Worst game by Bioware!

Dumbed down RPG action for the massess with little resemblence from the original Dragon Age Origins. Forget about character customisation, in depth story and epic feel. This is a rushed out game best described as a half baked, half designed banana of a product. It's not even worth shelling out $5 in the bargin bin.

Maybe the greatest disappointment of the RPG history. Everything that makes Dragon Age: Origins is either watered down or removed. Dialogue system, skills&attributes, inventory, ui, camera, art style, graphics are terrible. Combat is boring, meaningless, mindless. The only good thing about this game is that it can use to understand which critics are honest and which critics are lapdogs of EA.

THE GOOD: Combat is more fluid and abilities make more sense than DA1. Scripting the characters works also better. Story is fine, characters are interesting. THE BAD: The game mainly plays in a city. It looks like it has different buildings, but in reality its just one house. Whenever you enter a mansion, its exactly the same from inside. Oh, a door is barred here, and you enter through the cellar, but its still the same house. There is one cave in the game. Well there are multiple caves, but from inside its THE SAME. You enter from a different direction, a rock slide blocks a path you could walk in "the other" cave. But its exactly the same map. There's that hill. Well there's multiple hills, but you get it. You're basically exploring the same area from a different entrance point, and some passages blocked off here and there. There's several Warehouses in the city as well. They're all the same. One word comes to mind: LAZY. Yeah, I felt kind of ripped off, cheated. Like the thought I wouldn't notice. Well I did. Another bad thing is that combat consists of waves of enemies popping out of nowhere. Suddenly they're there. You kill them and *pop* another group pops out of thin air and is beating your healer up. I really hated those two aspects. I really really hated the lazy repeated environment. This alone is the reason why I discontinue buying DA. This bores me immensely when "exploring" the world consits in entering the same places, pretending I'm somewhere else. If I want to pretend something, I won't buy a game for it. I'll just pretend.… Expand

Let me start by saying DA:O is my second favorite RPG of all time with Planescape Torment holding the top spot. Now I'll make this short. DA2 was the biggest disappointment in all my years of gaming. Bioware turned a deep, tactical, thought-provoking game into a contrived, mind-numbing clickfest. Who's retarded idea was it to make opponents essentially blow up? Nowhere did it mention that our players swords were laced with impact-triggered C4. Then there's all the pointless side quests that some 10 year old must have conceived. Click here on the map, fight group one, fight group two, retrieve item, repeat ad nauseam. Although I understand why there are gay characters in the game, the fact that there are so many is baffling to me. Not only is this unrealistic, it feels like Bioware is pushing some kind of agenda on the player. I really liked how it was handled in the earlier Mass Effects and DA:O. In DA2 you couldn't swing your sword without hitting a homosexual (unintended sexual innuendo). You'd think this game was made specifically for gay 12 year old gore junkies with ADHD. I will definitely not be buying DA3 until reviews from regular folk like myself and not the big gaming sites come out praising the game.… Expand

I personally love the new combat, but everything else was dull. Dragon Age Origins was a plot driven game and the story for DA2 felt very weak and dull. DAO also had vast varieties of places to explore but the island centric game felt too confiding. Character development for your companions are boring and you never really "care" for any of them.

For those of you wondering whether or not Dragon Age 2's combat is different from Dragon Age Origins, it is. In Dragon age origins, the combat took timing, it took skill, thought and effort. You had to plan out everything you wanted to do, and it was great. Because if you didn't, you had a high chance of failure. you actually had to think, you had to work, and you had to comply with real terms of combat. In Dragon Age 2, it's completely different. If you want to win nearly ANY battle, including against dragons, all you have to do is spam the attack button and you will. I cannot tell you how many times I attempted to make it harder on myself just to make it feel like a real game. I attempted to limit my attacks per second, I changed the difficulties to harder, even so, I still won every single battle with ease because of the X button. I have an Xbox remote, during a few fights I just took it downstairs while spamming the X button, made myself a sandwich, came back up, stopped in the bathroom a few times, and came back to see not only me still alive, but everyone else dead because I had killed them. It was that simple. There is no justice in combat for this. However, I give it a 3, simply because of the fact that the campaign and story line do make some sense, they just barely follow Origins, but even so, I highly recommend you put it back on the shelf and run. This teaches kids that when they're in real world situations, all they have to do is spam the button. That's how I got my first girlfriend, ironically, but that's beside the point. Please don't buy this.… Expand

For a game that really only had to improve on the fluidity of combat, they changed pretty much everything from the first game, for the worse I might add. Combat seems to be the only thing they got right, for the most part. ----- The story was linear not allowing for multiple outcomes to situations. Bringing a hero through tragedy is okay, but absolutely dropping the story after the downfall is not. The point of a hero is the journey back from disaster and the choices that they make shortly after tragedy. Dragon Age 2 after every major event skips ahead in time missing all those pivotal choices. Immense tragedy with no option for justice is a good way to piss people off, not get them emotionally invested. because there was no proper response to events it made me realize that this is a game, and I don't want to play it anymore because my reaction was not expressed. Not even close. That's the opposite of immersion. ----- Speaking of immersion, the use of a main voice actor could have been an amazing addition, IF... the tone of the voice were more versatile. RPG's requires that you feel like you are the role you are playing and when you cannot be aggressiveness sharp-tongued or be righteously stern then voice acting obliterates immersion. Forcing voice acting into pansy good guy, cheery joker, and jack-off bad guy, means you do not get real characters but cliche stereotypes. And when you are choosing multiple reactions during a scene you get unrealistic multiple personality mood swings. ----- Party Character options got an axe to the face. No ability to equip characters with armor and no ability to choose any skill tree, killed this game for ever RPGer that played, and loved Dragon Age: Origins. One of the great things about DAO was that if you didn't like someone in the party, you could give that role to someone more interesting. The fact that I had to run 90% of the game with the soulless, emotionless, thought and humor inept Aveline because she was the only tank, was... well the dumbest character choice I've ever come across in a game. Lastly, I'll quickly touch on the combat. Really the only problem I had with the combat was the cooldown system. In DOA there was a dedicated tank and a dedicated healer, for the most part. This system works, use it. Healers were made extinct because of the over-powering cooldown system. I downloaded a mod to lower all cooldowns making this game faster paced and much more fun since the healer was viable again. ----- Needed mods to enjoy: http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/3194#content (Armor for Party Members) http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/2407#content (All Skill Trees for Party Members) http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/2186 (Reduce All Cooldowns)… Expand

LOL! 82 score, cmon this game is so bad compared with first one! trolllolololololololololololololololololooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

There is mixed feelings on this game, as it not a "true" rpg, but after a while the game grew on me. I must also say, that this game now only cost just under 20USD which makes it good value for money. However had I paid full retail for this game I would most likely give it 5.5 or 6/10. But for 20USD this is a good game and the storyline is good, not mass effect good, but good.

It isn't Dragon Age 2. Where is the spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate?? If they had call it otherwise might be a good Action-Rpg but not at the expense of destroying his own saga.

I really appreciate the detail that is evident in the texture pack on the PC. I've got a hefty desktop, but with settings on the DX11 renderer on very high, my system lags. Apparently it's an issue with nvidia drivers, I installed the beta ones. Still lags. If I can run Bad Company 2 on Max Settings and Pull 45 FPS, there is NO reason this game should stutter. I've got an i7-960, 6 GB of Ram, GTX 470 1280 mb GPU...I can only imagine the problems for people with midrange systems.

I though the art is a standout feature, the lighting is significantly improved.
Disappointed by the streamlining in general. Not being able to equip my companions with better armor seems counter intuitive at times. Combat seems faster but I don't like watching people explode from dagger hits or arrows. I thought the "300" style finishing moves in DA:O was more realistic and gritty.

Animation is choppy and ridiculous at times. Watching Avalene poke someone with a mace thrust is just silly, running looks choppy. I miss the "sync kills" (dawn of war term for cool finishers). It appears that the number of animations has actually decreased. I find myself wishing that Bioware had created a Return of The King Styled action game or something. It just feels awkward. In Mass Effect shots are based on skill, in addition to the stats for your weapons so it feels like you have an impact. In Dragon Age 2 that's not the case.

Locations are recycled several times. I found myself getting lost because I thought I'd already been in an area, but it was a new quest using the same resources.

My biggest disappointment is in the dialogue and character development. Conversing with Sten was a challenging experience. Now talking to my new companions, I know how they will react based on a picture.

I don't like not knowing what I'm going to say and just having a picture to base it off of. It really doesn't translate intent that well as summarized at times. I don't feel as attached to my characters because I can't chat to them anymore except when the game allows it.


I miss isometric view. I find myself having trouble aiming skills and hopping between characters to get formations for combat because the camera swings wide to compensate for being in a wall. It's frustrating.

