, but it's so different from its predecessor as to be nearly in a different genre. DA:O was a classic-PC-style RPG, which meant going heavy on customization and tactics. Its sequel almost completely eschews those virtues in favor of fast-paced play and a streamlined design that obviously courted the console market. This was a terrible choice, at least from a marketing perspective, akin to the owners of an action movie franchise deciding to make the next film a romantic comedy. There's nothing wrong with rom-coms, but if you've got a thousand theaters full of people who came to see things get blown up, you're going to have a bad night. This is the frustration expressed over and over again in those 'red' reviews, and it's valid, even if the scores aren't.

    The actual game is pretty good, though it's not going to be remembered as a classic. Since it doesn't seem to want to commit to being either a tactical or an action RPG. it doesn't do either one as well as it should. Even the helpful tips you get in the loading screens seem to illustrate that tension, for instance suggesting you make use of liberal pauses to tactically plan out a battle, even though the tactical view has basically been removed and the liberal splatters and flashes can make it difficult to see what the hell's going on in order to plan the next 10 seconds of a fight, let alone the entire thing (impossible anyway, since new enemies frequently spawn in the middle of combat). Still, if you're quick with your fingers (or comfortable just 'going with it') the flashy, fast-flowing battles can be fun.

    If there's one area where DA2 has improved over its predecessor, it's the main story. The Champion's companions are almost universally less interesting than the Warden's (a real missed opportunity, given the possibility for growth the timescale of the game permits)., but the main plot, pared down to the scope of a single location over half a dozen years instead of the other way around, tells a pretty awesome story. The ending's been divisive (like everything else about this game), because of its tragic inevitabilities, but that's how tragedies work. Ask a Greek.    … Expand
  51. CoNn3r_B
    Jul 30, 2015
    7
    Dragon Age 2 isn't a bad game but at the same time it doesn't hold a candle to Dragon Age: Origins.
    I'll start with the good. Dragon Age 2's story is still good bringing the focus on one of the most interesting plot points of DA:O which was the relationship between the Mages and Templars, and the Qunari plot was my favourite part of the game, I loved the back and forth between Hawke and    Dragon Age 2 isn't a bad game but at the same time it doesn't hold a candle to Dragon Age: Origins.
    I'll start with the good. Dragon Age 2's story is still good bringing the focus on one of the most interesting plot points of DA:O which was the relationship between the Mages and Templars, and the Qunari plot was my favourite part of the game, I loved the back and forth between Hawke and the Arishock.
    Other plot devices such as the companions stories were even better than DA:O, The tormented and possessed mage that was Anders, the light hearted care free nature of Isabella and the interesting conversationalist that was Varric.
    Combat this time round gains a few things but also looses a few for example, the combat is more fast pace and fun but at the expense of tactical prowess. The movements are more fluid and you are not locked to an enemy and can switch between them but you can't do executions any more, stuff like that.
    The companions are just as varied as they were in DA:O but some are hit and miss.
    Aveline Vallen: She is boring as hell, I understand she needs to be the grounding element but she acts more like a mother than a friend.
    Fenris, (or Leto): He is one of the more intersting characters being a slave from Tervinter and has the most interesting abilities in the game, when I need a warrior he's who I take.
    Varric: He is the best character to chat with and one of the most stable relationship wise, even if you disagree with him he respects your decision making it hard form him to hate you.
    Anders: I can't say much about Anders without spoiling it but I will say he is interesting. Fans of Dragon Age Awakening will know him from that. The most interesting thing about him (besides the obvious) is the fact that he changes as a character over the game from a light hearted man to an angry spirit.
    Isabela: She is probably the only Female character worth romancing in this game, she is the best for companion banter and quite often makes me laugh but she is too predictable in her nature making certain plot twist quite obvious.
    Merrill: I tend to forget Merrill because even though she has an interesting story line she is quite a boring person who rebells against her Keeper which is a switch from her DA:O character who seemed to be confident and obedient elf.
    Sebastian Vael: He has one of the most interesting personalities of your companions, he gives you insight into the chant of light through they eyes of a brother of the chantry and unlike Liliana he sees the flaws in it and brings up some valid points. Plus is armour is cool.
    The Hawke twins are two sides of a coin, Bethany is loving and caring (and the only other attractive female character in this game) while Carver generally hates you and everything you do. As a whole they weren't around long enough to make a lasting impression.
    Now the bad: Dragon Age 2, while better looking, is considerably smaller than DA:O but quite a margin which is surprising because all they seemed to do is copy and paste the same room over and over again which to be frank is insulting. The areas are small as well with Kirkwall being about half the size of Denerim and the Wounded coast which is the largest area of the game is smaller than the Brecilian Forest.
    The events of DA;O and DA:A are pretty much swept under the rug, people only mention it in passing when it would be much better if you just had the same character, the entire plot of DA:2 is to set up for Dragon Age: Inquisition and in that respect I feel cheated.
    Now the ugly: The worst thing about DA:2 is the choices, all of them suck. With regards of dialogue you're restricted to GOOD, FUNNY or EVIL which is not how a choice system should work, it's like the Paragon and Renegade system in Mass Effect 1 where being a Renegade makes no sense, why do this and save everyone when you can let people die for the sake of being an **** IT MAKES NO SENSE! Over all I stand by my statement that DA: 2 isn't a bad game, if you never played DA:O you would probably give it a 9/10 but it had the unfortunate disposition of being a sequel to a perfect game so sorry DA:2 but you get a 7.3/10    … Expand
  52. mbrigham1223
    Feb 26, 2017
    7
    While thoroughly suffering in it's predecessors shadow, Dragon Age II is a solid RPG that deserves more leniency from fans.

    Pros: - Excellent combat. I played through the majority of the game on hard, occasionally switching down to normal when things were too difficult. This lead to the strategic pause-order-enact cycle of battle reminiscent of old school CRPGs. Tactical and    While thoroughly suffering in it's predecessors shadow, Dragon Age II is a solid RPG that deserves more leniency from fans.

    Pros:
    - Excellent combat. I played through the majority of the game on hard, occasionally switching down to normal when things were too difficult. This lead to the strategic pause-order-enact cycle of battle reminiscent of old school CRPGs. Tactical and challenging, with plenty of depth and variety - especially the further you venture into the game.
    - Boss battles are suitably epic and memorable. Long, varied and requiring different strategies from normal groups of enemies - you couldn't ask for more.
    - A main character that evolves as you play, acting according to the player's decisions even in cutscenes. Truly gives the character identity
    - Very good voice acting. While side characters can be hit or miss, Hawke and her/his companions are exceptional. The female voice actor for Hawke was exemplary, and I could listen to Varric's stories for hours.
    - The companions are good. Perhaps the best part of the game, outside of combat. While not as varied or memorable as DAO, perhaps, this group does stand on its own. I truly cared for the likes of Merrill and Aveline. Though Fenris did a righteous job at pissing me off occasionally.
    - Interesting and engaging quests. Main, secondary and companion quests are all handled incredibly well. They are almost universally storied and weighted with decisions that often have consequences further down the line. Very few of the fetch or location hopping variety.
    - Seeing the echoes of your decisions in DOA is endlessly satisfying.
    - The world of Dragon Age is deep and interesting, and DA2 builds on that

    Cons:
    - A criminal lack of locations. I honestly guffawed when I "earned" the achievement for visiting ten caves - all ten were the same exact location just cordoned off differently. Hour after hour, you will be traipsing through the same handful of locations, and it gets tiresome fast. All the excitement of exploration is gone within hours.
    - The music is dreadful. Completely forgettable and useless - I had to try to notice it, and even then was disappointed.
    - Abilities unlock far too slowly, creating painfully shallow combat for the first few hours.
    - Not having all of your companions in one place is an unnecessary hindrance
    - NPCs unrelated to quests are completely lifeless, giving "populate" locations the feeling of being on a stage filled with prop mannequins
    - The ending is forced upon you, rather than being a culmination of your previous actions.
    - There are far too few conversation opportunities with your companions, and not enough depth to those that exist.

