Dragon Age II Video Review (Xbox 360)

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  • Posted Mar 8, 2011

Kevin VanOrd strikes fear in the eyes of dragons great and small in this video review for Dragon Age II.

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717 Comments

  • samdam3

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 10:18 pm PT

    WOOO HE'S LOST WEIGHT!

  • Codyrin

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 5:10 pm PT

    I loved DAO so I was so excited for this game. I played it and it was so boring the story sucked! Also you really dont get to know your team at all. You hardely get to talk to any of them unlike the first game. The only bright spot of this black pit of a game is the combat and graphics.

  • DanteDemon92

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 3:28 pm PT

    I don't know about Kevin, but I like Varric alot more than I liked Oghren...

  • ps3gamer1234

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 2:58 pm PT

    Cool.

  • tko6070

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 12:50 pm PT

    yeah Frank Pearce (Bliz Exec.) confirmed Titan as an MMO which corresponds with the leaked Blizzard schedule that pinned D3 as a 2011 Q4 release so fingers crossed! i wish they would reset the Diablo 2 ladders in the mean time...

  • CaineFH

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 12:42 pm PT

    @tko6070 Im gussing D3 is comming out this year. Blizzard hasn't produces anything new at all, for the last, what, 5, 6 years. They used to be good, but after wow, they got lazy.

  • tko6070

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 12:33 pm PT

    well if they don't release D3 before next financial year (ending June 2012) Blizzard will produce a black hole of revenue from lack of releases (except for WoW Brazil lol) and no company is that financially inept.

  • NOscope42

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 12:11 pm PT

    @tko6070

    Diablo 3 needs to have a release date first, so it can be pushed back 1 or 2+ times before blizzard feels it is ready. I'd say end of 2012 if not 2013 at best, they will release the starcraft II expansion before D3

  • marksouzacosta

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 11:26 am PT

    Man I just cannot give more than 2.0 for this game. The only thing nice in this game is its title: Dragon Age.....
    8.5 lol impossible

  • Johnny9ball

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 7:01 am PT

    More than the review the the Weight Kevin VanOrd lost dam if this guy keeps going he is going to dissipate. Jking.....GJ Kevin VanOrd

  • CaineFH

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 3:10 am PT

    @Timeframe. Are you kidding? Did you even read them? Most of them say the game is crap. I'd rather read a lot of user reviews than a "professionel" review, simply for the reason, that they are not affraid to say there honest opinion, since they are not depending on the companies. And yes there may be some trolls amond them, but remember it is people that are deeply dissapointed(and angry for wasting their money), and they will, like it or not, say their honest opinion.

    Sites like gamespot and others, should not be affraid to say their honest opinion about games, out of fear of not getting any interviews. If a company say, we will not give any interviews to your site, since you gave us a bad review last time, gamespot should be honest about it, and tell it to their users, and than otherwise completly ignore the game. Than the users can deal with it and say. Hm I wonder why? Maybe just maybe it's because their next game also is crap!

    The gaming industri should be affraid of gamespot(and it's users) it should not be the other way around. If it indeed is the case that gameingsites are affraid to make honest reviews, than they have already sold out and missed their chance to get the influence, they really have.

    But I'd say, it's never too late to regain it.

  • DeMise721

    Posted Mar 14, 2011 12:58 am PT

    i might actually enjoy this one. it's been dumbed downed for idiots like me. dragon age was loved by a lot of people, but it was way to complex for me. being a casual rpg player, i think i'll get this.

  • mjs30

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 11:09 pm PT

    I have to say the comparisons of Dragon Age: Origins - Dragon Age 2 to Mass Effect - Mass Effect 2 are completely unfair. Mass Effect 2 was a way better sequel. This game feels like all of the tactics have been stripped away from it completely. The rogue has been turned into the best party member while mages have been made virtually unnecessary. You won't even need to have a healer in your group just stock up on healing and stamina potions. I did enjoy the story a lot though and even though Hawke doesn't tell the best jokes most of the time, at least the effort is made. There are some improvements to the game but they aren't in the gameplay area for the most part.

