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. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    7
    Same as the first entry but worse. Pointless. I remember having some fun with it tho.
  2. Magikcarp
    Jul 19, 2023
    5
    Gameplay - 5
    Plot & Characters - 7
    Storytelling - 7
    Pacing - 6
    Music & Sound - 7
    Replayability - 5
    Performance - 10
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. L3Fari0us
    Jan 10, 2022
    5
    Dragon Age 2 feels like BioWare's shot at a more accessible RPG while trying to maintain the quality and depth they're known for.

    Pros: +Gameplay is more action orientated & faster than DA:O +Solid voice acting for the most part +Art style still holds up to this day +Returning characters, making the games feel connected +Story, while linear, is very interesting, albeit a bit    Dragon Age 2 feels like BioWare's shot at a more accessible RPG while trying to maintain the quality and depth they're known for.

    Pros:
    +Gameplay is more action orientated & faster than DA:O
    +Solid voice acting for the most part
    +Art style still holds up to this day
    +Returning characters, making the games feel connected
    +Story, while linear, is very interesting, albeit a bit frustrating at times
    +Armor looks great, specially endgame sets
    +All classes feel good to play
    +The twists are all well executed

    Cons:
    -You can't play as different races, unlike the previous title
    -Your origin story is always the same one
    -Narrative is extremely linear
    -Most dialogue options don't matter
    -Dialogue options are extremely ambiguous
    -Dialogue options are always extreme (either be a super nice person, a terribly mean one, or a jokester)
    -The protagonist's delivery isn't always what you are expecting
    -You can only interact with your companions during their specific quests, aside from that they only offer generic dialogue when you try to speak with them
    -Romance feels like an afterthought
    -There are a lot of reused dungeons
    -Most enemies are too bullet sponge
    -Enemies spawn in waves and sometimes out of thin air
    -The first 1/3 of the game feels like an endless stream of mostly uninteresting side quests & there's a lack of motivation for the player to push through

    Overall, Dragon Age 2 is a game that while it improves on some aspects that the previous game lacked, it drastically misses on the ones a game needed the most in order to be recognized as a sequel for Dragon Age Origins. If you are looking for a well thought RPG with a more tactical and slow combat with meaningful choices and a narrative that warrants different playthroughs, then I do not recommend this game.    … Expand
  7. Shimmeywill
    Feb 27, 2020
    5
    The lacking mission design, story and setting make this an overall mediocre RPG experience.
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. Viktory_Gaming
    Jan 10, 2018
    5
    A disappointment. Compared to Origins and even other fantasy RPG's Dragon Age 2 fell short of the mark. The entire game is spent in a single city or the outlying areas around it even recycling and reusing those same areas many times. The main character who you create feels like a glorified errand boy instead of a champion and is completely boring. The story is basic and basically boilsA disappointment. Compared to Origins and even other fantasy RPG's Dragon Age 2 fell short of the mark. The entire game is spent in a single city or the outlying areas around it even recycling and reusing those same areas many times. The main character who you create feels like a glorified errand boy instead of a champion and is completely boring. The story is basic and basically boils down to 3 major events nothing more. Most of the characters are wasted potential. The graphics and art style make the areas so bland and uninteresting, I believe they were going for an acrylic painting style but it just looks bleak and devoid. If the art style and graphics were better it would certainly help make the reused areas of the game a bit more enjoyable to explore even though they would still get tedious. To be fair however there are a few positives. I like the change in combat style, it's more fast paced and fluid as opposed to the MMO like style we had in Origins. A few of the characters from Origins that we grew to love appear. And finally the events that take place here have an effect on the events, locations, characters and story in Inqusition.… Expand
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. otakon17
    Sep 18, 2013
    5
    This is a disappointment when compared to Dragon Age Origins. The story is haphazardly told, on the first release the combat is lopsided with difficulty spikes and cheap tactics(enemies that literally spawn on top of your weakest characters with no time to react or regroup), your characters are mostly one note individuals(they butchered the character of Anders), lackluster loot, buttonThis is a disappointment when compared to Dragon Age Origins. The story is haphazardly told, on the first release the combat is lopsided with difficulty spikes and cheap tactics(enemies that literally spawn on top of your weakest characters with no time to react or regroup), your characters are mostly one note individuals(they butchered the character of Anders), lackluster loot, button mashing combat, simplified ability tree's. However there is some joy to hear your party members converse with each other and the graphics are improved over DAO with a more unified art style. This is a lackluster sequel in nearly all ways and doesn't really let you PLAY a ROLE in the world of Dragon Age despite the illusion that you are. The story ends the same exact way every time, every major event that happens in the game happens the same way every playthrough, unlike DAO that allowed you to affect the major events through dialogue and gameplay choices. After the patches and DLC, this is playable and is only recommended for die hard fans of the series. If you're interested in Dragon Age, do NOT start with Dragon Age 2, it is a black spot on the world that will most likely turn you off to the rest of the series released.… Expand
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. rawrieatchu
    Apr 29, 2013
    5
    If DA2 came before Dragon Age origins, I think then that this would have worked a little better.

    Alas, this is not the case, and when we compare Dragon age 2 to Dragon age Origins, most of us feel disappointment, but if DA2 was a standalone game however, it would have done a little better in my eyes. Downgrade in graphics, lazy design, less customization, and a cast of characters I    If DA2 came before Dragon Age origins, I think then that this would have worked a little better.

    Alas, this is not the case, and when we compare Dragon age 2 to Dragon age Origins, most of us feel disappointment, but if DA2 was a standalone game however, it would have done a little better in my eyes.

    Downgrade in graphics, lazy design, less customization, and a cast of characters I hated half of. The argument here is that DA2 did better on the action standpoint, but I disagree, and found that it was even less fun than the first game.

    DA3 will have to pull of a sodding miracle to save this game franchise, Bioware is going down hard, and not much can pull it's boots out of the fire from the damnation it received from this game, and ME3.    … Expand
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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.
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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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