Dragon Age: Origins (PC)
Dragon Age was one of those few games that launched completely off my radar. I had seen bits and pieces about it here and there, but never payed much attention. I had no idea it was an RPG, let alone one from BioWare. It’s weird, because I love BioWare and am a huge fan of their RPGs, ever since Neverwinter Nights. It wasn’t until my buddy Jim started speaking it’s praises that I rab it off Steam.
Anyway; I finished my first play through last night, coming in at just under 60 hours played. I completed more than 75% of the side quests in the game (according the achievement I got) as a City Elf Rogue, with Bard and Assassin specializations applied. I decided to give this go through the “good guy” treatment.
Dragon Age has a variety of companions you can befriend along the way
On the surface, Dragon Age’s theme feels fairly uninspired. An demonic force is trying to conqueror the land. The peoples (made up of humans, elves, dwarves, etc.) of the land are in turmoil and civil war, too distracted to prepare for the invading army. You are the unlikely hero who must bring these nations together and lead a campaign against the enemy. Nothing too shocking here if you have ever played an RPG before.
What makes Dragon Age compelling, though, is the detail BioWare has put into the world and it’s inhabitants. From the moment you become a Grey Warden you are thrust into an ugly world of political espionage, slavery and religious zealotry that makes for some very enticing storytelling. You have to make tough decisions that will have lasting consequences, for better or worse, and you are free to take the honorable route, which often ends up being much harder, or the morally ambiguous one and try to cash in on an opportunity.