Dragon Age II

Capsule Computers (9.5 out of 10)

By being more of a spin-off than a sequel, the game is able to implement a new feel without taking away from the feel of the original, which makes the game feel a lot more solid and able to stand on it’s own.

PC Format (UK) (9.5 out of 10)

A visceral, well-written and worthy sequel to an excellent game, with huge potential to become a modern classic.

PC Gamer (94 out of 100)

Dragon Age 2 is not what you expect. Hell, even during preview sessions, I hadn’t anticipated it being this much of a traditional sequel. But by locking down the context – the world and the politics – BioWare were free to fill their creation with more character and vitality than any title in recent memory. The best RPG of this decade? Nine more years will tell, but for now, yes.

GameTrailers (9.2 out of 10)

Though it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor when it comes to sheer breadth, Dragon Age II has quite a bit more soul. You'll certainly give a whit what happens to Hawke after you play through the frankly bizarre endgame. Stumble as it does in a few spots, its fundamentals work brilliantly, contributing to some of the most gratifying RPG combat we've played in a long time. If you've got 30 or so hours to spare, there are few games that will arrest your attention so stubbornly.

3D Juegos (9.1 out of 10)

Dragon Age II es otra nueva demostración del fantástico momento de forma en el que se encuentran en BioWare. Sin renunciar al aroma clásico de la franquicia, el estudio canadiense realiza un interesante cóctel de nuevos/viejos tiempos que acaba redondeando un juego fantástico. Muchas horas de diversión apoyadas en combates frenéticos y el habitual buen gusto de sus responsables, para crear historias con gancho y personajes carismáticos.

Vandal Online (9.1 out of 10)

Dragon Age II es una grandísima secuela, que mejora aspectos toscos y poco cuidados en el original, y que demuestra una solidez argumental y narrativa pocas veces vista. Quizás el cambio y el énfasis en la acción sea el principal escollo por salvar para todos aquellos que buscaban una continuación del estilo tradicional de Dragon Age Origins. Pero si consiguen solventar dicho problema de concepción, Dragon Age II se desvela como un juego completo (algo más corto, pero igual o más intenso que muchos otros que prometen decenas o cientos de horas de aventura), frenético por momentos, y con un diseño tan carismático como atractivo. Es sin lugar a dudas, una puesta al día de un concepto que ya maravilló a toda una generación de jugadores, y que, por compromiso y deuda, deberían estar obligados a probar. Bioware lo ha vuelto a hacer.

Eurogamer.it (9 out of 10)

Dragon Age 2 si dimostra dunque un prodotto complessivamente straordinario, i cui pochi e trascurabili difetti, come un comparto tecnico migliorabile, sono oscurati da pregi tanto numerosi quanto innegabili. L'intensità e la qualità narrativa dell'esperienza proposta, i miglioramenti apportati al combat system e al sistema di interazione, uniti alla solita, storica profondità del concept di base, sono infatti elementi più che sufficienti per assicurare un'esperienza di qualità eccelsa in grado di affascinare, divertire, coinvolgere e stupire chiunque decida di immergercisi. L'indimenticabile avventura di Hawke rappresenta senza alcun dubbio una delle esperienze digitali migliori dell'attuale generazione videoludica e nessuno, indipendentemente dai propri gusti personali, dovrebbe privarsi della possibilità di viverla. Fidatevi.

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (90 out of 100)

«Copy/paste» да сомнительная затея с одеждой — единственные промахи, смазывающие впечатление от Dragon Age 2. Необычайно узкий масштаб, иная система «прокачки», головокружительно динамичные битвы, казалось бы, должны пугать и вызывать неприязнь, но не верьте первым ощущениям. Перед вами — отличная RPG, одна из лучших работ BioWare.

GameZ (90 out of 100)

Hoewel de keuze voor één hoofdpersonage de replaywaarde flink verlaagt, ben je met een speeltijd van 30 tot 35 uur en drie gevarieerde klassen toch nog wel even zoet. Tezamen met de al aangekondigde DLC is Dragon Age 2 dan ook een waardige opvolger van Origins. Het verhaal van Hawke is aangrijpend en naast actie, spanning en verdriet is er ook veel plaats voor humor en romantiek. Elk van de drie hoofdstukken voelen aan als een goed afgewerkt verhaal op zich, hoewel het er wel voor zorgt dat het spel wat abrupt eindigt. De keiharde combat en het spectaculaire eindgevecht maken echter veel goed. Op grafisch vlak is het ook sterk verbeterd, met het nieuwe uiterlijk van de Elves en de Qunari als beste voorbeeld. De prachtige muziek, geweldige voice acting en geloofwaardige personages geven het spel daarbij wederom een episch tintje. Hou je van RPG’s? Dan raad ik dit spel ten zeerste aan. Hou je van Dragon Age? Dan is dit een ware must have.

