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. Smartacus
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    I went into the accounts of many of the "0" posters on this site and surprisingly there are literally hundreds of new accounts that have never rated a game on MC before. (Yes at work I had the time to go into hundreds of them) Most of these accounts gave the game a "0" on the Xbox, PC and PS3. It is glaringly obvious that the trolls are alive and well and just want to torpedo what isI went into the accounts of many of the "0" posters on this site and surprisingly there are literally hundreds of new accounts that have never rated a game on MC before. (Yes at work I had the time to go into hundreds of them) Most of these accounts gave the game a "0" on the Xbox, PC and PS3. It is glaringly obvious that the trolls are alive and well and just want to torpedo what is actually a good game.

    All nerd rage aside, this is a pretty good game, and I find myself losing hours playing it.

    Compared to DA, it has been more streamlined and some RP purists take exception to that and cry that the game sold out. Me, I prefer actually playing the game and not micro managing every little detail, some, but not all.

    It is not perfect. I for one hated seeing all that great loot that was soul bound to my character and could not be shared with my group. The combat is simpler as well, and does seem to be easier than in DA. I don't miss getting ganked by a high level Revenant in a low level area, and then have to trek all the way back when I became powerful enough.

    All in all, I would give it an 8.5. DA was a better game as far as story, but this game is much more polished and you do not seem to waste as much time as you did in DA.

