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. Vamrem
    Nov 22, 2014
    10
    There are few "real" RPG, almost all are "Action-RPG" in which you fight with "player's skills", dodging and attacking with mouse and keyboard movements, except few ones like Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights or Dragon Age Origins (not Dragon Age 2, of course). I will call them "Canonic-RPG" those in which your character fights "automatically" based only in its stats, not on player'sThere are few "real" RPG, almost all are "Action-RPG" in which you fight with "player's skills", dodging and attacking with mouse and keyboard movements, except few ones like Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights or Dragon Age Origins (not Dragon Age 2, of course). I will call them "Canonic-RPG" those in which your character fights "automatically" based only in its stats, not on player's manipulation, you can love or hate this kind of RPG but one thing is true: there are so few of them, and this is one of the best, with two points of view (isometric and third person), an epic story with unforgettable moments, the "cinematic" dialogue from NWN2, and a solid toolset that allowed more than 2000 mods. What more could may be asked to a game?… Expand
  2. VireV
    Jan 2, 2010
    10
    One of the best RPGs I've ever played. Great graphics, gripping story, lots of choices and very fun combat.
  3. kram789
    Oct 16, 2010
    10
    This is a great game. First the interface is easy to grasp and intuitive. Second, the combat is enjoyable for those who are into more than just hack and slash. The story is very good, but as with all RPGs that only lasts the first play through. The romance aspect continued to be intriguing for many plays. I have done guy on girl, girl on girl, and both in the same play (but you haveThis is a great game. First the interface is easy to grasp and intuitive. Second, the combat is enjoyable for those who are into more than just hack and slash. The story is very good, but as with all RPGs that only lasts the first play through. The romance aspect continued to be intriguing for many plays. I have done guy on girl, girl on girl, and both in the same play (but you have to choose). Three complaints. One is that after the first play it would be great if the dialogue could be bypassed. I use the escape key but it would be nicer if it could be bypassed even faster. Second, the "treasure" just does not measure up as you move up. Often times you are just picking up junk. Alternately, get rid of the pack limit so we don't have to chose. Also, change the loot function so we can just take everything at once. The multiple and egregious clicking does not add anything to the game. Those are minor flaws and they often exist in the best games. This is a best game. You will get how to play this game right away and you will enjoy it through the end.… Expand
  4. lindethier
    Nov 1, 2010
    10
    I loved this game, same style gameplay as KOTOR. The combat was fun to watch, and I really was able to get into the storyline. The dialogue was very well done IMHO. This was one of my favorite games now, and will always have a spot on my hard drive (except for alot of the DLC, most of it was done very poorly)
  5. Anca
    Feb 17, 2011
    10
    Since Baldur's Gate and NeverWinter Night ... I was waiting for a worthy successor.
    When i ordered Dragon Age first time, i was a little bit impatient. When i got the game, i was like a child.
    The game mechanics themselves aren't really innovating, graphisms are not wonderfull, but ambiance, in game scenario, different possibilities, choices, and endings are really greats. To shorten my    Since Baldur's Gate and NeverWinter Night ... I was waiting for a worthy successor.
    When i ordered Dragon Age first time, i was a little bit impatient. When i got the game, i was like a child.
    The game mechanics themselves aren't really innovating, graphisms are not wonderfull, but ambiance, in game scenario, different possibilities, choices, and endings are really greats.
    To shorten my critic, i just can say that this game is one of my favorites.
    I'm waiting impatiently Dragon Age 2 !    … Expand
  6. haydensterling
    Mar 11, 2011
    9
    replaying this game right now, to get the taste of the taste of the decidedly inferior sequel out of my mouth. looking over my previous saves, apparently i spent well over three hundred hours playing. numerous characters, every ending in the book. still just a great game in every way, and even more glaringly obvious what's been lost when you compare it to DA2.
  7. igoreck
    Dec 24, 2013
    10
    The game really looks and shocking still, even after its release it very fun to play, and want to hope that these games will be in the future. This Masterpiece!
  8. ServiusTheBear
    Mar 14, 2011
    10
    Now since I restarted DAO cause of DA2. I look over everything I see. Story, detail, graphics, music, game play and Reply value.

    The Story: It is amazing for this game. Well thought and well Detailed. Spread over the whole map. The main story line is amazing it drags you in from the get go. Straight to the end of the game. The side quests are great to again all over the map. Certainly    Now since I restarted DAO cause of DA2. I look over everything I see. Story, detail, graphics, music, game play and Reply value.

    The Story: It is amazing for this game. Well thought and well Detailed. Spread over the whole map. The main story line is amazing it drags you in from the get go. Straight to the end of the game. The side quests are great to again all over the map. Certainly gives you that extra bit to work on even if it only gives a little extra bit of game play. Even with character stories to. Some meld together. Even the interaction talks while wondering about. It all works together perfectly.

    The Detail: Tones in my book. Just perfect for a long RPG. Which is what it should be. Certainly a lot to read to give you more detail and draw you into the game world. Which it should. Cause that moment you start to play it should drag you in which it dose with this. Many might say that tones of reading is boring. But this is always a key point to good RPG. No way you could have some one just speak it all out. Some might say that would be better some would say not. Hence why having both in it. Is much better. The detailed conversations from the characters and npc's down to the codex notes which give you information.

    The Graphics: Perfect and still now perfect in my books for an RPG like this one. The Characters are life like, even in the cinematic's. The towns and Cities are well detailed and work with the time period of the game. The npc's and even the animals. The darkness in it work even well better for game and story. Some might say it dose not. But I beg to differ.

    The Music: It is great. It enhances the game amazingly, drawing you into the game even more. So much work put into it, It is certainly one of the things I love in this game. Nothing more I can say.

    The Reply Value: The reply value of this game. Is great to reply as the other classes certainly makes it worth while indeed. Even go different ways with them in the sense of character. Yes there is mods out there you can use to further enhance that. But on just the game it is perfect. It is certainly one game I will reply many times out of my large and I use that loosely game collection.

    Overall: This game is one all you RPG players should certainly have. Graphics, story, Detail. Everything works perfectly for this game. I give this 100% and 10/10    … Expand
  9. velgolrad
    Mar 28, 2011
    10
    This game is the best rpg since baldur,s gate, the story is great, also graphics are great, this game has no bad sides, the best part of game is that you can choose how you want to start the game.
  10. OrlaisKnight
    Mar 29, 2011
    10
    Probably the best traditional pc role playing game of the decade, with some great characters and a nice setting. Battle system was fine, and while I would have appreciated to have less dlcs and more contents in the initial package the game is still up there with the best.
  11. Ohto
    Apr 10, 2012
    8
    This game is very decent and features a solid plot along with many different little paths that can greatly alter your experience. However, it failed to give me the desire to continue playing, as combat was slow, and progress, seemingly insignificant.
  12. lionalio
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    One of the great RPG, that's real. nothing much to complain about the game: The combat, the gameplay, the character, the story, quest, items...all is great. The things I have to complain myself is I've played this game so late! Maybe many people criticize about its difficulty: It is very hard on the hard and nightmare mode, I agree, but I enjoy the challenge :). The things make the game isOne of the great RPG, that's real. nothing much to complain about the game: The combat, the gameplay, the character, the story, quest, items...all is great. The things I have to complain myself is I've played this game so late! Maybe many people criticize about its difficulty: It is very hard on the hard and nightmare mode, I agree, but I enjoy the challenge :). The things make the game is not so perfect is about the main character: except the small dialogues in the gameplay, they doesn't speak dialogue option! Overall, the game that worth to waste money that every gamer should have in their collection. 10 points!!!… Expand
  13. Admiral_TSon
    Nov 21, 2014
    10
    A masterpiece of gaming, Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best RPG games in history. From the start, you are pulled in to a unique and irresistible story line filled with unique and well-written companions and NPCs. Your choices can make all the difference in DAO, and never feels contrived. From the beginning to the end of the game, you will feel totally immersed in the Kingdom ofA masterpiece of gaming, Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best RPG games in history. From the start, you are pulled in to a unique and irresistible story line filled with unique and well-written companions and NPCs. Your choices can make all the difference in DAO, and never feels contrived. From the beginning to the end of the game, you will feel totally immersed in the Kingdom of Fereldon.

