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Review: Dragon Age: Inquisition

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After three long years of waiting, Dragon Age returns to our shelves with the latest and no doubt grandest of the series: Inquisition. If the question on your mind is whether you should get the game then let me answer it for you with a doubtless yes. Just be sure to have the time for it as Bioware have crafted something that is more of a commitment than a game, I have forty five hours logged presently and despite being staggered by the truly epic scope of the game feel like I have only scratched into what is yet to come.
The task set before players as The Inquisitor is one of epic proportions. With all of Thedas thrown into disarray by the destruction of world leaders and the collapse of the Chantry’s power as well as a mage and templar rebellion, the task is set upon the inquisition to restore order to the world and halt the growing tide of chaos and evil that builds. I will say little of the story for spoilers sake save this; it is entirely different from any tale told of Thedas before, where the blight and mage-templar tensions were well known and integral to Thedas’ history, the heavens opening and ancient evils returning are not. The scope of the story is brought home by the influence you hold as the Inquisitor and by the litany of lands you will travel to as you restore order and ultimately change the world as you know it.
Dragon-Age-Inquisition_08-31Dragon Age: Inquisition is without question the largest game I’ve come across, a single area you can journey to is larger than all of Dragon Age: Origins, which should give you a fair frame of reference. And so far there are over six areas that you can revisit and explore. The exploration throughout the game is one of its strongest points, offering players a varied selection of unique landscapes to battle dragons across and build the inquisition to a formidable power. Lush woodlands and vast deserts are yours to explore. While areas became repetitive at times throughout Dragon Age 2, there is so much variety and loving detail in every area that players are treated to a very real and vibrant world. Each area contains hours worth of game play from establishing Inquisition influence, closing rifts to the Fade, completing those mundane tasks that we love RPGs for and so much more all while boasting stunning creatures and scenery (and the occasional dragon).
Questing is expanded upon where each task you complete gains you power and influence as the inquisition. Powers form the base of what you can perform as the inquisition at the War Table. This is a key aspect to the game where you command your ever growing forces across Thedas. Ranging from acts of espionage, to military manoeuvres and diplomatic envoys. Each of these holds their own importance and impact on the Inquisition.  As you progress through the game, your exploits are seen on the war table and your successes are marked.  It can become somewhat overwhelming at times, Dragon-Agewith so much set to accomplish as the Inquisition grows. The War Table is a clever gameplay tool on Bioware’s part but also as a way of displaying to players just how big a movement the Inquisition is and the influence you hold.
The herculean task of restoring order to Thedas isn’t borne solely by you – once again you’re joined by a diverse and deadly group of companions such as one of the few non-blood mages of Tevinter; Dorian, the walking tank that is the Iron Bull and the mysterious spirit; Cole. Along with your usual nine companions, you are aided by your advisers Leliana and Cullen (familiars from the previous games) and Josephine. Although not present in your party as you venture across Thedas, they have as much dialogue and development as any of your companions. As is usual of Bioware, there are moments that pull on our heartstrings and also cause genuine fits of laughter thanks to our party. Even the countless NPCs you will encounter are unique and named, displaying every type of inhabitant of Thedas through their accent and attitudes towards you. They react to the world as the story progresses and are a great barometer for the extraordinary detail put into this game.
The combat has evolved somewhat, making players add a bit more to the fighting than just running in and slashing. The enemies are varied and posses a range of their own abilities and weaknesses for you to counter and exploit. How you attack your enemies impacts the fights greatly as crippling them or disabling them can open up great advantages. Had I not taken out a high dragon’s hind legs, I would have missed the chance to almost half her health in mere minutes. All things considered, the gameplay itself is not as sluggish or clunky as Origins was at times, in fact it takes what worked in both Dragon-Age-Inquisition-03Origins and Dragon Age 2 and melds them into an enjoyable combat experience along with making the travelling you’ll be doing feel less like a chore and more like the exciting exploration that it is.
The evolution of the Dragon Age games culminates in Inquisition; every facet of the game is polished and very little leaves the player wanting. Bioware have not rested on their laurels and have taken the series to great new heights. This game truly makes one feel like they have been dropped into the middle of a vast and nuanced world where they are constantly reminded of the grand world they stand in.
It goes without saying that the reply value of this game is hard to measure. Allowing you to fully customize your character with options that rival The Sims and unique backgrounds and three different classes that greatly impact on how you play the game and how the world reacts to you. Throughout my play-through, my character is usually questioned or given sly insult for being an elf. Each detail of your character is something that will impact upon how the world sees you, from the tavern to the final battle.
e3_2014_screens_wm_09There is only one downside to Dragon Age: Inquisition as far as I’m concerned and it’s that it is such a vast and detailed game that I feel like I’m in for the long haul with this story. Bioware have stated it is between 70-150 hours of gameplay and that terrifies me. It is a worthwhile buy for all that you will get out of it, but it’s merely a question of time management on the player’s part as to how much they can get out of it. The game boasts a lengthy scroll of quests that push you to explore Thedas and build the Inquisition, but whether you spend hours collecting herbs in the Hinterlands or charging against your enemies head on is left entirely up to you.
There are so many breath taking aspects that I’m pretty sure I missed at least twelve in this review. Even if you are a newcomer to the series, this game is an excellent jumping in point as it is not heavily reliant on the set up of the previous titles and does a good job of catching players up on the events that preceded the game. So don’t be too apprehensive about diving into a world you are unfamiliar with as you’ll feel right at home before you know it.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the definitive fantasy epic. 10/10

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