Why Dragon Age 2 failed...

[Megalodon]

It doesn't explain how it led to the war. The circle revolted in Ferelden in DA:O, the right of Annulment can be evoked, yet that didn't lead to a massive war? Why is this different in DA2? Nothing is explained, it's just a pointless story leading to a pointless set up for the sequel where nothing is explained.

The Warden fought an ancient timeless evil and it's giant army, as well as ancient werewolves, a tower full of Blood Mages and Abominations, the mysterious Flemeth, ancient Dwarven Paragons and a Dragon Cult.

The Champion deals with a city full of insane idiots who keep losing things.

I'd agree with pretty much all that, but I'd say that shows a worse, less epic story in 2, not a worse, less epic protagonist, which seemed to be your original point.

 

[Odbarc]

My two biggest gripes with that game were;

1) Every enemy encounter you finished would have a second wave where you did everything twice. Boring!
2) The combat was changed to be some sort of action-adventure versus the tactical calculating style it had in the original.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

I recently started it and am now about 8 hours in. I like endlessly slaughtering people for no discernible reason, but can't really explain why I haven't got bored of it yet, but i'm guessing by the end of act 2 or even 1 I will be bored of it. The 'waves of enemies' thing hasn't started yet. The combat is a lot better than origins which was just slow and dull and I was just forcing my way through it to get to the story. The only problem with the combat in 2 is that they made all mages attacks circle targeted AOEs instead of single target attacks or cones so you have to keep pausing all the time, but they do p0wn when the AI is controlling them.

 

[toliman]

I recently started it and am now about 8 hours in. I like endlessly slaughtering people for no discernible reason, but can't really explain why I haven't got bored of it yet, but i'm guessing by the end of act 2 or even 1 I will be bored of it.

Act 1 and 2, to a great extent is the fun part of the game. none of the evident problems are seriously constraining, the dungeons you visit outside of town are the simple caverns, and i don't think you notice it repeating too much after the first 6 quests, and they are semi-optional, plus the narrative isn't going towards downton abbey level insulation from the main plotline, though arguably, there's a war on, somewhere, and you're um, going downton/deep road travelling. that part was fun though. savegame fun.

Act 2, ehh. all the subtle pressure from act1, is gone. you meet the Qunari, try to understand their backwards ways, and basically run errands. second playthrough, this is where i stopped as it was just getting on and on and on, but i digress. it does build, then jump suddenly into a rapid conclusion, and it's still fun.

i won't spoil Act 3, but its more of a devolution after Act 2, you're retreading old ground, etc. and then some.

The 'waves of enemies' thing hasn't started yet. The combat is a lot better than origins which was just slow and dull and I was just forcing my way through it to get to the story. The only problem with the combat in 2 is that they made all mages attacks circle targeted AOEs instead of single target attacks or cones so you have to keep pausing all the time, but they do p0wn when the AI is controlling them.

sounds like you're rolling warrior, there's a lot to off-facing the enemy as they charge/stun, and while the spec you roll, doesn't matter (within reason), Mage's are OP to a large extent, both as characters and as mobs.

just looking it up, its good to know the counters, ie brittle, stagger, disorient, which you can build groups or CCC's to work as counters to mob stacks in higher difficulties, i.e. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Cross-class_combo and http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6116921 (scroll down to conclusions)

 

[figday]

For me, DA2 failed because of the name title which is Dragon Age 2.
If EA/Bioware decided to change the title to something like :

'Dragon Age : Hawke', or
Dragon Age : Kirkwall' or
'Dragon Age : Console Version'.

Then I wouldn't have hated the game as much as I do now.

PS : I'm pretty sure a lot of people have mentioned this before.