    I always took user scores of games with a grain of salt. Now I definitely know the scores cannot be trusted. It is really too bad, the obvious manipulation of the scores on here really hurt the reputation of Metacritic. I am not one for censorship, but Metacritic should really do something to save itsâ    … Expand
  2. jgreen7
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    I have always loved Bioware's games. Dragon Age 2 is no exception. Even though the combat may be easier to manage (when compared to Dragon Age Origins) and the environment is repetitive. The game as a whole is ton's of fun. The characters are much better written along with the quests. The combat is much more fluent and fun. The ability upgrade system is much improved. Overall its a great game
  3. wordy_actions
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    Do not believe all the negative hype around this game, and don't believe all the 0 scores on Metacritic. I find it hard to believe that some of the negative reviewers have even played the game. DA:2 is not as good as DA:O, but it is still an engrossing RPG with dozens of hours of gameplay. There was a huge negative hype machine in the RPG community before this game was released, and thisDo not believe all the negative hype around this game, and don't believe all the 0 scores on Metacritic. I find it hard to believe that some of the negative reviewers have even played the game. DA:2 is not as good as DA:O, but it is still an engrossing RPG with dozens of hours of gameplay. There was a huge negative hype machine in the RPG community before this game was released, and this is painting all of their reviews in a hugely biased way. A classic example of nerd rage. If this wasn't such a high profile game the reviews would be much more positive, instead the RPG community is using this game as an excuse to rip EA and Bioware apart. And in the process, they are trashing a game that is mediocre at worst.… Expand
  4. ChiefNYC
    Mar 12, 2011
    9
    I dont know what the hell you people are smoking with all these negative reviews.Dragon Age II deserves a 90 easy.You so called gamers giving the game a 1or 2,3,4 simply have an agenda.Anyone looking into buying this game and are a fan of action rpg's or rpg in general,then this game is for you.You can play it just like origins with the pause and set up the stradegy you want,or play itI dont know what the hell you people are smoking with all these negative reviews.Dragon Age II deserves a 90 easy.You so called gamers giving the game a 1or 2,3,4 simply have an agenda.Anyone looking into buying this game and are a fan of action rpg's or rpg in general,then this game is for you.You can play it just like origins with the pause and set up the stradegy you want,or play it like an action game and take it right to your enemy,the choice is all yours.
    The game has plenty to offer with 40 to 60 hours of gameplay.The dialog tree is the same as mass Effect 2 giving the player plenty of choices,and the game realy changes depending on what rout you decide to take.Be the aggressive type,or the gentlemen or even a humorous character.
    Graphics are sweet and the voice overs are some of the best iv'e seen.The battles are realy bloody too.
    There are some things that could of been alil better like the lands you will see over the course of the game.They are sweet looking,but there could have been alittle more variety.You will see some of the same when doing alot of the side missions,and theres a ton of them.
    Im already looking forward to another play through of Dragon Age II.The game is over all a tight package.So jack up the difficulty and get your stradegy on.This one will have your attention for quite some time.    … Expand
  5. HiDef-Jules
    Mar 14, 2011
    10
    The misguided backlash against this game is utterly ridiculous. If you liked Dragon Age Origins, you will love this game. Things have been streamlined A LITTLE (doesnt detract from the game), the graphics are significantly better (people saying the graphics are worse are stupid or havent played the game), characters and story telling are great and the combat is better IMO. Reading theThe misguided backlash against this game is utterly ridiculous. If you liked Dragon Age Origins, you will love this game. Things have been streamlined A LITTLE (doesnt detract from the game), the graphics are significantly better (people saying the graphics are worse are stupid or havent played the game), characters and story telling are great and the combat is better IMO. Reading the comments here, it honestly sounds like most of them havent even played the game and are all just jumping on a band wagon. Dont let their nonsense stop you from checking this game out!!!… Expand
  6. pantherfan4389
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    Play the game before you come to the internet to complain about it people. I played both Origins and I just beat this game and I love it just as much. Give the changes a chance before you condemn them for being "dumbed down." Seriously, the changed help the story and the flow of the game. I can't believe the stupidity of some of the people on here for attacking the game as soon as thePlay the game before you come to the internet to complain about it people. I played both Origins and I just beat this game and I love it just as much. Give the changes a chance before you condemn them for being "dumbed down." Seriously, the changed help the story and the flow of the game. I can't believe the stupidity of some of the people on here for attacking the game as soon as the play it for not being a carbon copy of the original.… Expand
  7. Drissit
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    Heres a Realistic review from someone who played the game on mostly nightmare/hard difficulty so didn't suffer from the 'button mashing' hack and slash crap people claim it to be, but it simply isn't .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    I give it a 6/10, some improvement, a lot of dis improvement from the original in other area's of gameplay.    … Expand
  8. kungfutse
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    Excellent game that holds up to it's predecessor quite well. Sure, it has it's share of flaws with the recycling of dungeons as the biggest one, but I'm on my second play through and having a blast with different dialog options and outcomes. Just ignore the zeros from old school RPG elitists still hung up on Baldur's Gate.
  9. wb33brown
    Mar 17, 2011
    8
    Okay so this is how it is, Dragon Age 2 is considered both an improvement and a disappointment in surprising ways. Story-wise, Dragon Age 2 is very astonishing and a big improvement from the Origins story. The characters are more interesting and as it should have been in Origins, you can't win over their friendship with random gifts around your journeys. I mean why would you berate yourOkay so this is how it is, Dragon Age 2 is considered both an improvement and a disappointment in surprising ways. Story-wise, Dragon Age 2 is very astonishing and a big improvement from the Origins story. The characters are more interesting and as it should have been in Origins, you can't win over their friendship with random gifts around your journeys. I mean why would you berate your companion with gifts when they only been in the party for 10 minutes? Also you don't have to be your companion's friend as they can also be your rival which is just as interesting. Combat is satisfying and improved, but sorry PC players the consoles win this battle. But heres the bad part, as you know recycled environments is a dirty term in the modern gaming industry and there's plenty of it in Dragon Age 2. Hell, they don't even hide it when you go in the environments. I know you're in a city and every house has the same architecture on the outside, but do they have to have the exact same layout and set of stairs as everyone else? There aren't many glitches surprisingly since this is a RPG. Overall if you look above these flaws you will find a very likable game that is fantastic from start to finish.… Expand
  10. Gatt
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very epic game! Fights became even more bloody, brutal and fast.Characters in Dragon age has always been able to glory! The most important of the old characters too, can be seen from the last part but it is a huge plus!Yes it is clear that it very short, but it still will force you again it to pass!… Expand
  11. manowar09
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    Good game. Dont listen to all the haters on this website. Rating a game a zero or a 1 is rubbish. The game is truely somewhere between a 7 or 8, just like the first game. IT has its flaws. People on this website have an agenda and are voting 1 and 0 because of that.
  12. subsided
    Mar 18, 2011
    10
    After seeing these scores i has no choice to make an account a write a review. This game is at least as good as the first with its improved combat system and sheer volume of game. it will be rare to find another game that has this much depth and quality packed into it. Anything under a score of 7 or at least 6 is ridiculous for the quality that this game has. Keep up the good work
  13. Panzerfaust44
    Mar 9, 2011
    8
    This game is certainly causing a lot of Asperger style tantrums and itâ
  14. roachtbp
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    I am surprised by the negative user reviews. Some claim DA:2 is too easy and you just hit X to kill things. Maybe on normal difficulty DA:2 is easier than normal difficulty on DA:O (I don't know since I'm playing on Nightmare), but if you put DA:2 on Nightmare difficulty you will have to play the game with the same tactical approach used in DA:O or you will not last long, believe me.I am surprised by the negative user reviews. Some claim DA:2 is too easy and you just hit X to kill things. Maybe on normal difficulty DA:2 is easier than normal difficulty on DA:O (I don't know since I'm playing on Nightmare), but if you put DA:2 on Nightmare difficulty you will have to play the game with the same tactical approach used in DA:O or you will not last long, believe me. Now the only difference in combat is that you have to hit X repeatedly with the character your controlling instead of the character attacking automatically.

