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. Tahdeus88
    Mar 17, 2011
    9
    DA2 is a really good game, and thank God its not like DA:O cause that was only popular because it brought back the old RPG environment for the "old RPG and DND fans". Sure it had it's great moments but but think of it, role-playing doesn't mean you need to spend all your time managing your every move in combat but to have fun while talking with your companions, and this way it's more funDA2 is a really good game, and thank God its not like DA:O cause that was only popular because it brought back the old RPG environment for the "old RPG and DND fans". Sure it had it's great moments but but think of it, role-playing doesn't mean you need to spend all your time managing your every move in combat but to have fun while talking with your companions, and this way it's more fun and there are still hard encounters where you can not survive without pausing all the time. Tha dialogue system is simpler but to be honest, when you wanted to be rude with somebody in the DA:0 you chose a bit harsh and aggressive answer and when you want to be good, you chose a kind one. It's all the same, just visually different. Sure the places that you visit can be a bit boring after some time but that's it. A tone of side quests and possibilities and companions are great, they are fun to listen to while wondering the city and have a pretty good background. I l really like this game, and for all the haters...
    Come writers and critics, Who prophesize with your pen, And keep your eyes wide, The chance won't come again, And don't speak too soon, For the wheel's still in spin, And there's no tellin' who, That it's namin', For the loser now, Will be later to win, For the times they are a-changin'.

    Remember how everyone cried about ME2 after the first game?
    Good Job BIoware, we love you !    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. monkcocoa
    Mar 17, 2011
    0
    This game is a mess. The Ishtar of video games. Everything is a downgrade from the first game in the series. The graphics are sloppy and cheap. The game play is dumbed down. The story and characters are worse than the original, if that is even possible. Bioware has really been going downhill since they have been bought by EA.
  4. 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.
  5. laughwithme
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    DA2 is a very good game with minor problems. If you liked Dragon Age: Origins don't come into this game think of it as a direct sequel. DA2 is it's own game, it should live and die by itself. The writing is great especially the companions. The fighting needs a little work, it's almost to actiony. Overall DA2 was a fun experience and I would recommend it to my friends and strangers who readDA2 is a very good game with minor problems. If you liked Dragon Age: Origins don't come into this game think of it as a direct sequel. DA2 is it's own game, it should live and die by itself. The writing is great especially the companions. The fighting needs a little work, it's almost to actiony. Overall DA2 was a fun experience and I would recommend it to my friends and strangers who read this small review.… Expand
  6. penfever
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    First time / long time, and so I want to thank Metacritic for years of excellent service to the gaming community. I've enjoyed reading the reviews, both professional and personal, and I base many of my buying decisions on what I glean here.

    I finished DA2. I could certainly talk about the game's many egregious failures (most of which have been covered here), but I think it's more    First time / long time, and so I want to thank Metacritic for years of excellent service to the gaming community. I've enjoyed reading the reviews, both professional and personal, and I base many of my buying decisions on what I glean here.

    I finished DA2. I could certainly talk about the game's many egregious failures (most of which have been covered here), but I think it's more interesting to think about this game in the context of what is happening to the RPG genre in general. FFXIII was, after a nearly interminable wait, the weakest FF ever. DA2 may well be the weakest Bioware game of the modern era. Atari is out of the RPG business, as are many others. And although the EuroPGs like Gothic may be to some players' tastes, I find them too heavily invested in a 'realistic' medieval setting. Seriously ... the PS3's been out for years now. Where are the RPGs?

    I can't remember the last time I played a truly great Fantasy RPG. Some (The Last Remnant) had intriguing ideas but failed in other areas. Some are just dull. DA2 is not a terrible game (merely a mediocre one), but it is a terrible RPG, because it makes you give up on the things that are supposed to matter the most ... exploration, character growth and story.

    By the end I was skipping almost every conversation. I knew what I said wouldn't matter. The idea that Kirkwall is 'vast' is a shameful lie. Daggerfall was vast. LOTRO and WOW are vast ... it takes hours to traverse them. Fallout: New Vegas was ... well, not vast, but pretty big. Gothic was sizable, if repetitious. DA2 is microscopic. Eensy weensy. Really truly small in scope, ambition, diversity ... you name it.

    Why do all mages perform the same four spells (and why are they mostly designed to prevent you from killing the mages immediately?)? Why are shades randomly appearing in Lowtown? Why do trash mobs rain from the heavens like the worthless copper you gather from the corpses? Why do the shops withhold their inventories for years? Why is crafting so utterly meaningless? Why is most of the treasure you collect useless? Why can't your companions wear armor? Why is this game's idea of 'strategy' flooding the screen with identical foes?

    It's not enough to trash this worthless, shameless cash-in of an RPG. That's easy, but insufficient. What we need is a revolution.

    Indie developers, are you listening? Do you remember, as I do, the days of Vagrant Story, FF6, Valkyrie Profile? Baldur's Gate, Planescape Torment, Neverwinter Nights? Do you remember when there was an embarrassment of riches for Fantasy RPG gamers? Think about what we could do now. Imagine Bioware's production values and visual storytelling married to REAL innovation.

    This review is a call to action. Let's bring REAL RPGs back, on both the PC and the consoles, and relegate this overhyped, overvalued junk to the dustbin of history, where it belongs.    … Expand
  7. Chankins94
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is not Origins 2.0. It has faster combat, less loot sorting, and a more cinematic presentation. These changes were bound to create division among the fanbase. Neither of the camps are necessarily wrong per-se, but many members of them are simply focusing on the changes, not the game as a whole. Dragon Age: Origins had a somewhat traditional top-down tactical style of combat.Dragon Age 2 is not Origins 2.0. It has faster combat, less loot sorting, and a more cinematic presentation. These changes were bound to create division among the fanbase. Neither of the camps are necessarily wrong per-se, but many members of them are simply focusing on the changes, not the game as a whole. Dragon Age: Origins had a somewhat traditional top-down tactical style of combat. DAII retains some of Origins' tactical elements ( the radial pause menu, for example) but increases combat pacing and decreases its difficulty. The new combat looks, and feels more intense, and to me at least, more fun. The mentality to the changes in combat seems to be geared towards cinematic presentation, which is extended into other facets of the game as well, like the dialogue system.

    DA II has a fully voiced protagonist, and the dialogue is chosen from a wheel that offers a thought that the character translates into speech. The system, while borrowed from Mass Effect, fits into the game quite nicely. The dialogue choices you make will also determine how your character behaves when you don't have direct control. By having the character speak, Hawke feels like a character, rather than a puppet. Dragon Age II's plot is somewhat unconventional. It isn't necessarily about Hawke himself, but the consequences of his actions on the world surrounding him. The writers accomplish this by utilizing a framed narrative, one of your companions, Varric, tells the tale in three acts. For the most part there is no central villain to defeat, as the whole setting is morally gray. While the main plot is interesting in its own right, the characters that follow Hawke are some of the most intriguing characters in any game period, whether you love em' or hate em'. The games weakest component is its visuals. On an artistic level, it finds its own ground in the crowded fantasy genre, but suffers due to continually recycled environments. I understand that the central location of the game, the city of Kirkwall, is bound to be recycled since the game takes place there over the course of 10 years. And each district is fairly visually distinct. However, the surrounding environments are inexcusable. The first time you go into a mine , it looks great. Then, you enter another mine, for a separate quest, and it is the EXACT SAME, visually, and its actual layout. Sure, it makes some sense for one cave to look visually similar to another, but every side location should have its own unique layout. On a technical level, textures on some clothing and armor A common complaint has been that you can no longer customize your companions weapons and armor. You can still customize the accessories that they wear, and can enchant their gear as you see fit. I don't find this change particularly bothersome, as I find sorting through loot to be tedious. Less time spent in menus, to me, is a good thing. And besides I would rather my companions have a few sets of unique armor, than wear the same armor that everyone else does.

    Dragon Age II is a role-playing game in the simplest sense. Bioware gives you a role, Hawke, and you play it. With its cinematic presentation, and new narrative direction, it marks a change. Dragon age wasn't "dumbed down" it was changed. The game industry is not static, it grows and evolves. DAII isn't perfect by any means, no new things are. But its faults don't mean that it isn't a game that shouldn't be enjoyed.    … Expand
  8. FozzyTheForger
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    (PC) Acknowledging that "Immersion" has become the sword to wield when you're in computer game or other content delivery marketing, I have built up antibodies that make me immune to marketing BS. If marketing funds manage to show me nothing but outsourced videos to try and lure me in, I just don't bite anymore and put my cravings on hold until I get reviews and visual proof of what's to(PC) Acknowledging that "Immersion" has become the sword to wield when you're in computer game or other content delivery marketing, I have built up antibodies that make me immune to marketing BS. If marketing funds manage to show me nothing but outsourced videos to try and lure me in, I just don't bite anymore and put my cravings on hold until I get reviews and visual proof of what's to come. This is, of course, a bit sad in itself since it prevents me from pre-ordering, another new tool of the trade that has already gone bittersweet.

    Thing is, I was really actively waiting for Dragon Age II to happen. So, when I got it in the mail, I simply could not wait to have it up and running. I tried to look beyond the shaved dwarf or the deadpan delivery of unpalatable speech impediments. I was looking forward to dive into the game and get my RPG fix. And I got a hack'n'slash with multiple-choice cutscene intermissions. Or a machinima movie with action-RPG intermissions, maybe.

    Let me say that I really like God of War. But when I go out and (pre)order an RPG, that's what I expect to get. In case of Dragon Age II, however, it is just not what I got - at all. I got a mini-game which consists of way too many options to customize my - one - character. So I did that. Then I was served confusing and annoying bits of want-to-be movie sequences, haphazardly made-up history, cut scenes, an in-my-face appetizer of the action that was to come and.... more cut-scenes and more sessions of story-telling. If you can't read, it's pretty much OK, for the video is included in the game. Then I ran through what appeared to be an on-rails beat-em-up button mashing routine that was only improved (on PC) by having my character auto-attack, which is definitely easier on the mouse-and-keyboard hardware. My brother has no such luck on the PS3, he's mashing buttons till kingdom come - but he likes it, so there you go.

