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. dancodan
    Apr 12, 2011
    10
    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.
    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks. None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years. It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also for    I agree that Dragon Age 2 has been dumb down a notch.
    It has taken the mainstream path to lure in more young players.

    This is the road that all games take now days when money talks and unique gameplay walks.
    None the less. You will not find a better game in this genre for a few years.
    It is money well spent. Not only for the quality of the gameplay, graphics and voice acting but also for the extensive campaign.

    The game should be considered as a action-rpg from now on. If you are the one who love the old pen n paper play style and prefer baldurs gate 1 & 2 in front of Dragon age 1, then maybe you should take a second thought, but I would suggest you to pick this up anyway. It's not money wasted, no matter what your preferences are.


    /dancodan    … Expand
  2. Siduri
    May 13, 2011
    10
    The Metacritic score for this title has been unduly influenced by a legion of die-hard Dragon Age: Origins fans who are angry that the sequel doesn't offer more of the exact same game. A lot of things were changed, and that's upsetting for some fans. But here's the thing: judged on its own merits, DA:2 is a frickin' great RPG, and in most ways it's a better game than DA:O. In fact, DA:2 isThe Metacritic score for this title has been unduly influenced by a legion of die-hard Dragon Age: Origins fans who are angry that the sequel doesn't offer more of the exact same game. A lot of things were changed, and that's upsetting for some fans. But here's the thing: judged on its own merits, DA:2 is a frickin' great RPG, and in most ways it's a better game than DA:O. In fact, DA:2 is my new favorite RPG of all time, which is why I gave it the 10 rating.

    If you're the kind of gamer who really likes to "role play," there has never been a game like DA:2. Your ability to create your own character and personality, to forge relationships with the other people in the world, and to make decisions that matter is unparalleled. Yes, they re-use the same maps a lot. So I guess if you mostly care about having the background change a lot when you're playing, then don't play this game. But if you liked Planescape: Torment or KOTOR, play this game. If you like wrestling with difficult moral choices...if you're the kind of gamer who can fall in love with a story or a character, or be heartbroken by them...play this game. If you're a role-player...play this game.    … Expand
  3. Catalyst38
    May 13, 2011
    10
    i loved it. heres my breakdown will go in descending for what i feel is impotent in a game.

    Graphics - It weird the graphics i'd have to say look better some times then worse then DA:O at others. For every improved look like the Qunari and elves you get a odd one like Alister face just looked weird. Music- Made you feel like you where in the moment with your character cant ask for    i loved it. heres my breakdown will go in descending for what i feel is impotent in a game.

    Graphics - It weird the graphics i'd have to say look better some times then worse then DA:O at others. For every improved look like the Qunari and elves you get a odd one like Alister face just looked weird.

    Music- Made you feel like you where in the moment with your character cant ask for more.

    Voice Acting- Is very well done they spared no expense, I was very happy with all the voice casting.

    Combat- It was way more entertaining the Origins but even on hard was to easy i never really used the cross combo thing they talked about so much. Also the re-spawning of enemy's got annoying fairly fast. That all aside come was still fun and i enjoyed it even with a big of repetition.

    RPG elements- You did have the range and depth of choices you did in Origins. That being said you got more then you did in oblivion and fallout combined. Also you end up just using the DLC gear right from the get go witch is both sweet and since i never used anything else but DLC armor i have no reason for anything in the game. Sorta makes looting a bit pointless

    Overall - This is a fun game but it seams to suffer from the middle child syndrome witch i believe is why its getting so many negative reviews. Its has no real ending upon beating the game i just felt like i needed to put in disk2 or something. i'm Giving this game a 10 not because it really should get one it deserves more like a 7/10 but theres no many people hating on it irrationally i feel the low 4.5 rating will stop people from experiencing the game.    … Expand
  4. Bioware_Fan_98
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Absolute masterpiece of storytelling. The combat system puts Bayonetta to shame and the RPG side of things makes other such games seem like Manic Miner by comparison. Bioware simply cannot fail!
  5. Bioware_Intern
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Baldurs Gate, Planescape Torment and now Dragon Age 2. This pinnacle of RPG's has taken the storytelling and interactive combat to another level. Its smooth combat aided by the future generation of quicktime events proves that turn-based RPG's are a thing of the past. Extreme unprecedented level of detail makes the cities feel alive and it makes it feel like you are living in the game.