    As for the graphics, they don't look any better to me, as the professional reviews claim, but the art style of the graphics is definitely different. However, I like the new art style.

    As for the story and character development, I'm not very far along yet, but am liking both the story and characters so far.

    And as for it being linear and repeating the same places over and over, this does seem to be true, but this doesn't bother me much.

    I am enjoying this game more than DA:O!!!    … Expand
  15. epitage
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    I've played over 20 hours on this game and I realized I didn't truly appreciate it until I changed the difficulty to 'hard'. The combat on normal is wayyyyy too easy and you will very quickly become bored. 'Hard' and 'Nightmare' actually require the tactics that DA:O did. The graphics look fine to me and I'm still enjoying it, but I'm disappointed that I cannot change most of the armorI've played over 20 hours on this game and I realized I didn't truly appreciate it until I changed the difficulty to 'hard'. The combat on normal is wayyyyy too easy and you will very quickly become bored. 'Hard' and 'Nightmare' actually require the tactics that DA:O did. The graphics look fine to me and I'm still enjoying it, but I'm disappointed that I cannot change most of the armor on my companions. Picking character skills is a blast in this game, but you won't need them unless you play on hard or nightmare.… Expand
  16. Evil_Jeff
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    So, Dragon Age 2. This is an amazing game which involves a great story, interesting characters and fantastic action. Great job Bioware! I can not wait Mass Effect 3!
  17. staindgrey
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    This sequel has made a lot of changes to streamline the series. However, I'd hardly call these changes "selling out". Most are welcome changes: the dialogue setup with clearer meanings and quicker navigation is a welcome change, as are the major upgrades to graphics and presentation. Others, such as smarter map layout to avoid drawn out wandering, are a good change with some ill benefits;This sequel has made a lot of changes to streamline the series. However, I'd hardly call these changes "selling out". Most are welcome changes: the dialogue setup with clearer meanings and quicker navigation is a welcome change, as are the major upgrades to graphics and presentation. Others, such as smarter map layout to avoid drawn out wandering, are a good change with some ill benefits; in this case, the maps are more linear with less of a sense of actual exploration. We get the same locales in different settings, which brings the benefit of seeing it change over time, but also brings the negative effect of feeling like we've been there too many times already. The frame story is a nice touch, and unlike the Fable series, Bioware has actually made me feel attached to my character while he/she evolves and becomes Champion. The plot twists are actual twists, and as always, Bioware has done a superb job with writing, character development, etc. Giving Hawke a voice was likely their best decision in this sequel.

