1. Dragon Age 2 Dlc Bundle

How long is Dragon Age II: Mark of The Assassin DLC? HowLongToBeat has the answer. Create a backlog, submit your game times and compete with your friends! This torrent is the updated version 1.1 of the newest piece of downloadable content for Bioware's epic RPG Dragon Age: Origins, titled Wtich Hunt, released 20 September 2010. Bioware has also confirmed that this is the LAST DLC for this game, so enjoy it.

Have a saved game file from Dragon Age: Origins to unlock the Blood Dragon armor.

Successfully complete any side quest that does not activate a cutscene when receiving your reward (for example, the 'South-Song' Gerralt's Corpse side quest or any 'Find And Deliver' side quest), then save the game. Draw your weapon, and approach the NPC. While your character is putting away their weapon to talk to the NPC, rapidly press A to get unlimited money and EXP. You can keep doing this until you move your character. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: This glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game. You can delete all patches for the game by using the 'Clear hard drive cache' code for the Xbox 360.

Put your most expensive item in the 'Junk' menu under the inventory menu. Go to any store, and select the 'Sell' option. Select that item from the 'Junk' menu to sell it, and then immediately and quickly press Y, A. Try to press Y and A almost simultaneously, but press Y just before A. This may require practice. It also works best if you do not have any other items in your 'Junk' other than the item you are going to sell. Your item should be sold twice. Then, go to 'Buy', buy the item back from the 'Junk' menu, and then sell it again. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: Make sure you do not leave the store after you have sold items, as they will not appear in the store again. This glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game. You can delete all patches for the game by using the 'Clear hard drive cache' code for the Xbox 360.

You must have two of the same item for this glitch to work. Place the items to be duplicated in the 'Junk' menu under the inventory menu. Go to any store, and select the 'Sell' option. Sell at least one of the items. The vendor must have at least one of the items listed in his 'Junk' menu for this to work. Then, quickly press Y, A to sell them the remaining item in your 'Junk' menu. Try to press Y and A almost simultaneously, but press Y just before A. This may require practice. It also works best if you do not have any other items in your 'Junk' other than the item you are going to sell. This essentially duplicates the sold item, creating a third out of your existing two. You can use this duplication glitch to work with larger quantities of items, doubling the overall amount of items sold. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: This glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game. You can delete all patches for the game by using the 'Clear hard drive cache' code for the Xbox 360.

Acquire at least two of each of the Potion Of The Mortal Vessel, Potion Of Arcane Technique, and Potion Of Physical Technique. Then, use the 'Duplicating items' glitch to duplicate the potions to easily boost your character's attributes and skills.

Obtain as many 'Makers Sigh' potions as possible. Then, assign all your available abilities to your tactics menu. Next, use a 'Makers Sigh' potion, then save the game. Load your saved game file, and go into the ability menu. The abilities you assigned to your tactics will be unlocked, but you will still have all your unassigned ability points. Assign your points to other abilities, put them in your tactics menu, then repeat the process again. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: This glitch also allows you to unlock certain abilities in classes without having to go through the entire skill tree.

Note: This glitch requires access to 'The Black Emporium' downloadable content and money available to purchase the 'Makers Sigh' potion that resets all ability points and attributes. Hawke comes preloaded with preset skills he will always retain; thus, when you use the 'Makers Sigh' potion, save, and reload the saved game file, Hawke's abilities will be filled again. Do the following to get unlimited ability points. Use the 'Makers Sigh' potion, then save the game. Load your saved game file, and you will now have the amount of ability points that were taken away and Hawke's abilities will be set back to the default levels. For a Rogue, it will be approximately four to five points in the Dual Wield tree. Use another 'Makers Sigh' potion, and repeat the process as many times as desired.

This glitch can be done at any point in the game with Hawke and Aveline. Simply equip, un-equip, and then re-equip a shield. Your armor number/percent will continue to increase. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: This glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game. You can delete all patches for the game by using the 'Clear hard drive cache' code for the Xbox 360.

Successfully complete Sebastian's 'Repentance' companion quest. Then, go back to the chantry. Do not talk with Sebastian; instead talk to the Grand Cleric. Keep selecting the 'You're useless' dialog option to get +5 rivalry for Sebastian each time. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: This glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game.

To get unlimited attribute points, you must be in Act 3 and have the ability to craft the Rune of Valiance. Get any two different pieces of equipment with at least one rune slot. Craft a Rune of Valiance onto both, making sure the amount of attributes added to each item is different. Equip both items. Remove the one that adds the most attributes first, then remove the other. Not all the attributes from the rune will be removed, and it will be permanently added to your character. Keep equipping both items and removing both items to continue getting attribute points until they max out all stats at 100.

To activate sustainable abilities that are not meant to be activated together (for example, Control and Might for Warriors), activate a sustainable ability, and before it is finished casting, activate the other sustainable ability. It should activate them both, and you should get the effects of both. This works for all sustainable abilities that are not meant to be activated simultaneously.

It is best to plan your party from the start. While planning character roles, remember 'One to take it, one to deal, one to weaken, one to heal.' You should have a damager, tank, entropist, and healer. This will ensure you have one member taking all the damage and bringing the attention away from the rest of the party. Have an entropist (probably Merrill) to weaken and demoralize the enemy, a healer to strengthen and maintain the party, and a damager to inflict the pain. This will ensure a well rounded party that covers all aspects of combat.

Successfully complete the indicated task or search the indicated location to find the corresponding weapon or shield:

Warrior One-Handed Weapons: Act 1

Thudpucker's First

Requirements: 28 Strength
Location: Bonny Lem's Wares (Disused Passage)
Damage: 20 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +57 Attack, and 5% Chance to Stun

Edge of Song and Glory

Requirements: 24 Strength
Location: Ser Karras (Gallows Courtyard, Act of Mercy)
Damage: 16 Physical
Weapon Stats: +47 Attack and +7% Physical Damage

Maelstrom

Requirements: 24 Strength
Location: Weapon Shop (Gallows Courtyard)
Damage: 16 Physical
Weapon Stats: +4% Critical Chance and +4% Attack Speed

Notched Sword

Requirements: 23 Strength
Location: Weaponsmithy (Lowtown)
Damage: 16 Physical
Weapon Stats: +18 Mana/Stamina and +7% Physical Damage

Palvo's Cocksure Cleaver

Requirements: 21 Strength
Location: 'Captain' Qerth (Shallowguards Base, Night Lies)
Damage: 12 Physical
Weapon Stats: +38 Attack and +14% Threat Generation

Trust and Cut Blade

Requirements: 21 Strength
Location: Korval's Blades (Hightown)
Damage: 12 Physical
Weapon Stats: +38 Attack and +14% Threat Generation

Overland Render

Requirements: 21 Strength
Location: Ship Captain (The Docks at Night)
Damage: 12 Physical
Weapon Stats: +38 Attack and +4% Critical Chance

Desdemona's Blade (DLC only)

Requirements: 25 Strength
Location: Emporium's Relics and Antiques (Black Emporium)
Damage: 17 Nature
Weapon Stats: 2 Rune Slots and +50 Attack

Warrior One-Handed Weapons: Act 2

Sataareth

Requirements: 38 Strength
Location: Quest reward for defeating the Arishok (Viscount's Keep, Demands for the Qun)
Damage: 29 Fire
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +94 Attack, +8% Physical Damage, and +8% Magic Resistance

Windsong Axe

Requirements: 35 Strength
Location: Nexus Golem's Wares (Abandoned Thaig)
Damage: 27 Physical
Weapon Stats: +5% Critical Chance, +12% Critical Damage, and +11 Electricity Damage

Markham Heart Stopper

Requirements: 33 Strength
Location: Weapon Shop (Gallows Courtyard)
Damage: 27 Physical
Weapon Stats: +5% Critical Chance, +12% Critical Damage, and Messy Kills