    Pros:

    -Solid plot and story arc
    -Exceptionally well written companions, with ample opportunity for character development
    -User decisions have real effect on the game
    -"Thought provoking" plot with many excellent commentaries on present day issues
    -Ability to experience several different locations/settings
    -Ability to have your experience shaped by user origin--your character's history has some impact on the game

    Cons:

    -No main character voice-over
    -Clunky crafting system

    This game should be on any gamer's "must play" list!    … Expand
  14. ricesautes
    May 25, 2012
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time, with amazing depth and story. I've revisited it a couple of times with some of the mods created by the community to keep it fresh. (Thanks for "Skip the Fade" mod!) The voice acting and storytelling are truly top-notch, and I actually cared for the characters. It's unfortunate that DA2 was such a letdown, being the Phantom Menace to DA:O's EmpireOne of my favorite games of all time, with amazing depth and story. I've revisited it a couple of times with some of the mods created by the community to keep it fresh. (Thanks for "Skip the Fade" mod!) The voice acting and storytelling are truly top-notch, and I actually cared for the characters. It's unfortunate that DA2 was such a letdown, being the Phantom Menace to DA:O's Empire Strikes Back that leaves a taint.… Expand
  15. Aodecim
    Jul 31, 2011
    9
    Definitely a worthy unofficial successor to the Baldur's Gate series although it limits the open-worldness of BG. Had a blast with the story/choices you can make in the game as well as the graphical detail/smoothness of gameplay. The combat was varied and the decisions you make while paused actually matters. NPC reactions were often pretty well designed although I am very disappointedDefinitely a worthy unofficial successor to the Baldur's Gate series although it limits the open-worldness of BG. Had a blast with the story/choices you can make in the game as well as the graphical detail/smoothness of gameplay. The combat was varied and the decisions you make while paused actually matters. NPC reactions were often pretty well designed although I am very disappointed that Bioware decided to add "mission boards" for the side quests instead of promoting exploration. AI has also been improved from their previous games as well.… Expand
  16. barbie
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    best RPG ive played in a long time, loved everything about it, though it was a tad glitchy, but meh, your so involved in the game u hardly notice, each playthrough takes about 30hours to do fully, and i reckon ive finished the game least 10 times, so deff tonnes of replayability
  17. Lac3dHit
    Oct 30, 2011
    10
    I don't normally like linear and scripted RPG's but this turned out to be very well written and entertaining. The combat was fun and changing the party make up provided refreshingly different play styles. Combat scripting was nice to have but it was even better to have a pause option and micro manage each battle if you wanted to. I really couldn't put this game down until I finished it.
  18. keefbaker
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    Simply one of the best role playing computer games ever made, a fascinating world that sucks you in with superbly realized characters and a great game mechanic. One of Bioware's best, and that's saying something,
  19. 410MaXiMuS
    May 14, 2012
    10
    in my opinion, this is the best game of all time. I really have nothing else to say, as I should clearly be playing Dragon Age RIGHT ****
  20. zakariru
    Nov 10, 2011
    10
    Could not stop playing it till i beat it 3 or 4 times. I had to see every ending, every corner of the game. it was so immersive. I can't really think of another game that I felt as compelled to play.
  21. Terexin
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Amazing game, sadly the follow up, Dragon age 2 was horrible.. : ( I wish they had spent a year or so longer developing the second game and insured that it would be just as good as the first one
  22. Strandly
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Excellent RPG, I rank this game up there with the first Neverwinter Nights. It's also cheap enough now where you can pick up the expansion and all the DLC for a reasonable price. Give it a try, I would be very surprised if you come away disappointed.
  23. HD3
    Dec 16, 2011
    9
    Excellent game, the combat system is wide and varied, challenging but rarely frustrating, The enviroments are rich and well developed and a surprisingly rich plot with lots of character development which is lacking in a lot of other WRPGs. So refreshing to see a WRPG where the narrative is treated with as much care as the gameplay and enviroment. A guranteed crowd pleaser.
  24. tazzon22
    Apr 9, 2012
    10
    Epic rpg, great story, great combat, BW hit it out of the park. Its one that you need to think taticly with every member of your squad.One unique feature is the ability to play as one of your companions, additionally as experience yo set the actions off your team to take.
  25. Zoso
    Jun 15, 2012
    10
    Definitely THE spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate´, and as such, Epic in every respect.
    One could argue that the graphics are not state-of-the-art-or-beyond, but the stories make you forget that in an instant.
  26. Wampyrelli
    May 21, 2014
    10
    The best RPG game I ever played.
    People who don't like fighting system in Bioware games might not be comfortable with it (pausing the game during combat and choosing what will the four characters in the party do by clicking at icons with different abilities). But I can't imagine that it would make somebody stop playing the game, because the story, the world, the atmosphere and most of the    The best RPG game I ever played.
    People who don't like fighting system in Bioware games might not be comfortable with it (pausing the game during combat and choosing what will the four characters in the party do by clicking at icons with different abilities). But I can't imagine that it would make somebody stop playing the game, because the story, the world, the atmosphere and most of the characters are awesome.
    I would define the story as semi-linear, because it will go the same way, but you choose the means. Only non-linear parts of the game are prolog and epilog.    … Expand
  27. hcurrie7
    May 5, 2013
    10
    Hands down this is the greatest game ever. I love the story, the people in it and the gameplay. It is easy to level up. It is well thought out so the different choices you make actually do make a difference. Love it. Loved 2 cannot wait for 3.
  28. SorinM
    Nov 2, 2014
    10
    Its a perfect example how those small details make a good game into a perfect one. Story is great, most characters are fun and the world is atmospheric. In additions there's multiple tactics to build your party and different ways to do battle, even if head on charge is also a fine approach. If you liked Baldur's Gate then you are gonna love this. Only problem with this game is that I'veIts a perfect example how those small details make a good game into a perfect one. Story is great, most characters are fun and the world is atmospheric. In additions there's multiple tactics to build your party and different ways to do battle, even if head on charge is also a fine approach. If you liked Baldur's Gate then you are gonna love this. Only problem with this game is that I've had some unsolved crashing issues after some patching. Even still I can say I love it. And I can say its the best game I've ever played.… Expand
  29. Bobbylopsen
    Nov 14, 2014
    10
    this game really raised the bar for roleplaying games to come with the most epic storyline and amazing voice acting i played this so many times that im 100% sure i squeezed every inch of gameplay out of it!
    ITS THAT GOOD! and the tactical combat system is really fantastic when you get use to it.

    i would say you atleast have 100-300 hours of gameplay ahead of you
  30. jimbobslimbob
    Dec 10, 2014
    10
    An absolutely brilliant game that will remain a classic for all time. You really do struggle to find much fault in a world and game as well crafted as this. It is a labour of love - and it shows.

    Jimbo Rating: 10/10
  31. KyleA
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Can't get enough! This is perhaps the best title ever released by Bioware and that is saying a great deal. Deep, intricate and sometimes funny dialog with all characters, challenging fights and excellent battlefield control, engaging and intricate storyline, gorgeous graphics and landscapes ... the list of great qualities is a long one. I have not beaten the game yet but a good 40+ Can't get enough! This is perhaps the best title ever released by Bioware and that is saying a great deal. Deep, intricate and sometimes funny dialog with all characters, challenging fights and excellent battlefield control, engaging and intricate storyline, gorgeous graphics and landscapes ... the list of great qualities is a long one. I have not beaten the game yet but a good 40+ hours in so any quick thrills would have faded by now. This game really delivers on every level a good solid strategy and/or RPG fan can really ask for and after playing through Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, Mass Effect, Baulder's Gate 1 and 2, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment ... Dragon Age: Origins is, thus far, the best written, conceived, designed, and implemented strategic RPG I have played any any system including PC.… Expand
  32. 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
  33. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    5
    Overrated action RPG trying to exploit the Baldur's gate nostalgia of fans, posing as a "spiritual successor" to it, but being a mediocre console game.

    People seem to think that Dragon Age series got worse with II and Inquisition, but trust me, true Bioware fans like me were enraged with Origins. This is a bad game. It is not a deep RPG, more like RPG-lite. The combat system is tedius,    Overrated action RPG trying to exploit the Baldur's gate nostalgia of fans, posing as a "spiritual successor" to it, but being a mediocre console game.

    People seem to think that Dragon Age series got worse with II and Inquisition, but trust me, true Bioware fans like me were enraged with Origins. This is a bad game. It is not a deep RPG, more like RPG-lite. The combat system is tedius, boring, and lacks true strategy and tactics.

    The game is long and has good content, but the story is trash and the various "twists" are telegraphed hours away. It has good romancing options, but who plays video games for "romancing options"? Seriously?

    All in all, it is a good RPG-lite, with nice production values, that will satisfy you, but it is far away from a master piece. It signaled the downward spiral of Bioware after its acquisition from EA. True RPG experts knew when the played origins, that Bioware as we knew it was gone.

    This is a 8/10 game, considering 2009 standards. I am giving it a 5, to lower the average.    … Expand
  34. nIMrOD888
    Mar 13, 2011
    9
    A game worthy of my time. A great story coupled with some awesome character interactions and a not so simple combat system.