The UI isn't as pretty. I miss the portraits with the Mana and Health Bar. Looks Sleeker than the Red and Yellow. Also, found myself bored with the quests. No sense of urgency like the warden had. Just, oh I returned some random trinket. Cool. One Gold. Some neat twists. If you wanted to take something from Mass effect, wouldn't have minded those "action interrupts" where I end up shooting someone in the middle of their speech.

I'm pretty disappointed. I played 20 hours. I know everyone is passionate on both sides. I hope those of you who enjoy the game have a good time. Bioware is an Amazing Studio despite this game and all the crappy DLC you've made. I will buy this game when it's 20 dollars on Steam just becuase I love you guys. And I might even beat it. That being said...

rant:

It feels to me like another "Witch Hunt" that is 60 dollars and with pretty streamlined tweaks to appeal to Angry Birds fans that want to "Hit a button and make something cool happen so they can get back to playing Madden or Call of Duty on their Xbawkz."

Console games for me, are a disposable experience, fun but fleeting. I can enjoy a round with a friend, but when I PC game, it's a big deal for me. It's my only hobby that I can still enjoy in my pathetic life.

I mean to say that I don't feel immersed in the world. I was actually getting bored and having to try and struggle through. I know some games take some time to warm up, (here's looking at you, KOTOR 2) and then get (mostly) good. So far 20 hours and I'm glad I can take this back tommorow and get a refund.

/rant

Mount and Blade was a lot more fun combat wise and there was no story, made by a small dev team. Would have liked either more animations or direct hack and slash. I really don't like action games though.

Except Crash Bandicoot. That game was Amazing. Like, all of them. Maybe you should make DA3 like Crash Bandicoot, Wrath of Cortex. I feel let down overall.… Expand

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dragon_age_ii/b/pc/archive/2011/03/08/dragon-age-ii-pc-review-a-port-caught-in-the-middle.aspx

This game takes away many of the components that made Dragon Age Origins' such a compelling RPG. The gameplay and story have all been turned inside-out.

The combat has been dumb downed in a way that strategy is not much of a requirement anymore to go through many of the game's battles. I've not found a need to even touch the TACTICS system of the game, even on hard, and possibly nightmare. It's mostly just pressing the "R" key, watch pretty visuals and see things blow up. Instead of the strategic element we are so familiar with, Bioware gives us a much more fast-paced and more fluid, action-oriented fights that last much shorter than Origins'. This is still no saving grace to the brainless combat that Bioware thought would be a better alternative.

The story is where things really start taking a toll for the worse. Origins' had such a compelling story. You travel around Fereldan recruiting and getting aid from different armies to stop an incoming blight. In this game, you go around doing chores for people in the city. A step downwards, considering it was made by Bioware, the same company that brought us classics like Baldur's Gate and Mass Effect. Shame on you, Bioware. It's a decent game at best. There's no real thought needed in this game, but it's fast-paced combat could interest newer players for awhile.… Expand

Dragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPG games I have played so far and I really loved it. But this, so called "sequel" was such a disappointment and it had nothing to do with Origins. I have a very hard time understanding why on earth would Bioware let this game come out when it wasn't even done. The game is full of bugs, very bad graphics, bad story, very short gameplay for being a RPG game.

I only recommend getting this game when its less expensive. I paid 50 bucks for a half @ssed game.

Bioware you should be a shamed!… Expand

DA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the key to victory.

It takes more time to get to know the new companions, but they're all interesting and will make you interested in them. For the first time it has been difficult for me to choose which companions I want to bring with me, I never had such problem in ME games or DA:O. Also the other NPCs in the world seem to have real personalities, but you don't usually get to know them too well.

Choices matter more than in DA:O and you have more options even in regular conversations. The way you talk to people defines your personality in the later game and you can even choose to let your companions to do the talking for you in some situations. Quests are plentiful, but the side quests can too easily distract you from the main story, just because there is a crap load of them. That can also be a good thing for you, but it is a matter of opinion.

I will be updating this review as I get further into the game and get to know the story more, but so far it has convinced me of that the average joe flaming the game either had some very unrealistic expectations or haven't played the finished game.… Expand

Although it went away from a hardcore RPG to a more action oriented combat I still find it fun to play and quite addictive (not as much as DA:O). It would be a 9 if it wasn't for the repetitive scenarios. In my opinion, a different game but still a good one.

So far it's been terrible. Clunky controls, terrible graphics. The characters are shallow and have exceptionally little dialogue. 27 pieces of DLC. Not much else has to be said. They've sold out and now cater to the lowest common denominator instead of providing high quality RPGs like they used to. Terrible.

Holy ****
What's wrong with these people? Seriously it may not be as good as other games of Bioware but still it kicks ass. Quests and combat are enjoyable and the story is good. Characters are also deep but not as deep as Origins or Mass Effect.

Dragon Age II is another sequel that would have been better as a new IP. Looking at it as a new IP, it has a flowing combat system, decent customization, good story, and interesting characters. This, however, is not a new IP. This is the sequel to one of the best RPGs i have ever played. Compared to DA:O the customization is laughable, the leveling is limited, combat animation is more interesting and flowing, but is very limited, and the characters are too stuck in their roles. Essentially the only thing that they improved was making the combat more flowing, especially for the mages. Everything else was cut by 1/3. you have only one race instead of 3, cutting your character options by 1/3, any non mage class is stuck in archery, 2handed swordsmanship, etc instead of being able to choose between 3, and you are stuck in one city and the mountain out back instead of being able to travel around a huge map. Will I buy it? Yes, once the price drops to 1/3 that of DA:O.… Expand

Waste of time and money, shouldn't be labeled as an RPG, more of an action/adventure hack & slash... Loved DAO, so disappointed with this game:( Why would you take perfectly good game and ruin it? for a quick profit that's why

This game is DAO, but dumbed down and casualized. Would've rated it a 4, but BioWare + EA's ridiculous response to the criticism surrounding this game warrants a zero.

This game is boring, like its predecessor. It's also shorter in length, (as indicated by the size of installation and number of words written for dialogue, compared to DA1), and dumbed down to a hack and slash game. Games like this or CoD:Black Ops make me question the validity of critic reviews. Somehow these 'big' games get positive reviews no matter what, even when the majority of players disagree. If there is a lesson to be learnt, it is that you should trust reader reviews, at least on this website; they're really helpful and detailed. Critic reviewers, on the other hand, are probably forced to write positive reviews on famous games made by famous developers, or maybe they're too scared to be honest about how bad these games really are. Ugh.

Mass Effect series is much better than DA in my opinion. DA has bad story, bad graphics, bad dialogues (cheesy), and boring combat. DA2 "improved" this lackster combat by simply transforming it into a hack and slash game that can be enjoyed by simpletons who like to press a button. (Dynasty Warriors anyone?) Unlike DA1, DA2 is made with consoles in mind, and as such, the depth of the gameplay is gone from what I already considered a mediocre game. Last but not least, no, I am not blinded by PC elitism; I enjoy console games as much as PC games. I just think that DA was better off as a PC game. If I really wanted a hack and slash game, I could find many games superior to this. But there aren't that many PC RPGs anymore. DA was never to my liking, but at least it rejuvenated a dying genre. DA2 does not.… Expand

Great game so far! For the equipment customization options we have lost we got much more developed and usable skill tree's and a major graphics overhaul if you have the rig for it. The combat is fast and exciting, maybe a little too fast, and the animations are a nice change from the clumsy puppet show motion of the last one. The tatics screen is far better worded and actually useful. The downside is your toons seem to be overly dependent on it to actually trigger any of their skills. My tank lady absolutely refused to used shield slam till I scripted it in.

My only complaints are so far it has seemed very on rails (3 hours in), almost as much movie as game. And in cities its frustrating having to run around with you tab key held down so you can actually find the vendors etc. The inventory screen is reminiscent graphically of x-com and looks slightly rushed to market.… Expand

Dragon Age II is a decent game, but fades in comparision with its predecessor. Most of the changes made just made the game less fun and less great. The only two positive changes are that the graphics have improved (slightly) and the main character can now talk.

I regret purchasing it. I think it may have been worth $15 or so to me, so I would have preferred buying it at a huge discount, even 2-3 years later. But I would have gladly paid $100 for Dragon Age: Origins.… Expand

Bioware. Where ports to the PC contain better graphics then the consoles. I own the original on both 360 and PC; by far PC has the best graphics. Although I do prefer the feel of a controller in my hands as opposed to a keyboard, I always felt the PC had the better deal. I really hope this ties me over until Mass Effect 3 comes out. Which kinda begs the question since both these title are out this year, creating a lull in their production; what is Bioware planning?… Expand

Pretty much everything there is to be said has been.

The game is bad, it is every obviously a console port. It is a really, really, porty port. Additionally Bioware's "whenever you push a button something awesome should happen" just makes the entire game very bland.

