Dragon Age Origins Video Game Review - The RPG Fanatic

[mina319]

Yea no matter what you do, you end up fighting the archdemon and saving the world, but the genius and beauty of this game is HOW you got to the conclusion

[IraqiDude321]

this is game is aweome for the price you can get it now, I am re-getting this sold it a long time ago shouldn't have its an awesome game! Its like 30 bucks now for the ultimate edition.

[SatyrGodWoot]

Not to say I don't gush over FF and DQ. Because I'd be lying to say I wasn't positively entertained playing them for hours on end while not bathing or getting any sunlight. All I'm trying to say is that Rpg video games and Table-top Rpg's work on two entirely different levels.

[SatyrGodWoot]

The reason why there'll never be a video game that captures the true spirit of table-top rpgs is because nothing can recreate human imagination. This is the reason we all still read books instead of just watching movies. So that we can envision the settings and characters for ourselves instead of simply being shown them on the screen. It uses a part of the brain not stimulated by games and movies. And though I love video games, especially rpgs, I still feel as though D&D is the only true rpg.

[Malisteen]

Yes, dialog trees & plot trees are illusionary choice, but that illusion contributes to the experience of the game, much as the illusion of depth contributes to the experience of a two dimensional image. DA:O's illusion of choice, whether in combat, narrative, or even something so simple as 'which way will I walk' is still preferable in a console rpg to XIII's refusal to even pretend that you're doing more then "press X to advance plot", especially when that plot left so much to be desired. imo.

[mina319]

Dude, its MUCH better than Final Fantasy 13

[Crust218]

I agree that Dragon Age provides the illusion of choice. I remember thinking that as a caste-less dwarf rogue, I probably wouldn't want anything to do with the Grey Wardens. I thought I could choose whether to join them or not, but no matter what I did, I was railroaded into their ranks. After playing Oblivion, Dragon Age was something of a disappointment. There's no exploration whatsoever.

[timpossible83]

oh-kay, stopped watching after you narrowly defined "role-playing" to mean the mechanics used in table-top games.

Can't it be just you stepping in a role (make-believe, video games, plays, etc.) and enjoying it?

[jfreedan]

@timpossible83 That would mean EVERY game is a roleplaying game, making the name for the game mechanic pretty worthless. There is a substantial difference between the way problems are resolved in tabletop RPGs and the way they are resolved in computer RPGs and this needs to be pointed out when people claim one computer RPG has "superior roleplaying" over another.

[timpossible83]

@jfreedan So a computerized role-playing game (or RPG), to be superior, must necessarily adhere to traditional table-top rules?

[jfreedan]

@timpossible83 You're not understanding me here. My rant about computer RPGs not having roleplaying is aimed at game reviewers and even some BioWare employees who claim games made by other competitors are not "real" computer RPGs like BioWare's games, because BioWare claims their multiple choice tests = roleplaying. I strongly disagree because roleplaying is not a multiple choice test. Don't get me wrong; BioWare makes good games. They just do not have roleplaying in them. No CRPG does (yet).

[jfreedan]

@timpossible83 The point is that computer RPGs, while descending from tabletop RPGs, do not have the mechanic of roleplaying in them. They have the level and XP point progression systems from tabletop games but they lack the ability for players to creatively come up with their own solutions to problems or impact the direction of the story in truly original ways. I've talked about this more fully in my, "What is a computer RPG?" video.

[BEOWULF9965]

@jfreedan so according to your definition of an rpg dragon quest, or practically any JRPG is not really an RPG, after all you have no choice in creating yoru character like in a table top RPG let alone in how you progress through a story or solve problems that impact the game, you are essentially grinding from point a to point B, so in your mind there are no real RPGs other than table top ones, yet you claim to review RPG games..... very interesting

[jfreedan]

@BEOWULF9965 What a silly argument to make. The mechanic of roleplaying doesn't exist in computer RPGs. They still descend from tabletop RPGs because they use the other mechanics from tabletop RPGs, and the early ones were outright clones of D&D.

