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For me, this is the best RPG on the PS3. Period. Rich in lore and player choices, this game will transport the player to another virtual place for over 100 hours of play (in this edition). In fact, I enjoyed the game so much that I bought it again (had the original edition and now bought the ultimate edition) in order to get all the download content (DLC). Seriously, it's that good.
Now for the "Take Note" portion of the review. The game manual is *extremely poor* at explaining how this game fully installs. Yes, like other PS3 games, you put the disc in the PS3 drive and if you have the autoplay option on (like most of us), the game starts up and installs itself and then goes through the updates (make sure you have an internet connection). *BUT* and this is really important this first install is only for the main game. You will need to install each piece of the DLC (over a dozen installs) and NOT from inside the game. There are no codes to put in at the Playstation Store as all the DLC is on the disc. So after you've installed the main game and gone through the updates, QUIT the game. Then from the XMB (that's what Sony calls their menu system), below the DAO game disc icon, there should be an additional content icon (called Download Content, I believe). Selecting that icon will open a sub menu which lists each DLC individually. You then select the one you want to install and it will install to the PS3 hard drive. Do this for each piece of DLC that you want to install. When you're done, go back and select the DAO game disc icon to start the game and the add-on content should now be available. For the larger, standalone content (Awakening, Witch Hunt, etc.), you'll find that a new menu appears AFTER you select *new game* from the main game menu. Believe me, it took longer to find this all out then I care to admit but I want to save others the aggravation.
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I have already written long reviews on DAO but I felt with all theseGOTY and Ultimate editions that I should write something
about it. ALL OF THE DLC IS ON THE DISC AND AWAKENINGS TOO!
this is perfect! Unlike Borderlands, no Voucher Code here!
you actually get it all on one disc. so if you haven't bought this
game yet then this is the time!
Like I said, you get all the DLC on this disc that means you get
The Stone Prisoner, Warden's Keep, Return to Ostagar, Feast day Gifts, The Darkspawn Chronicles, Feast day Pranks, Leliana's Song, The Golems of Amgarrak, and Witch Hunt Plus Awakenings all on One Disc!!! a Steal!
quite simply put, one of the best RPG's ever you simply Must Own
this if you have not already bought the collectors edition
or the standard. for one it's nice NOT having to change discs during gameplay. and it's really nice to actually Own my DLC now.
for further information I provided my review below.
My Original Review of DA:O:
I cannot praise this game enough! it will be one of those I play again and again!
the size and scope of the game is incredible. when I started off I'd wager I spent two hours learning about my character's background.
you pick one of many origins (i.e. elf, dwarf, human, etc)(I chose Elf Mage)
and then begin with your origin story (which is like watching a full length movie and so well written the time just flys by)
and then you're tasked with your first quest and the game begins.
this game has more freedom of choice then most, such as make a deal with a demon, or kill it to save a child. (it offers you Powers Not to kill it)
some of the quests have moral choices that will really pull on your emotions about people and things like power over friendship and the feel you have an impact upon the surrounding world.everything you choose to do has a "ripple effect" so your action will be known throughout the world. the characters control via one of two ways,
one is using the hack & slash method though this is harder then hitting pause so you can set all your mages attacks etc.
there's a lot of micromanagement in this but for loot mongers and rpg lovers this will be one of the years ultimate treats I assure you. there seems to be loot everywhere for those that search every area rather thourough. I also must say the amount of DLC available at this time for the collectors edition is amazing. (non collector edition owners will pay 6.99 and 14.99 for both dlc packs)
the graphics are excellent (though not mind blowing)
particle effects are wickedly done and the quests are crafted well enough to let you know you have many approaches to each "situation"
and will pull at your emotions. if you weren't lucky enough to get this collectors edition no worries I know the goodies will be released as DLC to everyone eventually since they listed prices (wardens keep 6.99 and the stone prisoner 14.99)
you have many abilities such as settinhg traps, stealing, dual wielding and so much more. while the game may be a bit "baldurs gat-ish) it's the BEST RPG on ps3 without a doubt.
the skill trees are similar to those you've seen in baldurs gate, diablo II and others. another thing is they must have over 200+ voice actors since I have not heard ANY voices repeat.
excellent actors such as Tim Curry, Kate Mulgrew, Claudia Black and more!
an excellent creature variety, large skill trees,
great loot and D&D style gameplay make this title
one of my all time fav's.