OMGN: Online Multiplayer Games Network (9 out of 10)

I actually thought the game was broken at first and was loading the same dungeon over and over again due to poor programming or something, but lazy level design aside, Dragon Age 2 is great. Not amazing, not breathtaking, and certainly not the second coming of the RPG, but worth a play through and several replays after. It’s a promising step in the right direction, and hopefully, Bioware can tighten it up and pull it all together before Dragon Age 3.

Level 7 (9 out of 10)

Jämfört med ettan ett något förenklat rollspel i en spelvärld som krympts betänkligt. Men serien behåller sin status som en av genrens starkaste historieberättare med intressanta karaktärer och en engagerande värld. Det är inte många spel som jag blir så här absorberad av. Dragon Age 2 når inte riktigt upp till föregångarens nivå för min del, men det är väldigt nära.

PC Games (Germany) (88 out of 100)

Ich mag minutenlange Dialoge, um möglichst viel über meine Begleiter zu erfahren. Schnelle, actionreiche Kämpfe, bei denen meine Gegner nur so durch die Gegend fliegen? Genau mein Ding! Ich treffe gerne moralische Entscheidungen, um zu sehen, wie sich das im Spiel auswirkt. Zu viele verschiedene Fertigkeiten und komplexe Regeln machen mich wahnsinnig. Ich mag es eher geradlinig und strukturiert, damit ich meine Charaktere unkompliziert und effektiv weiterentwickeln kann. Explizite Gewaltdarstellungen gehören in einem Fantasy-Spiel einfach dazu. Aber ich brauche eine große, zusammenhängende und stimmige Spielwelt mit vielen Details, um mich in einem RPG wohlzufühlen. Ich möchte meine Heldengruppe mit möglichst vielen Gegenständen ausrüsten können. Meine Charaktere sollen unterschiedliche Waffentalente lernen und mehrere Waffensets tragen können. Das Kampfsystem darf nicht hektisch sein, am liebsten wäre mir ein runden- oder würfelbasiertes System wie in einem richtigen Pen&Paper-RPG.

GameStar (Germany) (87 out of 100)

Kein Zweifel, Dragon Age 2 ist ein hervorragendes Rollenspiel. Doch ich merke dem Programm durch und durch an, dass es so viel besser hätte werden können, wenn sich Bioware mehr Zeit gelassen hätte. Ja, die Charaktere sind cool, aber nicht so cool wie im Vorgänger. Dasselbe gilt für die weniger epische Geschichte, die weniger abwechslungsreiche Spielwelt oder das weniger komfortable Kampfsystem. Gut, das ist Kritik auf hohem Niveau, denn Dragon Age 2 macht trotzallem enorm viel Spaß. Aber nach dem grandiosen Vorgänger hatte ich mir dann doch ein wenig mehr erhofft.

Gameswelt (86 out of 100)

Wieder einmal liefert Bioware ein sehr gutes modernes Rollenspiel ab. Dragon Age II lebt dabei vor allem von der gut gestrickten Geschichte und Hawkes superben Begleitern. Wer Angst hatte, dass die Kämpfe zu actionlastig werden, darf sich beruhigt zurücklehnen. Gerade die Bosskämpfe sind knifflig und fordern euch zuweilen einiges an Nerven und Ideen ab. Dank Entschlackung ist das Spiel vergleichsweise kurz geraten, aber dafür stimmt die Wiederspielbarkeit. Langweilig wird es zu keiner Minute, auch wenn sich Grafiksets und Aufbau der Dungeons viel zu oft wiederholen. Grafisch hat ebenfalls Schritte nach vorn gemacht und bietet mehr Details, allerdings wirken die Umgebungen oft steril. Insgesamt ein würdiger Nachfolger, der Änderungen an den richtigen Stellen beinhaltet und vor allem eins macht: Lust auf einen dritten Teil. Warum trotzdem weniger Prozente als für Teil 1? Weil mir so ein bisschen die besonderen Momente fehlen, und mir das Ganze einfach ein bisschen zu klinisch glatt ist.

