Review: Dragon Age Origins

Writer's note: Even though the game is what most of us would consider "old," I have been tasked by Steve to write a review. I don't know if it is because I absolutely love this game, but something tells me it has something to do with Steve's elf fetish, which is no taboo in Ferelden.

Dragon Age Origins is a western role-playing-game (WRPG) by Bioware. It's set on the kingdom of Ferelden and task players to save the kingdom from being destroyed by forces called the Darkspawn. At the beginning of the game, players can choose from six different origin stories. These origin stories are varied and spread through different races and locations. You can either be a human noble, a common dwarf or a city elf.

In Dragon Age Origins you play as one of the Grey Wardens, a group of warriors who defend the land of Ferelden against creatures called the darkspawn, who bring "the blight," (think of it as the Apocalypse) every hundred years. After some initial events (that I won't spoil) you are tasked to go and visit every race and groups of influence in the land to get their support battling the Blight. However, it's not as easy as it sounds because everywhere you go they all have their own issues, which of course you are going to solve. It's very standard, but it can be distracting. At some points you'll go to random battles against the darkspawn, but it is so random and the story branches into so many places that is easy to forget what your true goal is.

One of the best aspects that Dragon Age gives the player is the ability to completely customize their character. Once you choose your race and origin story, you get to choose your look and throughout the game your characters' roles, stats and abilities. With all these tools at your disposal you can tailor the game to your liking and can even make it harder or easier. On my first play through I was an elf raised as a mage at the Circle Tower of Magi. Although my character did learn powerful spells that where very useful, I found my second run through as a human noble (who's a warrior) way easier. There are a total of three in-game classes, which can be heavily expanded and have a bit of overlap with other classes (if you chose to). These three classes are: mage, rogue and warrior.

If you don't feel like playing the game six times to experience each class - don't worry - as more characters join your party you can change between them and play as a different class, however, in all honesty you are doing yourself a disservice by not maxing out your character and experiencing every other origin story out there.

Dragon Age Origins is all about choices, from what's your origin story, who you choose to be in your party to who you fall in love with (or if at all) and who's sides will you choose. Dragon Age "morality" system is more than gaining evil points or good points. It's more than just unlocking some powers and not others. It's all about consequences. The choices you make will impact how your party views you (and if they dislike you they will leave you), to who lives and the future of Felderen.

My first run through score me about 60+ hours, with most (not all) side quests and having maxed out my character's abilities (level 20). The replay value is great, to unlock every trophy you will need to replay this game six times (there is one trophy for each origin story and for reaching level 20 with each character), but if you don't feel like going through the whole game again and again, you can unlock most trophies by the third play through.

There are a few things here and there that can you can mention as faults, for one although Bioware can make beautiful games, Dragon Age Origins is not one of them. Is not ugly by any means, but is not something that's going to "wow" you. The gameplay can get unevenly hard at random times, where a boss battle can be very easy, but an encounter with a random darkspawn might kill you.

To end the review on a positive note, I should say that Dragon Age Origins' voice acting is superb. I enjoyed knowing that Morrigan's voice is done by Claudia Black, the same actress who gave a voice to Uncharted 2's Chloe. (Side note: on some of her lines my boyfriend, who really wasn't paying attention at the time, would just look at me and say, "What a bitch." I just smiled, because she was being one and I loved her for it)

The Gaymers Verdict: Marriage Material

Alejandro Torres