    Mixed:
    - The story is intriguing enough to keep you moving forward, but ultimately it falls flat when compared to the epic world-scaled adventure of its predecessor. It's not a bad story, but it just isn't epic. It feels like what it is - a tie in between two epic adventures

    Dragon Age II took far too many steps backwards from its near perfect predecessor, but it's excellent combat, memorable companions, and intriguing story line land it solidly into the field of the competent RPG.    … Expand
  53. CausticMisery
    Jan 28, 2023
    7
    It's a travesty compared to the first game, but on its own, it's got a few nice things going for it. Shame about the copy-paste dungeons and enemies.
  54. MadAdventurer
    Jul 2, 2023
    7
    Fine, fine... no so good as the first one, but c'mon, guys! The story was great! And we got Varric on this one!
  55. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    7
    Same as the first entry but worse. Pointless. I remember having some fun with it tho.
  56. Gamingking007
    Mar 31, 2011
    6
    Repetitive, good graphics , dumb storyline!!! Cools magic but thats about it!Basically the same as the first so I would call it a long expansion! Wish it was better!!!
  57. Verum
    Mar 10, 2011
    6
    Not one of Bioware's strongest titles, but a fun romp. Having beat the game I can honestly say the story is an afterthought, and exploration is non-existant because you spend the entire game within a single town. They constantly reuse places you've been too before, by cutting off certain doors and opening others up in an attempt to make it different. Where the game doesn't fall flat onNot one of Bioware's strongest titles, but a fun romp. Having beat the game I can honestly say the story is an afterthought, and exploration is non-existant because you spend the entire game within a single town. They constantly reuse places you've been too before, by cutting off certain doors and opening others up in an attempt to make it different. Where the game doesn't fall flat on it's face is the combat, which is much better than the original. The dialogue isn't terrible either, though the dialogue wheel is a hassle. I expected much more than this after playing Dragon Age Origins, but I guess I can't fault them for only having a year to develop.… Expand
  58. Aivboh
    Jan 7, 2013
    6
    This game is awful. For me, not because of the scenes, graphics, etc. but because of the terrible game play. The story telling makes feel like a marionette whereas my choice could make it different in DA1. The equipment design is a miracle and Bioware never thought to give patch on them instead of thronging DLCs for money. I will not pay DA3 ever.
  59. Nosradna
    May 27, 2011
    6
    I was very disappointed to purchase this game. The fighting improved from the first but otherwise this game was a step down from Dragon Age 1. The entire game takes place in a small area that reuses scenes instead of custom making them for each quest. I liked the ability to summon your hound but was very disappointed that you could not customize equipment for each of the NPC's. Many ofI was very disappointed to purchase this game. The fighting improved from the first but otherwise this game was a step down from Dragon Age 1. The entire game takes place in a small area that reuses scenes instead of custom making them for each quest. I liked the ability to summon your hound but was very disappointed that you could not customize equipment for each of the NPC's. Many of the achievements were obscure or tedious and the NPC's were not compelling. I hope Bioware changes the format before DragonAge 3. Either way, I will not be purchasing the next game on opening day.… Expand
  60. Digitalkid
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    Payed 60$ on steam just because of a review, and got what?! DAO was weak enough, but this ...! Simplifying everything to nothing.

    Dialogs reduced to 2-3 phrases, and thats great! Cause world and chars are totally empty. Their acts are so nonlogic and unpredictible, that in a half an hour i was just clicking icons. "Be nice", "be rude". Why DA2 is so gay?! Seriosly, in a few hours 3 f..    Payed 60$ on steam just because of a review, and got what?! DAO was weak enough, but this ...! Simplifying everything to nothing.

    Dialogs reduced to 2-3 phrases, and thats great! Cause world and chars are totally empty. Their acts are so nonlogic and unpredictible, that in a half an hour i was just clicking icons. "Be nice", "be rude". Why DA2 is so gay?! Seriosly, in a few hours 3 f.. proposing "their services" and not even one girl blinking.

    Enemies are just fallin at you from nowhere like in some DMC. Do you need any tactics in chess when opponent can put any figure anywhere he wants?..

    Plot reminded ME2. Just get 50 sovereins (10 companions) to get to the new chapter. And you call that a scenario? Written in 15 minutes?! I dont even know what i'm doing when takin quest in 2 clicks, killing some more enemies, done in 2 clicks. What was is?!

    Locations look like Orzamar entrance. Sooooo lowpoly. No more to say.

    3-4 hours of DA2 was enough. Looks like nothin left of Bioware i ones knew. Bye guys.

    WHATS UP WITH REWIERS?!    … Expand
  61. wordy_actions
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    Do not believe all the negative hype around this game, and don't believe all the 0 scores on Metacritic. I find it hard to believe that some of the negative reviewers have even played the game. DA:2 is not as good as DA:O, but it is still an engrossing RPG with dozens of hours of gameplay. There was a huge negative hype machine in the RPG community before this game was released, and thisDo not believe all the negative hype around this game, and don't believe all the 0 scores on Metacritic. I find it hard to believe that some of the negative reviewers have even played the game. DA:2 is not as good as DA:O, but it is still an engrossing RPG with dozens of hours of gameplay. There was a huge negative hype machine in the RPG community before this game was released, and this is painting all of their reviews in a hugely biased way. A classic example of nerd rage. If this wasn't such a high profile game the reviews would be much more positive, instead the RPG community is using this game as an excuse to rip EA and Bioware apart. And in the process, they are trashing a game that is mediocre at worst.… Expand
  62. Drissit
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    Heres a Realistic review from someone who played the game on mostly nightmare/hard difficulty so didn't suffer from the 'button mashing' hack and slash crap people claim it to be, but it simply isn't .

    The Dialog is somewhat drastically dumbed down from the first, you can only be a goodie goodie, a clown who doesn't take **** anything serious, or an ass, there is no in between like the    Heres a Realistic review from someone who played the game on mostly nightmare/hard difficulty so didn't suffer from the 'button mashing' hack and slash crap people claim it to be, but it simply isn't .

    The Dialog is somewhat drastically dumbed down from the first, you can only be a goodie goodie, a clown who doesn't take **** anything serious, or an ass, there is no in between like the first, i.e. it adopted mass effects slightly less than interesting dialog system bioware seem to love so much.

    The combat on hard and nightmare is NOT a hack and slash, on nightmare EVERY single encounter has to be micro managed or you will die, on hard all minor encounters can be done with minor micro management but all bosses require full micro management again, the combat is much improved to DAO, its far less sluggish and much more fluid so its a definite plus, DAO itself was just a tedious slow hack and slash on normal/easy anyways so to claim different is stupid.

    The plot is quite a bit weaker than the previous one, there doesn't seem to be much of an overall plot to the story and it seems second rate from what I would compare to most Bioware games and this looses it major points in my book, for the most part it was very generic and sometimes boring and predictable.

    The inventory system is dumbed down as in its mostly only about your character now, but honestly thats personal preference, I liked it much more than I disliked it, as it removed a lot of the tediousness from DAO.

    Graphically, in some cases its improved upon over the original, in others its just bad, the constant reuse of the same bland generic 'block' city really made it get tedious at some points and they reuse the same 20 or so areas over and over and over and over and over, until your eyes feel like they are bleeding.

    Its not a horrible game, I did however enjoy origins more, but the combat in this was definatly an improvement, just it is a total hack and slash on normal/easy no other way to put it, if you want a true tactical RPG experiance you have to play Nightmare/Hard.

    I give it a 6/10, some improvement, a lot of dis improvement from the original in other area's of gameplay.    … Expand
  63. Silverdawn
    Mar 14, 2011
    6
    Going to try my best to be constructive here. Dragon Age II is a merely decent game, which had the potential to be quite memorable. It squandered this potential by lukewarm storytelling, an inconsistently entertaining cast of NPCs and--most importantly--repetitive and exhausting level design.

    The narrative quality is difficult to justify, relatively unoriginal and draws from the    Going to try my best to be constructive here. Dragon Age II is a merely decent game, which had the potential to be quite memorable. It squandered this potential by lukewarm storytelling, an inconsistently entertaining cast of NPCs and--most importantly--repetitive and exhausting level design.

    The narrative quality is difficult to justify, relatively unoriginal and draws from the stereotypes of RPGs: Joining caravan expeditions or running around town performing quests for whoever seems in need of aid. The side quests are endless and of varying quality, requiring you to return over and over again to the same locations, effectively robbing the game of a sense of discovery and novelty. Eventually, Kirkwall and its surrounding environment becomes so familiar as to be ignored, blending into the background as you run from questgiver to questgiver. While the idea of a game that takes place in one vicinity over the span of several years is an interesting one, it's also nothing new. Assassin's Creed 2 had Venice and Florence--large, sprawling and beautiful. Dragon Age 2 has Kirkwall: Cramped, small, lacking character and very angular.

    I'm also ambivalent toward the quality of NPCs/Party Members. Bioware has built a reputation of writing increasingly convincing and interesting characters, a reputation which was justified in Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, both of which provided a robust and well-developed cast of interesting characters. Dragon Age 2 does have its share of nuanced and compelling characters--Varric and Merril come to mind, but other characters seem either totally devoid of purpose (Fenris, who broods stereotypically and seems to have no real reason to be with Hawke at all) or function as walking plot devices (Anders.)

