Dragon Age 2 is a computer role-playing game with a third-person view, a sequel to the acclaimed Dragon Age: Origins. Developed by BioWare, known for rarely releasing poor games, it was released on PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.
The game's timeline spans 10 years, starting during the Blight's invasion of Lothering and ending after the events of Dragon Age: Origins. The main character, Hawke, escapes from Lothering with his family, fleeing from the darkspawn. The narrative is told from the perspective of a dwarf named Varric, who is being interrogated by Inquisitor Cassandra. Varric recounts Hawke’s adventures, how he arrived in Kirkwall fleeing from the Blight, and how he ultimately became the Champion of Kirkwall.
The game is divided into three acts, primarily set in the city of Kirkwall, its surroundings, as well as the Deep Roads, familiar to players from the first part. In the first act, Hawke's rise as a future hero occurs, during which he meets his companions. The second act describes the conflict with the Qunari, and in the third, concluding episode, Hawke finds himself embroiled in a conflict between templars and mages. Depending on Hawke's choices, the storyline can diverge in different directions.
Unlike the first Dragon Age, the number of locations that can be visited has significantly decreased. The action of the game takes place in one region, and traveling around the world is somewhat limited. The player is offered main and side quests, including character recruitment and their loyalty quests. Ignoring additional missions may result in missing some game characters from Hawke's party. The loyalty of Hawke’s companions depends on his decisions and his desire to understand each of their lives. Maintaining good relationships with everyone and ultimately not acquiring enemies is a challenging task that only thoughtful and diplomatic gamers can manage.
Players will need to decide who they can become: a warrior, a mage, or a rogue. Each class has three specializations that can be developed. For the warrior, they are: Templar, Berserker, and Reaver. The mage can become a Mage of the Elements, Spirit Healer, or Blood Mage. The rogue will have to choose between Assassin, Duelist, or Shadow. Multiple specializations can still be combined.
The successful outcome of missions depends on proper team composition. A group consisting solely of melee warriors, just like a group of all mages, is unlikely to secure victory. Depending on the specifics of the upcoming quest, players must decide whom to take with them and whom to leave in reserve.
In the game, players can encounter heroes and characters familiar from Dragon Age: Origins, such as the witch Flemeth or Alistair, a character from the first game.