1. Summary
2. Background
3. Hype

Dragon Age: Origins is receiving a lot of hype, and understandably so: it is the continuation (albeit spiritually) of both a beloved PC franchise as well as the latest RPG from BioWare. The real question is whether or not it will live up to the hype, or if it will drown in a sea of inflated expectations. There's certainly a lot going for it, but everything must be taken in moderation.

The first element is easily the story. This is one part of the game that has parts that both elevate it and pull it back down. The first thought is that the game is morally grey. This is perhaps the biggest note of contention, as there are examples of BioWare covering grey area as well as the sort of two extremes that one sees very often. Baldur's Gate, the series upon which Dragon Age is based on, very much has ambiguous moral outcomes and actions all throughout the games. In contrast, Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic, and Jade Empire all have the stereotypical "good vs evil" motif. This contrast may be a reflection of the times. As Dragon Age is intended to spiritually succeed the Baldur's Gate series, it's likely the game will be much more trying when it comes to decisions. But you can never be sure. As for the writing, it looks as though they are going back to their model of pick-and-choose responses rather than the time-limited dialog of Mass Effect, which is definitely good. There's also more than just two or three options, from what we have seen.

Next comes combat. Those that have not been watching the gameplay trailers of Dragon Age: Origins might be surprised to find out that it is not an action RPG like the marketing material might suggest, but rather a tactical RPG in the same vein as Baldur's Gate, Fallout, or Freedom Force. You compile a team, command them across the battlefield, and engage in various strategic options. It is a perfect fit for PC users, and it will be interesting to see how this classic gameplay style is translated to the console versions. This part is easy to get excited about, but doesn't appear to be very hands on like previous titles. If you are looking for a game with a more action-oriented combat, Dragon Age is probably a bad choice for you. If you want something more tactical, it's probably the perfect fit.

Dragon Age: Origins is being described as the start of a new franchise and one that will impact players later on in the series. The one specific mentioned is that players will have the option to create their own origin stories, which will then provide a context for others to view the character. Different origin, different context. While this sounds great in theory, chances are it will most likely be a little gimped in action. Players will probably choose between 1-3 different possible backgrounds, and then go through a series of quests (basically tests) that will determine their reputation later. It's all very rote, and it has definitely been done before. Take a look at the Ultima series. We're hoping it is more nuanced than that (knowing BioWare, it's certainly possible), but we aren't keeping our hopes up that much.

It's hard to get up in arms about Dragon Age: Origins and give it the smacking down one would expect. This is because of the pedigree that BioWare has established for itself with its previous titles as well as the part of games and media that have inspired Dragon Age to be created. There is no doubt that Dragon Age: Origins will be a good game. The real question is whether or not it will be a great one, like the computer RPGs of yore. It's a question we will all find out soon enough.