Dragon Age II Reviews, Wave Sixteen

Just when I think the torrent of Dragon Age II reviews is coming to an end, another half dozen or so wind up in my browser.

TweakTown gives it an 80%:

Dragon Age II is a good game, but does not feel like a direct sequel to Dragon Age for a number of reasons including the fact you cannot import previous characters, plus the storyline is really encapsulated within this game. There are slight references to the past games, but not as much as you would expect.

However, if you can look past this fact and see Dragon Age II for what it is, it is easy to see that it is a solid RPG game that fans of the series and one that any self respecting RPG gamer should at least look at.

Stuff gives it a 4/5:

The important fact to remember when playing an RPG for the first time is to immerse yourself in the world. It requires an open mind to appreciate the top-notch storytelling and characters. As an entry point into the genre, Dragon Age 2 excels, introducing the world and gameplay in a way that is easy to understand and not overwhelming for newcomers. But as a sequel to one of the better RPGs of the current generation Dragon Age 2 falters often. Ultimately it will give fans what they’ve been waiting for. As long as you don’t mind fetching a few crates.

Gameplay Monthly gives it a “C+”:

So what we have here is a Choice and Consequence game with strong Narrative, but no Consequence and superficial Choice. The skill trees offer even more potential strategies than it’s versatile predecessor, none of which can be used properly because the player doesn’t have enough information about what’s going on. It has this great concept in ‘˜Rivalry’ that nothing, ultimately, is done with.

There are some really good ideas in Dragon Age 2, and if this were a franchise launch title I might think it had promise, but the simple fact of the matter is it’s the second game in a sequence and it broke a bunch of things that weren’t a problem in the first place.

HonestGamers gives it a 6/10:

That’s ultimately what Dragon Age II feels like: a placeholder, a prelude to something better. It’s got all of the elements of a good sequel, but as much as I like the characters and combat, they belong in a more engaging game. We all loved the demo because it’s impossible to perceive Dragon Age II’s flaws from its short prologue, but it’s disappointing to witness 40 hours of glacial buildup without any actual payoff. Dragon Age II has actually made me worried about Mass Effect 3, and that’s the most impressive thing about it.

Mana Pool gives it a 7.6/10:

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.

The Border House doesn’t score it:

To start, I will claim I enjoyed Dragon Age 2, but that does not mean I ignored the areas in which it has problems. There were also moments that made me incredibly happy (such as realizing all the four main love interests were available regardless of the sex I chose to play a point I’ll address again later). Most of these issues are not ones I will cover in much depth, as they likely need their own posts; I did want to make people aware of them, however.

EL33TONLINE gives it a 4/5:

Dragon Age II is a worthwhile investment if you enjoy a well-written adventure with tons of replay value. However, if you’re looking for the next competition-slaying RPG then you won’t find it here. BioWare have certainly not matched or exceeded the scope and epic nature of the first Dragon Age with this sequel, but they’ve produced an engaging experience nevertheless. Don’t be surprised if EA announces lots more DLC for Dragon Age II in the coming months because this game needs a bit more meat before it can compete with BioWare’s other RPG feasts.

GameSplash gives it an 8.5/10:

Though its story is slowly paced at first, the always hilarious and quirky background banter from your companions will help get you through the down time. The many improvements in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins far outweigh the small flaws that lurk. The one thing that really stands out overall is the gameplay mechanics as a whole. Vast improvements to gameplay and menus, and high replay value, atone for the game’s weak story. BioWare has done a fantastic job turning this RPG experience as a whole into an emotional investment.

And 411mania gives it an 8.3/10:

Dragon Age II continues Bioware’s success of good action-RPGs, it just disappointed me that the world ended up being so constrained. Still, that problem aside, there is still plenty to do in Kirkwall, and fans of Bioware games will find a good time here.