Its been a long time coming since such an epic tale of dark fantasy has graced gaming fingertips around the world but on the 3rd of November the growing number of fans stood in silence as Dragon Age swooped down and once again Bioware has hit gaming gold and in my opinion, last years game of the year!
Bioware certainly set the standard with the unaclaimed game of 2008 Mass Effect and now sets to reclaim gaming history as I dive into one of the best RPG/MMO'S I have ever played and one of the hardest reviews I have ever had the privilege of writing.
Only 50+ hours in and I still have not even scratched the surface of what is Dragon Age. This is such a big game and there is so much to do that in all the time I have spent on it I have only managed to do some of these things.
Bioware's success comes down to how they have presented this world you live in; there are so many characters and each character has a story, and each story has a background to it and all of these are gripping and satisfying in their own unique way.
Before you even get into the world the game presents you with a character customisation menu that you will instantly bow down before. The scale at which you can alter, edit and brand your character is emence. I found myself spending almost a solid hour designing and tweaking my character to look just like me, and boy it payed off. Seeing yourself going through this epic world, smiting anyone that stands in your way is a huge ego boost.
Choosing your characters specialized abilities can be tricky and if this reviewer can pass on a small bit of advice to anyone, dont over look the power of perswagion. You will often find your self in situations where the edge of your blade simply wont be enough.
There are three different races, human, elf and dwarf each with three classes and different backgrounds. On top of all this, each class has four specialized abilities and each one will change the out story line.
Dragon Age throws you into a world of impending doom from a horde of goolish, demonic like creatures called darkspawn. A group of magic dwellers who performed traitorous acts to become gods were cast down from heaven to the underground and became darkspawn. They look to resurrect daemons called Arch Daemons to take them up to the surface and take over the land.
I don’t want to give too much away but take my word for it when I say that even if I did tell you the entire story of my character, the choices I have made and the joys, disappointments, anger and betrayal I have faced, it wouldn’t come close to yours. Every turn changes your destiny and even while I am writing this review I am wondering how long it will be until I can dive back into it and where I will be taking my character next.
Voice-overs carry a sense of sarcasm and wit and the other characters always react to the way you speak to them; be cocky to them and you will find they will be cocky right back.
The down side is that your character doesn’t speak; instead you choose what they say from different possible dialogues at the bottom of the screen, without hearing the actual words being spoken. I couldn’t help but feel that after Bioware had gone to this much trouble on such an amazing game, couldn’t they have at least spent a bit more time on bringing your character to life with his own voice?
This is however a microscopic fault in the glory that is Dragon Age because when you get into a fight and the game cuts into a movie scene you are covered in the blood of your defeated foes and you just can help but sit back and feel like a god.
On the fighting side it can be a bit sluggish, and I often found myself equipping a lighter weapon just so I could move faster. This however will only really be noticeable in the beginning of the game as once you progress and up your stats, you will be swinging a 2-meter blade like it’s a feather.
A nice touch to Dragon Age is the game’s unique set-up; there is always something happening around you and the attention to detail is impeccable. That said, I have had the privilege of playing this amazing game on PC, as I have heard from other sources that the console versions are not as good, and tend to give off that unfinished feeling as they are more focused on an action style rather than the PC'S tactical one. So if you have the machine to handle it, I would highly recommend hitting this one on PC.
Speaking of tactical; seeing as you often travel with up to four companions (all along for the ride only for their own personal reasons), going into a big battle can be tricking. Bioware took this into mind and developed a system called the micro managing system - by pressing space bar the game pauses and you are able to assign tactical paths for your fellow traveller’s attacks.
One of the most lovable things about this game is that even though it is the size it is (landing in at a massive 20gigs) the loading times are some of the shortest I have experienced and this sort of thing always puts a smile on my face.
To conclude, this is the dark fantasy RPG everyone has been waiting for. Bioware has held nothing back and not many games can admit to being this ambitious and succeed. What truly stands out in the end is Dragon Age's ability to keep you coming back for more. After 50+ hours I cant wait to go back and start again with a different character and a different path altogether.
For the PC gamers out there, you will be please that you will get a bit more depth to this game with downloadable toolsets to create new levels, spells, skills and even cut scenes.
When I started this review thought it would be one of the hardest for me to write, and it has proven to be just that; anyway you look at it Dragon Age is like no other - it delivers outstanding results at every turn and has made it a hard task for me to find anything wrong with it.
For this reason I have given my highest rating of a well-earned 9.8/10, with it falling short of the 10 for a minor battle-managing hiccup. To give you an idea of how much I love this game, I have it minimized as I write this, as once you dive into it, it will take you to a land you will never want to leave.
