Dragon Age II (2011 Video Game) User Reviews (16)

A hidden gem

[RiriLovesFilm · 9/10 · 23 May 2022]

A truly underrated sequel to the wonder that was Dragon Age: Origins. Although I do agree that the game fails to match up with its predecessor in many ways - from player choice practically being ignored to reusing many areas and enemies, the game still manages to be a thoroughly immersing and enjoyable experience.

Although Hawke, the game's protagonist cannot be as well-defined as the protagonist in Origins, having a definitive background allows Hawke to be have the most personal storyline, as opposed to being isolated from the narrative as a savior archetype. Not only that, but Hawke themselves is a very personable character, whose personality can be defined and redefined by the dialogue choices you make, which do have some impact in dialogue and subplots.

Furthermore, restricting the game to a singular location allows you to have a more personable experience with the location, as opposed to simply stopping by for a few hours to save everyone, you experience what life is in Thedas, and you see how the narrative in the world around you progresses.

The narrative, although being my least favorite aspect of this game, especially due to the game's third act and how it handles the overarching conflict, still manages to be immersive - out of every Dragon Age game and DLC, this is the only game that has made me legitimately cry because the game managed to make me care about its more minor characters.

The gameplay is also the most enjoyable in the series. Some do not enjoy the more fast-paced and action packed change of style, but it personally made the game's combat more enjoyable for me - Dragon Age is partially notorious for having rather bland gameplay, and Dragon Age: II provides the most enjoyable combat experience.

Finally, the characters are what truly make this game my favorite of the series. Not only are there practically no restrictions of who you can romance - a win for player-choice and homosexual gamers, but your relationship with the characters is more three-dimensional, as you can either be a friend or a rival to them, and in both instances you can romance the character, leading to a lovey dovey romance, or a toxic relationship. The best part about the new relationship system is how rivalries might actually be better for those characters, as friendships often enable them to do dangerous things, whilst rivalries can prompt a change in perspective.

Dragon Age: II is truly an underrated gem, despite all of its flaws, much like Origins was despite its flaws.

More Personal and Focused Than Predecessor.

[teddisjunkmail · 9/10 · 18 December 2014]

Grab your pitchforks because I'm going to get this out of the way and say I preferred Dragon Age 2 to Dragon Age: Origins. (I also prefer it to Inquisition, but we'll leave that be.)

DAO was fun, yeah, with a great story that I've played through several times, but I prefer DA2's personal scope as compared to DAO's epic one.

DA2 introduces you to, and as, Hawke, a refugee. I, unlike many others, didn't mind that they took away all the backstories and race- choosing. This meant I was getting a character with a voice and a personality and more than one facial expression. And that's what I got. Hawke has three personalities you can attribute them and all three are great and very well written. (Really, my Warden from DAO made the same face when she was executing Loghain as when she was putting the pants to Zevran. What the what?)

As this human, Hawke, you explore a single city (and some outlying stuff) and you explore relationships, on a more focused level, with your party. Something all the DA games have done is write compelling characters with interesting things to say and stories and secrets that you have befriend/force out of them. Now, a complaint people have most often is that they didn't like that some characters (namely Anders and Leliana) changed. Well, guess what? People change. Anders, the once cheeky apostate we knew, has had a rough life, is co-habitating with a spirit, and is seeing his people subjugated and oppressed. That's going to wear on a guy so excuse him if he's not exactly chipper. I guess I just don't understand why people are so upset at the concept of character development. I do have a single complaint about the relationships on a sexy level. I liked the exclusivity in DAO: Alistair liked ladies and only ladies, which was fine. Zevran put the pants to anyone, that bifurious little rogue, and that was also fine. Those made sense. I feel that one-size-fits-all everyone-bones-everyone was a cop-out in DA2. I'm certainly not saying I want anyone to be excluded from sexy elf lovin,' only that by fitting them into an either/or there was a chance that some intimacy was compromised. This is a problem that Inquisition fixed and I am hugely pleased with.