  • Mercadeo

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 10:10 pm PT

    "hey lets make everything easier and easier and lets add some jackie chan moves, you know like in Rush our 3, ooh thats such a blockbuster... wait a minute, what if we actually put jackie as a bad ass chainsaw party member? Great idea or what?!! boom thats all for today people, lets make copies " Bioware todays CEO

  • pandat63

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 9:51 pm PT

    Welldone with wieght loss Kevin.. much luck to ya ..

  • Mercadeo

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 9:39 pm PT

    bioware you did it again,, you transformed and destroyed a great game... just as you did with mass 2, "hey lets make everything easier and easier and lets add some jackie chan moves, u know like rush our 3, ooh thats a blockbuster" bioware todays CEO

  • jirf

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 8:14 pm PT

    DUDE WTF?! He's like not even fat now? Jesus.

  • kiopta1

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 6:37 pm PT

    One last thing...I think they did a great job developing the relationships and depth of character in DA2....I felt like my friends and family were just that and my rival/enemies were people I really want to run through, smack upside the head, or burn to a cinder.

  • kiopta1

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 6:30 pm PT

    Congrats with the weight lose Bud.

  • kiopta1

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 6:24 pm PT

    I only have 2 probs with the game (once I got used to the new styles) 1..load times...too long and too many (but I can get over that). 2. POSSIBLE SPOILER.....Was not expecting such a cliff hanger ending...I just hope DA3 comes and keeps it going. I think the main prob people had was that it wasn't some main story line epic quest like DA:O. In DA:O its all about you being the last of the wardens in Fereldan and having to stop the Blight. DA2 is all about your story and your companions (similar to ME2 but different). DA2 was more to real life in that we are not on some known epic quest. Our lives play out based on the choices we make and how we respond to the events that evolve around us...often without having any ability to truly control the events. This is what Bioware said they were going to do with DA2 and I think they did a pretty good job...no its not perfect but Bioware has a history of improving their sequels and not just throwing another copy out there.

  • Subject18

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 4:36 pm PT

    varric dosent make the same strong impression as oghren? why because he isn't always belching, farting and sodding everything? he's a way better character and the humour he brings to the table is actually funny.

  • Dunbon

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 2:13 pm PT

    Dragon Age 2: Hayder's gonna hayd

  • Notelessinferno

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 1:35 pm PT

    i played this game for it's story, and even though i don't like cliffhangers i must admit that i'm extremely ready for Dragon Age 3, i just hope that it will at least take 2,5 years to make. I need some time to replay DA2 and play Elders Scrolls Skyrim.

  • Notelessinferno

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 1:35 pm PT

    one of the main differences with dragon age 2 is that they used one and a half year on it, with dragon age origin they used 5 years. funny thing is that origin had only one year but got 5 years in the making. Dragon age 2 was supposed to last over a course of ten years but got only one and a half years in the making. The reason according to Mark Darrah is that it would keep the game "cleaner" and make it easy to focus on the path at hand. What that means is that they believe that dragon age two is a lot truer to it's original vision. Dragon age two made me unsatisfied with the map system, and reused maps and dungeons. the story for the main character should also be a little more satisfying in the end, not to spoil anything, but me personally ain't so fond of the way they made this game end with this cliffhanger. But to say the game is bad is to go way overboard. Yes i agree that it isn't like Origin, and i'm both glad and disappointed with that. the combat system is more fluid, but less tactical.

    There is voice acting for the main character which to me was a nice +

    the art is okay, there were a lot about it i hated. the spirit creatures are nice and improved over the last game (pride demon) but the dark spawn looks only like undead and there is no longer genlock's or hurloc's.

    the story is very good and i love it, the characters are beautyfully made and distinctive. Personally i can't wait to play the game again as a warrior or rouge and have Bethany on my team.

