Dragon Age II

About Dragon Age II

BioWare Edmonton dropped Dragon Age II on March 8, 2011 as the direct sequel to Origins. This action role-playing game launches players into Thedas where you play Hawke. You start as a refugee in Kirkwall and watch your character rise through ten years of political chaos. The story focuses heavily on how your choices shape relationships with companions who view you either as an ally or an enemy. It launched on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Mac back then. This is a single-player adventure where every conversation matters and the world reacts to your specific brand of heroism or villainy.

Gameplay

You navigate the city of Kirkwall and surrounding areas from a third-person view. Combat feels faster than the first game because you can tag enemies and issue commands directly. You pick one of three classes like mage, rogue, or warrior and build your abilities around that choice. The wheel-based dialogue system lets you snap out short responses to set Hawke's tone as friendly, rude, or sarcastic. These choices shift companion loyalty ratings and change who joins you later. A typical session involves clearing a dungeon, managing inventory, then returning to the city to resolve quests or argue with party members. You never control multiple characters at once since you only lead one hero.

What Players Think

The PlayPile data shows a split crowd. IGDB lists the score at 75.2 out of 100 based on 674 ratings. Players describe the mood as atmospheric and story-driven with five votes each for those labels. Average playtime suggests people spend a solid chunk of time chasing completion, though many stop after finishing the main arc. Review snippets often mention the pacing changes from the original title. Some users feel the companion system adds depth while others miss the open world exploration of Origins. The community moods confirm that narrative weight carries the experience even if combat mechanics drew mixed reactions.

PlayPile's Take

This title is worth buying if you care more about character drama than massive maps. You get a solid story with high replay value due to dialogue choices and companion loyalty systems. The price point varies by platform but often sits low on sale given its age. There are no official achievement lists tracked here so focus on the narrative rewards instead. It is not perfect since some critics felt it lacked scale compared to Origins. You should play this if you want a tight character study set in a dark fantasy world rather than a grand epic.

Storyline

Set in the world of Thedas, players assume the role of Hawke, a human mage, rogue or warrior who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee and becomes its legendary champion over a turbulent decade of political and social conflict.