Dragon Age 2

The best RPG combat ever. Not gamings best story, but maybe its best storytelling. Darker, sexier, better.

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In Dragon Age II, players step into the shoes of Hawke, a fledgling hero who rises to power and fame amidst a tumultuous conflict in the fantasy city of Kirkwall. With a variety of abilities and companions to choose from, players will shape their Hawke's destiny as they make difficult decisions and confront a mysterious force threatening the world. This immersive RPG features a dynamic storyline and intense combat, offering a rich and unforgettable journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,126 reviews

story700 positive mentions

stability59 negative mentions

The story and world-building are engaging, with a focus on personal themes and character development.
The combat system is fast-paced and enjoyable, offering a more action-oriented experience compared to its predecessor.
The cast of characters is memorable and well-written, with strong companion dynamics and interesting relationships.

The game suffers from repetitive environments and reused assets, leading to a sense of monotony.
The dialogue options are simplified, which can lead to misunderstandings about what the protagonist will actually say.
The requirement to use the EA launcher can be frustrating and may hinder the overall gaming experience.

story
2,116 mentions
33 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Dragon Age II" is characterized as a more personal and character-driven narrative compared to its predecessor, "Dragon Age: Origins." Players follow Hawke's journey through the politically charged environment of Kirkwall, navigating complex relationships and moral dilemmas, particularly surrounding the mage-templar conflict. While the writing and character interactions are praised, many reviewers note the game's repetitive environments and quests, which detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about its pacing and depth.
- “The story is captivating, with lots of well-written and interesting characters.”
- “The writing, the direction, and the setting all do this story great service, and especially in the final act, the delivery is done to perfection.”
- “The story, structured in three acts, offers an interesting hero's journey with personal stakes.”
- “The story is boring, the world is tiny and repetitive, and the mechanics feel shallow.”
- “The story felt rushed and the main quests all feel like side quests.”
- “The story is weak, but serviceable.”
gameplay
425 mentions
24 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Dragon Age II has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its fast-paced, action-oriented combat as a departure from the more tactical approach of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins. While some appreciate the streamlined mechanics and character interactions, others criticize the repetitive environments, simplistic gameplay, and lack of depth, leading to a less engaging experience overall. Despite these flaws, the strong narrative and character development often keep players invested in the game.
- “From the first minute, it was intuitive; the controls were perfect, the gameplay and combat were pretty spot on, fluid, and the story is really captivating.”
- “The gameplay is faster and more engaging while still letting you use strategy.”
- “The gameplay is a big step up from Dragon Age: Origins.”
- “The gameplay experience does not change from Origins that much.”
- “The two things I really didn't like (they're very big things) were the actual combat/gameplay and the way quests are distributed.”
- “The gameplay is probably the worst part of the game; I really don't like how they keep adding enemies when you're in a fight.”
graphics
251 mentions
23 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The graphics in Dragon Age II show a modest improvement over its predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins, but many players feel they still appear dated by modern standards. While some appreciate the unique art style and enhanced combat visuals, others criticize the repetitive environments and graphical glitches, suggesting that mods may be necessary for a more polished experience. Overall, the visuals are considered decent for their time, but they do not fully meet the expectations set by newer titles in the genre.
- “The art style is distinctive and the environments are beautifully crafted, ranging from the bustling city of Kirkwall to the eerie, dangerous outskirts.”
- “The graphics are amazing, especially for its age, and the storyline can't be beat.”
- “The graphics have aged some but that's not its fault; it looked pretty good when it originally came out.”
- “The graphics are almost the same as in Dragon Age: Origins.”
- “The game is over a decade old and is naturally outdated, so mods are available to fix the visuals and some even add to the gameplay.”
- “The graphics are a bit dated and the maps are very repetitive, but this game is 13 years old, so it's to be expected.”
humor
70 mentions
99 % positive mentions
-3 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and engaging dialogue, particularly through the protagonist Hawke's sarcastic and funny responses, which often lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Players appreciate the humorous banter among companions, with standout characters like Varric and Isabela contributing to the comedic charm. While some note that the humor can feel out of place in serious contexts, it generally enhances the overall experience, making the game enjoyable despite its repetitive environments and simplified dialogue choices.