    A    Baldurs Gate, Planescape Torment and now Dragon Age 2. This pinnacle of RPG's has taken the storytelling and interactive combat to another level. Its smooth combat aided by the future generation of quicktime events proves that turn-based RPG's are a thing of the past. Extreme unprecedented level of detail makes the cities feel alive and it makes it feel like you are living in the game.

    A must buy for any oldschool RPG fanatic.    … Expand
  6. imbrex
    May 27, 2011
    10
    Fun game. The bad things: too simplified, not being able to change your party members is a no-no in RPG ('action' RPG's or no). Auto-attack should be an option, constantly pushing the attack button is just a chore and adds nothing to combat - which is way too easy.
    Good stuff: Although the combat is easy, it is still fun. Most strategy will be things like 'kill the mage first' or 'use ice    Fun game. The bad things: too simplified, not being able to change your party members is a no-no in RPG ('action' RPG's or no). Auto-attack should be an option, constantly pushing the attack button is just a chore and adds nothing to combat - which is way too easy.
    Good stuff: Although the combat is easy, it is still fun. Most strategy will be things like 'kill the mage first' or 'use ice weapons', pretty basic but still enjoyable. Graphics are great. But, what got me to like the game despite the RPG-sins were the characters and story. It was refreshing not to have a simple 'go kill ultimate baddie and save the world' arch like in origins. Ultimately the games weakness (easy combat) puts that much more focus on its strength (plot and characters). Personally I hope they return to a top down, baldur's gate-style rpg for the next installment, but this is still a fun game even if sometimes you just wait for the next plot device and watch people explode. (and the PC version is much better)

    I would give this game an 8, but all of the fanboy rage '0's need to have some counter-balance, so +2.    … Expand
  7. tabstis
    May 28, 2011
    10
    A game that should not be compaerd to its predecessor but considered in all minds as a great game on its own. It may upset the previous game's fans and lack Origins' expanse but it is immersive, fun and exciting throughout with quite a few memorable characters and options to explore.
  8. JxcelDolghmQ
    Jun 19, 2011
    10
    This game has blown my mind. At first I was skeptical due to the harsh user critics, but after playing it through for myself I can confirm that this game is not only an improvement over its predecessor, but also an inspirational game in every sense of the word. Take it from me: any and all negative reviews must be trolls, since I can't seem to find a damn thing wrong with this game. AThis game has blown my mind. At first I was skeptical due to the harsh user critics, but after playing it through for myself I can confirm that this game is not only an improvement over its predecessor, but also an inspirational game in every sense of the word. Take it from me: any and all negative reviews must be trolls, since I can't seem to find a damn thing wrong with this game. A truly great game, Dragon Age 2 is poised to be an instant classic. The graphics, the storyline, the animations, the combat, the voice acting, the game itself is unparalleled to many modern titles that refuse to move forward (I'm looking at you, TW2). I'm glad the developers of Dragon Age 2 appealed to not only a much wider audience, but also to their hardcore fans. I love the fact that I can now discuss the Dragon Age 2 series openly and with many fans around the world starting a conversation is as easy as taking a dump. As for us hardcore fans, we called out to them for change, and they delivered. I'm glad to see a much wider array of romance options. Dragon Age 2 is a leading developer in the support of equal rights in video games, as me and my girlfriends have all agreed.
    I wish I could give this game a 20/10, but even that won't balance out the amount of trolls, haters and downright flamers that this game has angered because of it's innovative nature.
    Keep on truckin' BioWare!    … Expand
  9. neon5162
    Aug 25, 2011
    10
    oh and metacritic sucks go ahead and ban my account i aitn going to use it again hahaha hmm i wonder if i can delete my account myself hmm must look into that
  10. froggyt1
    Aug 28, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. wow people are picky. Bioware is a AAA developer and this is their worst game in years but like i said they are a AAA developer and even the worst of their games are at least an 8/10 compared to other games. To be honest the personal character choices available is what makes this game stand out, the choices in this game have been well refined although we don't see some of them carry over from dao. Also i don't get the hateing on hawk yeah he doesn't kill like 3 high dragons but he is a realistic character with problems as compared to the warden. All in all this game is not terrible but it is not biowares best.… Expand
  11. GuvnaWill
    Aug 31, 2011
    10
    Seriously a 0, I wouldn't even give Halo reach a 0. When I saw Dragon Age 2, received a negative review, I lost all hope in gamers. Now gamers are just a mob of hipsters that follow the leader. Dragon age 2 was superior to Orgins in every way. The combat was better, the story telling was amazing and graphics were good. I was so impressed with the game I beat it, replayed it imediatelySeriously a 0, I wouldn't even give Halo reach a 0. When I saw Dragon Age 2, received a negative review, I lost all hope in gamers. Now gamers are just a mob of hipsters that follow the leader. Dragon age 2 was superior to Orgins in every way. The combat was better, the story telling was amazing and graphics were good. I was so impressed with the game I beat it, replayed it imediately after. I have Orgins on the Pc and DA2 on xbox, after DA2, Orgins is unplayable. Origins is basically a single player WoW, you have spells on massive cooldowns while most of the fight is auto-attacks. I know a lot of gamers try and act like they're old school and love old style combat, but if you like old style games so much, play your old games then. A game should strive to be like it's cinematics, and due to tech limitations we couldn't but now it's possible. I've been playing games since commodore 64, and I always like when a company takes a step forward. Bioware always does that. Sad that most people don't want games to advance.… Expand
  12. LX_Theo
    Oct 24, 2011
    10
    First, DO NOT LITSEN TO THOSE WHO HATE IT. Here's why: many of those who have written negatively about this game see it as merely the next step from Origins. While it did, they wanted it to step right, when it stepped left.

