I be repost my review from the pc download section -lrb- I believe these two section should be combine , it be the same game -rrb- to counter some of the negative review which I suspect be not on the up and up . everyone have a opinion as long as it be honest . I would hate to have this game not do well because of misinformation -lrb- e.g. dumb down combat , no party interaction , less complexity -rrb- . \*\* this review be make on normal and nightmare difficulty ; normal = DAO Casual \*\* I be a fan of both Baldur 's gate and Dragon Age Origins but dislike mass effect 1 and 2 due to its party combat . so read this review with that in mind . I be write this initial review for fan who may want to consider purchase the game but be undecided due to the overhaul Bioware make to it . I have play 12 hour of the PS3 version -lrb- friend work at a certain video game store and get it early -rrb- and 6 hour of the pc version . I will indicate the difference between the two as well as update the review once I actually beat it once . Gameplay \*\*\*\*\* this be where da2 really shine . I think one of the weakest element of origin be in the tactical combat element of the game , namely it be not difficult at all once you level up or the game break ability of certain class . like Mass effect , origin be completely unbalanced . that game start off difficult but then progressively get easier due to the enemy not be able to keep up with you character . the mage in the original game if specc correctly would become near invincible by end game . you absolutely do not require tactic to beat the game , even on nightmare -lrb- ok , maybe I be exaggerate a bit -rrb- . oh yeah , do I mention no cooldown on potion which make the challenge moot ? how can you lose with basically unlimited health ? Bioware have finally fix this issue in the gameplay . play on hard on the PS3 da2 version I continuously get party wipe at certain encounter in Kirkwall due to overwhelming force -lrb- enemy spawn in wave -rrb- and the inability to plan tactically with the controller and limited interface . the cooldown on potion have ramp up the difficulty quite a bit . Bioware indicate that hard on da2 = normal on origin . nothing can be further from the truth . multiple wave of enemy plus potion and heal spell cooldown make fight extremely tactical and difficult . on the pc , it be a bit easier due to the ability to micromanage you party . this bring I to the next issue with the console version , it be almost impossible to play tactical without a good overhead mode . the mouse and keyboard on the pc be far easier to click through you battle plan while the better overhead view allow you see farther out . unfortunately the camera be always lock on you select character . this be a fail on Bioware . they need to release the camera and let it go free . nevertheless , with the more tactical view and keyboard and mouse , hard mode be quite a bit easier on the pc than the console . on the pc I manage to keep all three of my character at the intial level survive the first ogre battle without a single death and only one health and one mana potion use , but Ion the console , I usually win with only my mage run in circle and the rest of the party wipe . hit a to attack on the console be actually pretty fun . I can not imagine play use auto attack with the controller -lrb- which btw be not implement in the release , it may need to be patch for this -rrb- . unfortunately , hard mode be overly difficulty for button masher . I would not want to play the console version in anything higher than normal . Story \*\*\* -lrb- so far , will update -rrb- so far , I like the initial story more than origin . my favorite back-story from origin be the human noble . it have element of tragedy and revenge which help in give you a reason go forward with the story . I can finish a bad game with a great story -lrb- Mafia 2 -rrb- but I simply can not finish a good game with a bad story . gameplay-wise , most game get repetitive after about 20 hour . without a good story to push you forward , then you be simply go through the motion . so far the game lack a strong central antagonist . I be not talk about a nameless evil like the first game . good story tell require a compelling protagonist , antagonist , and pathos . 12 hour in , it be miss the antagonist portion . the darkspawn be too generic and it be over after one year . the fact that you sibling get kill by a random darkspawn , well , Bioware miss a good opportunity here . you just kill he murderer ... and then the blight be over quickly . so what be the point of the game ? Gaining fame and fortune , rag to riches have less appeal than a good revenge story . a scheming , backstabbing , machiavellian baron be a far better antagonist than a boring nameless evil enemy that you only get to see for the first time at the end of the game . . then you promptly kill he . however , I will give this story a chance to surprise I . Interface \*\*\*\* they have streamlined the interface quite a bit . the inventory be manageable . you know which item be trash so you can just sell it without wonder what it be . this be a huge improvement over the craptastic origin inventory . everything else be good except for the limited armor for you companion . look , Bioware , if you want the