GamingXP (86 out of 100)

Als Fortsetzung von „Dragon Age: Origins“ hat man wahrlich kein leichtes Los gezogen. Alles in allem hat sich „Dragon Age 2“ gut geschlagen, wobei für mich ein Gold Award nicht ganz drin ist. Die flache Story, die teils einfallslosen Wiederholungen bei Questaufgaben und Questorten, all dies nimmt einfach ein wenig Atmosphäre aus dem Spiel, was ich sehr schade finde, weil vor allem die epische Story aus „Dragon Age: Origins“ den Spieler so gefesselt hat. Ich bin zwar zufrieden, weil der Titel technisch ganz gut ist, aber dennoch enttäuscht, weil der Titel meiner Meinung nach so viel ungenütztes Potenzial in sich birgt. Wenn Sie mehr Action als in „Dragon Age: Origins“ wollen, dann sind Sie mit „Dragon Age 2“ gut bedient, aber wenn Sie die Freiheiten, die Story und die Atmosphäre von „Dragon Age: Origins“ geliebt haben, dann sollten Sie sich auf einen Teil 2 der anderen Art einstellen.

Ten Ton Hammer (86 out of 100)

There is no denying that this game is a stand-out product and another definite milestone in the continued evolution of single-player RPG epics. But to turn a blind eye to its blemishes simply because its story and voice acting are such incredible work, would be a dis-service to the industry, and to gamers. Calling them game-breakers, however, would be inaccurate and insulting to the hard work of Bioware's talented development staff. Sure, the game has its warts, but in the end they are outshone by the sheer enjoyment that comes from playing this title, and becoming the Champion of Kirkwall.

Games Finder (8.5 out of 10)

Maybe you played the original and like what the game offered or just need a new high quality RPG experience. Regardless, Dragon Age II has it all and won’t disappoint if you give the game the time it deserves.

IGN (8.5 out of 10)

Every modification to the gameplay and structure of Dragon Age II is a clear improvement over the previous game. The combat is more responsive and bloody, you don’t need to fight the inventory system anymore, and conversations are more engaging thanks to the adapted Mass Effect wheel. There are downsides though; the semi-linear story and repetitive environments have a negative effect on what is otherwise a great role-playing game. Despite these complaints, Dragon Age II is a game I’m eager to replay.

Meristation (8.5 out of 10)

No hay que confundirse, Dragon Age 2 es un título excelente con mucho que ofrecer a todo tipo de jugadores. Pero no se puede evitar pensar en que no era exactamente el tipo de secuela que se esperaba de un título como Origins, ni tampoco se puede ocultar la discrepancia con algunas decisiones en el diseño o con algunas ausencias inexplicables. Queda la sensación de que Bioware ha girado en una dirección que se aleja de las promesas iniciales de crear un “heredero espiritual” para Baldur’s Gate, a la búsqueda de un público al que nunca le interesó o le interesará un juego con ese grado de profundidad. Sólo el tiempo dirá si la apuesta está bien encaminada, y habrá que esperar a futuros episodios de Dragon Age para ver en que cristaliza una saga que sigue en construcción. Por lo pronto, sólo queda invitar a disfrutar sin prejuicios de este título y a saborear lo que ofrece, que no es poco.

Game Revolution (B+)

In their reimagining of Dragon Age II, Bioware has transferred one too many points from storytelling and exploration to combat. That doesn't mean this sequel is beyond playable or even average; Dragon Age fans will likely have the heart to finish it without too many complaints despite its flaws, but even they will feel unsettled at times. Nonetheless, Dragon Age II carries enough from its triumphant predecessor that it doesn't tarnish the Dragon Age name too much, though it creates one of those weird moments in life where people realize just how much they can let slide for the sake of enjoying an experience. Much like a threesome. Uh, never mind.

