Dragon Age: Origins

I love Baldur's Gate 2 and still play it through quite regularly so I was somewhat dubious at the announcement that they were making a new contender. However, so far, my fears have been unfounded. The game is innately playable, and so addictive that I sit here at work twitching, waiting to get home so I can score another hit of DA:O.

I was always of the belief that it was the NPC (computer controlled) character interaction, both with you and with each other that made BG2 what it was, so I'm glad to see that they kept that part of it alive. The characters no longer stop to chat in text boxes as before, but instead you can hear them bickering with each other as you roam the villages and cities of the world. You can swap over which characters travel with you each time you go to a new quest area and in-between times a base `Camp' can be set up (by clicking the Camp icon on the world map screen). Your own relationship with each character is determined by your responses to them during quests but also around the campfire. Additional friendly points can be gained by giving characters items labelled `gifts' found throughout the game. Obviously your relationship stats with a character is going to change how they react to you in various situations. I'm a little disappointed that you can only max out your party to 4 rather than 6, which gives it more of a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic feel than a Baldur's Gate 2 feel, but you can't have everything!

For the most part though the fights are challenging and the methodology for killing bosses constantly fluctuates. You do need to pick which party members will be travelling with you quite soon though as it seems that failure to do so will result in you being a much higher level than your helpers, and some of those boss fights are hard!

Your party shares a joint inventory which also decreases the original's dragging and dropping as you pick up items with your main character (or rogue) and then move them over to the `mule' (strength maxed character) to carry around until you reach a shop. Buying backpacks increases your inventory space by 10 slots at a time too so there should be more than enough room to go around.

The humour of the original has translated well especially in the list of responses during conversations and the bickering between characters, and it made me laugh aloud when my faithful hound brought me dirty pantaloons! I'm glad to see that the pantaloon obsession is still kicking around.

The overhead camera view also translated well; I was very worried this game would turn out to be another generic first person game (Oblivion style) or chasing overhead camera (Sacred style) but it hasn't. A few people reviewing here have mentioned that they can't get the camera view to work in their favour, but using the scroll wheel (for zoom) and the Right Mouse Button (to spin the camera) I haven't had any problems at all - and somehow the general soft `feel' of BG2 permeates the graphics.

The only bad experience I've had so far was with The Attack at Nightfall quest. The quest involves defending the village from undead but you stand and wait, attack one mob, stand and wait, attack one mob, rinse and repeat until you get called away to defend another front; then attack, attack, attack, wait and wait and wait.... Finally I went for a wander (which you're obviously not meant to do) and found that one little undead had got stuck all by himself down at the docks - the moment he was killed the quest advanced. So perhaps the AI isn't so great on the mobs after all - but as with any new game I'm sure patches will be released swiftly to deal with the outstanding issues; so I'm not too bothered by an occasional glitch.

The spells now interact; ie. grease will catch fire leaving a flaming mass behind - but to be honest I've not really experimented too much with this. There are new skill sets like trap making, poison making and alchemy - for which you gather materials, usually from outside areas, and can then craft. Disarming traps seems to use your lockpick skill and in DA:O you actually get to see what the trap is (rather than a glowing purple mass), ie. a red tripwire (which your rogue will cut) or a red bear-trap which your rogue will trigger to disarm. You do still get XP for disarming traps too which was a good thing to keep - so many other games neglect this.

Like BG2 there is no linear play line; you have a mass of areas to pick from with more opening from subsequent play. In each area there are also places you can specifically go to (ie. the Chantry board) to collect short missions for extra cash. You have a quest log to help you remember which quest you were in the middle of and which ones you have as yet to hand in - and also markers on the map which show you where you should be heading to complete the missions or hand them in, which can be incredibly helpful, especially in the larger maps. Also, like in BG2, there are often multiple ways to complete missions - even more so than before giving the game the possibility of playing the game through multiple times and never doing it quite the same.

In all: I think this game is going to have the replayability of the original. It is an addictive, immersive, fun and sometimes frustrating game which will keep your interest for hours at a time. I would very much recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed any of the games I mentioned in this review; especially BG2 and SW:KOTOR.

