Not Everyone Hates Dragon Age II, You Know

It's no secret that Dragon Age II has drawn a lot of ire since it was released last March, but that doesn't mean that a segment of gamers out there don't appreciate the same facets that others loathe. And that's the point of this new editorial on Kotaku, which promotes the importance of diversity in video game taste by using BioWare's sequel as a good example:
Clearly, the game is worth talking about. It's worth talking about its failures, sure, but also about its successes. The people who have tweeted and commented and written at length about Dragon Age II haven't chosen an underdog just to stand out.

They legitimately believe Dragon Age II is fantastic, and they're eloquent in talking about why. In fact, many are willing and able to talk about the game's flaws in the same breath as its strengths. We could stand to see the inverse of that, to see more people talking openly about the flaws in widely-praised, successful games.

Yeah, I said that Dragon Age II felt "akin to attending a dinner party and being fed unsatisfying side dish after unsatisfying side dish while awaiting a main course that never arrives." I also may have called it "flat, unfinished and short on soul." I still feel that way about it, for the most part.

But while my distaste remains, even I don't hate Dragon Age II, not really. It had its redeeming characteristics, most notably some of the characters (Aveline!), its interesting and nuanced portrayal of interpersonal relationships, and its laudable inclusivity.