As an RPG, it's one of the best. But that's what it is: an old-school RPG, not an open-world game by any means.


There's always the http://dragonage.wikia.com. It'll answer all of your questions.

I'm pretty sure it's just in 100s. 100 copper makes 1 silver, 100 silver makes 1 gold. :shrug:

I expected the usual Bioware stuff, and I got it.
Good dialogue, but no general work of genius. A pile of emotional baggage group of conflicted characters with a background. A solid gameplay system. And of course lots of atmosphere, a world to drown in, the one thing they always succeeded at.

Yup. Basic 1:100 stuff.

I'm a big fan of both that band and the game, but I felt like it didn't go together at all...

I found very little replayability with it, but at the same time, I really enjoyed the one play through I had. The whole micromanagement was hard to get used to at first...and some of the bosses were more than a handful. But theres so many quests I didn't do...I really wanna play it again, I just can't seem to make time.

I'm playing on normal but I've seen quite a few people say it can be a tough game. How tough is it going to get on normal and how much micro managing will need to be done. How long is the game?

All the spells are unlocked through leveling with skillpoints/specialization.

This, allthough I never understood why linear was a bad thing.

A linear game makes it that much easier to tell a well structured story, what's wrong with that?

Well, the only problem with linearity in Dragon Age is that Dragon Age has some of the longest combat slogs of any RPG, and you can't avoid the fade without mods.

I hope the OP will give the game a chance. The different origin stories are among the strengths of the game -- the elven ghetto, the rigid hierarchy of the dwarves, the gilded cage to which the mages are confined. Bioware was trying for a "realistic" medieval look to the game IMO; for just one example, everyone's teeth are dingy by today's standards, almost distractingly so. But if you've played other Bioware games such as Mass Effect, Jade Empire and others, you have an idea what to expect. The combat was challenging to me, and I had to pause constantly during battle to try to figure out how to counter the enemy.

The whole mage story arc was interesting and the mages have powerful spells -- mages in the game are "glass cannons". I don't know if you've played Baldur's Gate II, but I appreciated that Bioware has as much interaction with your companions as it does.

What's the fade?

@syronj yea I'm giving it a go. I picked a warrior class and just finished the origin story and an meeting with the grey wardens at ostagar. Like what I've seen so far.

Kind of a spirit world dealy.

Have you ever played Knights of the Old Republic? Dragon Age: Origins is like Knights of the Old Republic with a fantasy setting.

Just so you know, you should make sure to have a general build in mind for your character(s). If you don't, the game can get pretty difficult. When I first tried to play it I hated the game because my characters weren't very good, but after I made sure I had a good understanding of the stats and skills the game was much more fun.

I'm playing as a warrior on normal difficulty.

Yes, I saw that. If you don't distribute your attributes with a purpose in mind your warrior might end up getting his butt handed to him.

In my experience you can expect about nine hours of intensely boring combat, cliche story, and inane quests before giving it back to the friend who lent it to you. This was an incredible disappointment for me, given how much I love Bioware (Mass Effect, Kotor and Baldur's Gate specifically).

I'm glad others enjoyed it though, I want Bioware to do well. ( And to make Baldur's Gate III)

Even on normal? You can change difficulty during play I saw so I guess if I'm having trouble I'll switch to casual but I'd really rather not.

I had to switch to normal on the final fight and a few other instances. I used a mage. Never had to do casual. During the expansion I never had to switch though.

You'll have lots of fun in the fade. And headaches.

And nightmares?

Were you playing on hard or nightmare? I'm starting to get worried about this "fade"...

Its not too tough. Just several long and repetitive sections with a headache-inducing visual effect that you have no chance of getting rid of.

Just hard. It svcks that you have friendly-fire sometimes because my mage would have massive spells that affected a large area and it would often kill my allies if I wasn't careful.

The fade isn't that bad. There is actually a few times it's fun. I was actually having minor anxiety attacks while going through it the first time.

I liked the fade. :shrug:

I did too, the first time I played through. By the 5th time you just want it to end.