Best BioWare Sequel Games, Ranked

Ever since the late 90s, Bioware has stood as one of the titans of the western RPG genre, producing modern classics that will likely be remembered as some of the greatest games ever made.

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The crazy thing is that some of those games are actually sequels, not originals, meaning there’s a wealth of brilliant Bioware sequels to admire. This list ranked is purely based on game quality alone, and there’s a lot of that to be found.

8

MDK2

Gone But Not Forgotten

MDK2 HD

There’s a fairly high chance that most gamers haven’t played MKD2, or even heard of it. After all, Bioware didn’t develop the original MKD, and the franchise has been dormant ever since, but it’s a weird but delightful anomaly in Bioware’s game library.

Taking the form of a third-person fast-paced shooter instead of an RPG, MKD2 is beloved among its fans for its wicked sense of humor, its chaotic energy, and its determination to have cartoonish fun. It was even popular enough to get a remaster back in 2012, so it’s well worth checking out even today.

7

Dragon Age 2

Eyes Like A Hawke

Released

March 8, 2011

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

ESRB

Mature // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Content, Violence

Dragon Age: Origins was an RPG sensation. Coming off the likes of Baldur’s Gate 2 and Neverwinter Nights, expectations were high for Bioware to take the Western RPG crown and develop something truly fresh with an original setting, and Origins didn’t disappoint, so expectations were even higher for its sequel, Dragon Age 2.

At the time, Dragon Age 2 was a very controversial entry, as it discarded a lot of the hardcore RPG elements of Origins and replaced it with a more linear story and more action gameplay. We now know that it was likely due to a rushed production schedule, but the game has found plenty of admirers (and a lively modding scene) since its release as a bold experiment that would inevitably divide the fans.

6

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Rook Takes Queen

Released

October 31, 2024

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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To say Dragon Age: Veilguard was a controversial entry into the Dragon Age franchise would be to underestimate the sheer amount of vitriol about the game. That’s a big shame, because behind the weird internet reception to the game lies some of the best action gameplay Bioware has ever delivered.

Following up the story threads of Dragon Age: Inquisition, Veilguard sees the players fight against the supernatural hordes of the mystical Veil with a tightly refined real-time combat system that prioritizes combos, fast thinking, and smart team builds. The action gameplay got overshadowed by a somewhat lackluster story, despite several returning fan-favorite characters, but it’s worth checking out for its combat alone.

5

Mass Effect 3

The Reapers Reap

Released

March 6, 2012

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence

It’s fair to say that Bioware never had more pressure on them than the release of Mass Effect 3, the sequel to Mass Effect 2, and the conclusion of an epic original sci-fi trilogy that had dominated the Western RPG market with millions of fans around the world.

When Mass Effect 3 was released and the threat of the Reapers apocalypse came true, fans were divided due to the game’s controversial ending. With several patches and truly brilliant DLC, Mass Effect 3 has become the farewell the series deserved and is well worth revisiting for gamers who may have been disappointed with it on release.

4

Dragon Age: Inquisition

No One Expects It

Released

November 18, 2014

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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After the controversial release of Dragon Age 2, fans were cautious about what to expect from the franchise going forward. While Dragon Age: Inquisition got off to a rough start, mainly due to its intimidating Hinterlands area that opened the game, it’s come to have a dedicated fanbase who regard it as one of the best entries in the franchise with some of the best companions too.

A big reason for that new love is that the game deftly manages to weave the more hardcore RPG elements of Origins with the action-focused presentation of Dragon Age 2. By balancing those two halves of the Dragon Age franchise, Inquisition became the platonic ideal for all future games to strive towards.

3

Baldur’s Gate 2

The Hells Arise

Released

November 15, 2013

Developer(s)

Overhaul Games

ESRB

t

With the smash hit success of Baldur’s Gate 3 in 2023, many gamers may wonder whether they missed by not engaging with the franchise sooner. The answer? A resounding “Yes”. Baldur’s Gate has always been brilliant, and Baldur’s Gate 2 is a great way to prove it.

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Set in Athkatla and based on the second edition of D&D rules rather than 5e, which Baldur’s Gate 3 is based on, Bioware took all the criticism and feedback of the original Baldur’s Gate and turned it into one of the best isometric RPGs ever made telling a compelling story with truly incredible Bioware style writing.

2

Star Wars: The Old Republic

The Old Glory Days

Systems

Released

December 20, 2011

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

In the world of RPGs, the MMORPG is the final boss that few dev studios ever truly conquer as they’ve got to create not just a massive living, breathing world full of quests, raids, and memorable characters but also react to live player feedback and keep a constant churn of new content to play.

3:22

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Bioware took up the task with Star Wars: The Old Republic, a spiritual sequel to Knights of the Old Republic, The Old Republic lets players take on a variety of custom-made campaigns depending on their chosen class with truly great writing, generating over a billion dollars worth of revenue for Bioware. It’s a great time, particularly for Star Wars fans interested in the deep lore.

1

Mass Effect 2

The Suicide Mission

Action RPG

Third-Person Shooter

Released

January 26, 2010

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence

Nothing else could have topped this list. Widely regarded to be not just one of the greatest RPGs of the 2010s, but one of the greatest RPGs ever made, Mass Effect 2 took everything wrong with Mass Effect and improved on it all, modernizing in some areas, while deepening the emotional core that charges every single encounter in the game.

Bioware’s writing chops have never been better here, with a cast of characters so iconic that they remain beloved to this day. Topped off by the so-called Suicide Mission which is widely regarded to be one of the best RPG setpieces ever made, and gamers have a recipe for an absolute GOAT.

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