This is the worst steaming pile of poop i have ever played. I am not joking. This second is not even comparable to DA1. And to top it off they paid reviewers and are making fake reviews for it on metacritic. Wow... This is sad and probably the worst sequel i have ever played. If you are considering buying this dont, its a total step backwords in every way. It is better to just buy three decent games off steam for a regular price POS, Its stupid they sell for as much as they do as there arent even packaging costs or anything. Worst game i have played in a while… Expand

Don't listen to the haters this is an AMAZING game and well worth the $60 it cost me. Runs beautifully on my XFX Radeon 6870 with graphics on full 1920x1080. This is a game you'll either love or hate so try the demo first! Most fun I've had in an RPG for a long time, feels almost like 3D Baldur's Gate. Must buy if you like action oriented combat.

A horrible, wretched nightmare from which you can never awake. That is what this game feels like. The original DA:O was a lovingly crafted tour-de-force moment in the history of video games. The sequel feels like a rush-job shoved out the door to cash in quickly on its success. The levels look bland, the quest variety is paltry, the characters are boring, and the combat feels dumbed down for consoles. Shame on EA! And shame on Bioware for releasing this steaming pile of ****… Expand

I don't understand how IT was born?"OK, let's make some fighting system for kids, dialogs which can't change storyline, AND SEX with woman, than man, man, man, woman".So, is it a boylover simulator or it was made for a schoolboys? I can't understand why enemies are crashing into pieces from one knife slash?It's hilarious game from fathers of RPG. And some words about graphics - it sucks.

The single worst gaming experience of my life. The demo was, bar none, the most horrid thing I've ever been through.
Demo's are supposed to make you WANT to buy a game, right? Put the best foot forward and all that? DA2 made me want to chop my feet off so that I'd be forced to lay in bed for the rest of my life forced to look at nothing but my walls and ceiling as such would have been a fate a million times better than ever seeing the like of BioWare's latest offering.… Expand

DA2 is a game I wanted to like. I still do in some ways. It's not a BAD game - just disappointingly average.
For one, it doesn't feel like a true RPG anymore - the whole flow and feel of the gameplay is completely different. It is clear that in order to expand the audience, Bioware is abandoning old-school RPG's.

While DA:O combat was a bit on the slow side, DA2 goes into the other extreme, with animations that are too fast and too ridiculous. Oversized weapons, combat moves that defy lore at every step and poor balance.
DA2 features lots of enemies that one can dispatch with ease, turning even abominations into wusses and throwing them at the player en masse.

Still, the setting is just as strong as it ever was, and it - and the characters - remain the biggest appeal of DA2. It's only a shame that Bioware created a setting I'd adore to explore, only not in their game.

For those who love old-school, true RPGs - this game will be disappointing.
For those who like more action-oriented hack-and-slasher, this may be a good game.

Objectively, I'd rate it to be between the 4-9 range depending on your choice.… Expand

Dragon Age 2 is an abomination. The gameplay is boring and primitive, the story is linear and cliched, the writing is godawful fanfiction.net Naruto fanfics-level crap and the characters are ranging from mediocre to awful (especially Merrill, who is a disgusting moeblob without any personality). Oh, and it's ugly, and i'm not only talking about graphics - the artstyle is... bad. Very, very bad. DA2 looks like something that a 12 year old with ADHD could make.

Oh, and the Nightmare difficulty that was hyped as being super great stuff for truly hardcore gamers? It's crap too. Instead of giving new abilities to the opponents and making them smarter Bioware just gave them really high stats and called it a day.… Expand

Bioware has become very good at making shoddy casual rpgs, much to the disdain of it's fanbase, this is an unworthy successor to dragon age origins no improvements to graphics and gameplay was added, I felt physically ill after playing this game.

Very disappointed with the direction this game has taken. While the tactical combat from Origins could have used some improvement they chose instead to make it mostly irrelevant. Combat is mostly uninteresting encounters in the same old corridors. The main thing that they seem to be focussing on in the game are the romances which while being somewhat entertaining and distracting fluff in previous Bioware games are not even particularly great in this game making me wonder what they gained from making them a main focus of development. Who asked for this?… Expand

Dragon Age 2 is very rushed sequel composed of dense , uninspired characters and shallow combat.
Companions are huge step backward compared to Origins - boring , unoriginal with very little dialog to help build their personality.
World where the game takes place feels empty and full of invisible walls . Most of npcs in Kirkwall cannot be interacted with , you cant even highlight them , they are just a background.
Overall it feels like Bioware decided to make that sequel very fast and in as inexpensive way as possible , achieving developement cost reduction by simplifying , streamling and removing a lot of elements from the game(for example item description knowns from myriad of other rpgs are gone).… Expand

This game is a clera example on how a company maximizes profits using a brand name, lot of resouces to advertising and marketing (INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL REVIEWERS... SHAME ON YOU) and an awful product.
This "Sonic-like" game doesn't deserve a review, this game doesn't deserve nothing. Stay away, save your money, it's the best thing you can do.

Utter disappointment. They say Dragon Age II hasn't been dumbed down, it's just more welcoming. The truth is somewhere in-between. The new art direction doesn't really cut it (Dragon Age is a gritty fantasy epic, not some cartoon-ish gorefest), the combat is terrible, lacking any kind of tactical capabilities, it is just mindless button-mashing (even on Nightmare, there is simply not enough challenge), rendering the pause and play system completely useless. The environments are uninspired and the gameplay is restricted to a single corridor (most of the time). Mr. Gaider did his best to support the poor combat experience, by some mature storytelling and the framed narrative, but He fails to live up to the example of Alpha Protocol. The plotline is dramatic enough, but the undeveloped C&C, along with the cliched dialogues are well below the standards. The main protagonist is voiced, which would be good thing, had it not been for the removal of the Origin stories. The only redeeming factor of Dragon Age II is the immense work put into the soundtrack and acting. Inon Zur is brilliant as always, even though the score is not as memorable as Prince of Persia or Icewind Dale II. And whoever designed the new UI, should start again from scratch; it reminded me of Morrowind, and that masterpiece came out a decade ago.

All summarized in one sentence: Dragon Age II is an insult to the first game and the RPG genre.… Collapse

What else is there to say? This isn't an RPG, this is an Action title with a 'fantasy-skin' completely dumbed-down and Consoltized...Extremely disappointing. Bioware has made a lot of great titles in the past and used to be the premier RPG studio out there. Not any longer. Sure, they'll still make great games (Mass Effect 3), but not true, traditional RPGs any more.

Beyond that, even if the game were decent - the graphic performance on High-End nVidia hardware is attrocious and the graphics, while better than DA: Orgins are poor. Plus, on the merits of the game itself, this isn't truely a sequel...more like a sidequest....Save your money and time, wait for the Witcher 2 or Skyrim.… Expand

Too bad a great game like this got hit by a raid. It's not worth a ten, probably no game is, but it's a marked improvement from the first game on several levels and thus is worth way more than a 4; probably an 8. This is Bioware's darkest, most tragic, most grey-morality story ever, it's fun to play, and the characters are better than the ones in Origins; more nuanced, more realistic. The game system is better balanced and more fun. The only major negative is that the minor quest locations are sometimes very similar, and you revisit locations, but for the rest of it, it's great. If you're an RPG old-school purist who demands that the main character NOT be voiced or make facial expressions, then you will not like this game, but most other RPG fans will.… Expand

What a Disappointment.!
Why did they dumb down the game like that?!

There is not any fun in the combats anymore!
The camera mechanics are extremely frustrating. There is not enough dezoom to think any tactical choice. You can't even move the camera around. The combats are way too fast paced and look completely ridiculous. Since you pass most of your time in combat, it's hugely unsatisfying.

It feels super scripted with cinematic every two seconds. Loading times every two seconds.

I'm really sad for bioware! They are loosing a lot of credibility with this joke of a game.
It's an insult to rpg players. It has lost almost all the elements that gave some interest to the first opus. And it was already pretty dumbed down compared to Baldur's Gate.


Save your money!… Expand

It`s not just a sequel. It`s more like a rebirth in fast-paced style.

Great storytelling makes you feel like you are really there and care for the cast. The atmosphere is superb and Bioware again nails with voice acting.

Some will not like some changes in combat, but works for me.

Awesome game, a must buy for people who loves a great story.

This is as much an RPG as Sesame Street is PG rated. The low score therefore does not just concern the product, but the way it is advertised: as catering to the RPG crowd. It does not, yet it has deliberately been marketed that way, and even been branded as such.

If BioWare/Electronic Arts had wanted to be honest, they would not have published this game as part of the Dragon Age franchise, a franchise that was named the 'spiritual successor' of Baldur's Gate. Instead, they could have branded it as 'Hawke's Adventures', or God knows what, and I would not have felt the need to be this straightforward with my criticism. For then they would have been honest. Selling this as a Dragon Age game is tantamount to fraud: it is dishonest advertising and BioWare deserve all the criticism that is currently being hurled towards them.

