Few games of 2009, and probably in the last few years, have been as ambitious and true to their fanbase as Dragon Age: Origins. An incredibly well-written plot, top-notch voice acting for the characters, and a “true to life” relationship mechanic all support the game’s well-functioning combat and gameplay. Had the visuals been up to par with, or better than, Mass Effect, it would be hard for Origins to not find its way onto every top-5 list of the year.

Game Details			Loading Reality Scoring
Format	PC (all PC reviews)		Score Meaning: Fantastic game! In spite of small flaws, this game brings something different to the table and executes incredibly well. Any game receiving this score is a contender for game of the year.
Publisher	Electronic Arts
Developer	BioWare
Category	RPG		Presentation
ESRB	M		Gameplay
Online Players	0		Graphics
Offline Players	1		Sound
Price	59.99		Value Factor
Release Date	November 3, 2009		Final Score

BioWare makes role-playing games and they make them well. 10-years ago, the studio behind Dragon Age: Origins put out what is still considered as one of the top western RPG’s in existence: Baldur’s Gate II. After developing the game, Bioware continued to lead the RPG genre with Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect – all three being terrific games. Dragon Age: Origins, the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate II had a high bar to meet based on the success of the past BioWare games. Bar, consider yourself met and raised.

Note the blood for future reference.

Dragon Age: Origins is a wholly individual gaming experience; players will lose surely lose contact with friends, family, and employers as they push early evenings into late nights and further into early morning sessions. Origins wraps its warm, enveloping RPG embrace around your quivering body, holding you tight as it carries you away to greener pastures; pastures that are covered in dragon blood, of course.

The way into the authentic BioWare RPG gameplay is an interesting and well-done experience, as the hook of addiction that Origins possesses snatches players quickly. You will decide which story to play: human noble, human magi, dwarf noble, dwarf commoner, city elf, or Dalish (woodland) elf. The opening levels and roughly two hours of play are different for each of the six options. The customization does not end there, of course, as all interactions with party members and NPC’s as the story progresses are different for each selection. This writer has played all six options at least through the opening areas but settled on a dwarf commoner for full story completion. Reorx, as he is known in the dark and seedy world of protection, enforcement and thievery, having proven his ability in combat by sneaking into (and winning) a test of dwarven might and skill has been recruited into the Grey Wardens to fight the darkspawn threat. The Blight is here and Reorx, along with his sword and shield, intends to end it. Whichever of the six paths you chose, the game’s story picks up after your character being recruited into the Wardens, a league of warriors responsible for ending the Blight twice before. A tried-and-true fantasy lead-in to be sure.

Pausing allows for complete combat tactic management.

Once players engage into the story, the gameplay (albeit reminiscent of all good PC roleplaying games) shines. At its heart, Origins is a party-based tactical role-playing game. Gamers control a party of four, with several additional characters remaining at camp for swapping. Abilities are assigned and used either real-time or mid-combat via strategy pauses. Players are able to pause the game at any given time in an effort to queue up combat abilities, spells or combat skills. A hefty amount of time will be spent with the pause enabled, issuing orders to each member, specifically when players are using multiple magic users. Players of the PC-version have access to the classic top-down, isometric camera angle, allowing for easier management of this. A key option built into Origins is the Tactics menu, which allows the scripting of NPC actions. Similar to the Gambit setups in Final Fantasy XII, characters can be given automatic commands such as “if character is below 70% health, cast Drain Life” and about 70 other possibilities. The two options of play (paused, individual orders and real-time WoW-style combat) allow for a variety of gameplay options. Gamers will find themselves alternating back and forth, based on each fight.

More important than the gameplay in Origins is its openness in story and morality. Better than the “karma” systems in recent RPG’s, Origins shies away from black and white, static decisions for a more convincing moral system. Whether it be deciding to aid the elves in their quest to rid their woods of werewolves or engaging the wolves in polite conversation; assisting a lost child in finding his mother or telling the boy that she’s obviously dead and he should be gone from your sight; or even electing to spawn a demon child of your own, Origins leaves the side-questing and decision making to you. Each choice made by the player will affect the relationships he or she has with party members. Causing the light-dwelling, Templar warrior Alistair to bear witness to too many questionable acts may force him to leave your group while continually being the boy-(or girl-)next-door will irritate the chaos-loving, temptress of a mage Morrigan to leave in a huff. A balance must be maintained. Or not.

There she is... the missus.

Reorx, the aforementioned dwarven warrior, had a strong attraction to the apostate Morrigan and was rather annoyed by Alistair and the ex-priestess Leliana. At all given opportunities, Reorx worked to deny certain requests that villagers had – he simply had no time to gather berries, he’s fighting the Blight! Morrigan would always approve. Time and time again, she would approve. Once Reorx had convinced the mage woman that he was a dangerous, Luke Perry from 90210 type, she decided to bed him. By “bed him,” of course, I mean sex… of which there is plenty in Origins.

Whether players find themselves in the local brothel, paying a “provider” for their “stress relieving services” or at the end of a long courtship with a party member, sex seems to become the primary goal of the game. The decisions made by players are less chosen by how good it will be for humanity – or elfanity? – and more by how likely to shag Leliana will be. Unfortunately, the visuals that accompany this culmination of a 20 hour courting are unimpressive. Still wearing clothing, the characters engaging in the act are poorly animated – Morrigan, for example, crawls around your tent like a retarded puppy. These scenes are also the only noticeable voice-acting failures in the game, sounding like poorly-dubbed German pornography.

As Barry White, dear friend of LR, once said, "I can't get enough of your love, baby."

Elsewhere in the game, the unimpressive visuals follow. While not poor by any means, they are not as sharp or well modeled as Mass Effect, especially in the console version of Origins. Playing on PC enables gamers to turn the visuals up to 11 as it were. Still, while certain environments look amazing and detail-heavy, others falter; while some character animations are smooth and free, others appear puppet-like and robotic. The graphics are certainly the most inconsistent feature of the game. Where the visuals leave something to be desired, the voice-acting in Origins nearly takes your breath away. Morrigan, specifically, is incredibly well done. The overall sound design of the game really shines as a highlight.

4.5 / 5

Written by :

cakeytaste

 

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CrAzYbRoS

Game Review: Dragon Age: Origins Dec 12 2009 18:17:02 Gonna play it this week, Brandon! Looking forward to it.

#14377

Axe Argonian

Game Review: Dragon Age: Origins Dec 12 2009 19:53:12 Lol, "poorly dubbed German pornography". I hope Mass Effect 2 doesn't fall into the same kind of fault regarding romances as this game did.

#14378