Graphics: Excellent and crispy. not mind blowing but perfect for me 4 1/2 stars great spell effects! excellent creature models and good variety of them.
Sound: the voice work is Top Notch and hundreds of actors
even the crickets put on a great perfomance! 5 stars!
the sound is a star here, the voice talent is top notch.
Gameplay: the micromanagement might put a few off but most will never let go of the controller since they got the controls so spot on for the ps3 on this title. it's amazing! 5 stars.
the controls are well mapped to the ps3 controller.
Fun: Yes Yes Yes! betray a friend or help him in a "forbidden" quest, help a grey warden or not?, kill a demon or trust the mouse? so many choices it's unreal! want to slay a dragon? you can!
want to go into dungeons and hack away, you can!
it's a Mature game so some of the things you can do are a tad graphic and as someone reminded me you end every battle absolutely painted in blood.
the game is brilliant what more can I say? 5 Stars!!
Overall: the package wraps up nicely into a 5 star Must Have!
the Gods at Bioware have greated the best "baldurs gate" style game yet! it's brilliant! you have to buy it asap if you don't you're missing THE BEST RPG experience of the year and possibly in my lifetime. (it's Very similar to Baldurs gate Dark Alliance)
this coming from a Hardcore
70's D&D player!!!
that's what I'd call an endorsement!
Dragon age origins is the RPG to buy.
Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition
Buy it Here!!!
Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition
Awakenings Note: it's a decent enough expansion and a deal
as part of this huge package. while not as stellar as the campaign,
this expansion will add a great many hours (in addition to the DLC)
of gameplay and you will not be sorry for buying this package.
awakenings is around a Four Star expansion.
more skills and a higher level cap plus all new goodies & Critters round out this expansion. awakenings alone was a decent buy. in a package like this it's the Ultimate Bargain!
Buy Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition Now
I bought Dragon Age Origins a year ago and STILL haven't stopped playing it. It is hands down my favorite RPG since Knights of the Old Republic (also by Bioware) and one of my favorite games period.Dragon Age sets a high watermark in narrative and character driven gameplay. The graphics are decent and the gameplay is good but the story, character interaction and an expansive and interesting world are what set this game apart as a must play.
The Ultimate Edition includes EVERYTHING:
Dragon Age Origins, The main game, +100 hours and worth $60 on it's own
Dragon Age Awakening, The expansion pack, events that take place after the events of Origins
ALL the DLC, including: An extra (awesome) character, A 'What if?" scenario, A prologue chapter, 2 epilogue chapters, 2 extra quests, Armor, Gifts and pranks.
important notes:
All content is one 1 disc. NO VOUCHER! NO DOWNLOADS!
Save files are transferable between all editions of Dragon Age (and will transfer to Dragon Age 2)
Approximately 7GB needed to install everything (you can pick which content you want to install)
If you have any interest in playing this game, this Ultimate Edition is the only way to go.
Read Best Reviews of Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition Here
It took me awhile to "get" this game. When you pick a class (I played a mage as I normally do), you are started off in a class-appropriate area and shown the ropes before being recruited for a huge battle. Every class has a different starting point so if you play through again, you'll have a different opening sequence to experience before being recruited.The interactions you have with other characters, even the ones in your group, are extremely well-written. The amount of choices you can make that affect the outcomes of the lives of your teammates is staggering. Heck, I even killed a character who would have joined my group, eliminating him from the game forever in the process. You don't feel like you're being guided towards any conclusion or other, you feel like you have the power to control what happens. I had one character in my group leave the group and stand in our way because she didn't agree with the choice I had made to go into the next room and kill the demon inside. She had to die and I had to recruit another healer. The game doesn't feel like it gets in the way of what you want to do, it just presents choices and gives all the power of what happens to you.
Combat? Combat is tactical but easy enough. You can give your teammates tactics to follow so they automatically know how to respond in certain situations. Building a cohesive team while remaining a hero in your own right is essential to getting through this game. The boss fights are great, too, even if they aren't all that complicated most of the time. You can perform combinations to great effect in this game and your positioning relative to the battle is also very important. Once you learn the basics, you start to automatically get a feel for some of the more advanced stuff that comes later on.