I hope you enjoy the game as much as I do.

The basics of the game are that you control a party of 4 using a point and click interface in the aim of completing a single huge quest.

You start off in one of a number of starter stories based on you character type which have an affect on the way people speak to you throughout the entire game. These are possibly some of the most interesting areas as the world. The script is very tight and you are introduced to the world in an interesting and not overwhelming manner.

You are introduced to the three character types:
A rogue who does increased damage from back stabs, can open locks and does not like being attacked by large numbers of enemies. The rogue has three choices of play. To be an effective dual wielder, to be an effective archer, or to be mildly effective at both. Later they have the option to specialise becoming a ranger style with a pet or to increase their damage output.
A mage who does a large amount of damage to single or multiple enemies or indeed anyone in the area and does not like being attacked by large numbers of enemies. The mage gets the healing spells, the buff spells and the mass damage spells. Later they have the option of becoming a shape changer, a better healer, a mage/warrior, or being able to manage their mana pool more effectively.
A warrior who can be attacked by larger numbers of enemies and does some moderate damage. The warrior can become be an effective tank, slow but hard hitting two hander or a dual wielder. Later they have the option for a few more spell like abilities.
All the characters do a combination of damage, slow, stun and knockdown attacks. With a few hinder/helper skills thrown in.

After the introduction story the player can choose the order in which they tackle a handful of areas on the map. A wood, a town, a mountain top, inside a mountain. The story isn't as tight here as the areas are very self contained. This choice has one plus that I can see. It aids integrating new areas of content.

Finally there is some final stuff that I won't go into.

The game took me around 65 hours. Which involved completing most quests but not obsessively so. I read enough of the law to get a good grasp of every aspect of the world, but I was selective in my reading. Looking back I would say most of my game time was spent watching spoken dialogue scenes, micro (pause) managing fights, watching loading screens and managing the inventory.

The game took five years to complete and was started on a modified Neverwinter Nights Engine. The graphics range from very flat areas with low resolution textures, am I playing Neverwinter Night style, to a more Mass Effect style. It is all quite generic.

Now that I have described the game I will give you my thoughts.
Firstly this game is not Baldur's Gate. Not even close. This game is a LOTR, WOW, NWN, KOTR, Mass Effect hybrid. The influence from those games is heavy. From large battles in the woods vs orcs (spawn my behind, they are orcs) with a heavy orchestral score. To watching cool downs after selecting a potion. Dragon age has mixed these influences incredibly well but you will be hard pressed to find any originality.

The lore of the game is huge but not particularly complex or thought provoking. Downtrodden elves check, cast system dwarves check, mages are mistrusted check, humans are a very general race check. How many different ways can we word these ideas in conversations and law? Quite allot it seems. The effect of this lore on you is nothing more than wording. The story is your bog standard save the world. You are 'picked' and singled out by a jedi knight..I mean warden for no particular reason and that is a problem with the entire game. The world revolves around you. Party and enemy levelling and world development is set by your character.

The world is a very static place it seems. Very static. Going back into the woods after a year to see your elf kin and they are all stood in the same spot and facing the same direction as when you first arrived. The world is very linear. Choosing the order in which you visit the main areas and choosing one or three paths at a junction is as free as it gets. The NPC's are even thrown at you. In fights the mages do loads of damage and disabling and healing. The party choices really boil down to whether you have lots of mages or not, whether you have a tank or not, whether you have a rogue for locks or not. These changes are all rather obvious.

The levelling is very straightforward. Be a specific type or mix two types. If you mix say archery and dual wielding the ai does not switch with your weapon switch. Watching your archer use dual wielding ai is a pain. Apart from that with a little thought, time and experience of playing the ai can be set up to work very effectively. You can micro manage fights more effectively but that depends on whether you want to micro manage every little fight. I tended to only micro manage large fights and mainly paused to put the odd character on a preferred course of action. The Large monster battles are very satisfying and the game makes good use of them. The large numbers battles are just fiddly with dodgy walking paths, obstructions breaking your commands and your tank occasionally running 100 yards away to attack a pathetic archer...Or blitz the place with mages.

