Dragon Age II Reviews, Wave Seven

Yet another batch of mixed Dragon Age II reviews have piled up in my browser, so it’s time to pack them all into a seventh round-up. Start us off, Angry Joe!

Something Awful doesn’t provide a score, as usual:

In the years following Baldur’s Gate II, BioWare has shown a frustrating tendency to underachieve. Their games certainly have all the building blocks of something special. A lot of work goes into lore, characters are presented in interesting (if not always believable) ways, and there are usually several quests or areas which stand head and shoulders above the competition. For some reason, however, the end result always feels like it’s missing a level of depth, whether in character interactions, game systems, or variety of items/skills.

I hope that the company takes a step back and examines the decisions which led to these deficiencies and ultimately this game, then lives up to their full potential with the next project. Preferably a nerdy RPG.

TVG gives it an 8/10:

In comparison to its sci-fi sibling Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age II demonstrates a staggering lack of ambition. Set against the open exploration of the galaxy, Kirkwall and the surrounding areas are claustrophobic to say the least, and the game suffers significantly for it. For all its superb attention to detail, intriguing character development, dungeon plundering and sharp combat system, Dragon Age II never dares to wonder or indeed wander, and surely that is exactly what an RPG should be about.

Rewind Replay gives it a 90/100:

Overall Dragon Age 2 is a blast to play from start to finish. Fans of Action RPGs, real time strategy, branching story lines, and Mass Effect 2, will not want to miss this game. Very feel games can make me go on a gaming binge, but Dragon Age 2 did it. I played this game for 7 hours straight and I do not regret a single bit all the time I spent playing the game. It took me 25 hours to beat the entire game once, but I feel that it could have taken me 35 if I really wanted to. Not to mention that I could very likely play this game 15 times, and get an entire different experience every time. If you don’t enjoy annoying AI, multi tasking, or somewhat repetitive gameplay feel free to pass on this title. However, for your money’s worth Dragon Age 2 is the best thing out right now.

PwnGamer gives it a 7/10:

It has been difficult to rate this game, on the one hand I was a huge fan of Dragon Age and am always satisfied with the polished quality releases of BioWare games, but unfortunately Dragon Age 2 falls short of the mark. The new combat system is debatable, I feel the change is good but it also came at the cost of dumbing the difficulty down. The art direction and visuals are the strongest points of the game. Kirkwall looks amazing and grand with beautiful detail, but it is unfortunate that the visuals are spoiled by some boring level designs that become monotonous. The story is very average and much of the great lore available to the Dragon Age world is not apparent in this sequel. Inventory, spells, crafting and leveling is all there, but it has lost a major RPG element with the way the levels have been designed, exploration is key to an RPG and Dragon Age 2 falls short on this possibly a new genre should be created for this style of game; RPAG (Role Playing Action Game)?

VGRevolution gives it an 8/10:

For me Dragon Age 2 was an enjoyable RPG. It has it’s faults but it also has some major pluses. BioWare stripped Dragon Age 2 down to the bare RPG essentials and created an easy to play game that non-rpg gamers can enjoy. The leveling system is simple and to the point, the community inventory is streamlined and easy to use, and the controls are simple and again easy to use. However the lack of story focuses and harsh world graphics are major downers. Dragon Age fans will probably be able to grasp the story and the way it’s structure much better then others, if you played Origins you can import some of your progress from there. Some sort of multiplayer options would have been nice, I mean it’s a very team heavy game, why not allow a friend to drop in and fight with you?? Being a non-RPG gamer I’m happy to say I had fun playing Dragon Age 2, the game systems are great and to the point and the dialogue and Bioware dialogue system is top-notch. If the story was better and the game sported some nice graphics I could say this is an awesome game.

Digital Spy gives it a 4/5:

Dragon Age II is let down by repetitive locations and a slightly fractured plot, but its biggest drawback stems from player’s own expectations. Instead of an epic quest to save the world and defeat an iconic enemy, it focuses on power struggles and political wranglings, making it seem more like a chapter from The Wheel Of Time rather than the whole of The Lord Of The Rings. Once you accept it for what it is, Dragon Age II becomes one of the more enjoyable RPGs on the market. It features a wonderful script, excellent cast and a wide array of game-changing choices, which means that it can be enjoyed time and time again. Throw into this some excellent combat and a whole host of branching and intriguing missions, and BioWare has once again crafted a spellbinding game, worthy of your time, gold and honor.

And The Guardian doesn’t do the scoring thing, either:

The combat isn’t the only thing that has changed since the first Dragon Age game, with many features from the level-up menus to the crafting system being transformed. It is no longer possible to customise your companions’ armour and skills to the extent that you could in Origins, for example.

That might look like dumbing down and sometimes it does feel that way but the absence of these peripheral distractions signals a change in focus for Dragon Age. It wants you to concentrate on the story and the characters and your decisions and the incredibly detailed world and history that it lays out for you to explore not on managing an inventory or fiddling around in combat menus. Rather than a concession to accessibility or casual players, it’s a conscious design choice.