I haven't mentioned it very often (probably because I'm on a hot streak if I make two blog posts within two months of each other), but I'm a HUGE BioWare fan. Knights of the Old Republic was the game that first got me into gaming, and I've played Mass Effect more times than I can count. I absolutely love the games they've put out, but before last year, there was one franchise they had released that I had never tried: Dragon Age.
This wasn't because I disliked fantasy games or was put off by the franchise, mind you. The truth was, it was just one of those things I had always planned on getting around to, and never did. But I did finally play Origins last year, and I was blown away. The characters were all very interesting, it had a plot that was complex yet easy to follow, and it was fun to experiment with different powers, especially as a Mage. When I discovered how fun that game was, I knew I'd be following the rest of the franchise, which brings us to today's topic, Dragon Age: Inquisition.
The game came out at the tail end of the last year, and it couldn't have come at a better time. BioWare has been catching a lot of flack the last several years over their games, from the rushed and unfinished Dragon Age II to the poor ending of Mass Effect 3. Then add the giant cauldron of badness that has been the GamerGate Affair (this is referring to the situation, not any particular movement), and gamers needed something they could latch onto as a genuinely great game, and BioWare needed to prove that they could still make games that people could love. Thankfully, Inquisition delivered all this and more. Inquisition is a marvelous game, delivering a stupendous story, gorgeous graphics, a superb score, and some incredibly fun game play.
It's tough to talk about the game without giving away spoilers about the other two, but I'll do my best to accomodate readers who are unfamiliar with the world. The story begins in the land of Thedas, where a war has broken out. The Chantry leader, Divine Justinia (think a female Pope), has called for a truce among both sides, and asked their highest leaders to meet at a Conclave to begin peace talks. However, disaster strikes when a magical explosion destroys the Conclave and opens a Breach in the sky. This Breach has shattered the barrier between the normal world and the Fade, the realm of dreams and demons. The explosion left only one survivor, a person with a mysterious mark on their hand that gives them the power to close the Breach. Naturally, this is the character that you, the player, control. You can make them male or female, and can choose from one of four races: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Qunari (think large, muscular humans with horns on their heads). You can also choose from three classes, Warrior (powerful front-line fighters), Rogue (stealthy backstabbers or quick-footed archers), or Mage (magic users).
Once you've created your character, you're thrust into a world torn by chaos, and must work with Justinia's agents to reform an ancient movement called the Inquisition. Together, you must work to reunite the forces of Thedas, discover who was responsible for the explosion at the Conclave, and gain the power to close the Breach and save the world. No big.
As you might expect, this is a MASSIVE game. While it does provide most of the backstory necessary to understand what's going on, you're probably better off starting with playing Dragon Age: Origins if you want to get into the franchise. Thedas is a rich setting, and there's plenty of lore that isn't even important to the game to discover. In addition, the game features many returning characters from previous entries, so you'll get a much better effect if you play this after the first one, and maybe after Dragon Age II. But if you're not into the story, and are just here for a fun game, you can ignore most of this and jump right in.
One thing long-time BioWare fans will notice immediately is the change in tone between this and their previous works. Their most recent output has generally been very pessimistic, or at the very least unusually dark, even for them. Inquisition, while certainly not light fare, is much more optimistic about the hero's chances. Much of this is linked to the game's biggest departure from the standard BioWare formula: rather than joining a well-established order as a new recruit, you're helping to put a new one in place, and function as one of it's key players. You're still leading a ragtag group of heroes, but the difference is that the ragtag group is an army of diplomats, soldiers, and spies, rather than a small band of adventurers. While there is pressure to save the world, you have a lot of support behind you.
No BioWare game would be complete without a memorable cast, and Inquisition delivers. From returning fan favorites like Morrigan, Leliana, and Varric, to fun new characters like The Iron Bull and Dorian, to interesting villains, this cast is more than strong enough to carry the game. You'll get most familiar with your companions, who will go with you when you venture out into the world. Their unique individual stories are some of the best parts of the game, and getting to know them can be a lot of fun. You probably won't like them all, but odds are you can find one or two you won't want to leave your party.
The production values of the game are great. The environments are rich with detail, and help the game come alive. The sound design is really good as well, and you can hear every wave crash against the shore. But what really takes the cake is the score. This is one of the best scores ever put in a game, and it brilliantly conveys the emotions of the scenes. From the powerful, building sound of the main theme, to the triumphant Journey to Skyhold, to the relaxing tavern songs you'll hear playing in bars, each sets the mood perfectly, and they all sound beautiful, even when taken out of context.
Gameplay mechanics are functionally the same across all classes and play styles, and work fairly well. There's room for a lot of nuance in how you play, so you can experiment and find out what works best for you. And if you find that you don't like some of the abilities you picked out, retraining is just a smithy away.
Overall, Dragon Age: Inquisition is an amazing success. It brings back the classic BioWare sensibilities, while meeting next-gen capabilities head-on. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, now's a great time to find out what you've been missing, and if you're a veteran of the Fifth Blight or Kirkwall, you won't want to miss this installment. The dawn has arrived for BioWare, and it looks like there's plenty of time left in the Dragon Age.
