Metacritic users drag down Dragon Age 2 rating

Metacritic users have dragged down Dragon Age 2′s rating rather spectacularly, leaving all versions with an extremely low average user review score.

[kasasensei]

*see the sky*
-Look son, an epic shit storm is coming.

[GrieverSoul]

Judging by the demo, I would actually give the game that.

But since I havent tried the full game, I wont say another word.

[OdinFallen]

Get your little jab out of here. Stop trying to fuel the flames.

[nickjkl]

goes to /v/ to see if they did this so i can say

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE

[chainer3000]

My PS3 version is a piece of trash. It freezes every 5-10 minutes, no lie. Have not made it past the prolog, and this is with 8 hours or so of trying.

Finally just ponyed up and bought another version on Steam, which works magnificantely. Problem is, I am now stuck with a non-working PS3 signature edition. Bioware/EA really fudged up this release for a good bunch of us. Check out tech support on Bioware's forums, it's overrun with issues, confusion, frustration, and no help from Bioware, just questions about previous DA:O saves, ME2 saves, and things like that.

Clearly they hired a crack time of monkeys to dev this for the PS3 version... that said, PC version works wonderfully, but I still won't give this game better than 1/10 before it BOTH products work as they should.

[kevnb]

And they called it a console port lol.

[jadenkorri]

thankfully i hold off on alot of games because i have so many to play right now anyways. Im backlogged with a few games i haven't finished, so dragon age 2 is a wait and buy later, hell i haven't even finsihed the first one yet.

[ChrisW]

You guys do understand that those scores will disappear because they are all from people who haven't played the full game... especially the ones that were posted before the game's release.

Besides, I look more at the critics reviews. I normally read the negative and mixed reviews first, just to see if there's really anything that I might care about... Normally for AAA titles, it's just a matter of opinion on the really bad negative reviews. Thus should be taken with a grain of salt.

[RedSky]

Return it chainer3000.

You are legally entitled to do so if the product is defective. If you assert it is, I doubt the place you bought it from will contest it.

[Agent VX]

@ChrisW

I really think you underestimate what is happening. Don’t get me wrong, I have played the demo, and if I wasn’t a experienced RPG player, I would think this game is good.

Butttt.... the main point with the negativity is that BioWare teamed up with their money hungry big brother (EA) is turning their “Staple” gaming, which is RPG’s into simplified button mashers. They rushed this product out, and no doubt by orders from EA is to get as much DLC out as possible very soon. If you have played their RPG’s, you would know exactly what I am talking about.

People who play RPG’s are worried that this new step by BioWare to make the game more “Accessible” to more users is selling out. They are one of the last great RPG creators in the video game industry, and this title is a big step backwards on how RPG’s are played.

Everyone has a right to voice their opinion, and I think there is a big segment of the older style of RPG players that are gonna be disappointed with this title, I know I am.

[ChrisW]

Agent VX,

'Well Said!' bubble.

[chainer3000]

@RedSky

I have the signature edition, and alas, lacking the foresight to know my copy would not work beyond the starting menu, I unlocked all my DLC before playing a new game, like most people would. At least, I do for all my games.

The problem is Amnazon can only repay me what I paid - which I am considering as I've bought the PC version and am on playthrough #2. I have a ticket that has been escalated twice with EA (didn't go through bioware, that would take decades) so I will what that yields, or if I can get a replaced, sealed copy of the signature edition - to regain the value it *should* have been worth if I got a working copy. I also do jsut want the signature edition as I am a huge bioware fan and it is collectable.

*****Edit: going to need bubbles to post again here... thanks anyone!

[NukaCola]

Then I will equip the "Umbrella of I don't give a damn"!!!!

The user score has no bearing on anything. Regardless of game, book, movie, console, etc..

[SonyPS360]

Who pays attention to user reviews anyway?

[NatureOfLogic]

I do.

[lex-1020]

I do. As long as the review is within a 6-8 radius. I hardly believe user reviews over an 8 because most of the time it's just a fan-boy who's all hyped for the game and just got off the adrenaline rush of beating it for the first time.

[gcolley]

who pays attention to metacritic user reviews is the real question

[bageara]

WTF! that is one of the most stupidest things ive seen on N4G. So all games to you are between 6-8? anything else is written by fanboys? nice logic lol

[PS3Freak]

"Most Stupidest"

Oh the irony.

[YoungKingDoran]

seriously?
i'll take a decent user review over a "professional" review any day.
(and just because its on a website doesn't mean its "professional" (I mean, are you trying to tell me those guys have PHDs??) )

and yeah i know my comment is 12 hours late, but fuck you i had to work, and now i get to live in your guys' comment wake guys. woohoo.

nah, you know i love you guys.
wheres that troll-guy who's always blatantly trolling and i agree SOMETIMES when what he says is really funny. i love you man.
then you got the real troll that actually BELIEVES everything hes saying. where are you? *hugs*
and that guy who takes the real troll SUPER SERIOUS. and he starts pulling out these facts, and proof and www.links.com, and you knowwww, you KNOW he exaggerated that number by a couple of million.
you're the fool we hate to love pal, and i know what you're thinking, no; i didnt get that mixed up.
what about the guy who writes the huge essays you never read and when you get to the bottom its like this:
Agree(02) | Disagree(0) | Report | Reply
and you feel bad he put so much effort into it so you just agree with him... or disagree, LOL.
Agree(997) | Disagree(1) | Report | Reply
there's that really friendly guy you've bever seen before who makes the <i>cute</i> jokes and everyones like "hey where you been man?" "miss you, bro" ... i dont really know you, i never have, but i love you too.
theres the level headed guy, you're okay.
then you got me, some weird guy you see a comment from every now and then. and he's weird but like; yeah, i guess he's kinda funny.

and if anyone ever even reads this... again, i know what you're thinking, and; yes i had a cone halfway through that comment.
dont do drugs kids, cause i just wasted like 16 minutes writing a huge _N4G_ comment... i feel so dirty.
urghh got to iron a shirt for tomorrow too. fuck work. forget what i said earlier kids, DONT WORK!