The character depth is poor. A mad person will dribble and rock, a nasty person will be blunt and uncaring. You get the usual grim determination, jocularity as a cover-up. Don't worry if you don't notice each character type. Their types will be commented enough on during the game to make doubly sure you get it. Some conversations did make me laugh or halt my mission to listen. It isn't all average.

For a large story driven game there are no insights into humanity here. No interest in psychology, sociology, philosophy. There is no character development or intriguing situations. If you annoy a member of your team or want to get laid give them a bottle of wine (several times). There is no black or white, good or bad. What there is allot of is personal gain or not, and this person did 3 bad things and 1 very good thing and that person did 2 bad things and 2 minor good things, so who shall I side with? Is that an improvement over a scale of good and evil? I'm not so sure. Shame the writers didn't take a short course on writing fiction. It would have improved the game immensely.

The models could be swapped in and out of other games and you couldn't pick them out of a line up. No lovingly hand created 2D artwork here. Just the usual factory line 3D package models.

Compared to a good book or a classic like Fallout, Planescape Torment and Baldur's Gate this game is a massive let down. Compared to the usual non Japanese rpg of the past decade such as Drakensang, Two Worlds or Gothic this game has easily leaped to the top of the pile. There is nothing specifically wrong with the game but your overall opinion will be affected heavily by your expectations. I can't help but feel this the Phantom Menace of games (without binks). There is nothing in the game that isn't above average for an rpg. So it is a must buy for any rpg fan. However once the hype has died down, the game will be remembered as an enjoyable well made rpg, rather than fondly remembered as a storytelling and roleplaying classic.

Mathematically your enjoyment will be inversely proportional to how fondly you remember "Go for the eyes Boo! Go for the eyes!"

First things first: in the past I have chastised EA a number of times for its release of cookie-cutter games, crippled with atrocious DRM schemes. So, in all fairness, I now have to say this: DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS IS A GAMER's DREAM! It is an excellent game - and it comes FREE of any DRM madness. So, thank you EA for listening to your customers (let's only hope this trend holds...).

This is one of those games that are easy to control, a joy to roam through and fun to play at no end.
I am a huge cRPG fan and cannot remember such a great companion/squad cRPG ever since the Baldur's Gate Saga. And to tell you the truth, this is the game I was dreaming of being able to play one day while playing BG (yeah, by now we all know that NEVERWINTER NIGHTS never delivered).

There are about a dozen gender/race/class/background choices and a great many combinations in forming your party. The armor and the weapons are exceptionally made and everything shows on your characters. And the graphics are truly beautiful! You have to see the rendering of flames to believe them.
Nevertheless, what really stands out is the gameplay. Every battle is a puzzle to be solved, pausing ever so often to reallocate enemies to the best suited party members (a feature I loved in BG!). Of course one can always turn off the autopause feature and let the AI take over the rest of your party and turn the game into an hack&slash action RPG (not exactly my cup of tea but, hey, it's still nice to know it's there).

Finally, this is a game made just like the classics in many ways, including duration. I am now playing the game for over 20 hours and I feel that I barely scraped the surface! Now DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS is one satisfying RPG!

My only gripe is this: I did not appreciate such short dialogue options. Most fit a single line and more often than not they consist of a couple of words. I like my RPGs to be wordy and challenging to my verbal imagination as well - and I want my characters to participate in the humor, not just provoke it or react to it. Remember the long dialogue options in BG? Well, expect to find DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS much more laconic.
I guess 10 years of fast-paced FPS and blitzkrieging RTS do take their toll...

The blood sprays, the swords clang and the spells explode. The animations are beautifully made and add a lot to both enjoyment and immersion. There is a verse in Homer's Iliad I love: "the warrior fell, his armor echoing around him" - and I was reminded of it many a times throughout the game.

This game will stay with you. Do not miss on it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!