The Two Dragons

Image via Wikipedia

Ok, I know I have been neglecting this blog.

Right after I discovered Jade Dynasty, and got engrossed in it for 5 months (to reach max level), I also got Operation Flashpoint – Dragon Rising as well as Dragon Age:Origins.

Despite the “Dragon” words in the titles, the 2 games are vastly different. Operation Flashpoint is a combat simulator, where you play a soldier fighting in battles (much like Rainbow 6), and it is a first-person kind of game. Dragon Age, however, is an epic RPG. When I say “epic”, I truly mean “epic”.

Dragon Age, in my opinion, is the best yet from RPG veterans Bioware. Like Mass Effect, I’ve already completed 1 playthrough, and now I’m nearing the end on my second run. On my second run, I discovered many quests I have left out during the first run, and I already thought I was pretty thorough! Well, apparently not.

As with most RPGs I play, I do not use cheats or walkthroughs. To me, it spoils my fun. Only upon completion of at least 1 run-through will I look at walkthroughs to see what I missed the first time around. With Dragon Age, I have yet to use a walkthrough and I’m already discovering things I missed out!

As mentioned earlier, Dragon Age is epic in scope. The main quest will have you recruiting allies to help you to defeat The Blight. In the story, you are told that you have official documents, treaties, with the Elves, Dwarves and Mages. From then on, it’s up to you.

However, you don’t HAVE to recruit them. Yes you do need an army, but you don’t have to stick strictly to Dwarves, Elves and Mages. At each of these groups, when you are doing the quest to recruit them, you can opt to “go the other way” and recruit their adversaries.

During the game, there are many instances where the characters seem to really “come to life”. During one of the quests, when I was back in camp, one of my companions decided to sing a song.

Your travelling companions will soon start to tell you their stories, and you can go on their personal quests to help them. If you get their approvals high enough you can even fall in love and have romances with them!

Dragon Age is also “modern” in a sense. Romance can also happen between a same-sex NPC and player.

I am still wondering when I can get back to ArmA 2, and also to start on Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising. So many games, so little time!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Review: Dragon Age: Origins (cinemablend.com)
• Review: Dragon Age: Origins (joystiq.com)
• Review: Dragon Age: Origins (destructoid.com)