Red Earth Long One

Requirements: 32 Strength
Location: Bartrand (Bartrand's Mansion, Family Matter)
Damage: 25 Physical
Weapon Stats: +76 Attack and +5 Fire Damage

Darktown Blade

Requirements: 30 Strength
Location: Weaponsmithy (Lowtown)
Damage: 23 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot and +4% Critical Chance

One-Cut

Requirements: 30 Strength
Location: Innley of Starkhaven (Sundermount, Bounty Hunter)
Damage: 21 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +61 Attack, +8% Physical Damage, and Messy Kills

Sundarin Thunder

Requirements: 28 Strength
Location: Chest (Deep Roads, Fool's Gold)
Damage: 20 Physical
Weapon Stats: +438 Electricity Resistance and +4 Electricity Damage

Royeaux One and Two

Requirements: 22 Strength
Location: Amaranthine Conspirator (Sundermount, The Conspirators)
Damage: 13 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +41 Attack, and +4% Critical Chance

Fade's Fury (DLC only)

Requirements: 34 Strength
Location: Desire Demon (Harimann Estate, Repentance)
Damage: 25 Physical
Weapon Stats: 2 Rune Slots, +5% Critical Chance, and +3 Spirit Damage Across 2m

Warrior One-Handed Weapons: Act 3

Glandivalis

Requirements: 41 Strength
Location: Hybris (Hidden Dungeon, The Awiergan Scrolls)
Damage: 33 Electricity
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +166 Attack, +3 Armor, and 2.5% Chance to Enslave Normal Enemies

Aurvar's Prize

Requirements: 41 Strength
Location: Chest (Deep Roads, Finding Nathaniel)
Damage: 33 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +116 Attack, +3 Armor, and +17% Threat Generation

The Vague Blade

Requirements: 41 Strength
Location: Chest (Blood Mage Refuge, The Last Holdouts)
Damage: 33 Physical
Weapon Stats: 3 Rune Slots and Enemies Cannot Dodge Attacks

Bassrath-Kata

Requirements: 39 Strength
Location: Quest Reward (The Lost Swords)
Damage: 31 Physical
Weapon Stats: +100 Attack, +4% Attack Speed, +20% Chance of Deathblows, and +9 Damage vs. Humans

Sword of the Antaam

Requirements: 38 Strength
Location: Lirene's Fereldan Imports (Lowtown)
Damage: 32 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +108 Attack, and +10 Damage vs. Humans

The Weight

Requirements: 38 Strength
Location: High Dragon (The Bone Pit, Mine Massacre)
Damage: 29 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +94 Attack, +11 Fortitude, and 5% Chance to Knock Back

City Guard Sword

Requirements: 36 Strength
Location: Weapon Shop (Gallows Courtyard)
Damage: 29 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +94 Attack, and +4% Attack Speed

Raider Sword

Requirements: 36 Strength
Location: Shady Merchandise (The Docks)
Damage: 29 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +5% Critical Chance, and +12% Critical Damage

The Bringer of Silence

Requirements: 36 Strength
Location: Quest Reward (Finding Nathaniel)
Damage: 28 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +5% Critical Chance, +12% Critical Damage, and +5% Chance to Dispel Hostile Magic

Woodsman's Ire

Requirements: 35 Strength
Location: Jess 'Leashmaster' Varvel (Run Down Alley, Reining It In)
Damage: 27 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +32 Health, +81 Attack, and +16% Threat Generation

Perrin's Nail

Requirements: 32 Strength
Location: Korval's Blades (Hightown)
Damage: 25 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +76 Attack, and +19% Healing to This Character

The Wailer

Requirements: 28 Strength
Location: Veld (The Sink, Gamlen's Greatest Treasure)
Damage: 20 Physical
Weapon Stats: +4% Critical Chance, +11% Critical Damage, and +8% Physical Damage

Best of honey singh mp3. Blade of a Thousand Battles (DLC only)

Requirements: 42 Strength
Location: Emporium's Relics and Antiques (Black Emporium)
Damage: 35 Physical
Weapon Stats: 2 Rune Slots, +5 Critical Chance, +8% Physical Damage, and 5% Chance to Knock Back

Warrior Two-Handed Weapons: Act 1

Oath-Breaker

Requirements: 30 Strength
Location: Chest (Deep Roads, The Deep Roads Expedition)
Damage: 26 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +82 Attack, +23% Healing to This Character

Caskhead's Portable Anvil

Requirements: 25 Strength
Location: Chest (Deep Roads, The Deep Roads Expedition)
Damage: 20 Physical
Weapon Stats: +63 Attack and 5% Chance to Knock Back

Red Grace

Requirements: 24 Strength
Location: Chest (Tal-Vashoth Cavern, Blackpowder Promise)
Damage: 18 Physical
Weapon Stats: +59 Attack and +4 Fire Damage

The Ream-Ward

Requirements: 23 Strength
Location: Tevinter Hunter Captain (Lowtown at Night, Bait and Switch)
Damage: 17 Physical
Weapon Stats: +55 Attack and +9% Physical Damage

Templar Great Sword

Requirements: 21 Strength
Location: Weapon Shop (Gallows Courtyard)
Damage: 14 Physical
Weapon Stats: +4% Attack Speed and +3 Fire Damage

Warrior Two-Handed Weapons: Act 2

Void's Hammer

Requirements: 33 Strength
Location: Magnus's Wares (The Wounded Coast)
Damage: 28 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +6% Critical Chance, +5% Attack Speed, and +3% Physical Damage Across 2m

The Brothers' End

Requirements: 31 Strength
Location: Elven Fanatic (Side Alley, Blackpowder Courtesy)
Damage: 28 Physical
Weapon Stats: +88 Attack and +10% Physical Damage

Warrior Two-Handed Weapons: Act 3

Sundering

Requirements: 41 Strength
Location: Nexus Golem's Wares (Hidden Dungeon)
Damage: 38 Electricity
Weapon Stats: +6% Critical Chance, +16% Critical Damage, +10% Physical Damage, and +5 Mana/Stamina Regeneration Rate

The Celebrant

Requirements: 41 Strength
Location: Beacon (Sundermount, The Awiergan Scrolls)
Damage: 38 Spirit
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +3 Strength, +3 Willpower, and +21% Threat Generation

Warrior Shields: Act 1

Winter-Weight

Requirements: 20 Strength and 20 Constitution
Location: Dragon (Deep Roads, The Deep Roads Expedition)
Armor: 86
Shield Stats: +9 Armor and +8 Fortitude

Oddsmaker

Requirements: 18 Strength and 18 Constitution
Location: Revenant (Long Way Home)
Armor: 72
Shield Stats: +41 Attack and +7% Physical Damage

Kirkwall Shield

Requirements: 18 Strength and 18 Constitution
Location: Armor Merchant (Lowtown)
Armor: 72
Shield Stats: +20 Defense and +7 Armor

The Bann's Backhouse Door

Requirements: 18 Strength and 18 Constitution
Location: Coterie Leader (Lowtown at Night)
Armor: 72
Shield Stats: 1 Rune Slot and +17 Health

Markham Head Stopper

Requirements: 18 Strength and 18 Constitution
Location: Korval's Blades (Hightown)
Armor: 66
Shield Stats: +38 Attack and +7 Armor

Fereldan Soldier's Shield

Dragon Age 2 Dlc Bundle

Requirements: 12 Strength and 12 Constitution
Location: Dead Refugee (Prologue: Blightlands)
Armor: 37
Shield Stats: None

Lady Rosamund's Bulwark (DLC only)

Requirements: 20 Strength and 20 Constitution
Location: Emporium's Relics and Antiques (Black Emporium)
Armor: 86
Shield Stats: 3 Rune Slots