Gamers.at (81 out of 100)

Es war Qual und Freude zugleich, dass ich mir mit der Wertungsfindung von Dragon Age II viel Zeit lassen konnte. Der Einstieg ins Spiel fiel mir noch relativ schwer, für meinen Geschmack zuviel Action und zuwenig Rollenspiel. Mit beiden Aspekten kam ich allerdings im Laufe der knapp 35 Stunden die ich für ein erstes Durchspielen benötigte immer besser zu recht. Die „Hardcore“-Rollenspielelemente wurden zwar beschnitten, aber viele von ihnen sind noch da, man muss nur etwas tiefer graben. Viel mehr stört mich, dass gewisse Aspekte des Spiels nicht das Niveau erreichen, dass ich von BioWare gewohnt bin. Die Außenareale wiederholen sich immer wieder und auch die Stadt selbst löst in ihrer Gesamtheit nicht wirklich Begeisterungsstürme aus. Geschmäcker mögen verschieden sein und manch einer wird das Spiel sicher anders empfinden, aber für mich ist Dragon Age II eben nur ein weiteres gutes Rollenspiel, das sich einfach nicht aus dem – zugegeben großen – Schatten des Vorgängers befreien kann.

Thunderbolt Games (8 out of 10)

Dragon Age II is a great game for fans and on the whole, but a handful of the features it boasts come accompanied by disappointing sacrifices that are particularly painful to those who have come to love and expect so much from the series. Be sure to take the handful of bad instances with the good, and you’ll find plenty to like about Dragon Age’s second installment.

Cheat Happens (8 out of 10)

It may not be the game everyone wanted it to be, but Dragon Age 2 is still an epic, quality western RPG that should be experienced. It's clear that Bioware wanted the game to be much more accessible than its predecessor, and as a result, the game feels like it's not fleshed out as it should be. Still though, you can't deny how much fun it is to blast through a crowd of enemies with your blood soaked sword in the universe Bioware has created.

newbreview.com (4 out of 5)

Dragon Age 2 is both a button smashing interactive movie, and a strategic immersive fantasy tale. Whilst the PC version is the best of the three versions, Dragon Age 2 is a good game in its own right and an extremely solid platform for the sequel to improve on by taking it to a larger scale and adding more variety.

GameSpot (8 out of 10)

In certain key ways, Dragon Age 2 is a step back. Regardless of how you may feel about the changes to the formula, however, it's still a great RPG that draws you in, thanks to the power of choice. Here is a game in which decisions have consequences that ripple outward, producing effects you may not have seen coming. What makes them more effective is that there is not always a clearly bad or good path to take--not in this world in which greed and anger course through the veins of so many, regardless of their affiliation. Personal connections in your family and adventuring party further complicate matters, ensuring there isn't one obvious way to continue. It's a shame that these intricacies were tempered by unnecessary simplification and unfocused storytelling. Nevertheless, Dragon Age II makes a strong impression, pulling you through with the promise of another fun quest, another character to meet, and another beast to slay.

Atomic Gamer (8 out of 10)

Dragon Age II is a fine RPG, but it lacks the kind of lofty ambition that has made BioWare famous. All I can hope for is that a good two or three years is spent on the next game, and that it comes out swinging with a much more hard-hitting story.

TotalVideoGames (TVG) (8 out of 10)

Dragon Age II is another evolution of BioWare's RPG format. It features slick combat, interesting characters and an intriguing narrative that - for those who can ignore the presentational shortcomings - combine to make an incredibly immersive role-playing experience. However, the game's uninspired, repetitive environments and limited sense of adventure fail to provide a suitable platform for what could have been the defining RPG of this generation.

GamesRadar (8 out of 10)

In the end, DA2 is sure to be a divisive game. The purist, PC-RPG crowd will hate it for "dumbing down" one of the last remaining hardcore RPGs (which is probably an unfair criticism – you can play it like a hard core RPG on PC, it's just not as simple to do so), while the console clan will love it for making a fantastic series more accessible. Everyone should cotton to the clever, twisty story and fully fledged characters. It's hard to say that DA2 is an overall improvement on Origins, but you can't deny that it's a bold step toward remaking the entire action-RPG genre - something we'll have to evaluate the success of with Dragon Age III.

Softpedia (8 out of 10)

Dragon Age 2 is a very mixed bag of experiences and a lot of the appreciation that a player will have for it depends on his gaming background and his thoughts on role-playing games. It starts slow and fails to deliver an end game that feels as important as that of Origins, but it has a number of companion and sidequests that are very well written and force interesting choices on the part of the gamer. But the overall simplification that BioWare seems determined to bring to the role-playing genre is a big disappointment for those who grew up playing six or seven times through Baldur's Gate 2. I will probably only go through Dragon Age 2 three times, and for me, that's the best way of showing the difference between the two experiences.

