Dragon Age: Origins

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4891 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,221 out of 4891
  2. Mixed: 414 out of 4891
  3. Negative: 256 out of 4891
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  1. JonathanM
    Dec 29, 2009
    9
    Absolutely lovely game, I love the choices in most conversations, I love the companions and the dialouge between them on your travels and the story of course buuuut when I started playing the game for the first time I was horribly bored and would probably have quit if I hadn't been so excited for it. After 1-3 hours or so I started enjoying myself and eventualy had awful lot and the Absolutely lovely game, I love the choices in most conversations, I love the companions and the dialouge between them on your travels and the story of course buuuut when I started playing the game for the first time I was horribly bored and would probably have quit if I hadn't been so excited for it. After 1-3 hours or so I started enjoying myself and eventualy had awful lot and the beginnings also became fun. The story and gameplay is great for the most part, even tho the difficulty curve felt wrecked at some parts. This game should absolutely not be rated by anyone who hasn't spent atleast 10 hours playing it.… Expand
  2. NickW
    Dec 29, 2009
    10
    What a great game! there is like 20 diff stories and everyone is just as exciting! i really enjoy playing this game!
  3. ChrisM
    Dec 28, 2009
    4
    After having played the game for a sum total of 5 hours, I was surprised it had not gripped me as I thought it would. RPG's from BioWare are always amazing games but after having recently finished Mass Effect (twice, one after another) I can honestly say BioWare lost the plot here. The graphics were lacklustre, dialogue was completely appauling and contributed almost nothing of real After having played the game for a sum total of 5 hours, I was surprised it had not gripped me as I thought it would. RPG's from BioWare are always amazing games but after having recently finished Mass Effect (twice, one after another) I can honestly say BioWare lost the plot here. The graphics were lacklustre, dialogue was completely appauling and contributed almost nothing of real value and the combat system gets boring after a few hours after which it becomes to feel grind-like. Add this to the extremely linear world (fast-travel map system), common load screens, inability to form an emotional connection with party members (within the first 5 hours I lost atleast 4 through the story, which gave little time to connect or feel for these NPCs). I am bewildered like many other users' as to how this game got rated so highly. It is completely unoriginal and definitely not an all-time great "RPG" by any means. The only redeeming quality of the title has to be voice acting and the origin stories which I found quite interesting, but nevertheless hardly original. If you're expected to soak up to and exceeding 50+ hours in this game it has to be amazing from start to finish and this game wasn't even amazing from the start. Do yourself a favour; if you don't have lots of spare time, aren't a hardcore RPG fan or enjoy having a compelling storyline in your games, stay away from this title! Play another RPG such as Fallout 3 or another BioWare offering of Mass Effect. It will be a much better use of your time.… Expand
  4. MarkD
    Dec 28, 2009
    10
    Best RPG of all time. The writing is beyond spectacular, as is the acting of the voice-overs, and the many, many choices and paths all lead to a a very rewarding game with great complexity and numerous replay value!
  5. JimmyC
    Dec 27, 2009
    10
    very good RPG, but loading times can be frustrating and menus are a little bit cluttered.
  6. HowardJ
    Dec 27, 2009
    10
    The Best Bioware game produced to date. A deep storyline and interesting environments combine to create the best RPG in a long time. Good to see that game developers are willing to put this much effort into game which is not intended to leech money off its players every month (MMOs).
  7. DavidD
    Dec 27, 2009
    7
    This game was OK. It took a long time to finish and got very repetitive by the end. The plot is linear and not very engaging. The design of the maps mean it can take a long time to walk from place to place. The combat is ok (basically the same as BG & BG2) but again repetitive. Tactics were neat but inconsistent. The plot is average with few interesting twists (like with Morrigan at the This game was OK. It took a long time to finish and got very repetitive by the end. The plot is linear and not very engaging. The design of the maps mean it can take a long time to walk from place to place. The combat is ok (basically the same as BG & BG2) but again repetitive. Tactics were neat but inconsistent. The plot is average with few interesting twists (like with Morrigan at the end of the game). Overall a 7.… Expand
  8. JonasH
    Dec 27, 2009
    10
    This game made me believe in Role-Playing Games again.
  9. LeahR
    Dec 26, 2009
    3
    Most overrated RPG of the year. The AI is terrible. Left alone, it will either sit around doing nothing, which means you go nowhere if you've chosen to play a ranged or back-line support class--or else it will rush blindly into enemies, leaving you to perform damage control and clean up behind as it continues to charge forward without pause. If you play on anything above casual Most overrated RPG of the year. The AI is terrible. Left alone, it will either sit around doing nothing, which means you go nowhere if you've chosen to play a ranged or back-line support class--or else it will rush blindly into enemies, leaving you to perform damage control and clean up behind as it continues to charge forward without pause. If you play on anything above casual difficulty, you'll fight the AI every step of the way and end up having to constantly micromanage your party. The game offers "tactics" slots which you can use to assign conditional behavior patterns to NPC teammates, e.g. "Heal yourself if your health gets below X%," yet for some insane reason, you have to spend skill points to unlock these tactics slots. Essentially, you must spend skill points to make the AI slightly less stupid. The tactics also need far more flexibility and generality, e.g. "Use any debuff skill not on cooldown" instead of "Use specific skill X." Because of this, the tactics end up being mostly useless on harder difficulty levels and require you to micromanage the team anyway. On top of these gameplay issues, DAO has a ridiculous amount of dialogue, even by Bioware's verbose standards. It's well-written dialogue, for the most part--but it's still redundant jawing. Too much of the narrative is talked about rather than shown in action. This tendency to tell rather than show has been creeping deeper into each successive Bioware game for years, but it feels like DAO finally crossed the line into self-indulgent writing. Ultimately, the game is simply formulaic: it's the same linear, on-rails RPG with the same linear, on-rails dialogue "choices" which are supposed to give us the illusion of making moral decisions in tense, finely-shaded conflicts. Bioware has been making this same well- (if over-) written, painstakingly-realized, yet ultimately stultifying and narratively-funneled game for years. While playing, I kept thinking how cinematic the game felt, and how much more I would have enjoyed it as an animated film, or a novel. Dragon Age: Origins is a throwback RPG addled by last-gen gameplay and self-indulgent, tedious writing.… Expand
  10. John
    Dec 26, 2009
    9
    Awesome story and combat, The graphics arent that great but still better than average. Totally worth spending your money on.
  11. DanS.
    Dec 24, 2009
    0
    Overrated. Conversation options are merely cosmetic; almost all of them are inconsequential and lead towards the same path. Mindless dungeon crawl with a weak combat system. The antagonists lack depth.
  12. ManuelA
    Dec 24, 2009
    0
    It's decent for the kind of games the industry's been feeding us. The dumbing down is certainly out of hand. This is pretty much a simplified, in all its features, version of Baldur's Gate. And even BG wasn't all that good to begin with if you were to compare it to Arcanum or PS:T.
  13. antoniod
    Dec 24, 2009
    3
    It's only good when compared to games in the crpg category released in recent years. Now, if I were to compare it to Vamp: Bloodlines, Planescape: Torment, Arcanum or Fallout 2 then it was a major disappointment. Especially considering how even Baldur's Gate was done better, a game that's pretty much its predecessor.
  14. StephenM
    Dec 23, 2009
    8
    Definitely has flaws but what a great spiritual sucessor to Baldur's Gate 2. Wow just give it a chance. Even better than Fallout 3 (great game) in my opinion. It will be interesting to see where the mod community takes this.
  15. MattG
    Dec 23, 2009
    4
    good storyline, voice acting, graphics? ok, but the gameplay is what killed the game. Oh look an enemy. "click".. 5 seconds later oh look another enemy. "click" and then theres the boss, lets use tactics and our skills to kill it! oh wait, we only have stun abilities which dont work on bosses... Overall the gameplay was depressing, but i thought it had an epic storyline, i loved having good storyline, voice acting, graphics? ok, but the gameplay is what killed the game. Oh look an enemy. "click".. 5 seconds later oh look another enemy. "click" and then theres the boss, lets use tactics and our skills to kill it! oh wait, we only have stun abilities which dont work on bosses... Overall the gameplay was depressing, but i thought it had an epic storyline, i loved having people at my knees begging for mercy, that was the best part of the game.… Expand
  16. ColinS
    Dec 22, 2009
    6
    For the life of me I can't understanding the glowing press this game is getting, and what seems to me to be people who aren't thinking for themselves lining up behind it. Shocking. The game is in many respects mediocre, tired and lame. It's not horrible, but it is so far away from Balder's Gate attempts at comparison are embarassing. I loved Mass Effect, BG and KOTOR. For the life of me I can't understanding the glowing press this game is getting, and what seems to me to be people who aren't thinking for themselves lining up behind it. Shocking. The game is in many respects mediocre, tired and lame. It's not horrible, but it is so far away from Balder's Gate attempts at comparison are embarassing. I loved Mass Effect, BG and KOTOR. Found NWN I/II to be really solid. This game doesn't live up to any of them, frankly. Boring silly predictable plot, game balancing is bad (lead designers seem to have a strong preference for mages). I thought dialog and voice acting were good/great. Graphics ok, but not great. Not much innovative in the game at all, and even some of Bioware's usual strong points aren't up to standards.… Expand
  17. kungfucat
    Dec 21, 2009
    9
    Its without a doubt, the best rpg ive played in all my life. Great story, beatifull graphics, its not rpetitive, (wich is awsome for an rpg) and if you liked the lord of the ring or games like that, you will love dragon age origin... There is only 2 little things that i got to say about this game, even on easy, the game can be hard for a beginner in rpg's and if you don't have Its without a doubt, the best rpg ive played in all my life. Great story, beatifull graphics, its not rpetitive, (wich is awsome for an rpg) and if you liked the lord of the ring or games like that, you will love dragon age origin... There is only 2 little things that i got to say about this game, even on easy, the game can be hard for a beginner in rpg's and if you don't have an hig end computer and you put the settings on ultra high, welcome to the lags... Also, if you want a non repetitive rpg game, this one is for you. Ive beated the game and i still surprise by all the occasions that i missed, again, wonderfull story...… Expand
  18. CharlieA
    Dec 21, 2009
    2
    I was really excited when I got this game, but it soon faded as the harsh reality of a boring combat system emerged, I tried to play on but to no avail. I really struggle to see why everyone loves this game, sure the graphics are nice, yeah it has quite rich content, but that doesn't redeem the RTS/RPG reject offspring of a combat system, I've mass effect and i thought it was I was really excited when I got this game, but it soon faded as the harsh reality of a boring combat system emerged, I tried to play on but to no avail. I really struggle to see why everyone loves this game, sure the graphics are nice, yeah it has quite rich content, but that doesn't redeem the RTS/RPG reject offspring of a combat system, I've mass effect and i thought it was brilliant, but this was a complete let down tbh.… Expand
  19. AlexF
    Dec 21, 2009
    5
    Old LotR-story, tedious and overpresent combat, half-witted characters, and dull quest design. This game is boring from top to bottom. If you have never played a CRPG before, buy it. Everyone else:Stay away, because you will only find a collection of the most old and ancient fantasy-cliches ever put in a game.