    Some critics have pointed out that Dragon Age 2 is a short game. This is largely true, but brevity sometimes suits a game. Mass Effect 2 lasted just shy of thirty hours for me, but they were thirty hours in which no time was wasted; the pacing and storytelling were brisk and consistently exciting. This is not the case with Dragon Age 2.

    Dragon Age 2 lasted just about 25 hours for me. I played the game on Normal and finished very nearly every quest I found. The game suffers from a boring first act which establishes nearly nothing about your characters or your situation, and then begins to improve in the second act. Seemingly disparate events come together in a cohesive storyline. The narrative begins to make sense. This is the second act, or the "Rising Action."

    But just as this second act begins to envelop me in its increasingly thickening plot, and just as I begin to feel engrossed--it ends. There is no "climax" and no "denouement." Just as the plot begins to get interesting, the story takes a sudden, abrupt and very artificial turn, hurries along toward its conclusion with thirty minutes of gameplay and two relatively dull boss fights. And then it ends. There is no conclusion, no denouement, no catharsis. No news of what happens to Hawke or her companions. Overall, it feels as if I've been sold 25 hours from a 50 hour game.

    I've been trying to provide an honest critique of the game so far, but it is not without its strengths. Admittedly, combat is much more polished now, with every class and build interesting and engaging. The dialogue system has become much more organic, focusing less on morality (there is no Paragon/Renegade spectrum) and more on personality (Hawke can respond with a number of different attitudes--peacefully, aggressively, flippantly, flirtatiously, etc.) The game seems to keep track of these choices to form an aggregate personality for Hawke, and this is something I found rather enjoyable.

    Nonetheless, this is a game for which I had to make excuses. I was having fun despite--not because--of the game. Kirkwall is a far cry from the breathtaking vistas of Ostagar or the crowded metropolis of Denerim or the panoply of alien worlds in Mass Effect. The narrative is abrupt, unsatisfying and leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction owing to a lack of closure. This is a perfectly average RPG which accomplishes nothing truly special in terms of character design, level design or plot. Bioware has shown itself capable of doing so much better.    … Expand
  64. Alistairs_Rose
    Mar 14, 2011
    6
    The story/RPG elements & mechanisms of DA:O were near perfect and the combat was in need of updating. In DA2, the opposite has occurred. The combat is good and the story/RPG elements & mechanisms are in need of updating. The Game Informer review was actually SPOT ON in regards to my views of DA2. I was glad it mentioned that the story felt like a bunch of side quests wrangled together andThe story/RPG elements & mechanisms of DA:O were near perfect and the combat was in need of updating. In DA2, the opposite has occurred. The combat is good and the story/RPG elements & mechanisms are in need of updating. The Game Informer review was actually SPOT ON in regards to my views of DA2. I was glad it mentioned that the story felt like a bunch of side quests wrangled together and was not up to Bioware's usual high standards.

    It feels nothing like an RPG and more like an interactive movie where you are watching this character Hawke achieve his destiny. There is a huge uproar over the poor quality of this game, and rightfully so.    … Expand
  65. zer0sum
    Mar 15, 2011
    6
    This game is a major departure from the BioWare RPG formula. Open-world gameplay has been replaced with linearity; tactical, strategic combat with a wide array of options has been turned into a poorly-executed action game. The things that made me love Baldur's Gate 2 and adore Dragon age are gone.

    Some flaws with this game: the skill tree. What the hell was BioWare thinking? It's    This game is a major departure from the BioWare RPG formula. Open-world gameplay has been replaced with linearity; tactical, strategic combat with a wide array of options has been turned into a poorly-executed action game. The things that made me love Baldur's Gate 2 and adore Dragon age are gone.

    Some flaws with this game: the skill tree. What the hell was BioWare thinking? It's terrible. It is terribly designed, terrible to look at it, it isn't easy to understand, and also it is quite limited. I enjoy depth in my character development. I enjoy carefully looking through possible skills and feats to tweak my character just right. But here, it's super-dumbed-down and I don't like it.

    Linearity: a role-playing game on rails is half a role-playing game. Sure, you can walk around a zone and interact here first or there first, but generally, the feeling of being in a big living world is gone. BioWare games have never been on par in this respect with games like the Elder Scrolls, so I don't expect full open worlds. But I do expect more than what was delivered here.

    DA2 as an Action Game: Falls flat on its face. If you are going to make an action game, go whole hog. Make it so timing and positioning matter. Make it so your weapons matter in terms of reach and attacks. Make it like Demon's Souls. Otherwise, make the game play like an RPG. Finally -- it's obvious this game lacked love. Oblivion was released in 2006 and the sequel is coming out in late 2011. DA:0 was released in 2009 and its sequel is barely two years later. Which game do you think has more fleshed out content? Better mechanics? A better, more lovingly-crafted world? They should have taken their time here and produced something that we expected. Instead, we got a kind of watered-down mess that alienates me and people like me -- the true BioWare fans. Sorry BioWare, but this is your first miss in my opinion.    … Expand
  66. locutus13
    Mar 15, 2011
    6
    In short: It is the worst Bioware title I have ever played - yet I enjoyed it more than most other games I have played during the last 3 years. --- The main story is good but way shorter than Origins - the distractions = "side-quests" are so plentiful that they can be annoying. The maps are all recycled to death and main characters sometimes break the feeling by behaving very odd. --- TheIn short: It is the worst Bioware title I have ever played - yet I enjoyed it more than most other games I have played during the last 3 years. --- The main story is good but way shorter than Origins - the distractions = "side-quests" are so plentiful that they can be annoying. The maps are all recycled to death and main characters sometimes break the feeling by behaving very odd. --- The graphics are good but the DX11 engine is unfinished and seems to stutter for NVIDIA and ATI users alike on the very same dialogues. The texture work is worse than the Origins Community textures. --- The combat is not RPG-like and the auto-attack doesn't work properly on PC: Player controlled melee classes do not follow a target that moved away or got knocked down. --- I suggest waiting for a price drop before buying this extensive piece of interactive storytelling.… Expand
  67. Danpascooch
    Mar 15, 2011
    6
    If you want my personal opinion the game is pretty broken. At the very front I could barely handle it on hard, but two hours later with a few more abilities I'm on Nightmare because hard is unbearably easy. What kind of difficulty curve is that? The AI are unbelievably stupid when it comes to friendly fire, I'm lucky if Varric doesn't set me on fire with the burst shot ability with theIf you want my personal opinion the game is pretty broken. At the very front I could barely handle it on hard, but two hours later with a few more abilities I'm on Nightmare because hard is unbearably easy. What kind of difficulty curve is that? The AI are unbelievably stupid when it comes to friendly fire, I'm lucky if Varric doesn't set me on fire with the burst shot ability with the default tactical set. When I tell my companions to hold position because I want them positioned a certain way and combat starts about 50% of the time the current action (under their portrait) flickers rapidly between two abilities (indicating an infinite loop) which is really an unforgivable glitch (it mostly occurs when there is a doorway between them and the enemy), what did they expect nobody would use that feature? These two major problems combined with the lack of auto-attack on consoles (which Bioware officially stated was a mistake, that option was supposed to be there) and the shamelessly recycled environments, really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Did I mention the lack of any sort of antagonist? I'm well over 12 hours in and there is no antagonist outside of whatever happens to be the enemy in my current sidequest.

    If you absolutely must buy this game, wait for the inevitable (and likely not too far off) price drop, or borrow it from a friend. It doesn't deserve a 4.2, but it is certainly not up to Bioware's standards, also, did you know that at least one of their employees has post a 10/10 review here posing as a consumer? (that's not my opinion, it's a news story) NOT COOL BIOWARE.    … Expand
  68. Baska88
    Mar 16, 2011
    6
    Sadly Bioware seems to have succumbed to possible pressure from EA to quickly produce a sequel to DA:O. This is reflected in many aspects of the game and most importantly in the environment and story. The environments are static and because you spend the whole game in the same city you will visit the same places hundreds of times.

    The story misses a clear drive and remains vague    Sadly Bioware seems to have succumbed to possible pressure from EA to quickly produce a sequel to DA:O. This is reflected in many aspects of the game and most importantly in the environment and story. The environments are static and because you spend the whole game in the same city you will visit the same places hundreds of times.