GamePro (US) ( )

At the end of Dragon Age II, I'm not sure how I feel about the story. What was the message? Is it one of the importance of freedom? Is it a cautionary tale on how power can corrupt? Dragon Age II flirts with both of these messages. But as a game, its streamlined mechanics and more action-oriented combat should appeal to console players, but hardcore fans of PC RPGs may feel slighted.

Armchair Empire, The (8 out of 10)

Despite the reused art assets, and being forced to revisit areas again, and again, the game is still quite a lot of fun to play. Dragon Age 2 could have benefited from being in development a little while longer to prevent this, but here we are. Nonetheless, the character interactions, how the story develops, and the general streamlining of the game are both enjoyable, and welcome. It does seem that BioWare is shifting gears in how they approach RPGs, and from what there is to see in Dragon Age 2 they have some interesting ideas worth exploring. Just give us a little more variation in settings and it'll be a lot easier to swallow. Ultimately, Dragon Age 2 still manages to be a good game, but it will also be a VERY divisive title among RPG fans.

Gamer.no (8 out of 10)

Dragon Age II er resultatet av et kompromiss mellom konsoll og PC som plattform. Det er resultatet av at Bioware i stedet for å differensiere sine to store levende rollespillfranchiser, fører Dragon Age II nærmere måten Mass Effect 2 utspiller seg på. Det er rett og slett resultatet av retningen spilldesign generelt tar i 2011. Vi kan like det eller ikke, men Bioware forsøker å få deg til å fokusere mer på historien og mindre på å lage flasker med gift eller finne ut hvor mye større tallene blir hvis du tar på deg en annen sko. Dragon Age II er på tross av sin bunnsolide historiedel og noe mer lettfordøyde rollespillplattform, ingen Messias til rollespillsjangeren. Det er et svært velregissert og godt komponert eventyr som er hakket mer morsomt på PC enn det er på konsoll – men det var vel ingen nyhet. La våre ansikter nok en gang dekkes av blodsprut.

Cheat Code Central (4 out of 5)

This is a solid game, but it's a step backward for Dragon Age and Bioware alike. The question we all need to ask ourselves is whether we'd rather Bioware spend years (seven, by some accounts) working on an epic like Dragon Age: Origins, or if we'd rather they pump out markedly more flawed editions every eighteen to twenty-four months. I really don't know the answer.

Gamereactor International (8 out of 10)

It took me a couple of hours to get into Dragon Age II. The first five hours or so I was extremely sceptical, and the changes to character customization and being stuck in Kirkwall made me doubt that I'd ever like it. But slowly but surely it won me over. It might not be the sequel we had been hoping for, though. I can only hope that Bioware doesn't rush out a Dragon Age 3, instead taking their time with the next chapter. I'd love to see a Dragon Age as often as we see a Call of Duty, but sadly I don't see that happening without the quality taking an even further nosedive. Ubisoft showed that it could be done with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, but that seems to be the exception to the rule. So while I'm still a Dragon Age-fan, I don't want to see a sequel until 2014.

Snackbar-Games.com (4 out of 5)

Dragon Age II is, in one overused word, epic. It may lack the grand story and openness of its predecessor, but it more than makes up for it with sharp writing and fast-paced combat. It’s an addictive game you won’t want to stop playing even after the credits roll.

Game Informer Magazine (7.75 out of 10)

While Dragon Age II on PC fares poorly in most comparisons, it isn’t all bad. It has a leg up on the console versions in the graphical department and the performance is also better. Apart from combat issues, the highlights from the console version make a seamless transition. The cool quests, solid writing, and interesting characters are enough to make Dragon Age II worth checking out as long as you keep your expectations in check. Dragon Age II caters to an audience that didn’t connect with Origins, while alienating those who did. This may result in a better console experience, but considering that Dragon Age: Origins was a love letter to old-school PC RPGs, BioWare’s neglect of the sequel’s PC release is tragic. I appreciate the technical refinements, but improving the polish doesn’t do much good when the basics still need work.

Mana Pool (7.6 out of 10)

Personally, I find that I have a preference towards receiving more things in exchange for my hard earned (yeah, stop laughing, co-workers!) cash. I expected to receive a sequel with more things in it, not less, and that’s hard to take given the calibre of the developers making it. While there are some improvements, on the whole I’m left with the feeling that I’ve just paid the same money for half as much game as I got first time around, which makes it difficult not to feel cheated.