  20. MasonA
    Dec 20, 2009
    10
    I would have gone with a 9.5 on this and you round up right? This is a phenomenal game. I just recently beat it and it is among my favorite games off all time, only better games were morrowind and oblivion. The environment is breathtaking and absolutely captivating. I loved every second I played this game.
  21. PavelZ
    Dec 18, 2009
    10
    For me RPG of decade, possible best then BG2. I can't regret every single minute spend playing this masterpeice :D
  22. DonC
    Dec 18, 2009
    10
    Just stunning. What else can I say? Having played RPGs since the release of Eye of the Beholder, it is really staggering how far the genre has come. Give this one an hour of your time and see how it sticks with you... and suddenly your week has disappeared, spent exploring every nook and cranny of the game world. Worth every penny of the asking price, just wow.
  23. ScottW
    Dec 17, 2009
    8
    An epicly long campain. Be prepared to micromanage. If you're prepared to give this game a good run, don't give up early. It took me about 12 hours of gameplay to get to the point where it was no longer terrible. 40 hours in, I was really enjoying myself. By 80 hours, I was addicted. Reminiscent of a single-player World of Warcraft with more strategy involved.
  24. GarethS
    Dec 17, 2009
    10
    I was tempted to rate this a 9 simply for the reason that I can't see why it would have been difficult to add some kind of online element. I would have liked to have been able to take my rogue character and beat on some of the warrior fans on the Bioware forum for example. Anyhow, it is what it is and it's still one of the best games I've ever played. It has some minor I was tempted to rate this a 9 simply for the reason that I can't see why it would have been difficult to add some kind of online element. I would have liked to have been able to take my rogue character and beat on some of the warrior fans on the Bioware forum for example. Anyhow, it is what it is and it's still one of the best games I've ever played. It has some minor flaws, most notably the strange difficulty spikes at points that arent really meant to be that difficult and the fact that the final battle with the archdemon is actually easier than some of the other battles leading up to it. Ignore the people giving this game stupidly low scores, it's a well crafted game made by the undisputed masters of the genre. When you are playing through a game you have completed for the third time then you know you have had every penny's worth of what you paid for a game… Expand
  25. VinnieS
    Dec 17, 2009
    7
    I have mixed feelings about the game; The atmosphere and environment are pretty damn nice and the world has some rich, if not derivative, details but there are some huge issues with the UI and combat. To talk about its strengths, I'd say that DAO is better than most other 1 player RPGs out there. The music is good, the visuals are great, and it was built with the PC in mind which is I have mixed feelings about the game; The atmosphere and environment are pretty damn nice and the world has some rich, if not derivative, details but there are some huge issues with the UI and combat. To talk about its strengths, I'd say that DAO is better than most other 1 player RPGs out there. The music is good, the visuals are great, and it was built with the PC in mind which is a big plus, these days. The graphics really do deserve some credit: the fire effects look sick and the world is huge and well modeled. I know I always focus on the negatives of these types of games, but that's mainly because if I actually buy a game, then it must have something going for it. Most games I buy have some quality to them that attracts me enough, initially, to drop 50. That said, the game's UI is just not very n00b friendly. I'd need to sit there for like 15-20 min and decide all these default actions for my party members, and they still do some incredibly stupid shit like run into traps and get blown up by fireballs that come off the screen. I think that's the biggest issue with the game. You can either see more of the enemies in the WoW-style view (which makes it hard to click on your partners and issue commands), or you get zoomed out into a half-assed RTS view where you can't fucking see everyone. I know there's a method to queue up actions for each character, but the UI doesn't do a good job of showing these command queues. The AI setting screen also has some issues, as there's no obvious way to add functions (though I am sure one exists). Also, it all seems very specific "taunt if Hero is being attacked BY RANGE" and the same "BY MAGIC" and "BY MELEE." Is there a way to roll this all into: "peel off me asap negros?" Aside from this is the really variable voice acting. I don't know how review sites said shit like "you can always expect amazing voice work from BioWare!" All these guys must be paid off. It seems like "good voice acting" meant announcing "LF Voice actor PST" in the streets of Britain, as every single motherfucker alive has a British accent, and they all sound super unnatural and at many times mouth-breath. It works in some cases, but it gets wearing in a hurry. Another big issue is just BioWare's character development department sucks ass. Human beings in real life have shit like, I don't know, SUBTLETY!?!? Every character in this game is entirely devoid of the notion. The arrogant, cocky king CONSTANTLY boasts about how he's going to go to war and kill a billion people and shit. Yes, we get it, he's arrogant and battle thirsty. For having him say it that often you might as well have him say "Hi, Duncan, I am the arrogant, douchebag king that totally sweats Gray Warden balls." The issue is that there's no ambiguity; in real life it's often tough to read people and realize what they're actually thinking. There is actually uncertainty and mystery to people when you first meet them. You can stereotype, but it's not always how things are. This game thinks it's being subtle but I've seen less obvious behavior in Disney cartoon movies. The last thing I won't really fault DAO alone for, but it's a general trend that I've been noticing that I think ought to be addressed. This whole idea of choices in games. I wrote, 2 years ago, that Mass Effect had a lot of false choices and characters often said the same shit regardless of what you choose. Same deal here. In fact, you often get replies like you said absolutely nothing. The question, then, is simple: WHY BOTHER ASKING ME FOR INPUT? The decision to give you these stupid choices was probably due to amazing games like Metal Gear Solid 4 getting flack for having too much cinema and not enough action. The solution, to BioWare, was obvious; allow the user to FEEL like they're doing something by making them input random nonsense every few minutes that's disregarded anyway. It REALLY breaks the flow of the game, and there were at least 5 cut scenes where an interesting conversation abruptly stopped so I could be ignored after choosing something from 7 long options. Why the fuck do companies think this is a bright idea? I think developers should just make one story, like a novel, that the player experiences. These decision mechanics are always shallow and unimpressive. If you want to give people complete freedom, then do it. Don't just half ass everything for a bullet on the back of the game box. ASK YOURSELF is it necessary? Is it intuitive? And most importantly IS IT FUN?… Expand
  26. AaronM
    Dec 16, 2009
    6
    How this game gets a metascore of 91 I have no idea. Playing this game is a chore. The load times are terrible, the amount of 'errand' type quests they have you doing which involve load screens make it that much worse. The combat is frustrating on normal difficulty unless you're the type to do EVERY side quest possible to maximize your party's level and gear. People How this game gets a metascore of 91 I have no idea. Playing this game is a chore. The load times are terrible, the amount of 'errand' type quests they have you doing which involve load screens make it that much worse. The combat is frustrating on normal difficulty unless you're the type to do EVERY side quest possible to maximize your party's level and gear. People say the gameplay time is at least 65 hours, but I think a large factor in that is struggling through every combat encounter pausing every round to give specific orders to 4 people in your party. Not to mention that most times the party members who suck the most are the most entertaining to have around, and vice versa. So you'll enjoy beating the game with stoic warriors, a dog, and an annoying healing mage. The plot is about as predictable as they come. I kept waiting for the twist, but it never came. Not to mention you are the protagonist for no particular reason. You are the NEWEST recruit, and yet everyone in the country follows your lead like it was god's will. Saving graces for the game are that it was executed with style, depth, decent graphics, entirely spoken dialog and gratuitous sexuality which if nothing else makes it stand apart. If you want to watch your male character do it with a dude, you can make that happen. It'll be weird to watch, but its something you wont get anywhere else.… Expand
  27. NabiguzojeK
    Dec 16, 2009
    4
    I have played for 5 hours only, but nevertheless i'm already getting bored by the game. And rating is failing with time that i have spend on this game, so probably in couple of gameplay hours i will rate the game even worse. In my eyes RPG is not so about weapons or magic that i'm wielding but about my impact to imaginary world and in this game my impact is 0 since everything is I have played for 5 hours only, but nevertheless i'm already getting bored by the game. And rating is failing with time that i have spend on this game, so probably in couple of gameplay hours i will rate the game even worse. In my eyes RPG is not so about weapons or magic that i'm wielding but about my impact to imaginary world and in this game my impact is 0 since everything is preset and you will follow the main qest straight forwardly. Blood and gore are too boring, and i have switched it off immediately since i dont want to be covered with blood constantly. Dog is nice, but it cannot be compared with beloved Dogmeat (Fallout one) On good side, i like wielding the sword, but since this is pure hack and slash (with load of cinematic and stupid dialogs that are useless since story is obvious) Diablo (or any clone) is much better option for gaming 50 euros for this is waaaaay to much… Expand
  28. ColinVD
    Dec 15, 2009
    9
    I think it was a very enjoyable experience. The story was interesting, I found myself talking to the NPCs to learn their back stories. I was a very big fan of the old Black Isle games, and replayed them often. I suppose I am a but of a fan boy, but I like the game a lot. It is just the DLC right at the release kind of chaps my cheeks a bit.
