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. 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
  2. Speck
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    The worst 60 dollar pile of junk I've ever purchased. Cannot believe how bad the role playing is, and how meaningless the dialogue. Voice overs are pathetic, with no inspiration what so ever. This is a sequel? Hack and slash only, what a waste!
  3. Surenkin
    Mar 26, 2011
    2
    I have enjoyed almost all the games Bioware has produced in the past. Hardly anyone can deny that games like Baldurs Gate II, Dragon Age Origins and Kotor provide tons of entertainment. They received high ratings from professional reviewers and the community was pleased.

    What happened? How is it possible for a gaming company to take such a nosedive in one year? It would have been    I have enjoyed almost all the games Bioware has produced in the past. Hardly anyone can deny that games like Baldurs Gate II, Dragon Age Origins and Kotor provide tons of entertainment. They received high ratings from professional reviewers and the community was pleased.

    What happened? How is it possible for a gaming company to take such a nosedive in one year?

    It would have been UNFATHOMABLE to even consider that the average community score for a Dragon Age sequel would be less than 60/100 but here we are.

    How is it that in almost every single installment before Dragon Age 2 we had the ability to impact the world around us and the ending of the game would change depending on our choices? But now it doesn't matter who you support, not one bit. One tragedy after another isn't the core problem here but that you can't do anything about it.

    What's the replay value people? Really, what is it? What can I do differently? Have sex with Merrill instead of Isabela and change my tone of voice while speaking during pre-determined events?

    And how is it that romances have devolved into *press heart symbol to have h0t s3x*

    What happened to gameplay? What happened to stealing, creating potions, collecting resources and having a connection with the world around us?

    Where is the possibility to lie, intimidate and charm during conversations? Isn't that what roleplaying has been all about in your previous releases? You dont even need to read your own lines in DA2 (nor can you). Just choose one option from *calm*, *joke* or *angry*. Talking yourself out from a bad spot isn't really an option if the game has already decided what is going to happen.

    What happened to being able to choose your own race. What's the point of having racism towards elves if you cant even play one anymore?

    Customizing the armor of your companions might not seem like a big deal to many people since we are forced to use the best armor sets anyway and sell all the junk. But it does look completely stupid to have some pirate woman in a prostitute uniform fighting against a high-dragon. This is something I expect to see from square and Final Fantasy, not Bioware.

    And the worst thing is that after investing over 40 hours of gameplay, there is no real ending or closure. So what's the idea behind this? Rip us off with DLC's?

    And people really need to stop being naive. I hardly doubt this is going to be a prequel to some epic tale. Why should I believe that a savegame import would matter now when it has never had a major impact in the past? It's just going to be another set of cameos, letters from the people you saved and a couple of mentions about what happened in the past.

    This game does its job as a linear adventure hack'n'slasher but that's it.

    Just one year ago Bioware put square on blast by stating that "Final Fantasy XIII is not an RPG yadayada". And here we are now....I hope CD Projekt stays silent and walks the walk with Witcher 2, because you guys need a reality check.

    On a scale from 1 to pretzel, I'm mad salty lol. I guess it's time to go back to hyping the upcoming Mass Effect 2 DLC, because atleast you still have dev-teams that know what the hell they are doing.    … Expand
  4. evanbiddulph
    Apr 11, 2011
    0
    I heard that Bioware had an employee review on here giving it a perfect 10 score. For that, I am going to write a review with a "0" to even it out. I love Metacritic and always will trust its integrity.
  5. gheed123
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bioware for me stood for quality RPG. Dragon age Origins was a quality RPG. The quality steadily went down with each DLC and the absolute low of this decline now seems to have been reached with DA2. They tried to make an RPG that appeals to the bro's that play CoD, Halo and Gears of war and the like and ended up with this **** The story is nonexistant, enemies are lame, they raped the lore that they built up with DAO, combat is fun for an hour or 1000 exploding bodies, copypasted terrain, fetch quests.. To me yet another huge disappointment for a triple A title.… Expand
  6. 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
  7. Dathmir
    Mar 26, 2011
    0
    A remarkable disappointment. With dumbed down gameplay, an uninteresting story and very poor game design, this game is not worth your money. As a stand alone game it is acceptable at best. As the sequel to one of the greatest games made, it's a travesty.
    This may well mark the end of Bioware as we know it - a company that never waver in the quality of its products. If so, it will be the    A remarkable disappointment. With dumbed down gameplay, an uninteresting story and very poor game design, this game is not worth your money. As a stand alone game it is acceptable at best. As the sequel to one of the greatest games made, it's a travesty.
    This may well mark the end of Bioware as we know it - a company that never waver in the quality of its products. If so, it will be the greatest tragedy in recent gaming history.    … Expand
  8. 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
  9. pppotamo
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Terrible decepción. Se ha consolidado el juego en PC. ¿Ha esto ha quedado reducido el legado de Baldur´s gate?
    Graficos desfasados, falta la visión cenital.
    Parche con texturas de casi 1GB tras su venta.
  10. rpeh
    Mar 11, 2011
    2
    Dragon Age 1 was a great game; this isn't. The graphics are more of the same, the gameplay isn't as good and while the story is well done, it's not enough to save the game. Bioware rushed this out to capitalise on the success of DA:O but in doing so they may have killed the series. If they had put an extra few months' work into the game they could have had a huge hit. Instead, they've gotDragon Age 1 was a great game; this isn't. The graphics are more of the same, the gameplay isn't as good and while the story is well done, it's not enough to save the game. Bioware rushed this out to capitalise on the success of DA:O but in doing so they may have killed the series. If they had put an extra few months' work into the game they could have had a huge hit. Instead, they've got a below average game that's going to seriously disappoint the fans.… Expand
  11. bolshibyr
    Mar 11, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Disgusting plot silly fighting system it simply degradation of 1 part of any possibility for role game The drawing excentric "DX11" manages to give out poor quantity of shots in a second considering that it has become outdated year on 2 That it is a lot of, so it is locations-bliznjashek and at times some times sends us in identical caves and warehouses… Expand
  12. pizzigol
    Mar 11, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. El juego es muy repetitivo las locaciones son siempre las mismas y aburre , la historia es muy buenas y las batallas estan biern realizadas , no se pueden usar armaduras en los personajes jugables salvo en el que iniciamos como nuestro jugador… Expand
  13. iagree
    Mar 9, 2011
    5
    I always believe that a game should be played in entirety before being judged. I would still stand by that belief if said game inspired me to continue.

    The word 'improvement' has been thrown around like confetti at a New Years party since we first heard of the sequel early last year. Does it live up to the promise? Yes, no and maybe so. There a improvements on some fronts but it seems to    I always believe that a game should be played in entirety before being judged. I would still stand by that belief if said game inspired me to continue.

    The word 'improvement' has been thrown around like confetti at a New Years party since we first heard of the sequel early last year. Does it live up to the promise? Yes, no and maybe so. There a improvements on some fronts but it seems to be at a cost of other aspects that made the first (in my mind) as good as it was and in essence put us all back at square one.

    I'm only 10 hours or so into the game (as that's all I can manage to bear playing at the moment) the lingering doubts I had from the demo, are slowly making its way to me at full force. The improvements are rare and meager to wow anyone, small minor details here and there so far, can not redeem its glaringly obvious faults. The loss of immersion is a big blow. The bigger insult is the loss of being able to forge a character you want. Even though i have full control of Hawke, I feel as though I know as much about him as I did about a random guard in DA:O. Being a gamer fond of a challenge I found myself constantly checking, double checking and in my immense annoyance, triple checking whether or not I had it tuned to the correct difficulty setting. I did, Nightmare mode and I felt like I was playing on a mode designed for a 5-year-old. The PC version seems to be a lame attempt at a port of the console versions, as I found through playing the game briefly on my roommate's PS3 that it played nicer. The classic smash until it dies games, hasn't died a horrible death it seems.

    It's a game that has snippets for all type of gamers and that sort of combination of gamer types (all seemingly unfinished) molded into one may not appeal to the masses. I'm still on neutral territory as I haven't played enough to know for sure if I should hate and trade the game at the quickest moment, for now I'm hoping for the best. My roommate is chugging the game down pretty fast, again, not for everyone but maybe a small few may find appeal to it.