ActionTrip (7.6 out of 10)

Even with all the bad stuff we said about the game and the sheer disappointment for its general lack of depth, Dragon Age 2 is still a decent (if slightly dumbed down) role-playing game. Many choices await players on their journey, as they meet numerous new characters and head out on lots of quests and side-quests. In addition, there's a solid choice of weapons to wield and more. The overall narrative may not be as deep and epic as in the first game, but it still offers some unexpected and pleasant variables, which, as we all know, is BioWare's forte exhibited in games like the Mass Effect trilogy. On the other hand, if you were expecting a rich and in-depth experience, the kind Dragon Age: Origins most surely provides, then you're in for a major letdown.

Gaming Age (B)

If I said something like, "Dragon Age 2 is a great RPG, just not as good as Mass Effect", I'd be wrong. It's not matter of being 'as good as' or 'better than', but different. Dragon Age 2 is a great RPG that's different than Mass Effect. Granted taking the thing I love most about ME, the fully voiced acted dialogue wheel, and transplanting it into the DA universe can only make a winning combo. While I don't feel DA2 has changed my expectations of RPGs, I had a blast playing it, which doesn't often happen with sequels released within the same hardware generation.

ComputerGames.ro (75 out of 100)

The irony is that the release of Dragon Age II has put things a bit into perspective. A year ago I was criticizing DAO in various regards, but once you put next to its sequel, you realize that Origins has „more” story, more attractive secondary quests, more variety, more... whatever you want. Of course, many might cry „Dragon Age II was developed for consoles as well, that’s the problem”. Well, I’m sorry, but Origins was also a multiplatform title and you can’t find consoles guilty for a weak story, with plenty of holes and rabbits pulled out of the hat to get to a disappointing end. Among other things. Ultimately, Dragon Age II will be judged depending on the player camp: RPG veterans will throw it away, while casual gamers will find themselves at home in this simplified world. Because Dragon Age II isn’t necessarily a bad game, it just fell victim to the money grab started by the success of Origins, with all the negative things that come with it.

Game Observer (75 out of 100)

I struggle to say this, because Dragon Age: Origins was a contender for Game of the Year 2009 in my book, but its tepid and disjointed follow-up is nothing short of a disappointment. I hesitate to call it a terrible game as well, because it isn’t that far gone. Its mechanics work, and there is nothing inherently counter-intuitive about the design. But it is such a stark contraction to the ideas of what a good game should be, let alone a good sequel, that I cannot deem it worthy of high praise. The game succeeds only on a primal level – it is not broken, and it is far more bug-free than Origins. In the midst of some of the more barren months, perhaps one might find enjoyment in its campaign, but by year’s end, it will be long forgotten. The framework has been set, and its potential is still waiting to be tapped. I just hope that happens before the next Blight.

gamrReview (7.4 out of 10)

Dragon Age II is a good game and I think it’s important that people understand that. What it isn’t is an incredible game, or even a great game, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a worthy sequel to Origins. BioWare sought to make the console and PC experiences equal and they have pretty much succeeded in that, but the result is a loss in quality all around. While great characters and voice acting remain, BioWare’s hallmark ability to create a living, breathing world falls flat in this sequel. The world is dull and dead and the lack of visual style and variety makes it get old fast. Combat is certainly fun, but former Origins PC gamers can no longer get a strategy fix from it. If you’re interested in a fun romp around an action RPG, pick Dragon Age II up, but if you’re a Dragon Age fan looking to continue what you loved about Origins, you may be better off skipping it altogether.

PC Invasion (INC Gamers) (7.2 out of 10)

I'll leave you by telling you how the game left me. Despite being monotonous, despite wishing it had hurried up a little during the first third, despite wishing there were different dungeons to explore and despite wishing I had to think a little about combat a little more, Dragon Age II's narrative left me breathless, shocked and reeling on numerous occasions. While the gameplay is far from perfect, Dragon Age II is an absolute must for anyone interested in the world, the lore and a good story - but anyone hoping for something that feels and plays like Origins might want to adjust their expectations accordingly.

HonestGamers (Staff reviews only) (7 out of 10)

Dragon Age II is a long way away from perfection. But it is its own game, undeterred by the enormous shadow left by several previous BioWare releases. I can’t condemn it too heavily when it is, essentially, the game I’ve been asking of the developer for years.