  29. MicheleM.
    Dec 15, 2009
    7
    The storyline is pretty good but after all very predictable. Absolutely nonsense that you need to pay in order to complete an "optional quest". Combat system is not really innovative (like "The Witcher" that has outstanding combat sequencies). Dragon Age just added a meaninglessly quantity of blood to ordinary combat (note: I usually like bloody games!) . Graphics are good, especially in The storyline is pretty good but after all very predictable. Absolutely nonsense that you need to pay in order to complete an "optional quest". Combat system is not really innovative (like "The Witcher" that has outstanding combat sequencies). Dragon Age just added a meaninglessly quantity of blood to ordinary combat (note: I usually like bloody games!) . Graphics are good, especially in cinematics (a little less in gameplay). Summarizing I don't see a real innovation/improvement from NeverWinter Nights serie but I had a quite good time in playing DA (anyway far below expectations).… Expand
  30. CallanR
    Dec 13, 2009
    2
    I am truly mystified by the universal acclaim this game has gotten. The first few hours of the game ARE good, very good even. However the novelty quickly fades as you progress further into the game. The game is totally linear with little to do other than the main 'quest' that furthers the storyline; all but one or two of the side quests are brief, uninteresting and completely I am truly mystified by the universal acclaim this game has gotten. The first few hours of the game ARE good, very good even. However the novelty quickly fades as you progress further into the game. The game is totally linear with little to do other than the main 'quest' that furthers the storyline; all but one or two of the side quests are brief, uninteresting and completely unrewarding. Furthermore the emphasis the game places on the overarching purpose of the main character is bizarre: you are warned of a big bad archdemon and a giant army of evil darkspawn, but these are quickly forgotten as you trudge through boring, uninteresting dungeons/quests for 50 hours in order to 'get ready' to fight the darkspawn army. While playing on hard, the combat is rewarding in the sense that the game is difficult and you will be forced to tweak your tactics for each particular battle, which is a good thing. The problem is that there are really only a handful of skills that are worthwhile, I couldn't imagine playing this game without Cone of Cold. Some skills/spell trees border on unuseable, and with such a slim selection of skills this narrows down your selection quite a bit. The absence of a concrete storyline in the twilight portions of the game is particularly frustrating. While having a direct influence on the outcome on the main storyline/other characters is obviously a must for an RPG, Bioware literally leaves almost everything up to the player in the latter portions of the game. Having a choice is good: giving the player too much choice leaves the experience empty and kind of hollow as you no longer feel like you are immersed in a storyline, rather you are just finishing the ending yourself for the writers. In the end, the game is long, grindy, boring and unrewarding. The items, skills and sidequests are all incredibly bland, and the world has little charm. Some of the characters ARE interesting (Zevran, Sten) while others are cookie cutter characitures and feel completely dead and predictable (Alistair and Leliana, and Morrigan is one of the most awful annoying characters to ever grace video games). The world is filled with red tape, and 90% of the gameplay is in effect waiting as all you are doing for dozens of hours is getting ready gathering an army for one battle sequence that lasts no more than an hour or two. I really wanted to like this game but was sorely disappointed in it.… Expand
  31. Methesda
    Dec 13, 2009
    1
    I can't get what has impressed everyone... there is a story here, but it's not in anyway interesting or original. Voice acting is good, but the animation and graphics are either wooden or horribly glitchy ('antialiasing' of hair, head rotation at a constant speed making actors seem robotic). The comabt system is the same combat system that has been in use for decades; I can't get what has impressed everyone... there is a story here, but it's not in anyway interesting or original. Voice acting is good, but the animation and graphics are either wooden or horribly glitchy ('antialiasing' of hair, head rotation at a constant speed making actors seem robotic). The comabt system is the same combat system that has been in use for decades; to my limited experience it is basically a FF generic RPG system. in itself is not bad But combined with the constant interuptions for cut scenes compounded by the seriously limiting gameplay areas, i found it impossible to get into any kind of flow with the game. The crafting and loots systems are inferior to many other games. I've enjoyed most Elder Scrolls games, Final Fantasy games, and a handful of other games, including MMO's. Most tellingly, i've enjoyed MMO's story and combat systems better than this game, which simply shouldn't be the case. I'm not sure why I'm even giving this game one point.… Expand
  32. JoeSmith
    Dec 13, 2009
    6
    better than the average trash game, yet i cannot understand why so many people give it 95%+ perhaps they did not actually play more than a few hours. mind numbingly repetitive gameplay AND plot, imbalanced skills. It's insanely repetitive - how many times can I clear a room full of bandits/darkspawn with AOE stun, aoe hex, blizzard, tempest, inferno clean up survivors. repeat 10,000 better than the average trash game, yet i cannot understand why so many people give it 95%+ perhaps they did not actually play more than a few hours. mind numbingly repetitive gameplay AND plot, imbalanced skills. It's insanely repetitive - how many times can I clear a room full of bandits/darkspawn with AOE stun, aoe hex, blizzard, tempest, inferno clean up survivors. repeat 10,000 times. Ive played for a few dozen hours and only one battle really stands out as being unique - the one in the village where the undead come out of the castle for awhile, yet that battle was bugged and I had to go find some skeleton that got stuck. Apart from being repetitive, its unbalanced. Some spells are awesome, (aoe stun for 15 seconds that doesnt break on damage???) some are pretty terrible. Its longer than the average EA game, but that doesnt say much when there is so much repetition. Seriously - so far the plot is "you need to get 3 or four groups to follow you. go to them one by one, they'll give you a series of quests, then they'll follow you." Dont believe the hype, this game is very overrated.… Expand
  33. EdwardC
    Dec 13, 2009
    10
    I am 50 years old and have been playing PC or video games since the release of pong in the 1970's. I have played all kinds of Genre
  34. AdamM
    Dec 13, 2009
    7
    Such a hyped game was always going to prove a little dissapointing. As a fan of Baldur's gate/Icewind Dale/NWN I had high hopes for this game, and what little game there is proves to be a great experience, particularly the realism of the choices the player has to make, and the later consequences can prove an awful lot of fun. Unfortunately, the main storyline is incredibly short Such a hyped game was always going to prove a little dissapointing. As a fan of Baldur's gate/Icewind Dale/NWN I had high hopes for this game, and what little game there is proves to be a great experience, particularly the realism of the choices the player has to make, and the later consequences can prove an awful lot of fun. Unfortunately, the main storyline is incredibly short compared to it's predecessors (a problem made worse by inflexibility with where additional content can be added, and the price of the official premium content), and compared to modern RPG's such as Oblivion, the control system feels like an antique rather than a flowing experience, a real shame for a game with such good graphics. Add into this incredibly long load times and pretty small areas, and the game starts and stops far too frequently for far too long; the story's enthralling enough to stop this breaking the flow too much, but it sure as hell doesn't stop it being annoying. Ultimately, a great storyline and many interesting plot changing elements are let down by unimaginative controls with far too many bugs, a lack of anything to do once the main story is finished, and far overpriced 'premium' content.… Expand
  35. ArshadS
    Dec 11, 2009
    9
    9 because of the camera angles and the number of times you have to pause the game if you want to survive. Other than that the graphics and voice acting is excellent and the Custom character creation is almost limitless. Choices you make might give you something you wouldnt expect from the npc which i felt as a new feel and different from other rpgs.