[bageara]

@PS3Freak lol yeah you got me but in my defence i wrote that when i was pissed late last night and its not really irony, just bad grammer

@Ro0 What the fuck you been smoking dude? lol

[fossilfern]

i think this fits

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Oxymoron028]

PS3 Version: 84/100
X360 Version: 83/100

Wut?

Also, this is why Meta Critic is an unreliable source. All it takes is a group of dedicated fanboys and you can stifle the score to any game.

Much like this site, it only takes 10 people to get your bullshit spread as news, heyho!

[aaronisbla]

metacritic doesn't take reader review scores and average them into their official scores, hate them if you want, but get ur facts straight

[Oxymoron028]

@aaronisbla;

Metacritic still show user scores on the main page.

[aaronisbla]

the scores aren't hidden, but seriously, if you are a gamer looking on that website, you should know by now that user reviews are often made by raving fanboys on all consoles.

Look at some of the low scores for any kind of exclusive, Halo,KZ2-3, Gears, all have user review scores that are pretty harsh and totally go against what the 'professional reviewers' have given them.

So you'd trust a 25% review over a game thats averaging like 85% on average?

[Oxymoron028]

@aaronisbla;

I'm not talking about your or me, we'll both look at it and see that these review scores are clearly some sort of "piss take".

But not everyone will think like us two when it comes to this site. From what I've seen from around the internet, people throwing around review scores as if they're fact, it seems a lot of gamers cant think for themselves.

[Vaud-Villian]

User score average is 3.1 for PS3 and 3.9 for 360. Both are FAAAAAR under the averages by reviewers

[DarkSpawnClone]

If you buy games based on metacritic,you are a noob and not a gamer.

TBH i don't think less then half of the people that reviewed the game even played it,which really makes the user review pointless,it's just sad really.

[Blad3star]

Actually meta has saved me hundreds of dollars - I avoided buying games like Haze (55 metascore), Too Human (65 metascore), Dark Void (59 metascore), Lost Planet 2 (68 metascore) and many more.

I still picked some of those games up but not at $60.

[Jazz4108]

Picked up the 360 versin and great game.

[siliticx]

Are you kidding me. The rating is my barometer on what to buy or at least give a try.
Anything 95 and up = MUST buy, unless it's a rockstar game.
90 and up = most likely a buy, might have to try.
80-90 = mix and match, might depend on track record or sequels
79- : MUST try it before buying

Yes, being a PS3 gamer with these conditions is quite costy.

[DarkSpawnClone]

No I'm not kidding siliticxnoob,just because some games do not have a perfect score doesn't necessarily mean you are going to hate it sure there are games i wouldn't touch with a 50 foot poll there are some games a lot of people didn't like that i found really enjoyable that's why i think this whole buying games based off of metacritic is BS like really why is a 79 a bad score ? you just said you would buy some thing in the 80's but 79 is to low of a score for you LMFAO!!! wtf 1 point and its a bad game now ? come on man play what you like if you want a game get it don't like it sell it or trade it,or hey return it normally you have 30 days to do so unless its a PC game,no big deal.

[nothere413]

Can't say it's undeserved. Just beat the game a little bit ago, and I'm sorely disappointed with it. Everything feels really sub-par. Especially the story.

[Model]

game deserves what its getting, we need to cure biowares consolitis

[CrIpPeN]

the demo was awful on PS3 stutter all the time in fights.

IF you have a gaming PC, I would suggest get it there if you are still interesting of getting it.

[Alos88]

Some say PC gaming is dead, but PC gamers hating on "dumbed down console ports" sure isn't.

[tdrules]

consumers complaining about an unsatisfactory product.
what next!

[Alos88]

I'm talking about those people that hate it without even trying it, based solely on the increased focus towards the console versions (despite the fact this was because Origins sold better on consoles)

[radphil]

" (despite the fact this was because Origins sold better on consoles)"

By like a small amount.

[kevnb]

Lets face it, the pc version most likely made the most money. The pc version of da2 is still by far superior, but the console version is better than before. Da2 feels alot like wow combat wise, which is not a console game last time i checked.

[Heartnet]

The user reviews on all 3 platforms are bad so

[ChronoJoe]

Look at the people who wrote user reviews. Most of them voted on the game on all 3 platforms.

[chainer3000]

I wrote a 7/10 on the PC version and 1/10 for PS3. My PS3 version will freeze every 5 minutes without fail. PC version works fine, though.

[Killzone3___]

playing on console is fun and playing on pc is fun too , both are different even in the same game so it depends on the people , in my opinion pc gaming have great graphics but i don't know about the gameplay because i never had a good pc...

pc gaming is dead because of the developers , they don't care , if pc have amazing games like god of war - gt5 - uncharted - gears ..etc everyone will ocme back to it

[kevnb]

Because nobody plays world of warcraft, stalker series, total war series, civilization, witcher, starcraft 2 etc.... Honestly most people dont buy a system for a handful of exclusives.