As for combat, I again, preferred it. I played these games for the stories and choices, not so I could pause the game every six seconds sending my characters scurrying about the map. Combat for me was always an inconvenient barricade to the story. So, if they made it flashier and easier, then I have no problem with that. They really didn't take anything away; players who like sending their pawns in still have a way to do that (albeit less complex and "tactical.") I admit that the tactical thing in Origins was better orchestrated than the one in Two, but I don't think I've ever met anyone who said "The tactical capacity of Dragon Age is its best feature!" A complaint (especially as one treats combat like a rush hour gridlock): they make you fight too many trash mobs. Literally nearly endless mobs. Just when you think you've mopped them up, a rogue falls out of the sky with a dagger for your kidneys. Every. Single. Time.

So, how about Kirkwall, that city you're exploring? I loved the concept. I liked having a small area that you could get intimate with because the entirety of Ferelden was just too big for me. I didn't really care about anywhere that I was going with my Warden. Please, note, I loved the "concept." In practice, Dragon Age 2 is full of repeat dungeon scenery. If you ever fight in a mansion, it's the same mansion every time. Same cave, same coastline, same mountain path, same dimly lit street. It, along with the endless sky-rogues, got pretty irritating. I concede that point and blame it on a rushed game production.

One thing I don't buy is that the game takes place over 10 years. If you blinked during the part where it says "X many years later," you'd never believe you'd been kickin' it in Kirkwall for a decade. So, that feels a bit forced.

Finally, DA2 simplified a lot of things, that I was grateful for. Honestly? I don't really care what my party's armor looks like. Mine? Yeah, I can totally get behind changing my appearance, but having to do that for six people? It was a pain I was glad to be rid of (and then saddled with again in DAI, but I digress.) Also, crafting. Same thing. I hated crafting, didn't have time for it, it got in the way of my story. I appreciated that they streamlined that and simplified it.

But I get it, guys, I do. Some people see DAO as a legend, and I'm not knocking that. It was a great game. I don't feel that way, but I understand why *you* do. People are very quick to tear DA2 apart because it's not DAO. But look at it from over here, from my point of view, and cut it some slack, because it's its own creature, and a majestic one. Like a unicorn.

A good RPG that could have been better.

[kobemackenzie · 8/10 · 21 July 2022]

Dragon age 2 you plays as Hawke who rises to power in the political chaos of Kirkwall. Dragon age 2 kinda took a step down from the first. Well the story isn't as engaging as the first and the story is slow the choices still are good unfortunately you don't really get to see the consequences of your choices you only get it mentioned once in the story. Your companions still have great backstories that have great quest that really change your characters hold character they can start out as the nicest person ever but depending on what you do they can change to someone who shuts themselves off from the world. Unfortunately combat got bad all it is that enemies keep spawning literally out of thin air it's just wave after wave which isn't very exiting. Overall could have been a better game but still fun to play.

Better than you've heard.

[hamstersinwigs · 10/10 · 10 April 2019]

I'm 10 starring this game to do a little to counter the negative pile-on; it has a bad reputation but it's actually really worth a play, especially now at the price it tends to go for these days. I'd actually give it about an 8.

Is it as good as the first one? Nope. As open as the third? Nope. Is it short? For an RPG, yes. Are the maps recycled? Oh yes, I would call this the most deserved complaint of the game.

On the other hand, it has a decent plot (especially if you read the accompanying books), genuinely wonderful, well written companion characters ranging from adorable, to charming, to absolute anti-hero, a customisable protagonist who you can play in multiple ways (think Commander Shepard only with the addition of a third snark-master playstyle alongside paragon and renegade), the voice acting is fantastic, really engaging and actually pretty star-studded to be fair, it isn't long enough to get overly grindy, the graphics are dated now but their cartoonish style tends to fit well with the overall tone, the battle system is fast paced and has a fair amount of variety in difficulty depending on your settings, but most of all the whole thing is just *fun*. It hearkens back to the days when games didn't pretend to be sports or services - when they were immersion into a different world (and no teenagers claimed to have had relations with your mother), when they did dare to be a bit silly but still knew when to reign it in when the action got going. Honestly - if you've never played it don't be put off by all the negativity, just give it a go. Yeah buying it at full price (plus DLCs) when it was new only to find out that you could finish it in a week was annoying, but it's only about a tenner now for the whole lot, what's to lose?