  36. SandorV
    Dec 10, 2009
    0
    cite: "Donnie B. R. gave it a0: Insanely claustrophobic. Mindnumbingly boring conversations. Horribly boring, cliche' story. Terribly boring items. Did I say boring? Almost no customizations. No advancement, generic skills. NO freedom at all (Is this some kind of joke, years after games like Gothic 3 or Oblivion? Playing on 15 x 20m areasy? Loading screens every minute? You gotta be cite: "Donnie B. R. gave it a0: Insanely claustrophobic. Mindnumbingly boring conversations. Horribly boring, cliche' story. Terribly boring items. Did I say boring? Almost no customizations. No advancement, generic skills. NO freedom at all (Is this some kind of joke, years after games like Gothic 3 or Oblivion? Playing on 15 x 20m areasy? Loading screens every minute? You gotta be kidding me. There is absolutely nothing in this game that warrants a good score. No, not even the graphic. A true shame on Bioware, and its reviews are marking the death of independent gaming journalism." i agree at all… Expand
  37. Mark
    Dec 10, 2009
    10
    Dragon Age Origins is not a perfect game, but I can't rate it at an even 9. The game takes you into a fantasy world that you don't want to leave. It is a single player experience that I haven't had since I played Oblivion. While the gameplay is not exactly like that of the Elder Scrolls series, it is close in its theme. I had never played an RPG like this before, because I Dragon Age Origins is not a perfect game, but I can't rate it at an even 9. The game takes you into a fantasy world that you don't want to leave. It is a single player experience that I haven't had since I played Oblivion. While the gameplay is not exactly like that of the Elder Scrolls series, it is close in its theme. I had never played an RPG like this before, because I found the whole concept rather tedious. After my friend saying that he was pretty jazzed about getting this game, I vowed to give it an honest try. By the time I'd finished the origin portion of the game, I was completely hooked. The voice acting is excellent for the most part, and the graphics are pretty good, although the PC version requirements seem to be considerably high for the graphics quality. My son has no trouble with playing it with his dual core AMD CPU, but he has a pretty good graphics card. I guess the best thing I could say about the game, is that I don't want it to end. After playing for more than 50 hours I still have a way to go before finishing my first play through. I will play it through again after giving it a break for a couple of months, and try my hand at a different class of character. That must tell you something.… Expand
  38. AlexR
    Dec 10, 2009
    9
    No matter the frustrations one might feel with the game's flaws (ie. the over-hyped choice-and-consequence factor, the sometimes creepy "uncanny-valley" problems with NPCs, the familiar "hero vs.a- threat-everyone-else-is-not-taking seriously" plot, the cut-scene graphical issues like characters' hands going through bodies and facial hair floating away from the face or No matter the frustrations one might feel with the game's flaws (ie. the over-hyped choice-and-consequence factor, the sometimes creepy "uncanny-valley" problems with NPCs, the familiar "hero vs.a- threat-everyone-else-is-not-taking seriously" plot, the cut-scene graphical issues like characters' hands going through bodies and facial hair floating away from the face or disappearing through fabric, etc.), the game is still the best RPG of 2009. What technical glitches or loading screens that annoy the player is more than compensated for by the characters the PC encounters and the emotions they can draw from him/her. These emotions are what Molyneaux, of the Fable franchise, tried to coax out of the players, but failed to do so. Dragon Age makes you care for your companions, who get mad at you for doing something stupid and who may develop change-of-hearts due to you nourishing your relationships with. This is what role-playing should be able to do: make you care for the people you meet and the world you are in. Of course, you can also choose not care. You can frustrate your companions, anger them until some are forced to draw their weapons against you. You can damn the world by electing poor leaders, or massacring groups of people, or dooming souls for your benefit. That is something this game does well, the element of role-playing. In the end, as far as the year has gone, no other game executes the same element as well as Dragon Age does. That's why there is no denying it is the best 2009 has to offer in RPGs, even the naysayers and flamers have no coherent argument to the contrary.… Expand
  39. GeoffreyG
    Dec 9, 2009
    10
    Amazing. It's the same formula that made the Baldur's Gate series popular brought to a whole new level. The world is remarkable largely for it's amazing depth, and the true three dimensionality of the characters and relationships between them. Easily the best RPG of the year, and a good contender for the RPG of the decade.
  40. Adam
    Dec 9, 2009
    9
    Other than an fps issue for me this was by far the best RPG I've ever played. All I have to say is this, if the score is below a 6, then the player either sucked at the game, or he or she REALLY sucked. The customization of play styles is enough to make replay ability very high even if you jsut go straight through the game. I don't believe you can find a game with a longer or Other than an fps issue for me this was by far the best RPG I've ever played. All I have to say is this, if the score is below a 6, then the player either sucked at the game, or he or she REALLY sucked. The customization of play styles is enough to make replay ability very high even if you jsut go straight through the game. I don't believe you can find a game with a longer or more in depth single-player mode. The lore could fill a book and the history is so well layed out in your player's codex that I would read every little scrap I got. The voice acting was great in every aspect, the expressions could have been better though.Buy this game, it is worth the fifty dollars for the 100 hours of gameplay.… Expand
  41. StephenS.
    Dec 9, 2009
    9
    Really what I wasn't expecting in this game. There was a great story line between each character you choose and the replay value of this game is extremely high. Endless possibility's with characters, game play and much more. Not much you can't do in this game. Defiantly worth buying.
  42. KennyO
    Dec 8, 2009
    9
    I just finished my first time through on a PC version of the game playing it on the hard difficulty - it took a little over 100 hours. [I'm going to guess that it's unplayable on XBOX (as was Oblivion) - but that's the platform and not the game's fault.] The relationship dynamics and choosing story line is engaging. This is easily the best video game I've ever I just finished my first time through on a PC version of the game playing it on the hard difficulty - it took a little over 100 hours. [I'm going to guess that it's unplayable on XBOX (as was Oblivion) - but that's the platform and not the game's fault.] The relationship dynamics and choosing story line is engaging. This is easily the best video game I've ever played, regardless of genre, because the storyline requires thinking in terms of relationships, past conversations, and future outcomes. Hard difficulty means having to pause during battle often to micromanage, unless you find some good tactics and have programmed the individual character tactics effectively. Early in the game the incessant conversations can be tedious, and late in the game the incessant battles become a little tedious too - but overall this is a stunning and beautiful experience.… Expand
  43. KostasI.
    Dec 8, 2009
    5
    Ok, first things first, the good parts. Good visuals on the PC, excellent sound and music, good voice overs from the important people of the game, excellent humor, combat feels vicious and violent, lots of lore. And now the bad things. Everything else. Bad story telling, bad voices for all non important characters, non-existent exploration, zero freedom, unbalanced gameplay, bugs that can Ok, first things first, the good parts. Good visuals on the PC, excellent sound and music, good voice overs from the important people of the game, excellent humor, combat feels vicious and violent, lots of lore. And now the bad things. Everything else. Bad story telling, bad voices for all non important characters, non-existent exploration, zero freedom, unbalanced gameplay, bugs that can be progress stopping, decisions that only take place until the very end and dont really matter anyway. Generally this is a game that takes RPG games 2 steps forward and 10 steps back. Inexperienced with the genre people will definitely enjoy it for obvious reasons but those that want a deep and involving experience would do well to steer away. You have been warned.… Expand
  44. Ger
    Dec 8, 2009
    9
    High replay value. Deep well thought story. Intense battles. Excellent soundtrack. Excellent voice acting. Worth buy. In my opinion it is the best RPG in 2009.
  45. TrevorR
    Dec 8, 2009
    10
    Bioware has once again made a fantastic RPG Dragon Age is without a doubt one of the best RPGs i have played the game is very long which is always a plus the story is very deep and intruiging not to mention you can select different backrounds for your character so it gives them all a unique feel. the tactics menu is easy to use and apply once you have full understanding of it the boss Bioware has once again made a fantastic RPG Dragon Age is without a doubt one of the best RPGs i have played the game is very long which is always a plus the story is very deep and intruiging not to mention you can select different backrounds for your character so it gives them all a unique feel. the tactics menu is easy to use and apply once you have full understanding of it the boss fights were also great long challanging and each one posing a different threat and way to fight there is a lot of text and talking so you get to learn and know a lot about your companions and the world of Dragon Age only thing i didn't like was the fact that it already has DLC it should have come with it in my opinion… Expand
  46. Mike
    Dec 7, 2009
    10
    This is the best game i´ve played since KotOR. The storyline is entertaining, the cutscenes are AMAZING, the characters are interesting. It´s a way better game than Oblivion or Assassin's Creed - every place in the world has a meaning and history. Bioware created a fascinating world. I don´t understand how people can say this is a bad game - I undertand that you This is the best game i´ve played since KotOR. The storyline is entertaining, the cutscenes are AMAZING, the characters are interesting. It´s a way better game than Oblivion or Assassin's Creed - every place in the world has a meaning and history. Bioware created a fascinating world. I don´t understand how people can say this is a bad game - I undertand that you don´t like it because it´s a slowed based game, but it´s definately not bad. 10/10… Expand
  47. DonnieB.R.
    Dec 7, 2009
    0
    Insanely claustrophobic. Mindnumbingly boring conversations. Horribly boring, cliche' story. Terribly boring items. Did I say boring? Almost no customizations. No advancement, generic skills. NO freedom at all (Is this some kind of joke, years after games like Gothic 3 or Oblivion? Playing on 15 x 20m areasy? Loading screens every minute? You gotta be kidding me. There is absolutely Insanely claustrophobic. Mindnumbingly boring conversations. Horribly boring, cliche' story. Terribly boring items. Did I say boring? Almost no customizations. No advancement, generic skills. NO freedom at all (Is this some kind of joke, years after games like Gothic 3 or Oblivion? Playing on 15 x 20m areasy? Loading screens every minute? You gotta be kidding me. There is absolutely nothing in this game that warrants a good score. No, not even the graphic. A true shame on Bioware, and its reviews are marking the death of independent gaming journalism.… Expand
  48. BalerianF
    Dec 7, 2009
    10
    This game was by far one of the best RPG's that I have played to date. I am very impressed with its questing, witty banter and most importantly overall gameplay.