    The story misses a clear drive and remains vague throughout the whole game. In the end I had the feeling my decisions did not have any 'real' impact on the conclusion of the story (if there even is one). Certain things that happened simply did not make sense to me. Furthermore the ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it reminded me of the ending of KotOR 2, which is definitely not a good thing.

    A final sign of hasty production of this game is perhaps the removal of certain features from the first game. One of these is that you can no longer choose what armor your companions wear, making most of the armor useless since you can only wear armor suited for your own class. Perhaps Bioware had to remove this feature because they did not have the time to adapt the armor for different character models?

    In the end I had some fun with DA II (the fighting is great although it is quite easy) but it left me thinking "Was that all?". You can do better than this Bioware!    … Expand
  69. Kwiat_W
    Apr 17, 2012
    6
    Not a bad game, but it's not what it should be.
    It's really hard to find any improvements over the Origins. The graphics are technically better but the art style is worse (locations are empty, characters are to "clean"). I like that the combat is faster and the animations are more dynamic (it's really cool to watch your mage casting spells) but they have overdone it (mages make    Not a bad game, but it's not what it should be.
    It's really hard to find any improvements over the Origins. The graphics are technically better but the art style is worse (locations are empty, characters are to "clean"). I like that the combat is faster and the animations are more dynamic (it's really cool to watch your mage casting spells) but they have overdone it (mages make pirouettes, rogues teleport, warriors fight with swords twice the size of you character). The endless waves of enemies that spawn out of nowhere is the worst aspect of the game to me (THE WORST!). The story is meh and player impact on it is very small.    … Expand
  70. kaeljae
    Mar 17, 2011
    6
    The question you need to ask yourself when you're playing Dragon Age 2 is what you're actually comparing it to. Are you comparing it to Dragon Age 1 and deciding if you liked the first game better? Or are you looking at it on its own and thinking if it makes a good RPG? Perhaps an even more important question is: what do you expect out of a modern RPG and is Dragon Age 2 even an RPGThe question you need to ask yourself when you're playing Dragon Age 2 is what you're actually comparing it to. Are you comparing it to Dragon Age 1 and deciding if you liked the first game better? Or are you looking at it on its own and thinking if it makes a good RPG? Perhaps an even more important question is: what do you expect out of a modern RPG and is Dragon Age 2 even an RPG anymore?

    The disparity between the critic and user reviews leads me to think that most users are just bashing DA2 because they liked DA1 better. That's fine, but the grades being given are just exaggerated. Dragon Age 2 is an average game, but it's not TERRIBLE, and it doesn't deserve an average score of 4 out of 10.

    This doesn't mean I don't have major problems with Dragon Age 2, however. When I first heard that Dragon Age 2's art director thought that Dragon Age 1 lacked an definitive style, I was puzzled. I didn't think that Dragon Age 1 was "too brown" and I didn't think it was bland, and I didn't think I was "lost in Middle-Earth." I thought I was in a FANTASY game, and the universe's art direction screamed fantasy to me. I also loved the characters, loved the choice of races and designs, and I loved the storyline. It was my favorite fantasy RPG in a long, long time.

    I miss a lot about Dragon Age 1 when I play DA2. I miss the variety and depth of the origin stories. I miss the old darkspawn designs. I miss fully equipping my teammates. I miss Morrigan and Alistair. I miss the LESS stylized character models (oh how I HATE the way the new elves look...). Ironically, it seems as they dialed up the flash of the art, they dialed down the depth of the characters. It wasn't enough to have Qunari be large...now they have to have giant horns. It wasn't enough to have elves to be slightly lithe...now they have to have the big-eyes, small-mouth of manga characters. Most of all, I miss the CHEER of the first game. The breezy banter of Alistair, Morrigan, Zevran, Sten, Leliana, Shale -- even the dog are gone. Humor seems to have been largely replaced with heavily stylized doom and gloom. Everything is over the top, saturated, overblown, overexposed.

    So why am I saying that Dragon Age 2 isn't THAT bad? Because, all things considered, the characters are still somewhat memorable, the story isn't half-bad and the game is still somewhat fun. The problem is that people are expecting this to be an RPG in the mold of Dragon Age 1 -- which is it not. DA2 is really more of an action game with RPG touches at this point. Perhaps if this had been a game by another name, it would be more forgivable for some reviewers. But it's hard to just strictly on its merits when the memories of its classic ancestor are so fresh in our heads. Perhaps down the road Bioware have a little bit more appreciation for the universe they created, and, more importantly, for what gamers really enjoyed about that universe.

    + Not half bad for an action game with RPG elements
    - It's more Sean Lennon than John Lennon
    = 6/10    … Expand
  71. drumbunny
    Mar 17, 2011
    6
    It's not a bad game but definitely no RPG, not to speak of a Dragon Age... The story also is far less dramatic and interesting than in DAO. Damn those casuals :(
  72. Zhijn
    Mar 20, 2011
    6
    Without going into to many details. Great voice acting, love the way your character stay in voice character should you be angry, funny or serious. However that alone does not carry a hole game. DA2 is infact incredible repetitive with the method of reusing areas for pretty much everything throughout the hole game, while the environment is very well made and detailed it gets very and i meanWithout going into to many details. Great voice acting, love the way your character stay in voice character should you be angry, funny or serious. However that alone does not carry a hole game. DA2 is infact incredible repetitive with the method of reusing areas for pretty much everything throughout the hole game, while the environment is very well made and detailed it gets very and i mean very boring really fast. Everything from the city to the dungeons are reused over and over and over, very tireing and you are constantly sitting with a feeling that somethings gotta change soon, but it never does.

    Moving on to combat. I got abit of mixed feelings on this one, while i enjoy the faster combat and the class cross combos you can do i absolutely hate the exploding bodies and massive gore that spew all over the place. Fatalities is another thing i liked from DAO but were totally removed from DA2 with exploding enemies. No much strategy in combat either, while you still got the tactical setup for your party there is no strategy to be made on the go, you can still pause and issue orders but you can no longer zoom as you did in DAO. Planning a combat in DA2 isnt to great either anymore considering the game just throw hordes of weak enms at you from all direction making it a total mess for any type of planning. Its clear the combat was not designed for your typical RPG but more of a hack n' slash type.

    Story time. The Hawke start interesting with them fleeing Lothering. Its all a nice setup for well, nothing. After that you just go around picking up side-quests and do main quests with any real story behind you, without any real sens of a goal or any sens of having a villian to fight. They make it clear that its all about Mages and Templars, but your in for a huge suprise when you realize that everything you did getting to the end didnt matter one bit. Every choice you make have zero matter on the world around you.

    Your party. You got a emo elf which is clearly some homage to J-RPGs, a naive elf, a brute ginger female, a pirate whore and a dwarf. You can romance either of em except two. Sadly DA2 have also gone taken a step back here, the romance that had a nice touch in DAO is just blend and dull in DA2.

    Dialog wheel. While i dont mind it to much, its abit to simple. Gone is persuasion, now you get a clear picture of what is what. If a romance option is ready the wheel make it clear with a heart shaped icon. Very simple, maybe to simple (?).

    Bugs and glitchs. Way to many, and that baffles me. Since iv never played a bioware game where so many glitchs and game breaking bugs actually took out the fun.

    Closing. Being a bioware fan and a fan of Dragon Age Origins i say that BioWare did not come through this time around. DA2 is short, unfufilling, lack and sens of purpose with the characters and the hole game have been simplified beyond words, it dosnt feel much like an RPG anymore. I think might have tried to appeal to a to wide of an audience and came up with something that didnt quite work. In short, it feels very rushed like it had a deadline they just barely made.

    I will look forward to Mass Effect 3 and hopefully Dragon Age 3. And i hope BioWares once and for all start improving their sequels, and dont let a deadline or something else get in their way of making a great game.

    My first thought was a solid 7, but after completing DA2 and learning that nothing you do matters it has lost all appeal to me. So sadly, very sadly i give DA2 a 5. =(    … Expand
  73. Cicero
    Mar 23, 2011
    6
    When I go to rate a game that I played I base my score off of my desire to continue playing that game from the time I first turn it on until the time I beat it. Games like DA:O, TES, and ME to a point; even when I wasn't actually playing the game I was thinking about what I wanted to do next or where I wanted to explore next. DA2 I really had to push myself through the game just to finishWhen I go to rate a game that I played I base my score off of my desire to continue playing that game from the time I first turn it on until the time I beat it. Games like DA:O, TES, and ME to a point; even when I wasn't actually playing the game I was thinking about what I wanted to do next or where I wanted to explore next. DA2 I really had to push myself through the game just to finish it. Don't get me wrong DA2 isn't a bad game by any means, it just isn't a great game. Some parts were improved over DA:O (combat, voices, and plot to a point) while other parts of the game seem to have been rushed through development (recycled environments, consequences of your decisions, and bugs) . I played this on the 360, which I think was part of the problem. The number of bugs I ran into was insane, a few bugs here and there are to be expected but multiple game breaking bugs is unacceptable.