    The game is only made better with the release of its sequel.
  35. VonCarlsson
    Dec 30, 2010
    7
    If you're into action RPG at all this game will keep you busy for several hours. It features, playable races: Humans, Elves and Dwarfs. It only got 3 classes to choose from, but once chosen you can further specialise the class by choosing sub-classes. Each race offers a 30-minute long pre-quest, which makes you feel involved in your character. The graphics isn't stunning, but it's goodIf you're into action RPG at all this game will keep you busy for several hours. It features, playable races: Humans, Elves and Dwarfs. It only got 3 classes to choose from, but once chosen you can further specialise the class by choosing sub-classes. Each race offers a 30-minute long pre-quest, which makes you feel involved in your character. The graphics isn't stunning, but it's good looking. The controls are good, even though it's available on console as well.

    The game comes with a few flaws that drag down the over-all score. For instance, the game will become gradually more sluggish, that can only be solved by restarting the game. The game can crash at random occasions, so you have to save often. The combat is not very engaging, it feels as if you do the same thing over and over. And the travel system is annoying to use because you will, virtually every time you fast-travel, be attacked, so travel takes much more time that it would have to.

    To sum it up, it's a good game that is worth buying, however keep in mind the flaws, especially the one about saving a lot.    … Expand
  36. mpr
    May 31, 2011
    8
    Very good RPG, an improvement to its already good predecessor Neverwinter Nights, yet still a notch below its venerable ancestor Baldur's Gate. I've enjoyed playing the 100+ hours it took me to fully explore the game.
  37. Itsapaul
    Dec 26, 2010
    8
    I applaud the effort Bioware, but this is not a "Baldurs Gate 3" like you wanted it to be. Only 3 classes? Really? Sure they can do different things and have different buttons, but specialities are not classes onto themselves. This really felt like getting back to my rpg roots with an isometric view and pure strategy winning the day, but it's far from perfect. Mages are by far theI applaud the effort Bioware, but this is not a "Baldurs Gate 3" like you wanted it to be. Only 3 classes? Really? Sure they can do different things and have different buttons, but specialities are not classes onto themselves. This really felt like getting back to my rpg roots with an isometric view and pure strategy winning the day, but it's far from perfect. Mages are by far the best class after you pick your tank, and the signature rogue ability of finding traps can be anyone's ability, so they're left with opening locked chests which never give you anything cool. The story seems a little too close to Dungeon Siege 2 for me to call it amazing, but you really do want to keep playing to see what happens next, and the fact that the various endings are usually far from "and they lived happily ever after" means I actually enjoy seeing what happens.… Expand
  38. HenryBukowski
    May 13, 2013
    8
    It's tough that I can only give either an 8 or 9, because Ideally i'd land Dragons age: origins half way in between.

    It's really a fantastic effort and hats off must go to Bioware. It does virtually all of the things a fan of true RPG would wish for. For me, the game is held back only by a small list of minor concerns, which I will mention at the end. Story: What I loved most of all    It's tough that I can only give either an 8 or 9, because Ideally i'd land Dragons age: origins half way in between.

    It's really a fantastic effort and hats off must go to Bioware. It does virtually all of the things a fan of true RPG would wish for. For me, the game is held back only by a small list of minor concerns, which I will mention at the end.

    Story: What I loved most of all about the game was the story: bioware have always been very good at throwing the player right into an exciting opening sequence, and the this game did just this for me. It immediately gave you purchase in the world and some of the contexts, and left you emotionally invested at a very early stage. The pace didn't slow at all with Ostagar, and only when you are thrown off onto your quest with companions in tow, was there any time to take a step back. These opening scenes did a great job of making the player feel integral to the world and story and feel invested in the character.

    The world: Yes I loved this take on the high fantasy template, but perhaps felt that it could have been tailored more to differentiate it from the human-elf-dwarf models that proliferate elsewhere. This said, the game abounds with lore which brings the world to life through interaction with others and through the player codex.

    Character: To me, a very interesting and deep character creation system, with numerous different paths which affect the beginning of the game, as well as its development. One thing I'd say of the character model: I must prefer games where voice acting is recorded for the player. I feel that in games like the Witcher, this really brought the character to life in full colour. It worked also in Bioware's Mass Effect, which had cinematic value because the dialogue wheel was only a rough outline of what your character would say. I prefer it when your character talks and is brought to life, but each to his own.

    Dialogue: The voice acting for NPC's was brilliant it felt professional and well delivered. I liked the relationship development system very much, and it made you like some companions, dislike others, and choose to build relationships accordingly. One criticism would be that sometimes available dialogue would loop a bit. E.g When a certain character gave me a ring. Next time I talked to me, she gave me the same ring again. and the next time. She eventually stopped, thank god. Another thing was that, I, awful person that I am, strung two ladies along at the same time. Unfortunately, after a certain point every time I tried talking to one of them, she came out with the exact same speech digging into me, as if we had never had the conversation before. Needless to say I started to avoid her.

    Environments: Very varied and interesting environments brought the game to life and keep it feel fresh and exciting. My only gripe would be that enough was not done to make urban environments immersive. Unlike a bethesda title or the witcher, cities did not feel really lived in, dynamic or bustling. As a result places never buzzed with atmosphere, particularly. I would have liked some 'basic needs' implementation, such as ability to eat drink, sleep etc, rent a room to recover more fully than camping i wilderness, etc.

    Combat: I really got a lot of satisfaction out of this combat system which mixes manual and automatic RPG elements. I felt the combat never quite touched the utter addictiveness of combat in say, KOTOR, but then bioware had more types of combat possibilities to address. There's a range of abilities and powers which can really bring combat scenes to life in a brilliant way.

    Graphics: On my pc, the game looked lovely lovely, for a 2009 game. I ran on medium specs and I was happy with that. I admired little touches such as the splashes of blood after a battle.

    Difficulty: Now for my only significant gripe. The difficultly of the game never felt consistent. Lots of the game is a cakewalk, but then you hit a fight which is almost literally 6 times harder. And not all these hard parts were bosses, some were just bandit fights where there were just too many. In contrast the games final battle, whilst hard, was not as hard as some mid-late battles. At points, I had no choice but to switch to easy mode, so punishingly hard were these bits. Now, some of this can be put down to tactics and party composition fair, mine may have been rubbish. But there's a slight danger that with so many combat variables, it can be too 'elitist' in the sense of not accessible to newcomers to the genre.

    These were my main points. Overall, you have an addictive compelling story which you won't want to end. I feel 'mean' to only give it an 8, but I feel that the game could have done with a bit more 'heart' to make its environments more immersive and make you want to spend time there for the sake of it.