  49. BobbyD
    Dec 6, 2009
    10
    This has to be the best single player RPG I have played since Final Fantasy 7. If you enjoy Bioware games, or played and liked "The Witcher" this is a must buy. It was challenging and had about 70 hours of gameplay first time through on Normal mode with over 75% of the optional quests completed. A must have for any RPG enthusiast. Very nice to have a traditional and original RPG with This has to be the best single player RPG I have played since Final Fantasy 7. If you enjoy Bioware games, or played and liked "The Witcher" this is a must buy. It was challenging and had about 70 hours of gameplay first time through on Normal mode with over 75% of the optional quests completed. A must have for any RPG enthusiast. Very nice to have a traditional and original RPG with depth and so epic to boot.… Expand
  50. Baked
    Dec 6, 2009
    10
    Amazing game, bottom line. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into both the plot/graphics and game play. This game gets an A+ for re-playability because of all the different characters and classes you can be. There is a bit of a learning curve, but don't let it get you down. As soon as you master the pause and strategize method, you will become addicted quickly.
  51. AllenC.
    Dec 6, 2009
    10
    This is hands down the best RPG game of all time. I've played all the bioware games except for Mass Effect and Oblivion, and Morrowind and I have to say this one just stands like a god among the rest of the RPG's i've played. You go through and just don't want the game to end, This is the only game that has had me sitting in front of the computer playing for over 12 This is hands down the best RPG game of all time. I've played all the bioware games except for Mass Effect and Oblivion, and Morrowind and I have to say this one just stands like a god among the rest of the RPG's i've played. You go through and just don't want the game to end, This is the only game that has had me sitting in front of the computer playing for over 12 hours straight, once it grips you, it just doesn't let go.… Expand
  52. LeroyC
    Dec 5, 2009
    10
    This game is HUGE.... for 60 bucks you can't beat a deal like this. It is one of the most emversive game out there right now. Great story, great fun. Go get it now!
  53. JamesH.
    Dec 5, 2009
    8
    There is a lot not to like about this game, but even more to like. I agree with much of what other reviewers have said regarding negatives, but I can't stop playing this title. Onto the pros and cons: GRAPHICS: The graphics are good over all, but it' clear that they were designed for the overhead "classic" RPG view, because when you zoom into explore mode, the graphics look very There is a lot not to like about this game, but even more to like. I agree with much of what other reviewers have said regarding negatives, but I can't stop playing this title. Onto the pros and cons: GRAPHICS: The graphics are good over all, but it' clear that they were designed for the overhead "classic" RPG view, because when you zoom into explore mode, the graphics look very old-school. Low quality textures even at the highest setting. The graphics don't compare to say, Oblivion, but then again, this isn't Oblivion. The artistry of the graphics is fantastic and the facial modeling is actually light years better than Oblivion; every person actually looks like a different individual as opposed to other games where it's the 5 male and female faces every time. The towns and forests are well done and really suggest their environments well. In short, more polygons and higher quality textures are needed, but for what it is, it's great and doesn't detract from the fun. SOUND: Can't say enough about it, the soundtrack is phenomenal. I'm glad to see such effort put into a game soundtrack. GAMEPLAY: Definitely different from older BioWare games. Most battles aren't evenly matched in terms of numbers. It's not uncommon to fight your four adventurers to say, 12 bandits or undead at a time. However, when in tight spaces, it's easy to draw out enemies a few at a time into an ambush, but for the plot battles, it's always in a giant room and four versus 15. So often it's the old shtick of how-many-health-potions-can-you-use-to-get-through-a-battle. And these enemy numbers aren't fodder. Enemy archers are absolutely lethal and rogues appear out of thin air and back stab, and the fighters always seem better equipped. Enemy mages are usually weak oddly enough. In fact, mundane bandit battles are much harder than major plot battles. The AI is fair at best. Enemies mindlessly target your mages, even when being battered by your fighters. Large groups of enemies are easily duped into ambushes, and won't attack until you until you're very close to them. Enemies have no fear and won't attempt to flee, nor will they use health poultices. It's clearly a leveled system, but there are always battles/enemies that are beyond the groups level which serve to conceal this fact (Revenants and High Dragons anyone?) The combat system is classic BioWare and well done. If you liked KotoR and NWN then you will like DAO. The tactics menu is a little to complex in my opinion. You can assign a behavior to an NPC for nearly any scenario imaginable. The skills and spells are well thought out and classes are very customizable with the specialization slots. Weapons and equipment are very well done. No longer do you pine for powerful magic weapons, because regular weapons are also capable due to the interesting variety of fantastical materials they can be made from (veridium, ironbark, etc.) and their crafter (dwarven, Elvish, etc.). Yes, it's the same thing as magic weapons, but it's nice to use a simple dwarven silverite sword instead of Unholy Blood Sword of Wrath a la Diablo. STORY: The story is very creative, although it mimics real politics and religion a bit too much. There's a bit of a departure from the Tolkien standard of the races (dwarves, elves, humans) in the role of the elves, but I have to admit, it's very interesting. The plot flows well and the game constantly reminds you of it in the mundane encounters. When you run into a battle while traveling, sometimes it will be a group of mercenaries sent by Loghain to hunt you, or darkspawn fighting an ally that you won over recently. The main quest is very well integrated into the game and is never "forgotten" as in Oblivion. CONCLUSION: A must-have title for a BioWare fan, but this may disappoint if you're expecting a game like Oblivion or the Witcher. It's old school and that's what makes it great. In regards to the other reviewers gripes about unbalanced foes and poor party members, it's simply a matter of using tactics. If you find that are losing battles a lot and getting overwhelmed, change your tactics. Use different party members. Use the tactics menu. A BioWare game means having to pause constantly during a battle and reevaluate tactics. And if you still are losing, then leave it be and wait until you advance. Many battles aren't meant to be winnable under a certain level. All the plot battles are balanced though, even with large numbers. The game is meant to be playable straight through the main quest, but much of the challenge lies in the side quests.… Expand
  54. AndyG.
    Dec 5, 2009
    9
    Excellent to play for its story, for getting to know the many complex characters and for discovering their part in it - but not for the combat. This is why I played the game on easy. The combat, while easy to control, is bettered in balance and excitement by other games. The loot is fairly mundane. The graphics are standard, if well presented. The character levelling is quite shallow and Excellent to play for its story, for getting to know the many complex characters and for discovering their part in it - but not for the combat. This is why I played the game on easy. The combat, while easy to control, is bettered in balance and excitement by other games. The loot is fairly mundane. The graphics are standard, if well presented. The character levelling is quite shallow and you feel little more powerful at level 4 than you do at level 20, at which point the game ends - but this isn't the point. The expertly narrated storyline, character interaction and atmospheric world more than makes up for its gameplay shortfalls. Dragon Age offers to engross you with atmosphere & story. It is not going to enthrall your open-world desires like TES & FO3, nor is it going to satisfy endless enjoyable loot and experience grinding like a Diablo clone, or quell your lust for Diablo 3. Please don't complain if that's what you were expecting... (glares at numerous negative player reviewers.. one of which recommend Dungeon Seige over this. Ha.)… Expand
  55. DanB
    Dec 3, 2009
    7
    An absolutely fantastic storyline which wrapped up well at the ending. The origins were all quite good, some better than others. The game really shined at the beginning and the end, but I felt like I was going through a bit of a grind in the middle. The dialogue and plot kept it alive for me I think, because the combat didn't. It's not that I'm a hater of this style of An absolutely fantastic storyline which wrapped up well at the ending. The origins were all quite good, some better than others. The game really shined at the beginning and the end, but I felt like I was going through a bit of a grind in the middle. The dialogue and plot kept it alive for me I think, because the combat didn't. It's not that I'm a hater of this style of combat, but the pausing constantly and telling each member to do this and that (because although the tactics were a good idea and reasonably well done I could never seem to get them to work) got very repetitive after some time of playing. I could probably blame this on the enemies having very little variation. The game was as challenging for me as others have claimed, with two mages in my group I could practically kept my enemies constantly stunned/frozen/paralyzed. With a few particular mage spells, combat becomes almost a joke (dragon fights are fun, though). The graphics were decent, but not memorable. I eventually turned off the music, but I do this in a lot of games such as this after a while. Despite my criticisms, I can't praise the storyline highly enough it's definitely one of the best I can remember. Combine storyline and dialogue of the quality in Dragon Age:Origins with the open world and more exciting combat of Oblivion (a game I played way too much) and you would have a recipe for success, and obsession. However, Dragon Age:Origins has given me one of only a few instances when I can remember actually 'feeling something' at the ending of a game, which is a real credit to the game.… Expand
  56. anonymous
    Dec 3, 2009
    10
    best RPG i played in years, even better than never winter nights and Buldur's gate (both by Bioware).
  57. SamP
    Dec 3, 2009
    10
    This is quite possibly the best game ever made. Disregard any review that says it is a bad game. In fact, disregard most reviews that describe any faults in the game. If any review says anything less than that Dragon Age is the best RPG ever, then they are wrong.
  58. welltell
    Dec 2, 2009
    8
    Okay it feels like Neverwinter nights... or that some one at bioware took the neverwinter nights game engine and decided to create a better game. Dragon ago is a lot of fun, it would of been better if the graphics were more like what Bathesda did in OBLIVION.
