EA and BioWare have shot through a reminder that the Dragon Age II: Mark of the Assassin DLC pack is available today, and features Felicia Day from The Guild as a playable character named Tallis. Her character's looks and animations have been modelled off Day, who also voiced the new protagonist.

You can pick up the new content, available right now, from the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 MS Points, and the PlayStation Network, PC and Mac for AU$15.95. The new content features a "gripping new adventure packed with intriguing characters, expansive environments and treacherous enemies".

If anyone picks this up, drop us a line in the Comments section for a run down on Day's character and content in general.

Bioware are offering a free copy of Mass Effect 2 for people that have bought (or buy) Dragon Age 2:

Thanks to gamers like you, Dragon Age II is off to a great start – breaking the 1 million mark in less than two weeks and faster than Dragon Age: Origins. We appreciate your support. As a special thank you for helping with the game's early success, BioWare would like to present you with a download code for 2010's Game of the Year, Mass Effect 2 on PC. As always, we sincerely appreciate your support and passion as we remain focused on delivering quality interactive experiences now and in the future.

As long as you have bought the game before April 30th you're eligible - check their official offer page for a FAQ that has the rest of the details for how to get your code.

We have yet another competition for you today, with yet more free games up for grabs. Thanks to Electronic Arts, AusGamers has three copies of the recently released Dragon Age 2 as well as the hard-cover Dragon Age 2 Strategy Guide to give away.

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.

We think the game is worth checking out (AusGamers review 8.5/10), so if you haven't picked it up yet, here's your chance to win a free copy.

Also, it doesn't matter if you have a PC, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, because we're allowing the winners to choose their platform of choice for this one.

We know how much you all love 25 words or less comps (you know the drill, it's just the most efficient way for us to legally give away stuff like this), so head over to our Dragon Age 2 competition page and enter now!

Dragon Age 2 is now in stores (and online on Steam and EA Store) for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

There's been a lot of talk about it, and even some controversy over the decision to offer a named, fully voiced character, but BioWare's epic fantasy RPG sequel, Dragon Age 2, is out and upon us.

We decided to offer it up to the one person we know with no life; the guy who could give the game the hours it needed to be fully reviewed, and he didn't disappoint. Kosta Andreadis didn't sleep for a week and also never left the comfort of his bedroom, still at his parent's house (this fact, is actually true). But either way, he's served up the goods on one of the year's first major gaming releases - does it stack up to the legacy left with the first game, or even stand proudly alongside their other epic, Mass Effect 2?

Click here to read the review and find out.

Hot new goodness for PC gamers:

Dragon Age 2 is officially launched in North America today and BioWare has decided to celebrate its arrival with a little treat for PC gamers. Folks playing the sequel on a well-specced machine can download a high-resolution texture patch that adds an option to enable higher detail replacements for most textures in the game.

To take advantage of the 1.1GB update you'll need a video card with at least 1024MB of memory. BioWare also noted that most of the benefits gained from the high-res textures will only be seen when running the game in DirectX 11, which essentially limits the update to gamers with an AMD Radeon HD 5000/6000 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 400/500 series graphics card

I read a few people were unhappy with the low(ish) res textures in the PC demo, at least we know for sure this won't be the case anymore.

AusGamers has the texture patch online: download the texture patch here. promoted/edited forum item

As promised BioWare and EA have released a playable demo for the hotly anticipated RPG Dragon Age 2, and bucking the recent trend of platform-exclusive samplers, the demo is now available for download on all three platforms: PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

In the demo, players will venture through the game’s prologue, choosing from three different character classes. They’ll also learn more about Hawke and hone their skills and abilities that will make them the ultimate hero. After finishing the prologue, players will enter a key new location in the world of Dragon Age, Kirkwall, befriending Isabela, a romantic interest in the game who is also a deadly smuggler. Upon completion of the demo, players will unlock a special weapon, Hayder’s Razor, an ancient dwarven blade which increases health, mana, and combat abilities, in the full release of Dragon Age II.

The PC offering can now be found locally right here (1.88GB) in the AusGamers files library.

Dragon Age 2 ships for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Australia on March 10th 2011.

Dragon Age 2's focus on a more narrative-driven experience with a fully voiced and designed character, Hawk, doesn't mean you won't get a little freedom in the choice of player-class.

BioWare have released a video today that shows of the three classes you'll be able to choose from in Dragon Age 2: Warrior, Mage and Rogue. These are fairly obligatory in high-fantasy games, but pretty cool nonetheless. Moreover, we get a decent look at the game's new visual art-style which is looking much better than the last Dragon Age outing, while we can all breathe a sigh of relief at the clear snubbing of that terrible nu-metal music that accompanied trailers for Dragon Age.

Watch it embedded below, or click here for the HD option.

Electronic Arts have announced that a playable demo for Dragon Age 2 will arrive on February 23rd, 3 weeks ahead of the game's Australian launch.

