Dragon Age™: Origins - Ultimate Edition

I've played a lot of RPG games over the years and this gem is one of the best. It is starting to show it's age a bit in certain game mechanics that have "matured" since this came out (like in game dialogue and battle tactics), but hey, I've been at these since 1990, so it's not an issue with me. TWO IMPORTANT NOTES! 1) Disable the Feastday Gifts DLC at the start. Especially if you're a new player (like I was). This can/will ruin your game immersion. 2) SAVE OFTEN. This is true in any RPG but there are a few bugs in game that will cause a crash to desktop. A minor annoyance if you have a recent save. Awful if you don't

I played this game forward and backward in its time, ad nauseam, with three different characters, and I would have sworn I was done with it. Now... I've picked it up cheap on GOG in a sale, with the intention of spending a couple of hours for the sake of nostalgia, and nothing more. But I'm hooked again! The game is still fresh, still vibrant, and aesthetically it has aged much better than me. The game engine serves its purpose with perfection, and I still can't understand why I am never bored with the combats which should feel repetitive, but are always exciting (the balance length/difficulty of fights is very sweet). 🐱

In full discretion, I received this for free from GOG. Thanks GOG! DA:O is a classic Bioware game in the spirit of Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic. Anybody who played KOTOR will recognize the play style, the character interactions, and gray morality choices. Your player controlled character will be accompanied by three companions that can be automatically controlled based on a behavior set or micromanaged when the game is paused. Overall the story and game mechanics are interesting and enjoyable. The game does suffer from some heavy back tracking and lack of quick movement some areas. There are also some pretty tedious puzzles (though they are mostly side quests that can be ignored). I cannot judge the game too harshly based on this, though since these issues were common in crpgs of the time. I also experienced a number of sudden crashes in graphic intense areas if my settings were too high - namely Deep Roads and end game areas. DA:O is worth the price on GOG and I would have happily paid for it, though I enjoy the free giveaways. The Ultimate Edition includes all DLC and the expansion and should provide many hours of enjoyment. I look forward to EA finally giving up on Origins and the rest of the DA titles coming to GOG.

Game itself is great and I wonder if it's a good idea to buy the Ultimate Edition. A year ago or more I bought the DA Origin and Awakening as an offer on Steam. I've got 2 game as a result. I wonder what's the difference between that version and the Ultimate Edition. I'd like to spend as much time as possible and have an access to all the content on the game. I hope you'll help me.

The Good: A story good enough to play through dozens of times. The main story will end the same, but the journey there can be so different. The combat is engaging and challenging, especially on nightmare where 1 mistake can get your whole party killed. The Bad: Graphics are outdated and don't hold up well. AI that can cheat the game's systems on harder difficulties. Enemies spawning midway through a combat scenario. The Conclusion: One of the best RPG's ever made. :)