  59. MarkH.
    Dec 2, 2009
    4
    Yes, it's pretty. Yes, the soundtrack is excellent. Beyond this, it's nothing you haven't already seen or played a thousand times, it's excruciatingly tedious, and I've more often than not found all but one character in the party dead, with the lone survivor running laps around a tree while being chased by an adversary, waiting for my mana or stamina to recharge Yes, it's pretty. Yes, the soundtrack is excellent. Beyond this, it's nothing you haven't already seen or played a thousand times, it's excruciatingly tedious, and I've more often than not found all but one character in the party dead, with the lone survivor running laps around a tree while being chased by an adversary, waiting for my mana or stamina to recharge so I can actually fight. All in all, it's tedious, long, and I'm giving it another hour before I delete it.… Expand
  60. VladimírS
    Dec 2, 2009
    10
    I dont know what to say... it has got something specific like other GREAT RPGs (like gothic, witcher etc). But this has a taste of everything! I recomend it!
  61. BobbyD
    Dec 2, 2009
    10
    This has to be the best single player RPG I have played since Final Fantasy 7. If you enjoy Bioware games, or played and liked "The Witcher" this is a must buy. It was challenging and had about 70 hours of gameplay first time through on Normal mode with over 75% of the optional quests completed. A must have for any RPG enthusiast. Very nice to have a traditional and original RPG with This has to be the best single player RPG I have played since Final Fantasy 7. If you enjoy Bioware games, or played and liked "The Witcher" this is a must buy. It was challenging and had about 70 hours of gameplay first time through on Normal mode with over 75% of the optional quests completed. A must have for any RPG enthusiast. Very nice to have a traditional and original RPG with depth and so epic to boot.… Expand
  62. jayk
    Dec 1, 2009
    0
    40 % of the game is watching cut scenes. 20% is answering multiple choice questions on what to say and how to reply. 40% is running and combat. this is a very slow paced game with invisible walls everywhere. not an open world.
  63. P.S.
    Nov 30, 2009
    6
    Deep and polished storyline? Yes. Includes critical fight elements where it doesn't make any difference how much and carefully you've advanced? Absolutely. Enemies you could wipe out in a few sword strokes at Level 2 are just as challenging at Level 13, if not more so. Why advance at all, you ask? If you're the kind of player who likes to have every battle possibly be a Deep and polished storyline? Yes. Includes critical fight elements where it doesn't make any difference how much and carefully you've advanced? Absolutely. Enemies you could wipe out in a few sword strokes at Level 2 are just as challenging at Level 13, if not more so. Why advance at all, you ask? If you're the kind of player who likes to have every battle possibly be a challenge, this game is for you. If you spent hours considering your armor and upgrade choices, you've just wasting your time. There are dozens of RPG games that are more fun than this one. It didn't have to be this way. A huge expenditure of resources on a game that's only modestly good, unless you like endless, combat where you never really know what you're facing, until you've faced it.… Expand
  64. JenniferC
    Nov 28, 2009
    10
    This is my kind of RPG. I love the interactive fiction/movie aspect of it. It has a very well written story, a well fleshed out world, and is a lot of fun to go through and see what other options will do for the story.
  65. RobertW
    Nov 28, 2009
    4
    Slow moving throwback to about 2004. Too much replay required and slow loads make gameplay unfullfilling. I guess I have been spoiled by Fallout 3 and Bioshock.
  66. JasonB
    Nov 28, 2009
    7
    Overall a fantastic game with great breadth and graphics though if I think of Baldur's Gate II and Ultima IV as the best in gaming of this genre, I find Dragon Age to be a step backward. It plays too much like a movie and allows for too little interaction with the environment (forget about creating new spells or potions). The physics of the world is closed off to you. The party size Overall a fantastic game with great breadth and graphics though if I think of Baldur's Gate II and Ultima IV as the best in gaming of this genre, I find Dragon Age to be a step backward. It plays too much like a movie and allows for too little interaction with the environment (forget about creating new spells or potions). The physics of the world is closed off to you. The party size is limited to four characters and yet others you meet along the way just somehow show up in camp every night. The combat systems is greatly simplified, you are unable to setup placements of your characters to take advantage of the terrain (they always walk around in a triangle) requiring you to micro manage combat. One of the failings that it shares with its greater brethren is the inability to play it without a mouse.… Expand
  67. BlaiseJ
    Nov 27, 2009
    10
    I've been a long time Role Player and I must say this game boasts some of the best story telling I've ever seen in a game. Coupled with excellent character development and great game play this is not a title you want to pass up.
  68. JeffS
    Nov 27, 2009
    10
    A classic in the spirit of Baldur's Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Just modern, refined, far deeper in every way, and more engrossing and immersive. It's not terribly innovative in any way, but everything it strives for it pulls off perfectly.
  69. MikeP
    Nov 27, 2009
    10
    By far the best game I have played the last 5 Years (and believe me, I have played ALOT of games)! From the first second on a breath taking epic game. Don't miss this masterpiece. Thank you Bioware!
  70. AngusC
    Nov 27, 2009
    1
    The good part of this game is that it runs when you click the icon. Past that it is a relic. The interface was cutting edge at the turn of the century filled in with almost as many cutscenes as final fantasy series about a world which you will have to force yourself to care about. If you play the Dwarf Noble story arch, expect a no win situation after a few hours of play to remove your The good part of this game is that it runs when you click the icon. Past that it is a relic. The interface was cutting edge at the turn of the century filled in with almost as many cutscenes as final fantasy series about a world which you will have to force yourself to care about. If you play the Dwarf Noble story arch, expect a no win situation after a few hours of play to remove your items, especially the DLC items you paid for, and there is no way to get them back. Did I say a few hours of play? No I meant 10 to 20 minutes of running around learning the interface and an hour and a half plus of dialogue that rambles on and that your choices in the dialogue have no bearing on affecting the story or your inevitable exile. This game could have been a dvd and the UI ran by a simple TV remote. It should be 20 bucks to watch as a movie. The archaic baldurs gate/and MMO out there UI is junk for todays gamer. I have forced myself to play through the first 15 levels of a few of the story archs and they are all the same after the 2 hours of initial dialogue and the DLC is nothing to write home about, providing an extra character which should render the Dwarf Story Line of the game useless and a keep which gets you slightly better than beginning armor and 2 merchants who have sets of armor for each of the tiers and some crafting mats. The game can be played on Auto pilot and should be for that fact, any deviations from your parties default tactics and you will be forced to manually control them which would be a good thing if there was any control on the characters, but no its a simple auto attack game that you can program each character to fight specifically. Every few minutes expect 10 minutes of dialogue all repeating dialogue either read or spoken in the Codex or cutscene. Perfect game for people who do not like to control many aspects of the game. Less control than your average mmorg ui. If you are looking for an epic fantasy game, wait for Elder Scrolls 5. If you are looking to play a game that uses a 10+ year old ui with an upgrade to the textures file then this is your game. On my last note customizing your character's class is annoying until you play through the whole game and get it right a second complete play through. If you want to play a specific set of Class Specializations like an Arcane Warrior/Blood Mage you need to know how to find these specs or like my mage you will find them too late and not even use your Specialization before the end of the game. Bioware had a good reputation for games, I have always been happy with them, but this game shows that like all companies, when you get successful you becomes lazy and trying to revive a 10 year old UI by covering it up with new graphics, too much blood that almost never goes away and a tedious ammount of dialogue is just plain lazy. Even if they had tried an action base ui where clicking a mouse button meant something other than activating an icon it would have been 100 times better. This game is no where near the quality that Bioshock or Mass Effect were and I am worried that they will be lazy on the sequels to those great titles and personally I hope there is no Dragon Age: Origins 2 as it will further my belief that Bioware is going the route of so many companies before it and just getting all mighty dollar by any short cut possible.… Expand
  71. JonD
    Nov 26, 2009
    9
    This is a very big and elaborate game. There are a lot of cutscenes, quantity enough to be imbalanced at first, but once you get deep enough into it--hours into the game--the actual gameplay finally balances out. I never played Baldur's Gate 2 so I can't compare to that, but the game does remind me a lot of Oblivion in some ways, at least as far as NPC interactions go, outside This is a very big and elaborate game. There are a lot of cutscenes, quantity enough to be imbalanced at first, but once you get deep enough into it--hours into the game--the actual gameplay finally balances out. I never played Baldur's Gate 2 so I can't compare to that, but the game does remind me a lot of Oblivion in some ways, at least as far as NPC interactions go, outside of party interactions. You might call it a cross between Mass Effect in interactions+exploring+fighting gameplay style, Oblivion in setting style, and some 2D RPGs like Neverwinter Nights in party-forming and DA's optional overhead isometric viewing (perhaps this is where Balders Gate 2 comes in? .. I wouldn't know). I do have a complaint about some of the textures, some of them look and feel awfully low-res, but they're at least made up for with lots of hi-res ones. The actual gameplay is fun, but the time it takes to level my main character up enough to have more than three or so special attacks is arduous. Overall, it's a great game. I only play AAA top-notch games anymore these days--too little time to play the merely "good" games--so the fact that I'm still playing Dragon Age should say a lot.… Expand
  72. JohnG
    Nov 26, 2009
    10
    I usually don't stop to rate games on review websites like this, but seeing the lousy 8.6 score gave me a bit of pause. I believe that this is far and away the most immersive RPG I've ever played. It is also the first RPG that actually made me feel that the choices I made had real consequences. The dialogue options have a lot of variety and at times I find myself wondering what I usually don't stop to rate games on review websites like this, but seeing the lousy 8.6 score gave me a bit of pause. I believe that this is far and away the most immersive RPG I've ever played. It is also the first RPG that actually made me feel that the choices I made had real consequences. The dialogue options have a lot of variety and at times I find myself wondering what would have happened in response had I chosen something else. The combat system is wonderful, I love the tactics involved. Although the system of pausing and issuing orders makes combat seem almost turn based in complicated situations it also feels more rewarding to me personally after having out matched my opponents on a strategic level. The only real critism I have is that outside of specialization, character customization is a bit limited, there aren't really many important talent trade offs. Any time I make a Tank character it's pretty much going to be the same build or if I make a rogue or archer or healer or mage. I would have liked it more had I been forced to choose talents that would make a more magic oriented tank or more single target oriented damage dealer etc. Maybe I was just looking for a more fleshed out specialization system. Anyway back to how awesome the game is; Dragon Age Origins is definitely a game that I recommend buying even just as a salute to the developers for great game making. Even though I haven't finished the game I already see myself spending hours and hours repeatedly playing it through with different classes and on different difficulties; and even now I feel a bit anxieous that I might finish it too soon and have to dread waiting for a new expansion or sequel.… Expand