Okay story, great gameplay

[Bobby747 · 8/10 · 15 March 2011]

This is my first review of a video game on IMDb, as I usually post game reviews on ign.com. There is a lot to talk about in DA: II so if you get bored, just skip to the last few sentences of my review for my final judgment.

Anyways, I was absolutely obsessed with Dragon Age: Origins. The rich and epic storyline, emotional depth and involvement of the characters, along with the fantasy-RPG format and gameplay really captivated me to the point that I actually played through the game three times, with the expansion (Awakening) and all the DLC.

How does Dragon Age II compare? They changed aspects that I could see many taking issue with in the first game, such as the combat not being fast-paced enough, and seeming lack of consideration in creating a compelling visual representation of the Qunari.

The combat in DA II is much more fast-paced, and difficulty levels are maintained, and the Qunari are brilliantly depicted as their menacing selves. These changes I can agree with.

What I take issue with is the significantly weaker storyline and limited itemization and customizing options in comparison to DA: Origins. I rather enjoyed being able to meticulously equip and train all of my companions. It is replaced by a general upgrading system that is based on finding character-specific items that party members will automatically add to their existing attire. Accessory items are still interchangeable, but I feel that change was detrimental to the experience.

I realize that consistent itemization is a lot of complicated work for developers, and DA: Awakening suffered slightly in that respect, however I am always against limiting the power of the player when it comes to RPGs.

On the subject of DA: Awakening, the changes to the Runecrafting system for DA II was very welcome. I do not miss the hours spent upgrading runes to fill my equipment.

Concerning the use of characters in DA II, I feel was not bold enough. It seems that attempts were made to present difficult dilemmas for the player to choose from. However, since very few of the characters are even likable, almost all of the decisions were in fact easy to make, or rendered moot. This is likely due to the apparent lack of camaraderie between the central character and his/her companions that was present in DA: Origins, combined with the dialogue of DA II that appeals more to emo subculture than the vast majority of teens and young adults that play fantasy RPGs, and a lack of comic relief in an apparent struggle that seems more commonplace than a time of crisis.

There is an exception to the absence of comic relief in the character Merill, whose neurotic and often clumsy dialogue is a source of entertainment. Also, a couple of short encounters with characters from DA:O were entertaining while they lasted. However, generally the characters are much more severe in DA II than DA:O, when the conflicts and crisis of DA II do not feel as urgent.

I use DA:O and Awakening as a reference point to assess the direction of DA II because, in my opinion, DA II does not function on its own. It requires an understanding of DA:O to assess the successes and apparent failures of DA II.

Having finished both games, I highly recommend that prospective buyers play and finish Dragon Age: Origins, before playing Dragon Age II. If you don't play DA:O, I cannot guarantee that the context of DA II will be totally clear. If you did not like DA:O, you still might like DA II. If you loved DA:O, you won't be as enthused by DA II as you were the first game. It is still a solid fantasy RPG.

8/10. This would be an easy 9 or even 10 if a better effort was made towards the storyline, character development, dynamics between characters, dialogue, and companion itemization. The score is only so high because I believe in giving sequels a fair shake as a standalone item. If I was rating based on my comparisons to DA:O, I would have given it a 6 or 7.

A Great Mess

[vaultoverseer_15 · 7/10 · 17 August 2021]

Bioware remains one of my favourite game developers, but as of recently, they've fallen down a bit. After Mass Effect: Andromeda, the studios have been steering clear from the formula that worked so well in their classic games. While I have problems with them now, many would argue that Dragon Age 2 was essentially the mark of the end of Bioware, withe Mass Effect 2 being their last truly great game. Now I could argue extensively about that against Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age Inquisitions, but Dragon Age 2 is a much more interesting affair.