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Played on: PC
Rating: 8.5
Rated: M (for Mature)
Ian Felmore
EA turned down BioWare's pitch to work on a remake of Dragon Age Origins or a remastered Dragon Age Trilogy, according to a new report.
Thats a pity. A remaster Trilogy would sell a lot better than the game they released last year.
Speak for yourself... Some of us are tired of remastered/remakes. Maybe this industry could show a little originality or progress a thought forward. Pass on dragon age remastered. Make a competent dragon age game or fold up shop.
Exactly, while I love the orginal game (origins) they would have censured the hell out of it and replaced it with wokeness.
I would have rather seen a remake of Origins which added onto it with more content than Dragon Age 4
If successful they could have continued on from it ignoring the other DA games.
Lore dump in Veilguard was very good and I enjoyed the game for that.
I would not at all be opposed to more of a 'remake' of the first game, though. Not sure a 'remaster' with better graphics and whatnot would really pull me in if it didn't include more updated controls and gameplay.
Yeah, your right about the lore, and thats the reason I like dragon age in the first place. I think thats why theres such a divide with veilguard. Those that fell in love with dragon age for the rpg mechanics were gravely disappointed.
Honestly I tried getting into dragon age 4 but just couldn’t man and it wasn’t that political BS, annoying yes, but not game killing. It just wasn’t it for me.
I would rather they just remake the original and stay true to the original
It's not a good game. But if a few trans and gay people upset you, then you have some issues with stuff beyond politics.
Didn’t care for it.
Annoying yes, because it’s dragon age.
That whole trans and binary just didnt fit in and felt force.
But like I said it wasn’t game killing. I just found it boring.
Ill always have the argument you only see it if you go looking for it. Im not gay or trans, it was a 2 minute scene you can literally skip and then you dont see any more of it in the game. Didn't bother me at all.
@andy
It really wasn’t 2 min and it was pretty much one characters identity lol.
Like I said it wasn’t game killing.
But to pretend it wasn’t stupid the way they went about it.
Sounded like something from our world would say.
Like wtf, i want fantasy to run away from our world.
I think it’s dumb asf to use real world terminology for real world problems in a game that isn’t set in ours world/altworld
Understandable, it is a very different game in many ways.
@anast
I think it was a good game. Who is actually right here?
It's not a good game. People people liking something is not always a good metric. People like sh%& games, I even like a few sh&% games myself.
Thats the understanding people lack.
People set standards of what is “good”. Interestingly, it is a strange form of confirmation bias, in which people look for evidence to support what they deem “good or bad” about a title. That is why we have so many people that say that starfield does nothing new…when that is literally what it does..something new…for Bethesda at least.
I have had people call me trash before, moments before I obliterate them in whatever it is we are playing. Broaden your awareness, and you will know of what I speak.
I've played the exact same Warden in Dragon Age: Origins for years. In 2025, I will finally make a different one. Maybe.
Tried it before, doesn't work. I tried to to play a Dalish archer but ended up being a Dwarf Noble warrior again, must be a bug
My preferred origin is Dalish Elf Archer that recruits the Templars, Baelen's Dwarves with Golems and Dalish Elves. Took me 3 playthroughs to lock down a "true" file for me. What a game.
How does BioWare's latest stack up against its best offerings?
LOL
DAO pioneered a new era for cinematic rpgs while Vainguard pioneered well shampood hair.
I bought Dragon Age: Origins at launch and I enjoyed it. It didn't pioneer diddly squat. What did it do that Mass Effect hadn't done already?
Depends who you ask. For me it did, and dragon age origins is still to this day my most replayed single player game.
Wow, so sounds like you would put Veilguard up there as an all time favorite? Just curious what you love about it. I'm about 10 hours in and nothing has really grabbed me other than the gorgeous environments and animations
What I liked about dragon age has always been the lore. Origins introduced concepts, but they didn’t really start toying with it until dragon age 2. Veilguard still has the lore and sense of mystery for me, but it also has the combat. I am more of martial arts kind of player. Games like Devil may cry, wo long fallen dyansty sekiro, or fighting games are what Im usually playing if I am not playing an rpg. I usually like role playing a super strong warrior, which this game lets you do, and it lets me concentrate on my specific character. One of the things keeping me from playing Baldurs Gate 3 offline is the fact that I have no choice but to control all of my team members. For me, that takes me out of the role playing experience when I am a gallant knight that has to always use a mage or rogue in combat. It was alot better playing with friends though.
For a game to be “good” for a player, it has to have a hook, and veilguard has several things that hook me in from combat, loot, to lore, and even the characters. Some games just dont have a popular hook that rakes in alot of people, so I always understand if someone doesnt like a specific experience. But when people start saying things are trash, thats when I say it gets borderline disrespectful.