- “The party banter and dialogue when playing as a sarcastic Hawke is hilarious and constantly makes me laugh out loud.”
- “I did a sarcastic Hawke which was genuinely funny and so entertaining; it almost makes the game worth it on its own.”
- “The dialogue is absolutely top tier at points, with the party banter being hilarious (especially in the DLCs).”
- “The humor in this game feels insignificant and often relies on glitches that aren't funny.”
- “I found the jokes to be flat and lacking any real wit, making the humor fall completely flat.”
- “The attempts at humor are so forced that they detract from the overall experience.”
music
68 mentions
35 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its emotional depth and ability to enhance immersion, particularly highlighting tracks that resonate with the game's themes. However, many players criticize the soundtrack for being repetitive and lacking the variety and impact of its predecessor, "Origins." Overall, while some find the music captivating and well-composed, others deem it forgettable and insufficiently engaging.
- “The music is phenomenal and definitely helps with this immersion factor, especially the track that plays in the Hawke estate, which really encapsulates the feeling of persevering hopefulness amidst the tragedy that is consistent throughout the game's events.”
- “Massive shoutout goes to Inon Zur for once again crafting a masterpiece of a soundtrack that elevates the game even further and maintains motifs from Origins while providing a different soundscape for this adventure as well.”
- “The soundtrack reflects a deeper understanding of the game's theme and atmosphere, showcasing the developers' commitment to enhancing the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack is pathetically bland and lacks variety.”
- “One of my biggest complaints is the lack of music.”
- “The soundtrack is kinda average or maybe even worse.”
stability
67 mentions
7 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent crashes, bugs, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players have managed to run the game smoothly on modern hardware, the overall experience is marred by issues related to the EA launcher and various technical problems, leading to frustration and extensive troubleshooting. Despite some improvements over previous titles, the game is still considered buggy and poorly optimized, making it a challenging experience for many players.
- “My experience was essentially bug free.”
- “It runs great and is a good game to get into keyboard style playing.”
- “Runs great and the controls are fine.”
- “Bugs, glitches, crashes, and errors that can break your game.”
- “This game is buggy to hell and back.”
- “Expect multiple crashes, freezes, or infinite load screens per hour.”
grinding
58 mentions
5 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its repetitiveness and tedium, with players noting that frequent enemy encounters and reused environments contribute to a monotonous experience. While some found the combat engaging initially, it often devolved into tedious battles against damage-sponging enemies, leading to frustration with the pacing of quests and overall gameplay. Despite these issues, many players appreciated the strong story and character interactions, which helped mitigate some of the grind's drawbacks.
- “A lot of enemies are damage sponges, and you're incentivized to focus on DPS builds rather than support or persistent playstyles in order to make fights not tediously long.”
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Running down the same long street for the hundredth time is tedious, but the combat is more engaging and the story is a great continuation of origins.”
- “Enemy encounters are frequent but feel more like tedious obstacles than engaging challenges.”
- “The developers frequently reuse environments which can make exploration tedious, combat is a little repetitive and you can see that the developers cut corners because they were in a rush.”
replayability
48 mentions
40 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Dragon Age 2 offers a mixed bag in terms of replayability; while many players appreciate its compelling story, memorable characters, and the impact of player choices on the narrative, some criticize the repetitive maps and less meaningful choices compared to its predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins. Overall, it is seen as having decent replay value, with opportunities for different character builds and story outcomes, though it may not encourage frequent playthroughs like other titles in the series.
- “What truly sets Dragon Age 2 apart is its replayability.”
- “Its compelling story, memorable characters, dynamic combat, and replayability make it a standout title that has stood the test of time.”
- “Your choices matter and change how the story progresses, giving it near-endless chances for replayability options.”
- “As it is, it's a game with very little replay value (and very little play value - the endlessly repeating maps get old very quick) sandwiched in between two games in a series that otherwise rewards multiple playthroughs and exploring different versions of their focal character in each one, which makes it a more grating experience than it would be if the series was a one-and-done type franchise.”
- “The reused maps kind of kill the replayability.”
- “Its one of those games that's really fun but you really only play once (or maybe once every few years) because it has very limited replayability.”
emotional
42 mentions
98 % positive mentions
