Dragon Age II

Dragon Age 2 is the upcoming sequel to Dragon Age: Origins developed by BioWare. It was announced for PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on July 8 2010. It is planned to be released in March of 2011, according to BioWare.

Official Description
Experience the epic sequel to the 2009 Game of the Year from the critically acclaimed makers of Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.

Plot
''Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever.'' ''Experience the epic sequel to the 2009 Game of the Year from the critically acclaimed makers of Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.'' - Dragon Age 2 Press Release

Key Features

 * Unlike Dragon Age Origins, players are forced to play one character instead of being able to choose from several options.
 * Game will be more combat orientated.
 * Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.
 * Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.
 * Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.
 * Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.
 * Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.

Save transfer
Dragon Age 2 allows the player to import saves from any completed Dragon Age: Origins playthrough. So, while you may be controlling a different character in Dragon Age 2, the choices your Grey Warden made in Origins are still imported from your save and reflected in the world. Choices from Awakening will also be imported.

Dialogue
The dialogue system of Dragon Age: Origins will be replaced with a dialogue wheel, similar to BioWare's earlier title Mass Effect. Unlike Mass Effect however, when you move your cursor over a selection, an icon is shown in the center of the wheel that indicates the intent of the player line: Flirty, violent, sarcastic, etc. The dialogue wheel will have up to six dialogue options for players to choose from.

Additionally, the player character Hawke will be fully voiced.

Approval and Gifts
Dragon Age 2 will still use an approval system. However, instead of only getting content and combat bonuses based on positive approval, you can either build a friendly or antagonistic relationship with your companions. . Also, specific actions can still cause companions to turn on you, in spite of their approval rating.

There are fewer gifts in Dragon Age 2, and the gifts are specific to each companion. Gifts will also prompt specific dialogues.

Known Characters

 * Hawke: The protagonist.
 * Bethany: Hawke's sister and a mage.
 * Varric: A dwarf who acts as a narrator.
 * Cassandra: A Chantry Seeker that is interested in Hawke. She believes that understanding Hawke's actions could be the key to preventing a war that threatens to engulf Thedas.
 * Flemeth: The notorious Witch of the Wilds.

Technology
In an interview with Joystiq BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk stated "I think one of the key things we're working on in Dragon Age 2 is the technology. I can confirm that we're doing a lot of work on the Dragon Age engine, and doing a lot of stuff to pump it -- to make it visually super hot." .