Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
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  1. ZTGD
    90
    Awakening is definitely a nice companion for those that have exhausted the original game. There is plenty here to keep you occupied for at least 20 hours if you want to max everything out. Some may be a bit disappointed in the size by comparison, but for $40 this game is twice as long as most full-priced titles.
  2. GamingXP
    88
    A new chapter in fereldens storybook. New characters, new abilities and a new story combined with a lot of decision making. A BioWare game at its best.
  3. Cheat Code Central
    88
    Though there's not nearly as much content as the first go-round, there's still an awful lot to love.
  5. Digital Chumps
    86
    There's plenty of improvement from Bioware here, but more importantly the story continues and it's still a fun ride. If you liked the first then you'll like the expansion pack.
  6. IGN
    85
    It has a strong narrative connection to the original game, but the sense that your previous choices matter isn't as strong as we'd have liked. I still miss the old companions, but the new characters are just as interesting once you get to know them.
  7. PlayStation Universe
    85
    Awakening adds heaps of new content to one of the best RPGs in recent years. While it still carries some of the frustrations from the core adventure, fans of the game will love the expanded story, new gear, and extra content.
  8. Gaming Nexus
    83
    Dragon Age: Origins’ expansion, Awakening, gives you 20+ more hours of an experience that entails characters with depth and a captivating storyline that picks up and expands in a very unique way from the original game.
  9. 1UP
    83
    The characters and talents are almost enough to overlook the fact that the skills, which are where abilities like crafting and coercion reside, seem a bit uninspired.
  10. VideoGamer
    80
    If Dragon Age didn't float your boat, neither will Awakening. Dragon Age enthusiasts, however, should consider it an essential purchase. It offers more of the same - no bad thing - in a great value package.
  11. 3DJuegos
    80
    Awakening reinvigorates the interest in Dragon Age: Origins. This expansion pack is what an add-on should be: long, exciting, stimulating and a great fuse of what that BioWare's masterpiece really is.
  12. Extreme Gamer
    80
    However, when it was all said and done, I felt completely entertained by the entire ‘Awakening’ package, and happy I made the journey into Amaranthine.
  13. GameDaily
    80
    Even though it doesn't address the original's faults or expand the gameplay to new heights, there's more than enough new content (talents, characters, terrain to explore) to keep you swinging your sword.
  14. XGN
    80
    Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening is mandatory for anyone who has played the original game with a smile on his or her face
  15. PSFocus
    80
    This is a good expansion of the existing game with a lot of new gameplay and fun. Every gamer that liked the original should buy this one. It’s the same idea as the original, but with a lot of new things to do.
  16. Game Over Online
    80
    It's fun, but I'm not sure it's forty bucks worth of fun.
  17. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    80
    An epic and engaging experience, Awakening isn't quite the tour de force we were craving from the creators of Origin, but we're more than happy with this "furthers adventures of" epilogue. [Jun 2010, p.82]
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  18. GameFocus
    80
    In the end, for those like myself who absolutely adored what Dragon Age: Origins had to offer, you have no reason not to pick up Awakenings and continue your Grey Warden’s epic adventure.
  19. Play UK
    80
    DLC that's nearly on a par with the original Dragon Age experience. [Issue#192, p.96]
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  20. Game Revolution
    75
    Unpolished and unsure – too long for an epilogue, too short for a stand-alone title. Still, an enjoyable romp with an intriguing story can be found somewhere between the two, and you won’t have to be wide awake to see it.
  21. GameZone
    70
    The new content does its job of keeping the appeal factor high, but the bugs, lack of story depth and uninteresting characters don’t exactly invite in newcomers.
  22. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    60
    Fingers crossed it gets a patch, because when it does, it'll be essential. [May 2010, p.105]
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Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best PS3 Game of 2010
91
#91 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 82 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 82
  3. Negative: 5 out of 82
  1. Inuit_Dude
    Apr 26, 2011
    9
    i have never played an expansion game before but this game has got me loonking for expansions of other games out there as well because it isi have never played an expansion game before but this game has got me loonking for expansions of other games out there as well because it is so good. not much has changed in this game from origins but i love how the decisions you made in DAO affect gameplay and story in this game and it is also a blast to see that the story does not just end when you kill the arch demon and even though this is not a full game and just an expansion it is still long and you have lots to do and it also comes with a patch for the game which is a big help for those who cant get onto the internet with thier consoles (although those numbers are few). one of the only things i didnt like was that you could not talk to your companions whenever you want and you can't romace the characters either but other than that i cant really figure anything wrong with it and if you loved the first game this is defenatly a must have expansion… Full Review »
  2. Blyzzard
    Nov 1, 2012
    9
    Though this is way shorter than the game itself (obviously), I actually preferred this story. It's not as cliché. I must say I alsoThough this is way shorter than the game itself (obviously), I actually preferred this story. It's not as cliché. I must say I also liked these characters as much as the original ones. Sigrun being my favourite in Awakening! I wouldn't rank it higher than Origins, but it's close!… Full Review »
  3. pyrocloud7
    Jun 19, 2011
    9
    Awakening Specific:
    For an expansion pack you get a lot of depth and about 20 hours plus of playtime if you choose to do everything that is    Awakening Specific:
    For an expansion pack you get a lot of depth and about 20 hours plus of playtime if you choose to do everything that is available to you. The plot in awakening is not as well developed as it's longer origins predecessor, but the story is fantastic, and world-changing.

    Dragon Age In General:
    In my own opinion this is the number one RPG to date. I personally love the console version controls as opposed to the PC controls. Bioware has always delivered strong games, but the story as well as the vastness of the universe are just amazing. The only complaint I have for Dragon Age: Origins is with the technical issues. A few minor frame rate issues and bugs, as well as a large loophole in the import system from Origins to Awakening, are the only things stopping Dragon Age from getting a solid and undeniable 10/10.    … Full Review »
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