    For me, on to Dragon Age 2! I'm sad that it doesn't contain the same characters but that's always a sign of a sucessfull game, right?     … Expand
  39. footfall
    Mar 14, 2011
    8
    It's like a sexy blend of Mass Effect 2 and Baldur's gate. I had a great deal of fun and even replayed it two more times. I do think that the love scenes felt awkward to the point of silliness, but I did appreciate some of the humor your team would have as you walk around.
  40. Underscore
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    With Dragon Age: 2 out, I thought I'd play this game one more time. I was surprised when I could actually play through large chunks of the game, knowing what will happen next. The game is so refined, with a few nit-picky problems.
    I have 362 hours with this game to date, which (I believe) gives me a little more credibility than most people who played through it once.
    I'd rate this game a    With Dragon Age: 2 out, I thought I'd play this game one more time. I was surprised when I could actually play through large chunks of the game, knowing what will happen next. The game is so refined, with a few nit-picky problems.
    I have 362 hours with this game to date, which (I believe) gives me a little more credibility than most people who played through it once.
    I'd rate this game a '10' if I was worried about contributing to the overal user score like most people who either vote 10 or 0, but I'm being serious.
    This game has some of THE BEST voice acting I've come to expect from Bioware. Playing as a City Elf, hearing Vaughn laugh as he groped my betrothed had me willing to kill all humans in sight in a fit of rage. I'm actually REALLY glad Male-Hawke is voiced by the same man as Vaughn. Guy has serious talent.
    Plus, toolset. Community content fixes anything you may have against the game (If it's reasonable).    … Expand
  41. Squadinho
    Mar 25, 2011
    9
    Dragon Age: Origins is what Bioware do best. I found the story interesting, and after around 90 hours of gameplay I finished the main story and probably about half the side quests. There is also a high re-playability value to the game, with three different classes all having different specialisation, many choices that can affect things later in the game and several starting stories forDragon Age: Origins is what Bioware do best. I found the story interesting, and after around 90 hours of gameplay I finished the main story and probably about half the side quests. There is also a high re-playability value to the game, with three different classes all having different specialisation, many choices that can affect things later in the game and several starting stories for your character to choose from. Graphically, it is acceptable but certainly not revolutionary. Many of the NPC's look the same and often lacking any real facial expressions. You get around seven companions to choose from, and whilst some of them are memorable and well written and voice acted, some sadly are not, but the beauty of a game like this is you can pick which companions to take along on your adventures and which ones you want to get to know better. The banter you get as you travel is at times entertaining. Combat is fun, but for a new comer to the genre or an inexperienced gamer it can be daunting. It takes a good while to learn how to play to each of the classes strengths and how to successfully set up each companion's tactic list properly. Even after doing so though, micro-management is important especially on higher levels. Overall, Dragon Age: Origins is tremendous value for money for a single player game and definitely worth a punt for all RPG fans and newcomers to the genre alike, especially now the Ultimate Edition has been released, which includes the original title, Awakenings and all nine DLC packs.… Expand
  42. markeras
    Jul 8, 2011
    10
    This is my favourite RPG of this generation. Incredible and memorable characters (I adore the interactions between some of them, especially between Morrigan and the rest of the team) , an immersing and coherent fiction world, a very well constructed narration with a lot of options to choose, an interesting combat system, and a lot of other virtues. It's really the successor of Baldur'sThis is my favourite RPG of this generation. Incredible and memorable characters (I adore the interactions between some of them, especially between Morrigan and the rest of the team) , an immersing and coherent fiction world, a very well constructed narration with a lot of options to choose, an interesting combat system, and a lot of other virtues. It's really the successor of Baldur's Gate, adapted to nowadays (more cinematics, a little more agile combat system,...). I've played all the origins stories, and i have repeated some of them, the replayability is so high!!! If only the "sequel" had been the half of it...… Expand
  43. vahn
    Dec 24, 2012
    9
    I really like this game, a lot. It has a huge, and I mean HUGE replay value, with 3 deep classes, 3 different races to choose with choices of origins, which changes the story of your game and, even if small, the details change during your gameplay, even from your current gender. The story is interesting and has a lot of background that incites you to research for history, but also niceI really like this game, a lot. It has a huge, and I mean HUGE replay value, with 3 deep classes, 3 different races to choose with choices of origins, which changes the story of your game and, even if small, the details change during your gameplay, even from your current gender. The story is interesting and has a lot of background that incites you to research for history, but also nice turns and your choices will change some parts and even your party (some characters may or may not join you depending on what you will choose). However, there are quite some flaws that I couldn't skip or just avoid and that, sadly, annoyed me to no end. One small thing i want to add also is this: this game is impressive on the pc...but I firstly bought on the xbox and, unfortunely, the port to console is butchered in comparison, removing most of the details and slots of your skills, making it more an action game than a tactical rpg game. So, in short, if you're interested to this game, buy it on the pc...if your pc cannot run it, I highly suggest to avoid it, and here comes the flaws...and one of them is the combat. The game is an hybrid of action and strategy game (you can either control your character directly with your keyboard, or with an upper view like a strategy game) and it's not badly implemented at all...but the issues come once you have to do complicated fights, in which case you'll need to issue tactics (automatic orders) or give yourself orders using the pause button...but here's the problem, the AI in your control is horrible. I had my team doing few specific orders and yet they couldn't follow one properly! Whenever I told them to attack, they would stand still, and whenever they were supposed to attack or to heal, they would do nothing at all! I know in strategy games the orders are always constant but even the pre-set orders just don't work at all (and while on the console is kinda understandable, on the pc it should be working flawlessly). Also, the game is very limited in both freedom and enviroment: you have a map of the region and you can only visit certain locations, which will become more the more you play, but the game has a lot of secondary stuff and actions to do: you can create potions, traps and do also secondary quests...but there's no way to grind or farm those items and even the items you can buy will eventually finish, killing that sense of freedom that games like Oblivion or Skyrim has. The enviroment is far too limited too, infact you can't jump, swim, and you can only interact with certain items and people. I would mind too much if it wasn't for the fact that a lot of parts are on hills and such and you'll sense this limitation on your actions, Another limitations, not exactly small but I found it irritating, is the team itself. You have 4 people in your team, with your character as a predefinite and 3 more to add. The game has a sort of trinity system, with a tank, healer and dps scheme, and so even your group requires balance...which will limit, again, your team, because 2 of those 4 slots will be ALWAYS meant for a tank or a healer (or else 1, for a healer, which is a must). Unless you're one of those, you will be limited to add only 2 more members...and one of those will be a rogue, because it's the only class who can unlock chests and some doors, which even if they don't give much in items they will give you experience and since this game has no experience grind, it feels like a loss (infact, as a rogue, I had an higher level when I reached the same parts as my warrior or mage). I have more complain now, but it's rather personal...and it's the difficulty, which is very VERY unbalanced. I usually try to play games on normal difficulty but, since I'm lazy, I also play on easy. However, in this game , I could NOT pass over some early stages of the game on normal difficulty because they were just too hard, with enemies who could easily obliterate you and after playing not even 1 hour in! (and if you add the issues with the AI, you'll have big problems later on too). I probably just suck at this game but I do have to add one thing: I had the same difficulty issues in almost all Bioware games and so I really can't say it's just me, but I thought to add at least this detail, but all in all I still love this game and the huge amount of story driven choices, as well the huge background and great morality choices, it's one of those games that will make people enjoy each playthrough and even if flawed the game is just great and still detailed in some regards. I highly suggest to play, at least one playthrough, and in case you'll enjoy it even more, you'll have plenty of ways to restart the game, without countless hours of replay value at your disposal, even after 4 years of its release.… Expand
  44. Trowzers
    Apr 6, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At the time I started playing Dragon Age: Origins, I was a little sick of bloody, gore-filled games with depressing apocalyptic environments and was looking for something different. So it was suprising that despite the characters spending most of the game completely spattered with blood, and trudging through swamps, ruins, caves and cities on fire, I really did enjoy this game. The voice acting and characters are second-to-none, to the point that I went back and played the whole 100+ hours all over again straight away solely so I could seduce Alistair, and find out what that demon baby thing was all about. Well played, EA, not many games can boast that XD Particularly as voice acting can be a game killer for me (it's what ruined Champions online for me), and I was so extremely impressed with the talent in this game.… Expand
  45. Ohingerdill
    May 1, 2011
    9
    I don't finish a lot of games but I loved Dragon Age. Awesome story that never had be bumping up against the edges of the game world. Lots of fun paths to take.
    Controlling combat in frozen time or letting your crew attack with a tactic set was fun both ways, I usually did a little of both.
    Best game of past 5 years IMO.
  46. Cell1e
    Apr 5, 2013
    10
    I absolutely loved this game, I spent over 1200 hours playing it and played all the origins possible. I also tried out loads of the user created mods and they added even more enjoyment. I bought all the dlc which was a bit 'meh' compared to the actual game and mods.
    Im going to give this game a 10 cause I still love going back for my DAO fix. Love the happy ending too. Didnt like the    I absolutely loved this game, I spent over 1200 hours playing it and played all the origins possible. I also tried out loads of the user created mods and they added even more enjoyment. I bought all the dlc which was a bit 'meh' compared to the actual game and mods.
    Im going to give this game a 10 cause I still love going back for my DAO fix. Love the happy ending too. Didnt like the gross armours for women and mages but can't have everything)    … Expand
  47. Travie
    May 18, 2011
    9
    A classic game that I will be replaying every few years for decades to come. The story, the characters, the setting... everything about this game impressed me and brought me back to the RPGs of a decade ago in spirit and in reality. If you haven't tried it yet, go out and get it!
  48. TheLimnalHymn
    May 22, 2011
    9
    Interesting dialogs and lore, ell-written scenario, classic rpg-style fighting and generally an almost perfect game whick took me more than 80 hours to finish (incl. the DLC). If only there weren't so many bugs.
  49. Wren
    May 30, 2011
    9
    This is what a game should be- you felt fully immersed, as though your decisions mattered. The Companions felt like thinking feeling people in that world. The combat wasn't as engaging as it could have been, but otherwise this is a great game, and a great modding community make it even better.
  50. LordOFlibertY
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    Bioware has created a truly magnificent Fantasy world with many contents within. The Story absolute divine and outlandishly good. The graphics and animations are fairly decent with games of that year and the combat is very unique and great. The only downside this game is that because so much Micromanaging is required for battles, hour-long dungeons can be incredibly repetitive and somewhatBioware has created a truly magnificent Fantasy world with many contents within. The Story absolute divine and outlandishly good. The graphics and animations are fairly decent with games of that year and the combat is very unique and great. The only downside this game is that because so much Micromanaging is required for battles, hour-long dungeons can be incredibly repetitive and somewhat boring. Overall Dragon Age Origins is an amazing video game and a must to RPG enthusists. The last time I had so much fun playing an RPG game was the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Baldur's Gate 2. Bioware has delivered us a well made, polished game.… Expand
  51. mwak
    Aug 30, 2011
    8
    Not the size nor the scenarii of a neverwinter night (1 or 2) but a good successor. Classes are simple but complex,the game system is nearly perfect, difficulty is challeging. The universe is deep and dark. The inherited tactical pause is very appreciable. A must play, for every RPG or D&D fan.
  52. laxleonidas
    Sep 16, 2011
    8
    It's a typical BioWare's game, and it means tahat game is very good. It's hard - but hard in friendly way. It's generic - but depsite og this, it's still interesting.
  53. Kurtz
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    One of Biowares best pieces of work. A must for any RPG fan. Sadly I am not greatly into fantasy games so did struggle at some points to enjoy it and did reroll a few times. It is great though because of the story, characters and I can understand how it is such a good game- although I do prefer sci fi.
  54. Schnapps
    Dec 20, 2011
    7
    A very compelling plot and characters helped make up for this games lacking combat system, which struck me as repetitive and stagnant at some points in the game. A good sense of replayability and interesting in-game choices further added to the experience. A very decent game, though not revolutionary or inspiring, it is still entertaining and good fun.
  55. ChoicestGames
    Mar 3, 2012
    8
    Bioware has created a solid dark fantasy RPG in Dragon Age: Origins but it lacks polish and has some fiendishly difficult battles which holds it back from true greatness.
  56. Relian
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    One of the best RPGs in the last decade. The only disappointing part are the graphics, but the most important part (the storyline) is quite good, the combat is good as well (but not spectacular). If you enjoy fantasy RPGs, you'll almost certainly enjoy this one.
  57. Sunfire
    Jan 6, 2015
    10
    From the creators of Mass Effect,we got a same caliber game in a medieval fantasy world.
    Awesome single-player RPG experience,with epic story and loveable characters.
    This game feels like its an alive real world.
    Must have for a hardcore RPG fan!
  58. DrVarsims
    Dec 25, 2014
    10
    Best game of the series, 9.5 / 10. Good story, good characters, good gameplay. The tactical camera is a very nice feature, it allows you to pause time and assign specific orders to each character.
  59. neokarny
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    Not Baldur's Gate, and didn't expect it to be and you shouldn't either! And if you do, then shame on you for being a nostalgia goggle wearing fanboy. With that out of the way, the game is a real modern gem. The characters really make you feel for them and have pretty fascinating backstories that don't feel flat at all. While the main story isn't the best, it is certainly good. The sideNot Baldur's Gate, and didn't expect it to be and you shouldn't either! And if you do, then shame on you for being a nostalgia goggle wearing fanboy. With that out of the way, the game is a real modern gem. The characters really make you feel for them and have pretty fascinating backstories that don't feel flat at all. While the main story isn't the best, it is certainly good. The side stories are what really push this game with its wonderfully designed world and lore. It really feels like they put a lot of time and thought into designing the cultures, their historio-religious backgrounds, and their diversity. I can't help but want to refer to God as "the Maker" afterward. ;) And the gameplay is smooth enough and enjoyable. It may not have real tactical complexity, but it is enjoyable regardless of that - remember folks, it's not [insert game]! If you give it an honest to goodness try without any kind of expectations related to other games, as long as you don't already dislike these sorts of games, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it even if you don't love it.… Expand
  60. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    9
    Excellent story-driven WRPG that gets bogged down by poor pacing. While the characters and storyline are generally very good, certain areas get tedious to slog through (especially Orzammar & The Deep Roads) and become a chore to finish. There are plenty of game-changing decisions to make, adding thorough replay value, but some seem like no brainers for me (who would ever side with theExcellent story-driven WRPG that gets bogged down by poor pacing. While the characters and storyline are generally very good, certain areas get tedious to slog through (especially Orzammar & The Deep Roads) and become a chore to finish. There are plenty of game-changing decisions to make, adding thorough replay value, but some seem like no brainers for me (who would ever side with the werewolves other than to be edgy?). There are the typical Bioware romance options and "do a tutorial & intro then go to three areas and then fight the big bad boss" gameplay structure but overall this is a lengthy, memorable campaign that RPG fans should invest their time in.… Expand
  61. Wolv
    Oct 31, 2012
    10
    This game was amazing, I think I got completely lost in the world when I played it, it takes a good while to get into it and get past the first few quests but once you do its amazing and I couldn't stop, the Dialogue is great and the cinematic's are brilliant too, its highly underrated and I assume most people gave up 20 mins into it, I think its a bit weak at the start but as you go onThis game was amazing, I think I got completely lost in the world when I played it, it takes a good while to get into it and get past the first few quests but once you do its amazing and I couldn't stop, the Dialogue is great and the cinematic's are brilliant too, its highly underrated and I assume most people gave up 20 mins into it, I think its a bit weak at the start but as you go on the game gets so much better, I loved the story and interaction, Great Game!… Expand
  62. Zohda
    Dec 5, 2012
    9
    Best RPG of the year. Amazing story, incredible graphics, and a wide variety of side quests makes this game a lengthy one, minimum of 30 hours of game play. It has a lot of replay value, due to its different beginnings and endings as well.
  63. gerszom
    Feb 23, 2014
    9
    There very first word on my mind is: "wow". I have just finished it for the first time and I am quite satisfied. Great game, and even after 4 years still very playable. I was sceptic at the beginning, but soon I find out that DA:O is really fantastic. Gameplay is nice, tactical and full of action, voice-acting is one of the best in pc games, characters are amazing, and You can really getThere very first word on my mind is: "wow". I have just finished it for the first time and I am quite satisfied. Great game, and even after 4 years still very playable. I was sceptic at the beginning, but soon I find out that DA:O is really fantastic. Gameplay is nice, tactical and full of action, voice-acting is one of the best in pc games, characters are amazing, and You can really get on with them, music is also great. Plot, even though it is classic world saving, have many deep twists and it is not simple with moral issues. I am touched. Every good rpg fun should really try it. This game is not a disappointment, maybe it is not Baldur or Icewind but still one peace of a great, long, interesting game.… Expand
  64. BastiBraune
    Jun 2, 2013
    9
    This game is AMAZING. I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy. It is epic! I would of rated it a 10, but after you finish the game, its done. You can't explore or visit the places you were throughout the game, so you have to stay at camp or BUY new campaigns. Other than that I LOVE it!
  65. tenmuter
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    9/10 Fantastic Game only minor flaws can be found in this game in my experience