    My earlier suspicion as to why the Signature Edition wasn't priced more than the standard copy has been confirmed. Nothing like freebies to win a gamer's heart, no Bioware? At the moment, I feel like it has sorely backfired on you.    … Expand
  14. sgtStones
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    Expectations are a b*tch. They have to be filtered out when trying to give some sort of a review...well at least to a point. A sentiment, not many users ( on metacritic anyway ) seem to share. I finished DA:O 6 times ( 4x on hard and twice on nightmare )... needless to say I love that game and I'm already thinking about the approach I'll take in the next playthrough.

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

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

    pros:
    - everything that reminds me of DA:O


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

    But even DA 0.5 is still good game, and certainly better ( if not by much ) then most recent rpgs ( fable 4, Ego Draconis, TwoWorlds II ). It's DEFINATELY NOT A 4    … Expand
  15. Biodrone
    Mar 11, 2011
    2
    Yes i truly love Dragon Age 2 even tho it is quite different than what i remember from Dragon Age: Origins but it is my belief that the developers guided by the wisdom of EA have made the game better than the first Dragon Age game.
  16. godofallu
    Mar 14, 2011
    2
    Bioware generally makes good games, this however, is not a good game. The gameplay is generally boring and slow. Character development is also extremely slow, and the dialogue system is as dumbed down as possible. They also thought it would be smart to remove customizing your companion characters, through removal of skill resetting and giving them armor. From any other developer this gameBioware generally makes good games, this however, is not a good game. The gameplay is generally boring and slow. Character development is also extremely slow, and the dialogue system is as dumbed down as possible. They also thought it would be smart to remove customizing your companion characters, through removal of skill resetting and giving them armor. From any other developer this game would have flopped.… Expand
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. slyck
    Mar 14, 2011
    0
    This is not an RPG. Linear, uninspiring garbage is what it is. If you want to know why the game has gotten so many poor reviews try it and see how long you can handle the boredom. If you want to know why it is getting so many 10's it is because paid company shills are posting fake reviews. EA sucks. Bioware now also sucks. P.S. if you say anything negative about bioware on their forumsThis is not an RPG. Linear, uninspiring garbage is what it is. If you want to know why the game has gotten so many poor reviews try it and see how long you can handle the boredom. If you want to know why it is getting so many 10's it is because paid company shills are posting fake reviews. EA sucks. Bioware now also sucks. P.S. if you say anything negative about bioware on their forums they can ban you claiming it's EA's rules and now you can't play the game you paid for. Don't ever give your money to EA or Bioware.… Expand
  21. 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 .
  22. Wheezy247
    Mar 26, 2011
    8
    It is not fair to give this game a 0-4 score for not being as great as the first Dragon Age game. The game is still good, even if it does not match its predecessor. The graphics are an improvement from the first one. Even though I did have quite a few instances with texture pop in and during cutscenes characters would shake around occasionally, it didn't hamper my enjoyment. The dialogueIt is not fair to give this game a 0-4 score for not being as great as the first Dragon Age game. The game is still good, even if it does not match its predecessor. The graphics are an improvement from the first one. Even though I did have quite a few instances with texture pop in and during cutscenes characters would shake around occasionally, it didn't hamper my enjoyment. The dialogue is excellent, and the characters are memorable themselves. The story, well if you can call it that, is mediocre. Throughout the entire game I kept thinking that the game was just a bunch of sidequests piled together, but I see the game has rather three stories which are divided into three acts. The quest are fun and interesting, but do not really correlate to create an actually "story." The combat is a lot of fun on the consoles. Being faster paced and more involved than the first, which I could see others not liking, improved the experience. All in all, Dragon Age 2 is a very good game, with interesting characters and dialogue, improved graphics, and a more engaging combat system. It is certainly not without flaws due to a few glitches and the lack of a developed story, but Dragon Age II is still a fun game that you should definitely pick up.… Expand
  23. bookamp
    Mar 10, 2011
    7
    Possibly the worst decision bioware could make after making DA:O which is much superior to this button mashing pseudo arpg. I want my money back. Why is bioware try to ripoff people by developing a sequel that is a sequel in name. This has nothing to do with DA:O except the setting and even that has been bastardized to the point of being unrecognizable.
  24. Wildfire8
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    Dragon Age II will be recorded as one of the worst blunders in video game history. Bioware somehow managed to take a promising series, and do a Tomb Raider with it. The game visually looks like a mod for Knights of the Old Republic, if that mod were to lower all the games textures and was inspired by minecraft. The writing in this game is exactly what you'd expect an autistic 12 year oldDragon Age II will be recorded as one of the worst blunders in video game history. Bioware somehow managed to take a promising series, and do a Tomb Raider with it. The game visually looks like a mod for Knights of the Old Republic, if that mod were to lower all the games textures and was inspired by minecraft. The writing in this game is exactly what you'd expect an autistic 12 year old farm hand. Gone are the "grey" moral areas, and choices that affect the story. Instead, a dialogue wheel now lets you choose between 3 options, Sissy school girl, comedic relief in b-movie, and complete jerkwad. With such rivieting dialogue options as "Hey, I wunna be a dragon too!" and "Boy, I'm hungry", it's hard not to believe that Bioware is doing a psychological experiment to see how much punishment masochistic fans will put up with. Most of the game takes place in the confines of a single "city". I say "city" loosely, because it is actually nothing more than a collection of buildings, devoid of life. All areas outside of the city and bland and repetitive. Let me be clear on this: EVERY SINGLE OUTDOOR AREA outside of the city consists of a rock wall on one side of the map, and a large, lifeless, poorly textured vista on the other. I've seen 2 year olds that can color better than the job Bioware did with this vista. Dungeons are frequently repeated. Yes, you heard that right, the exact same cave is used over and over and over again. You can no longer equip armor to companions, and the new companions are dull and lifeless. Every voice actor in the game sounds the exact same, and they all sound utterly bored with their jobs. Of course, I needed even comment on the combat to anyone who has played the demo. Bioware decided to strip out all tactical and RPG elements, and instead turn the game into a poor man's Dynasty warriors, complete with waves of spawning powder rangers running at you, while you perform the same over the top animations over and over carrying massive JRPG styled swords. I award this game no points, and may God have mercy on it's soul.â… Expand
  25. 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
  26. 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.
  27. nickpsh
    Mar 9, 2011
    0
    You can buy all the positive reviews you want from gaming sites/magazines. This won't change the fact that your PC user base loathes the changes you're making to RPG gaming.
  28. sonofyoda
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Don't know what lots of these reviewers are talking about. Sure, the game isn't as good as the first, but 0s, 2s, and 3s? The game really is dumbed down, but its still super fun and the last time that I checked, that is what games should do. Provide fun.
  29. 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
  30. 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.
  31. 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
  32. ShadowRage41
    Mar 26, 2011
    8
    Overall DA II has been a very enjoyable game for me. around 35 + hours of game time. very twisted dark storyline. For people who have never played DAO... you will enjoy it, if you have played DAO then enter the game with the understanding that istis not much like it's predecessor. Overall I was very pleased with DA II the length of the game was satisfactory, The combat is superior toOverall DA II has been a very enjoyable game for me. around 35 + hours of game time. very twisted dark storyline. For people who have never played DAO... you will enjoy it, if you have played DAO then enter the game with the understanding that istis not much like it's predecessor. Overall I was very pleased with DA II the length of the game was satisfactory, The combat is superior to DAO. the overall theme and storyline is dark... The combat feats, are superior to DAO... You get the interactive speaking lead character much in the vein of ME and MEII which is a plus.... Honestly the only negatives to this game are.... recycled enemies and areas. and the companion Dialogue is somewhat limiting. Other than those issues I liked the game. in fact I feel as if it is one of the better games I have played in sometime.. I notice some people have given the game a 0... Who seem to be unable to Act with necessary distinction by transcending subject/object dichotomy. They have an axe to grind with Bioware for not making THEIR game exactly how they wanted it. so they are trolling and giving the game a 0... Overall I give the game an 8, it's a good game. Maybe not a game of the year type game. but worth playing. and certainly not as bad as most of the detractors are claiming
    I see the overall rating for this game is bad. a 0 rating? C'MON man...    … Expand
  33. 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
  34. guipow
    Mar 18, 2011
    5
    The game lost the emotion factor, and, if it is a continuation of Dragon Age: Origins, it should not be said by the producers that the total change on game play and looks should not be considered. It is very frustrating to wait for a RPG that you expected to look like DAO, but improved, and to receive a Mass Effect like product not just because of the conversation factor. Itâ
  35. DAOfan
    Apr 6, 2011
    5
    It is trimmed down, dumbed down ,consolised version of previous game, the story falls flat on its face and is not at all entertaining. It is better to avoid this game
  36. BiefstukFriet
    Mar 14, 2011
    5
    As a stand alone game, Dragon Age 2 is a passable and entertaining game. Nothing fancy or groundbreaking, but entertaining non the less. It's when compared to Dragon Age: Origins that things start to go south.

