Learn more about Dragon Age: Origins. (Flash demo) SynopsisYour world teeters on the edge of total annihilation. As a Grey Warden, you are among the last of an ancient order of guardians charged for centuries with defending the lands. Now you are on the hunt for the general who betrayed you in a critical battle. A myriad of foes and challenges lie in wait as you pursue your quest for vengeance. Prepare to face certain temptation and wrenching decisions as you seek to unite the disparate peoples of a world at war. When the time comes, will you be willing to sacrifice all you have in order to secure the survival of humanity?Dragon Age: Origins thrusts you into a stunningly realized world torn by an epic war. Select one of six unique Origin Stories, and design your own unique hero with the elaborate character creator. Mold your character's personality and morality based on your choices throughout the game as you confront an array of complex moral decisions that will force you to address complicated issues such as murder, genocide and the possession and sacrifice of children. Dally with a seductive shapeshifter who may or may not hold the key to ultimate victory, and battle terrifying creatures in visceral combat that allows you to unleash more than 100 different magical spells and skills.
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I'll admit from the start that I'm an old school RPG fan. Played D&D on paper back in the day and graduated to PC gaming in the 80s. In terms of Xbox 360 console games, Oblivion set the gold standard but it's been a while since any new content was released for it. Fable II was cute but I I just can't get into it enough to even finish the game. Enter Dragon Age. At first I wasn't so sure about it, but quickly got into my character's "background" story. I would guess that their are at least 8 different possibilities here and besides building character development it affects the direction of the entire game. This means that even though I've played it through with one character, I could start over with another and get a substantial amount of new material. I"ve got the available downloadable content and hope to see more soon. The combat system is Ok, but what really sets this game apart from others is the great story lines. I found myself really getting into them even if the cut scenes occasionally drag on too long. My biggest complaint is that there is gratuitous blood spattering in combat and the characters are literally spattered in blood for a while after every fight. Thus my young kids won't be able to play it -- I'd let them without the gore.
What's great about it: Great story lines and classic RPG system
What's not so great: Blood splattering is excessive and makes it unsuitable for young children