    The game does seem to detract from the concepts that made it so popular with a particular gaming crowd. More specifically, this is the crowd that seems to swarm the    First, DO NOT LITSEN TO THOSE WHO HATE IT. Here's why: many of those who have written negatively about this game see it as merely the next step from Origins. While it did, they wanted it to step right, when it stepped left.

    The game does seem to detract from the concepts that made it so popular with a particular gaming crowd. More specifically, this is the crowd that seems to swarm the internet with their opinions. They expected a game based around old time RPG concepts, as a contrast to the trend of RPGs gaining a greater variety of concepts in cinema, action, and others in recent years. They were, to their dismay, wrong.

    Dragon Age 2 wields a strong assortment of new concepts for the modern age. Not all work, but they all build on the fundamental basis that made the first Dragon Age what it was. The gameplay is faster paced, and the cinematic experience is better, and the dialogue system is the best in the business by a bit. Built around a unique and interesting story, the game does feel like it was rushed. The large amount of repeated environments will make this obvious. It can be seen elsewhere, and hurts a number of aspects of the game. This, not on any reasonable level, does not make this game bad. Dragon Age 2 is a fun experience if you enjoy taking a chance on a unique action RPG. Don't expect to find an older styled RPGed, though. Also don't expect it to be great. Too high expectations can kill the experience and magnify what should be negligible flaws. I'd suggest that anyone who is remotely interested to try it at least through demo, though copies seem to be going for cheap after the internet backlash,    … Expand
  13. Wulfsten
    Jan 28, 2012
    10
    I'm not sure why Metacritic has played host to this massive tirade against DA2, but I'd like to do my part to rectify that. I don't usually like trying to skew the average with my score, and I'd usually give this game a 9, but I'm going to give it a 10 to try to balance out the hordes of people unthinkingly giving this game a 0. DA2 is a fantastic game that improves massively on itsI'm not sure why Metacritic has played host to this massive tirade against DA2, but I'd like to do my part to rectify that. I don't usually like trying to skew the average with my score, and I'd usually give this game a 9, but I'm going to give it a 10 to try to balance out the hordes of people unthinkingly giving this game a 0. DA2 is a fantastic game that improves massively on its predecessor in the only aspect that really counts: the story and the characters in it. The characters are complex and have lives outside of the protagonist's party, and their relationship to you evolves much more organically. The story is unique, well-told and a huge breath of fresh air compared to the stale sword-and-sorcery, kill the horde of bad guys story in Dragon Age Origins. It's the saga of a family and a city. It has some flaws, namely the reused environments and Isabela's breasts, but overall it's a huge improvement, and we need to see more RPGs like it, that take story and characters more seriously than inventory management and combat pacing.… Expand
  14. TeutonicTank
    Feb 24, 2012
    10
    I was expecting something akin to Mass Effect in Medieval times. The only reason I bought it was because I had finished ME1 and ME2. I had not played Origins yet. In the end I found it fantastic, I had come to love a handful of the characters and grew especially attached to my style of playing, bring up the difficulty and you actually have use some strategy to win. No doubt they tried toI was expecting something akin to Mass Effect in Medieval times. The only reason I bought it was because I had finished ME1 and ME2. I had not played Origins yet. In the end I found it fantastic, I had come to love a handful of the characters and grew especially attached to my style of playing, bring up the difficulty and you actually have use some strategy to win. No doubt they tried to cut costs with environments. I loved it so much I bought Dragon Age Origins Ultimate edition, which was much more pure RPG. In the end if you've played Mass Effect you should get this game… Expand
  15. TheXand
    Oct 9, 2013
    10
    Well you guys, I loved it. The characters, music and setting were all spot on. My only qualms about it was that it didn't develop much in the lore, because obviously the first Dragon Age was the first game and introduced a whole new world of fantasy to me as well as only being able to choose the one race to play as. The combat was a vast improvement where attacks felt more powerful andWell you guys, I loved it. The characters, music and setting were all spot on. My only qualms about it was that it didn't develop much in the lore, because obviously the first Dragon Age was the first game and introduced a whole new world of fantasy to me as well as only being able to choose the one race to play as. The combat was a vast improvement where attacks felt more powerful and the skill tree was much more tightly focused with less useless "filler" spells. I think the only reason people hated this is because Bioware took the game in a different direction and focused on the one city and a genuinely unique story this time around instead of the clichéd "evil horde, one saviour to stop it" plot. PC gamers don't like change, which is why new things bomb. Dragon Age 2 actually put me in mind of Planescape in many regards since it's setting revolves around the one central hub, which is the city of Kirkwall, and a lot of the enjoyment from the game stems from your companions, all of whom were excellent in DA2 and easily the equal to, if not superior to those seen in Origins. Even Anders was given a much needed overhaul so he's not just an Alistair clone this time around.… Expand
  16. Thefanboy1928
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    I'll be honest, this is my favourite game game of all time. The combat is a huge step up and the story is extremely compelling, people need to stop treating this game like its a horrible game just because you like your precious dragon age origins so much and this game wasn't 100% the same
  17. DragonEffect4
    Jul 16, 2014
    10
    Why are there so many people that hate this game? The combat can be just as tactical as they want it to be but in order to succeed in fights it is not essential. The characters are still pretty cool and the world looks just as great as the rest of the settings of the other games. I feel the game was more angled towards the Mass Effect fans as it feels more like ME2 than DAO but it is stillWhy are there so many people that hate this game? The combat can be just as tactical as they want it to be but in order to succeed in fights it is not essential. The characters are still pretty cool and the world looks just as great as the rest of the settings of the other games. I feel the game was more angled towards the Mass Effect fans as it feels more like ME2 than DAO but it is still a great game for all Bioware fans.The one thing they don't have is another weapon slot like in DAO yet the one and only weapon slot helps determine the class you specialize in (I am very indecisive in RPGs).
    Basically the game is great and everyone giving it a 0 or something under a 7 are ignorant fools. Just go into the game with an open mind.    … Expand
  18. XRaidenX
    May 26, 2015
    10
    The game is not better than the first, but does not deserve a 4. The game is good .
  19. Johnnythemaster
    Nov 3, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved it