    First, the stand alone review: The caves, houses and locations in the City of Kirkwall - the location of the majority of the game - are constantly recycled. Does that location look    As a stand alone game, Dragon Age 2 is a passable and entertaining game. Nothing fancy or groundbreaking, but entertaining non the less. It's when compared to Dragon Age: Origins that things start to go south.

    First, the stand alone review:

    The caves, houses and locations in the City of Kirkwall - the location of the majority of the game - are constantly recycled. Does that location look familiar? It probably is, because even though the missions change, the locations quite often don't. You'll find yourself slogging through a location you visited half an hour ago. Sometimes, the game spices things up and you start of where you left the location during your previous visit.

    The combat is pretty smooth and visualy appealing but also rather simple. Positioning your party to best use the lay of the land is not needed and also not usefull because enemies spawn pretty much out of nowhere and from all sides of the map in a neverending tide. Your well placed mage, screened by your warrior and rogue just got jumped on by a group of enemies that just were not there before.

    As for the storyline, following Hawke's rise from refugee to champion is a novel idea and has merrit, but the story's lack of a clear goal and sense of urgency makes it lack a soul. As a result side-quests feel like filler and of no import.


    DA 2 is ntertaining, but with flaws and would've scored a 7. DA 2 only becomes a '4' (see my user score) when you compare it to Dragon Age: Origins. Origins had a compelling storyline, fleshed out locations, entertaining characters you could bond to, a clear goal to work towards and tactical combat. Now there is one thing that truly vexes me, the impact of my Warder from Origins in DAII. There is none, merely comments on his past actions which is a far cry from Mass Effect 2, where the choices made in ME 1 had strong consequences.

    Why Bioware took such a radical approach to a very much acclaimed game as Dragon Age Origin is beyond me.    … Expand
  37. Silverdawn
    Mar 14, 2011
    6
    Going to try my best to be constructive here. Dragon Age II is a merely decent game, which had the potential to be quite memorable. It squandered this potential by lukewarm storytelling, an inconsistently entertaining cast of NPCs and--most importantly--repetitive and exhausting level design.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    It feels nothing like an RPG and more like an interactive movie where you are watching this character Hawke achieve his destiny. There is a huge uproar over the poor quality of this game, and rightfully so.    … Expand
  39. Tommy758
    Apr 19, 2011
    6
    I'm more of an Action-RPG fan than a straight up RPG fan so I was more forgiving with this title. I understand a lot of people's frustration with this game but regardless, this game is enjoyable. The gameplay is more action this time around but I like that. What I don't like is the horrible story. I won't spoil anything but when you get to the end of the game it FEELS as if that's theI'm more of an Action-RPG fan than a straight up RPG fan so I was more forgiving with this title. I understand a lot of people's frustration with this game but regardless, this game is enjoyable. The gameplay is more action this time around but I like that. What I don't like is the horrible story. I won't spoil anything but when you get to the end of the game it FEELS as if that's the mid-point of the game. But no, it's a cliffhanger for a sequel or an expansion. Dragon Age 2 is not a bad game. But I care about story and when the beginning is so well done you find yourself faced with a piece of crap at the end. I can't really recommend this game to hardcore RPG or Bioware fans. If you like Action-RPG's I'd say give this a rent or buy it when it's cheap.… Expand
  40. xXImSoBalzyXx
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    Before you read any further, take note that the views expressed here are mine and mine alone. Dragon Age 2, despite the fact that many critics and fans believe that it is a sad excuse for a sequel to such a great game, is a more than exceptional game in it's own right. Let me first say that Dragon Age: Origins, is better than Dragon Age 2, this does not mean that Dragon Age 2 is bad, notBefore you read any further, take note that the views expressed here are mine and mine alone. Dragon Age 2, despite the fact that many critics and fans believe that it is a sad excuse for a sequel to such a great game, is a more than exceptional game in it's own right. Let me first say that Dragon Age: Origins, is better than Dragon Age 2, this does not mean that Dragon Age 2 is bad, not by a long shot. DA:O, had a more gripping story and more in depth combat than DA2. DA2, on the other hand, had more fluent combat, better graphics, though that doesn't make the game, and more interesting characters. DA:O's story was gripping from the very first hour to the end credits, the story just made you want to continue to gather your forces together to destroy the Archedemon. DA2 on the other hand was both exciting and dull throughout the story, of course most games become dull at one point or the other. Some side quests just seem as though there was no point in them to be there, as though they are just filler material. What is a good thing is that some quests that you do in Act 1 continue into Acts 2 and 3, where they affect the world around you. To add to all of this in DA:O you could be a different race AND pick your class, while in DA2 you could only be a human. Graphics in DA2 don't look as gritty and blurry as they did in DA:O. Instead, they look more slick and sharp. Just remember that the graphics aren't everything in a game, and that having amazing graphics is not as important as core gameplay, though it is still important nonetheless. In DA:O, the combat system, even though it was on a console, seemed much more in depth than DA2. While playing DA:O, I often paused the game and issued commands to my party, while in DA2 I rarely, if ever, issued tactical commands. DA2 is more of a hack n' slash game, with tactical elements blended in. So, DA:O is more tactical, while DA2 is more fast paced. The characters in DA2 seemed much more humorous, and it seemed like they had their own personalities. In DA:O some characters had personalities, while others showed little emotion. What makes the characters, are the voice actors, and the voice actors are quite good in DA2, though there are some instances where it is questionable. Dragon Age 2, is a well thought out sequel, though it could have used some polishing. You don't have to play Dragon Age: Origins to understand it, so its a good place to start, if you wish.… Expand
  41. oldmanyounger
    Apr 14, 2011
    5
    Short review: Game is ok, not as good as the first one. Too many recycled environments, uninspired missions and combat. Best part of the game are still the companions and their conversations.
  42. RicochetPhoenix
    Jan 21, 2013
    8
    The immense negative feedback to this game is completely ludicrous. The best argument is that it's not like Dragon Age: Origins, and that is completely unfair. The fact is that DA:O did a few things better than DA2 does, and that DA2 does a few things better than DA:O did. The combat isn't better or worse, it's just a different style. DA:O may have had a more epic tale, but DA2's focus onThe immense negative feedback to this game is completely ludicrous. The best argument is that it's not like Dragon Age: Origins, and that is completely unfair. The fact is that DA:O did a few things better than DA2 does, and that DA2 does a few things better than DA:O did. The combat isn't better or worse, it's just a different style. DA:O may have had a more epic tale, but DA2's focus on one man's family and struggle is of a different tone. The characters are still brilliant, and the dialogue is still entertaining. The more defined art style choices help improve DA2. The boss battles are epic, and the DLC is high quality with variety of missions including brawls, hunts, stealth, etc. The best thing to come out of DA2 is that if Bioware takes the best bits of DA2 and blends them with what people loved about DA:O, then Dragon Age 3 will be a truly fantastic classic of a game. Don't listen to the negative reviews, as they all seem based in hatred of change. DA2 is not a step backward nor is it a step forward....it's a step sideways that allows the Dragon Age franchise to fine tune it's personality, style, atmosphere, world, and gameplay.… Expand
  43. BucketHead
    May 27, 2011
    2
    This game is incomplete. Just read all the other reviews here. Who are you going to believe? The short 1-sentenced reviews with 10s or the majority with descriptive flaws? You're only deceiving yourself if you say this is a good game after playing it. This would have been an alright game, but I give this game barely any score simply because this is BioWare. Their previous game Mass EffectThis game is incomplete. Just read all the other reviews here. Who are you going to believe? The short 1-sentenced reviews with 10s or the majority with descriptive flaws? You're only deceiving yourself if you say this is a good game after playing it. This would have been an alright game, but I give this game barely any score simply because this is BioWare. Their previous game Mass Effect 2 had to be one of the most polished and immersive games that I've ever played. I give it a perfect 10 because no game has ever done what Mass Effect 2 did for this industry. This on the other hand... Are you kidding me?! The biggest thing that sticks out here: There is no story! What? This is a BioWare game, where is the story, the lore, the environments. Worst setting I have ever seen in a game. This is no exaggeration, there is little to no detail in the environments other than brownish colors with rocks. Nothing pleasing to look at. It may have been acceptable in last-generation gaming for lesser-known developers, but this is absolutely preposterous for BioWare! Did you really do this BioWare?! I trusted playing every one of your games, until now. Mass Effect 3 will undoubtedly be outstanding, simply because the BioWare team isn't lost, the best workers they have are just working on the projects that matter: Mass Effect 3 and TOR. I still expect those games to be outstanding, but I'm through with the BioWare team that made DA2. From now on, I will pay attention to which BioWare team makes which games.… Expand
  44. BlackVulcan
    May 28, 2011
    3
    Very bad game following DAO. The combat is too flashy without any substance, animations are overexaggerated and trash mobs are everywhere making you wonder "Just how many people do live in Kirkwall? I must've slain a thousand by now" . The level design is bland, dull and poorly done, with Bioware reusing the same dungeons at least 5 times(I did every sidequest hoping it would affect theVery bad game following DAO. The combat is too flashy without any substance, animations are overexaggerated and trash mobs are everywhere making you wonder "Just how many people do live in Kirkwall? I must've slain a thousand by now" . The level design is bland, dull and poorly done, with Bioware reusing the same dungeons at least 5 times(I did every sidequest hoping it would affect the main story.. big disappointment there as well). And I'm a real die-hard perfectionist/completionist in games and honestly... this game left a severely bad taste in my mouth. The story was meh really, no sense of scale and though some scenes were well done, the hundreds of enemies exploding from handblade strikes ruined the moment. Slash enemies with a dagger, they explode. Bash em with a large sword, they explode. Shoot em with an arrow, they explode. Blow em up with a fireball and guess what happens? These fights in between story missions are just NOT fun(nor are the enemies materializing out of the void) and the isometric camera is sorely missed, or the slightly free roam one to effectively survey the battlefield. It was watered down completely to the point it lost everything that DAO shined for and replaced with generic rpg drivel. It was the biggest disappointment of the year and I am definitely NOT getting DA3 anymore... ME3 is still a might since ME2 wasn't butchered THAT much, and at least there... combat wasn't this garbage.… Expand
  45. SpunkyMonkey
    Sep 6, 2011
    0
    Total dross. Combat is the games main selling point, but it's soooooooo dull and uninteresting, button mashing not unlike Track and Field with very little else - It's just too fast and too sloppy to care about and too in between the action and strategy genres to work well as either. The game as a whole is and a horrid hybrid beteen a Dungeon Crawler and an interactive movie-game whichTotal dross. Combat is the games main selling point, but it's soooooooo dull and uninteresting, button mashing not unlike Track and Field with very little else - It's just too fast and too sloppy to care about and too in between the action and strategy genres to work well as either. The game as a whole is and a horrid hybrid beteen a Dungeon Crawler and an interactive movie-game which you'd find on the Mega CD - There's very little actual roleplaying involved like there was in Origins. As a stand alone game DA2 is very repetative, very dull and dire, but as a sequal it contains none of the elements which were enjoyable in the original. The dialogue tree is missed big time with the conversation choices reduced to a basic "Good/funny/evil" choice, none of which feel well placed or make much difference to proceedings. The final straw is replaying areas which you've already run through several times - how each gang and bad guy hangs out in the same ally is a joke. A perfect example of how this game falls short was with a 1-on-1 battle with what would be deemed as one of the games main antagonists - it literally had me laffing out loud at how bad, boring and comicly the fight unfolded. It was kind of like when I first saw Scream expecting a horror movie, but getting more of a comedy.