    The game is being unfairly bashed by people who expected an even tougher and longer-winded experience than the last game. Though they have every right to not approve of changes they don't like, this is by no means whatsoever a bad game. It just appeals to a broader audience, and with all of the benefits that brings, it also brings some negative changes. Not everyone can be made happy. It's still a high quality title and one of the best single-player experiences available this year. I highly recommend the purchase.

    Though, while I'm here, I'd also like to say that making every character romanceable by any Hawke ruins the narrative element of said romance. Suddenly everyone is bisexual and you can flirt no matter what their perception of Hawke is. It cheapens the value, and I feel not only less invested but also more... I don't know, crude? Dirty? My Hawke is apparently a whore and a pimp all at the same time, and I didn't really want to be. I'm sure they made everyone available to shutup the arguments of "whaaa I want THIS character to be gay/bi", but giving no one a defined preference in gender or personality ruins the idea of romance and cheapens it to very bad polygonal porn. With clothes on. That's the worst kind.

    But unlike Fox News, I don't portray the worth of a game in the amount of sexuality it has or doesn't have. There's PLENTY of content to keep you engaged for some time. I'm thirty hours in now, and I've still got quite a ways to go. Don't pay attention to the extremely negative user scores; they really are the vocal minority here.    … Expand
  18. Antianonymous
    Mar 12, 2011
    8
    I am registering and writing this review primarily to inform the owners and any readers of this site that you have been a victim of an attack by the internet group based off the Random board on the **** website desiring to "bring BioWare down", as I believe the thread said.

    This is the SOLE reasoning behind the plethora of negative user reviews. I'm certain a few are legitimate, but the    I am registering and writing this review primarily to inform the owners and any readers of this site that you have been a victim of an attack by the internet group based off the Random board on the **** website desiring to "bring BioWare down", as I believe the thread said.

    This is the SOLE reasoning behind the plethora of negative user reviews. I'm certain a few are legitimate, but the vast majority are brought on by internet "trolls" from said website, most of whom likely haven't even a clue what they're reviewing and/or are just copying what others have said. I don't know how the Metacritic owners can rectify this, but a purging of the negative reviews and encouraging active users to resubmit their reviews might be the only way to ensure a fair and balanced representation of what people actually think.

    Why do I bother registering just to tell this? Because the game is great (though perhaps not entirely up to par with its predecessor), and deserves much better - any fair review will be more in lieu with those of the professional critics.

    Now, for an actual review; It's a different game than Dragon Age Origins, mostly for better and sometimes for worse. First of all, there's a new art style; veterans of the series will find that darkspawn, qunari and elves in particular look very different than their previous incarnations. These changes take some getting used to, and whether they're a positive thing will be up to personal preference.

    As for the combat, it has changed quite a bit; it's certainly more dynamic and engaging now than in the first game. Admittingly I haven't tried rogue gameplay much, but both warriors and mages have seen turns for the better; mages have much more appealing attack animations, warrior blows feel more sweeping, and tactics require a more practical and on-the-fly approach (your Whirlwind's gonna bring the hurt either way, but would you rather use it on the big baddie or wait until you might get swarmed by "normal" enemies?). Contrary to the first game, which relied a lot on auto-attacking and leaning back, each ability feels as though it contributes more to the battle.

    Two major changes are the conversation wheel and the fully voiced main character. As with the art style changes, both take some getting used to. Naturally it's nice to have a fully voiced character; however, in a way, I feel this limits the conversational options. Despite their improvements to the conversational wheel to properly indicate how you're going to respond, you never feel fully in charge of what's being said, which is an unwelcome change from the to-the-letter speech of DA1. Additionally, I can't help but feel that the "intent indicators" in the conversation wheel - most conversations will have a "pleasant", "witty" or "violent" response option - remove some of the moral ambiguity we had in the first game, where responses weren't explicitly labeled as "good guy" or "bad guy" and you actually had to think about and consider the moral implications of your choices. Though DA2 isn't as bad as the ME series in that regard (ie no Paragon/Renegade extremes), it's still possible to brainfart your way through 90% of the game's dialogue by clicking on the same place on the screen and hitting the same "intent" throughout. Another change I feel worth noting is the friendship/rivalry system, which has replaced the approval system. While Dragon Age featured a flat approval/disapproval system, in DA2, your companions will grow a friendship/rivalry with you depending on your actions. While the benefits of this are obvious (you don't outright alienate party members through disagreement, as it could happen it DA1), I still feel it could add more depth if it existed alongside an approval/disapproval system instead of outright replacing it. Your companions' reactions to your actions can feel a bit lackluster/strange at times because of the lack of flat approval/disapproval.

