Back to Back: Dragon Age II

I already gave you a taste of the Dragon Age world in my last review and I also told you how much I love that game, well here is the deal: I love Dragon Age II much much more!!!!

Everybody has been saying that nothing has improved and all but that is official bullshit, because compared to the first installment, absolutely everything has improved. I have been playing both back to back or better yet side-by.side in order to see the real differences in graphic as well as game play. In both departments BioWare has made major improvements which you will see below in all the pictures.

The handling in the beginning is a little different but once you figured it out the fun starts. The fighting system is almost identical with the previous version and you can also decide on the tactics of your team. What is different are the classes and races etc. You do not get to choose what your race will be. You will always be a default human, male or female. Your name will always be Hawke. This time your character will get either a male or female voice, so your conversational options look differently this time. You can choose to develope different traits that you do not have to unlock first through certain quests.

Ability List for Mages

You can focus on a skill set or be a little bit of everything. You can also import the game data from Dragon Age Origins into the game and Dragon Age II will use the information to develop the story. This time you are a refuge who has its roots in a city named Kirkwall. Here you rise to fame and get to be the champion of Kirkwall after dealing with the Q'unari folk.

The essential storyline however is all about the war between templar and mages. Ultimately, you have to choose a side and depending on the side you choose, you have to fight against one or both of the leading citizen of Kirkwall, namelyKnight Commander Meredith or Circle or the Magi Head Orsino. Admittedly, the story itself doesn't include grand Archdemons or the darkspawn and that is probably one of the reasons why Dragon Age II went under in criticism. This storyline is more humane and takes a look at people and their decisions.

Day Map

Night Map

Another thing that might also be a bummer is the map. The whole game revolves solely around Kirkwall and its surrounding area of 4 or 5 maps. In Dragon Age Origins you had a whole freaking world to explore.....OK not a word but the are of Ferelden which included Orzamar (the dwarven underground city). Another thing that caught my attention where the type of maps that were in DA II. They constantly were repeated, meaning the same shape of map in a different place with the same decoration.

My Female Mage Hawke Character

Choosing a Companion for the Party

Conversational Options

Docks at Night

The Gallows

Q'unari Warrior

Knight Commander Meredith

Circle Headmaster Orsino

During the final Battle against Meredith

Possessed Meredith

Nevertheless, DA II is still lots of fun to play and all the bad points are being taken into consideration by the developers in order to create a better stronger and more beautiful Dragon Age 3.