Not much I can add that others haven’t already covered. Ultima Underworld and its sequel are some of the most important games ever developed, and paved the way for first person games and immersive sims. This original predates Wolfenstein 3D and allowed players to look up and down years before Dark Forces. Ultima Underworld is so ahead of its time that it allows a level of interactivity seldom seen even today. Get these classics before they’re delisted!
Bioware's homage to its own legacy (namely Baldur's Gate and NWN), Dragon Age is an RPG with excellent mechanics and equally deep world-building. Simply put; if you enjoy the gameplay of the aforementioned games, there's a good chance you'll get your money (and time's) worth here. This is a hefty game after all, with a single playthrough that can take up to 90 hours or more if you're thorough. The combat is tactical and often times brutal, with even small mistakes spelling out your party's end. (TIP: never underestimate archers!) Some micromanagement is required, but there's a surprisingly robust tactics sheet that you can adjust to your liking for each character in your party. Speaking of characters, Bioware really hit it out of the park here. The cast is very memorable and includes a sultry but mean-spirited sorceress, a sarcastic warrior whose quips would make Joss Whedon blush, and the mandatory alcoholic dwarf, among others. Adding some spice to the mix is of course your prerogative, as you can create your character with their own unique background that actually determines the starting location of the game-a feature seldom found elsewhere. Dragon Age: Origins is a dark fantasy, and it likes to remind you of that often, and many times in less than subtle ways. The art direction is frankly kind of a mess, with a D&D-derived world spattered with dark shades of red, brown, grey, and more brown. It's a shame that Dragon Age's idea of 'dark' often means an aversion to a full color palette, and eternal overcast, because the world building itself is quite excellent. The graphics, likewise, are nothing spectacular, even for their time, but they get the job done. If you're looking for a fun and challenging fantasy adventure, Dragon Age: Origins has you covered. With great voice acting, story-telling, and engaging combat, you could do much worse, (ie, the sequels).
