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I can get Inquisition for 15$ or Origins off this sale right now. The 8$ difference means nothing to me. I don't want to commit to playing the entirety of this big trilogy (too many other games). But the next games on my list are Neverwinter Nights 2 and KOTOR 1. The DA games seem right along the same lines. Do y'all think it would be better to just play the newer and more gorgeous looking DA? I highly value character customization and story myself. The ign review said Inquisition had a "frustratingly bland" story although he still really enjoyed it a lot. And I heard the 2nd sux so it kind of comes down to Inquisition or Origins I guess. If anyone here has completed the trilogy which game would you recommend if a player could only finish one?
Well I havn't played Inquisition myself, but I have seen it played through and it's more fast paced and combat focused. It looks more like a console RPG although the tactical overhead view is available. This isn't a bad thing, it's just different. If Inquisition were to come to GOG I'd definitely buy it and play it.
That being said, I've played Origins multiple times a few years ago and I'm doing a fresh playthrough right now. It holds up remarkably in my opinion and it's one of my favourite games. There is a lot of customisation available for when creating your character (three races, different classes and six different origin stories) as well as a lot of class specialisation as you continue playing. It's a lot like the Baldur's Gate series but it feels tighter, and therefore less open as the Baldur's Gate games were. There is a lot of freedom but not so much that you can absolutely cause mayhem or wreck the storyline, like you could in BGI and II. Again, this isn't better or worse than the BG games, just different. I find it a respite to know I can't accidentally kill an important NPC in a big fight and get stuck in a quest. Of course this could also be seen as a hindrance to some and feel like being coddled.
The story in Origins is simple at first, gather armies and defeat the Blight, but of course that isn't all there is to a story. The characters are great, well written and fleshed out with their own stories. The world itself offers an expanse of lore and your choices have both immediate and subtle, long term impact.
Anyway, after that wall of text, I would say go for Origins, but again, I'm not too qualified to say that. I haven't played DAII or Inquisition and I would really like to someday. Inquisition is faster paced and while I personally can't speak for the story, it's supposed to be very good. I think both would be great games. Origins is closer to Neverwinter Nights 2 and KOTOR 1= in gameplay, so if you know you like that style, I would say go with Origins. You can't go wrong with either choice though.
Post edited September 27, 2016 by squareinc
Go for DAO if you value your time.

Recently finished DAO(for 5th time),DA2 and currently playing DAI . Main beef of DAI(as gameplay) is exploration and collectables. But DAO trumps all over DAI in terms of quality(unless you are part of the people who look at $/hr ratio).

DAO got better writing,characters and voice acting. Also I find the combat in DAO much more interesting because of the friendly fire( like freezing your warriors due to bad aiming xD).

Now if you wonder what DAI offers I can tell you this : 1. Get DA:O UE 2. Finish Awakining Expansion 3. Multiply by 10 4. You now know what to expect from DAI(in terms of gameplay) .
prefer teh specializations from origins i loved teh shapeshifter spec for mages, despite all te whiners complaining that they cant cast their spells. i love the shapeshifter concept in that the point was to have the abilities of the new forms

the spec's in inquisition seemed boring and bland to me overall

hwever i do enjoy the gameplay of inquisition alot sadly since i have it on console i dont get access to the potentil that modding would add to the game
Inquisition was so dumbed down you could literally beat most bossfights by rolling your face all over the controller

True story. Some fellow on youtube did it.

DA:O, though. Superb game. One of Bioware's best.
I actually loved Origins -with all the DLC. I originally bought the collectors edition and it just blew me away! I bought Dragon Age II and enjoyed that no-end also. I have Inquisition. It's a different kettle of fish, as you have to keep hitting the attack button on an enemy- that is tedious.... The weapons don't seem to convey enough damage and there's far to many junk weapons in the game. Crafting is missing a lot to be desired.
Someone mentioned a top-down view? Well you have a top down view in Origins also. Just roll your middle mouse wheel out!
Still haven't finished Inquisition -on the DEATHLY tedious; find ALL the shards to open-ALL-the-doors-desert-level. that should have been DELETED before pressing!! Grrrr.. It's not a bad game, just some bad design.

But back to the topic; DAO Collectors Edition box set = the best.
Both are good games and easily worth double those prices. That being said, I would advise you to play Origins first. There are a lot of characters and events in Inquisition that are a lot more meaningful if you've played the first two games beforehand.
Yep.

Played DAO through several times and tried most (or all) different origins.