    After forcing myself to complete it I put the original on and in 2 minutes it became even more clear how bad DA2 was compare to the quality, if not slightly flawed, Origins. Play Originas through as a different race/class, youtube all the plot vids for DA 2 and avoid purchasing DA2 like the plague!!    … Expand
  46. wildnight
    Mar 12, 2011
    10
    I have been a Bioware fan since the good old days. This game is a severe disappointment. I don't think I will be investing much more time beyond the ten hours I have played so far. It is NOT an RPG. It is an action-arcade game with role-playing decorations.

    Graphics and Gameplay. The backgrounds. which as other reviewers have pointed out are recycled over and over again, are static: they    I have been a Bioware fan since the good old days. This game is a severe disappointment. I don't think I will be investing much more time beyond the ten hours I have played so far. It is NOT an RPG. It is an action-arcade game with role-playing decorations.

    Graphics and Gameplay. The backgrounds. which as other reviewers have pointed out are recycled over and over again, are static: they don't move or change. It seems like your characters are moving against a painted landscape. The game is bedeviled with interminable load times between sequences. The voice acting is credible, but bugs in the synch often cause the speech to be delayed until after a character's mouth stops moving. It is much worse than a bad japanese lip-synch job.

    The World. There is no open world to explore. Worse yet, it *feels* small. Whenever you leave a small area, you get a menu of other locations to visit. There is no sense of travel or exploration. You just instantly move from place to place. Within any particular location, there is really just one pathway to travel. You really don't have to *find* anything. So, there are no secret locations to discover for yourself. The world itself seems like a set piece and not a living environment. For the most part, the NPCs do not move around. They just stand, sit, or lie in their places. And while the cutscenes are for the most part interesting, there are way too many of them. After a couple hours, you begin to dread passing by a new NPC (who wasn't there the last time you were in the same place), because another long cutscene is sure to interrupt what action there is. This makes it difficult to get any sense of momentum going.

    Combat. Combat is *terrible*. While there are lots of interesting graphical effects, there is no need for strategy or figuring out what spells or abilities to use. I'm not kidding about this. What usually happens is that a bunch of monsters appear (as if from nowhere) when you cross a certain point in your path. Then, you just mash the "A" button as fast as you can. You character more or less auto-targets, and when one monster falls, keep mashing "A" and your character moves automatically to attack the next monster. As to abilities, you just watch the timers and mash "X" "Y" or "Z" whenever a particular ability is ready again. Combat is fast paced, TOO fast paced. Really, the combat reminds me of Diablo more than a Bioware RPG. Questing. There are plenty of quests. The problem is, they don't seem to make much sense. The quest log fills up as you experience the endless cutscenes. Sometimes all it takes is for some NPC to mention a place, and a quest related to that place will appear in your quest log the next time you open it. You don't have to agree to take the quest, or even realize that a quest was in the offing. Whenever I opened the log I would be surprised to see a bunch more quests and have no recollection of who assigned them. Fortunately, you don't even have to think about the quests because huge arrows point you to exactly where to go. There is no sense of mystery or discovery, merely working off a long to-do list that somebody else wrote up for you.

    The Story. Yawn. Dragon Age: Origins began with a bang: your entire civilization was teetering on the brink of destruction and being overrun with hellish monsters. The story just picked up from there. On the other hand, in Dragon Age 2, the story starts off with you fleeing (cowardly, no?) across the ocean to a new city where you are penniless and friendless. You then start from the bottom and work your way up. It takes too long for the story to get interesting. And what story there is in the first dozen hours of play is uninteresting, overly complicated and confusing. Why do we care about these characters? Why do we even care about the main character? These questions are unanswered for far too long.

