Luckily, most of the characters in Dragon Age 2 like to make their opinions and feelings known to the player.
Also, unlike in Origins, a player cannot solely rely on gifts to form a relationship with that character. What players do not want is to be stuck in the middle between friendship and rivalry, as that can make the character far less loyal and more likely to not be around at the end game. RELATED: Dragon Age: The Things About Thedas Politics That Don't Make Sense
Rather than striving to please all the characters, they can strive for just maxing out a type of relationship with that character. This friendship/rivalry system encouraged players to feel more freedom with their role-playing decisions.
Rather than simply rewarding the player for becoming friends with all of the companions, the game rewards players for either friendship or rivalry. Dragon Age 2 has an approval system that stands out within the franchise.