    So I loved this game. The story, character development, quests, combat, spells, they were all extremely well done. I highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking to spend quite a few hours in a single player RPG. minor flaws: I found the quest markers to be less visible than I would have liked. In    9/10 Fantastic Game only minor flaws can be found in this game in my experience

    So I loved this game. The story, character development, quests, combat, spells, they were all extremely well done. I highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking to spend quite a few hours in a single player RPG.

    minor flaws: I found the quest markers to be less visible than I would have liked. In WoW quests seemed easier to come by and I found that system better, but Dragon age does a competent job in this area. My second beef with this game is that an archer rogue misses 4/5ths of the shots taken when fighting a high level enemy. This is dumb and they fixed it in the awakenings expansion but I think that the patch should have crossed over in the first place to fix the origins characters as well.    … Expand
  66. braeden
    Jun 25, 2013
    9
    Dragon Age is without a doubt one the best modern RPG games. It has exceptionally strong story and good character design. You also get constant feeling of desperation and imminent doom as the story progresses. The game is also more realistic than NWN series and geared more toward mature audiences. This also shows in difficulty level which can at first be notable.

    My main (and relatively    Dragon Age is without a doubt one the best modern RPG games. It has exceptionally strong story and good character design. You also get constant feeling of desperation and imminent doom as the story progresses. The game is also more realistic than NWN series and geared more toward mature audiences. This also shows in difficulty level which can at first be notable.

    My main (and relatively minor) problem with this game is the character development system, which is dumbed down from NWN. I personally liked NWNs D&D (Dungeons & dragons) system and character classes (which could be combined quite freely) very much. I do realize, however, that for most player this system didn't give any added value and is overly complicated when targeting larger audiences.

    One thing to mention is that the game is exceptional long by modern standards. It gives easily 40-50 hours of playtime. Maybe even more depending on your play style. All in all, it's an exceptional game and offers really good value for your money.    … Expand
  67. braindamage
    Dec 26, 2014
    9
    epic game with great subplot's , I got kinda burnt out by the time I reached ozzamar but with the interesting npc cutscene's and the ability to play thru as many types of personalities , cant say enough about this game
  68. TheRockerDude
    Dec 10, 2013
    9
    I gave Dragon Age Origins a 9 for the simple reason that it uses the same combat system we all know and love. This game allows you to do so much more than most games of its type. It may not have the open world game play, but it certainly isn't confined to a tiny plot of land to explore and fight in. I have spent about 250 hours playing it and i'm still finding new secrets and even a fewI gave Dragon Age Origins a 9 for the simple reason that it uses the same combat system we all know and love. This game allows you to do so much more than most games of its type. It may not have the open world game play, but it certainly isn't confined to a tiny plot of land to explore and fight in. I have spent about 250 hours playing it and i'm still finding new secrets and even a few quests. It offers days of game play and then some. The graphics could be better, but they still allow you the feel of the fantasy world. The cut scenes really explain what's going on so you're not left wondering what's going on. The movement of your character is very smooth and realistic. It doesn't just turn you around suddenly, it allows you to actually see your character turn to the side. The game over-all has had a lot of detail put into it and continues to surprise me. I recommend purchasing a copy for yourself in the Steam store.… Expand
  69. RunicDragons
    Jan 20, 2014
    10
    I don't usually recommend or review games on here, but when I do, they're games that are worth the time and effort.
    Dragon Age: Origins may be from 2009, and the graphics have evolved and improved a lot since then, but damn, this game is amazing in every way.
    First off, since it's an RPG game, you can build your "hero" just the way you want him/her to be. From race, gender, background    I don't usually recommend or review games on here, but when I do, they're games that are worth the time and effort.
    Dragon Age: Origins may be from 2009, and the graphics have evolved and improved a lot since then, but damn, this game is amazing in every way.