    All things said as a stand alone game (assuming you never played DAO) I think DA2 is a 6/10, meaning its barely above average.

    If i were to rate DA2 with DAO in mind it would have to be a 4/10.    … Expand
  74. Jacksmedula
    Mar 24, 2011
    6
    Playing Dragon Age 2 was a very mediocre experience... The companions are flat and 2 dimensional. There is only a handful of maps that you will visit over and over to ad nauseum. The most disappointing aspect of the game is: other than a couple of lines in the epilogue, the ending plays out the same no matter your choices. Overall, a very disappointing effort by Bioware.
  75. Tommy758
    Apr 19, 2011
    6
    I'm more of an Action-RPG fan than a straight up RPG fan so I was more forgiving with this title. I understand a lot of people's frustration with this game but regardless, this game is enjoyable. The gameplay is more action this time around but I like that. What I don't like is the horrible story. I won't spoil anything but when you get to the end of the game it FEELS as if that's theI'm more of an Action-RPG fan than a straight up RPG fan so I was more forgiving with this title. I understand a lot of people's frustration with this game but regardless, this game is enjoyable. The gameplay is more action this time around but I like that. What I don't like is the horrible story. I won't spoil anything but when you get to the end of the game it FEELS as if that's the mid-point of the game. But no, it's a cliffhanger for a sequel or an expansion. Dragon Age 2 is not a bad game. But I care about story and when the beginning is so well done you find yourself faced with a piece of crap at the end. I can't really recommend this game to hardcore RPG or Bioware fans. If you like Action-RPG's I'd say give this a rent or buy it when it's cheap.… Expand
  76. RogerWilco2099
    Mar 27, 2011
    6
    Being a Massive fan of Origins I was excited immensely for DA2. While the plot in general doesnt at all disappoint, in fact Bioware know how to add suspense, the simple fact this game is rushed shows over and over again. Bugs (some game breaking), reuse of the same areas, glitches and clipping show how unpolished the game is. Dumbing down on inventory, loot and and simplifying manyBeing a Massive fan of Origins I was excited immensely for DA2. While the plot in general doesnt at all disappoint, in fact Bioware know how to add suspense, the simple fact this game is rushed shows over and over again. Bugs (some game breaking), reuse of the same areas, glitches and clipping show how unpolished the game is. Dumbing down on inventory, loot and and simplifying many things also shows this game was about sales rather then vastly improving the original game. Having said that its still a fun game and Bioware were very mature in including homosexual romances. Something it was nice to see introduced. However the romances in general seemed stale at times compared to Origins. The combat is vastly improved and it shows. However im on my second play now and I discovered how repetitive things can get (not just with same old level aesthetics) but the fact there is no randomness in the enemies you encounter. Its all scripted. But the vastness of choices available and the different ways of doing things means theres plenty of replay value. It may be rushed replaying though as you just want to get it done. Overall, many improvements that are good are overshadowed by its vast amount of flaws, which came as the game was rushed.… Expand
  77. Nashtor
    Apr 25, 2011
    6
    Very bad game... It´s not Dragon Age it´s "Dragon Effect" (but worst). It no have the essence of the firts game... bad of work EA and Bioware... In the game, your decisions are useless...you cant change nothing in the world, all the facts happen without your help...your partners are lineal, they aren´t charming like in origins...is a step back inVery bad game... It´s not Dragon Age it´s "Dragon Effect" (but worst). It no have the essence of the firts game... bad of work EA and Bioware... In the game, your decisions are useless...you cant change nothing in the world, all the facts happen without your help...your partners are lineal, they aren´t charming like in origins...is a step back in rol´s game... (sorry for my english...im spanish...)… Expand
  78. thebrock
    Aug 23, 2011
    6
    This game was graphically superb. That said most other aspects of the game where disappointing when you compare it to dragon age origins. I played the game on normal level without spending any money on weapons and armour and managed to complete it, this should not be the case and it shows just how much the game has been dummed down. The most frustrating part of the game for me was theThis game was graphically superb. That said most other aspects of the game where disappointing when you compare it to dragon age origins. I played the game on normal level without spending any money on weapons and armour and managed to complete it, this should not be the case and it shows just how much the game has been dummed down. The most frustrating part of the game for me was the constant regurgitation of environments and more importantly the hack n slash combat system, at points i couldnt see who i was fighting it was just iq of 20 button pressing. All in all I think bioware rushed this product and that can be clearly seen in the end result. Not the rpg I was expecting.… Expand
  79. LordOFlibertY
    Jul 7, 2011
    6
    I cant understand how gamers can rate this game a 9 or 10 at the same time why are they rating is a big fat 0?
    Im my honest opinion I give this game a 6/10.
    In short, everything is inferior than Origins except for a little touch of Combat and little pinch of Side quests.
  80. T-A
    Jun 18, 2011
    6
    Dragon Age II diverges considerably from Dragon Age I. Leaving behind the pause-and-play strategy, Dragon Age II is more action and less RPG. I can understand the change, since the narrative progressed smoothly. The overall challenge drops though. I could button-mash my way through a hoard of monsters in Dragon Age II whereas I had to shape my battle plan carefully in the first game.Dragon Age II diverges considerably from Dragon Age I. Leaving behind the pause-and-play strategy, Dragon Age II is more action and less RPG. I can understand the change, since the narrative progressed smoothly. The overall challenge drops though. I could button-mash my way through a hoard of monsters in Dragon Age II whereas I had to shape my battle plan carefully in the first game. Further, I was not happy with the lack of impact my choices had on the overall plot. Set events were going to unfold no matter what. The dialogue wheel helped move conversations along quickly, but statements were really tied to one of three categories: Benevolent, Charming or Humorous, and Assertive. Constraints to character choice and reduced strategy are somewhat disappointing. After I stopped comparing it to the first game, Dragon Age II was a fun experience but not one that I intend to revisit again.… Expand
  81. Spawnah
    Jul 20, 2011
    6
    The gameplay, combat and user interface is better than the first game, but the characters and story aren't as compelling. And who took all the funny away from Anders? I had fun, just not as much as I should have. My expectations were too high. I loved the first Dragon Age, and was slightly disappointed in this one. I want to see how the story ends, but I'm definitely going to wait untilThe gameplay, combat and user interface is better than the first game, but the characters and story aren't as compelling. And who took all the funny away from Anders? I had fun, just not as much as I should have. My expectations were too high. I loved the first Dragon Age, and was slightly disappointed in this one. I want to see how the story ends, but I'm definitely going to wait until I've seen a lot of reviews before buying a third one lest I waste my money.… Expand
  82. Vincer
    Mar 2, 2012
    6
    One word could describe Dragon Age 2; mediocre. Or one could say 'disappointing.' After playing the fun, action-packed demo, expectations were high for Dragon Age 2. After actually playing the entire game, one would notice the many faults in gameplay, fallacies in the logic and worst of all: a motiveless plot. However, as much as a PC gamer could see, the gameplay is dumbed down forOne word could describe Dragon Age 2; mediocre. Or one could say 'disappointing.' After playing the fun, action-packed demo, expectations were high for Dragon Age 2. After actually playing the entire game, one would notice the many faults in gameplay, fallacies in the logic and worst of all: a motiveless plot. However, as much as a PC gamer could see, the gameplay is dumbed down for console gamers. There is no sense of suspense because the game is too easy for both PC and console gamers. While it's predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins, was fun for both the PC and console (more so on the PC) because it required something that Dragon Age 2 lacks; strategy. Dragon Age 2 is reduced to a simple button masher if the difficulty is on Normal.
    BioWare's Dragon Age team must change writters. The typical gamer could sit down for one whole playthrough and poke holes through the plot. Writters for both the dialogue and plot. Dialogue is lazy. Simply put, the characters have no reaction to your lines. For example, you pick the humorous option on the dialogue tree and only few characters actually react to joke, i.e. Flemeth.
    Also, it feels as if the Dragon Age team got lazy and decided to steal a lot of elements off of it's sister franchise, Mass Effect. The dialogue tree, the pause menu, last name only being mentioned (Hawke/Shepard). While, yes, it is only natural that the company "steals" elements from it's own sister game, but it seems all too similar. One major reason why Dragon Age: Origins did so well was because it felt different from the typical BioWare RPG.
    Another example of BioWare's laziness was the usage of the same levels or areas. Through one playthrough, you'll notice Hawke go through the same dungeon 3-4 times.
    As much as one would complain about the leap from more PC oriented to more console oriented, there are some elements that deserve recognition and praise. For example, the skill tree is easy and intuitive, as mindless as the button mashing is, it's better for console gamers (such as myself) in contrast to Dragon Age: Origins where one would just hit one button and it would auto-attack. The graphics as well as very colorful (sometimes) and the models itself are much better than the predecessor.
    In the end, Dragon Age 2 was rushed and hopefully BioWare understands what went wrong and in the next game, they improve and make entire better game. I cannot see giving this game more than a generous 6/10.    … Expand
  83. Ali1247
    Sep 25, 2011
    6
    This game had potential to be an amazing rpg considering it was made by one of the greatest gaming companies ever: Bioware. But Bioware really dropped the ball with Dragon Age II. First of all the story is very average and is just nothing compared to the first Dragon Age game and I just could not really get into it because it really got kind of boring. As far as the characters go than IThis game had potential to be an amazing rpg considering it was made by one of the greatest gaming companies ever: Bioware. But Bioware really dropped the ball with Dragon Age II. First of all the story is very average and is just nothing compared to the first Dragon Age game and I just could not really get into it because it really got kind of boring. As far as the characters go than I just could not get myself to care for most of them because most of them seemed so heartless and boring which is a massive disappointment considering Bioware actually knows how to tell a great story in a video game and create very good and in depth characters, something which they do not do right in this game. The graphics I think have improved from Dragon Age Origins but not by much, the characters and environments look somewhat more detailed. But there are a lot of framerate issues I have not played the PC or the PS3 versions so I don't know about them but there way to many framerate issues on the 360 specially during the conversation cutscenes. The game's sidequests can also get repetitive and dull really fast. And in the game's main quest the same environments and dungeons are recycled over an over again that it feels like we are fighting in the same areas all the time and once again its gets very repetitive. On top of that unlike its predecessor Origins this games take place in only one town instead of taking place in a whole continent. The partner A.I is almost useless on high difficulties and they die way to quickly and are slow in performing their commands. The enemy A.I just rely on high numbers and ganging up on you rather than being competitive that is a problem on higher difficulties enemies should not gang up on you and increase in number they should be more competitive which is once again something this game does not do right. Having said all that Combat is more simpler and more easy to get used to compared to the first game it feels like a Hack and Slash on low difficulties unless you are playing as a Mage but all in all I found the combat better than its prequel. The weapons are armor you get in the game are good and are fun to use but sadly you cannot make you partner A.I put on the armor whenever you want them to they will infact put them on themselves at particular points in the game that just takes away your ability to customize your team mates the way you want to. However I must say that the dialogue wheel from the Mass Effect series has been put to good use and while dialogue despite not being as great as it could have been it still delivered well. The voice acting and music unsurprisingly are very good and always suit the environments and the situations. In the end I must say that as a big fan of Bioware and their RPGs Dragon Age II is a massive letdown, it can still be a fun game at times but Bioware is capable of much better. It is clear that the game is incomplete because EA made Bioware rush its production. Lets hope they fix up the problems brought up by all the people about this game and revive the franchise with Dragon Age III. 6/10.… Expand
  84. IHateFanboys
    Nov 9, 2011
    6
    This one kind of hurts to write because of how much i enjoyed the first one. Many of the things I love about the old game are no longer present. The scenery is very boring since you visit the same places over and over. The game also did little to improve on the base features of the last game. Leaving it feeling more like an add-on then a full fledged release.â
  85. bowflexman
    Feb 1, 2012
    6
    Dragon Age 2 is an enormous disappoint. I feared the worst when Brent Knowles, the lead designer of Origins, left Bioware because he didn't like the direction the company was taking with Dragon Age. My fears have been justified. First I will say that this game is not horrible, nor is it broken. In fact, a few things are better. The graphics, for example, and the character models are farDragon Age 2 is an enormous disappoint. I feared the worst when Brent Knowles, the lead designer of Origins, left Bioware because he didn't like the direction the company was taking with Dragon Age. My fears have been justified. First I will say that this game is not horrible, nor is it broken. In fact, a few things are better. The graphics, for example, and the character models are far more realistic, but that us really where it stops.