Warrior Shields: Act 2

Shield of Knight Herself

Requirements: 34 Strength, 28 Constitution and Aveline
Location: Ser Varnell's Refuse (Offered and Lost)
Armor: 190
Shield Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +88 Attack, +5% Critical Chance, 100% of basic attack damage vs. enemies that attack in melee

Darkspawn Shield

Requirements: 23 Strength and 23 Constitution
Location: Weaponsmithy (Lowtown)
Armor: 122
Shield Stats: +4 Mana/Stamina Regeneration Rate and +489 Fire Resistance

Warrior Shields: Act 3

Shield of the Resolute

Requirements: 31 Strength and 31 Constitution
Location: Pile of Bones (Templar Hall, The Last Straw)
Armor: 248
Shield Stats: 2 Rune Slots, +25 Armor, and +8% Magic Resistance

Mage's Friend (DLC only)

Requirements: 32 Strength and 32 Constitution
Location: Faith Quest
Armor: 271
Shield Stats: 3 Rune Slots and +17% Magic Resistance

Rogue Dual Weapons: Act 1

Blade of Red Birth

Requirements: 25 Dexterity
Location: Chest (Deep Roads, The Deep Roads Expedition)
Damage: 22 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +38 Attack, and +4 Fire Damage

Rogue Dual Weapons: Act 2

Coterie Shiv

Requirements: 31 Dexterity
Location: Weaponsmithy (Lowtown)
Damage: 30 Physical
Weapon Stats: +9% Critical Damage, 25% Chance to Reduce Attack Speed, and 25% Chance to Reduce Movement Speed

Rogue Dual Weapons: Act 3

Carta's Right-Hand

Requirements: 41 Dexterity
Location: Hanker (Decrepit Alley, Kind of Want)
Damage: 42 Physical
Weapon Stats: +87 Attack, +4% Critical Chance, +10% Critical Damage, and +5% Chance to Stun

Rogue Bows: Act 1

Swarm

Requirements: 25 Dexterity
Location: Mature Dragon (Bone Pit Ledge, The Bone Pit)
Damage: 70 Physical
Weapon Stats: +63 Attack and +7 Nature Damage Across 2m

Rogue Bows: Act 2

The Runner's Retort

Requirements: 35 Dexterity
Location: Street Thung (Lowtown at Night, The Fixer)
Damage: 113 Physical
Weapon Stats: +109 Attack, +6% Critical Chance, 25% Chance to Reduce Attack Speed, and 25% Chance to Reduce Movement Speed

Rogue Bows: Act 3

Absolution

Requirements: 41 Dexterity
Location: Nexus Golem's Wares (Hidden Dungeon)
Damage: 134 Physical
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +6% Critical Chance, +16% Critical Damage, and +27 Nature Damage

Mage Staves: Act 1

Acolyte's Staff

Requirements: 31 Magic
Location: Apparel Shop (Lowtown)
Damage: 33 Physical
Weapon Stats: +5 Mana/Stamina Regeneration Rate, +14% Fire Damage, and +178 Fire Resistance

Valdasine

Requirements: None
Location: Crypt Treasure (Ancient Crypt, The Deep Roads Expedition)
Damage: 28 Spirit
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +2 Willpower, and +5 Mana/Stamina Regeneration Rate

Staff of the Primal Order

Requirements: 28 Magic
Location: Bonny Lem's Wares (Disused Passage)
Damage: 28 Cold
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +14% Fire Damage, and +14% Cold Damage

Stone's Breath

Requirements: None
Location: Reward for saving Sandal (The Deep Roads Expedition)
Damage: 26 Spirit
Weapon Stats: 1 Rune Slot, +13% Spirit Damage, and 5% Chance to Knock Back

The Hypnotist's Staff

Requirements: None
Location: Decimus (Runaway's Cavern, Act of Mercy)
Damage: 22 Electricity
Weapon Stats: +59 Attack and +8% Magic Resistance

Chanters' Staff

Requirements: None
Location: Reward from Grace (Act of Mercy)
Damage: 22 Spirit
Weapon Stats: +24 Mana/Stamina and +21% Healing by this character

The Turncoat's Walking Stick

Requirements: None
Location: Mage Goods (Gallows Courtyard)
Damage: 17 Fire
Weapon Stats: +48 Attack and +12% Fire Damage

Mage Staves: Act 2

Cold-Blooded

Requirements: 35 Magic
Location: Magnus's Wares (The Wounded Coast)
Damage: 37 Cold
Weapon Stats: +6 Magic, +40 Mana/Stamina, +10 Mana/Stamina Regeneration Rate, +30% Cold Damage, and Blood Magic (each point of health provides 1 additional mana)

Mage Staves: Act 3

Staff of Violation

Requirements: None
Location: Orsino (Gallows Prison)
Damage: 41 Spirit
Weapon Stats: +3 Willpower, +15% Spirit Damage, and 2.5% Chance to Infect with Walking Bomb

The following is a list of how to obtain all eight companions as well as information about them, their armor upgrades, and gifts:

Anders

Class: Mage
Recruitment: He is mandatory and joins your party early in Act 1 after Tranquility is complete.
Can He Leave Your Party?: Yes, and on more than one occasion.
Personality Conflicts: He does not get along well with Carver, Fenris, and Sebastian.
Core Companion Quests: 'Tranquility', 'Dissent', 'Justice'

Armor upgrades:

Act 2: Armor Suits can be bought at Lirene's Ferelden Imports in Lowtown.
Act 2: Lyrium Weave can be bought at Mage Goods in Gallows Courtyard.
Act 2: Spirit Essence can be found during the 'Dissent' quest.
Act 3: Sigil of the Mage Underground can be found during the 'Best Served Cold' quest.

Gifts: Tevinter Chantry Amulet can be found in Act 2 during the 'A Bitter Pill' quest.

Aveline

Class: Warrior
Recruitment: She is mandatory and joins your party during the Prologue.
Can She Leave You?: Yes, but not until 'The Last Straw' quest.
Personality Conflicts: She will not approve if you fully support Merrill in her companion quests.
Core Companion Quests: 'The Way It Should Be', 'The Long Road', and 'Favor and Fault'.

Armor upgrades:

Act 1: Underpadding - Guardsman Pattern can be bought at the Armor Stand in Lowtown.
Act 2: Impact Plating - Guardsman Pattern can be bought at the Armor Stand in Lowtown.
Act 2: Flex-Chain - Guardsman Pattern can be found during the 'Raiders on the Cliffs' quest.
Act 3: Deflecting Joints - Guardsman Pattern can be found during the 'Favor and Fault' quest.

Gifts: The Shield of the Knight Herself can be found in Act 2 during the 'Offered and Lost' quest.

Bethany and Carver

Class: Mage (Bethany), Warrior (Carver)
Recruitment: They are both mandatory and join your party at the beginning of the game.
Can They Leave Your Party?: Yes, there will be an unavoidable incident to one of them in the Prologue. The surviving sibling member cannot continue to stay with you beyond the end of Act 1.
Personality Conflicts: Bethany will clash with Fenris in Mage-related quests. Carver will clash with Anders and Merrill in Mage storylines.
Core Companion Quests: 'Birthright'

Armor upgrades:

Act 1 - Carver: Fereldan Girded Plating can be found during the 'Birthright' quest.
Act 1 - Bethany: Heirloom Amell Protective Sigils can be found during the 'Birthright' quest.

Gifts: Tobrius's Documents for Carver and Portrait of Your Mother for Bethany can both be found during the 'Birthright' quest.