    Summary. Ugh. I was totally taken by this game, which I preordered as soon as it was available on Amazon. I wish I had two days and $60 back. I think it is not coincidental that as of this writing the major review sites have not published their reviews yet. My guess is they are holding the negative reviews to give Bioware a chance to sell the game for a few days before the bad reviews appear. At the very least, you should save your money until a consensus appears. I'm betting that this game is going to be listed as one of the (if not *the*) biggest disappointments of 2011.    … Expand
  47. Jaelit
    Mar 11, 2011
    9
    An excellent role-playing game, and a logical and direct evolution of the previous game, more action-focused and more polished, although its action focus won't please everyone.
    (c)
  48. HonestJoe
    Nov 11, 2011
    2
    This game should have been brilliant. It was created by a developer that has the story driven RPG down to an art.
    The problem is that EA rushed the game out before it was ready and what we got was an unfinished mess.
    Repetitive scenery, repetitive combat, repetitive gameplay. Any redeeming features the game might have are overshadowed by the knowledge that this could have been a great game    This game should have been brilliant. It was created by a developer that has the story driven RPG down to an art.
    The problem is that EA rushed the game out before it was ready and what we got was an unfinished mess.
    Repetitive scenery, repetitive combat, repetitive gameplay. Any redeeming features the game might have are overshadowed by the knowledge that this could have been a great game if only it was given the time and attention it deserved.

    I HATE YOU EA!!!!!!    … Expand
  49. 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
  50. maik_kel
    Mar 12, 2011
    7
    OK, I'm not through yet but there are several points i just dont like at all, compared to the first one (PC, what else?). First, the camera controls in combat. No more Birds eye view on the PC? What? Even early in the game the fights take quite some room, I loose overview all the time.
    Second, the fact that i can't put armor on my Party members... What? I know they tried to go more in the    OK, I'm not through yet but there are several points i just dont like at all, compared to the first one (PC, what else?). First, the camera controls in combat. No more Birds eye view on the PC? What? Even early in the game the fights take quite some room, I loose overview all the time.
    Second, the fact that i can't put armor on my Party members... What? I know they tried to go more in the direction of Mass Effect (which I LOVE!), but this isn't an RPG anymore, it's become an Action-RPG without ANY Micro-Management (it even Tells you what weapon is best for which Party member). I just don't have to think for myself any more. (I'm gonna play some dwarf fortress tonight to keep my brain oiled...)
    Third, Friendly Fire only on Nightmare? Whaaat? This Feature adds so much to the strategic depth and "realism". But I'll never play in Nightmare, since I don't want to try every fight a 100 times... It worked in the first game, why change this?
    All in all it seems like a very much dumbed down version of the first game (of course they want to reach a broader audience, but isnt that what Mass Effect is for???) You know there are not only kids playing this game. And for an RPG-Fan who LOVED the first one, this is quite a disapointment.
    I really like the Story, Graphics, Characters, Settings and so on. Quite a good rating since its still a lot of fun. but the first one got a 10, hands down!
    And if there wasnt the first game, i'd probably like it more. I just have to ignore the fact that this ist the successor to Dragon Age: Origins...    … Expand
  51. 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
  52. 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
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. unsaid
    Mar 24, 2011
    8
    Another engrossing game from Bioware. Combat was intense and still had the complexity of previous dragon age titles, even if there were slightly less spell combinations. Story was very engaging and had plenty of decent plot twists. Only two faults were that I spent most of the game feeling that I was greedy psychopath massacring the poor citizens of Kirkwall for my own personal gain, andAnother engrossing game from Bioware. Combat was intense and still had the complexity of previous dragon age titles, even if there were slightly less spell combinations. Story was very engaging and had plenty of decent plot twists. Only two faults were that I spent most of the game feeling that I was greedy psychopath massacring the poor citizens of Kirkwall for my own personal gain, and the limited number of enivroments that the game is set in,… Expand
  56. Freeid
    Mar 24, 2011
    7
    I feel if they had marketed this game as something other than Dragon age 2 ( Perhaps a dragon age Tale) the reviews would have been better. People who loved the first one expected it to play like the first one and were justly disappointed.
  57. roguish98
    Mar 27, 2011
    9
    Pros:
    -Likeable cast with emphasized individuality
    -improved performance -improved character design -greater depth to the combat tactics menu -Interactions with party members feel more personal -combat works better on console -improved spell effects -cross-class combos Cons -repetitive environments -lack of a tactical view during combat -main story lacked cohesion Score    Pros:
    -Likeable cast with emphasized individuality
    -improved performance
    -improved character design
    -greater depth to the combat tactics menu
    -Interactions with party members feel more personal
    -combat works better on console
    -improved spell effects
    -cross-class combos

    Cons
    -repetitive environments
    -lack of a tactical view during combat
    -main story lacked cohesion

    Score representing my overall enjoyment of the game: 9/10

    Thank you,
    Roguish98    … Expand
  58. ClockworkHorror
    Apr 5, 2011
    10
    Dragon Age 2 is fantastic. The 'Story within a Story' perspective is outstanding, and I love the fact that the gameplay has a stream-lined, action oriented feel to it. The story itself and the dialogue that goes with it are fun and engaging, and really play on the fact that the story is being told by someone else. I really enjoyed DAO, and I think DA2 is a great experience in a worldDragon Age 2 is fantastic. The 'Story within a Story' perspective is outstanding, and I love the fact that the gameplay has a stream-lined, action oriented feel to it. The story itself and the dialogue that goes with it are fun and engaging, and really play on the fact that the story is being told by someone else. I really enjoyed DAO, and I think DA2 is a great experience in a world crafted by one of the gaming industry's most dedicated and inventive developers. Bioware are outstanding.
    The bottom line is: This game is fun. Do yourself a favour and play it.:)    … Expand
  59. Soujirop
    Apr 16, 2017
    9
    Don't listen to haters, this game is brilliant. However, be warned that DA2 it's not like DAO, in any sense (well, just in the name maybe). This is a completely different game, with different mechanics and a diferent protagonist. To me, much much better than the first game regarding gameplay and narrative (the way the story is conveyed), even though the plot is still 1 level under the original.
  60. Khaltep
    Mar 11, 2011
    9
    I've been playing Bioware games for almost as long as I've been playing games period, and I enjoyed this game a great deal. The skill trees are a substantial improvement over those of DA:O, and the story, while very different from the more clearly defined story of DA:O, was interesting, especially with the way companions can impact it. The removal of the DA:O crafting system wasI've been playing Bioware games for almost as long as I've been playing games period, and I enjoyed this game a great deal. The skill trees are a substantial improvement over those of DA:O, and the story, while very different from the more clearly defined story of DA:O, was interesting, especially with the way companions can impact it. The removal of the DA:O crafting system was disappointing, especially because crafting in this less constrained skill tree could have been very interesting, and the telegraphing of dialogue options was annoying, but overall, the core of the game was well done. While I understand that people have different opinions regarding games, I do feel that some of these complaints come from playing on too low of a difficulty setting. While I would agree with those who say that the game's default setting should be a solid way to experience it, I found myself using essentially the same tactics, that I used in DA:O on nightmare. Additionally, I think people may be idealizing their memory of DA:O fights - there seems to be some criticism of the monotony of DA2 fights, but there are at least as many complex and challenging fights in DA2, and the most interesting fights in DA2 are easily as good as the best of DA:O.… Expand
  61. tomhardcore
    Mar 14, 2011
    10
    Dragon Age 2 has its ups and downs. Has better gameplay then Origins, better character customization imo, and the game actually runs better then Origins and only crashed once through the whole game unlike Origins with at least a dozen crashes. This game also has cons, the story is a downgrade, nowhere near as epic as Origins was until the end of the game, lack of darkspawn is a let downDragon Age 2 has its ups and downs. Has better gameplay then Origins, better character customization imo, and the game actually runs better then Origins and only crashed once through the whole game unlike Origins with at least a dozen crashes. This game also has cons, the story is a downgrade, nowhere near as epic as Origins was until the end of the game, lack of darkspawn is a let down even though it takes place after the blight, and other things. Overall its a fun game, don't play it expecting it to be Origins.… Expand
  62. 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
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. 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.
  66. JamieP
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    The best thing to remember when reading a review of dragon age 2 is that the majority of professional reviewers will never make it even half way through a game before having to write their review. My review however is compiled by some one who has not only finished the game but played through parts of it multiple ways. While Dragon Age 2 isn't necessarily a bad game it is hard to compareThe best thing to remember when reading a review of dragon age 2 is that the majority of professional reviewers will never make it even half way through a game before having to write their review. My review however is compiled by some one who has not only finished the game but played through parts of it multiple ways. While Dragon Age 2 isn't necessarily a bad game it is hard to compare it to its predecessor because EA imposed time restrictions which I am hoping are the reasons for DA2' flaws. -What I enjoyed...