Dragon Age 2 took nine months to produce. Now, that might seem like a long time, but lets compare it to other Bioware games. Production of Origins took 4 years, more than 5 times the time it took to develop 2. Granted, the first game in a series usually takes the longest because it has to develop the ideas that are present through these series. But look at Mass Effect 2 and 3, which both took over 2 years to complete. Dragon Age 2 was obviously rushed, and it shows. Dragon Age 2 is a game that, size wise is nothing to Origins. Gone are the multiple origins, instead you are always Hawke. The story is much more linear, forcing you into three acts of the game compared to the freedom of Origins. And the overall game is just shorter - on my first playthroughs of both, excluding DLC, Origins took me at 42 hours while 2 put me at 28. Considering that it has less replay value as a result of removing these freedoms and customisations, 2 is much smaller than Origins.

That being said, 2 is still very good. The combat is much faster paced and more engaging. The storyline offers a lot of interesting world building and ideas that greater explore the world of Dragon Age. As a result of being more linear, the story is more personal to Hawke, meaning it has more importance to the player in some areas. The writing is fantastic, adding a lot more personality to the multiple characters. The companions are probably the best part of the game: Origins was good in this regard, but suffered from a few underdeveloped companions who seemed to be there just to add more classes. All the characters are distinct and interesting, with different motivations to drive them and different feelings on the story.

I think the overall feeling of being smaller world and story actually benefits the game quite a lot. Thematically, in a long series, once you go "ok here's the next world ending bad guy!" the world becomes less real and more just an excuse to justify a game. The darkspawn are barely in the game - the game's central conflict is between the mages and templars, a conflict that while important is never billed as world ending, more just a crucial moment in this world and important to its politics. Which is what the series is about - dragon age is about making difficult choices. Its a world with politics that are never morally obvious. My main concern was that you couldn't make a lot of choices going into this game. That's not true at all - there are quite a lot of interesting dilemmas and choices to make that are never obviously true or false, that do have ramifications for the world. To me, it is only disappointing at customising who your character is compared to the first game, because there are a lot of choices here. I was initially wary of putting the Mass Effect dialogue wheel here, but ultimately they change it up to make it work and not feel locked into being good or bad.

So ultimately, I don't care about it's short length, and I love the world and ideas of this game. So why don't I love it? Well firstly, the story ultimately isn't that good. I think overall it works less as a sum of its parts. Sections of this game are really great, but a lot of it doesn't add up to the main story. I don't mind having side quests that don't add up to the story but more to the world, as the side quests in this game are better than the first. Your main quests need to follow through. This problem doesn't become apparent until the end of the first act. The whole idea of the first act is that everything you are doing is to fund an expedition to the Deep Roads. Now, you would be anticipating that leads to something that leads off into the rest of the story, right? No, instead this leads to Varric's companion quests and the removal of a companion, which although makes a good quests, demonstrates that the plot really doesn't have a focus. I like the development of the mage templar conflict but it is never made clear that this is the big threat. I don't mind that there isn't a central villain, but there needs to be a central conflict that I can go "that needs to be resolved", even if it gets defeated and leads to the next big issue. Lack of focus is a big thing, and the other huge thing is gameplay. Now yes, it plays better than the other game, but the developers really didn't seem to worry about repition. People like to talk down on this game because the graphics are bad and re use a lot of assets. That's not quite true - personally I like the updated design, but the reuse assets isn't quite true because they don't go that low. You see, in a game this big you would expect reusing assets to create environments. But no, they literally use the same level. They have an asset of these levels, and they use the same one again and again. Sure, theyll change where the enemies are, put the exits differently, but you're always playing the same different location. That's bad enough for a game with side quests, but when you also do this for main quests, that's unforgettable. The game quickly becomes mind numbing because you literally are fighting in the exact same place. Dragon Age Origins would have varying environments for visual variety and different challenges, but in this game you know all of them by five hours in. And for a game called Dragon Age, jeez do you spend so much more time in a city fighting bandits than you do in beautiful lands fighting supernatural foes.

Overall, Dragon Age is a game that lacks clear focus and suffers from repititive gameplay. But if you can forgive this game for this, you will experience some of the most interesting world building that any media has to offer.

A story driven game , less of an rpg than the 1st one

[stefgrig · 8/10 · 27 August 2011]

First time I run it I was disappointed . Combat felt weird , the start was a little weak story wise . I almost quit right there and then .

