Games Review Of Dragon Age: Origins
Published by Electronic Arts in November and December 2009, Dragon Age: Origins is considered to be a “dark heroic fantasy with mature themes”. It is even thought of by many to be the “spiritual successor” to the Baldur’s Gate game series which, in turn, was based on the original Dungeons & Dragons RPGs.
Dragon Age: Origins is set in the mythical kingdom of Ferelden, with players assuming either the role of a mage, rogue, or warrior who must unite this strife-ridden kingdom in order to repel a demon invasion. Each of these classes may be upgraded into specialisations like berserkers, templars, rangers, assassins, spirit healers, and shape-shifters.
Players embark on their adventures using a “party system” whereby the featured main character is accommodated by up to three other party members chosen from a non-playing character (NPC) pool. Decisions the player makes throughout the game influence the accompanying NPCs, who may leave the party or even attack the player if they strongly disagree with them.
Characters are also given unique backgrounds depending on their race and class. These unique characters are what put the word “origins” in the game’s title, as each character gets a different story depending on their origins.