    Gone are the epic locales and diverse dungeons, replaced with one city and tons of recycled areas. Gone, for the most part, is the epic, emotionally driven story. Gone is the crafting, and several of the customization options for part members. Most importantly, gone is the complex, challenging battle system, replaced with dumbed down skill trees and button mashing galore. This feels more like an action game now, when it shouldn't. Origins set the tone for the series as he successor to Baldurs Gate, giving us deep, complex battles that rely on wit more than brawn. Why did Bioware do this? For sales I am sure, but I would venture to say their plan backfired because so many of you have already voiced your opinions about this tragic disappointment if a game, and thank you for doing so. Bioware needs to hear us out! Mass Effect is a great action RPG series that is streamlined for a larger audience. Bioware sought their wants and needs, but where are ours? The gamers who long for deep, intriguing combat that requires the utmost strategy have been left to wallow in the shadows! Voice your opinion so that Dragon Age 3 returns to its roots!    … Expand
  86. sias
    Feb 12, 2012
    6
    I had low expectations for Dragon Age 2 when I started playing it. As much as I loved Dragon Age: Origins, I did play the 360 version, which was horrid horrid PC port, with terrible washed out graphics and a disappointingly unmanageable UI. So when I saw that Dragon Age 2 was a lot more console friendly, I was pleasantly surprised. The UI is much more pleasurable to use on a console and isI had low expectations for Dragon Age 2 when I started playing it. As much as I loved Dragon Age: Origins, I did play the 360 version, which was horrid horrid PC port, with terrible washed out graphics and a disappointingly unmanageable UI. So when I saw that Dragon Age 2 was a lot more console friendly, I was pleasantly surprised. The UI is much more pleasurable to use on a console and is overall less frustrating and more intuitive. However, it's really hard to overlook the many many flaws in game design present throughout Dragon Age 2. Firstly the story lacks any of the ambition and scale of the DA:O and instead opts for a more intimate family affair. Which is fine, and does lead to some more memorable moments with your party members which DA:O sometimes really lacked. But, you never feel like you're really part of anything and the links to the first game (you're originally from Lothering) feels a tad contrived. Secondly, the game world is so small and has zero variation. You spend the entire game within the same city, every now and again going to the countryside for a nice stroll. That was a terrible design choice made by Bioware. The world of Dragon Age is so extensive and full of interesting lore, so why not let us explore it?! But, for me, the biggest insult of this game was the way in which they use the exact same maps for different areas of the game. One cave in one area of the countryside, will have the exact same layout as a cave in another part of the countryside. They are the exact same places but certain areas have been walled off, as to bring about the illusion of the caves being different places. In fact, they don't even bother to adjust the mini-map, so even if a door in one occurrence of the one cave design is blocked off, the passage that it is blocking will still appear in the mini-map! That's just disgraceful and for me, has tarnished Bioware's name as a company who produce high-quality games. It's lazy game design at its worst! So, lacklustre story and terrible environment and location design. But, I feel like there are areas of Dragon Age 2 which aren't quite as horrific. The levelling system and talent trees are pretty much exactly the same as Dragon Age Origins, just with a sheen of gloss. The combat, although now less tactical, does look a lot better. In particularly the mage characters now look like more of a part of the action, actually moving their bodies to cast spells instead of just shuddering in the corner while rogues and warriors dance about like in DA:O. But I think they went a bit over kill with the Rogues (why on earth do you have to kick Poison flasks at enemies? That just looks a bit turd really). Overall, I did strangely still enjoy Dragon Age 2, despite the fact it suffers from some terrible terrible design choices, simply because some of the characters are well implemented into the fledgeling story. Anders in particular had a story which simply out-shone the rest of the game and the Mages vs. templar debacle could be quite promising eventually. I actually cared what happened to Anders and I really liked what happened (more dark, unstable, psychopathic characters please!). I think that might have been the only reason I ended up completing the game. I hope that Bioware can learn from there mistakes here and try to put some more effort into a series that is quite obviously loved by many. Just look at the fan rage on here! That's representative of a seriously disappointed fan base.… Expand
  87. demonmind
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    OK I have no clue what bioware was thinking when they made this game why did they change the game so much. Like when I heard they were making dragon age 2 I immediately perordered cause the first one was so good but as it turns out its half as good just with better graphics. I mean why not pick up were first left off why is that I only get the city to explore. I mean everything that madeOK I have no clue what bioware was thinking when they made this game why did they change the game so much. Like when I heard they were making dragon age 2 I immediately perordered cause the first one was so good but as it turns out its half as good just with better graphics. I mean why not pick up were first left off why is that I only get the city to explore. I mean everything that made to first one good was left out. Though the combat was improved. The story was OK I guess just didnt stack up to origins. Plus it didn't mention anything about my character from origins nethier. Idk the game just felt dull and boring… Expand
  88. Annoymous1
    Feb 2, 2013
    6
    Combat is good, Dragon's are barely there, Story is hard to understand, graphics are good. You barely can understand the story, is there any sense? A C- for me
  89. alghero
    Feb 7, 2013
    6
    Ok this is my first review here and I read many negative reviews of this game, that's not completely true. Its main problem is that it's a sequel and as so, it's impossible not to compare with its prequel. The story itself is really appealing but there is nothing of the freedom of the first one (and its expansion). Reducing the exploration to a single city and some random external placesOk this is my first review here and I read many negative reviews of this game, that's not completely true. Its main problem is that it's a sequel and as so, it's impossible not to compare with its prequel. The story itself is really appealing but there is nothing of the freedom of the first one (and its expansion). Reducing the exploration to a single city and some random external places simply does not work in a fantasy game. Maybe in a futuristic game where cities are giant, but here...
    And the dungeons: seriously? A couple of identical maps with just some different texture??? They even didn't bother of removing from the map areas not used in that particular cave!!! I spent hours searching to access a place displayed in the map before understanding that in some other exactly identical dungeon elsewhere that area was just accessible normally!!!
    It's not true that characters are flat, some are nice, some really intriguing, but again, do you want to compare Leliana from DAO with Isabela? No way.
    The combat is interesting, you basically control a party of 3 members but you can choose only 2 of them and use a combination of strength, agility and magic. At hard level it can be hard but just because the enemies appear from nowhere. If you can accept that the Darkspawns (demonic zombie-like creatures) could potentially rise from the ground, you simply can't accept humans appearing from nowhere in an harbour! You are almost constantly ambushed reducing possible tactics considerably. Things that were not happening in the previous game and that also makes mages almost useless, even because really depotentiated. So the best way? Pure strength and an healer just in case.
    The sound is average, nothing memorable, but it's not the first thing I look in a game. Surely I notice if it is very bad and this is not the case. Some cinematics are indeed really good.
    So why a vote of 6 and not lower? Well because if you don't compare the 2 games and for a moment you forget was developed by Bioware, a company that produced among the others Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect (I have all their RPGs) it's a decent game, probably with no replay value, but I played it and finished in few weeks because at least the plot was intriguing and I was hoping something interesting happened. I tried only 2 DLC, those that came for free with pre-order edition and they didn't add as much as the golem in DAO for example.
    An average game that will not stop me from waiting Dragon Age III, for any random player who wants to try an RPG there are better options, but if you read about it and love the settings (Thedas is a really interesting world) it's surely worth playing it.    … Expand
  90. sJagstang
    Mar 15, 2013
    6
    As a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, I couldn't help but feel very disappointed by Dragon Age II. The gameplay whilst more fluid was made far too easy and basic for an RPG, It loses the thing that made Origins fun which was challenging tactical gameplay, the characters in DA2 are decent but they are not as good as the Origins cast and the decision to make the whole game take place in oneAs a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, I couldn't help but feel very disappointed by Dragon Age II. The gameplay whilst more fluid was made far too easy and basic for an RPG, It loses the thing that made Origins fun which was challenging tactical gameplay, the characters in DA2 are decent but they are not as good as the Origins cast and the decision to make the whole game take place in one city and some area's nearby it was a huge mistake and one of the most blatant examples of reusing locations, Dragon Age Origins felt huge in scope but DA2 feels limited, bland and disappointing, I hope BioWare can return to form with Dragon Age 3 because another game like DA2 would be a massive disappointment considering how great DA: Origins was. The game also has one of the worst endings I've seen in recent times, It's like BioWare doesn't know how to end games recently.… Expand
  91. matadorred
    Apr 12, 2013
    6
    A game so hated because of its predecessor so loved. lol The amount of hate that DAII has gotten just goes to show how great DAO was, and how far from the mark its sequel was. DAII was a rushed game. They re-used the same caves/areas for most of the playthrough. They didn't have enough options for the player. There were more gay romance options than heterosexual, and your party mates keptA game so hated because of its predecessor so loved. lol The amount of hate that DAII has gotten just goes to show how great DAO was, and how far from the mark its sequel was. DAII was a rushed game. They re-used the same caves/areas for most of the playthrough. They didn't have enough options for the player. There were more gay romance options than heterosexual, and your party mates kept trying to hit on you while you went on grand adventures lol. Even with the different answers/paths you can take, they all lead to the same ending lol. This is the last game I'll ever buy from Bioware, their mass effect series is overrated and this one is just bad and ppl know it.… Expand
  92. doggystyle
    Jul 21, 2013
    6
    Dragon age: Origins was pretty great. The sequel has been dumbed down to be an action game with automatic healing and enemies appearing out of thin air. A sad example of what happens when studios try to go for a broader audience. Don't know if that worked here but at least RPG fans were disappointed.
  93. anti_lov
    Aug 18, 2013
    6
    Dragon Age: Origins was an incredible game for the depth of it's story and characters, the consistency of it's world, and the many twists and surprises that keep things quite interesting along the way. Big shoes to fill. And while Dragon Age II makes many cosmetic and interface improvements over it's predecessor, in the big picture it simply falls flat in trying to deliver anything closeDragon Age: Origins was an incredible game for the depth of it's story and characters, the consistency of it's world, and the many twists and surprises that keep things quite interesting along the way. Big shoes to fill. And while Dragon Age II makes many cosmetic and interface improvements over it's predecessor, in the big picture it simply falls flat in trying to deliver anything close to experiences of DA: O.