[annus]

@Killzone3___
I'm sorry, but how the hell did you decide PC gaming was dead? Because it doesn't sell as much of the same title as Xbox? Everyone on Xbox will buy a game if it has GTA, Halo or CoD in it's name. A majority of gamers on console will play those games. Look at PC, you have counter strike, BF, CoD, WoW, Starcraft, DoTA etc. All the gamers are spread out across a shitload of games, they don't all just buy a game because of the name. Games like Counter Strike are what, 10 years old or more? They still have a shitload of people playing. Just because some money hungry company claims that a platform is dead, does not make it true.

[kevnb]

Dont listen to those guys, they are tbe ones who complain about everything.

[Shackdaddy836]

Us PC gamers whine a lot. I will admit it. It's pretty obvious if you ever go into a forum for a PC game.

[anonymous92348]

Who cares?

[Lord_Doggington]

no one pays attention to the user score anyway

[Heartnet]

erm the peopel spending money to buy the game?

if a game has bad review scores its a bad game :)

[Topshelfcheese]

thats a very narrow way to look at the world...its only a bad game if you have no opinion for yourself and follow other people's words like a sheep.

[jakethesnake]

@Topshelfcheese - well we don't all have infinite money and need to decide what games we will buy and which ones we won't. It may be a narrow way to look at things, but I'm not throwing $50 or $60 bucks after something that isn't worth it. Nor do I have time to play every game ever made - so reviews are an important piece of deciding where I will spend my time/money and where I won't. Not the only piece, but certainly an important one.

[MARKUS_MAX1MUS]

@Jake the snake

Thats why you play the demo or rent the game or borrow it from full release, Thats why your on here on a Gaming News website to keep up with the latest releases.

when you see in game footage of a game its pretty easy to tell wether or not its going to be a good game.

[Oldsnake007]

dude you obviosly don't know that most of the user scores on metacritic are from trolls or fanboys.

[joydestroy]

agreed. i'm loving the game on PC. can't seem to stop playing well past my bed time even though i have to wake up early for work the next day. if a game can do that, then it's good in my book.

[wollie]

Im doing the same. I went in think i was gonna hate this game because of the simplification (huge fan of DAO)but his game has just as much strategy and customization as the first (if not more). For people who say its a button masher, try it on hard and see how long you button mashing keeps you alive.

[joydestroy]

try it on hard!? lol i've gotten owned a few times on normal! i think i went to some areas i wasn't quite ready for. i ended up in some cave with all of these guys and i just couldn't defeat them without setting it to casual for that fight. and i think there was one other i had to do that for. i just kept trying, and there was LOTS of pausing going on, but i just died anyway =/

so yah, def not a button masher!

[RyuCloudStrife]

its not the official meta critic score..

Just look at the Xbox 360 version http://www.metacritic.com/g... a 3.4 User Score but a 83 metascore just like the PS3's

http://www.metacritic.com/g...

Beefjack.com has no life...

[buckley]

The article specifically states that the "user review" score is dragged down, and does not claim that the official metacritic score is bad.

I thought it was an interesting catch by Beefjack.com,personally.

[RyuCloudStrife]

the users haven't dragged down anything except that, which no one cares or listens to, the title is misleading as it makes it seem its the official score that has been dragged down, the official score is 83. This is just stupid tactics in sentences by stupid sites who want hits off sites like N4G, where the flamewars are the norm..

[aaronisbla]

how is it an interesting catch by beefjack.com? this has happened plenty of times for exclusive games from both sides, this sh!t ain't nothing new

[LunaticBrandon]

Go to the user score for any game, its loaded with garbage. 10/10 BEST GAME EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!! and 0/10 WORST GAME EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all over the place.

[NukaCola]

I saw a 0 on a game once, like Uncharted 2 or something and it was like:

"Game sucks and is overrated. Besides the graphics, and gameplay, story, etc etc.. this is stupid game, GEARS 2 is beTTAAAZZZ And that is MOAR EPICSZZZ than gay Uncharted"

^^^Well I mean maybe some people will take this review to heart. It is kind of like a Jim Sterling review afterall.

[Anon1974]

He he. It's funny, because it's true.

I never look at user review scores, anywhere. Meaningless. I have a few sites I trust, but more than that I have the opinions of friends who have never steered me wrong. So far they're loving DA 2 and don't know what the big deal is about.

[Highatus]

I can understand the frustration of the PC crowd with the texture patch and taking out some strategic elements.

However, the users that brought down the console user scores show their immaturity and spoiled nature that has become rampant this gen.

Bioware has catered to the console with this game by streamlining the gameplay to be more fluid and less daunting in the menus and combat.

These 'gamers' need to stop the crying, With the exception of the ones with the legitimate issues (PC).

[Nac]

I haven't played my copy yet, but I have heard bad things. Supposed to be a really good game but a terrible sequel. Shouldn't have changed the formula and passed it off as a successor, BioWare. You have listened to your fans in the past, do so again. If you do a DA3, make it like origins and not Mass Effect. You helped create the First person RPG, don't kill it.

[BeOneWithTheGun]

I would have to say Elder Scrolls helped creat the FPRPG.

