Another example of this is exclusion of the zoom in, zoom out ability for a more overhead perspective. This was a great feature and helped when you were playing a more strategic role. Why when these features worked so well in Origins would Bioware trim them off the sequel?

While I am disappointed with the amount Bioware has let go from the first game, Dragon Age 2 has a far more polished gameplay system. Bioware has made it easier for new players to jump in while still leaving enough of the old elements for the more experienced players.

Conclusion

Overall, it is very hard to come to a conclusion on how I feel about this game. On the one hand, I feel that Dragon Age II not only lives in the shadow of Origins – which was both a better and longer experience, but it also lacks any sort of character growth even with the spoken dialogue.

Then I step back and look at the game from the perspective Bioware wanted us to see. That Dragon Age II is in fact not a sequel, but a whole new story that deserves a whole new design.

They have given us an RPG of epic proportions that still takes up to 50 hours to finish, features a fun and frenetic combat system as well as a rich storyline. In short: If you are a fan of Origins you might not get the same enjoyment out of the sequel if you constantly compare the two. However if you are new to this fantasy world, Dragon Age II will eat up your day like breakfast.


Scoring:

Presentation: 6.5/10

The Achilles heel. Bioware has said that they have put a lot of time and energy into making Dragon Age II graphically stand out and when you compare it to Origins it most certainly does. Sure there are some nice effects like swirling dust, steam etc, but overall Dragon Age II brings nothing new to the table and is graphically disappointing.

Sounds: 8.5/10

The sound in Dragon Age II is brilliant. It has a huge range of diversity and adds a lot to the atmosphere of the game. Bioware knows how to rub your ears just the way you like it.

Value: 8.5/10

The one thing that pretty much all Bioware titles have going for them is value. Dragon Age II gives you around 50 hours of gameplay and because of the different outcomes created by your actions, has loads of re-play value as well.

Gameplay: 8.0/10

While fun and fast paced, when it comes to the gameplay, the overall experience has been dumbed down. PC players will probably be disappointed with the more ‘button-mashing’ style that the game presents. Bioware was definitely trying to reach a wider audience with Dragon Age II and it shows in the gameplay.


Overall: 7.5/10

As a Dragon Age fan, I did enjoy this game. But I would still recommend Dragon Age: Origins over this. (Dragon Age II was reviewed on PC and is also available on PS3 and Xbox 360)

Last Updated: March 22, 2011

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Dragon Age II
7.5

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