Dragon Age Origins – Impressions
I don’t really like RGP games. So I have no idea why I started Dragon Age. Within the first hour, I was hooked. I played a Dwarf Noble and was really impressed with the story. That’s what got me interested, and I’ve come to love a few more things about the game.
- The Story. It’s Lord of the Rings, but you’re playing along. It’s one of the main reasons I keep playing – it’s that good.
- The Characters. You have three other party members that follow you around. Through out the game, you can develop relationships with each of these which helps develop the overall story of Dragon Age. Sometimes they even talk to themselves making jokes and mocking each other while you’re walking around doing the quests. It just shows another level of polish to this game.
- The Game play. Like I said, I don’t like RPG games. I could really care less about getting a new object that gives me a +2 magic buff. With Dragon Age, I set the difficulty on easy and I didn’t really have to worry about constantly looking for better gear. I just played and enjoyed the game. Another great feature they added was the Auto Level Up button. It does it for me! How awesome is that? Now don’t get me wrong, there are PLENTY of more hardcore settings for the veteran RPG player – and that’s really what I love about this game – it gives you the choice on how you want to play. What’s funny is as I got further into the game, I started getting into all the buffs and equipment so I’m paying a little more attention too.
- Interface. Most of the time I prefer playing on the PC for the standard PC reasons. But Dragon Age does a great job of making a friendly console version. It’s very simple and easy to use.
- Game length. So far, I’m 30 hours in. And only about half way done with the game. I’m skipping lots of side quests too, so your mileage may vary.
- Choices. Dragon Age does a remarkable job of giving you the illusion that your choices in game matter. Overall, the main story will progress regardless or your personal choices. But they give you plenty of smaller choices that provide a slightly different outcome of the game. I can’t even remember all the times I was faced with a decision, only to sit in agony over making “the right choice.” This mechanics really gives a personal attachment to the game and ultimately the overall story. It’s another great way Dragon Age pulls you into the game.
Pros: All in all, I’m really impressed with this game. Bioware has done a fantastic job in providing a top notch AAA game. I really think Dragon Age can be enjoyed by just about any gamer, even for those who aren’t into the RPG scene. Dragon Age offers plenty of quality game time. The characters and choices mechanics will keep you coming back for more.
Cons: Long load times when first starting the game can be annoying – which really is a minor annoyance. But the biggest gripe is the lack of any multiplayer or co-op play. It seems like it would have been easy enough with a party of NPC already following you around. But still, sometimes it’s nice to have a good solid single player game. Maybe co-op is something to hope for in Dragon Age 2.
5 out of 5
Play Time: At least 50hrs. Many people average from 70 to 90+
System: PS3
Price $20 on Craigslist (at 30+ hrs so far, I’ve gotten back every penny 
Buy or Rent? Buy
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at 9:11 pm and is filed under Dragon Age, Gaming, PS3. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