    In summary, the above "issues" are what dragged the game down from 9/10 or maybe even 10/10 for me. I'd probably rate DA:O 9/10 in comparison. That said, however, DA2 ia a great game in its own right. It contributes many great things and renovations to the series (loot-everything hotkey, anyone?!) and is overall a step forward. Everything else aside, it features BioWare's characteristic immersive storytelling and genius dialogue and expands the Dragon Age universe. Worth a playthrough for anyone, and twice so for fans of the first game in the series.    … Expand
  19. Orak
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I find it annoying to see all the lowscore reviews from people that clearly never even finished the first chapter of the game, or in fact never played anything else than the demo. The game is not without a few minor flaws, but is all in all absolutely brilliant. The story isnt as focused as stories usualy are in rpgs but that actualy have a rather posetive effect on the game. Its much more personal and more than anyhting else I praise the choise to finaly abandon the "chosen one" or "save the world approach". The world is brilliant in its complexity, the normal boring "go here and fetch this" sidequests are almost nonexistent. Graphics is a huge improvment over origins and I cant understand anyone that claime the game looks bad or even worse than origins. I have some minor issues with inventory and the dialogue wheel but all in all an excellent game.… Expand
  20. YetiConfetti
    May 16, 2011
    10
    It's almost impossible to write a review on Dragon Age 2 without referencing the user reviews. First of all, anyone who criticizes the game for being too hack-and-slash or too easy is being completely ignorant - does anyone check options menus? Combat can be changed to original DA:O style and if you raise difficulty to hard or nightmare I can guarantee it's no cakewalk. Secondly, mostIt's almost impossible to write a review on Dragon Age 2 without referencing the user reviews. First of all, anyone who criticizes the game for being too hack-and-slash or too easy is being completely ignorant - does anyone check options menus? Combat can be changed to original DA:O style and if you raise difficulty to hard or nightmare I can guarantee it's no cakewalk. Secondly, most of the changes made to the game are insignificant (you can no longer equip party members with specific armor pieces, but you can still equip weapons and accessories) and do not alter the overall feel of the universe or the gameplay. The only valid complaint is regarding the environment repetition; some levels are identical to previous levels with different sections closed off, so if environment repetition is a deal-breaker then this aspect could prove to be bothersome (also, being limited to human for character race irked me a bit). Otherwise, if you were a fan of the first game, you should have no problem jumping into the second installment. If you've never played Dragon Age before, expect 30-40 hours for a single playthrough of this action-packed, cinematic, medieval RPG.… Expand
  21. Captainsmokes
    Mar 19, 2011
    9
    I only signed up for meta critic to defend this game. the reviews this game is getting from its users are exactly why I don't like to classify myself as a "gamer" here we have a terrific product released so soon after the original, and because it isn't exactly what we wanted it's terrible! frankly even the things I didn't like when
    first I picked up the game I quickly saw why they were    I only signed up for meta critic to defend this game. the reviews this game is getting from its users are exactly why I don't like to classify myself as a "gamer" here we have a terrific product released so soon after the original, and because it isn't exactly what we wanted it's terrible! frankly even the things I didn't like when
    first I picked up the game I quickly saw why they were changed or added, and by the time I'd played through the game I came to really like many of the changes.
    as far as the mechanics go I understand that it may feel watered down at first, but the simplifications allow for a much faster and more tactile experience. yes the setting and story feels to be less epic, but it really only suffers the way many sequels in fantasy trilogies do, playing through after replaying DA:O as you start to connect the dots you should realize that DA:3 is going to be truly impressive indeed. for a revolutionary third entry the second must necessarily seen like exposition to the first. In any case the beautiful art and colorful storytelling more than redeem any short coming in my mind. and Bio ware would have to fail entirely in their efforts in DA:3 before I would even consider not purchasing DA:4    … Expand
  22. nexusmind
    Mar 17, 2011
    7
    I've almost arrived at the end of my Dragon Age 2 journey and I feel the need to weigh in a bit early to help boost the game back from its undeservedly low user score.

