It’s been two and a half years since we last saw Dragon Age. Truth is, its last showing wasn’t its best. Many fans of Dragon Age: Origins felt let down, and BioWare listened.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is November 2014’s big RPG. This is a game looking to entertain you through the holidays with over 100 hours of content. But is it really a place you’ll want to spend that much time in? Well, if the improvements its made over its predecessor are any indication, most likely.
Related: Dragon Age Inquisition Gameplay Trailer
To help introduce you to Dragon Age: Inquisition and what it’s doing to freshen up the franchise, we’ve put together a gallery. Check it out below:
What's New: Why Dragon Age: Inquisition is Bigger and Better Than Dragon Age 2
-
A Story That Matters
Arguably the most important element of any RPG is its story. BioWare learned from the mistakes it made with Dragon Age 2, such as its unevenness and short length, and has a truly epic tale to tell in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Input is an even larger factor than the past two games. You'll make critical decisions on a regular basis using the dialog wheel. You'll impact which direction you go for missions, and even affect the fate of those around you.
-
A Map You'll Want to Explore
Dragon Age: Inquisition's world is absolutely massive, so much in-fact that BioWare says that its critical path is about 50 hours in length, with an additional 50 or more hours in side content. Early on in the game experience you'll be let loose in a large region of the game world. You'll quickly learn that exploration and choice are integral components of the game.
-
Combat Mixes the Best of Both Worlds
Instead of being as action oriented as Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age: Inquisition is very tactical, more similar to Dragon Age: Origins on that front. You'll not only need to think about the given situation, but also what could happen further down the battle. Preparation and positioning are critical to success, and the abilities of each class lend themselves to a strategic RPG experience.
That said, interaction and ability usage is more similar to Dragon Age 2 where you can play the game in third-person view and feel as though you're playing an action RPG. Combat fluidity is much improved, making this part of the combat experience better than either previous game.
With these two things taken into consideration, BioWare expects most players to toggle between the strategic and third-person view to get the best of both worlds.
-
Character Creation is Rich With Options
Upon starting the game, you will be able to design your own custom protagonist. Not only can you choose between male or female, as well as a variety of physical options, you can now even choose between four playable races.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is a game that takes great strides to make you feel like you impact the world, so being able to design a character with so many options really lends itself to the experience.
-
A Much More Substantial Crafting System
BioWare says that the crafting system in Dragon Age: Inquisition is the deepest it's ever created. That's saying a lot.
There are hundreds of weapons, items, and armor sets to craft. In many cases, you can make them using raw materials, but there is some equipment that requires the construction of several items to combine into one final product.
You can ignore the Crafting system if you find it too daunting, but if you invest time and effort into it you'll find yourself well-equipped for battle.
-
Highly Detailed Environments Running on Frostbite 3.0
One common complaint of Dragon Age 2 players was that the environments lacked detail. That's not a problem with Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Running on Frosbite 3.0, Dragon Age: Inquisition's world has great variety, and a lot of time has gone into making its world one you enjoy spending time in. You'll begin your journey atop snow-laden mountains, but soon travel to destinations that make you marvel in their beauty.
Also, since the game is running on Frostbite 3.0 (the same engine as Battlefield 4), there are destructible environments. You'll be able to use your surroundings in combat to gain an advantage.
-
You Don't Have to Play Alone
As crazy as it sounds, Dragon Age: Inquisition was originally going to be a multiplayer only game. While that concept was eventually tossed out, a multiplayer component still remains.
In the multiplayer mode you can team up with up to three other players for co-op missions. The maps are randomly generated, and require teamwork to complete. You'll also progress when playing online, so if you're more interested in playing with others than alone, there will be some reward for your effort when playing online.
-
Radar Improves Navigation
A new and improved mini map is helpful not only when exploring, but when in combat. You'll be able to locate foes at a glance, as well as find available quests in your area.