outfit to stay the same for each character , that be fine . however , let we find loot that upgrade it . for example , how about a fabric slot , a gauntlet slot , a boot slot , and a armor slot that be upgradeable but do not overly change the way the armor look ? right now , you can only purchase slight upgrade from merchant which upgrade it 4 time over the course of the game . Automatic upgrade via level be lame , lame , lame . not be able to equip armor for npc 's be especially lame since inventory management be half the fun of RPG 's . for some npc 's , the weapon be also lock as well . for example , I find a bow that be much better than Bianca -lrb- 72 damage vs 49 -rrb- but I could not equip it on Varric because he only use Bianca . what ? if npc 's be go to have they own weapon , at least have it level to a comparable level to find loot ! damage number and status condition can be turn on in the option . I highly recommend this be the first thing turn on when you get the game . I be glad this be still available . the rest of the interface be just too minimalist . I think this be due to the memory footprint for console . luckily for pc 's , modding will -lrb- hopefully -rrb- take care of this . Graphics \*\*\* The character be all model very well . however , the background lack the polygon . this be most likely due to the weaker console capability . the pc version get the shaft on this . on the plus side , if you have a middling pc , then this game will likely work well for you . and it work on the very long in the tooth xbox and PS3 console . the graphic be serviceable and I be not too hang up on it . what matter be it be fun . there be always the Witcher 2 for the graphic department . Gameplay \*\*\*\*\* this be where da2 really shine . I think one of the weakest element of origin be in the tactical combat element of the game , namely it be not difficult at all once you level up or the game break ability of certain class . like Mass effect , origin be completely unbalanced . that game start off difficult but then progressively get easier due to the enemy not be able to keep up with you character . the mage in the original game if specc correctly would become near invincible by end game . you absolutely do not require tactic to beat the game , even on nightmare -lrb- ok , maybe I be exaggerate a bit -rrb- . oh yeah , do I mention no cooldown on potion which make the challenge moot ? how can you lose with basically unlimited health ? Bioware have finally fix this issue in the gameplay . play on hard on the PS3 da2 version I continuously get party wipe at certain encounter in Kirkwall due to overwhelming force -lrb- enemy spawn in wave -rrb- and the inability to plan tactically with the controller and limited interface . the cooldown on potion have ramp up the difficulty quite a bit . Bioware indicate that hard on da2 = normal on origin . nothing can be further from the truth . multiple wave of enemy plus potion and heal spell cooldown make fight extremely tactical and difficult . on the pc , it be a bit easier due to the ability to micromanage you party . this bring I to the next issue with the console version , it be almost impossible to play tactical without a good overhead mode . the mouse and keyboard on the pc be far easier to click through you battle plan while the better overhead view allow you see farther out . unfortunately the camera be always lock on you select character . this be a fail on Bioware . they need to release the camera and let it go free . nevertheless , with the more tactical view and keyboard and mouse , hard mode be quite a bit easier on the pc than the console . on the pc I manage to keep all three of my character at the intial level survive the first ogre battle without a single death and only one health and one mana potion use , but Ion the console , I usually win with only my mage run in circle and the rest of the party wipe . hit a to attack on the console be actually pretty fun . I can not imagine play use auto attack with the controller -lrb- which btw be not implement in the release , it may need to be patch for this -rrb- . unfortunately , hard mode be overly difficulty for button masher . I would not want to play the console version in anything higher than normal . Story \*\*\* -lrb- so far , will update -rrb- so far , I like the initial story more than origin . my favorite back-story from origin be the human noble . it have element of tragedy and revenge which help in give you a reason go forward with the story . I can finish a bad game with a great story -lrb- Mafia 2 -rrb- but I simply can not finish a good game with a bad story . gameplay-wise , most game get repetitive after about 20 hour . without a good story to push you forward , then you be simply go through the motion . so far the game lack a strong central antagonist . I be not talk about a nameless evil like the first game . good story tell require a compelling protagonist , antagonist , and pathos . 