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

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

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

    As I write this, the user score sits at 4.3, largely because a vocal minority of fans clearly don't understand how to objectively use a 0-10 scale. This game deserves far better than that. You don't slam something with a 1 or 0 out of 10 because it disappoints you or departs from your expectations, you slam something with a 0 if it's broken, awful to play, or of insultingly poor craftsmanship. This game is NONE of those things. Dragon Age 2 is far from being the best Bioware has done, and their Mass Effect titles pull off action gameplay a lot better, but it still stands above many other releases this year. I just hope they learn a lesson or two and make Dragon Age 3 the best one yet!    … Expand
  23. Merci357
    Mar 25, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sadly lacks the polish of previous BioWare titles, but it's still an enjoyable (Action)-RPG.

    Intriguing story, well fleshed out characters, at last a fully voiced PC (with the option to be sarcastic/humorous), like you would expect. This does get tainted by over-the-top combat and constant reuse of the very same environments. Also, as of right now, the game does have quite a few bugs and glitches.
    If those get corrected, it's an enjoyable 8/10 - but no masterpiece. Consider it a set up for DA3. If the bugs won't get fixed, subtract 1-2 points from the score.    … Expand
  24. EvelWouldGo
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    Extremely disappointing to see so many spam reviews. Not hard to work out which ones!
    DA1 was great fun - i played through it three times, start to finish. DA2 is actually a really good game, the same great Dragon Age world, given an upgrade and polish. Graphics aren't as brilliant as, say, Red Dead Redemption, but hey, Rockstar can't make every game in the world. That said, the character    Extremely disappointing to see so many spam reviews. Not hard to work out which ones!
    DA1 was great fun - i played through it three times, start to finish. DA2 is actually a really good game, the same great Dragon Age world, given an upgrade and polish. Graphics aren't as brilliant as, say, Red Dead Redemption, but hey, Rockstar can't make every game in the world. That said, the character rendering is much improved, the world richer. Characters themselves are more interesting, distinct personalities that aren't so 'ripped straight out of Lord of the Rings' generalizations.
    Controls are much better than DA1, with the new wheel for choosing responses during conversations, and it's so nice to actually be able to hear your character speak!
    Only downside compared to the original is the reduced amount of customization that you can give to your companions. A bit of a shame that there doesn't seem to be any way to upgrade armor and so on - a little feature that I love about RPGs.
    Overall this sits up there nicely for mine in terms of RPGs. I'm a big Baldur's Gate fan on PC, and this is light years beyond the XBox versions of that franchise, and maybe just a step behind the PC version.    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. electryc
    Mar 21, 2011
    8
    The PC game has much improved graphics, and I do truly enjoy the story telling. What I think bioware missed on was a notion that making the combat simpler would be better. RPG's such as bioware classics have made this area fun. I enjoy complexity as well as a majority of rpg lovers. Another knock is the price. 60 dollars seems quite expensive. I hope this has an expansion likeThe PC game has much improved graphics, and I do truly enjoy the story telling. What I think bioware missed on was a notion that making the combat simpler would be better. RPG's such as bioware classics have made this area fun. I enjoy complexity as well as a majority of rpg lovers. Another knock is the price. 60 dollars seems quite expensive. I hope this has an expansion like Origins: Awakenings. I do think I should add ranks due to arsehats who haven't even played this game giving it a 0-3 rating. No game is worth this unless its a bugfest w/ terrible graphics and broken gameplay. I won't stoop to that level and rate it for what an 'actual' player of the game views it at.… Expand
  27. FlyMonBlaze
    Mar 25, 2011
    8
    Dragon age 2 isn't Dragon Age: Origins, and that's a good thing. Origins was an almost perfect game but i'm glad Bioware decided to mix things up it DA2. There are many things great about this game, but as with many other games as well, it has its down sides.
    Pros:
    Combat has been sped up to increase action Graphics have improved from the original Side missions have been made more    Dragon age 2 isn't Dragon Age: Origins, and that's a good thing. Origins was an almost perfect game but i'm glad Bioware decided to mix things up it DA2. There are many things great about this game, but as with many other games as well, it has its down sides.
    Pros:
    Combat has been sped up to increase action Graphics have improved from the original
    Side missions have been made more interesting and have a lasting impact
    Having a character that actually talks is nice along with the dialogue wheel
    The story- while it isnt straight forward like DA:O, it has its twists, its cool bosses, and it builds up from the start. The way the game is separated into 3 acts and the way it tells Hawke's story is very well done