Fenris

Class: Warrior
Recruitment: He is optional and can be acquired by completing the 'A Bitter Pill' quest in Act 1.
Can He Leave Your Party?: Yes, and on more than one occasion.
Personality Conflicts: He will have issues with anyone wearing robes or wielding a staff including Hawke.
Core Companion Quests: 'Bait and Switch', 'A Bitter Pill', and 'Alone'.
Armor upgrades:
Act 2: Tevinter Spirit Symbol can be bought at Robes by Jean Luc in Hightown.
Act 2: Lyrium Scales can be bought at Shady Merchandise at the Docks.
Act 2: Reinforced Straps can be found during the 'A Bitter Pill' quest.
Act 3: Enchanted Resin can be found during the 'Mine Massacre' quest.
Gifts:
The Book of Shartan can be bought in Act 2 at Elven Alienage in Lowtown.
Blade of Mercy can be found in Act 3 during the 'Best Served Cold' quest.

Isabela

Class: Rogue
Recruitment: She is optional and can be acquired by completing the 'Fools Rush In' quest, which can be started at The Hanged Man once you have completed the 'Tranquility' main quest.
Can She Leave Your Party?: Yes, there are three times when she can leave you at the climax of Act 2.
Personality Conflicts: There is a slight variance of opinion regarding law and order with Aveline, but nothing to worry about.
Core Companion Quests: 'Fools Rush In', 'To Catch a Thief', and 'No Rest for the Wicked'.
Armor upgrades:
Act 2: Rigid Boning can be bought at the Apparel Shop in Lowtown.
Act 2: Supportive Corselet can be bought at Robes by Jean Luc in Hightown.
Act 2: Lambswool Insoles can be found during the 'To Catch a Thief' quest.
Act 3: Boiled Leather Plates can be found during the 'A Murder of Crows' quest.
Gifts:
Ship in a Bottle can be found in Act 2 during the 'Blackpowder Courtesy' quest.
Rivaini Talisman can be found in Act 3 during the 'Disused Passage' quest.

Merrill

Note: If you do not choose the Mage class for Hawke, Merrill may represent your party's best choice for destructive magical damage.

Class: Mage
Recruitment: She is mandatory and is enlisted by completing 'Long Way Home' at the start of Act 1.
Can She Leave Your Party?: Yes, but not until 'The Last Straw' quest.
Personality Conflicts: She will clash with Fenris and Carver in Mage-oriented storylines. You will make your other companions upset if you complete her companion quests in Act 2 and 3.
Core Companion Quests: 'Long Way Home', 'Mirror Image', and 'A New Path'.
Armor upgrades:
Act 2: Samite Lining can be bought at Robes by Jean Luc in Hightown.
Act 2: Carved Ironwood Buttons can be bought at Ilen's Crafts in Sundermount.
Act 2: Silver-Threaded Dalish Embroidery can be found during the 'Top of Sundermount' quest.
Act 3: Halla Horn Buckles can be found during the 'A New Path' quest.
Gifts:
Wooden Halla Carving can be bought in Act 2 at Ilen's Crafts in Sundermount.
Sylvanwood Ring can be found on the remains of the Thief Leader in Act 3 during the 'A Murder of Crows' quest.

Sebastian

Class: Rogue
Recruitment: 'The Exiled Prince' bonus downloadable content is required to obtain him. He is optional and can be acquired by completing the 'Duty' quest in Act 1 and the 'Repentance' quest in Act 2.
Can He Leave Your Party?: Yes, but only during 'The Last Straw' quest.
Personality Conflicts: He does not like Anders.
Core Companion Quests: 'Duty', 'Repentance', and 'Faith'.

Armor upgrades:

Act 2: Enchanted Articulation can be bought at the Armor Shop in Gallows Courtyard.
Act 2: Reinforced Bracers can be bought at Olaf's Armory in Hightown.
Act 2: Mail Undertunic can be found during the 'Repentance' quest.
Act 3: Protection of the Faith can be found during the 'Best Served Cold' quest.

Gifts: Starkhaven Longbow can be found in Act 2 during the 'Repentance' quest.

Varric

Varric carries a fixed weapon, the Biance, which is a crossbow that increases in power as he gains levels. He is an archer that can offer a potent combination of AoE assaults and debilitating attacks that give your party a unique tactical edge.

Class: Rogue
Recruitment: He is mandatory and joins your party at the start of Act 1.
Can He Leave Your Party?: No.
Personality Conflicts: None, as he works well with everyone.
Core Companion Quests: 'Family Matter' and 'Haunted'

Armor upgrades:

Act 1: Inscribed Leather Harness can be bought at the Apparel Shop in Lowtown.
Act 2: Coat Lining with Concealed Pockets can be bought at Shady Merchandise at the Docks.
Act 2: Silverite-Reinforced Buckles can be found during the 'Family Matter' quest.
Act 3: Drakeskin Leg Straps can be found during the 'Finding Nathaniel' quest.

Gifts: The Tethras Signet Ring can be found in Act 2 during the 'Trinkets Emporium in Lowtown' quest.

During a random conversation between Fenris and Varric, Fenris asks him 'Who is Bianca?' When Varric tells him it is a crossbow, Fenris says that he must have named it after someone, to which Varric replies, 'Nope, Mirabelle was taken', a reference to the rifle owned by Sir Roderick Von Fontlebottom, The Magnificent Bastard from Jade Empire.

During random companion dialogue between Anders and Isabella in the city, she mentions that abominations are easy to escape because they make loud noises like 'Grr Argh', which Anders refutes saying 'Abominations do not go Grr Argh.' During the ending credits of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon's 'Mutant Enemy Productions' credit screen shows a little monster which says 'Grr Argh?'

Take Isabella into the fade in the desire section. The demon will seduce her with the prospect of a boat in the harbor. When Isabella turns on you, she will say 'I like big boats and I cannot lie', which is a reference to Sir Mixalot's 'I Like Big Butts' song.

In the 'Prime Suspect' quest when you meet Mr. Dupries, have Varric in your party. Give the sarcastic response of letting Dupries talk his way out the situation. Varric will make the comment 'I bet 20 silver it's 'it wasn't me, it was the one-armed man'. This is a reference to The Mask when Jim Carey tries to defend his innocence when he gets captured.

In your home when your mother says that her children should be nobles now, your uncle says 'And if wishes were poppy we'd all be dreaming right now.'

Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:

Master Craftsman (25 points): Crafted all of the items from a single crafting tree.
Mogul (25 points): Had 100 or more sovereigns in your purse.
Crowning Glory (25 points): Became the viscount of Kirkwall.
Dedicated (15 points): Reached Level 10.
A Friend in Need (5 points): Upgraded the armor of one of your party members.
Enchanter (5 points): Enchanted an item.
Immigrant (5 points): Became a resident of Kirkwall.
Delver of the Deep (10 points): Explored the Deep Roads.
Birthright (15 points): Kicked the slavers out of your ancestral mansion.
Specialized (25 points): Learned two class specializations.
I Got Your Back (25 points): Completely upgraded the armor of one of your party members.
Legendary (50 points): Reached Level 20.
Financier (10 points): Became a partner in a Deep Roads expedition.
Talented (5 points): Upgraded a spell or talent.
Tag Team (5 points): Used teamwork to perform a cross-class combo.
That Thing Has Legs (25 points): Found and killed a varterral.
Weapon Master (25 points): Mastered a weapon style.
Unstoppable (50 points): Completed a full year in Kirkwall without any party member being knocked unconscious.
Craftsman (5 points): Acquired your first crafting recipe.
Dragon Slayer (25 points): Found and killed a high dragon.
Exorcist (25 points): Found and killed the undying Xebenkeck.
Demon Slayer (25 points): Found and killed the ancient demon, Hybris.
Chantry Historian (25 points): Found all four chapters of 'The History of the Chantry,' by Brother Genitivi.
A Worthy Rival (25 points): Earned the Arishok's respect.
Great Minds Think Alike (50 points): Earned the friendship or rivalry of four party members.
Friend (25 points): Earned the friendship of one of your party members.
Rival (25 points): Earned the rivalry of one of your party members.
Romantic (25 points): Completed a romance with one of your party members.
Epic (50 points): Completed Dragon Age II twice, or completed it once with a save imported from Dragon Age Origins.
Champion of Kirkwall (20 points): Completed Dragon Age II.
Mercenary (10 points): Allied yourself with the mercenaries upon arriving in Kirkwall.
Nefarious (10 points): Allied yourself with the smugglers upon arriving in Kirkwall.
Flirtatious (5 points): Flirted with one of your party members to begin a romance.
Mass Exodus (25 points): Reached Kirkwall with each character class across multiple playthroughs.
Knowledgeable (25 points): Unlocked 100 codex entries.
Treasure Hunter (25 points): Opened 50 chests.
Darkness Falls (5 points): Toggled the map from day to night.
Explorer (5 points): Left Kirkwall to explore the outlying regions.
Spelunker (25 points): Visited 10 caves in Kirkwall and the surrounding area.
Full House (10 points): Recruited four party members.
Friends in High Places (15 points): Met Grand Cleric Elthina, Viscount Dumar, Knight-Commander Meredith, and First Enchanter Orsino.
Gift Giver (5 points): Gave a gift to one of your party members.
Supplier (25 points): Found every variety of crafting resources.
Archeologist (50 points): During each year in Kirkwall, discovered 3 secret messages from the Band of Three.
Tale Within a Tale (5 points): Listened to Varric begin his tale of the Champion of Kirkwall.