    I have not yet finished the game, but currently I feel more inclined to un-install it and burn the disc it came on. It is not an adventure. It is not an RPG. What it seems to be is partly immersive cut-scenes with multiple choice forks - of the "Good"-"SarcasticLOL!"-"OhShutUpAlready" type, with the "good" ones easily leading to gratuitous sessions of very open-minded sexual intercourse with seemingly anything that moves. Bioware really seems to be about procreation. Was I surprised? Yes. Was I touched? A bit, but not in places where I wish for an RPG to touch me, really. "Moving about" has become a moving back and fro, revisiting recycled resources as if it had a positive impact on CO2 emissions. It is definitely less about discovery and all about run-by kill-em-all. "Dungeons" consist mainly of recycled locations, as well. Not the kind of ever-repeating deja-vu I was looking to find. I actually came up with a word to describe my emotions when i recognized the same set for the n-th time: Grindhog Day.

    I know the bills that need to be paid and business in general call for franchises to be established and then cashed in ASAP to reach ROI targets. But this is sad and preposterous.

    I hope this new-school bubble of not-quite-RPG will soon burst and funds will find a way to flow into the resurrections or reincarnations of the true RPG titles of old. Here's to hoping we'll get more "Dungeon Master", "Bard's Tale" and "Wizardry" crawling and discovering than "Dragon's Lair" interactive cut-scenes (without the brilliant cartoons, mind you). When I feel like watching a movie, I don't sit down to play a game. Maybe this is "modern" and I'm just not "modern" enough. Then again, I remember going out and buying what I thought was a fighting game some fifteen years back. It did involve well-known samurai sword-wielding characters alright. But it turned out to be a Japanese RPG of sorts. I felt stupid for not having informed myself properly beforehand. It was my fault, and it at very least delivered good incentive to get a basic grip on the Kanji & Kana, even though the game still didn't get better once I was able to somewhat understand the funny symbols.

    This time around, however, I got something I thought I was watching closely for a year - and I still didn't get what I thought I'd get. And that's wrong on a number of levels, I think.    … Expand
  9. Blaz
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    Really disappointing.They simplified everything,the first game had decent game mechanics and a slightly better combat system,it feels like a game released in beta stage,and worse of all,i've even payed for this game
  10. ujellybro
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    Thanks metacritic for deleting my honest opinion about this game. Gaming really has taken a turn for the worse, when you can't express your opinions on a bad game without it getting deleted. You should be ashamed of yourselves, you and BioWare.
  11. LinkoftheAge
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Twenty hours into the game the world seems to continue to expand. The combat remains true to the original while increasing the pace of the combat. Boss battles are far more inspired than most RPG's. I encountered one boss where I had to manage my part to heal, tank the boss, take out adds, run behind a pillar before it does a huge aoe. It felt very much like doing a WoW raid, but withoutTwenty hours into the game the world seems to continue to expand. The combat remains true to the original while increasing the pace of the combat. Boss battles are far more inspired than most RPG's. I encountered one boss where I had to manage my part to heal, tank the boss, take out adds, run behind a pillar before it does a huge aoe. It felt very much like doing a WoW raid, but without the incompetence of other players. Only thing that holds this game back from a 10 are the use of the same locations for many of the quests. It breaks the immersion when you realized you been to this same spot 10 times to save mages, fight dragons, find bandits, locate an item ect.… Expand
  12. Stocky
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    The game for me has had it's ups and downs. But the lack of depth with characters, rehashed environments and the extremely shallow game play personally proved too much to bear. What is even more annoying from a consumer point of view is the DLC on day one. Why provide extra content from the release date especially after consumers are paying £30-40+ for such a lackluster title?
  13. DoubtedCarrot
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    I have put in about 12-13 hours into this game and have found that people seemed to just be mad at the fact BioWare has just changed how they feel an RPG should work. I personally feel that all genres need to evolve and am glad that BioWare is doing their best for the RPG. Anyone who is mad that this is not an exact replica of Dragon Age: Origins needs to stop. The game is titled DragonI have put in about 12-13 hours into this game and have found that people seemed to just be mad at the fact BioWare has just changed how they feel an RPG should work. I personally feel that all genres need to evolve and am glad that BioWare is doing their best for the RPG. Anyone who is mad that this is not an exact replica of Dragon Age: Origins needs to stop. The game is titled Dragon Age II not Dragon Age: Here's the first game again.

    That being said, I have found that overall the game is very good. Sure there are some minor problems to it but they can easily be overlooked. If you want the game to be more tactical you can up the difficulty to Hard/Nightmare but I have found that even on normal you still have to keep the situation in mind and not blindly charge in. So far the story seems to flow pretty well, with a small disconnect in between chapter 1 and 2 (currently at the beginning of 2). I feel like the conversations are well done even if sometimes the responses are a little corny. Overall I would give the game a 9 so far but with all the haters in the world I will leave it at a 10.    … Expand
  14. Darkfung
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    The demo failed to impress me but after spending hours playing through the game I'm fully converted! piles of missions to keep me wandering about and the much derided Kirkwall and the Freemarshes are massive and beautifully detailed - no you can't armour up your companions but you can change their weapons, rings etc. and set up individual tactics that make them behave differently each timeThe demo failed to impress me but after spending hours playing through the game I'm fully converted! piles of missions to keep me wandering about and the much derided Kirkwall and the Freemarshes are massive and beautifully detailed - no you can't armour up your companions but you can change their weapons, rings etc. and set up individual tactics that make them behave differently each time you play. yes it's more "fight-y" but the animations are spectacular - well done Bioware (don't know why the reviews are so negative !!)… Expand
  15. Kalaha
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    The immersion and combat of this game is matched by nearly every consol game for the last 10 years. See what i did there? :). The folks at Bioware clearly wanted to make Dragon Age 2 accessible to the greater masses. And i'm pretty sure they succeeded in that. It just didnt do it for me. I bought this game at the EA-online store and even before i had inserted my creditcard information, iThe immersion and combat of this game is matched by nearly every consol game for the last 10 years. See what i did there? :). The folks at Bioware clearly wanted to make Dragon Age 2 accessible to the greater masses. And i'm pretty sure they succeeded in that. It just didnt do it for me. I bought this game at the EA-online store and even before i had inserted my creditcard information, i was spammed with FREE Downloadable Content - order now. order now. Already at this point, i figured something was fishy in the state of bioware. The game is filled with re-used dungeons. Even in the first act, i ran through the same mine 3 times. What the hell is that about? I wont attack the battle-system - i didnt like it, some would. The graphics actually ARE improved from the first game, but you gotta love red - since most of your screen will be filled with it throughout the game. All in all this just seemed like a rushed game. 4/10… Expand
  16. mratomix
    Mar 16, 2011
    1
    Poor narrative choices mixed with repetitive gameplay and a good bit of EA chicanery to boot and this game went from being just amazing to disappointing quick. Trying to appeal to everyone, Bioware has become the puppet of EA and I for one thinks it's a shame that such a formerly-great developer couldn't distance itself from the rest of the pack and give us an experience they invested morePoor narrative choices mixed with repetitive gameplay and a good bit of EA chicanery to boot and this game went from being just amazing to disappointing quick. Trying to appeal to everyone, Bioware has become the puppet of EA and I for one thinks it's a shame that such a formerly-great developer couldn't distance itself from the rest of the pack and give us an experience they invested more than just EA's cash into. Sucks for the developers and for the gamers, not for EA, because ultimately we are the one's getting screwed raw here.… Expand
  17. DraMass
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Fantastic game. A masterpiece. Bioware as always have shown that they the best rpg developers. The combat, a plot, and characters are incredible. Game is ideal in all. Thanks for Fenris, Anders, Isabella and certainly Hawk. The original plot holds throughout all game. A one minus - repeating locations. But this isn't neccesary. I always buy your games. Thanks once again that you have made!
  18. swizer
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. dragon age 2 best game of all times... I do not know why at this game such low estimation, but is better rpg you can't find... Bioware as always have surpassed itself… Expand
  19. 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
  20. Hardtoohld
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    After waiting months for this to come out and finally getting the chance to play it, I must say that I am very disappointed with DA2. I have no idea why Bioware would choose to take what one of and I believe is the best role playing game (DA'O) and turn it into a version of Diablo. Bioware has taken out what made this game exciting and fun. The combat gameplay is a joke, in normal mode youAfter waiting months for this to come out and finally getting the chance to play it, I must say that I am very disappointed with DA2. I have no idea why Bioware would choose to take what one of and I believe is the best role playing game (DA'O) and turn it into a version of Diablo. Bioware has taken out what made this game exciting and fun. The combat gameplay is a joke, in normal mode you may as well just sit back and go to sleep as your team destroys everything in its path...Much to easy. The biggest difference you feel right from the start is that unlike the original, this game feels..well..like a game. When you played the orginal for hours on end, you started to bond with the members of your group. You actually felt like you were part of a team and at any moment they might stop and speak to you. That is gone in DO2. It feels like a game and gets boring after the first few hours. I cant see me playing this game again, unlike the original, which I played through 6 times. Hopefully the guys at Bioware will wake up and spend the time to give us a DA3 that lives up to the first. If not, I see Dragon Age going BYe Bye...At least in my home.… Expand
  21. 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.
  22. coolblaze
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    DA2 has it's head up it's ass. Sorry, but it's true. I think there are alot of fans that are just disappointed because of the arrogant flare being displayed in the game. The mob won't tolerate arrogance, or perhaps someone is sick that is in charge. I don't doubt they worked hard, I don't doubt they tried to make it fun.... but that was the point... it was fun, but I couldn't fall in loveDA2 has it's head up it's ass. Sorry, but it's true. I think there are alot of fans that are just disappointed because of the arrogant flare being displayed in the game. The mob won't tolerate arrogance, or perhaps someone is sick that is in charge. I don't doubt they worked hard, I don't doubt they tried to make it fun.... but that was the point... it was fun, but I couldn't fall in love with the product because there were places in the game that just left a bitter taste in my mouth. Like going to 4 difference places.... but it's all the same map? What the hell were you guys thinking? I tried to fool myself for DA2 and couldn't do it. But.... it's still a very good game COMPARED to the games out there. The 0's in the scores are just people who resent being left in the dust as DA2 tries HARDER to win new customers rather then keeping old customers satisfied. GET USED TO IT. I give it a 10 to even things out. Because those who believe it's a 4.2 will be missing out. It's worth your 60 bucks compared to the garbage out there. Those of you who gave it a 0? Get over it. Support them this time, because they got something big coming along that will make alot of people happy.… Expand
  23. xnoxiousx
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    Crap dragon age 2 is not even close to as good as da1. Da1 was one of best rpgs in recent time but they took all that was great and stripped it down to crap that is dragon effect.
  24. Mythe87
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    After enjoying Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening, I've been waiting for Dragon Age II with much excitement. I grabbed my hands on a copy of DA2 on release date, went home, unwrapped the foil from the box and put the disc in my PS3. After setting up the options to my personal liking I was ready to start the journey. Let's start playing.