    Like most Bioware games you will find the story over all to be vary diverse interesting at times, you will find yourself wanting to adventure into some of side quests just to see what happens to some of the generic characters and for the most part you will be rewarded (even if at points it seems like Bioware probably didn't intend for it to happen, "The remains of sister Plinth" quest comes to mind). One thing that DA2 shares with its predecessor are the quirky character interactions, listening to your party talk between battles will often get a laugh out of you (Varric and Fenris conversations are made of win), I truly feel bad for any one who misses out on "The Black Emporium" Dlc that is bundled with the game as the interactions your hound has with the party members (and furniture in your house) are priceless and just add to the sense that these people aren't just set pieces but maybe if you closed out the world around you they could be considered life like. -What I didn't like...

    The game is very linear in just about every area, without spending too much time on this it is worth noting that not only does the game not have nearly the scope of DA1, this is probably due to EA imposing massive time restraints on Bioware in order to get Dragon Age 2 to ride on the momentum of the first game (google "Inon Zur dragon age 2 rush job" for more information). One of the biggest disappointments for me however was not the story but visually, the entire game just gives off this feeling of being slapped together. From having to download HD texture packs, to game assets constantly being reused (IE dwarven themed maps being used for general dungeons and the city looking like it was put together with a "tile" based map maker), to the developers being to slack to put certain assets in game (Example: "Oh thank you" says Aveline as you pass her an invisible shield), it is worth noting that at the end of the day I couldn't even turn the game up to higher settings because the game couldn't understand that my computer is ridiculously better than its recommended requirements, which in turn resulted in me playing the game through in DX9 mode on a Windows7 computer. While I said that I enjoyed the character conversation I am going to have to point out that when it comes to actual combat you will grow very tired of your team mates never ending grunts and routinely repeated comments (Yeah Varric we knew it was suicide to fight us the tenth time you said it). When playing you will get the feeling that there probably was not much effort put into beta testing as you will find yourself getting caught on random set pieces, to your character trying to attack enemies that are just not withing reasonable reach (If a character is on a ledge above or on stairs next to you your character will try to attack through the wall, but more often than not hit nothing but fresh air). -The quick and easy?

    Dragon Age 2 isn't necessarily a bad game, it is just hard to compare it to Dragon Age: Origins as it just doesn't show the same level of content or quality. However I think if you played DA2 first you could almost forgive it for its flaws as it is essentially a B grade hack and slash more than RPG with some really good character interaction that is really rare in this genre.    … Expand
  67. wockerdaw
    Mar 14, 2011
    9
    They have overly streamlined some aspects of the game, such as their being less room for companion customization, and tactics lists, but so far, the game has been phenomenal in other aspects. The storytelling, while not on the scale of DAO is very well done, the companions are an interesting bunch, and the combat is faster paced, but still seeming a bit familiar to the first. There haveThey have overly streamlined some aspects of the game, such as their being less room for companion customization, and tactics lists, but so far, the game has been phenomenal in other aspects. The storytelling, while not on the scale of DAO is very well done, the companions are an interesting bunch, and the combat is faster paced, but still seeming a bit familiar to the first. There have been loads of spam reviews, most of which spawn from players who have not even played this game, mostly due to the games bad marketing. But hear me out. The game may not be the improvement over DAO that some hoped for. It excels in some areas and falters in a few others. But it is still Bioware, and so this game is still something special.… Expand
  68. 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!
  69. Hawgh
    Mar 12, 2011
    9
    First review, excuse the rambling nature:

    Very enjoyable game. Gameplay more fluid than predecessor. Graphics better. Graphical style much less generic. Story comparable, if not better. Storytelling of the highest caliber. Characterisation and NPCs top notch. Sadly, character customisation options reduced compared to predecessor, and Bioware games in general. However, player actions seem    First review, excuse the rambling nature:

    Very enjoyable game. Gameplay more fluid than predecessor. Graphics better. Graphical style much less generic. Story comparable, if not better. Storytelling of the highest caliber. Characterisation and NPCs top notch. Sadly, character customisation options reduced compared to predecessor, and Bioware games in general. However, player actions seem to be create a greater response in the world, and makes for a more involved experience. Good game length; I finished my first playthrough in 32 hours, and there are things that I missed. Cannot make qualified review of replayability, but I can see myself doing at least two more playthroughs. Excellent pacing of story. Main complaint is the rather lacklustre content of the game's journal/quest log. Great RPG, I recommend buying it. But if ambivalent, wait until price drop and DLC-packages appear.    … Expand
  70. Noctem_Aeternam
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    One thing most every negative review has in common? They all either mention this game being a poor Bioware game, or a poor sequel compared to the original. This game is not Dragon Age: Origins in case the title fooled you. I can see how II and Origins look so much alike. There also seems to be confusion about the critics score being so much higher than the gamers, and that is in factOne thing most every negative review has in common? They all either mention this game being a poor Bioware game, or a poor sequel compared to the original. This game is not Dragon Age: Origins in case the title fooled you. I can see how II and Origins look so much alike. There also seems to be confusion about the critics score being so much higher than the gamers, and that is in fact simple to explain. Looking at the game not as a sequel or Bioware game as everyone seems to be doing, but on its own you can see this game is, minus a few issues that could have been cleaned up, quite brilliant. The maps tend to be overused quite a bit, to the point that it is nigh impossible not to notice, but given a choice between this, and five sidequests with original and beautiful maps, I choose the abundance this game offers. I beat the game at just over thirty hours which is a modest amount of time for a game of this type, and while the main plot seemed a bit arbitrary, it does in the end set up a DA III quite nicely. The game is slow to start, with the first third being an arbitrary task to collect a sum of gold, but after this the game really starts to pick up ending with a bang. The combat is much faster than DA:O and for some that is a problem, but for me it was a relief. I enjoy DnD style gameplay as much as the next guy but nobody can argue combat in such a system is slow to progress. On Normal the game comes down to an enjoyable hack and slash experience with some RPG elements thrown in for good measure, but crank up the difficulty and you'll find strategy is a necessity. On Nightmare this game requires every bit of strategy as the original, with a much cleaner interface through which to deliver it. Crafting has been simplified greatly as well, no longer requiring you to have the ingredients on hand. Instead, the hero simply must find the ingredients in the wild once, and they are forever available to you. Conversation has been changed as well, not only giving the hero a voice, but giving you dialogue options akin to Mass Effect, with a series of general points to choose from and the hero actually saying something similar, but not identical, to what you chose. To help determine what the hero will say are icons on the wheel telling the player the type of response it will be, whether thats polite, witty, hostile, or one of the dozen or so other types of responses. In the end, I feel this game deserves an 8 on it's own merit. Whether you like it or not will depend entirely on what you did or did not like about DA:O. Hated the combat? You'd love this game! Loved the DnD aspects of Origins? Not so much...… Expand
  71. Poisonthemonkey
    Mar 14, 2011
    9
    I think all the insanely low scores are just that--a little bit crazy. There's some room for difference in tastes, but DA2 was far better than DAO, hands down. There was a great deal of room for choices and roleplay which aren't usually seen in "roleplaying" games, the combat was stellar, the story even more so.
  72. 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
  73. arsusen22
    Mar 25, 2011
    10
    Yes, the maps can get repetitive and boring. Yes, it is disappointing that you are only basically one location throughout the entirety of the game. And yes the second and third acts feel rushed and all too brief in comparison with other Bioware games. However, the gameplay is undeniably better than Origins and the skill tree system of character evolution is a step up from the linear oneYes, the maps can get repetitive and boring. Yes, it is disappointing that you are only basically one location throughout the entirety of the game. And yes the second and third acts feel rushed and all too brief in comparison with other Bioware games. However, the gameplay is undeniably better than Origins and the skill tree system of character evolution is a step up from the linear one seen in Origins. DA2 is a great rags to riches story with its share of triumph and tragedy moments. Most of the characters throughout the game are unique and memorable, and there are a few laugh out loud moments with their dialogue (see Varric and Isabella). I believe DA2 is meant to be a stepping stone for the franchise, sort of another prelude. Much in the way Origins set up the world of the Dragon Age Franchise, DA2 set up the story of the Dragon Age Franchise.… Expand
  74. sparrow667
    Mar 14, 2011
    9
    DA2 took me 36 hours of gameplay (skipped 10+ quests). Good:
    Bioware games are always about the story - and it is the best story written by David Gaider so far. Connections between DAO/DAA and DA2 are far more complex than in Mass Effect 2. Crafting system was nicely improved. Combat changes may seen controversial, but itâ
  75. 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
  76. 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
  77. 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
  78. 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
  79. 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
  80. 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
  81. 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
  82. 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
  83. 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
  84. Daemon75
    Mar 25, 2011
    7
    First off, loved DA: Origins and admit to being initially disappointed in this sequel. However, as others have already said, taken on it's own merits it is actually a good game. It's only in comparison to the original that it suffers. There are a couple of things which I feel are very poor, such as the re-use of areas with parts blocked off, and the carry object to person quests which hadFirst off, loved DA: Origins and admit to being initially disappointed in this sequel. However, as others have already said, taken on it's own merits it is actually a good game. It's only in comparison to the original that it suffers. There are a couple of things which I feel are very poor, such as the re-use of areas with parts blocked off, and the carry object to person quests which had no real sense to them without being related to a conversation.
    I believe part of the perceived lack of depth could also be because we aren't newly discovering this world as in DA:O (despite taking it's inspiration from Tolkien it did have either unique or interesting twists), and so we are familiar with many things that this storyline requires (mages and their predisposition to a case of the abominations, darkspawn and the blight, the chantry/templar/mage relationship etc although the last one was fleshed out a bit more).
    There were some excellent and disturbing plot points, the companions were good (though no-one as memorable as Shale, Morrigan or Leliana - with the possible exception of Varric), the combat was good though not great (and exploding bodies was a bit daft).
    For this to be a much better game only a few things would have needed to be added
    1.) More companion content, including more conversations between companions, and personally I would prefer the ability to kit out their armour
    2.) More areas to explore, and definitely more distinct art and design
    3.) A bigger game, possibly more and longer sidequests that would increase replayability.