Dragon Age 2 may be a good game, but it is a terrible RPG and that is how it is being marketed. Therefore, I have to judge it that way. It gets one point for having a story that courageously avoids the 'big bad' RPG trope and frankly that's being generous, as normally frauds shouldn't get away with any points.… Expand

Game is great, personally I prefer this feel to the combat. A lot more responsive and satisfying. Mainly posting this because of all the bad reviews, can't stop playing for too long ;).

Hopefully this will be cleared soon, bunch of spam accounts posting identical reviews.

I had to write a review seeing all the haters out there. i am a few hours in and really enjoying it. I loooooooooved DAO, and so far i am enjoying DAII as much. Yes the small inventory can be a pain at times, and spending so much time in Kirkwall could get a bit repetitive if the story and the action was not constantly driving you forward. But overall it is a great RPG that will be engrossing for event the hardest cynics.… Expand

I'm a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, easily clocked over 100hours in to the game and really enjoyed it over all. Now about Dragon Age 2.

Graphics: They suck I mean they really suck after what I saw in Dragon age Origins they are really bad, I had everything maxed out on my i7@4.0 two GTX580 and 8gig of ram, they look like something from Playstation 2 era and its 2011, not to mention the frame rates dont go past 25 and sometimes they drop to 1fps for god knows what reason, the only thing that fixes it is alt+tabing.

Gameplay: No matter how much better Origins is the only thing they improved in this is the Combat, yes it faster and better, obviously much more oriented towards console peasants. While playing origins when you use to become General of an army so to say and maxed out with best items you just wanted to rape **** left and right like God of War that you are, nonetheless other than combat improve men't nothing else deserves mentioning the game it self feels rushed the interaction wheel haves its ups and downs the perfect combo would be if you could chose texts like in origins and your character would talk would be pretty good that you could chose voice for him such as suave or mystic, but then again we will never see something like this from console port, the game feels like its 70-80% -/+ complete like it unfinished but then again they did what they did for console people.
I give this game 3/10- Because its a console port, feels like rushed and unfinished game, ****ty graphics and ****ty companions. Deal with it. Gonna go play Origins.… Expand

DA2 has to be the saddest excuse for either an action game or a roleplaying game, or a combination of the two. The glitches that result from trying to import the save file from Origins alone make it clear that Bioware wasn't even trying with this one. Just rush out a sequel as quickly as possible to milk your fans for all they're worth. Really pathetic. The gameplay is horrible, the graphics are from 2 generations ago at best, and the story is completely forgettable garbage. They even had the gall to end on a cliffhanger!!!! Probably just to sell more DLC that will hopefully end the story properly. Disgusting, Bioware. You've lost a customer.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon age 2 is an insult to my intellect. This game gives me a good reason to find a new hobby. Instead of a classic tactical story driven old school crpg I found some kind of action game for retards. Big boobed pirates and dancing mages [I think bioware calls it dynamic casting]. Fells like a cheap imitation of god of war.… Expand

Combat = Derped
Interface = Derped
Graphics = Derped
Writing = Fail

Banal, Boring, "Streamlined", Popamole ****

Avoid, whatever the cost.

Do not enable Bioware in their derpification of the genre.

First off I want to say that before today I didnt have a user here on metacritic I registered solely so I could share my utter hatred for this abomination called "Dragon Age 2", it's the bastard child of Bad Console ports, and stupid greed. First off I was a mega DA:O fanboi, i loved it to death, and aside from Mass Effect 2 which I consider a poor port aswell and not deserving of any praise what so ever, I was actually a bioware fanboi, this changed today, and let me explain why. 1. Removal of tactical overview, this does not need to be explained if you're a PC gamer, this was a **** decision and it proved to be one of the worst side steps EVER! 2. You Can't upg. the armor on your companions now what the **** is this? That is the stupidest **** I ever heard, you can't upg armor in an RPG? Makes you feel VERY disconnected from your party. 3. Targetting, and inability to use out of combat spells? I can't for the life of me figure out why I'm not allowed to throw a fireball through a door and hit like i could in DA:O, you have to wait until the enemy engages you thats down right retarded, pick your battles much? 4. Bugged combat on nightmare, basically with the removal of multiple spells from the wizard cycle you have less tactical manevouring to do which means that you get stuck in some awful situations that you just can't get out of. Not saying it's impossible to complete on nightmare at all, im saying is there really such a thing as constant permanent knock downs? If you played the game, you know what I mean. 5. Removed the interaction with NPC's all together, and shop keepers are now tables, and chests? Now what the **** is up with that? Unless they have a glimmering ****ing ! like in world of warcraft over their head, you can't speak to them? Why did bioware decide to make a city feel this ghost like instead of building on from denerim? 6. Boss Fights / Spawn points, now here is a thing that really bugged the **** out of me in this game there seems to be random spawn points, just build for a console so you don't have to look to far around to find some action, which means if you actually TRY to be tactical and position your mages behind a shield walled tank, dont feed safe, and why not? Well because soldiers in this game have wings, which means they land from the ****ing SKY and drop down like command troops in second world war, to my disbelief a good tactic turned **** because my mages suddenly got pummeled, removing once again the tactical aspect of the RPG. 7. This brings me to the hack and slash aspect, they talk about the new mechanics like it's soo refined and polished, all i see is alittle more combat animations, sure it's nice and all, but all you do now is move a rogue behind people and hit them, and watch things die, it's no challenge on anything but nightmare, and on nightmare you will suffer from the removal of tactic, which makes this another dumbed down diablo 2 hack'n'slash clone with a little prettier graphics and some voice acting, big whoop. This is a review written after 9 hours of gameplay on nightmare, and I'm not returning to the game, I will try to get a refund on this piece of **** I do not want it in my house, if I can't get it refunded im selling it in resale.

And all those fanboys who give this game 10, does not mean what true RPG means, I have played all the old fall-out games, all the old black isle games, and i would trade good graphics for decent gameplay any day of the week, so i piss on your "graphics" and say this in return "consoles are killing the PC"… Expand

Boring. Each time i launch this game, i feel like playing Final Fight. Even the character selection screen seems to say "Guy, Cody, or Haggart ?". First stage. Fight, then go forward, and other waves of enemies comes. Then the boss, a giant and tough enemy which run on me, head down. Wait, this is the exact description of the beginning of DA2. Isn't it supposed to be an RPG ? Well, i'll put a 2 on this one, because i really liked Final Fight. But as a fighting game, it's really less fun. And as an RPG, it really sucks.… Expand

Solid. Not a DA:O clone by any means and that might be part of the underlying reason for the ridiculous hate spamming. After reading a large majority I'm fairly certain many of them were 'told' to perform such an action and may not have actually played much of the game. Anyway, I really hope you can look past the pointless, childish rage spamming and give it a go. It's not a bad game by any means - just realize that it's not DA:O; its more action oriented in the sense that the combat is faster, the customization is streamlined, and it's easier to get into and organize yourself. The skills trees (or whatever they are called :P) are great... tons of options in there for fine tuning the direction you want to take your player and your party members. Dragon Age 2 is solid.… Expand

Dragon Age II is an awesome game hands down. On most of the major points it is a really fun and engaging game. The combat is much better this time around, allowing you to feel more involved. This is especially true for Warrior's and Rogue's who benefit most from the combat changes. Hard to believe mage is even more awesome.

The game really has not changed dramatically from its core Origins roots. Overall it provides all the great aspects you expect from a Bioware game. Some of the only noticeable negatives I have found are the reuse of dungeon layouts. This was relatively disappointing since the game is centered around one area and adds to the feeling of repetition. This is where the time constraints are very obvious.

To finish up this short review I'd like to comment on the graphics. They look great, even at the medium settings. The art style might not be to everyone's taste ( on a related note kill animations are not as satisfying) but everything from my point of view looked very nice.

Solid game, can't go wrong, that is if you are not a jaded Origins fan.… Expand

Preordered this game for PC because I enjoyed Origins so much (had at least 350 hours logged on steam). Played the demo beforehand. Tried to ignore all the negative press it was getting, as well as the hype EA was pushing out. I felt I knew what to expect. I'm about half way through the game so far, but I will finish it. So far though, while there are some things that it did a bit better than Origins, the sum of its parts is leaving me frustrated and disappointed on many levels, as a fan of Origins.

Pros:
- Aesthetic design is improved (Textures not included sadly). Some of the character models feel better constructed as well, such as dwarves, elves, Qunari. They feel like their own distinct races. Not a huge fan of Hurlock redesign though, but it doesn't bother me too much. Overall, the world has its own distinct feel now and not quite so much a mish mash of undetermined Lord of the Rings/Baldur's Gate aesthetics.
- The environments (what few of them there are) look nicer, in terms of design (again, not graphically or in terms of textures), than Origins. - Combat animations look nicer (some don't like them, I feel they're better looking than Origins).
- Combat itself doesn't feel as chunky, and is, generally, more fluid.