[Nac]

In what context do you mean "First person RPG?"

[Nac]

This is what BioWare means by First Person RPG.

http://www.gametrailers.com...
(go to the 4:15 mark to get the terminology.)

Not First person view.

[Sharingan_no_Kakashi]

I thought Metacritic got rid of user scores a long time ago. Didnt this same thing happen when xbox fanboys started rating ps3 games really low before they even released, then Sony fanboys retaliated by doing the same?

[Sheikah]

Personally, I believe one has to make up ones mind about virtually everything... No two minds think alike.

I don't consider Mass Effect to be the messiah of standards to which all other RPG's must adhere (now oldschool D&D however..).

I didn't think Bayonetta was worth the disc it came on (I rather enjoyed the artwork, mind you). These are both opinions weighing against the average opinions - which I respect ofc..

I reckon it was Churchill who once said that 'The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter'. The same applies for this case of metacritic score being influenced by user reviews..

User reviews and metacritic scores were made to ensure unbiased evaluations of products. It accounts for both the frustration of the dissapointed fan as well as the satisfaction of the new-comer to the series...

As soon as we deliberately start tipping the scales for 'the lulz' - we willingly neglect the option for a believeable evaluation.. And, honestly, what the hell is the fucking point of doing that anyway? Besides being an utter tithead, ofcourse.

In short: thanks a lot for ruining what could've, otherwise, been a perfectly proper mean of evaluating of products. Sincerely, the rest of the world.

[TheDivine]

Very good point, well said.

[artsaber]

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying it a bit so far. But what if the damn game played similar to the opening sequence?

Why are the graphics so dated, etc? I do not get the hype around this game, it is not a polished product like so many other games. People act like Dragon Age is some sort of Diablo game or something. I just don't buy the hype, I don't understand it.

I know people will disagree like I have blasphemed, but it is just my opinion. I just don't understand why Dragon Age gets a pass. Even the cut scene graphics are amateurish. IMO Demons Souls(although very different) looks better and plays better.

Maybe someone like NiteX can convince me what is so amazing about this game beyond a person fetish for anything with wizardry and dragons in it.

No offense to anyone, I'd just like to know why so many hold this game in high regard.

I'm playing with the Mage right now, I just run in circles and shoot fire. I admit the way it is setup does make me want to see who is in the next pack of goons, which adds to my playtime. I'm gonna keep it a bit longer, level up, score some loot, and see how my opinion develops. People should probably try this game simply because its not a damn shooter. I'm tired of those right now.

[outwar6010]

i guess the main reason why people loved the first one was because it was a bioware game and they thought of it being a fantasy rpg where like mass effect there were variables that you could play around with and expect to be able to import into characters into the next game and see how things unfolded

[Sheikah]

For starters - I'm European, and I wont have the full game untill tomorrow - the demo, however, I have played through a few times. On that note, I'll skip ahead.

I'm not going to agree or disagree with you on this one, to be honest. What got to me about DA:O was the dark fantasy setting and the quality that went into creating a good atmosphere and a believable story. It was the character development and the micro-management that went into making classes, applying points, swapping gear and generating tactics. I played the original three times over - then the expansion came and I applied even MORE hours to the game. To an even greater extent, it was the pathos of the game as well. You cared about your companions and you adopted the world - making it a bit of a personal investment.. You wanted to keep your comrades satisfied.

If DA:2 plays half as good as DA:O, I'm more than satisfied.

On the note of Mass Effect, however, I rather disliked it for trying to be an RPG (This accounts for both games, mind you). I've never been a very big fan of RPG/shooters... It's just not as authentic to me (In all honesty, while fireballs are unbelieveable, surviving a +1 shotgun blast to the face seems less plausible while a +6 pistolwound to the chest takes you out.. I don't buy it.).

I think console users are to in to the game because it is one of the few 'better' RPG's on the market for us... It's not just combat and fireballs - it's the immersion that comes with a Role Playing Game that makes it special.. And most other RPG's sorely lack this.

On a complete side note btw, I didn't think much of the mage in the demo. It's all 2H warrior or rogue for me. Probably... 2H male hawke first, the femme rogue with an attitude second.

[Da One]

Some people are upset that they tried to "Mass Effect 2" the game, i like the premise and the combat system of the game, but after playing the demo i got kind of turned off. Action RPG's have been done far better.....

There are a plethora of reasons why each individual can be upset, however I'm not buying the game for my own personnel reasons so that's all that needs to be said, i hope you all enjoy your purchases......

[dragonknight4]

this video is the answer to your question:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Peoples views on quality have become skewed. Even one of the developers in the video admits to dumbing down the gameplay to make the game more intelligible. Not to mention the advertising and the score inflation for WRPGs by the western media.

"You press a button, something awesome happens!"

[BeaArthur]

I'm enjoying it a lot more than the original so far (3 hours in) so I could give a fuck what Metacritic or their users think.

[Kiriel]

Wakey wakey Bioware, gamers are sending you a message.

User score at Gamespot is gradually going down also (was 8,4, now 7.4)

[palaeomerus]

If gamers buy the game the Bioware won't care about the user score "message" from a few unreasonable, shrieking misfits at all. Nor should they.

[BeaArthur]

Your more likely to complain if you don't like it than you are to get on a forum and praise if you like it.

[Sheikah]

@Bea & Palae'.