    First off, since it's an RPG game, you can build your "hero" just the way you want him/her to be. From race, gender, background story, classes, and more.

    And then there's the main component of the game: the gameplay is fun, diverse and challenging, the world is mythical and really gives you an epic feeling, and by the end of the game you'll be left off with a feeling that you need to replay it and try everything you hadn't tried out before. You'll want to try out being evil or good, generous or selfish, kind or rude, it's all up to you. The choices you make impact certain events of the game, and the choices you make can have dire consequences as well. So choose wisely who to side with, and consider your options.

    The negative aspect of the game, though, is that it can be pretty linear, and some areas are reused. The graphics are a little outdated, but it shouldn't matter. It still looks great with certain mods that can easily be implemented.

    Overall I highly recommend this game if you love RPG and are looking for an epic story and fun gameplay.    … Expand
  70. ngmr97
    Dec 12, 2014
    9
    I'm so glad I played this game before DA:I. The storyline is fantastic, characters as well (Morrigan i love u), and whether graphics and combat may seem a little outdated, the game is still wonderful and very addicting.
  71. johnnybgood8
    Dec 13, 2014
    9
    Great game. It could be better optimised . Love the story and characters. Graphic not too amazing at that time but its ok.
    Voice acting is ok better than in Dragon age 2
  72. Snackys
    Oct 19, 2014
    8
    Even though the combat system has some room for fixes, Dragon Age: Origins has an compelling storyline with developed characters, and creative origins.
  73. MattM
    Aug 22, 2010
    9
    This is one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Sadly, many Bethesda fanboys will rate it as a 1 or 0 simply because it does not have the exact same aspects and gameplay as a Bethesda game. I know I will get many "not helpfuls" for this but I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Oblivion is garbage. Complete and utter trash. It has the worst leveling system of any game I've ever seen and the combatThis is one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Sadly, many Bethesda fanboys will rate it as a 1 or 0 simply because it does not have the exact same aspects and gameplay as a Bethesda game. I know I will get many "not helpfuls" for this but I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Oblivion is garbage. Complete and utter trash. It has the worst leveling system of any game I've ever seen and the combat is boring and repetitive. The story is also more cliche than even this game. Fallout was a little better, but Bethesda is not the topic at hand. This game has excellent combat, hundreds of possible conversation permutations, a story that might not be the most original, but is at least somewhat compelling, and for the most part, good voice acting. Some people dislike the combat, which is understandable. This is not a game that can be played in real time. If you want to be successful in this game past the easy difficulty, then a very good amount of time will be spent in the pause screen queueing up attacks for your 4 party members to carry out at once. Each fight feels a little different and must be tackled with a strategy appropriate for the enemy you're facing. As stated earlier, the story itself is rather cliche, but the characters and the game world make up for it. The only thing that I could possibly see as a negative is the lack of an outside world to roam around in, which isn't always a bad thing, and should be expected from a bioware release. Travel is basically instant, and you always end up going where you originally intended to go. Oh yeah, @RichardS, no. Just because YOU cannot play the game above the easy difficulty setting does not mean this game is incomplete. "Babysitting your team" is how the game is designed. You are not playing one character, you are playing four. The description of the easy setting even states "best for players who expect to play in real time." If you can't handle that, I guess you're simply not intelligent enough for this game. It's not the developer's fault you wasted your money on a game you're too stupid to play.… Expand
  74. frugalDonnie
    Jul 12, 2011
    9
    BioWare is one of few studios I trust. Why? This game is why; with a great story line, a wonderful gameplay mechanics and an overall beautiful looking game. Dragon Age: Origins is the reason why I spent an entire summer vacation in front of my computer! I invite everyone to share the epic-ness that is, Dragon Age: Origins!
  75. Resplendent
    Aug 2, 2012
    10
    It may be cliched with fairly unoriginal characters, but DA:O does almost everything right. The journey is so completely involved and compelling that one can't help but ignore the fact that this is the umpteenth time this story has been told. Giving the player this many options to play it out makes up for the generic villians- a true RPG incarnation if there ever was one. It has thatIt may be cliched with fairly unoriginal characters, but DA:O does almost everything right. The journey is so completely involved and compelling that one can't help but ignore the fact that this is the umpteenth time this story has been told. Giving the player this many options to play it out makes up for the generic villians- a true RPG incarnation if there ever was one. It has that "epic" feel to it that helps overcome what problems it has, in my experience matched only by Skyrim. The Ultimate Edition is a superb value, and even someone who is usually very averse to fantasy games like myself fell in love with Dragon Age. I highly recommend it.… Expand
  76. MarqsS
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    Dragon Age is very enjoyable experience. Of course there are some bumps here and there but overall this game is great. For example combat is not as fluid as it should be but engaging story, chalenging fights and some very memorable characters (Morrighan honey... I'll come back to you every year, I promise!) let me forget about minor issues and enjoy it a lot.
  77. nemanja91
    Apr 26, 2012
    9
    Where to start? this game is the first BioWare game since KOTOR that can truly be called an RPG: fantastic combat system, most of the characters are deep and very interesting (although they ask you money for the best one, belive it) and the world is fantastic in its history and lore, even if it is a rip-off of many others. The problem is the main story. Decision making is there, itWhere to start? this game is the first BioWare game since KOTOR that can truly be called an RPG: fantastic combat system, most of the characters are deep and very interesting (although they ask you money for the best one, belive it) and the world is fantastic in its history and lore, even if it is a rip-off of many others. The problem is the main story. Decision making is there, it matters, but the overall plot, well... there isn't one. World is in chaos, and you race to its four corners too gather help, end every were you ask for it you'll have to work for it, so you could stand a chance in the final battle. Simple and very bad as that.… Expand
  78. enjoyablyC
    Oct 23, 2012
    9
    While it isn't as complex and huge as older cRPGs, Dragon: Age Origins at least TRIES to be like them, and that alone makes it better than most western RPGs on the market. The huge, original (not D&D) world is really well crafted and the graphics are pretty to look at, even in 2012. This could have been the birth of an amazing series of games but sadly Bioware decided to screw it all upWhile it isn't as complex and huge as older cRPGs, Dragon: Age Origins at least TRIES to be like them, and that alone makes it better than most western RPGs on the market. The huge, original (not D&D) world is really well crafted and the graphics are pretty to look at, even in 2012. This could have been the birth of an amazing series of games but sadly Bioware decided to screw it all up with Dragon Age 2. Even if Dragon Age 3 is good, the series is always going to have a huge blemish on it and that's a shame.… Expand
  79. kurosaki75
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    I never forgot this awesome game. It was one of my best game no contest. I liked it the story ,the deep of interaction with pnj , the system of skill . One bad point , the game was so cheated with a Wiz blood spell just awesome . But one of my best feeling witht Morrow FoT 1 and others beautiful games i forgot XD
  80. notyourbuddy
    Nov 29, 2013
    9
    Not only is the lore in DA: Origins fantastic, but the way Bioware was able to craft an engaging story around it from start to finish (the main storyline alone is probably 50+hrs) left me unable to put the game down until the end credits began to roll. The characters, the assorted collection of companions, the voice work, the personalities, the playful banter, the diversity on theNot only is the lore in DA: Origins fantastic, but the way Bioware was able to craft an engaging story around it from start to finish (the main storyline alone is probably 50+hrs) left me unable to put the game down until the end credits began to roll. The characters, the assorted collection of companions, the voice work, the personalities, the playful banter, the diversity on the main/side quests, and most importantly the choices presented at every turn allow you to really shape the adventure in your own eyes.

    The choices themselves were all so deeply routed in fundamental morality that the story essentially teases, tempts, and tests your conscience and better judgment. You basically have a little angel on one shoulder and a little demon on the other the entire time. Do it! Do it! They whisper, but who will you listen to? Throw in the fact that the storytelling itself is filled with all forms of deceit, scandal, and just about every other Shakespearean trick in the book made it a joy to play through.

    And of course mention to the combat is important. Tactical, strategic, challenging. Its the standard deep proven D&D real-time (optionally pause-able) party-based combat that just works. I never had any issues with the AI not following my pre-designed tactic rule sets or the enemy AI doing anything dumb. Only slightly disappointing thing here was the limitation on the number of tactical slots for each character as it tended to hamper more intricate and useful automated strategies.