In the Middle:
- Voice acting. Overall it's about the same as Origins. Generally it's better in terms of differentiating races, and they sound a bit more varied but I get annoyed with Hawke's voice though and a few other NPC voices have made me cringe from time to time. Not really a Pro or Con.
- Music is pretty much the same quality as Origins. Not really a Pro or Con.

Cons:
- Graphically, it looks worse than Origins due to lack of decent textures and overlarge polygons. Bioware lied about this point apparently (claiming it to be graphically superior to Origins).
- Tactically, combat is a nightmare, since Bioware removed isometric view on the PC (apparently for no good reason). It's annoying trying to place an area of effect spell or trying to position party members when you can't see everything that's going on in a nice overhead picture. Instead it makes you switch between characters to get a total view of the combat which can be a bit confusing when trying to coordinate attacks.
- Plot. There doesn't seem to be much of one. This is probably the most frustrating thing of all for me. Origins was compelling, not because the story itself was so original, but because the central conflict was always apparent. In Dragon Age 2 there is no central conflict. It just skips around to various side-quests that all feel equally unimportant. As a result, the game itself feels messy, unorganized, uninteresting. Which is a shame.
- There is hardly any interaction with characters. In Origins you could interact with anyone at almost any given time and explore rather detailed dialogue trees. Dragon Age 2 follows the model of Awakening more closely in the sense that you can't really delve deep into characters except at scripted events. It all feels very shallow and as a result the characters seem completely uninteresting. It's almost like your characters don't need to be there. They chime in at certain points during certain quests but there's no exploration of personality to speak of. Truly disappointing.
- There are too few environments. While the environments that do exist feel nicely designed, it get's extremely tiring having to back track constantly between the same few areas you've been to over and over again (Kirkwall, Wounded Coast, Sundermount, etc.).
- The Dialogue wheel, surprisingly, felt very irritating in this game. I didn't mind it at all in Mass Effect, but in this game it doesn't feel satisfying at all. Hawke still doesn't say what you want him to, despite the "helpful" chat icons that appear in the center of the wheel. By far I would have preferred written out dialogue like in Origins. At least then I could properly gauge others reactions towards my choices.

This game is quite disappointing. And the more I write the more annoyed I get with it to be honest. There are some fun things about it, but overall the game feels incredibly rushed. Bioware should be ashamed for claiming such a game to be a "spiritual successor" to Baldur's Gate. While that title may have been more pertinent to Origins, Dragon Age 2 doesn't feel like any Baldur's Gate game I've ever played. This game definitely doesn't compare to the first. It's not satisfying. It's not interesting. It doesn't feel very deep in any sense. I doubt I'm going to get much replay value out of this game. Hell, I'll probably just replay Origins after this... or sell it back so I can afford the Witcher 2.

Truly a big damn shame. Wait for the price to drop significantly or just rent it. Game isn't any way worth $60 new.… Expand

I really liked Dragon Age: Origins but this piece of **** game is not Dragon Age, this is not even an RPG. This is junkfood for spoiled casuals.
The combat is repetitive and looks ridiculous.
The characters are shallow.
The new dialogue-system is weak.
It's basically Mass Effect with Swords (i like Mass Effect because it's Mass Effect, don't get me wrong).

I am disappointed BioWare.

Think of everything that made Dragon Age Origins a great game. Now subtract all of that and you have Dragon Age 2. The EA Games hammer of crap has really taken it's toll on poor Bioware, and it shows. It's a complete lobotomy of the RPG genre. Striped down to nothing more than a casual action RPG.

For shame I say.

It's amazing this is a Bioware game. How times have changed and how awful games are these days. This game has a complete lack of depth and requires very little intelligence to play. They couldn't dumb down this game anymore from the original even if they tried. This is what happens to games when they are catered to the console crowd, they are complete crap and do not deserve any of my time.

I really don't see how taking out RPG elements out of an RPG would ever improve said RPG. This seems to be a re-occurring problem with sequels recently, removing key features for some odd reason.

I gave this game an average 5 before because I liked many aspects but felt it didn't impress me. But now I am greatly disturbed by Bioware employees REVIEWING THEIR OWN GAMES. For Shame Bioware. This is deceptive marketing. So this game gets a 1 for Bioware committing what I consider to be fraud.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/g3td7/dragon_age_2_conspiracy_highest_rated_metacritic/

the only GOOD thing about this game that i was lucky enough to sell it off to someone... bet they will hate me after they star playing this POS..the first game was an AMAZING experience and this one was piece of crap.. no wonder when a bioware dude in an interview says "Button = AWESOME".. only a crappy game can come out of it then

I still do not believe in like Bioware sold out so well for EA, and transform one of the best RPGs of all time in a toxic **** like DA2 specially made based on the consoles, and the worst is that I played all versions and all are garbage.

The game is really bad and it seems Bioware became superlazy and EA ruined another great title thanks to their marketing efforts. I dont know even where to begin

1. Side quests are too short and similar...Kill this kill that , delivery this deliver that
2. Inventory sucks , all items look the same , only colours ...are different
3. Serious performance issues on high end PCs (GTX 480 and Core i7 920 max FPS is 30-35)
4. Its all too simplified , no tactics, no skilled battles, just slash enemies and heal yourself
5. Time change from day to night with mouse click! seriously????
6. Female Hawke voice is the same as her sister's voice. I was shocked and disappointed by this
7. A lot of issues with quests which might become unavailable if you do something differently ( Dont believe me? open README file , scroll down to the bottom and see for yourself
8. Horrible journal and codex , just a plain dull text with ugly and small font. No pictures, no bestiary images , nothing!!!


In summary, it seems the game had great potential, interseting story and charchters BUT 2 years is to little for an RPG game. Bioware ruined amazing franchise and I lost money. Do yourself and your wallet a favour and dont buy it. Dont get me wrong I really loved DA and DAO but this game has only one thing in common. Its called Dragon Age 2… Expand

Yeah, yeah, yeah....a slap for real fans of DA"O. Congratulations to everyone screaming "oh this is so bad, this is not DA, I want my money back...The true is this game is very good and your "reviews" don't mean anything because fans of DA:O aren't stupid enough to abandon buying game just because of this fake "zero-rate spam".
And about game: It's awesome! The combat is more dynamic than in first DA but it's still strategic and hard. For now I can't rate whole plot because I haven't finished it yet but for now it looks really good.
For me it's 9,5/10 - the same as first DA. Don't trust trolls, try it on your own :)… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While DA:O was actually interesting story wise, it really didn't have engaging combat.

But for DA2, it had amazing combat, but most of the time the quests are boring where waves upon waves of enemies are thrown at your repeatedly, and the story is sooo terrible. There isn't many places to explore either. It looks like Bioware didn't even try to do anything about the story.… Expand

(skip to the paragraph starting with "Then along came DA2" to skip the DA:O-related intro) As a PC gamer, DA:O was my introduction into RPGs. And I have to say, even getting started was daunting to me. I had envisioned a vast open world of freedom, choice, adventure and fun, based on the reviews I had read and all the buzz I had been hearing about the game. Instead what I got with the first Dragon Age was a linear, repetitive, unimaginative and boring affair where nothing really seemed to come alive and "choice" was a thinly-veiled illusion conjured up most ham-handedly by uninspired developers. Also I did not care for the looks of this world and its inhabitants, which does not help immersion one bit (bland lighting, unimpressive structures, flat and unexpressive faces, goofy armor, ...). What got me the most though was a thing called "level scaling". Gone is the thrill of slaying a beast that once seemed completely indomitable, after having spent hours "training" your characters in preparation for your revenge. Instead everything and everyone simply levels up along with you. Disgusting. Then along came DA2. From what I was reading this true sequel to the Dragon Age saga promised to be substantially different from DA:O, and I was excited. Even though DA:O was a huge letdown, it had kindled within me the hope for something truly epic and inspired. I had been reading various outcries from die-hard RPG fans and DA:O fans, but since the latter game had disappointed me so these outcries only strengthened my conviction that DA2 might actually be different; and I might actually enjoy it. Not so. Take all the negative comments on DA:O above (uninspired, unimaginative, linear, ugly, repetitive, devoid of actual choice, ....) and multiply them by any factor you may deem impressive, and you have DA2. * The corridors of DA:O have become even narrower and more confining; * The level design is unapologetically lazy (copy-pasted dungeons and caves); * The choice of story-progressing replies has dwindled to a basic three; * The graphics are at a playstation 2 level (although the overall style has improved); * Combat has been dumbed down to a button-mashing fest artificially rendered more difficult with mid-fight enemy spawns (only remotely enjoyable difficulty setting is "nightmare" but as said before the difficulty is artificial); * Kirkwall (where all but the entire game takes place) feels and looks artificial and devoid of any bustle and - indeed - life itself; I could go on and on about how much I have started to loathe DA2, but in the end it really is my fault for pre-ordering a game which promised to be "different" but turned out to be merely "worse". Much worse.… Expand

Interview with the man behind DA:O and DA2's score. Guess what he said in an unrelated question?