Additionally, there are five secret achievements:

Stone Cold (5 points): Defeated the rock wraith on your expedition into the Deep Roads.
King of the Hill (10 points): Defeated the Arishok.
Conqueror (15 points): Defeated Meredith, knight-commander of Kirkwall's templars.
Arcane Defender (25 points): Sided with the mages five times.
Mage Hunter (25 points): Sided with the templars five times.

The following achievements require 'The Exiled Prince' bonus downloadable content:

Avenged (25 points): Confront the culprit behind the Vael family's murder.
Cloak and Dagger (25 points): Meet secretly with the agent of the Divine.
Loyalty of the Prince (30 points): Earn either a friendship or rivalry with Sebastian.
Memento (25 points): Give Sebastian a family heirloom.

Additionally, there is one secret achievement with 'The Exiled Prince' bonus downloadable content:

Retribution (25 points): Dealt with the mercenaries that killed the Vael family.

The following achievements require the 'Legacy' bonus downloadable content:

Conductor (30 points): Defeat an ancient evil in the Vimmark Mountains.
Deep Roads Safari (15 points): Kill a genlock, genlock alpha, hurlock alpha, bronto, and deepstalker in the Vimmark Mountains.
Family Legacy (30 points): Apply three effects to Hawke's Key.
Family Outing (15 points): Complete the main quest in the Vimmark Mountains with Bethany or Carver in the party.
Tower Sweeper (30 points): Complete every side quest in the Vimmark Mountains prison tower.

The following achievements require the 'Mark Of The Assassin' bonus downloadable content:

A New Day (15 points): Meet Tallis in Hightown.
Chasing the Game (30 points): Lure and kill an alpha wyvern near Chateau Haine.
Blackjack Subtle (15 points): Evade vault security in Chateau Haine.
The Take (30 points): Disarm the fire traps in Chateau Haine's vaults.

Additionally, there is one secret achievement with the 'Mark Of The Assassin' bonus downloadable content:

Mark of the Assassin (30 points): Defeated Duke Prosper, with or without Tallis.

Dragon Age II is an action role-playingvideo game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts (EA) for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and OS X. It is the second major game in the Dragon Age series and was released worldwide in March 2011. Set in the world of Thedas, introduced in Dragon Age: Origins, players assume the role of Hawke, a human mage, rogue, or warrior who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee, and becomes its legendary champion over a turbulent decade of political and social conflict. In the game, players explore and engage in combat from a third-person perspective. Players encounter various companions, who play major roles in the game's plot and gameplay. Depending on players' decisions and dialogue, a companion will either recognize Hawke as a friend or a rival.

BioWare began the game's development during the production of Origins's expansion packAwakening. EA gave them only 14 to 16 months to finish the game's development, thus forcing the team to crunch for an extended period and reuse assets. BioWare looked at players' feedback and reviews of Origins, and decided to improve its gameplay, making it more action-oriented. They improved the Eclipse Engine, renaming it Lycium, to enhance the game's visuals and lighting, and accommodate a new art style inspired by movies like Yojimbo and Conan. Both David Gaider and Inon Zur, who worked on Origins, returned and served as lead writer and composer respectively.

The game received generally positive reviews from critics. They praised its gameplay, companions and writing, though they had mixed feelings about the storytelling structure, and the diminished focus on tactics and strategy. Employing reused assets, and setting the game entirely in one city, were widely criticized. It received a more polarized response from players, though more than one million copies were sold in less than two weeks, a faster sales pace than its predecessor. A sequel, Dragon Age: Inquisition was released in November 2014.

• 2Synopsis
• 5Reception

Gameplay[edit]

Dragon Age II is an action role-playing game played from a third-person perspective. In the game, players control a human named Hawke, a refugee during the Fifth Blight, who eventually becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke's gender and appearance can be customized,^[1] and players need to select their class at the beginning of the game. There are three class types: a mage (who wields a magical staff to cast spells), a rogue (who wields a dagger or bow and arrow), or a warrior (who wields a melee weapon in both hands, or with a shield).^[2] Players can incorporate choices they made in Origins to the game by importing their saved game, or choosing a background at the starter menu, which bring modifications to the game's narrative.^[3][4]

During combat and exploration, players are accompanied by different companions, who can be recruited into Hawke's party. Hawke can only bring three companions with them, while others stay in different home bases in Kirkwall.^[5] Though players can directly control these companions and switch between them freely,^[6] they are usually controlled by artificial intelligence,^[7] which can be modified by players using the 'Tactic' menu. For instance, players can customize a companion's stance to be aggressive, and set their behaviors like consuming health potions when they get injured.^[4] During battles, players may pause the game and issue commands to both Hawke and party members separately. Players can also move the camera freely in the PC version.^[8] However, commands cannot be queued, meaning that players can only issue a new command after the previous one is completed. In addition to basic attacks, players can utilize different talents. For instance, warriors can stun enemies with the 'Tremor' ability while mages can unleash fireballs to burn enemies, though some talents drain the character's stamina or mana.^[9] Skills can be used to supplement each other to create combos, which further enhance combat efficiency.^[10] Defeated companions are automatically revived after all enemies are eliminated, but they will suffer from injuries.^[5]

The game features an inventory system that acts as an item storage. There are several types of items: weapons and armors, crafting recipes, runes, plot items and consumables. Players must micro-manage the inventory system. A player can only carry a certain amount of equipment, though extra inventory space can be purchased.^[11] In the game, players encounter different containers and loot, as well as merchants who sell different items. Some items give players perks that improve their statistics. Only Hawke can equip armors found in the game's world. Companions' armors cannot be changed, but players can collect armor upgrades for them, and customize them with rings, amulets, and belts.^[12] Weapons can be enchanted using runes which introduce new properties to the weapon on which they are inscribed. Upon discovering crafting recipes, Hawke can contact craftsmen to create new items like potions, poisons, bombs, and runes.^[5] In the game, players may also collect different junk items that can be sold to merchants.^[13]

As players complete quests and kill enemies, players earn experience points. After earning enough experience points, they will level up. In addition to having more health, stamina and mana, players can also unlock new talents and upgrade the character's attributes. These are divided into six categories: Strength, Dexterity, Magic, Cunning, Willpower and Constitution. A skill tree is present for players to unlock talents in a non-linear manner. Unlocked talents can be upgraded further to enhance their effectiveness.^[14] On reaching a certain level, Hawke can specialize in a sub-class.^[5] Each companion has talents that are exclusive to them, and can be upgraded as players progress.^[11] Skills such as crafting and lockpicking are unlocked automatically when players' attributes are high enough.^[12]