    I'm writing this review while I am 18 hours in to    After enjoying Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening, I've been waiting for Dragon Age II with much excitement. I grabbed my hands on a copy of DA2 on release date, went home, unwrapped the foil from the box and put the disc in my PS3. After setting up the options to my personal liking I was ready to start the journey. Let's start playing.

    I'm writing this review while I am 18 hours in to the game, somewhere in Act II I presume. The reason I play RPGs are to feel immersion, connected to the main character and it's companion, a interesting story, to explore the world and to find epic loot. Dragon Age 2 is lacking major in every department. Let me tell you why.

    The characters feel too generic, except for Varric and Anders. Their personalities are boring, their stories are boring and the fact that BioWare doesn't give you an opportunity to feel connected with them makes it even worse.

    The story is telling the tale of how you become the champion, but to be honest I don't see it going anywhere. You do some side quests to make money, go on an expedition and after that do some more side quests. In my 18 hours of play I still don't have the feeling I am doing something important or amazing. To end with a positive note on this subject I do like the way they are presenting the story.

    Exploring the word in DA2 is just drama. 90% of the game is taking place in a not so appealing city to say the least. So there's not a lot to explore, but hey we still have dungeons, right? You can scrap that from your list. There are just a few layouts and they are, sadly, reused for every dungeon. So there goes all your of exploring the world. While killing some mobs, you mostly find some loot. It might contain something epic, but sadly you can't wear it because it's another class. So you'd say let's equip one of my companions with it. But some genius at BioWare decided no one cares about equipping their party members, instead we let the player buy upgrades of armor for their companions. Thanks for not taking the weapon and accessory slots away. To end on a positive note the improved combat system is something I enjoy. It's a lot more action based and a lot smoother. From time to time you just don't want to pause the game to play it like a strategy game, but just like a hack 'n slash game.

    All of the things really break the immersion for me. I want to equip my characters, I want to have cool traveling bunch, I want to explore the world and I want to feel that I am in something big. Sadly DA2 doesn't do any of that.    … Expand
  25. MarcusGejm
    Mar 16, 2011
    8
    Od Dragon Age II oczekiwaÅ
  26. Goldnugget
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm very sorry to say that Bioware's latest visit to Thedas represents for me everything that is wrong with the RPG genre of late, if inventory management, character customization/development and epic storytelling aren't for you then stay clear of the genre, there are already genres out there that cater for players who don't want to micromanage, who don't want to get involved in the fine detail. If you're an RPG purist then a small piece of you will die if you play this game.

    Saying that, I don't think the game deserves a reactionary score of 1-2, I also certainly don't think it deserves a score of 9-10 and have to wonder if the people giving these high scores are new to the genre/series or gaming in general. It has some good points and some very very bad points.

    The Good:
    Varrick - Possibly one of the best characters in any RPG of late, I played alongside this character throughout the whole game and he made a significant improvement to the experience!

    Narrative - The perspective is fresh and makes a nice change from the usual 'mysterious prisoner' opening of many other RPGs.

    Combat Looks - The combat looks good I have to admit, even if it feels somewhat empty, the manoeuvres and magic effects are excellent and the Rogue feels like a force to be reckoned with now that the archery skills and damage have been beefed up.

    Qunari     … Expand
  27. capnninjapirate
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Personally, i am very much enjoying this game. I'm about 30 hours in, and I'm maybe 23rd's of the way through. The story is compelling, if a little unfocused at times, the gameplay is fun and challenging, and the voice acting is mostly solid (except, unfortunately, that of the male lead, much like in Mass Effect. Why hire the talented voic actors for the smaller roles?).

    People    Personally, i am very much enjoying this game. I'm about 30 hours in, and I'm maybe 23rd's of the way through. The story is compelling, if a little unfocused at times, the gameplay is fun and challenging, and the voice acting is mostly solid (except, unfortunately, that of the male lead, much like in Mass Effect. Why hire the talented voic actors for the smaller roles?).

    People complaining that this is not a roleplaying game seem to lack an understanding of what the genre is, with most of the complaints being that this is not as tactical a game as it's predecessor, which i suppose is true enough, although the harder difficulties still require both skill and strategy. So no, it is not a tactical role playing game, it is action role playing, but roleplaying none the less. You play through a complex, multifaceted story, making key decisions that affect your character, your companions and the surrounding world. This is what i'm after in a RPG, not excessive micromanagement. For that i'll play an RTS thanks. While graphically subpar, I thought this was great fun, and enjoyed it every bit as much as Origins. No, you can no longer change the armour of your companions, but i fail to see the problem, as there are plenty of barbie dolls and fashion games for people who think putting a different coat on a pirate or different armour on an elf girl is integral to the experience. There are similar complaints that you can not make your archer use a sword... Why would your archer use a sword? To me this made the roleplaying more solid, not less. Your companions are people with their own talents, who make thier own choices. They are not simply extensions of the main protagonist.
    Then again, most of these complaints seem to come from those who are angry that Bioware did not simply make the first game all over again. ironically, early fan reviews of origins were every bit as negative, as it was not identical to Baldur's Gate. If you want DA: Origins or baldur;'s gate, then by all means, play them, they are fantastic. Dragon Age 2 is it's own game, and a good one at that.

    I was disappointed with the frequently reused maps, and there are a number of bugs I would not expect in a AAA title, which is what stopped this getting a 10 from me.

    If your on the fence, try the demo and decide for yourselves. If you go in with an open mind, I think most people will find something to truly enjoy here.    … Expand
  28. jagid
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. DA2 is clearly a polarizing game. But I think that it's a very good one, even if it fails to achieve greatness.

    Technically DA2 far outstrips Origins. The gameplay simplifications lead to a product that reminds me of the polish that you would expect in a Final Fantasy game. There is less choice (bad) but the the focus is significantly improved (good). And the shackles of an old fashioned D&D type system have been left well behind which if a good thing given the progression that has been made in the genre over the years.

    The quests are excellent and do a good job of balancing paint by numbers with assistance (do I really want to spend 30 mins searching an area for what I need) .

    The story is something of a mixed bag (at times I got sick of the whole apostate thing) but it is refreshing (and brave) to avoid the tired cliche of saving the world from the rampaging demon / dragon (or both the the case of the original DA!) The characters are strong too and while not as compelling as in its predecessor there is a bewildering amount of nuanced dialog. Ambiguity and choice are also extremely well implemented.

    Uncharted 2 is still the best PS3 game IMHO. Demon's Souls is next. DA2 is not at that level but f you are an RPG fan and can be prepared to get beyond the early button mashing and play on a high enough difficulty level there's a game that's not to be missed here.    … Expand
  29. Raxxer61
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Loved it. Hated 2 things. Somewhat of a gay sex agenda right off the bat. Nothing against gays, but having 2 men flirt with me before having any chance at a female sets a certain tone I didn't care for. The Mother's death seemed to have no purpose for the main plot and all it did was upset me. My last remaining family member gets mutilated and killed in front of me and it seems to just be some random act of insanity.… Expand
  30. Metalsand
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    First of all, the game isn't all that great. They have you running around in a city for about 20 hours until you actually get to the meat of the quest. That's when you realize that there is no meat, only more walking around. Plus, I really don't care about any of the characters, they are completely unlikable. In the first game, it was a companionship, but all of the new characters areFirst of all, the game isn't all that great. They have you running around in a city for about 20 hours until you actually get to the meat of the quest. That's when you realize that there is no meat, only more walking around. Plus, I really don't care about any of the characters, they are completely unlikable. In the first game, it was a companionship, but all of the new characters are lanky or annoying. I don't like a single one, I barely even like the main character. On top of all of the **** of the game, two employees had the GALL to come on here and vote it a 10 and say it is perfect, which lowers my score down another 3 steps, simply because they obviously don't realize what a ****ter this is. I'd much rather replay oblivion for the 14th time rather than even complete the story on this garbage even once.… Expand
  31. TogaFett
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    Alright, first off I'll say that I have read many of the reviews here and keep seeing the same things coming up: "The story isn't any good" "the interactions between characters sucks" "the combat is hack and slash".I do hope that people actually finish the game before they review it here (although i highly doubt they do) because how can you say the story sucks if you haven't finished it.Alright, first off I'll say that I have read many of the reviews here and keep seeing the same things coming up: "The story isn't any good" "the interactions between characters sucks" "the combat is hack and slash".I do hope that people actually finish the game before they review it here (although i highly doubt they do) because how can you say the story sucks if you haven't finished it. While the story is not quite as "epic" as it was in the first game, it still has it's own appeal and I, for one, felt myself being pulled into it and not wanting it to end. As for the Character interactions, The dialogue wheel is a good addition. While it is not quite as well done as the Mass Effect wheel, it still adds something to the game as I think it helps you to grow more attached to your character due to the fact that your main character is voice and not simply a stoic and unspeaking being. Now the hack and slash game play, It may seem like a hack and slash at first glance, but as others have said if you turn up the difficulty you will have to use the tactics so many enjoyed about the first title. And really people complaining about the change to an active attack button instead of pressing the a button and watching your character continually attack is in my view just laziness. The combat looks more appealing in Dragon Age 2 than it did in DA:O, but admittedly feels more like an action rpg than a basic rpg. The people saying that the graphics are worse, are absolutely wrong, no question about it. While it is a different art style, animations look more fluid and characters themselves look more believable. The only thing holding this game back from getting a 10 from me, is the recycled environments, much like Mass Effect. While they do try to switch it up, sometimes starting you on different ends of the same recycled environment, it still makes exploration disappointing at best. Overall i think this game is getting terrible reviews by users because they either simply loved the first game and do not enjoy the changes and so they overcompensate, because people didn't like Dragon Age to begin with, or finally because people have written reviews before finishing the game. It is a wonderful expansion on the Dragon Age universe, with improved graphics and gameplay, lovable characters and a wonderful and sometimes emotional story, and it's probably the best game of the year so far for me.… Expand
  32. galaktur
    Mar 16, 2011
    1
    Game - disappointing year. is certainly in the game and the good moments, improvements and new approaches, but unfortunately, disadvantages outweigh all its advantages. in pursuit of excess income, usually leaves the crude product, which subsequently will only exacerbate the situation and standard condemns the continuation of game to fail. ea company should reconsider marketing policy.
  33. Uuwawh
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    DA2 is a game that is a change. The story centers around things that are about to change, and the game itself "seems" that it is a radical change from its roots. From me these changes are for the betterment of the overall story telling that Bioware strives to show us. For myself I felt as though the game had a much better set of developed companions, and the interaction between theseDA2 is a game that is a change. The story centers around things that are about to change, and the game itself "seems" that it is a radical change from its roots. From me these changes are for the betterment of the overall story telling that Bioware strives to show us. For myself I felt as though the game had a much better set of developed companions, and the interaction between these companions are much more complex and personal.

