Highly Disappointing
POSTITIVES
Graphics - Graphics are nice, it really fits for the fantasy environment. Although I can't say I prefer this to the grittier DA:O graphics.
Some Interface Improvements – The interface has some minor improvements
Talent Tree – I appreciated some of the builds offered in this round. Still some major flaws though.
Aveline and Varric – Even though this game does an abysmal job with character development/relationship I still liked these characters, they had a lot of untapped potential.
Combat Shuffle – It's gone and makes fighting feel smoother.
NEGATIVES
Environment Recycling – This was done to the extreme. More so than any game I've ever seen. The game's rushing is made quite apparent here.
Character Development/Immersion – I just flat out did not feel as connected with these characters. They were nowhere near as fleshed out or interesting as Origins.
Story – The story was not very cohesive, which really detracted from the emersion factor. I just wasn't impressed with the story of Hawke at all. If you want to call DA:O a cliché; that's fine…but it works. Hawke's experience in Kirkwall was only mildly engaging.
Real lack of Choice – This game lacks variation in choices throughout the game-play that DA:O had.
Not a fan of the ME 2 Dialog Wheel – I don't need my hand held on my decisions, and again….I like more variety in my responses.
Kirkwall is small – If the game is going to revolve around Kirkwall, it had better feel like a living breathing city. It's actually smaller than some of the cities in DA:O.
Waves – There are waves of bad guys that come at you, and it gets redundant and takes away any strategy you might of thought to employ.
Lack of Races – I flat-out do not like being forced to play as human, this was totally unexpected. Not a direction the game should have gone.
Starting Areas – DA:O had several unique play-throughs with the different race's starting areas/plots.
Companion Customization - Why they made it harder to gear your companions is beyond me. Lots (if not most) of gear drops that is only available to Hawke.
Ending – I really disliked the ending and how they handled mages. I won't say more than that without spoiling it for anyone.
To sum it up, this game suffers ultimately from being a rush job, and a developer who wanted to fix many things that weren't broken. The game lacks breadth, and the variation of choice that great RPGs have. I'd also disagree with Gamespot's "Money's worth medal" on their review page. The game was shorter, the environments were recycled. You certainly aren't getting your money's worth at $60. I was hoping they'd move the story along with Morrigan and Flemeth, which is where the story seemed it was heading at the end of DA:O. Ultimately this game is nothing short of a huge disappointment.