Outside combat, players engage in dialogue, asking or answering questions. A dialogue tree offers several dialogue options for players to select. There are three main personality types: diplomatic, humorous, or aggressive. The most chosen option becomes Hawke's core personality type.^[12] Hawke can also tell lies, bribe or extort money from others, and flirt with non-playable characters.^[5] In the game, players will make many decisions that lead to different consequences for both Hawke's party and the game's world.^[15] The approval system from Origins has been adjusted into a friendship/rivalry system. Depending on players' decisions and dialogue choices, a companion will either recognize Hawke as a friend or a rival. A companion who consistently agrees with Hawke's views considers them a friend, while a companion who consistently disagrees with Hawke forms a tense but respectful rivalry with them. Full friendship unlocks bonuses which generally benefit Hawke or the party, while full rivalry boosts combat ability for companions to help them outdo Hawke in competition.^[16] To improve the relationship with a companion, certain items can be gifted to them.^[17] Up to five companions are romance options for Hawke regardless of friendship and rivalry.^[18]

Synopsis[edit]

Setting[edit]

The player selects a preset or imported story to determine the events of Dragon Age: Origins. This forms the background story of Dragon Age II. The main story has a linear frame narrative, unfolding through flashbacks from the perspective of Varric Tethras (Brian Bloom), a humorous though caring storyteller and dwarf rogue. The protagonist is Hawke (voiced by either Nicholas Boulton or Jo Wyatt), whose gender, first name, appearance, and class type is player-determined. During the events of Origins, Hawke fled the nation of Ferelden as a refugee to the city state of Kirkwall. There they eventually grew in power and influence to become the legendary 'Champion of Kirkwall', and the center of events that change the course of history. Varric, Hawke's companion, relates the Champion's 'true story' to his interrogator Cassandra Pentaghast (Miranda Raison), mainly based on the protagonist's choices. The story is told in three acts, with each act separated by a gap of almost three years. Although the story remains unaltered until the two endings, it is greatly influenced by the player's decisions.

Hawke can recruit up to eight companions, each of whom can be player-controlled. Along with Varric, mandatory companions include Anders (Adam Howden), a proud but mercurial mage and former Grey Warden determined to defend the mages in Kirkwall from the Templars; Aveline Vallen (Joanna Roth), a pragmatic warrior who becomes a strict leader of the Kirkwall City Guard; and Merrill (Eve Myles), a soft-hearted but socially awkward Dalish elven mage shunned by her clan for using blood magic. As well, one of Hawke's two siblings serves as a companion for the story's first act: their sister Bethany (Rebekah Staton), a kind though unconfident mage who loves Hawke; or their brother Carver (Nico Lennon), a prideful though abrasive warrior who cares for Hawke but feels overshadowed by them.

Optional companions include Fenris (Gideon Emery), an honest elven warrior seeking revenge on his former slaver; and Isabela (Victoria Kruger), an adventurous yet sarcastic rogue pirate captain searching for a coveted relic. Sebastian Vael (Alec Newman), a kind but often mocked human rogue member of the Kirkwall Chantry, can be recruited via the downloadable content, The Exiled Prince. Anders, Fenris, Isabela and Merrill are romance options for Hawke, with Sebastian only for a female Hawke.

Plot[edit]

Cassandra seeks out Hawke, the 'Champion of Kirkwall', with the Seekers, an offshoot of the Templars. She captures and interrogates Varric, demanding to know how Hawke started a war between the mages and Templars. Varric complies and tells her how the war started. The story starts shortly after the Battle of Ostagar, with the Hawke family escaping their home village of Lothering in Ferelden with a darkspawn horde in pursuit. Either Bethany or Carver is killed in the process. Flemeth, a witch who can assume the form of a dragon, intervenes and helps the party escape to Kirkwall, a city across the sea, provided Hawke completes a task for her. Hawke enters the service of a mercenary band or smuggler group to enter Kirkwall, after which the family takes up residence in the city's Lowtown with Hawke's uncle Gamlen.

A year later, a prosperous opportunity presents itself to Hawke; Varric and his brother Bartrand are planning a risky but rewarding treasure hunting expedition into the perilous region of the Deep Roads. Varric partners with Hawke to acquire funding and knowledge of the region. Hawke enlists the aid of Anders, a former Grey Warden, who possesses knowledge of the Deep Roads. The expedition proves both a financial success and a tragedy; the proceeds make Hawke famous and wealthy, enabling them to buy back their family mansion in Hightown. However, a very powerful magical red lyrium idol corrupts Bartrand's mind and causes him to betray Hawke and Varric. Additionally, Hawke's surviving sibling is either killed by the darkspawn taint, or conscripted into the Grey Wardens if they are brought along. If not, then they are conscripted either into the Circle of Mages or the Templar Order, depending on the sibling who survives.

Three years later, the Viscount of Kirkwall summons Hawke to help resolve a political situation the foreign military forces of the Qunari have caused. The Qunari, who were shipwrecked in Kirkwall three years earlier, neither obey the laws of Kirkwall nor seem willing to leave in the foreseeable future, escalating tension between them and the inhabitants of Kirkwall. As well, Hawke's mother, Leandra, is killed by a blood mage serial killer preying on Kirkwall's women. Hawke resolves to uncover 'O', the identity of the serial killer's accomplice. Eventually, he discovers the reason the Qunari refuse to leave Kirkwall is because Isabela stole a coveted artifact from them. When she flees Kirkwall with the artifact, the Qunari leader, the Arishok, decides to attack Kirkwall and ultimately executes the Viscount. Hawke's party successfully retakes Kirkwall and, if Hawke chooses, eliminates the Arishok. For their actions, Hawke is declared the Champion of Kirkwall.

After another three years, Kirkwall has been turned into a police state under the tyrannical rule of the Templars. Under the command of Knight-Commander Meredith, they aim to oppress mages for using blood magic. Meredith is challenged by First Enchanter Orsino, the Circle of Magi leader in Kirkwall, who tries to topple her with public support. Constant violence between the two sides forces Hawke to intervene, during which a group of anti-Meredith rebels kidnap his surviving sibling/closest friend. Fearing for their loved ones' safety Hawke attempts to get away from the conflict. However, Anders orchestrates a massive explosion that levels the Chantry and kills Grand Cleric Elthina. This triggers a final decisive battle between the mages and Templars across the city, forcing Hawke to choose a side. They end up killing both Orsino, who is surmised to have been 'O', and Meredith, who bought the lyrium idol from Bartrand, which has corrupted her mind and convinced her to go through a mass extermination of mages. Afterwards, Hawke either leaves Kirkwall as a hero to mages, or is elected Viscount.

Varric concludes the story, saying that Hawke's companions eventually drifted apart, and Hawke eventually left Kirkwall. The Circles of Magi all over Thedas have followed Kirkwall's example and rebelled, with the Templars breaking away from the Chantry to fight them. Satisfied with his story, Cassandra lets Varric go and leaves with Leliana and the fellow Seekers, believing that since both Hawke and the Warden (if alive) have disappeared, they must be found to stop the war.

