Dragon Age II

 

   Dragon Age II is a fantasy RPG developed by BioWare's Edmonton studios, and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second major game in BioWare's Dragon Age franchise. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Mac OS X on March 8, 2011 in North America, March 10, 2011 in Australia and March 11, 2011 in Europe.

   Set in the same mythical world introduced in Dragon Age: Origins, the player assumes the role of Hawke, a human mage, warrior, or rogue who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee but becomes its legendary champion over a turbulent decade of political and social conflict.



                                                                              Plot:

Set in the mythical world of Thedas, Dragon Age II tells the story of Hawke, who fled the nation of Ferelden during the events of Dragon Age: Origins and traveled across the Waking Sea to the Free Marches and the city of Kirkwall as a refugee. Within the span of a decade, Hawke would rise in power and influence to become the legendary "Champion of Kirkwall", and the center of events that change the course of Thedas forever. The game focuses on Hawke's rise to power and is framed through flashbacks by one of Hawke's old companions, Varric, who relates the Champion's "true story" to Cassandra Pentaghast, a Seeker of Thedas' religious Chantry. Hawke's companion characters are Aveline (a former Fereldan soldier who joins the Kirkwall City Guard), Varric (a crossbow wielding dwarf with a penchant for storytelling), Fenris (an elf and former slave in the Tevinter Imperium), Merrill (a Dalish elf rejected by her clan), Isabela (a pirate captain stranded in Kirkwall after her ship crashed), and Anders (a former Grey Warden). The Exiled Prince DLC adds Sebastian Vael, a Prince of Starkhaven who comes to Kirkwall seeking aid after his family is deposed.

                                                      Bonus and downloadable content:

   Orders placed before January 11, 2011 were automatically upgraded to the Dragon Age II: BioWare Signature Edition, with additional content.Orders placed before March 8 qualify for pre-order bonuses.In an attempt to discourage purchasing used copies of the game, purchasers of a new copy (before or after the release date) receive access to additional features.Further in-game bonuses can be obtained by completing the free Dragon Age II demo, through Penny Arcade, and by signing up to the newsletter.Purchasing the game Dead Space 2 before March 31, 2012 also unlocks a Dead Space themed armor item.Bioware announced that 2 in game items would be unlocked for all users if the total number of demo downloads reached 1 million in the course of one week (which occurred), and that a further and more powerful item would be unlocked if each post on the official Facebook account between February 28 and March 4 received 1 million impressions the day it was posted.

                                                            Downloadable content:

Exiled Prince

   When a vicious coup d'etat massacres and overthrows the royal family of Starkhaven, Prince Sebastian Vael is left as the kingdom's last true heir. Hawke will be able to undertake a series of quest to help Sebastian bring his family's murderers to justice and add him as a companion for the duration of the main game. While released at the game's launch, this DLC must still be purchased through Bioware.

The Black Emporium

   Available at no cost to those who purchase Dragon Age II new, this DLC adds a bonus vendor that the player can visit and purchase exclusive items from. In addition, the DLC includes a Mabari War Hound to fight at Hawke's side and access to The Mirror of Transformation, which allows the player to re-customize Hawke's appearance.

Legacy

   Released July 26, 2011, and playable from any point in the Dragon Age II campaign, Legacy lets Hawke undertake a quest which revolves around his/her family's legacy. It adds several new locations, including a prison constructed by the Grey Wardens, and adds a new class-specific weapon.

Mark of the Assassin

   Released on October 11, 2011, Mark Of The Assassin adds a new party member to the game: Tallis, an Elven Assassin voiced and modeled after actress Felicia Day, and also the lead character of the Dragon Age: Redemption webseries. In the DLC's featured quest, Hawke must help Tallis infiltrate an Orlesian estate outside Kirkwall and steal a precious relic.

                                                                          Sequel:

   BioWare's Creative Development Senior Director Alistair McNally confirmed that the studio was going forward with the third installment in the fantasy RPG series, Dragon Age III. BioWare posted job opportunities, calling for "exceptional environmental artists."

IMDb: Rates this game with an 8.0/10.0.

According to IGN: "Hurtled into the chaos you fight, and the world will shake before you", rated "Great" with a 8.5/10.0 and ranked #527 out of 16757 PC rated games.

   There are a few things I'm certain of in life: Darkspawn must die, dragons must die, and, from a technical perspective, Dragon Age II is the best game in BioWare's fantasy role-playing franchise. The gameplay, user interfaces, and conversation system have all been modified to the point where the game is much more functional and fun than before. Yet despite all these improvements, there are still some issues with the story and setting in the sequel.

    To kick things off, the plot is told through a framed narrative, much like the movie The Princess Bride. It's known that your character, Hawke -- a male or female human mage, rogue, or warrior -- will eventually become the Champion of Kirkwall. It's also clear that the world is on the cusp of war, and the Chantry, the main religious faction in the Dragon Age universe, is coming apart at the seams. What isn't known is your amount of involvement in the chaos, and why a Chantry seeker named Cassandra is interrogating a former friend of yours, a dwarf named Varric. It turns out that your part in this play is major, and you'll figure it out as you go along.

Published by: Electronic Arts
Developed by: BioWare
Genre: RPG
Release Date:
Europe: March 2011
PEGI: RP
Also Available On: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Macintosh
Also known as: Dragon Age 2