Dragon Age II for Xbox 360 Reviews by Gamers

I recognize that DA:O casts a large shadow over any successor to come along in the franchise, and making a game that can shatter the mold as DA:O did can only be done with considerable planning and difficulty.

Let me tell you how not to do it.

1. Lethargically designed, repetitive maps. One thing I noticed only about an hour into the game was how similar a cave looked to another, except that where a walkway used to be, there was what looked like a concrete slab covering the door. Every cave is either a mirror reflection of itself or has some of the multiple corridors sealed off to create the illusion that each cave/dungeon is different. Furthermore, the map goes away and you are left to re-explore every area of a map that you have just visited within the past hour, despite knowing every layout of the map. This was absolutely the biggest nerve-grating, teeth-clinching thing I hated most about this game.

2. Inventory system. I did not enjoy the restriction of armor to the main character (other characters' armor levels with them). By far, though, the most annoying feature was that once I found a new armor, weapon, or belt, I had to cycle through and find it to review its stats. The option to immediately review (upon discovery) stats would help.

3. Restricted exploration outside of Kirkwall. Besides that fact that you couldn't walk five minutes in the game without having to encounter another load menu, the majority of the game is limited to walking around the city and performing mind-numbingly boring tasks in the same major areas.

4. Sidequests, Sidequests, Sidequests. Detached and rarely pivotal in shifting or enriching the storyline. Beef them up or at least make them topical.

5. Combat System. An overall improvement, but buggy (missed assignments in combat) and the potion cooldown was not a welcome adjustment.

6. Plot. Unengaging, Disconjointed. There are three acts, and they are for the most part unrelated, and as such I could not invest in the whole.