Dragon Age: Origins

BioWare scores again with a dark fantasy role-playing game that's bold, ambitious, and intimidating in its hugeness.

Role-playing games have a way of taking over one's life like no other genre. They are usually long affairs, requiring dozens of hours to complete, but length alone doesn't explain the emotional grip they have on players. It's not simply the epic stories of sword and sorcery, about humanity on the verge of extinction. RPGs are, ultimately, about leveling up; about growing as a character, becoming stronger, wiser, and more complete; about recruiting friends and allies; about redemption; about fate. They are games that make us care about the heroes, villains, and traditions of the virtual world, because, in many ways, we have crafted them. In the very least, they have been defined by our actions, our decisions. Dragon Age: Origins is such a game. It's neither the most-expertly told RPG, nor the most beautiful to behold, but it's one of the most engaging of its generation.

Developed by BioWare, the company that brought the world Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic, and Jade Empire, Origins is described as a "dark heroic fantasy set in a unique world." The unique world is Ferelden, a racially and culturally diverse country under siege from a "Blight," a swelling of rampaging darkspawn (corrupted creatures resembling Tolkein's orcs) above ground. Players control a would-be hero who is recruited into the ranks of the Grey Wardens, a centuries-old outfit organized solely to fight armies of darkspawn and their leader, the archdemon.

Equip your hero wisely.

Like most of BioWare's RPGs, player can choose the name, race, class, sex, and appearance of their hero before the game begins. What makes Origins unique is that players will experience one of six unique opening acts based on what race and class they choose. Options include: human noble; magi; Dalish (nomadic, tribal) elf; city elf; dwarf noble; dwarf commoner. After the origin story finishes, the game follows a single plot line, although non-player characters will treat a player differently based on his or her race and class.

Combat in Origins requires making quick decisions in real time.

Like previous BioWare games, Origins strikes a neat balance between combat, exploration, and character interaction. Throughout the hero's adventures in Ferelden, he will fights hundred of enemies -- darkspawn, bandits, giant spiders, etc. -- find treasure and rare weapons, and recruit (and sometimes lose) companions. Combat works well in Origins, although it's nothing revolutionary. The hero can switch among active party members during battle to issue commands in real time, flank enemies, and lay down traps. It's a good idea to balance your party carefully. For example, only a rogue can pick locks.

Character interaction is one of the most engaging features in Origins. Unlike other BioWare titles, there is no morality system in Origins. However, characters in the party will respond positively or negatively based on the hero's actions and words. If a party member's approval rating falls low enough, he or she may even leave the group for good.

Saying the right thing at the right time is important.

One area where Origins disappoints is its graphics. Far too often, the graphics look tired, old, last-generation. Textures are muddy, the frame rate dips and chops at the worst times, and character animations are stiff. The battle animations, on the other hand, look quite good. Audio is similarly a mixed bag. Some of the voice work, notably by Kate Mulgrew and Tim Curry, is excellent; some is lackluster. The music in Origins is also good, if forgettable.

Despite some graphical problems, Origins is an excellent RPG and a must-have for fans of the genre. With six unique origin stories, dozens of quests, and some very good downloadable content, one could easily spend 60 to 80 hours playing the game. There is so much to see, so much to do, and so many difficult choices to make, many of which have unintended consequences. Be a hero, play the villain, choose a side, take a life, fall in love, save the world. Like all RPGs, Origins is what you make of it.

Score: 8.5