    Also this game may seem like there is a lack of an over arching plot and therefor its a "bad" game. In this there is a truth, its hard to see this over arching plot. In a lot of ways DA2's separate acts are each there own mini story in which hawke is a center piece of. Yet the over aching plot is there and it has been some thing that Bioware has told use many times, why did Hawke make the choices he did and how come he was always in the middle of it all?

    For me this game was a fresh and brave take on story telling in games. With the lake of a big evil to fight the story becomes more about you (or hawke) and less about the enemy that you need to kill. I see this as being a great addition to the mythos of the Dragon Age universe.

    (Oh yea, I also love the changes to combat)    … Expand
  34. IslandMonkee
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    This over simplified pile of crap would not even bare the name Bioware a couple of years ago. I am not going to go in depth about the hack and slash gameplay or the repetitive use of the same environments over and over again. Just read the negative reviews from others, you will get the picture.
  35. HarveyBirdman
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age 2 is a thoroughly mediocre game. But it's not the forgivable kind of mediocre -- say, where a new developer strives for greatness but falls far short. It is something much worse: it reflects a deliberate and cynical decision by a top developer to turn a quick profit by whoring a top-tier franchise. This lazy, quick-cash-in approach destroys any sense of immersion or actualDragon Age 2 is a thoroughly mediocre game. But it's not the forgivable kind of mediocre -- say, where a new developer strives for greatness but falls far short. It is something much worse: it reflects a deliberate and cynical decision by a top developer to turn a quick profit by whoring a top-tier franchise. This lazy, quick-cash-in approach destroys any sense of immersion or actual roleplaying. For example, the game features about eight mid-size maps TOTAL: Hightown, Lowtown, Darktown, the Gallows (all of which have the same cold, blocky feel), a generic cave, the coast, the Deep Roads, and a mountain. This lone cave is used for practically every single quest outside of Kirkwall. To be clear, this is not a similar cave (as in, say, Oblivion) -- it is the EXACT SAME CAVE, with various sections closed off. Adding insult to injury, Bioware couldn't even be bothered to provide a different overhead map, or close off the sections in some realistic way, like a cave in. You just find a low-res concrete wall within the door frame. (For reference for DAO fans, the entire game feels about the size of Orzimmar and the Deep Roads in the original.) The result is a boring, empty, claustrophobic game world that annihilates any sense of immersion or exploration.

    Bioware's proposed remedies for this and many other flaws (like spending the entire first act doing random fetch quests to raise money) are (1) improved combat and (2) better writing. I'll gladly admit enjoying the combat visual effects the first time my mage tore through a dozen soldiers. But after a dozen or so battles, shooting fireballs between your legs while turning a backflip becomes dull and repetitive. In DAO, there was great satisfaction in decisively taking down a room of enemies with smart tactics, knowing they would tear you apart if you just ran in and pressed A. In DA2, you just run in and press A.

    The writing is very good in spots, but can't save the game. For every well-written character like Varric, there is a cartoonish caricature like sex-bomb Isabella or a dud like Aveline. For every laugh-out-loud line, there is a wince-inducing response by Hawke. The bottom line is this: Not everyone loved DAO, but millions of people did. Those who loved it did so because it was a sprawling, unabashed, old-school, D&D inspired RPG that challenged the player and provided a genuine sense of high adventure. Bioware seems to believe it can make more money scrapping the sprawling adventure, and instead selling back-flipping, large-breasted rogues who decapitate multiple enemies with the touch of a button. That is, of course, their decision to make. My decision will be to stop buying their products absent evidence of a dramatic reversal in course.    … Expand
  36. Agamemnon
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    I liked the game alot actually though I seem to be one of the few who did. Its not Baldur's gate 2 or even Dragon Age: Origins but on it's own merits its a good game. Dragon Age: Origins was too easy on Nightmare difficulty and this game surely isn't.
  37. Heyvc
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    When I played the first one, I didn't like it that much, the combat was frustrating for me on the 360, and I had to turn EASY some times, The Rogue had the most terrible armor looks and the control of the others party members was terrible. When I played on the PC was my best experience with the game, the combat problems was all sorted out. The fact the main character had no voice wasn'tWhen I played the first one, I didn't like it that much, the combat was frustrating for me on the 360, and I had to turn EASY some times, The Rogue had the most terrible armor looks and the control of the others party members was terrible. When I played on the PC was my best experience with the game, the combat problems was all sorted out. The fact the main character had no voice wasn't something I cared but it did felt weird, after I played Mass effect and they said the character on DRAGON AGE II would be full voiced I though that great because Makes you more into the game, you can be in contact with the world more. The combat on this game IS AWESOME soooooooooo much better than the first one, even from the PC, I think it is great that with mass effect it is 3dpersonSHOOTER/RPG and with this is action/RPG it's different, fun and visceral. My rogue now is wayyyy cooler in the looks and the art style in my honest opinion is beautiful. The story is smaller in greatness compared with the first but I think this is just the start of a BIGGER ARC that they wanted to tell the players it is like with the first was ALL THE PLOT, and this one is the first PART, like BATMAN BEGINS :P. My only complaint is the repetitive maps like caves and inside warehouses that it is kinda tiresome, and the bugs/glitches with the quests that is kinda of a let down but NO WAY should keep you in the way to enjoy this awesome game. I AM SURE the third one is gonna close the mouth of EVERY ONE who is giving this game a bad score. IS NOT a 10 like mass effect 2 but it is definitely is a 9 like the first one In general and 10 in combat/looks.
    Here waiting for another Bioware IP. Spy, western, jade return, super heroes, mafia :P    … Expand
  38. amccann
    Mar 16, 2011
    5
    Just wanted to say to my xbox 360 brothers that are just as disappointed with DA2 as I am - go ahead and try Torchlight it was developed in under a year with far fewer developers than DA2 had and is a far superior game in nearly all aspects and costs a fraction of the price!
  39. PlutoniumTiger
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    First of all, just to clear things up, "Avanost" is a Bioware engineer. You see, as long as the critic ratings are positive, Bioware care about their "fans", & their opinions. But when the user reviews are negative, Bioware just dismiss them as an "overreaction". Thats right, we are all far too stupid to play proper RPGs - all we want is dumbed-downed drivel, but we just don't know it!
  40. dottowiggle
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    Da 2 represents the splitting of the old and new.An immersive game that grows with time like the first.Great characters,great setting and fantastic combat.There is a lot of skilled needed on the harder settings which is where it should be played.Superior class system than Origins.
  41. Rizla
    Mar 16, 2011
    4
    It's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anythingIt's sad that this game has turned out how it has. Where i would play DA:O hours on end cause it immersed me into a beautiful world with diversity and a compelling story, i have to take a break from DA II every half hour because of the fatigue the game gives me, it's the same thing over and over, covered in bland and repeating surroundings and a general 'meh' feeling toward anything character or story wise.

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

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

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

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

    This game might of been received better if it hadn't been named the sequel to DA:O. But even if you take the first game out of the picture it still doesn't add up to a very good game in it's genre. I'd say i would rate it a 6 without ever playing DA:O. It's just not good. :(    … Expand
  42. 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
  43. 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
  44. jaymac407
    Mar 16, 2011
    1
    Wow. What a disappointment. I don't know what EA are paying the critics, but it must be a very large amount.
    I've given this game a 1 instead of a 0 because the graphics are spectacular. Unfortunately, that's all that's good about this game.
    This wasn't an RPG and I didn't feel like I was in control of the story. It seemed too scripted which is unlike a typical BioWare title. I do not see    Wow. What a disappointment. I don't know what EA are paying the critics, but it must be a very large amount.
    I've given this game a 1 instead of a 0 because the graphics are spectacular. Unfortunately, that's all that's good about this game.
    This wasn't an RPG and I didn't feel like I was in control of the story. It seemed too scripted which is unlike a typical BioWare title.
    I do not see why this was called "Dragon Age II" - because there was little, if any continuation from the previous game. It was hard to see where this game linked to the first.

    Oh, and releasing a DLC before the game was even out yet? Shame on you EA!    … Expand
  45. sterle2009
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    I really loved Dragon Age : Origins. It was a refreshing RPG. A great release for the PC in a long while. Of course that created high expectations for DA2. I pre-ordered the game just to get Signature Edition and then came the rumours that it's a game suffering from consolitis... I had to keep my faith as I wanted to believe the developers wouldn't snub PC gamers... Then came the Demo...I really loved Dragon Age : Origins. It was a refreshing RPG. A great release for the PC in a long while. Of course that created high expectations for DA2. I pre-ordered the game just to get Signature Edition and then came the rumours that it's a game suffering from consolitis... I had to keep my faith as I wanted to believe the developers wouldn't snub PC gamers... Then came the Demo... my worst fears were justified. i didn't finish the demo as I wanted to believe the final game would be different. In the end... it's worse than I thought. Pure consolised displays, 0-day patch for High Res textures, armour only for the main char, selected "upgrades" for the companions... It's a very disappointing sequel to one of the best games ever.
    Overall, if taken on it's own. It's a decent game. When taken as a sequel to DA:O... Maybe if u play it on a console it wold be good. I don't know. I won't buy another sequel until it hits the bargain bins..    … Expand
  46. Suleiman
    Mar 16, 2011
    3
    Per quanto concerne la mia esperienza di gioco, in un'ottica GDR, dopo diverse ore di gioco a questo nuovo titolo, devo dire che è davvero poco appagante.
    Non c'è immersione: ci si limita a galleggiare in superficie, intuendo che poteva esser fatto molto di più.
    La grafica è abbastanza curata, anche se preferivo i toni più    Per quanto concerne la mia esperienza di gioco, in un'ottica GDR, dopo diverse ore di gioco a questo nuovo titolo, devo dire che è davvero poco appagante.
    Non c'è immersione: ci si limita a galleggiare in superficie, intuendo che poteva esser fatto molto di più.
    La grafica è abbastanza curata, anche se preferivo i toni più maturi di DAO. Quello che non va proprio bene è che ci saranno una cinquantina di location che vengono riproposte allo sfinimento, il che non aiuta certo ad immergersi in un gioco di ruolo, dove l'ambientazione dovrebbe essere resa minuziosamente a video.
    La grafica dei menù è a dir poco oscena. Mi chiedo, con una grafica tanto scarna, come sia stato possibile rendere il sistema di menù più confusionario rispetto al precedente DAO... mah: ci sono riusciti, proponendo, ad esempio, un sistema grafico di avanzamento nei talenti che richiede ogni volta di visualizzare un albero di skill, impedendo una visione globale ed un confronto veloce tra le varie abilità.
    Il sistema di dialoghi è abominevole: in base a quale malato ragionamento non si può più cliccare sulla esatta frase che il nostro PG dovrebbe pronunciare, con senso chiaro, ma si deve interpretare una linea di scelta che spesso ci mette in bocca cose che non volevamo dire?
    Lasciamo perdere il combat system, e la gestione dell'inventario, il sistema di crafting, la possibilità di interagiore con gli altri personaggi in senso ampio, che di ruolo qui hanno mantenuto solo ed esclusivamente la dicitura.
    Coerenza a video rispetto alle abilità dei PG, a quelle che dovrebbero essere le loro effettive capacità e limitazioni: inesistente.
    Si salva qualcosa? Forse la storia sì, quella si salva, anche se è raccontata in modo non più che discreto.