Development[edit]

BioWare's Edmonton office began development of Dragon Age II during the production of Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. Publisher Electronic Arts gave BioWare only 14 to 16 months to finish the game's development, forcing the team to crunch for an extended period.^[19] Mike Laidlaw, David Gaider and Inon Zur returned to their roles as lead designer, writer and composer respectively. The game's development was completed on February 11, 2011, with BioWare confirming it had been declared gold, indicating it was being prepared for duplication and release.^[20]

One of BioWare's core goals when creating the game was to improve the formula established in Origins. According to Laidlaw, the team evaluated Origins different gameplay components, especially its overly complex mechanics, and studied players' feedback.^[21] After learning most players never finished the early hours of Origins, the team's goal was to make Dragon Age II more accessible to new players, and appeal to more players. They decided to streamline some of the game's mechanics, while retaining many conventional elements of a role-playing game.^[22] The team also looked at reviews of Origins, and realized that one of the common criticisms, especially of the console versions, focused on the game's slow combat. As a result, the team looked at gameplay of action games and sped up its combat so it would be more responsive and give more immediate responses without latency. The game's combat animation was made to be more reactive and 'stylish' to reflect this.^[23] While it became more action-orientated, the team did not completely remove the tactical aspect of Origins as they felt that would alienate its fan base. Despite this, the bird's-eye view from Origins was removed as the team wanted to create more varied scenery for players without needing to 'slice off' the top of a room.^[9] Laidlaw added the gameplay is more tactical in nature as the team overhauled the combo system which prompts players to make use of all the classes' talents.^[24] According to Robyn Theberge, the game's development manager, the team hoped players could 'think like a general' using Tactic, and 'fight like a spartan' with the game's faster combat.^[21]

Gaider and five other writers penned the game's narrative.^[25] The team hoped to move away from Origins' narrative formula. It was criticized for being a predictable and formulaic hero journey. As a result, the team decided to make the narrative more 'personal', focusing on one character over the course of several years with a framed structure that allows the story to skip periods that do not interest players. To offer a more focused experience, the team decided to ditch players' origin stories.^[26] Inspired by Planescape: Torment, Hawke is fully voiced as opposed to the Warden (the silent player character in Origins).^[27] The story's tone was also considered darker than its predecessor. Gaider believed this approach introduced new opportunities for storytelling, as consequences of a player's decisions can be highlighted further, and the state of the game's world can be radically changed. Laidlaw added that with choices having more impact, Dragon Age II would be BioWare's 'most reactive game'.^[28] There were different types of choices in the game, namely flavors, local choices and global choices. Some have little effect on the game's narrative, while others may affect the story dramatically. As players have no knowledge of the extent of the impact a choice will bring, the team hoped they had created a more individualized experience.^[29] Like its predecessor, the choices presented were not 'black or white', so players are motivated to do what they deem is appropriate.^[30] The team used an approach called a 'one-pager', where the general overview of the story was produced; then the writers expanded the smaller components. The team also used a wiki to store the game's lore to keep it consistent. All story content was reviewed twice. The first, named a 'white box' interview, was used to evaluate its pacing and the choices presented, while the second, named an 'orange box' interview, was used to flesh out the details of each quest.^[29] Though players can import saves from Origins into the game, the narrative was not changed significantly because the team wanted to acknowledge players' choices and pay homage to certain characters,^[31] without having to create 'obligatory cameos' of characters. The team also felt that new players would be alienated if Origins' story arc continued in the sequel.^[32] Laidlaw added that unlike Mass Effect, Dragon Age is more about the place and the setting than the characters.^[23] According to Gaider, the game was about 'freedom versus security', as reflected by the conflicts between the mages and the Templars.^[33] The game had 103 minutes of cutscenes, and nearly half a million lines of dialogue.^[34]

The works of Pieter Bruegel, Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa, as well as movies including Yojimbo and Conan inspired the game. The team aimed to create art that was 'memorable' and stylistic as they addressed a shortcoming of Origins where locales looked largely unremarkable.^[8] The team also aimed to have consistent graphic designs throughout the game to rectify Origins's visual inconsistencies.^[23] The game's races featured redesigns so they look more distinctive. For instance, the Qunari now have a pair of horns, as opposed to their hornless counterparts in Origins.^[35] Due to the game's short development cycle, BioWare set the game in a single city so they could reuse many art assets. Laidlaw added the team drew inspiration from Eternal Darkness where players get to see the city evolve as time progresses. This meant the team only had to modify the assets and did not need to create new ones.^[19]

While Origins was developed mainly for personal computers, BioWare developed Dragon Age II for both PCs and consoles, hoping players of both machines could enjoy the same experience. The game's controls, including the Tactic menu and commands, as well as its story are identical across all the versions, though there are differences in their user interfaces.^[32] Laidlaw described porting Origins to the PlayStation 3 as a terrible experience. Learning from it, the team redesigned all of their art assets to make the game look better graphically.^[23] The game was powered by an improved version of the Eclipse Engine. Renamed Lycium, it was designed to accommodate the game's new art style.^[36][37] Neil Thompson, BioWare's art and animation director, revealed in 2013 the team was disappointed by the game's visuals as the Eclipse Engine had become outdated by the time the game was released, leading to mediocre visuals.^[38] The game's lighting was largely improved by the introduction of global illumination in the game's engine. New tools for sky editing and water rendering were introduced to further enhance the game's visuals.^[39]

As the game focuses on Hawke's family and their adventures in the world, Zur used a string quartet to play the solo, while the orchestra had a supporting role. He introduced Middle-eastern sounds for the city of Kirkwall, since it was foreign to the Hawke family. Zur collaborated with Aubrey Ashburn, who sang the main title and several songs in the game, an Israeli songwriter, and Florence and The Machine, whose song 'I’m Not Calling You a Liar' was reimagined for the game.^[40] Like its predecessor, the game's music is a cross between 'heroic' and 'demonic'. According to Zur, he was given more creative freedom by BioWare since the style of the game's music had already been established in Origins.^[41]

Release[edit]

Electronic Arts announced Dragon Age II in July 2010.^[42] They released a public demo of the game, which was available from February 22 to March 1, 2011.^[43] Players who pre-ordered the game received two exclusive weapons.^[44] Players who had pre-ordered the game before January 11, 2011 also had access to the 'BioWare Signature Edition', which included new items and missions, a new companion, and a digital version of the game's original soundtrack.^[45]Dragon Age II went on sale in North America and Europe on March 8 and 11, 2011, respectively. The game was removed from the digital Steam storefront by the Valve Corporation in July 2011. According to EA, the reason was they had breached Valve's policy, which '[limits] how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content (DLC)'.^[46] The game became a backward compatible title on Xbox One on May 3, 2018.^[47]

BioWare partnered with Razer to launch a gaming periphery product line called the 'Collector's Edition Product Line'.^[48] A Facebook companion game called Dragon Age Legends, a 2Drole-playingstrategy game, was announced for release in March 2011.^[49] A mini-series titled Dragon Age: Redemption, which features Felicia Day in lead the role as Tallis was announced. Peter Winther directed the series, John Bartley served as its cinematographer, and Day was involved in its scriptwriting.^[50] The six-part webseries premiered on October 10, 2011.^[51] Players of Dead Space 2 received an exclusive armor in the game modeled after Dead Space's protagonist Isaac Clarke.^[52] About a month after the game's release, EA rewarded early adopters of the game with a free download code for Mass Effect 2, another BioWare title.^[53]

Four pieces of downloadable content were released for the game. The Exiled Prince was the first story-driven DLC released. It features a new companion, Sebastian Vael, a Brother of the Chantry who seeks vengeance after his family is murdered. It was available at the same time the game was launched.^[54] Available at no cost to those who purchased a new copy of Dragon Age II, Dark Emporium added a bonus vendor that sells exclusive items, a Mabari War Hound to fight at Hawke's side, and The Mirror of Transformation, which allows players to change Hawke's facial appearance as many times as they want.^[55] Released July 26, 2011, Legacy was the second story-driven DLC. Legacy's story is entirely played in a new location, a prison constructed by the Grey Wardens in the middle of the deserted Vimmark Mountains housing Corypheus, a powerful and ancient Darkspawn. It also includes a story about Hawke's lineage.^[56] BioWare used this DLC to address fan concerns, and rectify some of the common criticisms of the base game. These included excessive area reuse, wave-based enemy encounters, and the lack of companion customization and meaningful choices.^[57][58] Released on October 11, 2011, Mark Of The Assassin, the last story-driven DLC, added additional quests and Tallis from Redemption as a guest companion.^[59] In the DLC, Hawke must help Tallis infiltrate an Orlesian estate outside Kirkwall and steal a precious relic. Like Legacy, Mark of The Assassin's story is played in an entirely new location, namely Chateau Haine and its neighboring landscape.^[60] An expansion pack entitled The Exalted March had been in development, but was cancelled as the studio decided to focus on tweaking the Frostbite engine, which would be used for their future games.^[61]

