One for all the ages as Dragon Age returns with a roar

Back and better than ever: Dragon Age II returns to computer screens
Ross Walker10 April 2012
Review: Dragon Age II
Xbox 360

Sequels to epic games can be a disappointment - but this is a worthy successor to Dragon Age Origins.

The story is based around the Hawke family who are refugees fleeing from the Blight - a plague of evil devilspawn - which has over-run their home. The epic fantasy game is told in a series of flashbacks by one of your companions, a dwarf named Varric.

The game play is a step up from Origins. When you start, you can choose to make the main character, Hawke, any of three classes; the rouge, warrior or the mage. Each offers unique fighting styles and abilities and, depending on the class, the story will be different.

The actual combat is more streamlined than the original game. You can play in either of two styles; if you like to be tactical you can pause the fight and issue orders to each party member respectively. Alternatively, players can use the menu screen to make characters go in gung-ho, for fast and fierce combat. The incredible graphics and detail of combat immediately jump out, while there is only very small amounts of lag for Xbox 360 gamers.

Although most of the game is fantastic there are some aspects where the BioWare designers appear to have fallen down.

Xbox gamers have to put up with small and hard to read text. However, the biggest irritation is the constant reuse of the layout and design of the caves and dungeons.

Every time a player goes into a cave or dungeon for a side quest it will appear to be the same one and this is the same for any backstreets in Kirkwall where the story is set.

Overall though this is a small price to pay for the brilliant, absorbing gaming experience and I can see myself playing this for many more hours to come.

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