But I decided to give it a chance , and I'm so glad I did . Visuals are stunning , combat animations excellent . But these are not this game's strong points ...

Its all about the story . While the main story is not as inspired as the 1st one , there's a distinct atmosphere built , a personal story of accomplishment , supported by the many many side and companion quests . And your companions feel alive . Voice acting is hands down the best I've seen in a game . Companions have personalities so vivid and perky , that at times I forgot they are just graphics . You can pursue relationships , loose them , there's a full story behind each and every one of them .

Classes are distinct in role and fun while playing them , and I finished this game with all of them . While the storyline is mostly linear , there are some choices that can effect the game strongly , like loosing a member of your family . The dialogs between your party members while you run around are much fun also .

Battles can be as action or as strategic as you like , since you can pause the game to give commands to every party member , or just hack away at enemies . Higher difficulty settings may require you to pause and consider strategy more .

Overall , if you value atmosphere and rich characters , this is a masterpiece .

With great RPGs comes great responsibility

[petra_ste · 6/10 · 16 November 2013]

Had Dragon Age 2 been called "The Kirkwall Chronicles", an original game by unknown developers, I would have cut it a lot more slack and praised some interesting choices and compelling characters. Since, however, it was made by BioWare, the people behind Dragon Age: Origins, the Baldur's Gate series, the Mass Effect saga and Knights of the Old Republic, its missteps are glaring.

Let's give credit where it's due: at least the developers attempted to do something different from the usual "chosen one saves the world" formula, going for the more personal story of Hawke (the protagonist) and his rise in the city of Kirkwall.

Now, you can set a whole RPG in a single location, but in that case the place needs to be EXTREMELY well-done. Kirkwall is nothing special; the main cities in Skyrim are far more realistic and detailed, featuring NPCs with daily routines and most buildings being accessible. And Skyrim had MANY cities and a huge world all around them.

While the story's structure is questionable (various acts don't really glue together all that well), characters are OK, although not on par with Origins'. Especially memorable is unflappable, roguish dwarf Varric. Anders from Awakening makes a comeback; as irritating as his new emo self can be, he has an interesting arc. An intriguing unreliable narrator idea is vastly underused.

Combat is a bore: if you thought the Deep Roads in Origins were tiresome, wait and see this. Hordes of trash mobs keep spawning, wave after wave, literally falling from the sky; you'll soon start to dread (in the wrong way) nocturnal missions, where these tedious encounters are even more frequent. Characters jump and rush, covering huge distances in a split-second - more "teleporting" than "moving" - making tactical placement pointless. Friendly fire is tied to difficulty, so it's present only if you play on "nightmare" (which means even more boring encounters). Tactical camera is gone.

There is an interesting game buried beneath Dragon Age 2; too bad they obviously rushed it, cutting corners. Let's hope they'll learn from their mistakes for the next one.

As a stand-alone game: 6,5/10 As a sequel: 4,5/10

Take this game on its own merits

[richard-parrington · 10/10 · 11 April 2011]

Almost all of the complaints I have heard about Dragon Age 2 have one common theme. They all revolve about its differences to its predecessor Dragon Age Origins.

In the interests of balance I will state this from the off, I love both this game and DA:O. When Bioware announced a sequel to DA:O I was extremely hopeful. Following almost all of the news released during the development process left me knowing what to expect I new this game would not just be an Origins clone and so I went in with my eyes open. Do the same and you will see this game for what it is, a deep and engaging personal tale.

This is the crux of the matter. The story (less epic, but more personal than that of Origins) really drew me in, the relationships with both your party and your family feel very real, largely in part to the excellent writing and acting, and losing one, (it can happen) does feel like a blow.

The new combat system is excellent and the classes are now far more clearly defined, I can honestly not find any real fault with it. Perhaps if I was being picky I could mention the excessive numbers of enemies, but all this does is make you feel bad-ass for pummelling your way through them.

As for the inability to play as a non-human character, again I must say that taking this game on it's own merits this does not cause a problem. Hawke is a great character (especially the sarcastic version)and I never felt the need to play as an elf or dwarf.