12 hour in , it be miss the antagonist portion . the darkspawn be too generic and it be over after one year . the fact that you sibling get kill by a random darkspawn , well , Bioware miss a good opportunity here . you just kill he murderer ... and then the blight be over quickly . so what be the point of the game ? Gaining fame and fortune , rag to riches have less appeal than a good revenge story . a scheming , backstabbing , machiavellian baron be a far better antagonist than a boring nameless evil enemy that you only get to see for the first time at the end of the game . . then you promptly kill he . however , I will give this story a chance to surprise I . Interface \*\*\*\* they have streamlined the interface quite a bit . the inventory be manageable . you know which item be trash so you can just sell it without wonder what it be . this be a huge improvement over the craptastic origin inventory . everything else be good except for the limited armor for you companion . look , Bioware , if you want the outfit to stay the same for each character , that be fine . however , let we find loot that upgrade it . for example , how about a fabric slot , a gauntlet slot , a boot slot , and a armor slot that be upgradeable but do not overly change the way the armor look ? right now , you can only purchase slight upgrade from merchant which upgrade it 4 time over the course of the game . Automatic upgrade via level be lame , lame , lame . not be able to equip armor for npc 's be especially lame since inventory management be half the fun of RPG 's . for some npc 's , the weapon be also lock as well . for example , I find a bow that be much better than Bianca -lrb- 72 damage vs 49 -rrb- but I could not equip it on Varric because he only use Bianca . what ? if npc 's be go to have they own weapon , at least have it level to a comparable level to find loot ! damage number and status condition can be turn on in the option . I highly recommend this be the first thing turn on when you get the game . I be glad this be still available . the rest of the interface be just too minimalist . I think this be due to the memory footprint for console . luckily for pc 's , modding will -lrb- hopefully -rrb- take care of this . Graphics \*\*\* The character be all model very well . however , the background lack the polygon . this be most likely due to the weaker console capability . the pc version get the shaft on this . on the plus side , if you have a middling pc , then this game will likely work well for you . and it work on the very old in the tooth xbox and PS3 console . the graphic be serviceable and I be not too hang up on it . what matter be it be fun . there be always the Witcher 2 for the graphic department . Class Balance \*\*\*\*\* Bioware have balance they new class well . although there be only three base class , there be numerous permutation that can come out of it . for example , the Rogue can specialize in both archery and dual wield . Archery be slower but higher damage per attack . duel wield have higher dp but the downside be that you have to get close to the enemy . rogue be primarily damage dealer . they be also the only class that can open lock and release trap . mage be as ridiculously powerful in the second as in the first . they be be use for damaging and crowd control . mage have the most varied specialization as they can focus in elemental , force , healer , or crowd control . mage be arguably the most fun class . warrior be the weakest in term of damaging power but probably the most indispensable of the three . they specialize in crowd control by keep enemy off of the rogue and mage . they be damage soaker , good at `` tanking . '' if the warrior die , you party will most likely fall as well . for da2 , Bioware have add cross class combo . each class have a certain status induce attack that the other two can exploit . this be a very cool new feature but unfortunately only higher level character can exploit . Stagger , brittle , etc. be impossible to perform with lower level ability . final Verdict \*\*\*\*\* for PC , \*\*\*\* for console -lrb- may change once I finish the game -rrb- for those who compare the combat in this game to Diablo , nothing can be further from the truth . this be truly a tactical party rpg , more similar to Baldur 's gate on the higher difficulty level than origin . for those who consider this game as the mass effect-ification of Dragon Age , you be partly right . the streamlining of the story , party member and interface be very similar to mass effect . however , the combat absolutely do not get the mass effect treatment . the party combat in Mass effect 1\/2 be a joke . you be basically a one man army in mass effect 1 and 2 with party member as side show and ornament than real . it be possible to play mass effect as a single person shooter by disregard party member altogether . that be not true at all in Dragon Age 2 . if you do not understand the art of tanking and crowd control , on hard or higher you will party wipe . it sound like I be be overly critical yet give it a five star anyway . the reason be that the ultimate judge of game be do I enjoy the game ? yes , it be the most enjoyable game I play since Dragon Age Origins . I much prefer this game over both origin and mass effect 2 due to its overhaul combat system . this game on the pc be closer to a 5 than a 4 . for the console version , something be miss -- namely the precise control for tactical combat . if you be consider this game , I recommend the pc version if you can run it . otherwise , the console version be a fine game as well , minus one star . Update : add Class Balance