Bit-Tech (7 out of 10)

There are parts of Dragon Age 2 that offer immeasurable improvements, mostly when it comes to interface and combat design, but the fact remains that the inconsistent tone and lazy recycling of levels take their toll. It's by no means a bad game, but we can't help being disappointed by its developed-by-numbers feel.

4Players.de (70 out of 100)

Die schwache Technik ist nicht mal schlimm. Aber nach Dragon Age war eine Entwicklung hin zu noch mehr Rollenspiel wünschenswert, nicht diese Kastration und diese Anbiederungen an schnelle Action. Wer hat denn bitte dieses 08/15-Frauendesign und das lächerliche Blutgespritze zu verantworten? Wer hat bloß diese 90-60-90-Mutter entworfen, die wie 20 aussieht? [..] Wenn der katastrophale Einstieg sinnbildlich für die kommenden fünfundzwanzig Stunden gewesen wäre, wäre das ein Verriss geworden[..]. Aber die guten Quests, die spürbaren Konsequenzen, die sehr guten Dialoge und vor allem ein Kampfsystem, das [..] ab dem zweiten Akt taktisch cleveres Partymanagement fordert, retten dieses Abenteuer in den befriedigenden Bereich.[..] Dass es nicht für eine gute Wertung reicht, liegt auch an einer ebenso kleinen wie sterilen Spielwelt, die mit roboterhaften Bewohnern, seelenlosen Tavernen und fehlenden Erkundungsreizen zu einer Abklapper-Kulisse degradiert wird.

Video Game Talk ( )

By taking the console version of Dragon Age II and adapting it for the PC, Bioware has clearly antagonized the core fan base of Dragon Age: Origins. Just pop out into the online review community to check out user reviews. From a gameplay perspective, I can fault the developer for making the combat system boring and repetitious. I found the sidequests to be somewhat useless and the character development shallow. It also felt claustrophobic to keep the hero limited to a much smaller section of the game compared to the original. Finally, the story is unfocused and the buildup to the final act felt extremely anticlimactic as well as unsatisfying due to a cliffhanger. If you were in love with Dragon Age: Origins, I'd strongly recommend testing the demo before purchasing Dragon Age II. For those that hated the methodical battles of DA:O, you will probably love the fast paced, mindless combat of DA2. Personally, I was extremely disappointed with the changes between the two titles.

Gameplay (Benelux) (70 out of 100)

Of je nu een verstokte RPG-fan dan wel hack & slash-fanaat bent, Dragon Age II slaat de bal op te veel cruciale punten mis om lang je aandacht vast te houden. De zwakste BioWare-game in zeer lange tijd.

RPG Site (7 out of 10)

For me the highs are higher than those in Dragon Age: Origins, but the lows are far, far lower. It never quite manages to reach the high bar that it sets for itself and that its predecessor set, and as a game that makes compromises to appeal to a bigger audience it sits uncomfortably between Dragon Age: Origins which sold a ton despite being as hardcore as they come and Mass Effect 2 which makes similar compromises but makes them better. In spite of all that and after the particularly bad taste it left me with for the first couple of hours I'm happy to say after some 45 hours on PC and around 10 hours on Xbox 360 I really enjoyed Dragon Age II. If you use the systems the game offers to you fully and crank the difficulty up you've got some of the most addictive, tactically taxing RPG combat around.

Hooked Gamers (6.7 out of 10)

“Lazy” is the best way to sum up Dragon Age II. In some ways, the game feels too familiar. In others, it feels too simplistic. But in no way does it feel novel or impressive or even as good as its predecessor. With the exception of a few battles and one emotional decision, Dragon Age II just feels lazy – lazy in its design, lazy in its execution, and lazy in what it requires of the player. This is what’s called “resting on your laurels.”

Jeuxvideo.com (12 out of 20)

Dragon Age II permet de réaliser ce qu'aurait pu donner Mass Effect 2 s'il avait été raté. La simplification du système de jeu était attendue, mais on la pensait motivée par une aventure encore plus épique, servie par une histoire passionnante et une mise en scène spectaculaire, ce qui n'est pas vraiment le cas. Entre le peu de soin accordé aux quêtes, faites d'incessants combats dans des environnements recyclés à l'envi, l'impossibilité de négocier ces affrontements de façon stratégique et la médiocrité de la localisation française, l'ensemble n'est même pas du niveau d'Awakening, mais d'un gros DLC peu inspiré. Les amateurs de jeux de rôle tactiques se reporteront donc sans hésitation sur le dernier Drakensang plutôt que de cautionner cette suite bâclée, en concurrence sérieuse avec Gothic 4 pour le massacre de franchise le plus manifeste de ces dernières années.