So in conclusion, DA2 is a great game if you treat it as a game in of itself and not just as a follow on to Origins you will have a great time.

It's no Dragon Age Origins.

[jgrayson_au · 6/10 · 15 March 2011]

Short review. Not as good as the first, not terrible. 6/10.

Long review. So, you've bought... you did buy it didn't you? You've 'bought' Dragon Age 2 and loaded it up. What to expect? Well first of all, you're a different protagonist. The Hero from the first game (IE you) is now a story told by bards and chatty NPCs. Instead you play Hawke, a male or female human only.

The first thing you'll notice is the lack of elf or dwarf. Sorry fans of ears and fat guys, you're outer luck. I chose a rogue. That's when I noticed the next thing. No hot-switching between ranged weapons and melee. If you want to switch between daggers and a bow, pause the game and change it manually.

Of course, that's assuming you're playing on an ATI card. If you're playing on Nvidia, you're likely to be listening to the audio pause whilst the game freezes for a second. First day bugs that were there in the demo months ago.

The plot is the saving... oh wait, it isn't. The plot is there, but it's weak. The side quests are actually more interesting then the main plot.

But luckily the combat system will take your mind off the plot. The combat is waves of bad guys. Fight a bunch of thugs, then just when you think it's all over, like a space invader a new spawn of bad guys appears. I guess then the only advantage is the game is a lot simpler in combat and not as many tactics. You get ample supply of tactic rules, allowing you to 'program' your NPCs for virtually any situation. And they removed the ability to hold from individual party members. Either all your NPCs hold firm or they all move freely.

Look, overall it's not terrible. I've played far worse RPGs in my days. But I've also played better. This feels like a consolised, simplified, rushed version. It feels more like a large DLC to DA:O rather then a sequel. I gave it 6/10 as compared to DA:O, I could probably give it 7/10 if it was a stand alone game, but expectations to RPG of the Year and Game of the Year do matter.

Here's hoping they don't stuff up Mass Effect 3.

The game is defiantly worth it despite the fact...

[Elgarnan · 10/10 · 14 June 2023]

This game was created in 2011. The game lacks in development, such as graphics and combat. The graphic was okay and I liked the gory atmosphere, but in the sense of development: I feel that they could have done something amazing. I was slightly disappointed when comes to the attribute of armor and the quality of the armor. I expected much from a game that was developed in 2011. The combat animation was exciting, but I could definitely see some improvement. I liked that they still included tactics and control the behavior of the AI character which was my favorite. When comes to the story, the story was interesting by how it progressed and ended. The way it will be mentioned or interact with certain characters who will appear in Dragon Age Inquisition. I noticed some potential in some questions to include more options or change the event or fate of a character that will be mentioned in Dragon Age Inquisition. I am still amazed by the bravery to include LGBTQ+ characters and romances. The game is the best despite what I have mentioned. It is worth it.

Bioware is Dead

[truthseeker1412 · 10 September 2011]

The most overrated game of the decade. Don't believe the hype and so-called ''professional'' reviewers that were either paid by EA or were EA employees themselves. This game is a terrible garbage that tries to represent itself as Dragon Age and an RPG, but it's not either. Weak storyline, boring quests, copied and pasted maps, uninteresting characters, ruined qunari, terrible graphics, unbelievable and illogical scenarios. Don't believe the illusion, because this game is NOT an RPG. It's completely linear hack&slash with only one ending. Do not bother to import your saves from Dragon Age:Origins. Your choices don't matter at all. You might even meet some characters you have killed in a previous game. And there are DLC's that were actually part of the main game, but were cut out for extra profit and released just a few hours after DA2. RPG fans should avoid this game. And according to the Bioware itself, Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 3 will be even worse. A shame on Bioware for selling it's soul to EA for profit.

could be better

[bartlaw-979-107250 · 7/10 · 14 December 2011]

Dragon age ; Orgins was legendary. I never played a game like that in my life !!! All the dialouges,the character development the choises you can make : the game had just so much in it !!!! I was waiting for Dragon Age 2 for quite some time, hoping for something just as good, maybe even better. I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed :( .

