I initially beat this game a while ago on the PS3, but I
wanted to play it on the PC and do a comparison, which took me until
about two weeks ago to finally through it.
This game, simply put, is amazing. While naturally it's not
perfect, it comes a lot closer than most games I know, so let's break it
down.
Story. Without giving spoilers for
anyone who hasn't played through this yet (then why are you reading
this? Go. Play it. Now.), the story of this game is incredible. It
creates a deep world filled with history and culture. The extensive
background work they did is readily apparent. While not overloading the
player with information, the culture reveals itself through the rules of
the world, the culture apparent in how the NPCs behave, and how events
unfold. Having this kind of basis to build on creates a world that's
cohesive and credible, allowing the player to dive in and stay immersed. Additionally, while the player is inducted into an ancient and honorable order, you are not hailed as a hero. Quite the opposite. The bad guys are spreading rumors about your order, and even if the people of Ferelden don't believe the rumors, they largely wonder if your order is still relevant, or strong enough to make any kind of difference.
One of the greatest things about the story is that
the player is presented with a number of choices that change and shape
the story. However, while these choices strive to be interesting, they
fall just a shade short. Looking at the 6 major choices in game (the 5
major quests of the second act of the story, and the Landsmeet in the
third act), two come very close to being something that will engage the
player, but then turn around offer a third "warm and fuzzy" option.
While this may not end up available to the player in all playthroughs,
it does kind of distract from things. Another choice comes down to "be a
jerk for power, or not", so unless your character is a little
wishy-washy in their morality, this will be an easy choice. This goes on
for many of the choices. If you have a strong idea of your character's
morality, this quickly turns into easy choices that have far less
meaning than if they had balanced the pros and cons of the choices a bit
better. I think only one of the choices really becomes interesting, and
that's "The Broken Circle" quest line. Here, your character can feel
good either way, but it comes down to the many versus the few in terms
of who deserves what.
Character development is incredibly powerful in
Origins. Every one of your companions has a unique back story, unique
and developed personality, and interacts realistically with other
members of your party. Who you have in your party will change not only
the banter, but how the group seeks to influence you in your choices.
A wide array of side quests exists, both offered by
the common folk, and most of your companions will have quests. This
creates a rich and immersive world where you will really feel part of a
living, breathing world.
As far as class balance, there is none. Mages are
grossly overpowered, and including the player you can have up to three
in your party. Rogues are useful and versatile with options to be melee,
assassin or archery. Warriors, however, move very slowly. While they
can deal damage, especially among widespread groups of base level
enemies, your ranged party members can often dispatch the one you're
going after before you get there.
Tactics can be set for each of your party members as
well. This is useful ability to keep your party working in unison or to
set "oh shit" options up if squishier party members get aggro. Use of
abilities or potions at key moments if your attention is on characters
is hugely helpful. But they can be difficult to set up properly for
total reliance. I found myself pausing every few seconds and cycling
through characters to manually set their inext action. This could make
some battles last incredibly long but with half that time not actually
in action.
But despite these issues, this game is beautifully designed, creating a world that is enjoyable, deep and vibrant. I'd definitely say it's worth the time and money to buy, especially now that it is a lot cheaper and comes bundled with a bunch of goodies.
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