In the demo, players will venture through the game’s prologue, choosing from three different character classes. They’ll also learn more about Hawke and hone their skills and abilities that will make them the ultimate hero. After finishing the prologue, players will enter a key new location in the world of Dragon Age, Kirkwall, befriending Isabela, a romantic interest in the game who is also a deadly smuggler. Upon completion of the demo, players will unlock a special weapon, Hayder’s Razor, an ancient dwarven blade which increases health, mana, and combat abilities, in the full release of Dragon Age II.*

Bucking the recent trend from EA, PC gamers will be happy to know that they haven't been excluded from the taste-test this time around as the demo is said to be in the works for "all platforms". There's no special mention as to how the demo will be delivered, so hopefully that means we can have a local download mirror up here on AusGamers as soon as it lands -- just like the good old days.

Dragon Age 2 is due on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 11th 2011

It's the way of the gaming landscape these days; arguably extending the life of a product outside of its own retail window, or just plain bleeding your dry for content that should have been included in the first place.

Whichever what you look at it, DLC is big business and it's here to stay.

BioWare have just revealed their first content pack for Dragon Age II, even before the game hits store-shelves. The Exiled Prince will be made available for download on the same day the game is released (March 10), and features three extra missions. You can, however, secure this content for free by pre-ordering the full game before January 12, provided it's the Signature Edition.

“The Exiled Prince” introduces the noble archer Sebastian Vael, with players joining him in the middle of his quest to avenge the brutal murder of his family. Sworn to the priesthood as a boy, Sebastian is forced to re-enter the viper's nest of princely politics when his family is brutally murdered, leaving him as the sole surviving heir. Banding together with Sebastian and his unshakable loyalty and excellent aim, players will choose to either avenge Sebastian's murdered family to reclaim his title or direct his holy vengeance on their enemies in Kirkwall. In addition to this action-packed storyline, players will also be able to enlist Sebastian as a follower throughout a majority of Dragon Age II.

The Signature Edition will also come with the game's digital soundtrack and a "digital armoury" which harbours a variety of in-game weapons along with the revealed DLC. A trailer for The Exiled Prince DLC can be found right here (with HD button).

One of the big features boasted by BioWare for Dragon Age 2 is a new combat mechanic which promises to add more strategy and "put you right in the heart of the battle" in their hotly anticipated fantasy RPG sequel. Today's trailer offers a developer narrated walkthrough of in-game combat, showing the difference between the real-time action RPG style fighting or the more measured strategic option you can employ with the pause functionality.

Hit the embedded video below or follow this link for the HD Streamable option.

Dragon Age 2 is due on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 10 2011.

Unsealing a few bits at a time, BioWare are slowly revealing details of the hotly anticipated Dragon Age 2 over on the game's official site. As of today, there are now details on three of the game's characters that will be accompanying the player's new hero their journey through the lands of Thedas.

The latest character reveal is Aveline, a female warrior:

Aveline Vallen is a soldier, a master of sword and shield, and a tireless guardian... to a point. The daughter of an exiled chevalier, Aveline is not the knight her father wished her to be. Although fully trained in chivalrous combat, she was raised in the shadow of a lost life and will not lose another for the sake of honor. Protecting her adopted home of Kirkwall becomes a chosen duty, not a privileged calling. The people she stands for will not be wasted on lost causes or protecting the foolish from themselves. Pride can be bandaged like any other wound—when threats are dead and everyone is safely home.

Some new screenshots can now be found over on our Dragon Age 2 game page.

Dragon Age 2 is due on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 10 2011.

EA and BioWare have released a new trailer for Dragon Age 2. Unlike the previous CG teaser, today's clip appears to be rendered in the game engine and gives a glimpse of some of the action the new hero will be participating in this latest adventure.

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.

Watch it right here on AusGamers.

Dragon Age 2 was making a big splash at GamesCom this year, with BioWare actively showing off the game's renewed hero character focus, new engine and revamped visual style.

All accounts from peeps we know who were over there as well is that it was one of the hits of the show, making us wish we were there even more. However, we have managed to collect a handful of in-game shots for you to look at, supplied below. Just click on each of the images for a larger version.

March 8 is when your "rise to power" begins, according to the debut trailer for Dragon Age 2, yet another game solidifying EA's current (and future) IP dominance in the core gamer space.

While we're only looking at pre-rendered footage in today's trailer, one could certainly gleam much from it, most notably that BioWare will hopefully focus on both advanced melee and magic for combat in their re-imagined sequel, along with their penchant for stellar story-telling. Unfortunately this trailer gives us no real look at the revamped visuals or engine they've been talking (and tweeting) about lately, but it's tantalising nonetheless.

Check it out below and stay tuned for more as we have it.

T'were Dragon Age 2 after all, and thankfully after staying up late to check out The Road on Blu-Ray (awesome, by the way), I was able to jump in early and give you all a heads up.

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.

We have a bit more information on our game page, but the stand-out bullet point most people have been wanting to hear are "dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior." and "updated graphics and a new visual style." Check out some fresh new artwork below and stay tuned for the debut trailer, poised to drop on August 17. The game is currently scheduled for March 2011 release.