  73. IsaacK.
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing. I don't even care for the style of combat, but not only did I enjoy it I loved it. It really is depressing that a game of this caliber is outdone by a weak game like Modern Warfare 2. Playing through this game felt like being in a more brutal LotR universe, and this is not a bad thing as you get that great epic feeling. My only issue with the game is This game is absolutely amazing. I don't even care for the style of combat, but not only did I enjoy it I loved it. It really is depressing that a game of this caliber is outdone by a weak game like Modern Warfare 2. Playing through this game felt like being in a more brutal LotR universe, and this is not a bad thing as you get that great epic feeling. My only issue with the game is the lack of items, and with the game running up to 60 hours the lack of items is very noticeable. This single hole will be filled quickly by user mods I imagine, so it doesn't effect my overall score much (I'd give this a 9.5 if I could).… Expand
  74. livviem
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    Absolutely the pinnacle of everything Bioware's ever done. Without a doubt the best western RPG I've ever played and I loved that you finally get a proper ending for all your companions as well. Thank you Bioware, for never forgetting about the girl gamers and the romance storylines, they never fail to amaze me and you're really getting so close to perfect on that score. Absolutely the pinnacle of everything Bioware's ever done. Without a doubt the best western RPG I've ever played and I loved that you finally get a proper ending for all your companions as well. Thank you Bioware, for never forgetting about the girl gamers and the romance storylines, they never fail to amaze me and you're really getting so close to perfect on that score. Starting on my next playthrough right...now!… Expand
  75. Craden
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    This may be the best game I have ever played. At first, the controls were frustrating. I'm not used to a click to move set up. But since I've grown accustomed to that, I've found very little wrong with this game. If there is a defining characteristic of this game, it is depth. The characters have depth, the combat system has depth and the world at large has depth. The fact This may be the best game I have ever played. At first, the controls were frustrating. I'm not used to a click to move set up. But since I've grown accustomed to that, I've found very little wrong with this game. If there is a defining characteristic of this game, it is depth. The characters have depth, the combat system has depth and the world at large has depth. The fact that there is always something going on between the characters, be it banter or a more expanded dialogue, really brings this game to life. Some game worlds (Oblivion) feel lonely, like the world is scarcely populated and only by cutouts but in place to further your goals, this game is not one of them. The characters seem to have opinions and motivations independent of the player. It is true that the game incorporates a number of cliches and that the game world isn't exactly original. It is also true that the romantic interaction is a bit juvenile. But the first of these criticisms is true in general for video games. Nearly all game settings are genre based and generic to some degree (with certain exception). And as far as I'm aware, there have been few, 0 in fact, game plots that are of Pulitzer caliber. And more generally, all video games suffer from a juvenile male disposition. These things noted, this game takes small steps forward toward making video games a narrative art rather than simply a form of entertainment. This game is very much like what Borges described in his short story "The Garden of Forking Paths." It is a small glimpse at the future of interactive narrative. And for all it's flaws, it is the forebearer of the types of games that will gain video games respect in an artistic community and this, in itself, is no small accomplishment.… Expand
  76. CanonY
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    I've played games most of my life, and of all genres I'm a big fan of role playing games. I remember the joy of playing final fantasy 5 for the first time. This is the pinnacle of all RPGs - a lot of work has gone into the game, and the depth shows. Dialogue appears to be endless. Literally, you could spend all day listening to the rumours in the tavern. It's much like I've played games most of my life, and of all genres I'm a big fan of role playing games. I remember the joy of playing final fantasy 5 for the first time. This is the pinnacle of all RPGs - a lot of work has gone into the game, and the depth shows. Dialogue appears to be endless. Literally, you could spend all day listening to the rumours in the tavern. It's much like reading a novel, but more involving. The action is fast and bloody. You learn to care about the characters in your party and each has their own past and personalities. I feel privileged having played such a game, it brings a big smile to my face. If you're more into button bashing or have a short attention span, then this game may not be for you but for everyone else - this is about as good as it gets. A classic in every respect.… Expand
  77. MohJ
    Nov 24, 2009
    10
    This game is on the top list of my favorites games ever. Listen to what I'm going to say next, and listen carefully .... I'm 20+ hours into the game and I've only completed 14% of it! 20 Bloody hours and only 14% completion and 25% world explored! Hooowaa... The only bad thing is that I have too many exams and this game isn't giving me the chance to study for them.
  78. ToddR
    Nov 23, 2009
    9
    Awesome story, decisions come back to bite you in the rear end. Diverse back stories. Endings are totally flexible depending on choices made during game play. Engaging plot and characters. Would have given a 10, but AI, even with the scripting tool, was clunky and not exactly trustworthy.
  79. andrzejr
    Nov 23, 2009
    10
    Love it. I'm enjoying this way more than Baldur's Gate, and I was very happy with that one. This is definitely a successor to that in every way that matters and then some. Too bad all the console gamers won't get to enjoy the visual beauty that the pc version offers.
  80. RansakB
    Nov 23, 2009
    10
    It's been a long time since a RPG has actually came out that wasn't completely devoid of any real plot. I've been playing this game since release and I'm still floored by how well the story is done. RPGs used to be about telling a story with you as the hero/villain. Diablo sadly took this and threw it out the window leaving us with the 'action RPG' genre It's been a long time since a RPG has actually came out that wasn't completely devoid of any real plot. I've been playing this game since release and I'm still floored by how well the story is done. RPGs used to be about telling a story with you as the hero/villain. Diablo sadly took this and threw it out the window leaving us with the 'action RPG' genre taking over. I loved the original Baldur's Gate trilogy as well and so far this game ranks amongst them.… Expand
  81. RichardN
    Nov 22, 2009
    9
    This game is simply amazing, quests, combat system, story, voice acting, items, graphics are very well done. The only reason why I don't give this game a 10 is because of the few minors glitches that can happen but it is really worth buying, one of the best RPG experience you'll ever have so far in my opinion!
  82. WonderWorm
    Nov 22, 2009
    2
    Compared to Elder Scrolls, Dragon age is very disappointing with its linear closed world. It puts up this facade that makes it seem you have some options and a non-linear game, but the game world is tiny and all paths lead to the same conclusion. The Battle system is really lacking as well, as if they could not decide if they wanted to make an RPG or an RTS/RTT. Although consequently as Compared to Elder Scrolls, Dragon age is very disappointing with its linear closed world. It puts up this facade that makes it seem you have some options and a non-linear game, but the game world is tiny and all paths lead to the same conclusion. The Battle system is really lacking as well, as if they could not decide if they wanted to make an RPG or an RTS/RTT. Although consequently as the critics point out you could spend more time in the pause screen than actually doing anything. Basically this game has nothing new or interesting to offer the RPG genre and that alone would be 5/10. The insanely numerous load screens that fairly often crash and the very dated design polished with fancy graphics 2/10 seems generous.… Expand
  83. MizunoA
    Nov 22, 2009
    8
    Although this game rests in a somewhat generic fantasy universe, credit to Bioware for fleshing it out, and putting a dark, mature spin on things. In summary, A Song of Ice and Fire meets Lord of the Rings. The combat system is without flaw, and almost every other fight will require a different approach. The realtime / pause mechanism is wonderful and allows the player to orchestrate Although this game rests in a somewhat generic fantasy universe, credit to Bioware for fleshing it out, and putting a dark, mature spin on things. In summary, A Song of Ice and Fire meets Lord of the Rings. The combat system is without flaw, and almost every other fight will require a different approach. The realtime / pause mechanism is wonderful and allows the player to orchestrate difficult boss battles, or glide through low-threat encounters with ease. This game will easily suck you in for a good 40 hours before you start to tire of it; hardcore players will spend upwards of 120+ if they can muster the strength to do every side quest. For most of us, 70-80 hours playtime will see the game through. There is a definite replayability factor with intensely hard difficulty levels, 4 unique sub-classes for the main 3, and a large amount of sidequests to complete. In summary, a polished, accomplished tactical RPG let down somewhat by lack of innovation in story, setting and gameplay mechanics.… Expand
  84. [ANONYMOUS]
    Nov 21, 2009
    3
    By the time I started this game I was already certain that I'd played it before. Why is that? That's because it's practically identical to any other RPG in the genre. The only redeeming quality is that it's decently pretty to look at. The spells however aren't really anything to be excited about. The incredibly linear character development progression is a shame. By the time I started this game I was already certain that I'd played it before. Why is that? That's because it's practically identical to any other RPG in the genre. The only redeeming quality is that it's decently pretty to look at. The spells however aren't really anything to be excited about. The incredibly linear character development progression is a shame. It seems the developers of this game had never heard of a "Skill Tree" Yes, there are options, but they're all in a line. Nothing branches off. This game just took an old concept and tried to beautify it. Mission Accomplished. But it did nothing to improve it on any meaningful basis. If you like games like this, I'd have to recommend Dungeon Siege. It's older, but it's a step up. WAY UP.… Expand
  85. Kopz
    Nov 21, 2009
    6
    Great game, i don't know what much more to say, i really enjoyed playing the first part of it, but after a while it became quite.. boring.. massive... i had to force myself to play it until the end only because i wanted to see what happened next. great game, but the lack of originality just bored me after a while.. i still preffer mass effect though.. or divinity