Reception[edit]

Critical reception[edit]

The game received generally positive reviews according to review aggregatorMetacritic. Laidlaw admitted the team never expected the game to perform as well as Origins, but he thought the title would score higher.^[32]

Several critics praised the game's combat noting it was faster than its predecessor.^[72][71] Joe Juba of Game Informer praised it for being 'responsive' and believed the new system suited the game.^[67]IGN's Kristine Steimer praised the combat, which integrated action elements and tactical features together well, for being 'entertaining' and 'versatile'. However, she found issues with the console controls' imprecision and AI weaknesses.^[71] Mike Sharkey of GameSpy described the gameplay as 'smooth'. He noted its improved user interface, and felt it was a 'great fusion' of both action and strategic elements, though he remarked that deploying strategy is not as necessary as before.^[70]GamesRadar's Eric Neigher was disappointed by the 'cumbersome' strategy system, which made the combat excessively straightforward.^[66] Rich McCormick of PC Gamer liked the game's talents and abilities, saying they are 'exciting' to use.^[72] VanOrd appreciated its flexibility, though he thought it was streamlined, alongside the inventory management system. Both GameSpot's VanOrd and Juba noted there were issues with the third-person gameplay in the PC version.^[69][68]

The game's storytelling attracted mixed responses. The use of an unreliable narrator was applauded for holding the story together in a cohesive manner by McCormick,^[72] and being entertaining by Steimer.^[71] Sharkey liked the three-act structure, comparing it to 'historical fiction reads' that explores a 'tumultuous period in a fully realized fantasy world'.^[70] Neigher thought the three-act structure delivered a 'compelling' story, and appreciated the game's writing, calling it a step-up from Origins.^[66] VanOrd disliked the game's storytelling, however, calling it a 'downward turn' from Origins as it lacked a central goal that engaged players, thus making the story less epic than it should be. However, he remarked that there were 'heartfelt moments', mostly associated with the game's sidequests and companions.^[69] Juba agreed with VanOrd on the story's shortcomings, saying that there was little tension or consequences in the main story, and it felt like several side-quests stitched together. However, he praised the scenarios for being creative and inventive.^[67] Both VanOrd and Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead noted the game drew inspiration from real-life events when the writing team created the setting and its cultural and political conflicts. Whitehead called it 'a political game'.^[13][69]

Critics had varied opinions on the game's dialogue system. McCormick felt the lack of a morality system enabled players to pick different dialogue stances depending on different circumstances, as opposed to being funneled to role-play a certain personality.^[72] He praised the game's three-act structure for making choices consequential. Decisions made earlier may result in a significant difference several years later in the game. McCormick called this 'impressive'.^[72] Sharkey and Whitehead liked the choices presented, and felt they were impactful and often morally ambiguous.^[13][70] VanOrd agreed, and attributed it to the setting's unstable political climate. He was disappointed that some choices were merely illusions, but felt there were more impactful decisions in the game than in Origins.^[69] However, Steimer felt there were not a lot of impactful choices in the game, and criticized the cliffhanger ending.^[71] Joseph Leray of Destructoid commented on the game's pacing, saying that 'Act I is too long, Act III is too short, and Act II feels like the climax of the game but is largely tangential to the main plot'.^[65]

Critics praised the companions featured in the game. Steimer liked the background banter between the companions, saying they are 'heartwarming' and 'hilarious'.^[71] Sharkey felt the characters were exceptional, calling them BioWare's best, though he was disappointed by the fact their armor could not be customized.^[70] Neigher also liked the companions, saying they were more fleshed out and less 'expository'.^[66] Both Whitehead and VanOrd felt the companions were not as interesting as the original game, though VanOrd noted their personalities are 'vivid' nonetheless, and all the companions were excellently voiced and their lines were well-written.^[69][13] Juba, however, found the companions superior to those in Origins.^[67] Leray liked the companion quests, singling out Merill's and Aveline's as two of the best. However, he lamented the game did not offer enough opportunities to interact with its cast of companions.^[65]

Reused assets and the game being set entirely in Kirkwall were criticized. Some critics felt the game confined players to a very small city. Steimer felt the rich lore featured in the game was wasted.^[71] McCormick felt the small world helped players become more thoroughly engaged in it, able to understand its culture and politics due to its small scale.^[72] Sharkey called certain areas in the game 'carbon-copy dungeon crawls', and was disappointed by the excessive reuse of areas.^[70] Neigher added that the backtracking featured in the game gave the impression it was more linear than its predecessor.^[66] Juba felt the game's locations were 'painfully limited', and players would get tired of them after a while.^[67] Leray criticized the assets for being 'bland', saying that reusing them made the issue even worse. Like Juba, he felt that locations would became 'stale' as players progress, and that the city has too few people of interest or missions for players to complete.^[65]

Players reaction[edit]

Before the game's release, players of the original game were worried the sequel would be dumbed down like Mass Effect. Head writer David Gaider assured fans of Origins this was not the case.^[73] While BioWare expected fan criticism over the drastic changes implemented in the sequel, they were surprised by the widespread backlash from players.^[74] EA acknowledged the game's negative reception among fans, saying that they 'lost some [Origins] fans' with the game's release.^[75] Players were divided over Dragon Age II.^[76] Most of their criticism was directed at the game's wave-based enemies, excessively reused environments, and the lack of origin choices.^[77]

Controversies[edit]

A BioWare employee was caught posting as a consumer on Metacritic. The employee, Chris Hoban, gave the game score of 10/10. An EA representative responded after much online controversy saying it is normal for people who work on a game to like and support it, though it is unclear if Hoban acted on his own or at the behest of the company.^[78] The game was criticized for allegedly using SecuROMdigital rights management software,^[79] though BioWare refuted the allegations and added they merely used a release date checker (made by the company that produced SecuROM) that deletes itself after the game is released.^[80] Since most romanceable characters are bisexual, and might start flirting with the player character unprovoked, some players exclaimed their distaste for unwanted homosexual advances. One player made a forum post about how he felt Bioware 'neglected their main demographic: The Straight Male Gamer.' The post, which is since gone after EA shot down Bioware's forums, came under a lot of fire for criticising the game's diversity in romances, asking for a much bigger focus on straight male gamers, and for wanting an option to remove homosexuality. Game's lead writer David Gaider answered the post by saying the game is designed for everyone, ending his note with saying that 'the person who says that the only way to please them is to restrict options for others is, if you ask me, the one who deserves it least.' The response garnered positive attention from many media outlets.^[81][82]

Sales[edit]

Dragon Age II was the best-selling retail game in the UK in its week of release according to Chart-Track, outselling competitors including Pokemon Black and White.^[83] The game sold more than one million copies in less than two weeks, a faster sales pace than its predecessor when it was released in 2009.^[84]

Sequel[edit]

A sequel, Dragon Age: Inquisition, was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2014.^[85] The villain from the Legacy DLC, Corypheus, returns as the primary antagonist in Inquisition,^[86] and Hawke appears as a non-playable support character.^[87]

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Further reading[edit]

• Benzio, Kristin, Maker's Breath: Religion, Magic, and the 'Godless' World of BioWare's Dragon Age II, Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, Volume 5, 2014

External links[edit]