Dragon Age II

Did You Know?

• A public demo was available from February 22 to March 1, 2011.
• BioWare partnered with Razer for a Collector's Edition Product Line of gaming peripherals.
• The villain from the Legacy DLC, Corypheus, returns as the primary antagonist in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Synopsis

The story is presented as a linear frame narrative, told through flashbacks by the unreliable narrator Varric Tethras, a dwarf rogue, to his interrogator Cassandra Pentaghast. The protagonist is Hawke, whose sex, first name, appearance, and class are player-determined. Hawke fled Ferelden as a refugee during the events of Dragon Age: Origins and arrived in Kirkwall, eventually becoming the Champion of Kirkwall. The narrative unfolds in three acts, each separated by nearly three years, and is influenced by player decisions while the overall story remains fixed until two endings.

Hawke can recruit up to eight companions. Mandatory companions include Anders, a mage and former Grey Warden; Aveline Vallen, a warrior who leads the city guard; and Merrill, a Dalish elven mage. One of Hawke's two siblings—Bethany, a mage, or Carver, a warrior—joins as a companion in the first act. Optional companions are Fenris, an elven warrior seeking revenge, and Isabela, a pirate captain.

Sebastian Vael, a master archer, is recruitable via downloadable content. Anders, Fenris, Isabela, and Merrill are romance options for either sex, while Sebastian is a chaste love interest for a female Hawke.

Development

Development began at BioWare's Edmonton office during production of Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. Publisher Electronic Arts allowed only 14 to 16 months for completion, forcing extended crunch. Mike Laidlaw, David Gaider, and Inon Zur returned as lead designer, writer, and composer. The game went gold on February 11, 2011.

A Mac OS X port was handled by TransGaming via the Cider engine. BioWare aimed to improve on Origins by streamlining mechanics and making the game more accessible, based on feedback that many players never finished Origins' early hours. Combat was sped up and made more responsive, drawing from action games, while retaining tactical elements like an overhauled combo system. The bird's-eye view was removed to allow varied scenery.

Development manager Robyn Theberge stated the team wanted players to think like a general using Tactic and fight like a spartan with faster combat.

Reception

The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Critics praised the faster combat; Joe Juba of Game Informer called it responsive, and IGN's Kristine Steimer found it entertaining and versatile, though she noted imprecise console controls and AI weaknesses. GameSpy's Mike Sharkey described the gameplay as smooth with a great fusion of action and strategy, but remarked that strategy was less necessary. GamesRadar's Eric Neigher was disappointed by a cumbersome strategy system. PC Gamer's Rich McCormick liked the talents and abilities. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot appreciated flexibility but noted streamlined inventory management, and both VanOrd and Juba cited issues with third-person gameplay on PC.