BioWare is often considered one of the best and most important RPG developers of all time. From Baldur’s Gate to Knights of the Old Republic, they’ve created an amazing variety of games that have impressed fans for years. If you can’t get enough of the story-driven gameplay and awesome detail that you’ve come to love in BioWare games, then you’ll definitely be interested in ‘Dragon Age’, a fantasy based RPG with elements of Lord of the Rings and Jade Empire.
computerandvideogames.com has done a really, really good preview on the game, which you’ll be able to play later this year.
” The dark, edgy and (fantasy-withstanding) realistic tones of Dragon Age means that fighting isn’t of the ’slash, slash, move back, move forward, slash, slash, dead’ variety. Indeed, some of BioWare’s developers have been bashing each other with weapons in public places - reportedly being thrown out of a mall car park for doing so.
Such behaviour has helped combat production no end. Viewed from an almost top-down perspective, you’ll bear witness to real-time meaty swipes, jumps, ducks, shield clashes and novel interactions with the environment (overturned tables, distraction tactics etc) - alongside the ability to pause the action, issue commands to your party and queue up spells and special attacks. ”
” You start out by, as is tradition, selecting a certain race and a certain class - the latter giving the relatively broad canvasses of fighter, rogue and mage for you to build upon.
In each race, however, there are two options - rather than sticking with multiple endings, BioWare are now plumping for multiple beginnings as well - so you can start as someone who begins at the top of the tree, perhaps as a noble of acclaimed worth, and another who has an edgier background - having to drag himself up from the gutter and into the history books.
Each origin tale is set to have two hours of gameplay devoted to it, having you run into shared characters who play a role in both tales - treating you differently according to your status in the world at large.
After a while though, the main plot will rampage into view. Then, you venture out into the main plot arc - complete with your very own nemesis to shake your fist at when the narrative demands. ”
I have a feeling this game is going to be one of the best this year, and with BioWare’s past quality of their role-playing games, I can easily back that up. To read the whole preview, visit computerandvideogames.com.
[image via Gamespot]
Dragon Age, BioWare, Computer and Video Games, RPG