Yup. It's a lot more fun to bring stuff down than it is to praise.

[mobijoker]

Why all games have to be dumbed down for casual gamers?Atfirst ME was dumbed down to a tps.But the end product was largely similar to the previous one.In case of DA2 pc,all things are dumbed down and its apparent that it was a port caught in the middle.
The missing high res texture pack proves that pc version was just an afterthought.I am a big fan of Bioware but never was i so disappointed with them.An epic turned into a good game.The bioware i knew always made good games.

[buckley]

Once I saw reviews of it and how so many things were changed, I knew this was going to piss off a lot of people.

But I'm still gonna play it and probably like it. Bad for BioWare is still generally really, really good.

[OdinFallen]

I think people use the term stream-lined and dumb-downed in regards to the combat when they should not. The only thing that was truly changed about the console's combat was base attacks and the responsiveness of the attack when a button is pressed. All the other abilities are essentially the same save for hitting A. Why are we so immature?

[rybobales]

agreed, all they really did was clean up the interface. And the 'persistent gore' is FINALLY ACTUALLY persistent gore! I loved DA:O but i never expected DA2 to be the same, and Bioware never gave the illusion it was going to be a sequel to the first.

[Killzone3___]

great game , it will give you a good feelings just like in the ps2

[I_Guts_I]

You must be high.

[Killzone3___]

why ?.. because it gives me good feeling ?.. i enjoy it , it's really fun and remind me of playing ps2 games with my brother , if that's high then so be it XD

[thisguywithhair]

Why is everyone acting like the game being dumbed down for the console is a bad thing? That is like being mad at a car company for changing their cars from standard to automatic transmission, and saying that they are dumbing down driving.

The game made more money overall on the consoles, why wouldn't Bioware want to make the next game more accessible for the people they expect to make more money from?

[BeaArthur]

Thank you. Finally a voice of reason. Should they have left the PC version alone? Probably, it seemed to work just fine but the console version played horribly. They will sell more copies across the 360 and PS3 so they should cater to those of us who choose to play on a console. It's smart business.

[Sheikah]

And that's not even bringing up the topic of piracy. The game is probably already circulating the torrent sites, denying Bioware their rightfully earned cash.

If the console market is where the profit is to be made - it should, naturally, be the market to aim for.

Piracy on the PC is TREMENDOUS compared to consoles (all for the better).. I don't mean to rant, but it is (partly) the tossbags illegally downloading the games, thereby hampering the financial gain of the devs, who have brought this upon the PC generation...

Why focus-invest on something is people are just going to steal it anyway?

(I used to be a PC purist no less than a year ago, mind you)

[Lionalliance]

Link is broken.

[LoaMcLoa]

I dunno, I think he's pretty balanced in Brawl.

"Ba-dum diiish!"

[danielle007]

Does anyone look at the user score anyways?

I've never seen this happen, though, personally. Kinda weird.

[Krakn3Dfx]

Maybe Dragon Age 2 not being very good is what's dragging the score down.

[HacSawJimThugin]

I played a little bit of the first game and while it was not bad it just wasn't for me. I played the demo of DA2 and that was more to my liking. Gamefly send my copy out Monday morning and I can't wait to play. I love action RPG's and there needs to be more of them.

I think Bioware is trying to attract gamers like me with all of the improvements, but they may have failed a little because some of you hardcore fans hate it.

[Raven_Nomad]

Dragon Age 2 is amazing! I am not finished with the game yet, but it's so much better then the original. I love the combat system, the game itself isn't boring like the first one, you actually have to push buttons and do things. So much better then DA1.

Graphics, characters, weapons, story are all amazing! I think people are just butthurt because they made a game that appeals to a wider audience.

[kasasensei]

Too bad that most of you here can't understand the French language... The reviewer "PixelPirate" on the French website "jeuxvideo.com" is explaining why this game is BAD and why he gave a 12/20.

40 minutes of gameplay where he explains why this game is Full of Fail.
For those who understand, it's here, 4 videos.
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/ga...
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/ga...
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/ga...
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/ga...

[Relientk77]

Damn it has 80 negative comments, actually I just refreshed it now its 84.

Is Dragon Age II really that bad?

I was thinking of possibly getting it

edit: on the PC it has 125 negative reviews, and theres alot on the 360 as well, but on the 360 one theres alot of postive reviews as if people are trying to fight back for the 360 version? or something

[BeaArthur]

People are probably reviewing the copy of the game they played. Also keep in mind the game has been out for a day and most of those people probably aren't even half way through yet. I have the PS3 version, I'm 3 hours in and it has me totally hooked.

@below...they just get bitter because fanboys liked the original and they are made because it has been changed.

[Relientk77]

Users with the same name gave negative reviews to the pc, 360, and ps3 verisons. Wow like yea I am sure you played all verisons of it and can say that you played enough hours of each to give a true accurate review

How many damn fake users gave Dragon Age II fake scores, theres so many. Why all the negative user reviews? It seems people have no life and have nothing better to do, a clear waste of time. Way to go guys, go get a job

PS: My fav fake user names that I saw: Dragonage2sucks, Biowarefan, brutallyhonest

Yea these names are totally not fake

[fasterthanu22]

dragonage2sucks Mar 9, 2011 0/10

lol at the name

0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even trying bioware? 0/10 are you even …

[commander]

DAY 1 DLC = FAIL

[AntiHeroComplex]

take this for example by friedhamster:

"The single worst gaming experience of my life. The demo was, bar none, the most horrid thing I've ever been through. Demo's are supposed to make you WANT to buy a game, right? Put the best foot forward and all that? DA2 made me want to chop my feet off so that I'd be forced to lay in bed for the rest of my life forced to look at nothing but my walls and ceiling as such would have been a fate a million times better than ever seeing the like of BioWare's latest offering."

lmfao im gonna read through these for the humor factor alone.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@AntiHeroComplex...Clearly @friedhamster never tried to play Brunswick Bowling...for if he/she had...they would clearly understand that DA2 is not the worst gaming experience.