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

    CONCLUDENDO
    Dopo aver giocato per diverse ore la versione definitiva di DA2, purtroppo, devo confermare le mie impressioni inziali.
    Brutto gioco, fatto in fretta e male: basta guardare la ripetività delle location o la scarnissima grafica dei menù.
    Coerenza zero, tatticità zero, personaliazzione zero.
    La storia si salva, ma non è assolutamente ai livello di DAO.
    Io ragiono nell'ottica GDR, che è quello che mi aspettavo di trovare e che mi sarebbe piaciuto giocare.
    Peccato!
    Spero che alla Bio ritrovino presto il senno e sfornino un GDR che sia un GDR vero!    … Expand
  47. cerberus
    Mar 16, 2011
    10
    bien mieux que le premier a mon sens, plus action et l'histoire se laisse suivre, le peu de decors ne derange pas car ils vont de paire avec l'histoire, inutil d'avoir 200 decors different pour ne pas s'en servir corrctement.
  48. Syrionus
    Mar 16, 2011
    9
    The fast paced combat is one of the greatest improvements I have ever seen in a game. The story was satisfying and interesting. The only negative I experienced, was the repetitive scenery. Personally loved everything else and agree that most of the negativity you see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference. Most seem to have been expecting Dragon Age Origins 2.0. All inThe fast paced combat is one of the greatest improvements I have ever seen in a game. The story was satisfying and interesting. The only negative I experienced, was the repetitive scenery. Personally loved everything else and agree that most of the negativity you see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference. Most seem to have been expecting Dragon Age Origins 2.0. All in all, the game was worth the money and entertaining.… Expand
  49. 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
  50. Vaegrin
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    This game is fantastic. The combat, the characters, the graphics, and the story are all dramatically improved over the first game. Like the original Mass Effect, there is some repetition in some of the side quest environments, but the side quests are written well enough that it is still worth it. All in all, this is the most fun I've had playing a game in a long time.
  51. ZZtop
    Mar 15, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Being a huge fan of previous Bioware RPGs, I could barely contain my excitement for the release of Dragon Age 2. I mean a sequel to the epic Dragon Age: Origins was bound to be great... but unfortunately DA2 turned out to be a huge disappointment. It is a rushed product marketed to be as great as other Bioware RPGs where in actual fact falls far short of standards set by it's previous titles. The new combat system had some great animations and feels fast and dynamic but in actual fact became a boring ordeal of enemies appearing from all sides, materialising from thin air, in waves to make the fights seem difficult. There was no thought on how to balance the fighting to make it meaningful, so instead the monsters you encounter just have lots of hit points. Whereas a players health stays relatively constant, most monsters(some monsters have low hp which just die in aoe and dont contribute much to a battle) have 10 times 20 times if not 100 times the health of our characters (some monsters have low hp which just die if coughed on and are not worth mentioning anyway), to compensate this high amount of hp the player's skills can do obscene amounts of damage with special attacks and combinations leaving normal attacks rather redundant against boss level monsters. The dungeons where you go exploring are filled with the same monsters over and over, Rest assured to see spiders, undead, abominations, bandits in predictable waves. The dungeons you explore superimpose on top of each other and are used over and over again with changes in where chests and loot appear. Many many doors are not interactable with until certain quests are opened then you need to visit again at a later stage to explore the same area, this happens way too much (oh there is a cave here, thats handy cause i didnt see it when i didnt have the quest). The Game has many other shortcomings but i think i have already vented enough frustration. Buying dragon age 2 is like buying a car without paint and doors, you have to pay more later to get downloaded content which should be have been included, i can seriously say i probably had more fun playing dragon age facebook than dragon age 2.

    Not included in this review Linear Story Line
    Main Character talks (doesnt add much to the game, at least it doesnt say what you select)
    Targeted to a broader market, possibly little children would enjoy this game if the character dialogues could be censored (full of sexual innuendo and some nasty words)
    Lack of customisation to character Chests and traps progressing too quickly compared to attribute gains (couldnt open most locked chests)
    Cities feel empty, unable to interact with most npcs, no pickpocketing
    As a stand alone game DA2 scores 6-7 maybe...
    compared to its predecessors 0-1    … Expand
  52. lobotomy42
    Mar 15, 2011
    4
    This game has lots of cutscenes. In between the cutscenes, you press the "A" button.

    On the plus side, I do not believe the game has given me any infectious diseases.
  53. Greyhammer
    Mar 15, 2011
    3
    What a disappointment. This is not worthy of Bioware or Dragon Age Origins. The game is dumbed down to the point of no longer being an RPG but a dynasty warriors game with worse dialog.
  54. umadfourchan
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    This is easily the greatest game of all time, bar none. I can't believe this silly little casual hipster nogaem /v/irgens find this game so difficult, they have to take out their hate on it. Silly boys, don't hit on this game.

    Spoilers. This game rules the schools
  55. ADogChasingCars
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Inspired by the success of Mass Effect 2, Bioware decided to send the Dragon Age franchise down the same dirt brown road. Taking an interesting universe, populated by interesting characters, and replacing it with a bland hero story that tries to hard at every direction. The only button you should press to make something awesome happen with this game is the eject button. :D
  56. EAsukshard
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I made an account just for this.Dragon age 2 is **** sequel ever made. Not to mention Avanost gave a 10/10 because he works at Bioware ! seriously? Give your own game a 10/10 shame on you! Umm where to start? o yea sh!t graphics, for dx11 game the game looks like junk, something that was made 4 years ago and not now, we expected great, people working on the game said it will look amazingI made an account just for this.Dragon age 2 is **** sequel ever made. Not to mention Avanost gave a 10/10 because he works at Bioware ! seriously? Give your own game a 10/10 shame on you! Umm where to start? o yea sh!t graphics, for dx11 game the game looks like junk, something that was made 4 years ago and not now, we expected great, people working on the game said it will look amazing and it turn out to be for lack of better word Sh1tty.
    Game play = Tone down so much feel like diablo 2 hack/slash all day yawn.. requires zero skills. I bet a retard with IQ of 5 can beat this game. LIterally
    Console port! 100% is a console port don't fuking bs EA or bioware this PIECE OF SH1t is a console port ~! I dont give a fuk what you say it's a **** console port! ok? everyone it's A CONSOLE PORT NOT a PC game.

    OOOO not to mention the environment is reused, so everywhere you go it looks the same, which is more like a CONSOLE PORT!!!    … Expand
  57. Toxic_Ninja
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I think it must have been around my 7th hour of farming 50 gold for an expedition I had no reason to go on, right around the time I was running through the fourth instance of the same god damn cave when I realized this game was unsalvagable.

    The story is garbage. The gameplay is a dumbed down version of the first one. On the plus side, they broke my favorite feature from DA:O, they    I think it must have been around my 7th hour of farming 50 gold for an expedition I had no reason to go on, right around the time I was running through the fourth instance of the same god damn cave when I realized this game was unsalvagable.

    The story is garbage.

    The gameplay is a dumbed down version of the first one.

    On the plus side, they broke my favorite feature from DA:O, they replaced the chat system with some mass effect 2 piece of ****