-5 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the story heart-wrenching and the character relationships deeply engaging, leading to genuine emotional investment and moments of tears. However, some critiques highlight a lack of narrative depth and disjointed storytelling, which can detract from the overall emotional impact. Despite these inconsistencies, the game successfully evokes a range of feelings, from nostalgia to heartbreak, making it a memorable experience for many players.
- “The story is heart-wrenching, the friendships beautifully connected, and my almost nostalgic love for this grimy, destructive city reminds me of my actual hometown.”
- “I left the game feeling genuinely emotionally attached to Hawke and all their friends, and wishing that I'd had more.”
- “The experience is emotional, gripping, and left me in tears of sadness and/or laughter at times.”
- “The dialogues felt monotonous and the story lacked any emotional depth.”
- “I found the narrative to be unengaging, with dialogues that failed to evoke any feelings.”
- “The overall experience was marred by dull conversations and a story that didn't resonate emotionally.”
character development
30 mentions
43 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and intricacy, showcasing Bioware's storytelling prowess through well-crafted arcs and meaningful relationships among characters. While some reviews note that certain dialogue options feel shallow and lack impact, the overall consensus highlights strong character growth and engaging narratives that resonate with players. Additionally, the character designs and interactions contribute significantly to the immersive experience, making it a standout feature despite some criticisms regarding other gameplay elements.
- “From its intricate storytelling to its deep character development, this game is a testament to Bioware's skill in crafting unforgettable experiences.”
- “Everyone you meet is specific; the creation of them wasn't slacked on (and is the best quality this game has.) The character development is immaculate and the storyline gives you so much freedom to truly express a good character arc.”
- “It is truly an amazing game with good character development, well done character growth, and a very realistic (although simple) rivalry/friendship system that affects the ways your companions react to you or listen to your orders narratively.”
- “Character development is shallow, and the dialogue options often feel meaningless, failing to significantly impact the story’s direction.”
- “The abysmal voice acting, the super clunky mechanics, the lack of customization for the party members, and the subpar character design really did a number on this game.”
- “Better character development and relationships with party members than in Origins, in my opinion.”
optimization
26 mentions
19 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent crashes and graphical glitches, even on high-end systems. While some users have noted that the game runs smoothly after initial setup, the reliance on the EA launcher has been criticized for causing additional problems. Overall, the game's performance is seen as poor and unfinished, detracting from an otherwise engaging experience.
- “Another big plus is that the game runs smoothly without the need for mods compared to DAO.”
- “DLC works without issue and performance is stable on Windows 11.”
- “At the time of this review, I have not experienced any crashes and the game has run smoothly.”
- “Ea just doesn't care about the customer, which is always reflected in the poor optimization of their games and the lack of quality in their porting to other platforms.”
- “From frequent crashes to graphical glitches, the game feels poorly optimized and unfinished.”
- “Even on a high-end PC, performance issues persist, making the game frustrating to play.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, with a strong emphasis on character-driven storytelling and beautifully rendered environments that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack effectively complements the game's themes, contributing to a rich and engaging atmosphere that captivates players despite some criticisms of its development timeline. Overall, it is considered a significant strength of the game, earning a solid 4/5 rating.
- “The environments, whether exploring the bustling streets of Kirkwall or venturing into ancient ruins, are beautifully rendered and contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack reflects a deeper understanding of the game's theme and atmosphere, showcasing the developers' commitment to enhancing the overall experience.”
- “You can tell it was made in 2 years, but the story and character writing still outshine Inquisition, and the sound and color choices and overall style give it a strong atmosphere that helps with immersion.”
- “I know the hype and marketing did not live up to expectations, but this game provides a phenomenal linear story with just as much interaction and choice differences as Origins, but the characters and atmosphere are once again one of the main driving forces of this experience.”
- “Let's be honest, we play RPG games for the story and the atmosphere, and this game has both.”
monetization
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with many users labeling it a cash grab that relies on aggressive marketing tactics, such as constant advertisements and recycled content. Players express frustration over feeling misled by the game's promotional materials, leading to a perception of poor value and a lack of genuine quality in the gameplay experience.
- “This game is trash that exists only as a cash grab.”
- “I got the impression that it was a cheap cash grab and I am not the kind of person who gets a game just because of the brand, so I skipped it.”
- “I see they've removed that from the store page, but I still feel like I got ripped off with misleading advertising.”