Again, though, what sets this game apart from any of the challengers is the writing, voice acting, and overall story are extremely compelling. This isn't a game you can finish in 5 or 6 hours, either. It took me closer to 40 to get through everything, although I took on every side quest I could find.
Add to this the fact that you are given ALL of the DLC for the game on one disc and the expansion on another disc, which also has an interesting story.
The graphics are washed out on the consoles and don't look anywhere near as good as the PC version but that shouldn't deter you. If this game gets to you, you won't care. You'll still be amazed at all you have to uncover, how difficult some of the choices you have to make are, and the consequences of those choices ARE realized later in the game.
I'd also recommend you don't check out Dragon Age II. Newer, fancier graphics cannot match the epic story that unfolds in this game.
Want Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition Discount?
As a long-time RPG player my feelings toward Dragon Age: Origins are hard to neatly categorize into the "love it" or "hate it" groups. Rather my assessment of the game is that it falls somewhere between those two camps. There are moments in the game that are sheer brilliance then other times where things start to drag along and become mundane.If you're familiar with previous Bioware RPGs then you'll likely feel right at home with DAO. This game is decidedly a western RPG. Typical of the genre you'll have a plethora of choices to make from seemingly endless dialogue trees; extreme character customization right down to the facial hair and voice your character uses. Right from the start you'll choose your race Elf, Human or Dwarf. Up next is your class; for example choosing the Elf race will next bring up choices for Dalish Elf a more traditional elf of the forest. Alternatively you could choose City Elf sort of an Elven underclass that lives in the slums of human cities. The story and dialogue will adjust accordingly.
At any given time you can have up to 4 party members (including your main character) at one time. Each party member has a list of macros that you can set up for a particular action in a given situation. For example you can have your mage healer set up to cast `heal' on any characters HP that drops below a certain threshold, i.e. HP>50% = Heal. Though the macro system is deep it is also frustrating in certain situations. For example there isn't a macro to have your mage healer revive a character. That requires you to switch characters mid-battle and cast the spell yourself. In other cases some of my characters would use healing items at the slightest bit of damage even when explicitly setup not to.
The story in DAO is a highlight though inevitable comparisons to Lord of the Rings will be made. Your character will assume the role of a Grey Warden. In Ferelden (where the story takes place) the Grey Wardens are almost mythological heroes that rise up whenever an evil called the Archdemon rises his Darkspawn army to throw the world into darkness and ruin. Darkspawn like Orcs in LotR rise from deep underground to destroy all life. Personally I enjoyed the similarities between DAO and LotR. As a huge LotR fan DAO felt like it was paying homage to Tolkien's classic epics.
Graphics on the PS3 are good but not exactly great. As expected the PC is where the graphics of the game really shine but Bioware deserves commendation for keeping things mostly running smoothly on the PS3, especially when the on-screen action really ratchets up.
The musical soundtrack is impressive. Each area in the game has its own music that you'll grow to recognize and attribute to specific regions and races.
As a complete package DAO might just be the best deal you can spend your gaming dollar on. More so if you consider getting the Ultimate Edition Package. Featuring 3 races and 5 different main story arcs, multiple endings and a plethora of dialogue choices impacting everything around you, replay value is sky high. I would recommend opting for the Ultimate Edition right off the bat as it includes all of the pricey DLC.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my review there are some low spots in DAO that I couldn't overlook. For one thing a game of this size is bound to have some glitches/bugs and DAO does have its fair share. I ran into various problems throughout my time with the game including missions that I couldn't finish because my characters would suddenly be unable to attack. Sidequests that I couldn't close and receive credit for because a NPC would disappear or the game simply wouldn't let me close out the quest. Many of these problems are documented and several require rebooting and loading a previous save. So be cautioned to always keep multiple save files just to be safe, particularly before entering areas where there's no exiting until the mission is cleared.
Second, this game isn't easy particularly if you're playing through with the Warrior Class. At several points you'll be at a severe disadvantage going up against groups of ranged foes that can destroy you in seconds. It seems a bit unfair and leads to some frustrating moments. The game does allow you to drop the difficulty at any time for those that want to choose that route. Personally I think it highlights the unbalance in the game.
Lastly, for those looking for JRPG style depth it simply isn't here. Because the story can twist and turn at your will, the story tends to remain more superficial. Many of the quests are simple fetch quests that can grow tiresome.
All in all Dragon Age: Origins is a game worth playing and worth owning. Recommended.
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