[BEOWULF9965]

@jfreedan what is silly about the arguement it is essentially the argument that you were makng only phrased differently that the only real RPG is a table top so unless you are making a Freudian slip you may want to go back through what you've said about what makes a true RPG

[jfreedan]

@BEOWULF9965 Actually, no. You're overly simplifying what I said. Computer RPGs / RPG videogames are a SEPARATE GENRE of game than a tabletop RPG is. Computer RPGs merely DESCEND from tabletop RPGs, borrowing their mechanics from tabletop RPGs. But they do not borrow the mechanic of "roleplaying". Search "What is a computer RPG?" here and you'll find a video where I explain this in depth.

[BEOWULF9965]

@jfreedan personally I think Deus Ex allows for the most variables to be played out more so than any other computerised RPG, not so much with dialogue but more so with the gameplay

[jfreedan]

@timpossible83 And please note that pointing out this information in no way means that computer RPGs are "inferior" to tabletop RPGs. Computer RPGs are an entirely different genre than tabletop RPGs and are played for very different reasons. The experiences are not at all comparable, although they share some mechanics (like the aforementioned progression systems).

[PetrosofSparta]

Don't get me wrong, I really love Dragon Age, in fact I'd honestly say I think Dragon Age II is one of the best titles of this generation and BioWare in general have really yet to make a "bad" game in my mind. But this game was seriously overhyped and a lot of the points you made really were right on the nail such as the genericness of the game's story, which for some reason people praised the living hell out of. I found the combat slow and sluggish, but overall I give the game 7/10. It's V.Good

[IraqiDude321]

@PetrosofSparta its great for the price now!

[CSick27]

exactly what video game does let you totally create your own plot? rpg maker? i don't understand your point at all.

also, i played through the game several times, only reading the books when the title caught my eye, which honestly wasn't really that often. nevertheless, i still think i had a firm grasp of the plot for the entire time. i just looked at them as interesting additional content, and a way to gain extra XP through exploring.

and finally, comparing this game to FF13 is just shameful

[jfreedan]

@CSick27 That's like trying to argue Monopoly has roleplaying just because no other board game has the D&D version of roleplaying. Look, roleplaying is a very particular mechanic and computer RPGs don't have it. The genre descends from tabletop RPGs but it's not emulating every mechanic from RPGs. As for the FF13 comparison, I brought it up because all the big game reviewers made that comparison already.

[jfreedan]

@CSick27 I have a video titled, "What is a computer RPG" that better explains why computer RPGs don't have roleplaying.

[thatdorkJAYY]

Am I the only one who noticed that he pronounced origins as if it were spelled "oridgens"?

[JenGiVor]

That is why I prefer Bethesda and still play Morrowind.

[icametheshred]

i could only manage myself half way with this video and i want to make it clear the reviewer had no actual interest in playing this game . He only wanted to vent out this plethora of hogwash / intimate feelings for Dragon Age and Bioware and has ended up making a so called video review .

[jfreedan]

@icametheshred I want to make myself clear; you are not the one who made the review, therefore you cannot say whether I had any interest in playing the game. Had you watched the entire review you would know your assertions are not true.

[Dragonage2ftw]

"Generic world and story"

Lost all credibility there

[jfreedan]

@Dragonage2ftw Actually, no. You lost all "credibility" once you came into a video that praises this title with a username like "Dragon Age 2 ftw" and jump ship the second anyone points out the flaws of the game. I'm tired of you fanboys acting like it's some kind of heretical crime to think critically about these games.

[VergilsRespite]

Yeah, that reminds me, I helped that bitch Branka out, and allowed here to access the anvil. I thought in the end, I'd end up having a league of Golems to help me fight the Darkspawn in the final battle. What did I get? FOUR fucking Golems to use to fight! What a load of horse shit. They said that the Golems would replace the Dwarves in that "epic battle." My ass. The Dwarves outnumbered my damn Golems! Horrible memories, of a game that promised an awesome conclusion. Balls.