    -Your not a god or anything anymore which i like more.
    -Your just some - He Or She- In the wrong place at the wrong time
    -Starts with the blight yusyusyusyusyus
    -Combat 10 times better than origins
    -The story is pretty good you have to understand alot of da to like it tho

    10/10 I loved it till the end    … Expand
  20. overtimeneowar
    Jun 17, 2015
    10
    This game is a very good RPG, have many characters very interesting and the desitions can change a lot the course of the game, very good than DAO, no all RPG are about open world but even whiout that can make you feel you are part of the history line
  21. keiski72
    Feb 12, 2017
    10
    This game is a 9/10 in my opinion, but its ridiculous the average user rating is as low as it is. Sure, the game is not as deep as Dragon Age: Orgins, but its still a very enjoyable game that you can put hours into. The combat is little more smooth this time around and is just as fun as it is in DA:O. The story is not as exciting and the world is not as big as in the previous game, but isThis game is a 9/10 in my opinion, but its ridiculous the average user rating is as low as it is. Sure, the game is not as deep as Dragon Age: Orgins, but its still a very enjoyable game that you can put hours into. The combat is little more smooth this time around and is just as fun as it is in DA:O. The story is not as exciting and the world is not as big as in the previous game, but is still a great experience (besides the occasional duplicate dungeon). Also companion armor has been simplified to upgrading it rather than equipping other armor sets. Other than those things that were mostly a downgrade from DA:O, this is a great RPG from Bioware and deserves a lot more credit for what it is than rather what it is not. The only reason the user score is what it is is because people are upset with certain gameplay elements that were simplified or changed compared to the first game.… Expand
  22. Domisotto
    Jun 20, 2017
    10
    I was surprised when I was told it was not generally liked. I found story, chars and combat the best in the franchise, and so far played it twice. Reuse of areas is obvious eventually, but the game is so much fun, and Hawke is one of the best protagonists. Recommend Legacy and Exiled Prince, well, I liked both of those DLCs. Overall, just have warm fuzzies for this game. Only played allI was surprised when I was told it was not generally liked. I found story, chars and combat the best in the franchise, and so far played it twice. Reuse of areas is obvious eventually, but the game is so much fun, and Hawke is one of the best protagonists. Recommend Legacy and Exiled Prince, well, I liked both of those DLCs. Overall, just have warm fuzzies for this game. Only played all three this year for the first time, but been Bio's fan since BG1 times.… Expand
  23. Daggerrim
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    Do not listen to the haters of this game. I for one didn't really like Dragon Age Origins but this game even though the combat could use some work.
    It's better than what everyone else says so give it a try because if you're like me than you'll love it
  24. Bone-Thugs
    Aug 20, 2021
    10
    Not as good as orgins or inquisition but still a great game and worth it if you are a fan of dragon age. Characters are great. the setting (cities etc) are solid. lots of abilities and powers to choose from. a lot of variety in how you play
  25. MajinAndre
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Easily the best game in the series, just missing the scope of Origins. Great gameplay, characters, and story, its just a shame BioWare was forced to work with so little. However the fact they could still make an enjoyable game with tons of replayability speaks to how great the studio is.
  26. BlaskoHP
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    An underrated game, its not so bad like the people say, its different and its good
  27. jamesbme
    Mar 13, 2011