"Unlike other titles from Bioware, this score was kind of a rush job. EA really wanted to capitalize on the success of Origins, so the game was really being pushed hard to be released now" My opinion:
Abysmal cookie-cutter, **** fantasy world and characters. Everything is bland, the area's, the details, the conversations, the voices, the enemies. This game lacks ' soul'.… Expand

Fans of RPGs will find this a huge disappointment. It's falsely-advertised and very dumbed down in order to appeal to a younger audience.

There's little good to be said. And there's a lot of bad things to known. Sadly, truth hurts.

The most noticeable change lies in combat. It's faster, grittier, more responsive and... not very tactical. I kept using the very same tactic throughout the game the whole. 'Cause it was the fastest way to slay my foes. It involved having one melee unit (in this case a warrior specialized in two-handed combat) and 3 ranged units (one, preferably a healer). It's simple. I would let the A.I. control the warrior, he jumped into the fray and did whatever he wanted - Gathering the attention of my enemies. At the same time I would have all my 3 units selected at all times. And order to them to focus fire on the same target and when it dies, move onto the next target. Most often combat lasted less than a minute using this method - It was very dull.

But what about the story? I can tell you it's great, though disappointing. It's a lot like the one in Mass Effect 2. Dragon Age 2 lacks a real [visible] plot. Instead you'll follow Hawke and company for years in the city of Kirkwall. While playing, it will feel like a giant side quest, that contains side quests. It's not too bad, as there's a lot of good moments in the game, some that comes completely unexpected, depending on your relationship to your companions. The ending is however very disappointing and makes the game seem like a pro-logue.

The visuals are mostly dull. There's very little to be seen and the animation is stiff and awkward, which is strange seeing how we've had, and it still is, outstanding animation in games that was released in the early 2000s. And there's a total of 3-4 dungeons in the game that you will be visiting, over and over and over again (in side quests). AND THE BLOOD IS STILL AWKWARDLY APPLIED TO YOUR CHARACTERS FACES.

To summarize the whole game. It traded in the strategic and tactical thinking that Dragon Age: Origins had for a hack'n KITE and some slash game. Story is hidden and it will feel like a side quest, but you'll go "ah" when it's all revealed and probably disappointed. The interactions between you and your companions are better than ever. But even that won't save the game from it's flaws.

5/10. Bioware made the same mistakes in Mass Effect 2. Which you'd think they learned anything from. But it couldn't be further from truth. They are forsaking the RPG players tactical play, characters customization and much more in order to appeal to none-RPG players.… Expand

Waaay overrated and not worth playing. Interface doesn't work well, and as an RPG it really doesn't have anything unique or worthwhile that makes it stand out at all. It has all the bells and whistles that please the critics but do nothing for gameplay once you actually get semi-serious about playing.
Unless you insist on playing every single fantasy RPG ever made, save your money here.

As a sequel to DA:O this is a total let down. It is sad that i pre-ordered it at all. I would have never expected this from BioWare.The game itself is a total console port and I couldn't say anything good about it. Everything is just dumbed down, except maybe dialogues. Totally linear story. You could compare it's graphics to Gothic II. I guess I was expecting just too much. It has no similarity to DA:O but if you like action rpg's you might like it and if you loved DA:O, just don't bother. RIP BioWare and old-school rpg's.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its hard to make a game worse than this nowadays. Any decision-maker who played this and approved it for release has either the wrong job or was under heavy pressure, or maybe he had a moment of silly or was on drugs, or both. Maybe they just wanted to deliberately piss off their user-base and destroy their image, forever. Goodbye forever.… Expand

If you are fan of Mass Effect, then you will love it, like me. Bio ware you are best.
Dragon Age 1 path to 2 part looks like Me1 to Me2. Many people forgot that is rpg means Role Play Game, when you play a role with your decisions in dialogs.

Really, bioware? Really? This is a disaster, and such a step back for Dragon Age (and RPG's in general).
The game is still buggy, and graphics are just lazy (don't know how they look on high resolution pack, hope the people who have two polygons on their faces now have at least 4), I'd like to review music, but there is NONE. At battle is rarely noticeable, but if not in battle all you have is silence.
Bioware stated that FF 13 was not really a RPG, because you can't really feel like the character, or make any important choices (which I agree with, don't get me wrong.)... and what happens with Dragon Age 2?
You have already a character chosen for you, the only option you get is how he looks and what is his/her gender. While in first game you could choose between races, multiple backgrounds, and really feel like it's a character YOU created. Now we just get someone we don't know, we're supposed to care about him and his lost home and family, even though we didn't get to know them more for a minute.
And the whole dialogue dumbed down to basically 3 choices? How is that an improvement? Not like the choice really matters story-wise anyway, so what bioware just accused of in another game, is doing itself to Dragon Age. What a shame.
Dumbed down RPG with one-day DLC's and consolized game-play.
Sorry, but I have to say no to that.… Expand

Bioware: 1995-2011. RIP.

Murió de casualización aguda, agravada con una fiebre consolera que llevó a la compañía de RPG más grande a no saber ni quién es. Despreció a su antaño fiel base de usuarios, quienes aguantaron pacientemente sus desplantes hasta que DA2: El Insulto Final dejó claro que el verdadero sueño de Bioware es convertirse en uno de tantos aspirantes (eternamente fracasados) a ocupar el trono de la mediocridad en el que se sienta Call of Duty.

Menos mal que nos queda CD Project. Y que esto sirva de advertencia para Bethesda.… Expand

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)

It would be nice to say that Dragon Age II fell short of lofty promises and unrealistic expectations for a sequel to a quite successful game. It would be nice to say that, but DA2 is in every sense of the word rushed, and oozing focus-group driven development. DA2 is to RPGs what a mockup of Avatar done in Poser would be to film: an anaemic, shallow, mass-market appeal piece of shlock that also happens to look like crap. The same four (count em, four!) different dungeons will be trawled through the entire game, with some minor variations in which doors are hard-locked. The enemies are similarly monotonous and repetitive, coming in three types: basic, auto-attacking warriors and archers, and spellcasters that will hang back. No difference in behaviour or special abilities seem to exist between the different species of monsters. Fighting the same endless waves of spider-people and dwarf-orc "run up and attack" monsters with no variation quickly dulls the mind, which is almost comforting given the writing, setting, and level design. The encounters in which these brilliant tactical AIs are presented consist of copy-pasted waves of monsters spawning from nothing, ad nauseaum. The levels are incredibly linear, and one quickly realizes anything resembling an open area will probably just mean lots of spawns of identical mobs before trundling down the next corridor. Despite being a triple-A title from a star studio, the game manages to look like Poser models battered in jaggies and fried in tones of brownish-red low-res textures. The "Push button; receive Awesome", fun-finds-you game design leaves little or nothing to the player's imagination or skill. The dialogue is offensively cheesy, even by generous RPG standards, and the ridiculousness and awkwardness of the romances and massive out-of-place gazongas on ancient crones and tiny elf women speak to state of mind of the writers and who they were writing for. Maybe Bioware is too high on a decade's success to realize they too are capable of producing trash when churning out the most tepid, repetitive, cash-in sequel imaginable in as little time as possible. Maybe the blog posts by senior designers about the old staff not being on the project and the design going entirely another way tell the story. Either way, leaving aside the questions of developing for consoles and DLC, leaving aside expectations from old-school RPGs: Dragon Age II does not stand on its own as an RPG. It is a dull slog and a massive failure of a game. Save your money and please, vote with your wallet. Keep your hopes up for the Witcher 2 and Deus Ex 3 for quality franchise RPGs in 2011, but give DA2 the widest possible berth.… Expand

Thanks bioware for selling out and appealing to the mass majority of younger gamers. The addition of many scantly clad characters does well in appealing to 13 year olds. The over the top exploding gore and wildly unrealistic combat is also good at catering to the wants of hyperactive anime fans with ADHD everywhere. When I played this at a friends house I felt like I was playing a special exclusive version of god of war made only in japan but featuring a different protagonist 'hawke' the man who can swing a two handed sword with 1 hand like it was a tin butter knife. (Of course god of war was actually an action game, not an "RPG" trying to be one). Did you like the tactical challenge of nightmare in DA:O? Well we don't have any of that boring tactical crap anymore! No thinking and planning required! Just mash those buttons hard enough and you can overcome any battle! If you're really have trouble just grab your keyboard/controller hold it high and shout "Super sayian button mash activate!!" then proceed to repeatly smash the keyboard/controller into your desk/tv/monitor/friend (Maybe he'll explode into a blood mist like in the game!)