    This game has zero immersion, 12 hours in I still saw no story. How can a game like this even be immersive? I mean, they recycle the dungeons so **** hard it's insane. Way to go bioware, you've gone so far down hill since your kotor and bg days. I blame EA more than you, you're not the first studio they destroyed, who else remembers westwood?    … Expand
  58. xtrmx
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Why I can't rate the PC version with a big fat ZERO is beyond me, bioware also paying off metacritic now?
    All has been said already, they took DA:O, deleted half of the content, "fixed" everything so it became broken, and hired a hobo on the street to write up a story to save money.
  59. Kcep
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do 2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2 3)All characters in this game are elaborated 4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic. 5)This is game for everyone, not only for    Best RPG of last years.
    As for me - this game much better than DAO.Developers remaked all thigs i hated in DAO:
    1)Story-telling become more dynamic, and it's not about FATE OF THE WORLD, like others like to do
    2)Graphic is brilliant in DA2
    3)All characters in this game are elaborated
    4)Fights become more spectacular, interesting, dynamic.
    5)This is game for everyone, not only for hardcore gamers.U have no need to spend time on collecting items,equipments, or on learning poisoning,trapping or on choosing the way how to lvl up ur character and etc.
    6)Brilliant sound.Excellent.
    And two things i don't like - same locations whole game and same faces of all npc's in game.I met like 10 mothers of main heroe during the game.
    So i give it 10 saying "Well done" to Bioware.And i also "wildly-furiously" wish to see what will happen in DA3.    … Expand
  60. nibelung
    Mar 15, 2011
    1
    DA 2 is not an RPG worthy of praise. It is not even an RPG. Its more like simplified MMORPG. Its battle system are horrendous and its storyline is no better than generic MMORPG in my opinion. The last horror I have with any RPG is the last FF series until I meet this game. To shorten my point, if you are no fan of MMOs, avoid this game. You can find better storyline and combat in genericDA 2 is not an RPG worthy of praise. It is not even an RPG. Its more like simplified MMORPG. Its battle system are horrendous and its storyline is no better than generic MMORPG in my opinion. The last horror I have with any RPG is the last FF series until I meet this game. To shorten my point, if you are no fan of MMOs, avoid this game. You can find better storyline and combat in generic MMO than this game and with all that recycled battlemap and waves type of combat, you better play a Free - to - play Korean MMOs. Seriously, its that bad. The only good thing about this game is, it have a big budget. and Dragon Age for its title. I give score 1 for sympathy sake, but that probably an insult to 1.… Expand
  61. barrano
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    DA2 Is a extremely fun game, just to start off. The combat is much smoother, the actions are more reactive, and the classes are much more balanced. Roles are easier to assign and carry out now as the addition of more talents allows for more role customization (for example, i use two mages, one for pure damage and one for support, and it works well). And your companions actually carry outDA2 Is a extremely fun game, just to start off. The combat is much smoother, the actions are more reactive, and the classes are much more balanced. Roles are easier to assign and carry out now as the addition of more talents allows for more role customization (for example, i use two mages, one for pure damage and one for support, and it works well). And your companions actually carry out the tactics with almost perfect frequency, instead of healing 5 seconds too late or never using the pushback when being attacked by 80 darkspawn. The combat is good enough for me to say its one of the best combat systems ive ever played with in an rpg. While DA2 is super fun, its not nearly as deep as the first game. The characters are much less unique and all around arent as loveable. Theres no alister in this game, the closest to a interesting character is anders, who isnt as cool as alister still. Also, there are much less character customization options as before, which isnt a huge issue but at first you might feel disappointed (im talking about the lack of races and origins, you can still make your character look however you want). Also, the story is much less engrossing, as at times you forget the point of the game besides carrying out random missions. The biggest flaw i see is the lack of enviornments, as the same 10 places are recycled in every single part of the game. This is a huge dissapointment to me, as enviornments are an integral part of a game to me, as mass effect 2 wouldnt be nearly as cool without seeing the planets and all of their climates, and DA origins wouldnt be as cool without the ice temple dungeon that kicked my butt for 6 hours, (or the fade which kicked my butt for 7 hours, that was the highpoint of DA too me). If you added the new combat system to the things the original DA had, it would be a sequel on the scale of ME2 compared to ME1. Its a very enjoyable game and is definitely a must buy for any RPG fan, but hardcore gamers might see this as a big disappointment, and they definitely should start out on atleast hard difficulty if you enjoy a challenge. You can definitely see that this might have been a rush job based on the recycled environments and lack of character depth or story, but it still is fun enough to keep you playing to level 50 (which takes a long time btw). And btw, dont listen to the super low scores, their just people who either had oversized expectations or are just haters of the DA series.… Expand
  62. Drunkjoe14
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Its funny to see all the people burning bioware saying they will never play one of their games again. Its true the game is not nearly as good as the first, and I too felt a little betrayed. I loved bioware games and felt they tried to make it to much life mass effect style...which even though is one of my favorite games did not want that style in da2. Then I got over it, I just look at da2Its funny to see all the people burning bioware saying they will never play one of their games again. Its true the game is not nearly as good as the first, and I too felt a little betrayed. I loved bioware games and felt they tried to make it to much life mass effect style...which even though is one of my favorite games did not want that style in da2. Then I got over it, I just look at da2 as a different game entirely not connected to da:o. If you take the game that way I find it easier to take the stinging blow from bioware as they changed the style to be more noob friendly. The game play really isn't that bad, but maybe if they were going this route they should have just renamed the game to...Age of Dragon and made it not connected to the greatness of DA:0 which is why so many people are mad. Its still a pretty fun game so all the people flaming it are simple, as I was; hugely disappointed because we were excepting the classic rpg feeling the first game gave us that was the whole reason we loved it in the first place. The story, not as good still has a sense of every choice is not the right or wrong choice, so if you can forgive them; just have fun like i do and play Age of the Dragon as I call it :)… Expand
  63. 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
  64. Basques
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Firstly, I was always a huge bioware fan. I played all the rpg/frp games created by them (hell I finished Baldur's gate 5 times). I preordered Dragon Age 2 and I was so disappointed that I am not even sure if I'll finish the game.

    Beatiful voice acting, gorgeous graphics and sadly zero game play satisfaction. Sometimes you don't even know what's going on in the screen. It's just a hack    Firstly, I was always a huge bioware fan. I played all the rpg/frp games created by them (hell I finished Baldur's gate 5 times). I preordered Dragon Age 2 and I was so disappointed that I am not even sure if I'll finish the game.

    Beatiful voice acting, gorgeous graphics and sadly zero game play satisfaction. Sometimes you don't even know what's going on in the screen. It's just a hack and slash game with zero burden on your brain. Combats just play themselves automatically, dialogues are non existing, good evil choices are too plain with no real content in it. And on top of that, most of the dungeon maps are repetitive, copy paste, including the hidden doors and their entrances. Literally, two dungeons I visited on after the other had the exact same cave room.

    Do yourself a favour, go and buy Baldur's gate 2 and start playing it again.    … Expand
  65. DrGulag
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    I have to give this game a ten just to balance the score! My honest number would be closer to nine

    Dragon Age 2 improves a lot of things if you bought the game for PS3. I understand how PC players are frustrated though. Bioware removed the isometric camera and took out certain elements from the game that will most certainly annoy the Baldurs Gate generation. I'm in the third act at the    I have to give this game a ten just to balance the score! My honest number would be closer to nine

    Dragon Age 2 improves a lot of things if you bought the game for PS3. I understand how PC players are frustrated though. Bioware removed the isometric camera and took out certain elements from the game that will most certainly annoy the Baldurs Gate generation. I'm in the third act at the moment and the game is very entertaining. The story has more depth this time around and the voice acting works really well. I'm slightly dissappointed with the removal of other races but that's what happens when you decide to give a voice to the main character, compromises compromises.

    I would have liked the option of being able to customize the equipment of all your team members but atleast you can give them weapons and rings. People are obviously overreacting at the moment. I don't know how you can justify a score between 0-4 for PS3 version unless you're just trying to troll. YES, DRAGON AGE 2 HAS BEEN CONSOLIFIED. So give a low score in the pc section of metacritic but not here. BOTTOM LINE : DO NOT trust the reviews! Yes, the game has decided to abandon a lot of old school rpg elements but most of these people are just pissed off teenagers and pc elitists from rpgcodex / **** This game is still great if you can appreciate it as a stand alone title. Do not go in expecting to play a remake of the original or Baldurs Gate. It's a consolified action RPG.    … Expand
  66. ardisian
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    I have played Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age II and can say I really enjoyed both games. Dragon Age II is a very different story than Dragon Age Origins. Dragon Age II is actually a more complex story in many ways and your decisions will often come back to haunt you later in the game. I am not sure why so many people are posting negative reviews about this game. It was veryI have played Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age II and can say I really enjoyed both games. Dragon Age II is a very different story than Dragon Age Origins. Dragon Age II is actually a more complex story in many ways and your decisions will often come back to haunt you later in the game. I am not sure why so many people are posting negative reviews about this game. It was very interesting and makes me want to find out what happens next in the Dragon Age world. It did feel like the actions I took as my character had an impact on the story and the events that unfold. I have just started my second play through and expect to have just as much fun as the first.

    It is a darker game than Dragon Age Origins with a lot of serious and terrible things that your character must deal with.    … Expand
  67. SketchPanic
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age 2 is a much better game than most people give it credit for. The overall visuals of the game are a major improvement over the original, the plot and character development (despite it not having the grand scale of the first one) was fleshed out better this time around, and it was a little more unique than the usual BioWare fanfare.

    To start, the game is called "Dragon Age" not    Dragon Age 2 is a much better game than most people give it credit for. The overall visuals of the game are a major improvement over the original, the plot and character development (despite it not having the grand scale of the first one) was fleshed out better this time around, and it was a little more unique than the usual BioWare fanfare.

    To start, the game is called "Dragon Age" not "Warden Age", or at least since the last time I checked. You are not a god-like hero who can face an entire Blight with little to no assistance. People need to remember that the scale of a game does not equate to its quality. You play a refugee who is simply trying to insure the survival of his family, only to find himself thrust into the role of a hero. Not only does the main character have a personality this time around, but also a voice. He/She also has to face some very human situations as the years pass by. Some situations you might find yourself not knowing what the right thing to say is. This isn't because BioWare doesn't know what they are doing, it is more along the lines of them shying away from "Light" and "Dark" decisions and simply adding a shade of gray. Sometimes it comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils. Just because you don't see an immediate reaction to your choices, does not mean that they won't play a role later on in the game either. To sit there and say that DA2 is completely linear would be saying the same for every other BioWare game ever made, which most of you can't honestly do.

    I understand that quite a few of you might be frustrated by the lack of locations, but then again we go back to my argument over the scale of it. Your rise to power makes you the "Champion of Kirkwall" not the "Champion of the Free Marches" so it is understandable that you are only set to the amount of areas presented to you. Don't even try and say that Dragon Age: Origins didn't recycle locations either. That was one of the first things my roommate griped about when playing DA: O for the first time.

    Ah, on to the classic "RPG/Not an RPG" argument. Correct me if I'm wrong, but RPG stands for "Role Playing Game". The game allows you to customize your character's appearance, stats, abilities, and class. This seems to be something you do in just about EVERY RPG. People fail to realize that RPGs aren't becoming more like Action Games, it is actually the other way around. More action games are implementing more RPG elements. Also RPGs give you an option that most Action Games, if any at all, don't... Choice. Your actions and choices affect the storyline, even if it is only to a small degree. Most Action Games have you follow a very linear storyline and don't have a lot in the way of story or other forms of immersion.

    The combat hasn't changed, other than the fact that the A button now has to be pressed repeatedly rather than hitting it once and then walking away until your target is dead. Potions can't be spam consumed constantly throughout a fight, which makes you think a little more about when the proper time to use one would be. Your special attacks and abilities are even set to the same style as the first one! Combat that is more fast-paced doesn't make it simply a hack and slash. I love Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age: Origins. Their combat works well for me too, but just because DA2 decided to be less traditional, doesn't make it any less an RPG.