    First the good. The games menus, skill trees, and inventory have been completely redesigned to offer a more streamlined and less cluttered presentation. Skill trees for combat abilities look amazing, and the ability to upgrade certain abilities with addition perks adds even more depth. Combat itself has also been redesigned to have a much tighter action feel. Attacks and magic feel powerful and look great. I also like the fact that dialogue options provide a range from diplomatic to aggressive and your character is voiced, giving a cinematic feel to the experience.

    Now for the bad. While a lot of attention was given to streamlining the look and feel of the game and it's combat system, the games improvements over it's predecessor rarely reach bellow the surface level. Firstly, the story arch of the game simply sucks. At many points in the game I literally felt that the writers were making things up as they went along. Dragon Age: Origins was exceptional in how it tied even many side quests back into the main quest of the game, giving the entire game world an amazing connected and consistent feel. And while DA II at times comes close, it ultimately fails flat at ever opportunity. Characters feel shallow and downright annoying in some regards, and felt more like chatty accessories then actual companions who share a common stake in journey.

    But perhaps that is the games biggest short coming. You will spend hours traversing back and forth completely the most trivial and unrewarding quests only to reach the chapters "climax" which usually consists of around 20 mins of pretty fun combat, only to kick you back into the mundane story where another few hours of errand running until the next big plot point. I am greatly disappointed that the "blight" that was the main focus of the first game is but a mere side note here.

    You play the part of a refugee fleeing the blight with his family. The game starts promising, but quickly goes to hell once you arrive in the city that you will spend the remainder of the game in. You are not a Grey Warden. You are not concerned with the blight. Hell, you ran from it. You are essentially an inconsequential thug who turns to pretty crimes and murder to make ends meet in the city. Although the story implies you become something special, a "Champion", essentially you play the part of an opportunist who has no real great purpose or calling other then aspiring to move up from the slums to the "High Town" estate your family once owned. Sound exciting?

    The high point of the game for me was a venture into the Dark Roads which presented some of the coolest environments and enemies of the game, one of the only points in the game were a little nod to the world of Origins is given. But you are not there for any meaningful purpose other then to loot treasure so your families wealth can expand. There is nothing epic or noble about it. But then again, there is nothing epic or noble about anything you will do in this game.

    You will spend hours questing in preparation for exciting battle sequences that are over in less then half an hour. Then it's back to the city where the next set of fetch quests and killing contracts await, none of it resembling anything with purpose.

    Story aside, the game can still be entertaining at times. But perhaps the most unforgivable aspect of Dragon Age II are the inconsistencies between it's world and the world of origins and the fact the plot is at best half the quality of what we were given in Origins. I completed the game as mage, and while I still enjoyed the experience, at no point did I feel the kind of emotional connection I felt the world and characters of Origins.