    I really have to disagree with all of the zero ratings, most of these state that they are in response to some of the overly hyped critic reviews but it gives an unfair picture of what is a good but flawed game.    … Expand
  85. solitas777
    Mar 31, 2011
    7
    On it's own Dragon Age 2 is a good game, not a great game or an epic game mind you, but a good game. Good: The combat system is streamlined and simplified (a blessing for console players but a curse for PC gamers). Good/Excellent/Serviceable- voice acting. The visual style is excellent, with excellent facial expressions and interesting and varied character designs (from the buxom isabella,On it's own Dragon Age 2 is a good game, not a great game or an epic game mind you, but a good game. Good: The combat system is streamlined and simplified (a blessing for console players but a curse for PC gamers). Good/Excellent/Serviceable- voice acting. The visual style is excellent, with excellent facial expressions and interesting and varied character designs (from the buxom isabella, small thin flat chested elves, tall horned qunari, short stout dwarves). The quest locator system is awesome, just awesome. I also appreciated the fast travel abilities. The load times after I installed it on my HD was quick, i loved it. Visually it's not a bad looking game. The interface is much easier to navigate. Bad- A roleplaying game lives and dies by its story and its level designs. This is where DA2 dies a hard death. The pacing of the story is a disjointed mess. There is no flow. The epic storyline is absent here, A story, should have an arc, a climax, and a conclusion but the climax is so abrupt and conclusion so unsatisfying that it takes away what should be dramatic moments of the game. The level design is actually good, so what detracts from it then? It is reused to such a degree that you will begin to dread having to slog through the same cityscapes, soulless buildings types, dungeons, and outdoor environments. This kills the replay value for me. I swear by the end of the game I had the perverse wish that I could cast mega apocalypse just so I would never have to suffer through one more stupid repetitive level.

    This game is a good game, but usually I associate bioware games with the height of excellent. This game I associate with the height of mediocrity. By all means...buy the game....when the price drops and its a remastered edition with DLC bundled in it but don't buy brand new. Not worth it.    … Expand
  86. Phoenixblight
    May 7, 2011
    9
    I have very much enjoyed this even more so than I had with the original. FOr me personally Hours =/= Quality There were a lot of parts of the original where I felt were not necessary such as 2-4 hours in the Deep Roads and Fade. But this is not a review for that game but the sequel which I felt it did a lot of things right like I stated earlier. What It did right for me wasI have very much enjoyed this even more so than I had with the original. FOr me personally Hours =/= Quality There were a lot of parts of the original where I felt were not necessary such as 2-4 hours in the Deep Roads and Fade. But this is not a review for that game but the sequel which I felt it did a lot of things right like I stated earlier. What It did right for me was the Voiced Protagonist which is a huge bonus for the game because in the original your character was a catatonic shell which is fine for games like Bathesda or Portal but the game which the camera pans to your character when it isn't needed there was no emotion in your character. Also they added the tone of your character so not only do you get to have a voiced character but you can pick a tone for your character like sarcasm or diplomatic. I can't wait to see if they do this in Mass Effect 3.
    The talent system was overhauled which is a huge benefit because you can actually pick and choose what you wanted to do unlike Origins. I gave it a 9 because there are/were some bugs that made a few of the side quests broken(Which have been patched now) Bioware had also reused most of their maps and then they didn't even hide it you can tell in the minimap its the same area and if a area blocks you off you can clearly see there is another part on the map. Overall I thought it was a fantastic game and doesn't deserve the bombardment of **** users giving it a low rating because its the flavor of the week for them.    … Expand
  87. Aldrich
    Feb 13, 2012
    9
    Now that I've played it, I can see why players pan it. I will agree that there are somethings that I hated about it (such as the lack of changing equipment for other playable characters, and a small world) but the gameplay is very addicting, there is also something to do with 100s of side quest, and the cast of character.
    Making it the best $50 I've ever spent.
  88. 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
  89. moon625
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Put shortly, an abomination. Completely disregarding any input from the player or its predecessor, this game is, again put shortly, a solipsistic mess. This is an un-game. Its greatest positive influence is that it makes other games better in comparison. Not seem better, but actually making them better games by its mere existence.
  90. OnAnarchy
    Mar 19, 2012
    8
    I played this game a lot. Probably too much, come to think of it. There are many unfair criticisms being lobbed at this game, but as in everything, all the unfair accusations have a root in fair complaints and problems, which Dragon Age II has in abundance. The game is much more linear than it's predecessor, which did alienate a lot of the original fan base. But I find more often thanI played this game a lot. Probably too much, come to think of it. There are many unfair criticisms being lobbed at this game, but as in everything, all the unfair accusations have a root in fair complaints and problems, which Dragon Age II has in abundance. The game is much more linear than it's predecessor, which did alienate a lot of the original fan base. But I find more often than not that RPG gamers are among the worst for their rabid attachment to the past. Games evolve, and that's the way it is. I treat this as an evolution of the first game, and I do believe there were several missteps. Maps were reused, only one environment for the whole game, limited DLC, etc. These things all bugged me, but I took something else away from this game. A promise, for a war akin to the battle against the Reapers in Mass Effect, only this time on an ethnoreligious basis. Only time will tell if Bioware can deliver their promises; and they've done good so far.… Expand
  91. yowave
    Jan 4, 2013
    4
    Dragon Age 2 is a bad game.

    The Bad: The game is short almost feel rushed, the story is lacking beyond believe, characters are not memorable, encounter areas get recycled throughout the game, your followers can't equip armor, the soundtrack is bad, enemies appear out of nowhere. The Good: Mediocre combat mechanics. It's almost as if they didn't really gave their all to create    Dragon Age 2 is a bad game.

    The Bad:
    The game is short almost feel rushed, the story is lacking beyond believe, characters are not memorable, encounter areas get recycled throughout the game, your followers can't equip armor, the soundtrack is bad, enemies appear out of nowhere.

    The Good:
    Mediocre combat mechanics.

    It's almost as if they didn't really gave their all to create this game, and i think the one to blame should be EA, the publisher who probably rushed this game and didn't gave Bioware enough time to make yet another master piece.
    I bought this game on day one solely because it's "little" brother Dragon Age: Origins was such a great game, and i was disappointed.

    When comparing Dragon Age 2 to it's "little" brother Dragon Age: Origins, you start to wonder what went wrong. it takes some effort to ruin such a game, especially when the ground have been taken care of by their previous game.