Whats next? Dragon Age 3: Path of the vampire god of war. Featuring cloud from ff7 and sepphiroth fighting together in their latest adventure to stop the twinkling vampire god edward (yeah twilight) from his vampire darkspawn invasion. Also featuring full frontal nudity from all your favorite ff7 and DBZ characters. If you buy the special naughty DLC for only $70.00 you can get breast enlargements to EEE+ (up from just DDD) for every female character and you get kagomai from inyuyasha as a new tag along sex slave companion.

Again thank you bioware. I remember when you made RPG's like Baldur's Gate, but you're right! Why make a good game when you can make GOOD MONEY!!!!… Expand

Man, there's some serious paid trolling on this game. Look for example at this user: http://www.metacritic.com/user/GHawke

Three reviews all for Dragon Age II, nothing but "IT'S AMAZING" and 3x10 scores. Here's my zero to even it out, because the game really sucks.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Being a fan of both Dragon Age Origins and the Mass Effect series I looked forward to this release with glee, but after completing Dragon Age 2 I am sorely disappointed with it. While at first the faster game play while in a battle was refreshing by the end of the game each battle felt hollow, in comparison with Origins each battle requires much less thought or strategy and I would often find myself simply pressing the same combination of number keys at the start of a battle, using a health potion if needed then repeating the same actions until the game decides weather it would send an additional 8 enemies into the fray after the first group had been dispatched or allow me to continue a quest. The game seemed content to throw a large army at the player simply for walking along a path between quest points and to do so at every possible opportunity, one stretch of road I remember would have taken the players group a mire 30 seconds to traverse unopposed but instead it took the better part of 10 minutes because the group was set upon by a band of undead, short distance up the road another pack of undead would attack and after they had been dispatched a third group of miscellaneous rouges decided there number was being served. I expect a game to throw a large group at the player once in awhile but must a quest involving the retrieval of a herbal plant or an unimportant crystal require the attention of a horde large enough to sack a moderately size town Every Time? The enemies the game presented me with end up not acting the part of a band of rebels or thugs intent on kidnap or slaughter of innocents but as pebbles in the bottom of my shoe, striped of character in my mind by the sheer tedium of having to fight the same groups of 7 or 14 enemies every turn of the corner to finally reach a bag containing ultimately worthless and trivial items. Dragon Age 2 shares more in common with an MMORPG than it does it's predecessor in that you will be spending a large amount of time doing fetch quests like returning a lost piece of clothing or freeing some damsel in distress until you reach some arbitrarily decided point where the main plot is allowed to resume. Dragon Age 2 greatest weakness is in the way it treats the story, while Origins had a somewhat cliche but warm over arching storyline, giving vaguely defined goal that slowly solidifies as you make progress, Dragon Age 2 there was very little to grip my attention or engage my curiosity, the game leads the player forward by glimpses of coming glory told from a future vantage point where the actions the player had taken or had suffered were judged and debated for there merits and sucked all mystery and opportunity of total surprise out the window, you were constantly made aware of what you would become and the story completely skipped so many of the small but vital aspects of storytelling. For those of you that have played DA2 Demo, I felt that the Hawke responded in a cold and matter of fact way to your siblings death no matter which conversation option you pick, that there was lack of effort from some of the voice actors and that sense that the event lacks in gravity never left my mind through the game, Bioware seems to have forgotten how to create realist characters that actually give the impression of life, all the companions conform to one trait of there character at all times, for example one companion will join you as an outcast of their people due to their one core trait and at the end of the game and personal quest line they carry and react the same way they had upon first meeting the player, caring for their people but never says anything if in the course of their quest line you end up killing their people or not, they just feel like a cardboard cutout and unfortunately this is not isolated. As for the main plot itself, I went from one major plot to the next without feeling any real need to do the involved quests because it is hard to feel that my main characters attempt to save up the money to Buy A House (Act 1; Hawke attempts to get on the property ladder.) is worthwhile after running fetch quests for pennies nigh on 4 hours. To boot the ending to the game had me questioning weather or not my characters moral choices had anyway bearing whatsoever on anything at all, aside that it all lead up to what was in essence a promotion for Dragon Age 3. Before this game had I asked myself what was the worse Bioware game I had ever played, I would probably not answer that question very well, And unless Dragon Age 2 is the beginning of a downward spiral, I can answer that question without thinking. fans of Origins story and lore should stay well clear of this game, and to anyone one else I'd say wait for a drop in the price.… Expand

I don't want to be rude, but is a piece of **** No one in good shape wastes his time in this Action RPG. Because is not a RPG game, nor a action game. Graphically is mediocre. Some textures are great, the rest, 8 bits. I think people who said the game is excellent, didn't play as a Warrior. Did you see how Hawke cuts the air with that sword? First time I saw it, "lol". For moments I forgot that it is Dragon Age and I think I'm playing Devil May Cry.

I feel sorry for Bioware.… Expand

Terrible blend of modern rpg concepts without any of the decision making process being in the hands of the player. The endings are linear and your choices don't really have an impact (choices made in the first game are much more noticeable), the combat is not tactical or fun with just wave after wave of enemies spawning from random locations, and environments are extremely repetitive to the point where you will recognize where all of the enemies are and where all of the loot is after 3-4 missions. Bioware is usually an excellent developer but this is very subpar.… Expand

awful game, and EA/Bioware bans (banned from actually using the game) users for talking bad about the game on their forums. Do not buy from this company.

Not only this is not a step forward from what was already a "not so good but somewhat promising" Role Playing Game, this is officially two steps back. Some people like to call those gamers that like to think, when playing, other than smashing buttons expecting awesome things to happen, i don't care, i refuse to call what is an extremely dumbed down, very poorly written action game with its own, childish concept of "mature content"(which means sex scenes and lots of blood-- give me a break) anything more than horrible. Poor job.… Expand

I can't believe I spent money on that. I've seen the teasers, gameplay videos, I've played the demo. I could forgive them this "combat system" 'cause I really wanted to know what happened to Ferelden, Morigan, the Circle and stuff....until yesterday. The plot is simply awful. Instead of solving global problems we have to play as a not-that-smart character who is always in the middle of every solid battle in one single city (ONE SINGLE CITY!!! WTF, BIOWARE?)...and usually these battle are caused by the stupidity of your companions (Isabella and Andres).

The whole game is just a disgrace.… Expand

Bioware didn't try and improve the aspects of Dragon Age that made it a great game. They tried to make it better for consoles at the expense of PC gameplay. This is the same hack and slash console game that comes out every other week, it has nothing unique or interesting about it.

I can't help but remember FF13 when I played this game. Like FF13 Dragon Age 2 isn't a bad game, but the only thing I feel playing it is disappointment. The things that made origins such a fun and unique *PC* game are gone. In its place is a hack and slash console game. The graphics are straight out of 2005, and poorly optimized. The UI is terrible and made completely for consoles. Like Mass Effect 2 the classic rpg elements are almost completely stripped out of the game. The only character you equip is Hawke. Your equipment choices are more restricted by class than in origins. The detailed dialogue system is gone, your given 2-3 word statements that are labeled paragon, snark, or renegade. Everything that changed was changed for the worse. Bioware has changed since the EA buyout. The great RPG elements of their games are being phased out for broader appeal, and it just makes me sad.… Expand

ok, so here's a reasonable review. aka not a zero, or a 10. Dragon Age:Origins came out so recently that everyone, including myself, is comparing the two games. This is not unexpected, see Mass Effect 1 and 2. When compared to DA:O, this game gets a 6. That is, I wanted to play DA:O 2.0 and was let down. While this will hurt sales, the game itself is a solid 8.5. THE GOOD: Your character has a remarkably unique adventure, enhanced by the ability for you to choose. I felt like a **** boss when I was champion of my little town. Voice acting was fun and it kept me engaged, when the story was interesting. The gameplay was smooth and easy to control (and is THE ONLY reason i was able to beat that red dude in a 1v1. HOLY CRAP my build was not meant for that matchup, lol). The supporting cast had goals, past issues, and uncompromising habits. I reached level 20 as i was completing the story. We meet characters from DA:O. The world map interface is pimp and easy for quests. They made items easier to manage. Scenery graphics(water reflection), special effects (spells), character heads/mouths are great. I had no bugs the entire playthrough. Abilities are so varied it's awesome. Also, i had fun playing. It was FUN.

