The game has a deep combat system that can be played either in turn-based fashion or in real time. You can also take up to three other party members into combat and use skills or spells to gain an edge in battle.

Dragon Age places players in the hot seat as decisions players make will inevitably affect direction. So if you’re looking for an epic role-playing game to sink your teeth into Dragon Age: Origins is the one to look out for.

This game is available in PC, Xbox360 and also Playstation 3.

Product Features

• Scalable combat options that let you decide the level of control you have over your party, including NPCs. Issue orders, set your own tactical AI, or take control of any party member to lead the charge.
• 6 possible playable preludes known as ‘Origin Stories’ which along with your play, define how your hero character will see the world, how it sees you and sets the tone for the entire story.
• Travel across the vast and varied lands of Ferelden; from the conspiratorial halls of the last great dwarven city, Orzammar, to the untamed snarls of the Korcari Wilds.
• Dragon Age: Origins will give you deep character customization options including: class, race, appearance, abilities, and equipment.
• At the heart of the storm sweeping across Ferelden. Decide the fate of nations, people and, ultimately, yourself. Just remember: for every choice, there is a consequence.

What’s good:

Bioware RPG’s always have great stories with deep background and entertaining character interactions. This one does not disappoint. New for this game are multiple character opening stories– hence the “origins” in the title. Depending on your class and race, you experience an extended opening that really sets the stage for your character and gives you something to think about. The opening for the mage included two quests to play through and a several difficult decisions to make before it merged with the main story line.

Voice acting is excellent, graphics are good and 1080p (though nothing like Metal Gear Solid or GTA4). Combat is fast, furious, and just a little out of control– and exciting.

What’s bad:

I had hoped to see the next generation of RPG, but the game’s architecture feels like reused modules from other Bioware games. Character gen is from Mass Effect, 3rd person view and movement from KOTOR, inventory mechanics and interface much like Baldur’s Gate. It’s all competently designed, but feels a little worn. But maybe Bioware is suffering from Pixar Syndrome – if it doesn’t outdo itself with each new release it seems plain.

My only real complaint is that character attributes and abilities are not sufficiently explained. The small paper manual says things are explained in detail in the in-game help but that is not the case.

Lastly:

Be aware that this game isn’t suitable for kids. It’s a mature game with some disturbing subject matter– that’s why Bioware calls it a “dark fantasy.” Kudos to Bioware for aiming for a serious game, but know what you’re buying before putting it on the holiday gift list for your little ones. (Wait until after they’re in bed and have an epic time playing it yourself!)

In most MMORPGs the player takes the role of his or her own character and must navigate some sort of world or realm in order to complete quests and tasks. Usually these worlds will be persistent, hosted on a permanent server, and actions taken by the players will have an affect on the realm or world. Thus making it interactive, even when the player is not playing the game. This is known as being “real time” and is how MMORPGs emulate the real world. In one particular instance in World of Warcraft, an event occurred where a spell effect which lowered the players health slowly over time was spread from player to player. The disease effect got out of hand and as players ran back to towns and cities the virus spread and became an epidemic. Later, a patch was released to remedy the problem, but the community was shocked at how closely the behaviour seen in the game resembled real life.

Most MMORPGs, such as World of Warcraft and Guildwars, are based in fantasy and myth and involve magic and spells. Some are based in space, where you must command a spacecraft or your own planet. Some are even based on the real world, and with the invention of Google maps it may well be possible to have an MMORPG world which closely emulates the real world, perhaps even being able to visit your own home!

MUDs, or Multi-User Dungeons, were the first MMORPGs. They are usually simple text based programs where the players use commands to control and interact with their character, the world, and other players. Although simple 2D graphical versions and even 3D MUDs do exist. Similar to MUDs are browser based MMORPGs, like RuneScape, which are played entirely in the users browser. They can be simple pages of text or complex 3D renderings and offer similar functionality of more developed MMORPGs, usually for free.

MMORPGs were virtually unknown a few years ago and now they are commonplace for most gamers. In fact worldwide revenues for MMORPGs exceeded half a billion dollars in 2005, and Western revenues exceeded one billion USD in 2006.