    There were days that i swore loyalty to Bioware, those days are gone.    … Expand
  92. brips
    Aug 7, 2013
    0
    It's unfortunate that this game was such a supreme disappointment, especially since the first Dragon Age was hailed as the glorious revival of the old-school fantasy RPG genre. The visuals and character designs are all a giant step back, as they are somehow markedly worse than it's predecessor and everyone looks like they're fresh off the pages of an independent comic book from the 90s.It's unfortunate that this game was such a supreme disappointment, especially since the first Dragon Age was hailed as the glorious revival of the old-school fantasy RPG genre. The visuals and character designs are all a giant step back, as they are somehow markedly worse than it's predecessor and everyone looks like they're fresh off the pages of an independent comic book from the 90s. The combat feels more like a dumbed down Dynasty Warriors knockoff than anything that belongs in an RPG, and the strategic aspect has been left to the wayside as the solution to most encounters is to mash buttons against constantly respawning hordes.

    All of this would be forgivable, however, if the most important parts of any RPG were handled well: plot and characters. Unfortunately these aspects are once again nothing but a disappointment. The story is centered around one single, lifeless city that you aren't given a reason to care about and most, if not all characters seem like they were intended to only appeal to the one who created them. Nobody in your party is sympathetic or relatable in any way as they seem like gross caricatures who constantly act in extremes.

    I'm not sure who this game was made for. Fans of the first game will be put off because of the myriad changes that make the experience radically different in ways no one wanted. Fans of the RPG genre itself will be put off because game plays like an uninspired hack and slash title from a decade ago and the story is a jumbled mess that constantly trips over itself in attempts to be edgy and extreme. That, coupled with the fact that development was clearly handled by Bioware's B-team make the entire affair come across as a soulless cash grab.    … Expand
  93. siamoinballo
    Jan 19, 2014
    0
    Do not buy it. It's a s**t without any sense... It's not an RPG it's a poor arcade game unable to give you anything just leave it on the shop shelf. I don't understand: is there a connection between the creation of the origin platform and the sharp deterioration of the games produced by electronic arts? The witcher 2 it's thousand times better
  94. DAOuser
    Sep 24, 2013
    0
    Patético. Como juego es pésimo: la historia no es mala, pero está muy mal llevada, repetición de áreas ad infinitum (y más allá), detalles muy poco cuidados. Aburrido y repetitivo hasta la saciedad, con un combate simplificado a más no poder y un inventario de risa. Llamarlo rpg es insultar al género del rol. Ignoro cómo pudo alguien pensar que después de empezar una saga con algo tanPatético. Como juego es pésimo: la historia no es mala, pero está muy mal llevada, repetición de áreas ad infinitum (y más allá), detalles muy poco cuidados. Aburrido y repetitivo hasta la saciedad, con un combate simplificado a más no poder y un inventario de risa. Llamarlo rpg es insultar al género del rol. Ignoro cómo pudo alguien pensar que después de empezar una saga con algo tan bueno como DA:O y luego cambiar el formato hasta convertirlo en algo como ésto, iba a ser una buena idea.… Expand
  95. mikhailmaldonag
    Jul 7, 2014
    0
    I love DA: Origins and win the game in nightmare 10 times, with full Achievement.

    Este juego es por mucho uno de los peores RPG que me tocó jugar. Ni siquiera es un RPG, no tiene el menor sentido, usaron algunos elementos del Origins (que si es un buen juego) sin siquiera usar la atmósfera del primer juego. Nada de lo que uno espera. Agregar variantes y cambios en la mecánica puede    I love DA: Origins and win the game in nightmare 10 times, with full Achievement.

    Este juego es por mucho uno de los peores RPG que me tocó jugar. Ni siquiera es un RPG, no tiene el menor sentido, usaron algunos elementos del Origins (que si es un buen juego) sin siquiera usar la atmósfera del primer juego.

    Nada de lo que uno espera. Agregar variantes y cambios en la mecánica puede ser "Excelente" (Biohazard 3 - Biohazard 4) pero en este caso fue patético. El juego es extremadamente fácil en "Pesadilla", el 90% del tiempo tengo a mi equipo atrás, lejos de la pelea y a mi personaje pegando y curandose cuando necesita.

    La dificultad y la inteligencia artificial es patética. Hay 2 formas de jugar: pegar, pegar y pegar o pegar, pegar, usar habilidad, pegar, pegar. Si por algún misterioso motivo llegas a perder suficiente vida como para morir, solo tenes que correr en circulos, en solo 2 horas de juego ( las 2 más aburridas) tenes todo el dinero necesario para comprarte los primeros items, que sorprendentemente dado lo facil del juego, sirven hasta la mitad sin problemas.

    MALISIMO. Es tan malo que tuve que loguearme luego de años a metacritic a criticarlo y salvar a cualquier latino que llegue a tirar dinero en esta basura. :D    … Expand
  96. Kriss_A
    Jul 4, 2014
    0
    A terrible game overall. I could take the time to talk about all it's terrible flaws, but I don't think metacritic.com can afford enough bandwidth to support all that text.
    - terrible reused, low quality level design
    - atrocious agenda driven writing - shoehorned romances with 0 plot relevance + Nice combat animations - terrible character and item design - overly linear for a RPG -    A terrible game overall. I could take the time to talk about all it's terrible flaws, but I don't think metacritic.com can afford enough bandwidth to support all that text.
    - terrible reused, low quality level design
    - atrocious agenda driven writing
    - shoehorned romances with 0 plot relevance
    + Nice combat animations
    - terrible character and item design
    - overly linear for a RPG
    - childish sense of morality
    - terrible DLC policy    … Expand
  97. Winterspark
    Dec 28, 2014
    0
    Boring, repetitive, pointless. The point of this game seems to be trotting around with a bunch of dull characters pressing the same button, over and over and over and over and over... Meanwhile little numbers float out of peoples heads and then you die and rinse and repeat.
  98. Kristine
    Mar 11, 2011
    9
    This game is beautiful. I love the wit in the writing, the cut scenes are gorgeous and the music is so haunting. I don't understand the bad reviews! Why would people want to play the exact same game again? They evolved the combat and if people actually played the game on a decent level of difficulty, they would see that there is still a great level of strategy involved. I think theThis game is beautiful. I love the wit in the writing, the cut scenes are gorgeous and the music is so haunting. I don't understand the bad reviews! Why would people want to play the exact same game again? They evolved the combat and if people actually played the game on a decent level of difficulty, they would see that there is still a great level of strategy involved. I think the developers at BioWare had fun creating this game because it shows in the quality of the work. Thanks so much BioWare! Ignore the zeros and they make no sense and the people providing them probably didn't even unwrap their copy before posting.… Expand
  99. slymenstra
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    There's too many minor annoyances to mention - like why did they replace the item icons by generic ones so it's impossible to know what item you have geared up unless you mouse-over.

    Or how about the fact that you can now pick locks in plain sight of guards and everyone else right under their nose! Either my memory of DA:O is really terrible, but I think I recall that you couldn't just    There's too many minor annoyances to mention - like why did they replace the item icons by generic ones so it's impossible to know what item you have geared up unless you mouse-over.

    Or how about the fact that you can now pick locks in plain sight of guards and everyone else right under their nose! Either my memory of DA:O is really terrible, but I think I recall that you couldn't just pick locks in plain sight.

    Not to mention these treasure chests are in plain sight in the oddest locations - in DA:O they were in regular places, not in the middle of a busy market but in a back alley.

    The layout of the Kirkwall city sucks too - it's far too big with streets being incredibly wide despite almost no people being around. I much prefer DA:O's towns and cities which felt bustling and hectic and cramped - like they should be. Not to mention all the straight angles as if the maps were drawn using a pencil and a ruler.

    Ugh, I really really try to like this game but every 10 secs I get slapped in the face by yet another thing they did wrong. Like "the office of the visceral is off limits" yet I can freely open the door, walk in, and loot his treasure chest. This game is soooooo lazy, soooo wrong. It just FEELS wrong - the world doesn't add up. The characters don't behave right, the world doesn't respond the way it should, etc. People trust you for no reason, they want your help for no reason, etc. etc.    … Expand
  100. anthem11
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    Bioware punched up the action for this sequel. I was bummed that character creation wasn't as in depth as the original before I played the game, however, I don't even care about that anymore. Good times.
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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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