Worth Playing (6 out of 10)

The wholesale changes reflect a deeper problem in assuming that your audience isn't as smart as it was to enjoy the first game. It makes the only answer that of dumbing down the sharp edges in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. Change by itself isn't a bad thing, but there is a thin line between streamlining a game to make it more playable and making changes that simply insult your audience's intelligence. One can only hope that a future installment will learn these lessons and return the Dragon Age series to the fore with the kind of risk-taking and storytelling that the first game had handily delivered. It is also difficult to ignore how these sweeping changes pushed Dragon Age into this direction. After so many exploding corpses and fireballs flung around like medieval bullets, Dragon Age II will make me think twice when I see another blood-splashed ad shimmying to guitar riffs and beckoning me to step back into the next dungeon on Thedas.

DarkZero (6 out of 10)

Dragon Age II isn’t a bad game, but it is a huge disappointment from such a respected and otherwise consistent developer. While the combat has been improved significantly, its failings in other areas – areas in which BioWare usually excel – are numerous and baffling. In the 32 hours it took me to finish the game, I spent the last 10 wishing it would hurry up and get to the good bit at the end. And then it turned out the ending was a bit non-committal and rubbish, too. A shame.

RPGamer (3 out of 5)

As a huge fan of western RPGs, a lover of all things Bethesda, and someone who would give every BioWare WRPG after Neverwinter Nights a 4/5 or higher, I have to admit that Dragon Age II is not a great game. Too much of it is formulaic, and I can see shortcuts taken, storylines rushed, and events that look like they were planned and written in an afternoon. If a game can be less than the sum of its parts, DA2 would be a prime example. While the combat is fantastic, encounters always play out the same, so that it, like everything else, loses its interest thanks to an overused formula. Also, the voice acting isn't at the level we've come to expect from WRPGs lately. Were the writing stronger, the fights creative, the setting used better, the story interesting, and the choices meaningful, this would be an amazing game. As is, it is a fun timesink for WRPG fans, but don't try it if you aren't enthralled by the genre or if you don't have the time or money to play every WRPG that comes out.

GameGavel.com (C)

I want to like this game and as an old-school paper RPG player, it should pander to me at the most basic level. That having been said, I doubt I will ever really be a big fan of Bioware RPG’s as long as they keep this current system of character interactions. It will always feel like a rip off, not being able to talk to certain people at certain times, and further more not being able to converse with any more diversity than Pro, con, or aloof smart ass. It will always come off to me as robbing me of one of the chief reasons I play these games in the first place. To play a role other than myself. I think Bioware would be well-served remembering that there are four humors, not just three, and that complexity is the nature of the human, dwarf, or elven experience.

PCActu (5 out of 10)

A l'époque de Dragon Age : Origins, nous ravalions tous les points négatifs du soft pour profiter des mécanismes de combats efficaces et d'une narration exceptionnelle. Sauf qu'aujourd'hui avec Dragon Age II, les développeurs de BioWare ont décidé d'annihiler la finesse stratégique des joutes pour nous faire rentrer dans l'époque du : plus c'est bourrin, moins je réfléchis et plus je prends mon pied. Sauf que cette expérience, d'habitude exclusivement réservée aux seuls consoleux, débarque nonchalamment sur nos PC. BioWare semble cependant avoir oublié que les Pécéistes veulent se péter les méninges à trouver la meilleure position d'attaque et à scrupuleusement organiser ses troupes pour anéantir l'adversaire. Bien évidemment, on bénéficie encore d'une trame principale intéressante. Mais mesdemoiselles, messieurs, Dragon Age II semble être pensé comme un jeu d'aventure, sans la moindre donnée novatrice (ou donnée tout court) pour le jeu de rôle tactique.

Factornews (4 out of 10)

DA2 peut être considéré comme une insulte aux joueurs de RPG. Les meilleurs aspects en sont absents. Cette tentative de créer un RPG aussi vite qu’on sort un Call of Duty ne doit jamais être reproduite. Si vous voulez un bon RPG, évitez DA2. Si vous voulez un bon RPG Action, prenez Mass Effect. DA2 est la preuve que mélanger incestueusement deux jeux de la même famille mais de sexe opposé, ça donne un rejeton attardé.