[AntiHeroComplex]

lol what system is that on? Ps3? If so ill know to watch out.

[SuperStrokey1123]

Pretty pathetic, just get over it guys. DOnt like? Well then dont buy it.

[Kran]

Exactly. Isnt that the point of a demo?

[Painronamic]

And how about those who preordered digitally early on without a way to cancel their preorder as people preordered with false expectations cemented by twisted PR...

[Kran]

All ill say is this.

I for one cant wait for DAII to come out in the UK. I loved the demo, yeah yeah disagree me if you like, its my opinion.

But ill also say this:

There are worse games.

[FailOverFail]

Oh whatever. Who ever listens to the User Score? It's usually just full of butthurt fanboys who wanted the game to be catered directly for them.

[Jonah_Reese]

First of all, this is news, really? Second most people on metacritic are d-bags that no little to nothing about what they're reviewing. Nothing to report to the masses.

[Painronamic]

For every d-bag idiot who doesn't know what they're talking about there are a few who actually do. Read my review below.

[Jonah_Reese]

Yeah I was supposed to put that earlier, completely forgot, Cuz I also have a metacritic account.

[bozebo]

Typical, people only ever rate things max or min.

Personally, I would give it 65/100 or something. It's alright, but nothing special.

If you ever saw an actual 0/10 game you would know about it lol.

Metacritic ratings mean nothing anyway (user ones and proper ones alike) - games are hardly ever rated how they deserve/should be.

[I_Guts_I]

The game is basically in one setting. Your in one area for the majority of the game and that is just a bad move by bioware.

[HaVoK308]

So? Who cares about user reviews or any review? Only the fanboys care. Gamers know quality when they see it and make up their own minds.

[hoof123]

Pretty mature.

[AnonUser5555]

They're making a statement; nothing wrong with that. It's similar to how LOTR fans went nuts giving 0/5 stars to the first LOTR Blu-ray set, since those a-holes decided to double dip AGAIN and release a Blu-ray "Theatrical" set while stringing people along for the Extended blu-rays.

[Emilio_Estevez]

They may have tried to broaden their audience, but they disappointed most of the people who liked the 1st game at the same time. They took a risk and looks like it failed....Have to see the sales to know for sure. That's all they really care about anyway and what determines "success".

[schlanz]

hardly "most". A small, albeit very vocal and bitter minority. Most people are fine with the changes, including myself, and I played Origins 3 times.

[diehardgamer1000]

wow this sucks,a lot of were pple lookin 4wd to this game,it was a question of whether u keep the game hard-core or u dumb it down to make more profit by attracting more fans.i personally thought mass effect2 was a role playin shooter rather than an rpg,wc sucks if u r a hardcore gamer

[Drazz]

I bought! I love it! Suks for those that don't. Get over yourselves....

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Metacritic user scores....ummm...WHO THE FUCK CARES? Does anyone really look at the user scores on that fanboy flamebait riddled site? Seriously, Metacritic is single handedly killing our industry. Publishers are paying more attention to the "Avg Score" than they are of the actual quality and push devs around now constantly and worse shit canning projects because they fear they wont be high enough on Metacritic.

On top of that they have every insecure, living in mommys basement, fanboy glued to that site like somehow the average scores of these countless "media" sites has some impact on whether or not they will like the game. And its the scores they care about not the actual content of the reviews. The review might say its a decent game but not a "great" game but all fanboys see is 3/5 which translates their to 60% and they see red!

I F'ing HATE Metacritic and all it now stands for.

[DanSolo]

Well to be totally honest I tried the demo as I heard it was good, but found the game to be very poor!

The voice acting is absolutely dire, and nothing about the game feels particularly good.
The thing is I like that type of game.... it is just not a good example of that type of game.

I am sure the fanboys of the game will defend it until death and if they enjoy it then fair play to them. But I personally thought the game was below par at best!

[schlanz]

You're basing a 40 hour game on a half hour demo?

I found the voice acting to be very good actually, and that coincides with what I've been reading in reviews. I think you should try the game (not the demo) before you form a complete opinion about it. Have you played Origins?

[DanSolo]

While a demo doesn't show the whole game, it does represent it. I found myself thinking that I liked the idea of the game but not the implementation. Each to their own I suppose, if other people like it then that is all that matters.

No I have not played Origins, I was contemplating picking it up used if I had liked this demo and then would have played that first. But to be honest there are so many games coming out this year that I want, that it is an easy series for me to pass on.

But my opinion, and any shitty reviews, or metacritic's score doesn't (and shouldn't) matter to anyone who enjoys the game. If you enjoy it then have fun, if you don't then pick one of the many other games to choose from.

[undercovrr]

I have to play the game myself to judge..i guess i'll see when its done downloading from uTorrent :D

[SeraphimBlade]

Don't worry guys, I'm sure bioware got the message!