    I especially love the little things that BioWare decided to do. The little nods, references, and cameos from the first game. It was nice to see some familiar faces and hear of the exploits of my hero from DA: O and DLC. Unlike some of the people who claim to love BioWare, but refuses to support their product, the day-one DLC was also in DA:O, not to mention it was also free to those who actually BOUGHT the game. If you pre-ordered the game you were even bumped up to a Signature Edition for free! We're talking close to $40 of additional content at no charge. So please don't be mad that you actually have to pay for something else since you decided not to buy the game. I'm broke, so the whole "I can't afford to buy a game from a developer I really enjoy" is a pretty invalid argument if I can still manage to do so.

    All in all, Dragon Age 2 wasn't the best game BioWare ever made, but it was very much enjoyable and an improvement (and welcomed addition) to an already amazing franchise.    … Expand
  68. dckburry
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    First and foremost, this game is pretty terrible. I wonder if any of them have actually played the game really,,, for the most part you can ASSUME anything positive you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference from people in bed with the devil.

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

    The immersion and combat of this game terribly! A truly puke-worthy and relentlessly stupid story is all you get from this experience. For what it is, it is a slap in the face to those that enjoyed the first game and certainly done by the B-team. I would be more forthcoming but I don't want to get banned by EA.    … Expand
  69. NotTodayThanks
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Not good. Not good at all. Still an ugly game, so generic in the fantasy space it had to sue the word `Dragon` in the title... there are much better games out there that are basically the same, currently in the bargain bin. Go buy one of those.
  70. KiddPablo
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    I bought this game because I loved DA Origins so much. I've never been so disappointed. It's horrible. How hard would it have been to use the same engines and mechanics as Origins? No. They completely replaced the game with a dumbed down, buggy, ridiculous game that seems designed to appeal to 10 year-olds. It's a terrible game. Try the Witcher if you're really in need of an RPG fix.
  71. thirdspaced
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    First off, this is a great game. If you are expecting a classic RPG like Baldur's Gate, this game is not it. In my opinion, the only people that should gripe about that aspect of this game are people playing the PC version. The "classic RPG" does not translate well on a console. I think the game play mechanics are an improvement over DAO. The story is excellent and moves the gameFirst off, this is a great game. If you are expecting a classic RPG like Baldur's Gate, this game is not it. In my opinion, the only people that should gripe about that aspect of this game are people playing the PC version. The "classic RPG" does not translate well on a console. I think the game play mechanics are an improvement over DAO. The story is excellent and moves the game alone at an enjoyable pace. The story is exactly what everyone has come to expect from a Bioware game. You definitely can see the resemblance to ME2 with the updated interface. I did not run into any major bugs during my play through. If you liked DOA, you should pick this game up.… Expand
  72. DetonNation
    Mar 15, 2011
    3
    What a disappointment... I went out and picked up the game first thing. Repetitive environments! Lack of a story that makes you want to play. I think I notice some of the same environments from Dragon Age 1. They are just recycled! The first Dragon Age was so cool. This one leaves me cold.
  73. EricNeo
    Mar 15, 2011
    4
    No multiplayer, Huge amount of copy paste, allot less skills, allot less items, enchantment system could have been flushed out and made far better then it is, and worst of all this game will not have a toolset.
  74. 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
  75. JoseTadeuChagas
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    First I loved Dragon age Origins, so naturally i buy Dragon age 2 , the story is better, the central character is better, the npcs adds so naturally to the history, as a rpg game i think it is one of the best, and i hope for a Dragon age 3, with Hawk starring .
  76. 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
  77. ExiledMimic
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age 2 takes you on a tour of Kirkwall, a new city outside Ferelden in the Free Marches. You see new culture, a deviation in social standing as well as a different take on several subjects from the original Dragon Age: Origins. As you play through the game you run through both Kirkwall and immediate area outside it's gates doing side quests as well as plot quests that are supposeDragon Age 2 takes you on a tour of Kirkwall, a new city outside Ferelden in the Free Marches. You see new culture, a deviation in social standing as well as a different take on several subjects from the original Dragon Age: Origins. As you play through the game you run through both Kirkwall and immediate area outside it's gates doing side quests as well as plot quests that are suppose to help tell the tale of Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, as over the course of 7 years (not 10 as advertised) becomes a central person in the events that would change the world.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    For those who didn't like Origins you'll probably like this game. For those who did? Read the wiki entry soon and just be glad you didn't have to live it. Hawke may be the Champion of Kirkwall, but when it comes down to it? The Warden's dog had more personality and charisma.    … Expand
  78. voodoohao
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    C'mon guys those of you who gave it less than 6 are pretty harsh aren't you? What did you expect a perfect game from Bioware? For God's sake if you didn't like the demo why the heck did you buy the game and then **** and moan and give it a zero?! I've played it for 10 hours so far and personally I feel that the story feels more personal this time, I'm quite intrigued by the whole idea ofC'mon guys those of you who gave it less than 6 are pretty harsh aren't you? What did you expect a perfect game from Bioware? For God's sake if you didn't like the demo why the heck did you buy the game and then **** and moan and give it a zero?! I've played it for 10 hours so far and personally I feel that the story feels more personal this time, I'm quite intrigued by the whole idea of 10 years of the main protaganist's life spanning the entire game. Really interested to see how things will progress from here on. And when you do things in the game it feels like you'll actually building up your reputation and relationships, due to the no so insignificant matter of the main character actually able to speak. That's a welcome addition and personally I feel that it covers whatever the game lacks as compared to DAO. Yeah inventory was simplified and stuff but c'mon did it really matter what your party was equipped with? If all you guys out there wanna compare DAII with Planescape Torment, Baldur's Gate or whatever fantasy epic you've put on a pedestal go ahead. And continue to **** and moan and probably not enjoy any of the games coming out now and in the near future cause you guys never will, since no modern rpg will ever match whatever exacting standards you guys have. Don't get me started on those zeros, now those are really insanity at work. Personally I'll give it a 9 because Bioware is one of those companies who consistently push out decent and enjoyable RPGs, despite having to endure the crapstorm that inevitably follows every time people don't like certain changes. Imagine having only Baldur's Gate to play for what the next ten years? I WILL go insane. Anyway just wanted to say a big thank you to the developers for loving what they do and being brave enough to change certain aspects of the game, for better or for worse, rather than spinning out Dragon Age Origins II.… Expand
  79. Larkin90
    Mar 15, 2011
    1
    dragon age 2 is the worst game made by bioware, the graphics, animations, story,dialogues , character design...all looks really terrible. if i wanted a action rpg i would play diablo. but i expect much more from bioware
  80. 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
  81. kitf0x
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    I think people are really giving this game the shiv for very little reason. It is a lot of fun and managed to pull me out of the other games I've been playing long enough to beat it. The story is interesting and the game play is engaging. It might not be as good as the original but taken on it's own footing it is still quite a lot of fun and worth the play through.
  82. SteveO
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    Could have been amazing... if it was finished and tested before release! Lots of bugs, lazy with zone creation, DLC items massively screwed up. Publishers need to stop rushing the developers to get the game out before it's ready. It may make them a quick buck but it's financially bad for them in the long run as people like me will stop buying their games altogether.

    Having to re-summon    Could have been amazing... if it was finished and tested before release! Lots of bugs, lazy with zone creation, DLC items massively screwed up. Publishers need to stop rushing the developers to get the game out before it's ready. It may make them a quick buck but it's financially bad for them in the long run as people like me will stop buying their games altogether.

    Having to re-summon the war hound after every cinematic and zone change was especially annoying!    … Expand
  83. ArcticFox
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    This game was made for people that don't really have any demands regarding dialogue, game-design or features in an RPG. I would rather replay the witcher 10 times than have played this even once!
  84. johann1978
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    If you play more than 6-8 hours it is good, if you play more than 12-15 hours it is really good, and if you play 35-40 hours are you finished :< Its a nice game, down play the demo and say it sucks ore play 2 hours and say it sucks...after a while it gets really exciting and tactical more than DA:O.

    PS: I not kidding you i have played each RPG the last 20 years, Dragon age 2 is good!
  85. 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
  86. paketep
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Sorry, this review was intended for PC, and the delete button has gone south.

    150 char 150 char 150 char 150 char 150 char 150 char 150 char 150 char
  87. Kehfee
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    By reading this review you already put more effort forth then the designers did in this game. In fact, Bioware put more effort into trying to bump up the user score on this site then they put into their game.
  88. PureGold
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    This game.. This game has been severly trolled, and i don't know why. It's really a great game. It has great VO work, an involving story, great gameplay and an innovative way to tell the story ending of where it begins. It has its flaws though, like the UI being somewhat of a hazzle and plenty of bugs. But nothing gamebreaking and the latter should be fixed in a not too distant future.

    If    This game.. This game has been severly trolled, and i don't know why. It's really a great game. It has great VO work, an involving story, great gameplay and an innovative way to tell the story ending of where it begins. It has its flaws though, like the UI being somewhat of a hazzle and plenty of bugs. But nothing gamebreaking and the latter should be fixed in a not too distant future.

    If i where to compare it to anything it would be kotor 2. Slightly worse than it's predecessor in some ways but better in a few. Also being rushed for reasons to me not apparent, if it hadn't have been it might for me had been a perfect game.    … Expand
  89. Kyronasec
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Dumbed down, over simplified mechanics and ugly repetitive environment. Simplistic character and class development. Uninteresting and dull. Save your $, skip this one.
  90. ruxi
    Mar 15, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Compared to DA1, the sequel is trash in my honest opinion. The game lacks depth in storytelling, lore and quests. Storytelling was even lower quality than DA1. What I mean is that if I am playing a "movie RPG" like DA2, I expect to see some scripted custom animations, high quality dialogue or even nice prerendered cut scenes but when I completed the game I felt empty handed. I was also expecting to see some advancement in the Dragon Age core lore but after the brief introduction of Flemeth and her reappearance mid-game, the game just kept centering on the Champion of Kirkwall. Lore-wise speaking the game should have been an expansion or DLC to original DA, very much like DA:O. The quests themselves are mindless, which might be enough for some people but I feel that there should be something new to these "go to the point X, kill Y and bring me the Z". Recycling maps is usually acceptable in this kind of games but if we are just running around one city lik in DA2, I get the expression the game was pushed out too early. Every mansion looks the same, every house has the same rooms and even all the close by caves, five or six of them, look completely the same. I felt like playing one of those low grade Asian role-playing game made for kids which would not see the similarity of the maps.