    Final Score: 9/10. Love the first play-through and still feel a second one has lots to offer not only story wise, but difficulty wise should one dare to test their skill on the Hard or Insane difficulties.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Various nitpicks below, which prevented me from giving a 10/10. I might as well mention them I figure:

    - Despite being the Ultimate edition patched to the max this game engine loved to crash like crazy on a standard Intel i5 multicore machine. Literally every 10-30mins another random crash to the point I'd have to frequently quick save or risk losing my precious progress. Only after I forced the game to run on a single core did the crashing cease entirely (thank GOD!)

    - Enemies never respawn... ever. If you encounter an area that you are struggling to clear there is no going back and farming some levels so that you can comeback stronger. What you are is what you have. No more raising of gold to buy more potions. No compensating for earlier build errors in your characters. Everything is simply permanent. You can literally be f'ed and have no choice but to drop the game to Easy difficulty level to proceed (especially at the endgame which loves to absolutely f' you hard by dumping you into inescapable quests with no shops to replenish supplies between boss fights. Because of this the last 3 hours of my 60 hour journey were spent in gaming heII).

    - The in-game crafting was lacking to say the least (no smithing at all and the other skills like herbalism mostly an after thought). I also felt at times the character skillsets to be lacking (especially the general skills shared between all classes). And...making you have to hunt the game world to learn some specializations for your characters felt completely unnecessary (one shouldn't have to run to a Wiki to have fun.)

    - The shapeshifter class. I was so looking forward to this one...only the game makes it so frustrating to use that I literally abandoned it all together. Thing is, the game forceably turns all shapeshifters into human form during every cutscene. Problem? Every boss fight begins with a cutscene. Bigger problem? To reshapeshift requires not only a long spellcast but also a long cooldown on the skill itself. Yeah, you are essentially screwed for even attempting to use this class. Seriously, insta-shifting the character back into animal form after the scene ends would have been a simple fix how did this game have so many patches and an Ultimate edition with this kind of gamebreaking nuisance going unnoticed? Even one of the most useful skills "Overwhelm" wasn't included in the tactic's menu at all for shapeshifters (the dog yes, but not shapeshifters) so if you wanted to use it you always had to micromanage it. *shakes head*

    - The final boss fight was an epic battle between you and *spoiler alert* the fking P.O.S. camera. To have such a useful for camera for 95% of the game only to pull that. Really guys?    … Expand
  81. Aeryx
    Jan 19, 2013
    9
    Prior to Dragon Age Origins I was sure that Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars were the best Bioware games and that we would never see anything like that again. But DA:O came out and made me realize that Bioware still had what it took to make great games. The story, characters, gameplay and loot make this game a wonder to behold. I played this with the expansion (note I saidPrior to Dragon Age Origins I was sure that Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars were the best Bioware games and that we would never see anything like that again. But DA:O came out and made me realize that Bioware still had what it took to make great games. The story, characters, gameplay and loot make this game a wonder to behold. I played this with the expansion (note I said expansion--- not DLC) and this game was an outstanding experience. The presence of an online community that made mods made this game even better. Don't hesitate to get this game. It deserves your time and money and you will be glad you gave it a shot.… Expand
  82. Qis
    Oct 2, 2012
    7
    This game is intermidiate between good and bad. The good side is it have a good narative, good acting, fun factors, i really enjoy this game. But the bad side is this game is badly designed. Some of the player skill set are either not worth it or broken. The game-play restricted to tank, dps, nuker and healer mostly so the player don't have liberty to change playstyle, doing the very sameThis game is intermidiate between good and bad. The good side is it have a good narative, good acting, fun factors, i really enjoy this game. But the bad side is this game is badly designed. Some of the player skill set are either not worth it or broken. The game-play restricted to tank, dps, nuker and healer mostly so the player don't have liberty to change playstyle, doing the very same thing over and over. The player will min maxing their characters instead of role-playing it. If the player ever change or not played it as it should be, the player will have problems. The loots are terrible, fighting a boss level enemies but the loot are just generic items mostly, that is destroy motivation. There are loop holes in story line, but that can be tolerated. There are bugs and glitches and those are repaired by mods mostly. The graphic is ok even for low spec computers, but game design like armor and weapons are ugly, there are some armor and weapon design that is ok, but mostly ugly and unrealistic. Overall, this game is enjoyable but need something to shine it.… Expand
  83. aborle
    Apr 28, 2013
    9
    An argument can be made that dragon age origins does nothing new. All the things that are in this game have been done before, right? So why play it?

    Because it does those things right! Bioware successfully replaces the Dnd world with a world created by their own writers. The overarching plot is simple (an evil force that soughts to destroy everything), but has been done very well.    An argument can be made that dragon age origins does nothing new. All the things that are in this game have been done before, right? So why play it?

    Because it does those things right! Bioware successfully replaces the Dnd world with a world created by their own writers. The overarching plot is simple (an evil force that soughts to destroy everything), but has been done very well. Combat has been refined from baldur's gate/icewind dale series. Choice system is good (not great), etc.. But what this game does primarily well is :

    A) Content! Loads of rpgs have lots of contents. But DA:O makes that content interesting TILL THE END. At no point do you feel bored and exhausted.

    B) Characters! They really stand out and you will remember them even after you have played the game. Each of them has their own motivations for why they are in your team. Again, this has been done before, but DA:O does this all most better than all the other rpgs (atleast wrpgs :P)

    For me, Dragon Age Origins wasn't a game. It was an experience    … Expand
  84. LTStorm02
    Jun 29, 2015
    5
    This game, oh my gosh this game. I can completely see why people would love this game, from the old timey Tactical RPG to the awesome story, and yet i just can't stand it. The game is TOO big. It has parts of dungeons that are WAAAAAAAAAY to massive, or just there to make it longer. The combat is dull and repetitive, The only class that feels moderately fun is the mage, and that's aThis game, oh my gosh this game. I can completely see why people would love this game, from the old timey Tactical RPG to the awesome story, and yet i just can't stand it. The game is TOO big. It has parts of dungeons that are WAAAAAAAAAY to massive, or just there to make it longer. The combat is dull and repetitive, The only class that feels moderately fun is the mage, and that's a stretch, and i have found a multitude of bugs in my game, and finally the AI just bogs down the game too much. I want to love this game that everyone seems to like, but i just can't.… Expand
  85. marc5477
    Jan 11, 2015
    7
    Good RPG overall and a nice throwback to old hits like Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights. The story played out fairly well and I found a few characters somewhat interesting. Graphics were fine though nothing noteworthy and voice acting was fine. I liked the strategic elements where you can pause and organize your party to work together. For the most part, everything was above average inGood RPG overall and a nice throwback to old hits like Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights. The story played out fairly well and I found a few characters somewhat interesting. Graphics were fine though nothing noteworthy and voice acting was fine. I liked the strategic elements where you can pause and organize your party to work together. For the most part, everything was above average in the game and it was a memorable journey but there are a few things that could be better.

    First, classes are somewhat dull except for mages. Mages are significantly more powerful than any other class in the game. They can be the best damage dealers, best healers, best tank and best control unit on the field, all at once if you build your mage well. Other classes are somewhat boring and very prototypical of any old RPG with exception to archers who are fodder in this game. In many ways, the classes in this game felt too old school. Back then we had limits due to technology but today you can you do better. There should have been more options, more classes, more weapons, etc. For that reason I cant rate it as high as its predecessors since it brought nothing new to the table.

    Next, its a very linear game. Although this is not always bad, it does make replays very boring and I never did finish a replay of this game out of boredom. Everything is linear from enemies, to gear to maps. The only things that change are how you handle quests since you have more than one option. All that said, it is still much better than most console style jRPG's in terms of linearity.

    Overall a good game. Well above average and a game that I might play again one day though not for a while.    … Expand
  86. JacobK.
    Nov 3, 2009
    9
    Simply, it is on any real RPG fans top 10, even if it is 10 you will find it there, most people with personalities will find it fully enjoyable for many months (and years for me) to come. And with the addition of DLC's, it can only get better. Endings are some of the best by the way. Good work Bioware.
  87. Lulgrim
    May 24, 2012
    7
    Very overrated RPG that doesn't come close to the Baldur's Gate series in terms of story and writing. Graphics are ugly as hell for 2009, story is linear and unsurprising, characters are not that interesting (although voice acting is better than usual). Gameplay isn't very satisfying, the combat system has a million pointless abilities that you can/must constantly click on so that it wouldVery overrated RPG that doesn't come close to the Baldur's Gate series in terms of story and writing. Graphics are ugly as hell for 2009, story is linear and unsurprising, characters are not that interesting (although voice acting is better than usual). Gameplay isn't very satisfying, the combat system has a million pointless abilities that you can/must constantly click on so that it would appear "deep" (lol). DA:O is not a *bad* game, though, it's just not especially good either. I should probably take out another point for pushing stupid paid DLC but whatever.… Expand
  88. Indrigis
    May 24, 2014
    6
    DAO fails at three important things - story, engaging gameplay and any kind of morality-based choice.

