Loading ...Dragon Age II Review
Bioware's latest is as challenging as it is rewarding.
BioWare, the developer responsible for RPG greats such as Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect, tries to add another AAA title to its repertoire, with Dragon Age II. Dragon Age: Origins, BioWare’s previous release, didn’t receive quite the acclaim that was originally expected, however it still managed to be a decent title. The developer using criticism to fuel their passion for creating quality RPGs, intended on fixing the wrongs of the past by making DA2 what a console-based RPG experience should be. Do they succeed? Let’s find out.
Dragon Age II, a direct follow-up to Dragon Age: Origins, starts out with a dwarf named Varric being interrogated in a darkened room by a Chantry seeker regarding the Champion of Kirkwall. As Varric begins to narrate the story, he begins with a somewhat sarcastically overwhelming exaggeration of the story. This segment acts as a tutorial, giving you a feel for the controls. It also serves as a great example for the new combat mechanics. These mechanics are quite different from those in Origins, which were admittedly a bit stiff. The new mechanics are very fluid, being able to strike in an almost hack n’ slash fashion, streaming together a flurry of attacks that feel absolutely seamless.