  86. N.V.
    Nov 21, 2009
    10
    Huge game, tons of replay value. Interesting story. No need to follow a specific line through the game, but you can decide more freely where to go and when to go there (granted you need to do major plot quests to advance, but the order you do it in is up to you). Overall, it is a highly recommended RPG game for anyone that love the genre. Personally I have spent well over 300 hours in Huge game, tons of replay value. Interesting story. No need to follow a specific line through the game, but you can decide more freely where to go and when to go there (granted you need to do major plot quests to advance, but the order you do it in is up to you). Overall, it is a highly recommended RPG game for anyone that love the genre. Personally I have spent well over 300 hours in this game now, wich results in nearly 100 hours a week.… Expand
  87. ChuckG
    Nov 20, 2009
    9
    It has that epic feeling, but the story isnt still as good as BG. The game play and story is far reaching though and by far the best rpg i have played in the past few years. just buy the game and you will be sucked in.
  88. MikeK
    Nov 20, 2009
    10
    Despite a few minor annoyances, this is by far the best fantasy RPG to come out in the last 10 years. Anyone looking for a story driven RPG should play this game. Within the first couple hours you will already be plotting your second playthough.
  89. MattiaZ
    Nov 20, 2009
    9
    Amazing game, it's nothing progressive or totally new think about it as a really refined baldur's gate. There are some bugs, that's why i give it a 9, but the overall experience is amazing. Characters and plot are very well written. I just couldn't wait to start it again once i finished it.
  90. JCV
    Nov 20, 2009
    10
    Short review: Amazing. The voice acting is the best I've heard in a game which really helps get you into the story. The gameplay is superb, and the overall experience is breathtaking.
  91. GregC
    Nov 20, 2009
    10
    Dragon Age: Origins is simply the most outstanding RPG in a LONG while. The combat is great, the movement is great, the story is excellent, and the freedom you have in the game is AMAZING. You are the one to decide how the story goes. You'll be finding yourself playing the game more and more! There are barely to none downsides to it!
  92. AlexanderY
    Nov 20, 2009
    7
    Erm... It's decent, very entertaining, but not good at all comparing to true classic rpg's. The only more or less good things here is decent storyline (not great, but decent), and rather good dialogues (I expected more of this part tho). This RPG tries to convince your that your choices matter when they really don't. The one very important thing for RPGs is making a range Erm... It's decent, very entertaining, but not good at all comparing to true classic rpg's. The only more or less good things here is decent storyline (not great, but decent), and rather good dialogues (I expected more of this part tho). This RPG tries to convince your that your choices matter when they really don't. The one very important thing for RPGs is making a range of replics that could suit any character alignment-based archetype. This game gets close to this, but still, not enough close. The combat system is a joke. It's very arcade-ish, and veeery easy. I started playing on hard and soon switched to hardcore difficulty setting, and again, found even the hardest setting not difficult enough. Yes, I understand, the devs tend to appeal to casual gamers, but hey, why not make a really hard setting for those who like challenge? The most disappointing thing for me was a RPG system itself. I expected something at least as well-developed as DnD. The character development is absolutely annoying, it's stupid canonic skills and spells. The spells of the magi is the worst joke - blizzard is the same as inferno, just deal diff. types of damage. And all the spells are built like that! Bioware! You're clever and smart guys, be creative, innovative. The same thing goes for potions - protection from this, protection from that, health, lyrium restore... nothing more! where's the unique buffs, maybe shapeshifting and so on? This makes combat soo linear! Still, I'll give the game a 7, and tend to say, any RPG fan should get this, as it's very entertaining despite its numerous flaws. We don't get any high-quality RPGs lately, do we?… Expand
  93. AnonynousX
    Nov 19, 2009
    10
    A great game, with great innovation and a lot of freedom. Although the story might not be the most original when looked far apart, but the specific detail into each action to solve the conflict are quite intriguing. I wont say everything I liked about the game, since everyone has pretty much already said it 50 times :P but I do have to mention sound, character interaction, graphics A great game, with great innovation and a lot of freedom. Although the story might not be the most original when looked far apart, but the specific detail into each action to solve the conflict are quite intriguing. I wont say everything I liked about the game, since everyone has pretty much already said it 50 times :P but I do have to mention sound, character interaction, graphics (Maximum on PC) , and the tactical combat system overrule any small flaws. And I wanted a hard game, and I got a hard game, and so I was alright with multiple retries and attempts. One tip: quick-save OFTEN (after every battle is a nice choice)… Expand
  94. JohnL
    Nov 18, 2009
    9
    Dragon Age is a serious update to the old-skool Bauldur's Gate style of play and while it definitely follows in the footsteps of BG and takes its story cues from the likes of Lord Of The Rings, it also manages to have its own identity via little touches in the back story as well as gameplay enhancements. It's not perfect, but it is very very good.
  95. AndiM
    Nov 17, 2009
    10
    Finally, an RPG without the "action" moniker stuck in front. Though there's plenty of action to be had, it's in the tactical combat and amazing story, not how fast i can press a button on my mouse.
  96. PeterO
    Nov 17, 2009
    9
    The best experience I've had all year. After months and months of living solely off of Fallout 3 DLC this game quenched my thirst for a good long game. I'm sick of 8 hour shooters and a good 40 hour + RPG came down the tubes and saved me.
  97. Rofudoxs
    Nov 17, 2009
    10
    This game is the best SPRPG i have played yet. I enjoy every single detail about it and i hope there will be so much more to come from this world. Could keep playing for months at a time without a break
  98. kennethl
    Nov 17, 2009
    10
    awesome storyline!! have been waiting for such an immersive title for what seems like forever. finally charecters you can actually relate to and care about!!!
  99. DreeL.
    Nov 17, 2009
    8
    This game has the best beginning portion of any RPG, however, it has too many repetitive combats that may make players get bored quickly.
  100. Feanon
    Nov 17, 2009
    8
    I gave it 8 because the graphics are split. The characters are amazing and realistic. the towns look great and your enemies very scary. but there are many textures what are even worse than anything i`ve seen. The Gameplay is very good and remembers to good old times, where playing was a pleasure, and no game had bugs. it's just great playing your character throw the levels and I gave it 8 because the graphics are split. The characters are amazing and realistic. the towns look great and your enemies very scary. but there are many textures what are even worse than anything i`ve seen. The Gameplay is very good and remembers to good old times, where playing was a pleasure, and no game had bugs. it's just great playing your character throw the levels and killing enemies with your group. all the party members have their own character and behaves different. it is very important what you say, if you don't wanna loose your group members. after a few hours you like or dislike the members of your group with or even without wanting it. you just cannot do anything against it. The story is very nice telled, with many ingame sequences. you can play more than 70 hours without any problem, and it is never boring. also playing it again is atractive because of the character typical first hours of playing. the hardware you need for it, is not much. i can play it on a 2 year old computer at highest settings. i've got an interl core 2 duo with 2x 2,66GB a gee force 8800 GTS an 2 G ram. all in al, the game is interesting and great. only some textures are bad, and some other little things like the realistic enviroment: many characters are just staying in any cornder, not moveing. but the rest is just great so to cut a short story long:8/10… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2009
4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. Gameplayer Sweden
    100
    If you're into rpgs, or rather if you love roleplaying in general, there's really no need to waste time reading any reviews of this game. The same goes if you regard games like Planescape: Torment, Fallout 2 and the Baldurs Gate-series among the best computer games ever made. Because this game is everything a person like you look for in a game, and so much more. Be aware though, Dragon Age: Origins is not a revolution of the genre, rather it is an evolution, where Bioware has refined everything that made them into a formula as close to perfection as possible. Without a doubt one of the strongest Game of the year-candidates so far this year and a game we will remember with warm feelings many years to come.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer
    92
    An outstanding story-driven RPG with fantastic writing, RPG depth and tough tactical combat. It's BioWare's best RPG since Baldur's Gate 2. [Holiday 2009, p.38]
  3. GamingXP
    92
    Dragon Age Origins will keep you in front of your computer for hours! Graphics, sounds and the controls couldn’t be much better!
    Read full review
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