Dragon Age™: Origins - Ultimate Edition

DA:O netted me a handful of sleepless nights and missed classes back when it came out. I'm going to focus on the story and setting, because for me the combat, while fun, isn't really what makes this game shine. As others have said, it's a pretty standard story. It does gets credit for being one of the first major releases to present a GRRM-inspired "dark fantasy" fiction. You know, the type where knights and wizards share the stage with brutal politics, disturbing sorcery, and a sense that everything and everyone is tainted by some dark secret. But its real strong point is the delivery. The scenery and the background lore really take center stage here, simultaneously eclipsing and augmenting the characters and the main story itself. If you're the sort who likes to drink in the fictional world, who enjoys mysterious unexplored areas, and reading histories and illuminating tidbits often buried in poetry or deliberately obfuscating language, this is most assuredly a game you DON'T want to miss. SPOILER ALERT As an example, my favorite in-game setting are the dwarven Deep Roads. A gargantuan, half-collapsed, mostly-forgotten network of grand tunnels overrun with filth and horrors, and littered with disturbing secrets and the sad memories of a fallen civilization. Questing through them is a lonely and oppressive experience, making you glad to have your fellow party members around. They are also closely linked with that which is by far the most likable party member in the game (grumpy dwarf turned up to 11) and my favorite Origin story (dwarven noble). The Roads are one of my fondest gaming memories, right up there with watching the Enclave's oil rig go off in a mushroom cloud, and hearing Fall-From-Grace promise that we will find each other again though worlds and eons divide us. *sniff* SPOILERS END The sequels didn't live up to the original, with too much "coolness" and not enough old-fashioned storytelling. So enjoy DA:O for what it is. It stands on its own.

+An entirely new world to explore +Origins stories are interesting, though not worth building new characters for -Massive grind -There is only one best character (Blood Mage + Arcane Warrior) -Some of the characters are very boring, e.g. Alistair -Darkspawn are uninteresting -Filler DLC

Origins is simply superb. It combines the traditional mechanics from older cRPGs with the modern style and flow of post-2000s RPGs, having a more cinematic feel. The story is nothing short of epic, the companions are wildly varied, with deep motivations and overall very entertaining, romance is well-served for both genders, the combat can both be a micro-managing hardcore experience as well as a walk in the park in the lowest difficulty (so you're set either way)... It's just that good. Origins is part of a series but pretty standalone; it does not worry about leaving space for sequels or the like. It's just its own thing, creating its own world and giving it a wild spin. Being DRM-free with every single DLC is also a massive bonus! Some mods also make your playthrough far better, from bugfixing to less annoying menus. If you enjoy/is interested in RPGs, simply go get it and thank me later.

I can't believe I missed this one and only started to play it now. This game is very much like Witcher 3 six years BEFORE Witcher 3. Good story, great characters, RTP combat with great depth. It is not as beautiful as Witcher 3, but given it's age you should not expect that. A must play for any fan of the genre . . .

DAO is one of the very best RPG I've ever played. The game feels great, sounds great and looks great even 10 years after its release. The story is captivating, the real-time (with pause) combat system feels nice and handles well. It's easy to give orders to your party. Voice over is solid and camera angles during dialogues are well thought and add lots to the immersion. Menu-ing is quick, load/save are near instant. So good to have an game UI that doesn't react like a cargo boat. Overall an amazing experience that puts to shame a lot of modern games. I should add that it plays perfectly on Linux with Lutris.