    9
    There is something wrong with everyone that is saying that this is a bad game. It's not perfect but it is very fun, has great controls, a good story and characters, and the graphics are better then the first one. This game is very fun and most people giving it a bad score just either liked the first one too much or are just very extreme PC gamers that think the game is broken or something.There is something wrong with everyone that is saying that this is a bad game. It's not perfect but it is very fun, has great controls, a good story and characters, and the graphics are better then the first one. This game is very fun and most people giving it a bad score just either liked the first one too much or are just very extreme PC gamers that think the game is broken or something. So if your looking for a fun, sometimes addictive RPG then you should definitely pick up Dragon Age 2.… Expand
  28. Electric_Face
    Mar 29, 2011
    9
    A genuinely involving and finely crafted experience. The combination of the new art style, combat system, dialogue system, characters and setting go to show that Bioware are the best in their field. Everything hasn't just been streamlined from DA:O, it's been refined into a fine powder and liberally poured over the cake of western RPGs to an effect that just keeps on working. Yes their areA genuinely involving and finely crafted experience. The combination of the new art style, combat system, dialogue system, characters and setting go to show that Bioware are the best in their field. Everything hasn't just been streamlined from DA:O, it's been refined into a fine powder and liberally poured over the cake of western RPGs to an effect that just keeps on working. Yes their are shamelessly reused areas, but since when did you play a Bioware RPG for the scenery? The mechanics are slick, the characters feel as peopley as possible (peopley is a word...shush), the story very much tugging between the personal and the epic in that way that fantasy should. It's different, but that's what sequels are meant to do. If you wanted the exact same experience as DA:O then go play that, or if the concept of a new experience in the same series is too much for you, just sod off back to Blops and leave everyone everywhere alone forever. If that's cool?… Expand
  29. Dralen
    Mar 11, 2011
    9
    I've played alot of games this year and this is definitely the best I've played so far. I think alot of people are very unhappy with the drastic change that Dragon Age has taken. It's very very different from the first, I played the first on the PC and decided to make the switch to the console version after playtesting the demo of both versions, the console version is the best version. TheI've played alot of games this year and this is definitely the best I've played so far. I think alot of people are very unhappy with the drastic change that Dragon Age has taken. It's very very different from the first, I played the first on the PC and decided to make the switch to the console version after playtesting the demo of both versions, the console version is the best version. The story is fantastic and really takes a hold of you, I checked my game-time stats on Raptr afterwards and I almost choked after I noticed I had been playing for 12 hours straight. I'm actually really enjoying the combat, it's fast and very challenging on the harder difficulties. This is really is one of those Marmite situations where you are going to love it or hate it.… Expand
  30. Neli
    Apr 7, 2011
    9
    This was an extremely solid game with a ton of content, a lot of fun dialogue and gameplay which was improved over the original. The story is a bit fragmented and the ending is an enormous cliffhanger, but the amount of content and dialogue available to you in this game makes up for such shortcomings.

    In my opinion this was overall a much better game than the original.
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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