[MegaShadowrunner]

Biowares founders have said some pretty stupid stuff lately. They also claimed that RPGs are becoming irrelevant. Now, regardless of his true intentions or meaning, when you run a company that is known for making RPGs, that's a really stupid thing to say.

Great review, one question I have is, should I play this on console? I've heard the console version isn't very good when compared to the PC, but I don't have a PC that could run it.

[jfreedan]

@MegaShadowrunner The only differences between PC and console is the graphics are better on PC and you can zoom out further in the PC. Well, that and there are more patches for the PC. I played on Xbox 360.

[videogamer002]

@jfreedan I've played both DA:O on Console and PC, much more extensively on PC. I can tell you, the game is a lot more difficult on PC. PC is more pause and set-up tactics, whereas Console is mostly just button mashing. I would have a harder time killing a boss on Easy in PC, I normally play Hard/Nightmare on PC, than i would killing a boss on Nightmare in console.

[jfreedan]

@videogamer002 There may be difficulty changes due to the inability to zoom out as far as in the PC version. Having not played the PC version I can't really comment on that.

[videogamer002]

@jfreedan from what i can tell, there was a difficulty decrease for consoles because the game was originally designed as a PC game. the console really turned out to be a button masher, without the God of War style.

[goldenjoeblow]

I agree with you, its a solid good but not quite the ground breaking great game some have made it out to be. But I think you are building up straw men arguments to make your point. Who is arguing that these are true role playing experiences? Crazy people. Crazy people who arent worth acknowledging. I don't see how this compares to FFXIII either. I look forward to you doing a review on DAII if you are planning on it.

[jfreedan]

@goldenjoeblow Some reviewers have said it, as have the co-founders of BioWare and other employees of BioWare.

[Shintai123]

I agree with what you said here. I've been arguing here and there with a friend who thinks Mass Effect and Dragon Age offer "true" role playing experiences. While they do on a very limited respect, that in and of itself is what doesn't make it a real role playing experience. It can create the illusion but as someone who played D&D, what I do in a bioware game, can't compare to the insanity my imagination can come up with when the DM throws something at me. Good video man.

[EdwardElric555]

I would of loved it if you torn this game a new one for being so disappointing, but yeah you have to be fair to it.

[goldenjoeblow]

Whos arguing that these are true role playing experiences? Your building up straw men arguments with the this review for some reason, because whoever is making that argument is crazy and not worth arguing with. I agree with you on DA though, not the greatest or quite that ground breaking as some made out but solid at what it does and its worth it at the price tis going for.

[jfreedan]

@goldenjoeblow Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of BioWare. 

[RavenThrust]

One of the things that bugs me is that in dragon age(1 & 2), all the human, dwarf and elf NPCs have the same height and build, only their faces and hair are different. Thats just lazy. The same goes for mass effect too.

[velocityeleven]

I despise the dialogue trees, I would prefer a loading screen

[RpgExposition]

Mass Effect > Dragon Age. It's like Bioware is 95% Mass Effect and let the left over work on Dragon Age... Then again no problem with that. Though it does seem like they use Dragon Age to experiment with mechanics and concepts that they may implement into Mass Effect or other games in the future.

[UtushoReiuji]

Good review. I hope you cover Baldur's Gate games sometime, since you mention them often, I only played and completed them recently but absolutely loved them, and I thought they they were generally superior games in comparison to BioWare's newer titles.

[biggamefreak]

What would you consider to be a high art game?

[jfreedan]

@biggamefreak High art is very a broad concept, but generally means those expressions which are a force for moral good-- that what they have to say will impact society regardless of the time. They have endurance because they are based on something substantial. The works are timeless. By contrast low art is something that is more of a fad and aren't pieces that will withstand the changing attitudes of society. FF7 is another example of a game I consider to be high art.

[biggamefreak]

@jfreedan I love that answer. I hope that someday we can look back at our favorite games and see them classified as high art. There are so many games I fell in love with.