Dragon Age: Origins free on Origin

[exar333]

Reasonably modern critically acclaimed game from 2009 with 60 hours content is free, people bitch because some of the DLC aren't.

Gee they can't win.

Lol, this.

 

[BSim500]

Ok I was bored late last night so I downloaded this, set up my character, listened to all the blah blah blah clicking answers to questions to begin the game, and then I see that I have to play from 3rd person angles and tell folks what to do. So Im like UGH, this seems like a lot of work and quit the game.

My question is this, do you ever get to play and fight in first person? If not Im not even gonna bother starting it up again. LOL

Um, you do realize this is essentially an isometric game (it's "spiritual predacessors" were the Neverwinter Nights & Baldur's Gate D&D ruleset style games) that can "zoom in" to pseudo 3rd-person views? It's not an FPS-RPG like Oblivion / Skyrim (nor intended to be).

 

[DeadFred]

Um, you do realize this is essentially an isometric game (it's "spiritual predacessors" were the Neverwinter Nights & Baldur's Gate D&D ruleset style games) that can "zoom in" to pseudo 3rd-person views? It's not an FPS-RPG like Oblivion / Skyrim (nor intended to be).

No I was unaware, thats why I asked. I just saw it on Origin, thought free is good and downloaded it before even reading anything about it. Guess Ill go ahead and uninstall as this is certainly not gonna be my cup o' tea.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Guess Ill go ahead and uninstall as this is certainly not gonna be my cup o' tea.

I downloaded free as well...isometric is not a problem for me. Good story line, halfway decent graphics, voice acting etc. is what makes a game interesting. My only problem is I have never played a D and D type game...although I did play D and D old style. Having problems figuring out combat, but will muddle thru. Played ME 2, Oblivian, Witcher, FPS, but combat here eintirely different.

The Wife

 

[darkewaffle]

Eh, it's not really DnD like, at least not in terms of character building or combat. Honestly DAO plays more like an MMO where you control the entire party rather than an individual character - which personally I quite enjoyed. But it basically boils down to "auto-attack, cooldown, auto-attack, cooldown, repeat". At least in terms of melee, the magic users are a bit more involved/freeform.

 

[KeithTalent]

Fired this up for the first time last night. I always really enjoy setting up my character so I spent way too much time on that as usual and when the game actually started I barely had time to play. Graphics look ok, but the movement could really take some getting used to; not sure I like that. Picked a mage because I want to try something different. Hope it's fun, but I watched some gameplay vids and it looks kind of clunky.

As for Origin, it runs pretty quickly and smoothly. No issues whatsoever. Happy to have a free game.

KT

 

[Kalmah]

It's a pretty good game. I felt like the combat classes were a little lacking in versatility. Mages whoop all over everything if you plan your skill tree properly. I like to take disabling spells so I can sit back and watch my fighters and archers mop everything up.

A tip and small spoiler(not really a spoiler, you'll just enjoy the game a million times more if you read this I think.

Spoiler

Go to the Tower of Magi as soon as you can to get your healer, it's the only healer in the game unless you make your character a healer

I prefer Neverwinter Nights (1 or 2, doesn't matter). There is something about the dnd ruleset that makes things better.

 

[KeithTalent]

It's a pretty good game. I felt like the combat classes were a little lacking in versatility. Mages whoop all over everything if you plan your skill tree properly. I like to take disabling spells so I can sit back and watch my fighters and archers mop everything up.

A tip and small spoiler(not really a spoiler, you'll just enjoy the game a million times more if you read this I think.

Spoiler

Go to the Tower of Magi as soon as you can to get your healer, it's the only healer in the game unless you make your character a healer

I prefer Neverwinter Nights (1 or 2, doesn't matter). There is something about the dnd ruleset that makes things better.

Yeah I kind of hate having to allocate points right away since I have no idea how the game works so I was freaking out about whether I went the right way with things. It's not like there were only two options, there was something like 16 different selections or whatever. How the hell am I supposed to know what to pick before I have even played a second of the game?

