If you’ve finally decided to dive into Ferelden this weekend, then this latest round of reviews should probably be on your list of reading material.
GameSquad gives it a perfect 10/10:
All in all, Dragon Age: Origins is the fantasy-based RPG fans have been seeking for far too long. As someone who has never been an aficionado of dungeon crawls, it is all the more amazing that I have been thoroughly hooked by the magic found in this game (darn your spellcraft, BioWare!). Sir Galahads the world over have finally found their RPG holy grail, and it is Dragon Age: Origins.
Diehard GameFAN gives it a “Classic Game” rating:
Fortunately, Dragon Age: Origins is a stellar enough product that it can easily stand tall, even with what issues it does have. The story is outstanding and features plenty of excellent character development and interesting branching paths to seek out and experience. The visual and aural presentation is excellent in nearly every respect, and both really bring the game to life. The game is easy to learn and fun to play, and there are so many different ways to develop and grow your characters that it makes every level an interesting choice for the tactical player. There are a large amount of quests to complete, items to find, skills and specializations to learn and events to see that you’ll almost definitely miss a few things the first time through the game, and with the ability to develop a completely different character every time you play, there are plenty of reasons to come back. The game does feel a little bit similar to Knights of the Old Republic in design, and it feels like compromises were made to make the game accessible to both PC and console gamers without really trying to tailor the experience to each type of gamer. Further, it’s annoying that there is Day One DLC, especially since many players will feel that they HAVE to own it just for the storage chest this DLC offers, and the fact that there’s actual in-game advertising in the game specifically meant to sell you this expansion is creative, but tacky, and it sends the wrong sort of message about the motives of the developers. If you can overlook these small flaws, Dragon Age: Origins is easily one of the best games released this year, and while I can’t say that it’s THE best, I can safely say that it will more than likely be a nominee when voting comes around.
AtomicGamer gives it an 85%:
After all this, you might get the impression that Dragon Age isn’t worth playing, but I assure you that even with its problems, the game does BioWare proud. While exhibiting a blatant disregard for aesthetics and an almost cavalier attitude toward bugs, Dragon Age is saved by its epic design, exceptional narrative and incredible voice acting. So do your best to overlook the clumsy graphics and long load times and focus instead on the positives. If you do, you’ll be in for one of the finest RPG experiences of the year.
Strategy Informer gives it a 9.4/10:
All in all, Dragon age is a triple A dark fantasy bonanza. PC gamers will want to hear more about the modding community, and whilst Bioware have released developer grade tools, it’s going to take a while before things really get going. What kind of content will be released is anyone’s guess, because the game is pretty solid as it is. For now though, enjoy the un-edited version of what is without a doubt the best RPG adventure of the decade.
Binge Gamer gives it a perfect 5/5:
You’ll get your money out of this game, and it even makes sense to buy it new rather than used, since new copies will come with DLC codes for a special set of armor and an entire new character, complete with an extensive backstory and a unique quest. Is Dragon Age: Origins the RPG of the decade? Maybe. It really depends what you like in an RPG. If you want Oblivion punched in the face by Bioware, you’ll love it.
WhatIfGaming gives it a “Buy It” if you love role-playing games:
Dragon Age: Origins gives a reason for players to experience the lands of Thedas and the far reaches of the various characters in the outskirts of the countryside. The cultivated character progression provides more of strength to the dark fantasy tale as a role-playing game and the epitome of variety in the hundreds of quests with different outcomes and decisions effectuates a journey that is always the best outcome for the different choices players will make. Dragon Age: Origins shows a lot of promise and delivers on everything it sets out to accomplish by showing anyone that it is not simply a brawler and there is more to the world. There is more to the world of Thedas where violence and strife pillage the lands, and there is a level of something still unexplored in the chasms of the traditional elements. There is more that Dragon Age: Origins reveals, rather surprises us with by providing a new realization to the word (traditional,) and revealing this throughout a tale where the journey is never as simple as it seems.
DualShockers gives it a perfect 5/5:
All the minor issues aside, this was an amazing game. The story, the characters and the choices I made are something I will remember for a long time to come, and that is a testament to the outstanding team at Bioware that created this work of art. I spent just under 50 hours playing through the game once (not counting the other two origin stories I played through just for kicks), and I still didn’t finish everything there is to do. I’m also still not tired of the game, I want to play it again, experiencing different choices and consequences, using different party members and experimenting with different aspects of the game. In the end, I came, I saw, I was amazed and I conquered. This is a role-playing masterpiece that every gamer should experience.
Tech-Out gives it a 9/10:
There are too many facets and intricacies of “Dragon Age: Origins” to fit in one review. Perhaps the best praise I can give it is that it worms its way into your mind and stays there. I find myself frequently trying to figure out where the game will go next and what sacrifices my character and my friends will need to make to get there. Ferelden’s a dangerous place, but I still want to dive back in.
LazyGamer gives it a 9.0/10:
The storyline is intriguing, the controls are complex but logical and the overall experience is very rewarding. You’ll know you’re controlling a well oiled machine when you realise the depth of the game mechanics, although for the more casual player the game is still very accessable. If you loved Neverwinter Nights, and fell in love with Mass Effect then this game is definitely for you.
Electronic Theatre gives The Stone Prisoner DLC an 81%:
Dragon Age: Origins isn’t light on content packaged within the retail product, but with the success of the PDLC it’s evident that new additions are more than welcome. The fact that The Stone Prisoner is free to those purchasing the retail product new only sweetens the deal. 1,200 Microsoft Points may be a asking too much for an additional character and few hours play, but as an incentive to pay that small amount extra for a new copy instead of a pre-owned copy, The Stone Prisoner couldn’t be better pitched.
And then Softpedia points out “a few niggling problems”:
Also, the game needs, at least on the PC, a way to toggle TAB permanently on to see the various interactive objects strewn through the levels. Pushing W and TAB at the same time to get through the levels is pretty daunting and a toggle would be the best way to solve it.
Finally, Dragon Age: Origins badly needs to tell players more about the underlying mechanics of the combat, with resistances, dice rolls and combat actions better explained. I understand that a lot of players do not want to actually know about the numbers and the resistances and the dexterity modifiers but there’s a big crowd of players who want to tweak their experience and could really appreciate reading all that data.