DA2 I played through, was not anything close to being as good.

DAI, liked it more than DA2, but didn't finish (yet at least), drifted off.
There's a stunningly stunning amount of content in there and I like free roaming the maps,
but... 97% of the content is uninteresting sidequests, grinding, grinding, grinding.
200h game with maybe about 5-10 h of actual storyline content.
To be honest, I just started DA2 after having passed on it the first time around, as the demo put me off greatly. I am having fun playing it. I think it's biggest sin is that it is not really a true sequel, it's more of a side story. If they called it Dragon Age: Hawke's Story or some such, I am pretty sure it would have gotten a better reception. The combat is faster, less tactical and Hawke is like Shepard in terms of customization. The only other glaring flaw is the recycled environments. I am still in year one and they are pretty noticeable.
Post edited October 06, 2016 by Zanderat
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Jarmo: Yep.

Played DAO through several times and tried most (or all) different origins.

DA2 I played through, was not anything close to being as good.

DAI, liked it more than DA2, but didn't finish (yet at least), drifted off.
There's a stunningly stunning amount of content in there and I like free roaming the maps,
but... 97% of the content is uninteresting sidequests, grinding, grinding, grinding.
200h game with maybe about 5-10 h of actual storyline content.
From everything I have read, that is close to the consensus opinion.

DAO > DAI > DA2.

I have only played DAO and DA2. DA2 was bad rush job after EA took over IMO. I found it really disappointing in many way.
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Zanderat: To be honest, I just started DA2 after having passed on it the first time around, as the demo put me off greatly. I am having fun playing it. I think it's biggest sin is that it is not really a true sequel, it's more of a side story. If they called it Dragon Age: Hawke's Story or some such, I am pretty sure it would have gotten a better reception. The combat is faster, less tactical and Hawke is like Shepard in terms of customization. The only other glaring flaw is the recycled environments. I am still in year one and they are pretty noticeable.
Just wait to you get further in. None of your choices in the game matters. It is all railroaded.
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Stig79: Just wait to you get further in. None of your choices in the game matters. It is all railroaded.
So it's like every other RPG with choices ever.
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Stig79: Just wait to you get further in. None of your choices in the game matters. It is all railroaded.
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Punkoinyc: So it's like every other RPG with choices ever.
Not like this, no.

Origins has plenty of different endings, with a lot of world changing bits too.

DA2 has one. You are just forced to kill two people even if you have supported one of them 100% through the game.


You might want to check out Planescape:Torment as well, if you think rpgs don't have choices.
Post edited October 07, 2016 by Stig79
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Punkoinyc: So it's like every other RPG with choices ever.
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Stig79: Not like this, no.

Origins has plenty of different endings, with a lot of world changing bits too.

DA2 has one. You are just forced to kill two people even if you have supported one of them 100% through the game.

You might want to check out Planescape:Torment as well, if you think rpgs don't have choices.
In any ending of Torment TNO stops being immortal and then there's a cutscene where he grabs a battle axe and he walks off into the Blood War. The choices are no more meaningful than the ones in DA2.
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Stig79: Not like this, no.

Origins has plenty of different endings, with a lot of world changing bits too.

DA2 has one. You are just forced to kill two people even if you have supported one of them 100% through the game.

You might want to check out Planescape:Torment as well, if you think rpgs don't have choices.
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Punkoinyc: In any ending of Torment TNO stops being immortal and then there's a cutscene where he grabs a battle axe and he walks off into the Blood War. The choices are no more meaningful than the ones in DA2.
The choices affect the fates of his companions, and the world around him. Him stopping being immortal is the point of the game - his goal.

I was talking about choices in DA2, though. Nothing you do in that game impacts the story. Spare someone and you get forced to kill them in the next chapter. Side with the mages and they still keep attacking you all through the game anyway. Help Anders do his personal quest and he does that thing at the end. If you don't help him he manages to do it anyway. The whole game was basically a movie.

In most rpgs you can make choices that affects the story quite a lot. The Witcher 3 being a very good example of this. Even choices made in some side-quests can affect the main story in that one. Mass Effect 2 has it as well. Shame ME3 screwed it all up, but still. In an isolated sense, ME2 had plenty of it.

In Dragon Age Origins you can die, become king\queen, Alistair can die\become a drunk\become a king. Who rules the dwarves is a choice you can make. Wiping out the werewolves\elves. Have the Mage's Circle put to the sword or not. Tons of choices in it. Each playthrough can be very different. In DA2 it is the same each time.