Thanks for the tip, I will do that for sure.

KT

 

[Kalmah]

Yeah I kind of hate having to allocate points right away since I have no idea how the game works so I was freaking out about whether I went the right way with things. It's not like there were only two options, there was something like 16 different selections or whatever. How the hell am I supposed to know what to pick before I have even played a second of the game?

Thanks for the tip, I will do that for sure.

KT

As a mage, you will need to take at least a couple damaging spells early because there is a solo area that you come across rather early. (in the tower actually) Ice and lightning or something of the sort. It's kind of a necessity, but then branch out to whatever your plan is.

 

[KeithTalent]

As a mage, you will need to take at least a couple damaging spells early because there is a solo area that you come across rather early. (in the tower actually) Ice and lightning or something of the sort. It's kind of a necessity, but then branch out to whatever your plan is.

Ah, so I've already screwed it up.

Thanks for the info; I will make sure to keep it in mind as I progress.

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

Game is like crack. I have not been this invested in a game since the first Mass Effect. Can't believe it was free!

KT

 

[Mem]

Game is like crack. I have not been this invested in a game since the first Mass Effect. Can't believe it was free!

KT

I'm surprised you never picked it up when it was first released(retail/paid version),remember the big thread in PC gaming on DA.

I have the original DA CE version and Ultimate editions plus DA2 etc so have put many hours into the game and finished it,I'm just waiting now for DA Inquisition which will soon be here .

 

[PrincessFrosty]

I still remember when EA spoke out to say that they'd never devalue their intellectual property on Origin with low prices or free games like steam does.

Silly billies

 

[norseamd]

Now I also remember that.

 

[KeithTalent]

I'm surprised you never picked it up when it was first released(retail/paid version),remember the big thread in PC gaming on DA.

I have the original DA CE version and Ultimate editions plus DA2 etc so have put many hours into the game and finished it,I'm just waiting now for DA Inquisition which will soon be here .

Yeah, not sure why I skipped it then. I think I am just always a little unsure on these ones; I need a good story with characters to get invested in for an RPG and I may have been concerned it was something like The Witcher, which was an RPG I just could not get into. That one felt way too detached while in DA:Origins, I really feel like I am in the world and making decisions which really impact the world and the story.

Am I right in thinking playing through as a different class would give an entirely different experience? I feel as if the story I am currently involved in is quite specific to the path(s) I have chosen thus far.

KT

 

[Mem]

Yeah, not sure why I skipped it then. I think I am just always a little unsure on these ones; I need a good story with characters to get invested in for an RPG and I may have been concerned it was something like The Witcher, which was an RPG I just could not get into. That one felt way too detached while in DA:Origins, I really feel like I am in the world and making decisions which really impact the world and the story.

Am I right in thinking playing through as a different class would give an entirely different experience? I feel as if the story I am currently involved in is quite specific to the path(s) I have chosen thus far.

KT

I played as melee first time but second time as mage which was more fun, however mages are overpowered compared to the melee characters,having said that mage class was my favourite for Dragon Age.

I'll say playing as mage it felt in some ways more personal,ie renegade mages,blood mages etc,power the chantry had over mages etc,so the decisions felt more personal sometimes.

 

[KeithTalent]

I played as melee first time but second time as mage which was more fun, however mages are overpowered compared to the melee characters,having said that mage class was my favourite for Dragon Age.

I'll say playing as mage it felt in some ways more personal,ie renegade mages,blood mages etc,power the chantry had over mages etc,so the decisions felt more personal sometimes.

Hmm, well maybe that is why I am connecting with it, since I am playing a mage. Even as a mage though, it seems like I could play as a completely different character based upon the choices I have made so far.

No matter right now though since I am not all that far into the game yet. Once I finish this play through I will see if/how I want to play the second time. Was thinking of trying a Rogue; picking locks and stealing things could be fun.