  • AdamBomb30127

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 1:05 pm PT

    I think it's interesting that they talk about little strategy is necessary now, since I actually paused a lot more in this one than the last. That might be because Anders wasn't actually that great of a healer though. Then again, maybe it was just me.

    I will say that it does feel like they rushed the game out. It gets buggy towards the end, and anybody else notice that all of the caves and caverns were the exact same area, just from a different perspective and different doors unlocked. In a way, it reminds me of the first Assassin's Creed. It just felt like they were too busy moving on to DLC's and seeing how many people they could get started working on ME3 and Old Republic ASAP.

  • TimeFrame

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 1:00 pm PT

    @cainefh, Only problem with user review is that they can be quite trollish and lacking of fairness. Many times painted black by feelings of hate towards the "business" (EA, Activision etc.)

    I did read trough and skimmed some user reviews and I came to the conclusion that Dragon Age II is pretty good game all in all and that if you set the difficulty level up to hard/nightmare, you are going to have a good time playing it also on the combat side of it. Which was exactly the same deal with Dragon Age Origins, which I also played on those difficulty settings.

    The impact your choices throughout the game will have on the endings, sounds really sweet and I am looking forward to completing this Mofo!

  • ash162

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 12:15 pm PT

    This is wat happens wen u put half ur team on developing Dlc's

  • omers12

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 11:59 am PT

    the problem is they do a lot of things with the make of DA 2 all the DLC's for origins and DA legends so i think they didnt realy try to make it like they make the first one and its a shame cuz the first was one of the best RPG games

  • Deveousdevil

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 11:06 am PT

    i take back what i said about this guy, he does really good reviews, and nice weight loss lol.

  • CaineFH

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 9:17 am PT

    @Timeframe. I think you would do well in reading the reviews on this site. Not gamespots though, it's normaly a waste of time as it is this time. Go strait to the users reviews.

  • MichaelMorbid

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 8:58 am PT

    we were jazzed about this game coming out, but now not so much. if we wanted to play mass effect we'd play mass effect. getting this game is no longer a priority. if we can make it till elder scrolls 4 is released we may skip this altogether.

  • TimeFrame

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 7:54 am PT

    Now I really liked Dragon Age Origins, and Mass Effect 2, was a blast!

    This game looks like something I would thoroughly enjoy...

    Just tell me I can put the difficulty so high, I will have to pause/unpause and strategize and optimize to win hard battles please... ´Cus I am a sucker for punishment. I don't want an easy/fun experience..

    I want a hard/challenging FUN experience tyvm!

  • tko6070

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 7:53 am PT

    dragon age 2 is terrible. All tactical elements have been removed and now enemies just spawn out of thin air literally in wave after wave, which wouldn't be so bad if all enemies weren't the same.. a herlock is a giant spider is a dragon. Don't even get me started on the copy and paste dungeons, blocking a door and opening another in a dungeon does not create the illusion of a new area!
    thank the rpg gods Elder Scrolls and Witcher 2 are coming out this year ( and hopefully Diablo 3)

  • silverX360

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 7:19 am PT

    it is a total sellout but don't blame biowere its ea that hold the leach and makes them f up

  • Riaz

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 6:59 am PT

    This game is a total sellout. It's exactly what they did to Mass Effect 2.

    If you think this is a RPG, then you don't know what you're talking about. Hooray for oversimplified, mass produced entertainment. Enjoy your new toy for the few weeks that it lasts.

  • Ty_Pin

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 4:41 am PT

    I think I should stick in the future with games everyone is complaining about... I didn't like DA:O so much... tried once... hated it, tried it twice... hated it... after view more tries (cuz everyone found it so amazing) I finished it at least once... but I love DA 2 (btw. I'm an old school baldurs gate lover)

    DA 2 isn't as big as DA:O, but I have finally the feeling to actually change what's happening through my choices... didn't have this feeling in DA:O cuz no matter how evil I wanted to be, I could never support the blight... And now... in at the final... I was like: "omg, what did I do..." I really felt responsible for what was happening there.

