Dragon Age II: Mark of the Assassin

1. Merrill4Life

   Oct 11, 2011

   10

   Bioware does it again! A truly worthy addition to what PC Gamer crowned the "best RPG of this decade" Dragon Age II Mark of the AssassinBioware does it again! A truly worthy addition to what PC Gamer crowned the "best RPG of this decade" Dragon Age II Mark of the Assassin surpasses everything gamers have come to expect from DLC. The lovely Felicia Day comes alive as Tallis in a performance so convincing and immersive it as if you were actually exploring the world of Thedas with the actress herself. The new stealth based mechanics are simply amazing and add hours of replay value to an already incredible game. Now not only can you think like a General and fight like a Spartan, but you can now sneak like a Ninja as well. Bioware has shown that they are the modern day masters in the gaming industry, providing in a DLC better stealth based combat and avoidance than seen in the Metal Gear Solid and Assassins' Creed series. Truly this is a must buy and one can only marvel at what next exciting chapter awaits Dragon Age II.… Expand

   • 8 of 37 users found this helpful
2. benjaminavatar

   Oct 13, 2011

   10

   I just have to say this Dlc is good, interesting, stealthy, misterious and a big diamond as a present. I just hope that there will b more DLCI just have to say this Dlc is good, interesting, stealthy, misterious and a big diamond as a present. I just hope that there will b more DLC for Dragon age 2 until Dragon age 3 Exiting date will be reviled!… Expand

   • 2 of 10 users found this helpful
4. AlexCornell

   Oct 12, 2011

   8

   Let me start with what's bad. The biggest issue here is, of course, the price. Ten bucks is a lot of money to ask for a single-player DLC thatLet me start with what's bad. The biggest issue here is, of course, the price. Ten bucks is a lot of money to ask for a single-player DLC that can be finished in less than five hours. To top it off, it does not add much to the core game, without any real impact on Hawke's saga as a whole. The second issue is the stealth-gameplay. While I can appreciate the effort Bioware put in to this section, it feels out of place, and can be very frustrating. How do my stealth skills not work here? I've crafted a guile and shadowy Hawke, yet he's unable to use the abilities I purposely gave him. Lastly, the puzzles are a mixed bag, while challenging and engaging at times, they also become tedious. There addition feel a bit heavy-handed and superficial. It's also a bit unrealistic that a manor's vault and treasure will be protected by color-coded magical doors and pressure plates, when I'm sure locks will be more efficient (I know this because the outside locks cannot be picked by either you or Tallis, meaning they work better at protecting your stuff than puzzles do).
   
   Now for the good, while I cannot recommend one to pay this much for the game, I can certainly tell you there is a beautiful and complex story here, one worth hearing and experienced. Packed with numerous exploratory elements, with more sidequests than I thought they can put in a typical DLC, this part of Hawke's tale is the most interesting and most involving I've come across. There is a personal sidequest for all your companions, there is significant interaction between who you take with you. They aren't just staring into blank space at all times. There is much you might miss if you rush it, and what you might miss feels so personal, that I would implore you to try again with another character with different companions. No matter the gameplay flaws, Bioware remains the king of videogame writing, and Mark of the Assassin is a shining jewel in the crown that king wears. And for this, I don't regret the purchase.
   
   In the end, the DLC is almost a return to form in Bioware's legacy. It has its awkward and sometimes forced gameplay mechanics, muddling a well-told, immersive, and engaging tale, which is the right balance of linearity and open-endedness. So buy it, if you want to play a subtle, endearing, and personal gaiden in Hawke's life; otherwise, RSVP "No" to this party.… Expand

   • 14 of 22 users found this helpful
5. kane148

   May 24, 2015

   6

   This DLC isn't terrible, but it's really not worth the price in $ or probably even in time. It adds a little bit of lore about the Qunari andThis DLC isn't terrible, but it's really not worth the price in $ or probably even in time. It adds a little bit of lore about the Qunari and Orlesians, but that's honestly all stuff you could read on a wiki in 10 mins. Although some of the locations and new enemies are visually appealing--especially after the drudgery of so many hours around Kirkwall--most of what you'll find here is just not that interesting. There's some new game mechanics to play around with, but they're really not that fun. What I found most frustrating is that this DLC doesn't seem to have any meaningful impact on the larger game: the story is entirely self-contained and doesn't affect the main plot at all, even though it's ripe for a tie-in, you don't get a new permanent companion, and the loot isn't even impressive (at least if you have loot from other DLCs). I did give this a couple more points in the score for Felicia Day's performance, and for the final boss fight, which was at least challenging (something most fights in DAII are not).… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. JamesX