KT

 

[Zenoth]

Hmm, well maybe that is why I am connecting with it, since I am playing a mage. Even as a mage though, it seems like I could play as a completely different character based upon the choices I have made so far.

No matter right now though since I am not all that far into the game yet. Once I finish this play through I will see if/how I want to play the second time. Was thinking of trying a Rogue; picking locks and stealing things could be fun.

KT

DAO is vast, I'd definitely recommend that you do two full play-throughs, each with a different class and a different origin. And in each games make take different decisions and see how the story unfolds. Additionally, the expansion pack, Awakening, was good too, also recommended (heck, Awakening is pretty much the last true 'expansion pack' I've bought and enjoyed... well, Reaper of Souls for D3 was alright but that's another story).

In my case I've finished DAO from A to Z a total of three times (I've played it more, but most of my other characters made it to maybe half way before I deleted them, until I found the 'fitting' ones). In my opinion, since there's so many paths to take, so many Origin stories to try and a decent variety of classes (and builds per class) I'd say simply start games, make characters, until you find "the one". More precisely, a character with whom you feel connected/attached to, that the role-play (if you do role-play your character, that is, because not everyone does) you'd do for him/her wouldn't feel "forced" or even bare minimal (the role-play should be immersive and meaningful). I don't remember the exact number, I think it's mentioned/explained somewhere over at the Dragon Age Wiki site, but there's something like 10 or 11 total Origins combinations. And out of those there's about 5 or 6 'truly unique' ones. By heart I'm going to say 1) Human Noble, 2) City Elf, 3) Dalish Elf, 4) Magi, 5) Dwarven Noble... and I think there's a sixth one (can't recall which one it is).

If you play the game to its end two or three times you won't see all the game has to offer (but that's not to say that they're all "necessary"). In other words, what I'm trying to say is that currently you're playing 'x' combination and you feel it's right, and that's good. But what tells you that it really is 'the' one that you'd feel connected with? You might not have time to actually try them all though, I haven't either. I for one tried 5 total different Origins, and kept three of them for complete play-throughs. And out of the three Wardens I made I consider only one of those as my 'canon' one (similar thing happened with Shepard in Mass Effect, kept three Shepards, one of them being the "one I'm attached to"). As far as classes go, it's true that the Mage is very powerful, maybe over-powered indeed. I made one, it was fun (of course with a Magi Origin). My canon Warden, however, was a Rogue Dalish Elf. In the end the three Origins I preferred and in order of preference were 1) Dalish Elf, 2) Human Noble (I enjoyed that one just as much as Dalish Elf really, really came close to go with that one to craft a canon Warden story in fact) and 3) Magi. I also tried the Dwarven Noble and the City Elf Origins... they're alright (Dwarven one is better for my tastes, and City Elf Origin was... don't know how to put it... it felt out of place and a bit too cliché, but maybe it was just me).

So anyway, welcome to the Dragon Age universe.

And remember, Awakening, it's not free but... it's a nice expansion. And in my opinion it just expends well on an already-satisfying conclusion given by Origins (well, you'll get 'one of' a couple of possible different endings, but whichever one you do have should be satisfying). At the end of Awakening I truly felt that my Warden's story was completed, it provided good closure and I could close the book with a smile on my face, without the wish nor need to have further expansions or a sequel for said Warden. It's something I haven't experienced with the Mass Effect franchise. If there's one thing I can say about Dragon Age is that it ultimately feels much more complete and satisfying (but to each their own, of course). I mean, it wasn't on the perhaps close-to-exaggeration half-hour long Return of the King scale, but it provided a similarly-polished, enough-detailed ending and a relevant-enough text and picture-based epilogue afterwards that just made the whole thing feel "complete".

 

[ControlD]

Hmm, well maybe that is why I am connecting with it, since I am playing a mage. Even as a mage though, it seems like I could play as a completely different character based upon the choices I have made so far.