    But what I have to agree with is the all repeating areas and the less tactical combat...

    but still the game fetl good (better than DA:O to me) and I will play through several more times

  • charlieboomboom

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 1:14 am PT

    meh its like 3d final fantasy, goodawfull wannabe rpg!!!!!

  • CaineFH

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 12:16 am PT

    @map1273. They are trying to get the prices up to the same lvl as console. Consoles may be cheap compared to a high rig PC, but the game prices eat it up in the long run, Im sure.

  • King-And-Knight

    Posted Mar 13, 2011 12:14 am PT

    Dragon age Origin was good. I think Dragon Age 2 is also good.

    I want to buy it.

  • luckjon

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 10:55 pm PT

    6:55, is that Miranda's voice from ME 2?

  • Ciphas

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 10:43 pm PT

    @Goldrock
    I agree. I was a little disappointed about all the changes (really small things, like the new darkspawn design), but I treat it as a sort off spin-off (same world, different characters and story) and the experience becomes better.

    Origins had, imo, a really satisfying ending that didn't entirely warrant a sequel, but I don't at all mind Bioware coming out with another great game.

  • Goldrock

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 9:45 pm PT

    game is great when ya relize its not an actual sequal just a new game based in the same world.

  • hybrid7seven7

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 5:53 pm PT

    i'm actually enjoying it a lot, maybe not as much as origins, but most of its new features far outweigh its blemishes

  • map1273

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 4:10 pm PT

    Why the hell is this game $59.99 on pc when the original was 49.99?

  • Majkic666

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 4:03 pm PT

    ppl should stop complaining!
    The game got features that are better then DA:O....
    Example chat/communicating works great much better then before
    The LVL UP system is great, gameplay is good, combat for mages have improved a lot....

    The only bad sides for me is, the game could have been bigger/longer
    the dungeons are all the SAME which annoys me a lot

  • RJWidowMaker

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 3:24 pm PT

    @rgrambo
    You sir, shouldn't speak of what you do not know. Just like with Mass Effect 2, this is not on Biowares end. The fault lies with the publisher when it comes to sequels failing, or at least with good companies like Bioware. I could be wrong but based on Biowares history with EA, I would imagine that (like with ME2) EA saw what a huge success DA:O was and pushed Bioware for a sequel. We all know that EA is a money hungry monster. Be thankful that Bioware did what they could with the time frame they were given by the publishing company.

  • heroesfan261

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 2:55 pm PT

    Frankly I was disappointed with this. I mean there were questions from the witch hunt DLC where you were just like huh, i guess they'll be answering those mysteries in Dragon Age 2, but they don't even address them. Despite Merril being on a mission to fix the eluvian, they didn't do it even with the perfect setup.

  • rgrambo

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 12:48 pm PT

    Sounds like Bioware dumbed down for sales, exchanged story line for modularity (DLC) and deved on console and ported to PC. Well, I guess I should feel lucky they even ported it to PC at all. But I dont.

  • Lokimotive

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 11:41 am PT

    I can see all the flaws people are pointing out in these comments, but I'm still just in love with this game's story.

  • vortex_gw

    Posted Mar 12, 2011 9:57 am PT

    "Combat is much less tactical..."? Oh, really? WRONG! The only way to play Dragon Age 2 is on NIGHTMARE. The best RPG combat EVER!

    Bioware made normal easy and hard - normal so most of the casual gamers(huge percent of any game sales btw) can finish the game. Play it on nightmare if you think the game has been dumbed down.

    Invetory stuff is beter, crafting is way less annoying and the old-school dice rolls are gone. No more "he swang his sword, I ran away but he STILL hit me".

    16 hours in on Nightmare difficulty, level 8. I'm still in YEAR 2. LOL!

    P.S. - Yeah, the reuse of locations and stuff su**s

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