    Cons: Inventory: only you can change armor and your companions sometimes get upgrades. Also, almost everything you pick up is garbage.
    Characters: while they are very good characters, they don't compare to DA:O characters.
    Romances: again, arent as good as DA:O
    Leveling up: there are a lot more options, which sounds like a good thing, but it really actually isnt because in this game, having a well rounded character isnt the best.

    Overall, Dragon Age 2 is a very good game. If you buy it only to compare it to Origins, then you might be disappointed. But if you buy it to play it as its own game then you'll be very happy with the outcome.    … Expand
  28. Notclevr
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    This game was immense, immersive and enjoyable. It is different than the original, but expands the arc and breadth of the series in a way that has me very excited about future iterations. As for the gameplay mechanics complaints--I really don't get it, there's a difficulty slider for that. Combat has as much depth and complexity as a player would like, assuming the player levels pastThis game was immense, immersive and enjoyable. It is different than the original, but expands the arc and breadth of the series in a way that has me very excited about future iterations. As for the gameplay mechanics complaints--I really don't get it, there's a difficulty slider for that. Combat has as much depth and complexity as a player would like, assuming the player levels past the first two hours before posting a review with a 0 score because the game doesn't have their favorite potion crafting shortcut from the original. The art, animations, and voice acting are beautiful.

    The game takes place in three distinct acts, and the quality really shows through in the second and third. What will be really interesting going forward is seeing how the open-endedness of the original (and the sequel, to a lesser extent) is reconciled with the need for a stable canon to build on in future editions. Right now the more perverse imported saves and gameplay choices already don't seem to fit with story arc, and I think that problem will only compound as the threads come together in future editions. The first two games have given us two major characters we really care about, and there is a platform to build on with that in an amazing setting, but something has to give. I lean towards hoping that the designers retcon a reasonable canon going forward...but I also hope that said canon looks a lot like my imports, while somehow resolving the fact that both The Warden and Hawke look a lot like me. Holding the game back from a 10 are the excessive setting reuse and the launch bugs--in my play-through the chronological jumbling of Merrill's companion quest cutscenes was the major one here. That said, the game could have still reached a 10 with a higher ratio of interpersonal cutscenes and role playing to mindless murder of waves of henchmen. The set up is all there--great characters (including art and voice) and a great conversation mechanism, but still not nearly enough relationship catharsis and interaction with those characters! Especially later in the game. The issue of realism and roving hordes of minor enemies could maybe be resolved with a preference slider for random encounters. The implementation solution of completely undeveloped side quests with no depth at all beyond some Twitter-length codex entires and places to go to kill enemies was hollow.    … Expand
  29. DizzyKa
    Mar 27, 2011
    9
    In a nutshell Dragon Age II is a Dragon Age game with a clear focus and direction and because of it you as the player have to sacrifice certain things ( race choice, certain RPG elements, ect. ) in order for the story to be told with that clear focus. It can make people angry at first, but give it a chance. The game feels much more like a complete story. If you forget about all theIn a nutshell Dragon Age II is a Dragon Age game with a clear focus and direction and because of it you as the player have to sacrifice certain things ( race choice, certain RPG elements, ect. ) in order for the story to be told with that clear focus. It can make people angry at first, but give it a chance. The game feels much more like a complete story. If you forget about all the external reasons you should hate the game ( the betrayal to PC gamers, the simplification of the RPG aspects) and you pick the game up and play it you will NOT be disappointed. This is one of the best games I've played in years and topples the first game completely. Why? The characters are so much more interesting and likable. RPG's ( including the previous Dragon Age ) contain too many cynical and brooding characters. In Dragon Age II there is only one and he's almost a caricature of himself - Fenris. Varric is such a likable person, a robin hood in dwarf form with all the charm and a bit of storytelling. Party chatter as you run around the world is hilarious, sad, engaging, and really adds to the experience.

