Dragon Age II

[Unbidden]

about 30hours in the game now, it's okay but a little disappointed

some things i didn't like
1. Simplified gear options for the companions
2. Game is based around kirkwall don't get to travel around as much as you did in origins
3. reused caves and warehouses
4. Since you don't travel around as much they should have made kirkwall more active it seems a city of the dead no one around
5.Only really liked Varric
6. So many glitches and bugs feels incomplete
7. story what story???

edit: Personally I think they came out with the second too soon and they also missed a awesome storyline they could have had. I'm sure many people hungered to know what would happen with Morrigan and their son

Spoiler

especially since we now know her mother is alive

ah well I reckon that will be for Dragon age 3.

I will say one thing though the 1v1 battle with Arisok was pretty intense also I was using a warrior and he has high defense it is easier to beat him with a rouge or caster.

 

[Billy]

Completed this game on Normal mode (Hard mode for around 10 hours in the middle when I felt invincible).

Pro and Con list below, encased in spoiler tags because I have mentioned gameplay elements to aid my points:

Spoiler

Pros:
+ Decent storyline I suppose, though hindered by focusing almost entirely on a single city.
+ Varric is my favourite character of both Dragon Age games. Seemed like they put extra effort into his design and dialogue, especially since he is the 'storyteller' or narrator of the game.
+ Skill trees are quite diverse, allowing a mage for example, to go 3 or so different routes with their build. This promotes replayability, though again, is hindered by the storyline and setting.
+ Fenris' voice actor is one of my favourites.
+ Decent choices for alignment options. Not surprising given it's a Bioware title, though.

Cons:
- Interior design re-used a number of times for various dungeons and caves.
- Textures for certain gear is recycled on other pieces. You can have a particular robe at level 5 and then find "Uber Shaman Robe of PWNING" at level 20 and it'll look exactly the same.
- Game revolves around the most grey, drab and uninteresting city they could have possibly designed: Kirkwall
- Boss fights are largely uninteresting. Duel with the Arishok was a highlight, as well as the battle with the Ancient Rock Wraith (on Hard, I found it very difficult and had to drop to Normal), and finally the ending against the Knight Commander; otherwise tank and spank encounters.
- Equipment for companions completely dumbed-down. I prefer kitting them out with individual pieces to spec them appropriately, rather than relying on luck to find upgrades for the gear (which they keep throughout the entire game)
- Not enough character interaction. It didn't feel like you knew your party anywhere near as well as you got to know them in Origins. This was a pretty negative feature for me, since I tend to base my team selection around people I empathise with in RPGs.
- Flemeth looked completely different from her Origins counterpart, despite both games being set at the same time.

When I completed the game, I didn't get that feeling of "Wow, what a game!" that I had when I first played the KotOR games and Mass Effect. In that sense, it really didn't do it for me. A solid 7/10, but it definitely isn't an improvement on the original... in fact I'd say they went backwards.