 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dragon Age II
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Role Playing
Common Sense Media says
Deep RPG filled with mature themes, violence, and sex.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Dragon Age II is a violent role-playing game that glorifies bloody fantasy combat and features sexually-charged sequences that stop just shy of showing the act itself. It is also a true role-playing game that focuses on storytelling and character development. Players spend much of their time engaged in conversations with other characters, fostering or damaging relationships as they choose. Some of the dialogue contains cussing. They must consider the impact their actions and words have on others or be prepared to deal with the consequences.
What's it about?
Set in the same world and in the years immediately following the events of the first game, DRAGON AGE II follows the story of a customizable refugee character after his (or her) hometown is destroyed by wicked invading forces. A penniless immigrant in an overseas kingdom, he takes odd jobs to make money and earn a place for himself and his family in a city filled with strong personalities. Like its predecessor, this game focuses heavily on role-playing, allowing players to carry on long conversations with other characters and make game-altering decisions in many of its quests. Players should also expect plenty of bloody fantasy combat as they take groups of up to four party members into battle against demons, spiders, human raiders, and mages.
Is it any good?
Dragon Age II acts as prime evidence that developer BioWare is in a class unto itself when it comes to developing games with complex characters. Its dialogue system makes chatting just as much fun as combat. With the ability to scan responses on the fly and choose replies even before the character you're speaking with has finished his sentence, conversations flow naturally and without pause. They are completely engaging. What's more, your choices change the nature of the relationships forged with other characters and can even alter events within the story. It's a stunning achievement in game writing. The action, meanwhile, is as satisfying as it was in the first game. A cleaner interface and simpler menus manage to maintain the same level of depth but make everything feel more accessible. A wider selection of areas to explore would have been nice, and we detected a lack of direction in the first few acts, but these are the only complaints that can be fairly levelled at this brilliant and mature role-playing game.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about storytelling in games. Have you ever played a game in which the characters were just as rich, compelling, and memorable as those from a book or movie? If so, what was it that made these characters resonate with you?
Talk about the characterization of love in this game. Are games capable of effectively capturing this complex emotion? Can they depict the physical aspects of love with taste and sincerity?
Discuss the impact of violence. Why do games contain such graphic violence?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
14+
Is the gameplay hard for children? Probably. But for teenagers and adults? It's pretty simple. I don't think the sex is so bad either. They don't do anything short of make-out, and the sex is just implied. I would definitely let kids 14 and up play it. It's a great, in-depth game that you can play over and over.
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AGE
A Great Game For Mature Tweens and Teens
This game is great for kids who have earned their parents trust. The sexual content is pretty bad but can be avoided. Overall, a great game.
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AGE
Extremely gory at times, but not TOO bad.
When I played the demo, I instantly realised how violent it was, first kill I got chopped someone in half. Then decapitating, dismembering and EVERYTHING. Bit of sexual content, but a bit of a worry still. Its not too bad if you are mature, but expect a bit of cringing.
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AGE
My son agreed to wait for Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim in november. Less bloody and barely any sexual content. Supposed to be a better game too.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 30, 2011
AGE
this is a great game. I especially like the fact that it is 50-55 hours long!!! also, the weapon choice is amazing.
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AGE
Great Game for 14+
Great Game for mature teens :)
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AGE
Perfect for older kids and Tweens but not 10 and under no
Best game ever it is pretty gory at times though
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AGE
Pretty good
18 year old daughter liked it so did I.
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AGE
This game has a good plot, good characters and great gameplay. Know your kid before letting them have this game though.
I personally love this game. My little brother, who is 11, also loves it. This only concern I had was the Sexual content. BUT, you can skip through the cutscenes entirely, eliminating the sexual content in the game. There is blood in this game, but if you know that your kid is ok with s=this, and can handle it, this game is a great choice.
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AGE
Great game but some moral issues in question
An amazing game that does not have too much violence or gore when you consider it is a hack and slash/sword and sorcery game like Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian. My biggest complaint about the game is the several homosexual innuendos, at least 4, depending upon decisions made in the game.
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| Platforms: | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Role Playing |
| Developer: | Electronic Arts |
| Release date: | March 8, 2011 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | M for Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Content, Violence |
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