Waiter! There’s a dragon in my sequel…
BIOWARE, the developer behind titles like Baldur’s Gate, Never Winter Nights and Mass Effect, knows a thing or two when it comes to making epic, timeless and immersive RPGs.
The 2010 dark fantasy epic intriguingly titled Dragon Age: Origins was a spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate and introduced us to the world of Ferelden, a place rife with war, political intrigue, racial and religious tension and, of course, dragons. Origins was many things but at its core it was a great game with a gripping story , a likeable cast of characters and game play mechanics that recalled all the fantasy RPG intricacies of yore.
Dragon Age 2 manages to take that winning formula and improve on it even further, resulting in a sequel that, while not exactly the tour de force it predecessor was, definitely raises the bar.
You’ll assume the role of Hawke, a Ferelden refugee and one of the few to escape the destruction of your homeland. Arriving in the city of Kirkwall with nothing but the robe on your back, it will be up to you to gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and ultimately seal your place in history.
Dragon Age 2 utilizes an interesting narrative approach with the game being played as recalled by Varric, a smooth-talking dwarf who witnessed your actions.
Varric is telling your story to a chantry seeker called Cassandra, you see it is already known that you will eventually become “the champion”, what Cassandra wants to find out is the devil in the detail.
Varric has a penchant for exaggerating your adventures though, often to humorous effect, but Cassandra is quick to spot these blemishes on the truth and set Varric straight. It’s an interesting feature that makes the story feel more dynamic. The game makes another big change by trading in space for time, that is to say the game doesn’t cover the sheer geographical space of Origins but rather sets your adventure over the span of an entire decade. Most of your time will be spent in and around Kirkwall though, and you’ll probably get tired of seeing the same areas reused multiple times for different quests.
Combat in Dragon Age 2 is one of the big improvements of the game, taking a decidedly action-orientated approach; the whole process feels much faster and more involving. Better animations and more responsive controls make slaughtering your enemies a satisfying affair without sacrificing too much of Origins’ tactical finesse.
Visually the game improves on its predecessor with more detailed textures and livelier character models, NPCs don’t look like they’re paralyzed from the waist down any more and the in-game cut scenes and conversations just feel more believable.
It’s true that Dragon Age 2 is still graphically a bit sub-par with other recent releases, not fully realizing the visual achievements of BIOWARE’s other million dollar baby; Mass Effect 2.
The sound, however, is still amazing; with a soaring orchestral score which perfectly complements the game’s mood and tone along with great sound effects that cover everything from a qunari’s dying gurgles down to the clinking of your chainmail as you walk about Kirkwall.
Story-wise the game is epic, although you don’t have the same sort of clear goal and known enemy you did in Origins, it’s a bit difficult to see how all the pieces fit together but during your ten years in Kirkwall you’ll encounter a lot of fascinating characters and complete a variety of interesting quests that all adds up eventually.
The element of choice still plays a very important role, even more so than in Origins, and you’ll be presented with quite a few morally difficult decisions to make, and they all have consequences. The game does a great job of making your decisions feel truly impactful on the game world and the repercussions of your decisions will surprise you time and time again.
The voice acting is brilliant, which is a good thing since Hawke is now a fully a voiced character. The dialogue has taken up a Mass Effect style radial menu, generally with three main options; a diplomatic response, a joking response, and a harsh response, with the option to investigate the matter further and sometimes to deputize one of your party members to act on your behalf. This is interesting because, depending on which characters you take with you, ; multiple paths to complete your mission become available.
Inventory management has been simplified, and you might feel a pang of disappointment when you first want to equip your characters. Only Hawke can be fully customized with armour and weapons, your party members generally always have the same weapons and armour, although a certain number of armour upgrades can be found for them and you can still equip them with rings, belts and amulets you find.
Potion and poison crafting have also been simplified; the player now has to find certain ingredients and recipes on his travels to make potions available, once you found them however you’ll always have those ingredients, and only your coin will deplete when ordering new ones.
Your party members are fascinating, each has their own unique story to tell and part to play. The option to get involved romantically is still there and this will open up new quests and conversation options. However deep your relationships develop, your party performs a vital role of providing a strong emotional tie to the world you play in.
There’s Carver, your brother and perpetual pessimist, the strong willed Avaline, the busty pirate Queen Isabella, Merril the dalish elf with a dark secret and many more. There are even some familiar faces from Origins to be seen, like a memorable early encounter with Flemmeth, the witch of the wilds that aided the original hero of Ferelden.
There’s Carver, your brother and perpetual pessimist, the strong willed Avaline, the busty pirate Queen Isabella, Merril the dalish elf with a dark secret and many more. There are even some familiar faces from Origins to be seen, like a memorable early encounter with Flemmeth, the witch of the wilds that aided the original hero of Ferelden.
All in all, Dragon Age 2 is a great game and, even though some might find the simplified interface and lack of geographical diversity annoying, is definitely one of the year’s best fantasy RPGs.
The good
- Great story
- Moral complexity
- Changes are mostly well implemented
- It’s Dragon Age!
The not so good
- Long and frequent loading screens
- A few glitches and pop-in textures
- Some monotonous level design
7.5
7.5
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