Dragon Age II Reviews, Wave Ten

At this point, I’m not sure that the online reviews of BioWare’s Dragon Age II will ever come to a stop. Onward with wave #10:

Shacknews remains scoreless:

But all the quips, moral choices, combat improvements, and great characters can’t mask that this game just feels smaller. In an industry that aims to outdo itself with sequels, the journey doesn’t carry the same epic sense of scope. The Hero of Ferelden saved the world in Dragon Age Origins; the Champion of Kirkwall in DA2 merely nudges some politics. The game hints that there are larger factors at play, but we never get to see them for ourselves. There’s something to be said for giving us a smaller, more detailed slice of this world, but I wish Hawke felt like more than a footnote in its history.

ActionTrip gives it a 7.6/10:

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 gives it a “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.

AtomicGamer gives it an 8/10:

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.

Next Gen News gives it a 7/10:

Dragon Age II, in my eyes, is a huge disappointment, but, strangely, is still a great game. The problem is that it just seems too dumbed down in comparison to Dragon Age: Origins, which, I might add, is one of my favorite role-playing games of all time. It’s almost as if Bioware were trying to tap into a new market of gamers by injecting this game with action. Fortunately, the game still feels like Dragon Age; the characters are lovable, the story is both intriguing and suspenseful, and the lore remains intact. Dragon Age fans can expect to be sorely disappointed with this sequel, on the other hand, newcomers to the genre might think it’s the best thing ever.

GameDwellers gives it a 3/5:

Does that mean you shouldn’t play Dragon Age 2? No. Even with all of its faults, it’s a good game. While there are plenty of hidden treasures to be had, the problems can make it almost impossible to find them. If you love fantasy RPGs or great story telling when it isn’t shattered by other problems then play the game as is. BioWare can still weave a story, but they just presented that story in a broken and haphazard way.

Guerrilla Geek gives it a 3/5:

After reading all this, you might come to the conclusion that Dragon Age 2 is a bad game. I would say that is overstating the case. In the end Dragon Age 2 is just a frustratingly mediocre game from a developer I expected much more from. A solid western RPG seems to be a rare thing these days, so if you’re a fan of them you will likely pick up Dragon Age 2, but be warned: Don’t expect the epic scale and overall depth of Dragon Age: Origins for you will be sorely disappointed.

The Newb Review gives it a 4/5:

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.

Level Up News gives it a 3.5/5:

Dragon Age II isn’t so much of a sequel but another chapter from the same mythos. Normally I’m against such things as I feel it doesn’t make the game truly a sequel, but this game is sort of changing my mind. (I still don’t like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords and never ever will.) I’m also happy to report that some of my fears about this game were proven wrong. (Most were proven right, though.) If you’re looking for another chapter in the Grey Warden’s tale, this isn’t the game you’re looking for. But if you like dark high fantasy entrenched in politics, bad guys, and chaos, check it out. Beware of disembodied heads, though.

GamingBolt gives it an 8.5/10:

Dragon Age 2 is game with some faults, but the good news is that the pros heavily outweigh them. Bioware have made this game easily accessible with a simple control and mission structure, not to mention some great story telling. If you are one of the gamers who is missing out on some great RPG action then Dragon Age 2 deserves your time and money.

And Intense Gaming doesn’t score it:

Overall Dragon Age II is a good game, but it’s certainly lacking a great deal. The production values are extremely high and at times the game is very enjoyable, but fans of Origins will inevitably be disappointed with the changes made.