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

    All-in-all, I feel like I've brought an overpriced and hurried expansion pack to Dragon Age. Makes me a sad panda.    … Expand
  91. Awesome-X
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    How dense are you people? Dragon Age II is far from perfect, but it is also MUCH better than the 0s and 1s you idiots are giving it. No, pressing A repeatedly does not make it a "hack n' slash." There are still plenty of tactics to use. That's why there are four difficulties. If you try just mashing A through Hard or Nightmare, you will not make it far at all. The skill trees and abilitiesHow dense are you people? Dragon Age II is far from perfect, but it is also MUCH better than the 0s and 1s you idiots are giving it. No, pressing A repeatedly does not make it a "hack n' slash." There are still plenty of tactics to use. That's why there are four difficulties. If you try just mashing A through Hard or Nightmare, you will not make it far at all. The skill trees and abilities have actually been expanded. It's much better than the linear 1>2>3>4 skill sets in Origins, so I don't know why people complain about that. The story is actually much more original and interesting than Origins. Origins had the usual "slay the evil thing. Save the world" story. There was white and black. Good and evil. In contrast, 2 is a lot more gray. Both sides have compelling arguments, interesting decisions, etc. Now, it does have some faults. The story, as much as I liked it, does fall apart at the very end. The dungeons and environments do repeat a LOT, which gets really annoying. Also, you can't change your companion's clothes, which isn't a big problem for me, but I do see it as a legitimate complaint. Bioware could have polished this game a lot more. Despite that, it is still a very enjoyable game. The negative reviews are extremely overly-critical.… Expand
  92. NerdRage85
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    I love this game, but I I think that Dragon Age Origins is much more of an RPG than this game. Dragon Age II feels more like a cheep Mass Effect game, which the Dragon Age Origins feels like something more original.
  93. Toribor
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    EA is going to have to learn that Astroturfing is not acceptable for reviews.

    Dragon Age II pales in comparison to it's predecessor. The world is more limited as is character interaction. The game instead attempts to play off everything that is successful in Mass Effect 2, without capitalizing on anything worthwhile or original. While Dragon Age Origins was a fresh and innovative game,    EA is going to have to learn that Astroturfing is not acceptable for reviews.

    Dragon Age II pales in comparison to it's predecessor. The world is more limited as is character interaction. The game instead attempts to play off everything that is successful in Mass Effect 2, without capitalizing on anything worthwhile or original. While Dragon Age Origins was a fresh and innovative game, Dragon Age II feels like a re-tread of the same with a new Mass-Effect-ish coating.    … Expand
  94. SanzaXI
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age II is filled with choppy, wooden animations, it suffers worse soulless faces than the Mass Effect series had, graphics worse than Origins, and it is not an immersive RPG despite the high budget and amount of voice acting. They dumbed down the UI and spell casting system to appeal to people who's first RPG was probably Dragon Age 2 and to take in the casual Call of Duty playersDragon Age II is filled with choppy, wooden animations, it suffers worse soulless faces than the Mass Effect series had, graphics worse than Origins, and it is not an immersive RPG despite the high budget and amount of voice acting. They dumbed down the UI and spell casting system to appeal to people who's first RPG was probably Dragon Age 2 and to take in the casual Call of Duty players (http://n4g.com/news/696379/bioware-we-want-call-of-dutys-audience). This is without a doubt Bioware's worst RPG by far. It's a shame to see that the name they've grown through RPG treasures they made like Jade Empire and Kotor are smeared by trash this. I've decided to give up on Bioware until I hear some enlightening news about TOR… Expand
  95. hulud
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    The gameplay was much more enjoable that in DA:O against weaker enemies, while big boss fights like the high dragon felt exactly like DA:O. Story/Companions are good. Overall a very funny and enjoable game, better than DA:O
  96. MC83
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    A frustrating experience. While the plot has its merits (eventually), it's bogged down by horrible art direction and game design. Somewhat dated graphics are acceptable, but the environments are downright ugly, with barely any detail and apparently no effort to make them look interesting or varied. Areas are RECYCLED over and over again. That could be forgiven, say, a decade ago, whenA frustrating experience. While the plot has its merits (eventually), it's bogged down by horrible art direction and game design. Somewhat dated graphics are acceptable, but the environments are downright ugly, with barely any detail and apparently no effort to make them look interesting or varied. Areas are RECYCLED over and over again. That could be forgiven, say, a decade ago, when storage space and game engines weren't adequate to either retain or dynamically generate large gameplay areas, but in 2011, this is absolutely unacceptable, especially for environments that are as unimaginative, linear, and empty as the ones in this game. The tactical gameplay is ruined by having the majority of enemies spawn at random locations (usually at the player's tactical disadvantage) in the middle of fights, and often the newly spawned enemies outnumber those that were there originally; it's an artificial and lazy way of making the game more difficult. The inventory system has been half-heartedly simplified. Because only the player character can use the majority of equippable items, many end up being discarded because they are class-specific. The majority of found items are useless trinkets to be sold, without even a picture to give a sense that they are something other than - as the game describes them - "junk" (other than the trash can icon that is associated with them, be it a moth-eaten scarf or a diamond). The obvious push for DLCs from day zero is downright insulting for such a rushed and incomplete game, and the gushing reviews for it are similarly insulting to our intelligence. Shame on Bioware, and (as usual) shame on EA.… Expand
  97. tei15
    Mar 15, 2011
    1
    Worst sequel ever. Unbearably repetitive locations (effectively just a copy paste), boring story, weak writing, bad visuals (characters are even uglier than in the first game) . Never expected people who made ME2 to publish such low-quality game.
  98. Brother3Wright
    Mar 15, 2011
    5
    I get what Bioware was trying to do here. I really do, it's just too bad that they didn't achieve it. Dragon Age 2 isn't a bad game by any means. Where as it's predecessor was a large and sprawling epic that was rough around the edges on PC, and struggled mightily on consoles, Dragon Age 2 is a small and focused story that excels on consoles and feels OK on PC.
    Dumbed down. It's the phrase    I get what Bioware was trying to do here. I really do, it's just too bad that they didn't achieve it. Dragon Age 2 isn't a bad game by any means. Where as it's predecessor was a large and sprawling epic that was rough around the edges on PC, and struggled mightily on consoles, Dragon Age 2 is a small and focused story that excels on consoles and feels OK on PC.
    Dumbed down. It's the phrase that RPG fans use when a game cuts the fat and gets straight to the point. Gone are all the small min/maxing numbers, replaced by one big number and simply increases over time. Gone is your ability to deck out your party with gear. Streamlined is the word that developers use to justify cutting that fat, they've made it easier! They've made is a better version of what you loved before, while getting rid of what stood in the way of it becoming mass market.
    Dragon Age 2 is both of these. Where your party is concerned, it's streamlined. Yes, gone is the min maxing, gone is the gear switching. There are upgrades, but they feel spoon fed and linear compared to the the customization you had in Origins. Honestly though, it doesn't seem all that bad. The biggest gripe I have with it is that when you get gear that's for a class your Hawke isn't, then it's just junk, instead of being a useful piece for a party member.
    Combat too is streamlined. Now hang on a second, almost every review here says that the combat has been dumbed down to a hack 'n slash. Well guess what, they're right, except for when you bring in the difficulty. On casual, normal, and even hard difficulties the game is mostly hack 'n slash, fast, bloody, satisfying combat geared toward the console crowd, and it's wonderful. To PC users however, it's a snooze fest. The combat isn't action packed or strategic, it's downright boring. That's why there's nightmare difficulty. Bioware says hard difficulty is there for this reason too, but even that's too easy. Nightmare adds Origins friendly fire, hard hitting monsters, difficult situations which require thought and strategy. I agree that those things should be there throughout the whole game, but I get that this is the "mass market" version of Dragon Age. While it's not default, the strategy and planning of Origins is there....it's just on the hardest setting.
    No, I'd say most of the game play is as Bioware says, "Streamlined". Where the game gets dumbed down, is the story, character, party interaction, and environments. Let's begin with the story. You're Hawke, your family is forced to leave Lothering during the Blight and you wind up in Kirkwall. That's pretty much it for 2/3rds of the game. There's is no "Save the world" epic here, Bioware has attempted to create a complex city state that brims with politics, greed, and many different factions vying to be heard. Unfortunately, without even the slightest breath of an antagonist it comes off as a series of side stories and jumbled fetch quests. You'll do them because they're in your quest journal but there's nothing there to propel you forward. The worst part about it is that most of those side quest are well written and genuinely good. They do a great job of telling you what Kirkwall as a city is like, they'd be great as part of a bigger whole that moves the city forward instead of just telling you what it is.
    Next up is the character of Hawke. Here again the game splits between dumbed down and streamlined. Having a voiced character is great, and Hawke is a great character compared to the mute Warden in DA:Origins. The issue comes when you compare the choices the Warden had against the one's that Hawke has. The Warden could respond to characters with a plethora of shades of gray. Hawke generally get's a Diplomatic, Sarcastic, and Bold answer. That's pretty much it. While you could generally say that it's ok, just get the tone right because in your head you're basically thinking the same thing, the problem is that while that might be true, half the fun comes from trying to say the right thing amongst all the shades of grey. The system is streamlined, to the point of being dumbed down.
    Lastly in the dumbed down category are the environments. Technically they're much more detailed and beautiful compared to the ones in Origins, but again Bioware seems to be two headed here. They might be better looking, and therefore higher quality, but there just so few of them. This is one argument where I'd go with quantity over quality. For most of the game you're restricted to the city of Kirkwall, which is quite large and expansive. There are also a few areas outside of the city which help to flesh out the "city state" feel to the whole thing. The main issue comes when you go into any dungeon, the map may tell you that there are say 14 dungeons in the whole thing. You'll salivate to get in there, then you suddenly realize that they're all the same dungeon with different areas closed off and sometimes flipped backwards.    … Expand
  99. Tyrielwow
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    Dragon Age II is great sequel to Dragon Age. It feels more like Mass Effect 2, which I think was Bioware's idea. Some aspects of the game were made more simple which probably alienates some hardcore RPG fans. But for me the game feels like a novel in a book series, and I can enjoy the game and the story, rather than spend most of my time finding better equipment and leveling to survive theDragon Age II is great sequel to Dragon Age. It feels more like Mass Effect 2, which I think was Bioware's idea. Some aspects of the game were made more simple which probably alienates some hardcore RPG fans. But for me the game feels like a novel in a book series, and I can enjoy the game and the story, rather than spend most of my time finding better equipment and leveling to survive the game. All in all a great game, and I have high hopes for future DLCs and Dragon Age III.… Expand
  100. 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
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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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