Although Dragon Age 2 has better graphics, more combos etc. etc. , it doesn't have the magic of the first part. Allistair,Zevran and Leliana have lost their charm in DA2. The storyline isn't good enough. In Orgins everything the characters said seemed so poetic, as if Shakespeare himself wrote it...

But DA2 had it's good sided to. I loved the gameplay, the variety of combos and spells. The action was pretty exiting. And our main character finally got a voice !!! Dragon Age 2 was pretty good, but it could have been better.

Game that didn't live up to its name

[Keashi · 5/10 · 26 September 2014]

Sadly not a very successful sequel to the masterpiece of its predecessor Dragon Age: Origins. Because of the development time being cut short, game is visually ugly and embarrassingly repetitive in its area designs. In fact, with the only visitable location being one city and its outskirts, it's really a shame that all caves and even houses are in fact only one cave, mansion or a house with different passages closed off during different entry times to simulate some kind of variety.

Some people prefer DA2's playability - especially during fights - to the one of DA:O for its quickness, though the combat and tactics options are no longer as rich as they were in the first game.

Good yet frustrating

[silversurfer1288 · 8/10 · 12 May 2011]

I had high, high hopes for this game. I adored the first game and pre-ordered this game months before the release date. The initial trailers blew me away, and rarely have I anticipated a game more. Unfortunately, this made the letdown all the more frustrating. DA2 is not a bad game, but neither is it nearly as good as its predecessor. Furthermore, after the epic and Grandiose scale of the first game, this game seemed to add little to the overall scope of the world of Dragon Age. The Graphics have seen a wonderful improvement. The characters are still great and you can delve into each character's current and past life. Overall, the game is highly polished and feels smooth. The tactical battle system feels a bit faster, but basically the same.

With that said, I have some major gripes with DA2. First, you don't have control over your party members armor. This drives me nuts, and I find this change from the first game inexplicable. Second, and much more confusing is that the world is significantly smaller than Origins. In Origins, you explored a continent filled with castles, caves, mountains, villages, and cities and tunnels under the Earth. The world was diverse and rich with life and history. In DA2, the entire game is in the city of Kirkwall and a few surrounding areas. Third, and the most irritating, is that the game designers reuse the same areas over and over and over. When I found myself in the brothel and then later a noble's house, and they had exactly the same rooms with the same layout, it made me want to punch the game. Not to mention, that you enter 15 different caves, and each cave is simply the same set piece being reused constantly. On top of that, you find yourself running around the same parts of Kirkwall over and over and over and over and over. Thank God that the quests have quite a bit of variety, but at the same time, I found myself wanting a centralized interested story to keep the game moving. Hawke is a fun character, and his/her voice acting is terrific, but again the game finds itself wanting in the plot department. Also, all of the supporting characters are well-developed and easy to care about.

Overall, the game is very well-made. Most of its faults come from comparing it to the first, which again, was a much better game. I expected this game to be an 11/10, but sadly it falls somewhere closer to an 8/10. I will continue to play Dragon Age games, but unfortunately this game put a damper on that desire.

It has better graphics I guess

[nix-cornelissen · 4/10 · 20 June 2022]

Bioware really fumbled their story telling abilities with this one.

The first game was amazing! Diverse and unique locations, full customization of your entire squad, extensive dungeons with creative designs and enemies, companions with complex personalities and real weight in the story, and TONS of loot!

Bioware decided to scrap all of that in this game. I guess they made the graphics better. Thanks? Every location is the same as the last. Literally. All the caves are EXACTLY the same from design to layout to enemy locations.

Your companions have much more restrictions on their customization and abilities. You can't even change their armor appearance! AND THEY MADE DOG A DLC!!!!

Loot is much more scarce and honestly not very interesting. 90% of the loot is literally trash (as in it has a dumpster icon because it has no use) The story is so chaotic that you don't know what is going on most of the time. You just go to where the big yellow arrow points to kill enemies in a dungeon that looks the same as the last dungeon you were in.

I started this game directly after finishing Origins and I feel like I just took a huge step back. DA2 is not nearly as fun to play.