SPOILERS.
THE BAD: Your particular role is not very important or driven. You are not special and you don't really have a goal(DA:O STOP THE BLIGHT NOW GOGOGOGO! Mass Effect 1: STOP THE EVIL SPECTRE OH **** END OF GALAXY SAVE GALAXY GOGOOGO!) This can cause the perception that the story is 'flat', and if the story is 'flat' the characters in that story seem 'flat'. Think, the Earth is 'flat'. One consequence was that it never SEEMED like there was a main quest line. So all of the quests felt like different ways to get xp. The story fell apart several times for me when i was able to predict it. FIRST MINUTES OF THE GAME: Oh, I have a sister and a mom with me... and it's bioware so they like to kill off characters, yea my sister's dead, and maybe my mom. (i think i could have made it so my sister didn't die, but i didnt care after i saw where it was going, sorry sis). You will never in your life have enough money for all the cool **** some vendors sell. Example, one ring was 100 gold, and i had 50 just before final missions. so if i had wanted , say, 15 of those 100 gold items to deck out my crew... yea gl with that. Protip: just play the game and before the final missions use a money cheat and buy the cool stuff. The world kind of feels the same as DA:O, with 'instanced' parts of towns and forests. But that's bad because it feels small. Like, compared to oblivion,GTA, or whatever with square miles of **** These levels really seem repetitive after a while. Character clothing/gear is still visually not up to par with what it could be. aka when you take an image and stretch it over some polygons. The final boss (for me) was a character I met more than 1/2 way thru the game. I mean, yea she's evil, but... i mean... ok i'll just kill her. im just **** because in DRAGON age 2 you dont win by killing a DRAGON. COMMENTS: The story is presented, it seems, for the exclusive purpose of making DLC's more viable. The end of the story is 'current day'. This is a cool way to tell a story, but i know what they're up to. Even the world map is just READY for another button that says "New Town 1" Also I had sex with almost every character in the game, so that was fun.… Expand

Unfortunately I must admit .... disappointed, from DAO made â

I loved DA:O and mass effect 1 and 2 but Dragon age 2 is clearly a rushed product. Shallow characters, shallow ,story, no real choices. No sense of exploration like DA:o becouse of Re-used places over and over again. This game would have needed 1 more year of development to feel complete.

Dragon Age 2 feels completely rushed, streamlined and dumbed down. The writing is generally sub par, dialogue is childish and cheesy, and quests are mostly just delivering items around the map and killing trash mobs. Voice acting is also bad and doesn't fit the characters. Don't waste your money on this garbage.

Grim, dark, bad. The graphics would have looked shameful five years ago; the writing reads like fanfiction by pre-teens, and the less said of the gameplay, the better. Dragon Age: Origins was mediocre, but DA2 has truly bested it in all departments, descending to a whole new level of unacceptably AWFUL.

Pointlessly removed the overhead "isometric" view from the PC version. Hacky, unmotivated writing and mediocre graphics. Cut and pasted quest areas. Bioware took a good but imperfect first game and turned it into a focus-grouped monster.

She was the most anticipated game of the year. With trepidation, I watched all the interviews and news. And now the game is released. A feeling that we were betrayed and sold.

I would like to start off by saying that while I do not regret buying Dragon Age 2, I do regret paying $60 for it. This game is not worth the $60 in it's current state, and the writing at some points is downright terrible to a degree of which made me want to kill small animals.
On to what I do like:
I find that the game is in many ways better than it's predecessor and one of them is companion inventory. Along with Mass Effect, it's inventory management system was a complete mess. With the removal of said problem, the game got considerably easier to play. Another bonus was the visual aid to the dialogue options. Sometimes things are difficult to decipher when just words, or the small description isn't enough. The combat is smoother, the dialogue entertaining, and the storyline immersive. But there is still one problem.
Text.
The massive blocks of test.
Stop doing this BioWare.
I bought a game to play it, not to read several novels worth of text.
I give it an 8/10, but will change it if the game does not receive its much needed patches.… Expand

It's a big shame to see a studio that was responsible for legendary titles like Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights releasing such a disgraceful title called Dragon Age 2. Generic combat, annoying cutscenes with cheesy dialogs, limited role-playing elements, closed maps - where is freedom I ask? I can't believe that major gaming sites rated this game so well. I can only think of sponsoring articles... Game just got released and we have DLC already - laughable. Making money on well-known IP, that's all. It's sad.… Expand

The only honest review I saw of this game from a pro was Adam Sessler (THANK YOU ADAM.) He kept it honest that it has a great story but the combat ruined it. Between the flashy animations that looked like the damn Power Rangers fighting grey faced goons to (speaking of the Power Rangers) how about that Rita Repulsa...I mean newly designed Flemeth?

Even past the initial stage its just Kirkwall...and limited dialog that does have some impact on the game...but the damn thing isn't long enough to really make you get into it. Only in the 3rd act does the story pick up.

We expect more from developer Bioware. The publisher EA? Not so much.… Expand

Not a best RPG ever. Not a worst. But what is really disapointing - it's not RPG I expected from BioWare. It's completely new-school RPG. While playing, I wasn't thinking about BG or PS:T or even about ID. Well, everything that was on my mind - Devil May Cry and Mass Effect 2. In DAO we can see camouflaged D&D, here we can see camouflaged ME. Combat system now feels better - more quick, more beautiful, BUT less tactics. Roleplay - well, for me there's more roleplay in BBC2 - I can be a medic, a pilot, a stormtrooper etc. Dialogs in DA2 are great...would be great if game would be slasher or sort of. But for RPG they're very bad.
Story - better then in DAO. But not exellent. Nothing more to say.
Visuals, sound, music, decorations - not too bad, but for BioWare this "not too bad" transforms into just "bad".
The game is not too bad for consoles - but it bad enough for PC. It's not completely awful, but I don't know for whom I can recommend it. let's just better wait for Wtcher 2, The and Skyrim. But I'm afraid DAO was last good oldschool RPG. And BW transformed into developer of casual console ****.… Expand

As an old school crpg player I originally bought Dragon Age Origins due to Biowares steadfast mantra that the Dragon Age franchise will be a resurrection of the crpg genre. So I bought Origins, it was pretty good with some flaws. Figuring Biowares next entry in the series would clean it up and be at BG NWN levels of quality I continued to support them. Then DA2 was announced and the first game play was shown. From the increasingly Dynasty Warriors esq combat, to the unbelievably horrible graphics and art style changes. We were told to wait by Bioware and their more rabid fanbase, that I couldn't form an negative opinion because I haven't played it. Well its out now, and its just as big a pile of mediocrity as I suspected it would be. The Dialog is for one, is utterly terrible. Some of the best gems are "Im Hungry" and "I want to be the Dragon!". The Dialog wheel is also another terrible "INNOVATION!" thrown into Dragon Age due to the success of MICHAEL BAY PRESENTS MASS EFFECT! Not only do you not know what you will say with the wheel sometimes what you say is not at all what the words are on the wheel. With the addition of only 3 options with Upper Right being NOBLE GOOD BRIGHT, middle JOKE LOL JOKE JOKE JOKE. and bottom I KILL PUPPIES FOR SATAN BECAUSE!. To go along with that you have tiny pictures of the tone of what you will say. Red for Renegade....errr, green for good, and purple for idiot. The graphics and art style. While im not one to put much in graphics a game needs to at least have a good art style and use its assets well. I actually wouldn't care about this if the game had any GOOD aspects. Sadly it does not. Bioware said that the original Dragon Age didn't have an art identity and for the sequel they wanted to make it so different that you would immediately say THATS DRAGON AGE! Good idea right? Certainly. Except they already accomplished this. Very few games do Dark Medieval Fantasy anymore. DAO was one who did and it looked gorgeous on the PC. Which is where the game belongs. So now DA2 gets a new art style ok im down with it until. Its generic WOWesq light colors with terrible terrible exaggeration and jaggies. Combat. One look on youtube for Dragon Age 2 Combat will show you what I mean. lets just say AWESOME BUTTON is not awesome. This is just scratching the surface. All this combined with EA banning people from even playing because of posting negatively about DA2 on Biowares forums, along with Biodevs saying any negative review is some magic **** raid, along with EA slipping in securom on your machine without telling you "which is highly illegal I might add" along with constant locks and bans for anyone who post constructive criticism. All makes for one sour second entry into the series. OH GOD NO! STANLEY WOO HAS FOU This meta critic review is inappropriate. lock down End of Lineâ… Expand

This game is extremely disappointing. They have removed so much of what made Dragon Age great. There is no longer a branching storyline. It doesn't even matter what dialogue options you select anymore. The characters act as if they're living a giant joke.

The graphics are mediocre in most areas of the game, and absolutely horrible in others. I haven't seen such blocky character models since the playstation 1. It feels extremely rushed and I am sad to have paid for it.… Expand

DA2 has value as a game. That value, however, is heartbreakingly destroyed when viewed in light of it being a sequel to DAO. Others have listed its faults, but I would like to point out that the game makes the most rookie DM mistake there is; it *tells* you instead of *showing* you.
EA may have ruined Bioware. I hope not, but I will not buy another Bioware product without first checking the reviews.… Expand