No matter right now though since I am not all that far into the game yet. Once I finish this play through I will see if/how I want to play the second time. Was thinking of trying a Rogue; picking locks and stealing things could be fun.

KT

You should. I think I finished the game with four different characters over the years and the (backstab) rogue was hands down the most fun. Once you get leveled up, a dual dagger rogue is both fun and devastating in combat.

The thing about playing a mage is that there are some really good ones already available for your party. They are interesting to play but I always felt like I was giving something up by not having Wynn or Morrigan in my party. I actually played a three mage and one tank party most of the way. It was OK but I had to go without a rogue.

 

[Mem]

And remember, Awakening, it's not free but... it's a nice expansion. And in my opinion it just expends well on an already-satisfying conclusion given by Origins (well, you'll get 'one of' a couple of possible different endings, but whichever one you do have should be satisfying). At the end of Awakening I truly felt that my Warden's story was completed, it provided good closure and I could close the book with a smile on my face, without the wish nor need to have further expansions or a sequel for said Warden. It's something I haven't experienced with the Mass Effect franchise. If there's one thing I can say about Dragon Age is that it ultimately feels much more complete and satisfying (but to each their own, of course). I mean, it wasn't on the perhaps close-to-exaggeration half-hour long Return of the King scale, but it provided a similarly-polished, enough-detailed ending and a relevant-enough text and picture-based epilogue afterwards that just made the whole thing feel "complete".

I enjoyed Awakening, only problem I can see for some is the amount of time it takes to complete DA especially with the expansion pack etc,some don't have the time,personally took me ages to finish since I like to explore and do as much as possible,I also don't mind long RPGs.


On a side note be interesting to see how DA Inquisition pans out next month.

 

[Borealis7]

in my opinion, playing DAO+Awakening roughly equals a single playthrough of BG2 (don't hang me for this blasphemy) but still i had much more fun playing BG2 because i like D&D builds and priest/fighters

 

[KeithTalent]

**snip**

Thanks for the info. I have to say when I started the game I thought it looked rather slim in the choices department (only three races and three classes), but it seems they focused more on going in-depth with the story and everything surrounding those characters which I really appreciate.

I have to say I am still having occasional issues with the controls and once I gt into a fight with a bunch of different people/creatures, I find it hard to target and keep track of everything.

You should. I think I finished the game with four different characters over the years and the (backstab) rogue was hands down the most fun. Once you get leveled up, a dual dagger rogue is both fun and devastating in combat.

The thing about playing a mage is that there are some really good ones already available for your party. They are interesting to play but I always felt like I was giving something up by not having Wynn or Morrigan in my party. I actually played a three mage and one tank party most of the way. It was OK but I had to go without a rogue.

Yeah it does seem like having the mages in your party would be most useful. I find Morrigan helping out a lot so I rarely remove her from the group. Definitely will try a rogue at some point though.


I probably spend way too much time worrying about which choice to make in conversations. Maybe next time I will just play a jerk and not worry about those things so much.

KT

 

[StinkyPinky]

in my opinion, playing DAO+Awakening roughly equals a single playthrough of BG2 (don't hang me for this blasphemy) but still i had much more fun playing BG2 because i like D&D builds and priest/fighters

Why would anyone hang you? I think most people consider BG2 to be superior to DAO. DAO is excellent but BG2 is a masterpiece. I've replayed BG2 about 5 times but only played through DAO once.

 

[norseamd]

Meh. If you guys like it that much then it must pick up from the beginning from what I have seen of the game.

The BG and NWN games are basically what I like to play.

 

[ControlD]

Meh. If you guys like it that much then it must pick up from the beginning from what I have seen of the game.

The BG and NWN games are basically what I like to play.

I actually prefer DA:O to either of the Baldur's Gate games, but that is probably because I never got into them when they first came out. I tried, but they just never stuck for some reason.