   Oct 24, 2011

   4

   For a game that is centered on a character it does a remarkable job of making her less developed than even the simplistic Anders. TogetherFor a game that is centered on a character it does a remarkable job of making her less developed than even the simplistic Anders. Together with the lack of personal sense and facade of [non]-development.
   
   The entire story hinges on the main character's lack of morality and respect for the laws of hospitality. A conflict focused on a empty basis of the Qun that was proped up with engimatic words that ultimately just hows how pathetic it was. The contraversial ideologies of the Qun was not displayed and instead merely included more as a hook to get you to open your wallets.
   
   The only part that I enjoyed was the banter between the companions, and it was not worth re-installing the game to try the DLC. Save yourself the trouble and buy a book or lunch with the money you might have spent on the DLC.… Expand

   • 11 of 13 users found this helpful
7. AGB

   Oct 17, 2011

   1

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you did not like Dragon Age 2 do not worry, you won't have to reinstall the game for Mark of the Assassin, it is just as banal as its predecessor, and tinkering around the edges has not changed the experience. The mighty have fallen to the depths and they continue to present us with their findings there.
   
   Bear in mind that those who review this expansion favourably obviously like to play on rails with limited choices. They like corny amateur come-ons made-up by 40 year old virgins and to 'play' a long boring anime film. Despite the change of scenery to WoW forest lite, MOTA keeps the same atmosphere as its underage parent game.
   
   *SPOILER HERE* Case in point, there is a discussion with Felicia, sorry Tallis, where she discusses being one of the communist/borg-type Qun. This is a great chance for a grown up conversation with a touch of philosophy and real choices. However, the conversation is a big simplistic let-down, trying to masquerade as something deep. You are hit with the same bland 'yes, joke, or no' responses, apart from a ton of lore-breaking. 'Yes's' are tame citizenship-lesson-inspired non-committal approval (you can't convert your character) 'Joke' or 'light-heartedness' responses are as insipid as ever. 'No's' are just the same childish stuff. No proper challenge is made to Talis' simple Qun apologist thinking (you can't even try to unconvert her). 'The Qun just want improvement' Talis reasons while you want to bash her over the head and say 'Wake up, wanting improvement isn't unique to the Qunari'.
   
   It's the same level of argument as 'Cake or Death' youtube.com/watch?v=BNjcuZ-LiSY - only without any humour.
   
   There are more puzzles, but again, they are not challenging and only add to the childish feel of the game, so just end-up being tedious time-drains to get through and pad-out the game time.
   
   Combat is ludicrously simple at this late advanced stage, no fight is a challenge, just continue to bash the 'Awesome!' button. There's a new creature called 'Ghasts' - no not the ghasts of H.P. Lovecraft, or even D&D, but something akin to Warhammer snotlings - but again without the humour. As if you needed any further confirmation, yes Bioware have sold out and are unashamedly aiming for the junior market whilst including enough sexual content to rate it M in the US and 18 in the UK - and that is the real outrage, not side-boob in Mass Effect 1 (nerfed 'sexy time' NOT included in this expansion btw - and definitely no chemistry).
   
   So it's a way-overpriced tame and dishonest experience that just soils the DA world even further.… Expand

   • 6 of 10 users found this helpful
8. faceless-1

   Apr 10, 2014

   0

   Yaaay this DLC is total garbage. Well at least it is not 100% copy pasted like dragon age II, but story and everything in this DLC is boring.Yaaay this DLC is total garbage. Well at least it is not 100% copy pasted like dragon age II, but story and everything in this DLC is boring. Mark of the Assasin is also very short . It is same cash in garbage lik half of the original dragon age DLC, but Original Dragon age was superb RPG, where dragon age II is total trash.… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful

See all 18 User Reviews