    Sure, there is a lot of lore. But (just like in every other Bioware game, unfortunately) it's not that important. Yay, dwarves! Ancient race! Thaigs! Golems! Story! Shapers! Stone! Now go and kill 718 foozles, you lousy Grey Warden. Because Dwarves are your sworn allies and not in any    DAO fails at three important things - story, engaging gameplay and any kind of morality-based choice.

    Sure, there is a lot of lore. But (just like in every other Bioware game, unfortunately) it's not that important. Yay, dwarves! Ancient race! Thaigs! Golems! Story! Shapers! Stone! Now go and kill 718 foozles, you lousy Grey Warden. Because Dwarves are your sworn allies and not in any kind of trouble, but, you know, the plot compels you to go through the Deep Roads and GET YOUR RECOMMENDED DAILY AMOUNT OF LORE!

    And the combat is downright bad. Your AI companions must be repeatedly programmed to do things in a "If ... then ... " fashion and you have a limited amount of tactics slots per character (does that sound stupid? It is). As for the main character - it's Baldur's Gate all over again. You swing your weapon, numbers fly out, but enemies don't react to your swinging at all. Unit collision is horrendous and playing a rogue or warrior is a recipe for boredom because they have zero AoE and 90% of the fights are against 5+ enemies. So you are much better off going as a mage, who has all the crowd control and MASSIVE AoE at his/her disposal.

    Choice, again, is all grey and grey. No matter whether you are good or evil - every decision can be justified from either standpoint. I understand undertones, but this is ridiculous.

    In the end, DA:O could be a good RPG, but the overabundance of tedium, amount of fighting vs. actual story and the plot-induced invisible walls kill any sort of enthusiasm for it.    … Expand
  89. velimrius
    Mar 18, 2011
    9
    Its rly solid RPG, with good story, side quests are good, companion quests are also good, love that classic fighting like it was in baldurs and nwn, gave it 9 just because graphics could be a little better,everything else is great.
  90. dtamini9
    May 6, 2011
    9
    Probably the most enjoyable game I've ever played (played on hardest level as Commoner Dwarf). Even the DLC were (mostly) good. Played to the very end and I actually felt "sad" to leave my party - whereas my normal response is "well I finished it".
  91. MightyThor
    Aug 13, 2014
    10
    The only thing I don't like about this game is the combat animations. Anyone swinging a two handed weapon looks absolutely ridiculous. But everything else in this game is a solid 10. Except maybe the dialog system. Your character never speaks ala Mass Effect. Instead you pick full text responses to everything. Which is ok, just could be better.

    While some criticize Dragon Age Origins as    The only thing I don't like about this game is the combat animations. Anyone swinging a two handed weapon looks absolutely ridiculous. But everything else in this game is a solid 10. Except maybe the dialog system. Your character never speaks ala Mass Effect. Instead you pick full text responses to everything. Which is ok, just could be better.

    While some criticize Dragon Age Origins as being an RPG-lite experience, I really don't care. Yes it's not Skyrim with an infinite world to explore but the leveling system is hands down better. It's very similar to major mmo rpgs with talent trees and 5 base stats to level. It's not really balanced but being single player it doesn't need to be. Variety is fun, trying different things with all the classes is fun. The items also leave a bit to be desired as some really low level items have +damage on them which makes them better than items 10 levels higher. It just seems off and could use a few tweaks but it's not bad by any means.

    Even though the world is not open it's still plenty large and the story line is amazing. And it's all propped up by rich backstory and development of the world. You really feel like Ferelden is a very real place with all it's history and imperfections.

    If you haven't played this game you really just have to try it. You will not regret it.    … Expand
  92. UnorusJanco
    Jul 9, 2014
    5
    A mediocre role-playing game with nice looking graphics and cringeworthy story and characters, but may be worth playing if you're desperate for another game like Baldur's Gate.
  93. ChinaZ
    Nov 10, 2009
    8
    Well optimized, the quality of the game is 9, good job QA(except for the limited faces in-game(i often find lookalikes)). But the desing is 8.. and i always care about the content. It could have been more.. but the limited options in-game destroy the nice dialogues. And the lore, bleah, it's weak in parts.
  94. EdgarL
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Think Mass Effect meets the Witcher. Although not without any missteps, BioWare have shown they can reach new levels of quality with each of their games. From its witty writing, lovable quirky characters and its fully fleshed-out folklore to the game-changing moral choices, Dragon Age oozes quality: and boy, does it SO NOT lack quantity. Anyone doing at least a portion of side-quests will Think Mass Effect meets the Witcher. Although not without any missteps, BioWare have shown they can reach new levels of quality with each of their games. From its witty writing, lovable quirky characters and its fully fleshed-out folklore to the game-changing moral choices, Dragon Age oozes quality: and boy, does it SO NOT lack quantity. Anyone doing at least a portion of side-quests will easily clock at least 100 hours: mind you, this is not due to repetitiveness of side-quests (nor quests), or having to travel a lot; it's because the game isn't very easy, even on Easy. And make no mistake, if there's a tough fight, you'll definitely be pausing the game A LOT to micro-manage your troops. Not that it's very hard once you get the hang of it: around level 10 your party of 4 should start having very little trouble dispatching groups of up to 10 enemies. However, up till the point where you manage to find the right choice of spells and skills to utilize in action, the Normal difficulty level can provide considerable challenge. As far as eye-candy goes, even if the visuals aren't as crisp as in most other so called "next-gen" AAA titles, that's because BioWare has definitely managed to optimize their use of Unreal Engine since Mass Effect. Rest assured, the game will run even on low-end machines. If you liked any of previous BioWare games, any of the KotOR games, The Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 3, you'll probably like this one.… Expand
  95. 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
  96. 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.
  97. davengo
    May 28, 2011
    8
    Dragon Age: Origins is a huge, deep computer RPG in the vein of Baldur's Gate that every fan of hardcore RPGs should play. However, the game design, story and setting lack originality. The "origins" aspect of the game is novel, but it seems underdeveloped. Although the game is solid overall, it seems to lack polish and it does nothing to expand upon the RPG genre.
  98. Gvaz
    May 17, 2011
    8
    Not going to go too in depth but basically this is a great game.
    Characters, voice acting, the progression is very good. Why did Bioware delve into DA2 when they had such a good foundation? But I digress, probably the worst parts were the optimization, the colors, the weird "filter" on everything. The music was okay but eh.

    Overall I might play it again.
  99. guinevere2
    May 20, 2011
    8
    Great game overall, especially taking into consideration the state of group-based games in last decade. I enjoyed the graphic, animations, special fx and combat mechanics a lot, finding the latter to be some nice tactical challenge (granting one not play a wizard, which makes the game a stroll in the park on any difficulty), Unfortunately the game story is very disappointing: greatGreat game overall, especially taking into consideration the state of group-based games in last decade. I enjoyed the graphic, animations, special fx and combat mechanics a lot, finding the latter to be some nice tactical challenge (granting one not play a wizard, which makes the game a stroll in the park on any difficulty), Unfortunately the game story is very disappointing: great beginning turns out to this same old plot of saving the world from a horde of mindless monsters. Seriously, it does not get more boring and stupid than that. But once you accept the dull storyline, the game really shines and has good replayability potential. Also in my opinions the available dlcs are not worth of the original price, but are nice addition if you can find them in some bundle for few bucks.â… Expand
  100. Talvrae
    Mar 20, 2011
    7
    As a Bioware fan girl i will try to make as much of an unbiased review i can do for this game. I'm not blind to it's flaw. But dont want to bash it rediculously for some of the scandals on the game reviews.
    Even if some of the features of Dragon Age Origins return, this is not the same game at all, for the good and the bad. We return to Thedas the same universe and we still are playing a    As a Bioware fan girl i will try to make as much of an unbiased review i can do for this game. I'm not blind to it's flaw. But dont want to bash it rediculously for some of the scandals on the game reviews.
    Even if some of the features of Dragon Age Origins return, this is not the same game at all, for the good and the bad. We return to Thedas the same universe and we still are playing a tactical RPG like the first one, who let you customise the enemies tactics (Richards that's not an unfinished feature, it's necesseries with all the customisations possibles, and it allow to to addapt the tactics to your liking).
    .
    I wills tart out with the bads
    Less customisation than the first one, It's no longer possible to play an elf or a dwarf.
    Recicled environements
    Lack of environement variety
    straight lined missions

    On the good side
    The story is nice and very personal a good change of the epics stories
    The voice acting is excellent as usual on a Bioware titles
    Uge improvement on the graphical side (the art style have changed a lot trought and you like it or you dont)
    Good replayability with lot of things who can change in the game plays

    It's not as good as the original but still a good game    … 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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