    The new combat system ( I know ). I was afraid and initially appalled that they would take the RPG style system and degrade it to a hack and slash style play.... but... its so much more FUN! And natural on the 360, I know, sorry PC players. I played a rogue and it required precise tactics and timing to use all your abilities it was really involved for "hack and slash". Beyond that the story is really well done as well and there is a real sense of progress. I really felt as though I started out a weary refugee looking for shelter who worked her way into a place of respect and financial stability for her, her family and her friends. The citizens revile you at first, a cursed Ferelden rat... and eventually they call you Champion and hail your name. There were quite a few WTF moments with quests and character backgrounds where I stared mouth agape at the horror and unexpectedness of what was happening and then shook my head and said wow, they really did that? That's awesome.

    Allowing romances open to any gender. THANK YOU Bioware. As a female gamer I felt very set aside in the previous game ( and in both the Mass Effects ) when it came to romance choices for female lead characters. Unlocking romances for anyone gives everyone the ability to experience the same thing and not get stuck with some lump, or none at all because of unrequited love ; )

    What could be better?

    The character interactions are SO stunning it leaves the player wanting more. I truly felt like I made friends while playing the game but the companion quests and encounters are too far and few between. This goes for the main plot as well. It would have been better to have a little more fleshing out.

    FIX THE BUGS. I was afflicted by the save bug which caused every 20th or 30th save to corrupt and sometimes I would have to restart the console because the game would be stuck eternally attempting to save. On top of that the game doesn't recognize my old Dragon Age saves so I couldn't import.... that was a huge bummer as my previous choices weren't reflected in game. I cringed every time the characters would refer to the hero of Ferelden as "he" when in my experience.... surely that was not the case.

    Bring back random chatter with NPCs. When the only NPCs that converse are questgivers it makes the world feel less alive.    … Expand
  30. ShiverinEskimo
    Mar 28, 2011
    9
    Not sure why this game is getting such negative reviews from the user-base. I think they've improved on every aspect of the first game which was a little clunky and aimless at times. Combat is a lot easier to manipulate and direct with the streamlined interface and overall it feels like you're more in control without having to sacrifice as much of the stop-start mechanics required in theNot sure why this game is getting such negative reviews from the user-base. I think they've improved on every aspect of the first game which was a little clunky and aimless at times. Combat is a lot easier to manipulate and direct with the streamlined interface and overall it feels like you're more in control without having to sacrifice as much of the stop-start mechanics required in the first game to set everyone's actions up one by one. The ally AI is much improved and I find they employ the correct attacks to sync up with mine as my main character to get the best results. Playing as a mage I found all spells to have much better feedback in terms of the effects and damage they can do. The storyline is typical Bioware - they certainly know what they are doing and despite a slow start it settled quickly into the epic game you'd expect with myriads of characters whose lines were personal and meaningful throughout. Very little repetition of common lines across multiple peripheral characters you are used to seeing in other RPGs. 'Hardcore' RPG fans who are slating the game have probably made their mind up before playing it simply because a few of more mainstream reviews have described the streamlining that has taken place and automatically decided it means 'dumbed down' when nothing could be further from the truth. This is by far the most natural-feeling RPG interface on the Xbox360 so far and they make good use of the controller buttons and interface. It also performs extremely well will slow-down only occurring very very briefly in some of the most populated fighting scenarios. I would highly recommend any RPG fan to play it through.… 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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