Dragon Age Origins

BioWare’s latest offering is a dark fantasy on an epic scale with adult themes to match. What more could a RPG player ask for? If you’re a RPG fan then, yes, you would be right to think I was talking about Dragon Age!

Hot of the press and a real pleasure to play. You have a choice to play as either a female/male your character plays from inside one of six origin stories. This sets the scene for the character to view the world from the personal view point of the chosen character/race. (I have chosen to play from the Human Noble origin) It also determines how the NPCs in the game react to you. for example, you may chose to play as an Elf however, Elves in the game are often looked upon as the underdog/second class citizens.

While playing through the chosen character background you are introduced to Duncan the leader of a group of warriors known as the Grey Wardens. From then on Duncan leads you to becoming a Grey Warden. This elite band of warriors have dedicated their lives to the destruction of the Darkspawn. Who are a force of demon-like creatures, living underground and have at various points in history invaded the surface world and earned the title of the Blights.

You then, with Duncan, make the journey to Ostagar in southern Ferelden. Here the intention is to join King Cailan of Ferelden to make a stand against the Darkspawn. Duncan’s senses lead him to believe the gathering of the Darkspawn is the first true Blight in 400 years and is being influenced by an Archdemon.

We are jumping the gun a little. Before you get to battle the Blight, you and other initiates need to be ordained into the Wardens by undergoing a dangerous ritual called the Joining. This ritual involves the consumption of Darkspawn blood, a powerful poison. By consuming the blood a prospective warden places their life at great risk in order to attempt to tap into the supernatural means of communication the Darkspawn use and become able to sense the presence of Darkspawn. From here on in things go from bad to worse and the order of the day is for you to put it right.

Your goal is to build a new army from a myriad of factions located in the Ferelden area who the Grey Wardens have treaties with and believe me that is not as easy as it sounds. Suffice to say your actions in this game do effect the outcome. However, at the end of the day Ferelden’s political unrest is settled and the kingdom is ready to face the Darkspawn at Denerim.

As I have not reached the end game yet I do not wish to know any-more than I have already spoke about. My advice, for what it is worth is go out and buy this game if you like the RPG genre. Enjoy it. You won’t be disappointed!