Dragon Age II

First time I run it I was disappointed . Combat felt weird , the start was a little weak story wise . I almost quit right there and then .

But I decided to give it a chance , and I'm so glad I did . Visuals are stunning , combat animations excellent . But these are not this game's strong points ...

Its all about the story . While the main story is not as inspired as the 1st one , there's a distinct atmosphere built , a personal story of accomplishment , supported by the many many side and companion quests . And your companions feel alive . Voice acting is hands down the best I've seen in a game . Companions have personalities so vivid and perky , that at times I forgot they are just graphics . You can pursue relationships , loose them , there's a full story behind each and every one of them .

Classes are distinct in role and fun while playing them , and I finished this game with all of them . While the storyline is mostly linear , there are some choices that can effect the game strongly , like loosing a member of your family . The dialogs between your party members while you run around are much fun also .

Battles can be as action or as strategic as you like , since you can pause the game to give commands to every party member , or just hack away at enemies . Higher difficulty settings may require you to pause and consider strategy more .

Overall , if you value atmosphere and rich characters , this is a masterpiece .