In what way is the combat and build diversity good?
Devil may cry has the style meter that encourages good combat. It also has enemy variety...veilgaurd doesn't. Veilgaurds builds are pretty much non-existent. The itemization is boring due to its extreme linearity.
As far as lore goes...I guess you're fine with them butchering the qunari.
. If people can have fun with souls game combat, they should be okay with the combat in veilguard? Learn to view a games attributes in respect to the entire game instead of viewing everything in isolation. Devil may cry, all you do 98 percent of the time is beat the crap out of stuff….. of course its going to have more enemy variety and deeper combat. Thats the whole game😂
I dont too much care for what they did with the qunari, but Im not going to get caught up on it. Only an empty cup can be filled.
In terms of traditional rpg aspects, origins wins. In terms of scale, presentation, and refined simplicity, Veilguard wins. Its not as simple as game A is better than game B, we have to set parameters
For example: Are there people that think origins is better? Yes, alot of them. Is it though? That is debatable.
Huh?
Okay in terms of story and choices as well as outcomes and character progression and writing...origins does it better.
In terms of combat decisions, diversity in encounters and strategies as well as meaningful power progression and itemization...origins does it better
In terms tone...that's more a preference...I'm not a fan of the change in direction....prefer dark fantasy and gore that origins brought.
I will give you the simplicity and eye candy vistas though the graphics have less to do with the game and more to do with videogames graphic progression. As far as simplicity...yes 100% veilgaurd wins there. The combat is so simple and mundane it is made for the casuals too busy on their phones to care too much about complex systems.
And before you tell me that the writing being bad is my opinion ..first maybe go check what actual writers have to say about it. People go for degrees about this type of thing.
They follow a certain set of rules that is decided upon by the supposedly fallible, as to how things are supposed to be done. Does not make them untouchable because they have a degree. What they say is of interest, but it should not be considered gospel by anyone with awareness of how things work in this existence. I have bested opponents that are considered professional level, and Im not one myself. I have likewise learned from those not considered to be at my level in a specific area. Alot of that is subjective. In terms of character progression, Im seeing more in veilguard. In terms of story, it was simply gather treaties to fight darkspawn. This game is very similar: collect people to help stop the evanuris. Im more invested in this. The evanuris debit, is akin to Madara Uchihas build up and subsequent appearance in Naruto. They have been building towards this for three games. For me, what I am experiencing is hooking me in far more than origins.
And what is meaningful power progression? I never get to make the Sage of Strength true to form in these rpgs because warriors are always so normal, never possessing the herculean strength to role play the way I want. This game is one of the only rpgs I have played where the warrior feels superhuman. Whos to say that causing an earthquake with a stomp is not more meaningful to me than what origins has? Origins is more tactical, but more meaningful? Debatable
When setting these parameters, it is of paramount importance to detach oneself from personal bias, otherwise it will defeat the purpose.
Only for those with tremendously low standards and/or who are trying to push an agenda into gaming.
I'm thinking it's really just the former...that's what I hope anyways.
In no way, shape or form does this game come even remotely close to the nearest galaxy far away from dragon age origins or dragon age 2 for that matter.
I really disliked 2 so I doubt it’s worse than that one but I am haven’t played Veilguard yet so I can’t say until I do
2 is my favourite for 2 reasons. Companions were all incredible...it's where we got varric after all.
And the events after each act actually have meaning. Sure the end state doesn't vary much but the storytelling surrounding each act ending as well as the possible outcomes is magnificent. I won't get into spoilers but loved that about the 2nd. I'm willing to have my mind changed but I've yet to encounter anyone able to tell me specifically what was so horrible and detrimental to the second that you don't also get in something like inquisition.
Inquisition is up there with it for me. I can recall all companions or most from both games and remember them fondly. Same for Kotor. But with inquisition I can't recall a single character outside of solas and the woman templar but only slightly to be honest.
I’d guess it doesn’t top it for me as I really enjoyed the first game but I can’t say for sure without playing both of them
Depends on what you liked about origins. If it was the story and lore buildup, then you will probably be fine. If its the roleplaying aspects, veilguard is probably a hard pass because the rpg aspects seem extremely light, especially compared to dragon age origins. Choices and consequences do exist, but they seem to be small scale so far.
Great review. I'm really getting into it but have stopped as I have uni work to do and can't afford to get sucked in just yet.
In my opinion if anyone can be compared to Blizzard it's Bioware.
Was wondering what you felt was missing as far as managing the battle? I thought it was really easy to change characters and felt was fairly easy to manage. If anything could use some more macros for how many spells/abilities a chat gets. 3 characters done and can't wait for the add on in march!