Dragon Age: Origins
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Game Reviewed: Dragon Age: Origins
Publisher:
Electronic Arts
Developer: BioWare
Reviewer: Matthew
Scott
Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3 & PC)
Category: RPG
ERSB Rating: M
Game Summary (Warning: Review
contains story spoilers.)
In Dragon Age: Origins, the player starts off the game by
playing one of six origin stories, each of which last about 2 hours. Which
origin story the player plays as is determined by the type of character they
create. For example, when I started playing the game, I created my character to
be a human warrior, so my character’s origin story was that of a Human Noble.
About 8 hours into the game, however, I decided I really did not like this
character, so I created a new character which was a rogue elf which made my
origin story that of the City Elf. In addition to these two origin stories,
there is also an origin story for Mages, a Dalish Elf, a Dwarf Noble and a
Dwarf Commoner. Although each origin story is different, each ends the same
with the player being recruited by the Grey Wardens to go off and fight the
Darkspawn.
Darkspawn are creatures (whose appearance is very similar to
orcs from The Lord of The Rings) that live underground. At various times in the
history of Dragon Age, the Darkspawn are led by an Archdemon, who takes the
form of a dragon, to the surface to destroy all life in what is known as a
Blight. The game provides ways for the player to learn more history about how
this all started in books that the player can collect throughout the game.
Now, not to try and give away too many details of the story,
but through a series of events, a battle takes place near the beginning of the
game in which all of the Grey Wardens from the Kingdom of Ferelden, save
yourself and one other, are destroyed. So it is now up to you to build an army
of men, elves, dwarves and mages to go and battle the Darkspawn and defeat the
Archdemon.
Reviewer’s Note: There
is a lot of content in Dragon Age: Origins making it impossible to encounter
everything the game has to offer in only one playthrough. This review is based
off of the review’s experience playing through the game one time.
What Parents Need to
Know
Violence
Dragon Age:
Origins is played from a third person point of
view. The player can also have up to three people in his/her party. The
player
has partial control over his character in that the player can freely
move his
character around, but to attack or use items, the player hits a command
button.
The strength of the attack, however, is determined by invisible dice
rolls (much
like the dice rolls in a pen and paper RPG.) The player can also switch
control
between party members with a simple click of a button; however the
player can
only control one party member at a time. The player has the option,
however, to
program the other three party characters to approach the battle from
different strategies. This allows for a certain amount of strategy to
be used in
battles in addition to just simply attacking an enemy.
During a battle sequence, blood has the tendency to get all
over the place, especially on the character and his party. If the player
engages in a conversation after a battle, the player and his party’s character
are covered in blood.
In addition there are also giant pools of blood that appear
after certain enemies are defeated and it is possible to decapitate the heads
of enemies.
Language
The bad language I encountered in my adventure in Dragon Age
was mild. The word Bastard was used most often, but I also encountered a few
instances of the words damn, bitch and ass.
Sexual Content
- It is possible to pursue relationships with other
characters in your camp. If you can get someone in your camp to love you enough, then they
might be willing to have sex with you. A sex scene then occurs in which you see
the two characters getting intimate, although their undergarments remain on.
- There is a brothel that you can visit where you can have
sex with both male and female prostitutes. If you have sex with a prostitute, a
short scene takes place in which you see the prostitute on the bed in their
undergarments, the screen goes black and then you hear a quick moan.
- Some of the demons in Dragon Age are very seductive
looking in that they have the body of a woman. They are topless with tiny
little coverings for their nipples.
- There is a character you will encounter in the game known
as the Lady of the Forest. She is topless, but her hair comes down the front of
her chest to cover her nipples.
Spiritual Content
- There is a ritual the character must go through in order
to become a Grey Warden in which the person must drink the blood of the
Darkspawn. Most people will die from drinking this blood, but if the person
survives, then that person becomes a Grey Warden. By having drunk the Darkspawn’s blood
and surviving it allows Grey Wardens to be able to sense Darkspawn and also to
eventually be able to defeat the Archdemon.
- There is reference throughout the game to a deity simply referred
to as The Maker.
- There is reference in the game to a type of magic known as
Blood Magic. Many people in the game view Blood Magic as evil, but there are
others, including some in your party who feel there is value in its use.
- There is a quest involving a demon possessed child. The
demon speaks through the child and the player must figure out a way to save the
child.
- Some of the quests available through the downloadable
content also involve demon possession.
Misc.
One of the interesting things about Dragon Age is how choice
plays a role throughout the events of the game. On more than one occasion, the
player will be forced to have to make a choice or take sides with one group
over another. Depending on the choices the player makes will then affect
certain outcomes throughout the story. In addition, depending on the type of
character you choose to be, different people throughout the game will treat you
differently.
Reviewer’s Thoughts
Dragon Age: Origins offers a lot for role playing fans to
enjoy in terms of both story and gameplay. There is no doubt, however, that the
game was designed for an adult audience. Parents, please keep in mind the M
rating and the above mentioned content when deciding if Dragon Age: Origins is
appropriate for your family or not.
