I’m sitting in a dark room on the third floor of BioWare’s Edmonton offices, and everything has changed. PC Gamer loved Dragon Age, slapping a 94% score on it and proclaiming it the best RPG of the decade. No developer could be blamed for simply jamming the existing framework with more quests and calling it a sequel. But BioWare aren’t doing that. 

Dragon Age 2 is a tectonic shift in approach, a game that has actively learned from feedback, from criticism, and from the techniques of the studio’s mega-selling stablemates. This is Dragon Age fundamentally altered and upgraded, with three core areas – dialogue, combat and visuals – comprehensively gutted and redressed by its Canadian developers.

The game’s sharpened and tightened look demonstrates the team’s commitment to the revamp: BioWare are aiming for visuals that truly represent Dragon Age’s violent world. Stark, clean lines dominate, high contrast environs as the counterpoint to spiky, angular enemies. It’s a galaxy away from Origins’ muddy browns and indistinct texturing.

An upgraded, lightning-fast combat engine drives home the changes. The player character – going by the name of Hawk and referred to as ‘Champion of Kirkwall’ – moves faster than anything in the first Dragon Age, his attacks thunking into flesh with visceral force. BioWare’s mantra is ‘when I press something, awesome happens’. It’s proven as I witness the sword-wielding player-hero flitting between mano-amano scuffles. Special abilities are deployed liberally, twatting hurlocks and genlocks in the air, into the ground, rending bone and flesh exactly as you’d expect an angry man with a humongous sword would.

Nothing highlights Dragon Age 2’s refocus as much as the moment the Champion turns to his companion and starts to speak. Up pops a conversation wheel, peppered with choices of dialogue. Selecting one sets Hawk talking. Gritty of tone and fluffy of facial hair, he’s an obvious badass in a way Origins’ user-defined specimens could never be. This is Dragon Age as viewed through Mass Effect glasses, and Hawk is your Commander Shepard.

read the rest of the preview http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/09/18/dragon-age-2-origins-through-mass-effect-specs/

Dragon Age is one of my favorite games of the gen, I hope they can upgrade the graphics a bit to look smoother on the consoles. The graphics don't have to be "omg awesoem!!1", just clean up the performance to make it look better. I think they should also add much more skills for each profession, and most likely they will add an extra profession or two.

some of that has been addressed in the preview, the graphics sound like they have been cleaned up and slightly stylised so it should look much better on all platforms. The combat system has been reworked considerably etc

Actually quite enjoyed dragon age so looking forward to this a lot.

Dragon Age Origins was my GOTY 2009. So I don't like that they're making DA2 slim and focused. They shouldn't listen to criticism. Every game gets criticism. I liked how Dragon Age Origins felt classic and traditional.

I'm sure DA2 will be good but I don't know how good.

it's clearly being optimised for consoles, I think I would miss the old school tactical battles but maybe the new faster actiony battles will be more "fun" who knows...

Being probably one of the biggest fans of Baldur's Gate on this website, I also loved Dragon Age.

One of the best games this generation for me.

With Dragon Age 2 I'm pretty sure I've already figured out the story.

I love what we are hearing about the new game engine. I liked Dragon Age's look on the PC, but on consolesi t didn't look all that impressive. I'm hoping for a jump like we saw from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2.

I love the added in Conversation wheel, and the fact that the main character can now initiate in dialogue.

I dislike the fact that you can only play a human character.

I'm skeptical about the combat system too. I'd like to see it in action myself...

Hopefully they are able to match the awesome that was Dragon Age. I don't want to be let down!!

Being probably one of the biggest fans of Baldur's Gate on this website, I also loved Dragon Age.

One of the best games this generation for me.

With Dragon Age 2 I'm pretty sure I've already figured out the story.

I love what we are hearing about the new game engine. I liked Dragon Age's look on the PC, but on consolesi t didn't look all that impressive. I'm hoping for a jump like we saw from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2.

I love the added in Conversation wheel, and the fact that the main character can now initiate in dialogue.

I dislike the fact that you can only play a human character.

I'm skeptical about the combat system too. I'd like to see it in action myself...

Hopefully they are able to match the awesome that was Dragon Age. I don't want to be let down!!

Dragon Age Origins was an extremely disappointing effort from Bioware after the legendary KOTOR and Mass effect games which are some of the best ever.

And from what I hear of Dragon Age 2 and after reading this preview I'm glad that they have realized this and are now going in a direction where hopefully we can take the name of Dragon Age in the same sentence as KOTOR and Mass Effect.

I hope our console version is as good this time because playing the console version of Dragon Age has surely hampered my enjoyment of it after I saw a few PC vids of the game.

However Bioware need to make KOTOR 3 ASAP. (not obisidian plz)

What was disappointing about Dragon Age?