    You can pick it up in the bargin bin of most game stores now for quite cheap, which I'd say is the only way I can honestly recommend playing this game without feeling too let down.    … Expand
  94. Deusex
    Mar 3, 2014
    6
    On a technical level dragon age 2 outshined origins.
    Pros:
    Better graphics but just below average.
    Gameplay is better. But nothing special.
    Fully voiced character.

    Cons:
    Repititive.
    Boring.
    Not very open.
    Bad facial animations that detract from the experience.
    No feel for impact in gameplay, feels flat.
    Bad setting.
    Worse characters.
  95. BioAlchemist
    Nov 24, 2014
    6
    All in all this is a dumbed down version of DA:O. Some of the dumbing down was okay, some of it wasn't.

    I think my biggest grip is that no matter what decisions i made, I felt like they had little to no impact on the main story. the only impactful decisions come from your companions and their own stories. Also the reuse of maps was just terrible. I swear you go into the same map 20    All in all this is a dumbed down version of DA:O. Some of the dumbing down was okay, some of it wasn't.

    I think my biggest grip is that no matter what decisions i made, I felt like they had little to no impact on the main story. the only impactful decisions come from your companions and their own stories. Also the reuse of maps was just terrible. I swear you go into the same map 20 times throughout the game, but they just reverse the path and open different doors.

    The good news? I actually enjoyed the combat for the most part though the limit of 6 skills that can be easily accessed was a bit of a pain.    … Expand
  96. BigEvilSquirrel
    Aug 12, 2018
    6
    3 out of 5.
    Dragon Age II suffers from either being rushed, laziness, or both. Environment assets are reused so much it becomes painfully obvious. Enter a cave, and it’s the same map as the previous cave. Gameplay is fun, I really enjoyed playing as a mage. I do recommend giving it a play, but not at full retail.
  97. OwlCloud
    Nov 2, 2017
    6
    The epitome of the term 'underwhelming follow-up'. Dragon Age 2 wreaks of rushed development. It's no secret that it was just that, a project with one major agenda; 'get it done, quickly'.

    The gameplay mechanics are there, but to anyone who played the it;s critically acclaimed predecessor can feel how watered down they are. Presentation is among one of the game's weakest points. The    The epitome of the term 'underwhelming follow-up'. Dragon Age 2 wreaks of rushed development. It's no secret that it was just that, a project with one major agenda; 'get it done, quickly'.

    The gameplay mechanics are there, but to anyone who played the it;s critically acclaimed predecessor can feel how watered down they are.

    Presentation is among one of the game's weakest points. The city of Kirkwall and it's surrounding areas not only pale in comparison to the lovingly crafted locations in Origins, they are so bland they feel like an unfinished student demo. Dragon Age: Origin's lowly saturated world has far more of a unique visual style and flare than it's sequel.

    The main story is literally just a series of events unfolding without any real focal point. What's worse, in retrospect, the events that transpire in Kirkwall have little to no bearing in the game's sequel, Dragon Age: Inquisition.

    The Characters are hit or miss. Varric is an absolute gem, and Hawke a worthy protagonist. The remaining cast range from pretty good to almost forgettable.

    I remember playing this game for the first time as a teenager with an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. 'What have they done?' I asked myself. Dragon Age: Origins had been the peak of any medium for me personally, it literally entranced me and resurrected a childlike curiosity that had long been buried. I will forever remember that as an important moment in my life.

    To go from that to.. 'meh', wasn't just jarring, it was genuinely heart breaking.

    With the Dragon Age world more realised and currently teeming with media such as comics, novels and DLC - I've come to realise that this installment should have and probably had been planned to exist as something of that nature rather than a main entry within the series.

    I'm glad it exists, but what could have been a fantastic DLC pack for Dragon Age Origins or a noteworthy novel was spoiled by EA rushing out the door to cash in a sequel while the first game was fresh in our minds. The result is, for the most part, a tedious 'adventure' in which you will revisit the same damn cave again and again and again and again. The game succeeds in making you dislike locations for no reason other than the fact that you are forced to revisit them so often.

    Ultimately, it's only necessary to those who want to delve into every corner of the world of Dragon Age in search of stories, because there are a handful of decent tales worth experiencing here. The eventual release and success of Inquisition fortunately pushes the necessity to play DA: 2. I no longer play it with a sense of dread or outright anger as at least while you do spend your time in this tiny corner of Thedas, you'll know that better times are yet to come.

    But if you're looking for the worthy sequel to Origins, look a few years later down the line.    … Expand
  98. Luccio26
    Feb 3, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Story: 1.5/3
    Let me begin by saying that this is not a bad game. This is not a sub 5/10 game and avoid completely. However for those coming from DAO you will be disappointed as I certainly was. The game starts by firstly taking you away from the massive choice of characters and options that DAO gave you. Rather than starting your adventure from different angles you are given the story and character of Hawke. Where you follow his/her story ark to take down the archdemon. It still has some incredible dialogue. It still has some meaningful decisions that need to be made. The ending sequence is also memorable without being anything too special. The character development of some of the companions are noteworthy and you will still enjoy taking the time to learn more about the different stories of each of them. It does feel stripped down however from DAO in terms of content. Compared to the 80+ hours per campaign you can put in to DAO, this one is only 25 hours, 35 if you do all the side missions and task content. Significantly less but once again this is not a terrible game. It is just not the best in the series.
    The Gameplay 1.5/3
    The clunky feel of melee combat is gone in the DA2. The spell caster combat is more fluid than before and the battles seem more entertaining than in DAO. The biggest problem in this game is how the difficulty scales. You see it isn't based on mechanics and different options you take in combat. However it is the quantity of enemies that are sent to attack you. Boss battles seem like they are just horde mode where waves of monsters/fighters will attack you until you complete the battle. Yes they improved the combat, but making every battle a horde mode fight is just lazy. The progression of the character is standard Bioware. Plenty to choose from and all of it seems meaningful enough.
    Art Design 1/2
    Look, this game actually looks great. The content that is there is really impressive and the graphics are a huge upgrade from DAO. The character models are fantastic and the weapons and cities look great. The only problem is there just isn't enough of it. There are the same maps you traverse over and over. The same enemies over and over. The same city although huge from the outset, seems hollow because of the lack of interactable NPCs.
    Sound/Music 2/2
    Where the game does its best is its voice acting. Bioware just get this right time and time again. I loved the dialogue in this game and probably the only thing that kept me going in the game. I Think the sounds from combat, ambient and sound track are all immersing and this department all in all did a fantastic job.

    My final score for this game is a 6/10. This is not a bad video game, it just isn't the sequel we all wanted from arguably one of the best RPG's to date in DAO. I would still recommend playing this game to any fan of the universe as there is plenty of interesting characters explored in DA2 that appear in DA:Inquisiton and will make that experience even better. However if you choose to skip this, the DragonAge Keep gives you enough of a synopsis in the choice section to clue you in on what you missed when you start DAI.    … Expand
  99. davey16
    Mar 29, 2022
    6
    This game was enjoyable if I didn't have anything to compare it to for any reason at all...

    That being said, for being a sequel of a game I really enjoyed... its not great.

    Origins is better than it in every possible way and I feel like this whole game is a large missed opportunity.

    I enjoyed it at moments but it simply just was more blah than anything else.
  100. Ribblet
    Mar 16, 2011
    5
    Liked DAO until the "Golems of Amgarrak". The conversions became useless and idiotic. "I wonder what's over there? What could be in that tunnel?" "Lame!" - Now with DAII, the dialog seems pointless just the same. I don't feel involved and it doesn't matter what choices you make. Tactics for fighting are bad. I liked in DAO that you could target a mob, tell your guy to fight it andLiked DAO until the "Golems of Amgarrak". The conversions became useless and idiotic. "I wonder what's over there? What could be in that tunnel?" "Lame!" - Now with DAII, the dialog seems pointless just the same. I don't feel involved and it doesn't matter what choices you make. Tactics for fighting are bad. I liked in DAO that you could target a mob, tell your guy to fight it and at the right moment insert special abilities, now its just click click click. Mob placement could be way better, sure there are waves of monsters coming at you from ALL sides, but the fights are pretty weak and having to figure out how to combat a foe would be exciting. except for the Rock Boss, that was well done and probably the only reason why i have rated it as high as i did. If they have an addon for this game, I won't be buying it. With DAO, I would order in pizza, with DAII I think Ill go out.… Expand
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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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