The message is "we are all self-entitled immature asses, that don't want more people to enjoy your game by making it more accessible. Please make games that suit our wants."

Seriously, what's wrong with making a game more approachable? AAA games cost so much to make, you can't afford to have one strictly appeal to the niche as much as Origins did. And it's not that drastic either. These are the differences I noted in the PC demo (because, hey, that's all most of the opposition is going off of anyway):

- Combat moved a lot faster: 2H weapons didn't take 5 minutes to swing, and rogues and mages were lightning fast, but no one was so powerful it made combat hard to follow
- you had quick heal/mana slots, rather than scrolling through your inventory
- you had well-organized skill trees, instead of a bunch of parallel skill sticks
- much more distinctive art style and design, instead of everyone wearing neat, symmetrical armor. I'll admit Flemeth's appearance bordered on ridiculous, but the rest was damn good
- conversation wheel straight outta mass effect (plus awesome little symbols minus total bipolarity)
- voice and name for the main character so that dialogue doesn't feel nearly as weird ("You mean HIM?")

How are any of those a bad thing? The only thing I really didn't like was the boring black and red pause menus. And really. It's just a pause menu.

Someone made the point about Dragon Age not exactly being a long-standing franchise, and I agree. I'd understand if Diablo tried something like this and everyone was opposed it, but amount of hate seems very disproportionate for a franchise a year-and-a-half old.

[gorebago]

It seems like these people didn't even play it for too long. I finally beat Awakenings and the two "required" dlc (gollams and witch hunt) over the weekend and am glad that they changed things up a bit for this game because I wanted something different.

I like this game alot.

[dkgshiz]

I have the game. I would give it an 8.5/10. Nothing more,nothing less.

[anasurimbor]

Yeah yeah boo-hoo. Metacritic ratings don't mean shit.

[denero1]

agreed just trolls doing what they do best

[bobrea]

The first time I played the original DA was on PS3 and I couldn't stand it, but then I played it on PC and liked it a lot more. In other news, the sky is blue, and WHO FUCKING CARES WHAT THE METACRITIC SCORE IS??

If you aren't an idiot, you'll do your own research and decide to buy the game or not based on that. And even if this somehow effects sales, it won't have a personal effect on you. play your games and stop bitching about everything you can. Gamers are some of the most annoying goddamn people in the world

[strawberry9]

If you're reviewing DA2 by comparing it to origins, then its a 7... but that's not how reviews should be done.... DA2 by itself is a 8.5-9 game... Origins was 9.5-10

[RyuDrinksTheDew]

im enjoying it, yes, its more "casual" buts its still fun.

people need to stop acting so pretentious.

[SerraOfDreams]

/v/ has been bashing DA:2 before it even came out, there's always about 3 threads up about it at the same time.

[kidalot]

Does anyone actually take note of user scores? People are idiots just look at some of the comments made on this site

[AntiHeroComplex]

i never played DA or DA2... i know nothing about it.. But i read all the complaints and most people say it is dumbed down from the original.

Developers use the word "streamlined" which actually means dumbed down. Deus ex 2 was "streamlined" also, and turned out to be a massive failure because of it.

Whoever has the game. Was it dumbed down or not? whats your opinion? Should i consider buying this or wait till price drops?

[schlanz]

Why don't you start with Origins first, Ultimate ed. for like $20 now I think

also its not as dumbed down as some are implying. its a little more action oriented and less strategic. That isn't to say there isn't strategy or that there aren't strategies, just that its different. Its cooler to watch, anyway.

[Vorgier]

So much QQ about DA2 I can taste it.

[Painronamic]

Nuff said about 'professional' opinion. I'd like to say that a professional opinion really has no ultimate bearing on whether or not you will find the game entertaining or enjoyable..Giving it a score is even more misleading and is more often than not a very subjective rating (one person's 10 is another's 5) mechanism. Just focus on what's in the game and what's not and let the people try for themselves. The proof of the pudding is in the eating...

I've played around 10 hours of this...thing and quite frankly I'd have to say it bears little resemblance to it's predecessor, so if you are looking for a "spriritual successor" to Dragon Age:Origins come any closer...DO NOT! I'd have cancelled my preorder if I could have following the lackluster demo, but I'd digitally preordered earlier on.

Many problems exist of which I will list a few:

1) No isometric camera. For all of us PC gamers out there, this was the ultimate tactical planning tool in origins. A lot of strategy depended on it, be it the accurate placement of AOE's, character placement to support each other and a clear tactical perspective of the situation. This makes playing hardcore or nightmare A-NNOY-ING! Classic example where tactical gameplay isn't rewarded and thus we introduce the action elements to a traditional role playing game bringing me to my second point.

2) Enemies spawn out of nowwhere and spawn in several waves during each encounter. How the heck are you supposed to plan for encounters and what move sets you will use when enemies will spawn anywhere at will? At least have the sense to 'spawn' them through doors or passageways??? Don't make it seem like god created them in a flash?? This is why you have to click click click AND CLICK...

3) Incoherent Graphics
As low quality as the graphics in Dragon Age: Origins were, it at least had the decency to be consistent...and environments were actually quite detailed and colorful making the game more interesting and immersive.

