@punksterdaddy: its worth buying. still a good game. just don't expect it to be as good as Dragon Age:Origins, if you played it. I'd still say it earned a solid 8.0....but it did feel slightly incomplete, and not as good as it could/should have been.

I would say DA2 was a failure, overall. But I still thought it was a good game on its own merits. Not even close to DA:O, as they stripped out much of what was great about the original, including the diversity of maps, armor management for allies, and some of the skill customization. However, there were some improvements (overall better supporting characters, main character that spoke very well). If this wasn't a "Dragon Age" game, it would have been recieved well. But because it was a significant step backwards from DA:O, it was a failure. I still think it deserved an 8.0, as it was still an excellent game, though a bit disappointing.

DA2 was not a bad game. In fact, when it was over, I was a little sad. However, it was disappointing in comparision to DA:O. The confined world was what I disliked most...not enough areas, recycled maps. It was rushed and incomplete, that much was obvious. Had they taken more time in that area (even if it meant delaying the game a couple months), it could have been a better game than DA:O. However, they did a great job on the dialog, character development, and story. It was a completely different type of story than DA:O, but I rather liked it. The simplified battle system didn't really bother me, though I know others didn't like it. The difficulty was actually better balanced than DA:O.

DA2 did have one MAJOR improvement. The main character talking...to me it made a huge difference in the interactions with other characters in the game, and how much attachment you have toward him/her. And for those of you who haven't played both male and female, the female Hawke is better.

I didn't like Anders in DA2 at all. I thought he and the male elf (I forgot his name because I never used him) were weak characters. However, I thought all the rest were great. The dialog between Avaline and Isabella was some of the funniest stuff I've ever heard. I actually thought the story and character development were the strength of DA2. But it missed the mystique of DA:O.

@ Supabul Posted Mar 24, 2011 9:50 pm GMT I turned down the difficulty when I got to the Rock Monster in the deep roads, the one where you hide behind pillars, anyone else do that ----------------------------------- The difficulty was really unbalanced...but that was a problem in DA:O as well. Common enemies were too weak, and some bosses were ridiculously powerful. I don't like to have to finish a game on normal difficulty, but in some cases that was the only way to advance...I'm not wasting 4 hours trying 42 times to kill a boss on nightmare difficulty.

EA and "dumbing down" are synonymous... as are EA and "cutting corners". Just look at every other game they produce...including Madden, Tiger Woods. Never any significant improvements year over year.

Bioware has to know there will be a huge backlash if they treat ME3 how they treated DA2. The Mass Effect series is as close to sacred gaming ground as there is. Gamers will never forgive them if they butcher ME3

In the end, the game felt rushed. The basics were good.... visuals, dialog (actually the dialog was as good as any game I've ever played), and character development were all great. I even thought the visuals were slightly better than DA:O (which I am re-playing right now). I know that some disagree with that... But the details that DA:O had, multiple, diverse environments, surprise spawns from blood vials and books, and the overall intense, brutal atmosphere were missing...there was no mystery, surprise, or imagination in DA2. I hope there is some good DLC that opens the game up significantly.

If DA2 had been the first of the series, it would have been recieved better. It is a GREAT game on its own. The problem is, it was a step backwards from DA:O. The simplified battle system didn't bother me much...what I didn't like was the lack of openness. You basically played the entire game within Kirkwall. It felt really confined. However, the visuals, characters, voice acting, and writing were all fantastic. DA:O was still a better game, which is why DA2 was a little disappointing. Not surprisingly, this interview didn't reveal anything significant.