Dragon Age 2 on the otherhand doesn't really know what is is itself. I can't say the graphics are entirely bad OR a entirely a step up. Having played through 10 hours of the game and been to the various locales (low town, high town, docks, free marches) I have noticed a striking feature existent in all of them; the environments are uninspired and VERY bland, be it the dull grey stone of Kirkwall which serves as it's foundation or the terrible skyboxes which only serve to tell you the time of the day. Dragon Age 2's sole saving grace are the better face textures and facial animation which it seems to have taken a leaf from Mass effect 2 - They are more dynamic and detailed I'll give em that. However, this is where the immersion takes a steep plunge; whenever you put something that looks super hot and real good right next to something that looks sub par or god forbid ugly as hell you NOTICE. It's like Bioware decided oh hey, our consumers have 3 second attention spawns like 6 year old children. Let's focus on making the characters superhot slap on a lot of bloody effects, they won't know what they're killing or have time to notice the entirely underwhelming backdrops and environments...

Severely disappoint Bioware...the smart gamer almost always knows when he's being duped. Fool me once shame on me. Fool me twice...DA 3 I'm getting used so you won't get anything from me - I don't even care about your stupid dlc shit that people get from new copies.

[XabiTheHumble]

I fell asleep playing the demo so I'm not really surprised.

[Superted2007]

I have to laugh at the sides people are taking here. Forget console or PC fanboys and forget metacritic reviews and user scores and screw the people who have not bought the game yet but review it anyway. None of that matter because obviously enough people actually have bought the game and most of them seem to agree that the game is horribly flawed. Look at the Bioware forums is all the evidence anyone needs to support that statement. The fact is Dragon Age 2 is a bad game from a good developer but there is no excusing the fact that it is near unplayable on all 3 systems and deserves the horrible scores it is getting.

[earbus]

Good dragons suck lame dust.Jade empire 2 please

[memphis2]

wow really 121 user reviews of negative...wow people now a days aren't satisfied with anything!

[Darkfiber]

Nope, people are just idiots. Regardless of how "accessible" it is or how much you don't like it, it's hardly a 0 or 1 out of 10. I don't think any game would rank that low, let alone a AAA RPG from a world renown developer. In case you haven't noticed, people tend to exaggerate on the internet, meaning that a 0 out of 10 is actually a 7 and a 1 is an 8.

That being said, I have been really disappointed in the way Bioware has been headed and this does not fill me with hope for the future. SWTOR will most likely be the nail in the coffin. They are becoming just like Blizzard, alienating their loyal fans who actually appreciate their games and pandering only to drunken rednecks, 12 year old schoolboys and horny moms from Nebraska.

[RockmasteR]

why do gamers afraid of change!
if they made a Dragon Age II very similar to Dragon Age it could get repetitive easily cause: "been there, done that"
maybe Bioware took a bold move, but it's still Bioware and they always made quality games, I won't say more, I'll buy the game and I'll post a real review here to give the game its right rating!

[BrianC6234]

How does this mess up their Metacritic score? That score is based on reviews by people who review games. Just ignore the user reviews.

[Goeres]

Yea, ignore the consumers.

*rolleyes*

[BrianC6234]

Metacritic is supposed to be a way to see the real reviews of games. I sure never use it for gamer reviews. Most of them are by people who havent even played the game. So yes, I say ignore those reviews.

[almasy919]

Where's that picture of a baby crying? That's pretty much the reaction of those user reviews.

[twiglet]

Yeah, and while youre at it post it here to, as its pretty much the reaction to the metacritic reaction.

"wah, wah! people are angry and downvoting my favourite devs new game! wah, wah!"

[almasy919]

Lol yes, the two are completely comparable. One is going around the internet downing any rating score for the game and bitching about the most inane things while the other side is too busy actually playing the game.

[Frak]

SKYRIM FTW, NUFF SAID

[X-Frame]

Bunch of butthurt PC nerds is all this is .. move along ..

[plb]

The article directly links to the PS3 version on metacritic...

[Captain Tuttle]

Who the hell reads user review scores on Metacritic?

[CJQNSNYC]

People keep saying the user scores should be ignored...listen to the pros instead. Isn't it strange that there is a large seperation between what people who actually buy games think, and what those who are PAID to review games think? I'm 18 hrs into the game and alot of what is being said is true. The game is fun but it does lack direction. After all this time I feel like I'm just running around doing a ton of sidequests but I can't really see where it's all leading. Anyway, it's not a good idea for any Dev to ignore it's consumers. All this negativity isn't just blah, blah. It means something.

[kuroukage]

Like game mag reviews aren't biased? I love how people think game mags give all games fair reviews. Just look at the scores and find out who's paying for their ads and put 2&2 together. ;)

[LiquifiedArt]

Demo was terrible.

90% hack n' slash (And not even a good one)
10% rpg

That is a failing formula, unless your crafted by people who know how to do hack n' slash justice, like God Of War.

[Reloaded08]

My only complaint is the random freezing. The games not really a sequel though, it feels like an entirely new experience. So as long as your not some spoiled, pampered little suck and you can appreciate it for what it is you will love this game. The characters are interesting, being a rouge is actually worth while for a change, and the battle system actually has a bit of a learning curve.

[ReBurn]

Metacritic user ratings are a complete joke. They are used as a tool in the fantboy wars to try to hurt the games and platforms that the fanboys feel threatened by. Being able to rate games you haven't played is a fundamental flaw in the integrity of the ratings.

But, sometimes games just suck. I haven't played this one so I can't comment on it in particular.