Dragon Age: Inquisition Screens Arrive Unexpectedly

[Andy Chalk]

Dragon Age: Inquisition Screens Arrive Unexpectedly

In today's collection of Dragon Age: Inquisition screen shots we look at dragons and the men, women, pointy-eared dudes and squat tough guys who smack them around for a living.

You didn't expect this, right? Just like you didn't expect the "unexpected" crack, which is to say that new screen shots from an upcoming game isn't really all that unexpected at all. And we have them! Nine new Dragon Age: Inquisition screens that surfaced recently over at All Games Beta, where dwarves, elves and humans get heavy with a full-blown dragon and other agents of unpleasantness, including one tusked behemoth who I can't look at without hearing Sean Bean say, "They have a cave troll!"

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It's a good-looking collection - say what you will about the Dragon Age franchise, but there's no denying that it's an awfully pretty setting. I don't know why some of these images are at a different resolution than others, but I would guess it's because these don't appear to be "official" screens and were instead taken by someone in the beta and posted on the site. We've reached out to EA to confirm their status and will update if and when we hear back. In the meantime, enjoy!

Source: All Games Beta [http://www.allgamesbeta.com/2014/03/dragon-age-inquisition-screenshots.html]


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[Cowabungaa]

- say what you will about the Dragon Age franchise, but there's no denying that it's an awfully pretty setting.

I do deny it though. Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 both had many strengths, but I never considered environmental design to be one of them. DA:O was maze-like with brown, more brown and an extra layer of brown. And DA2 rehashed its dungeons way too much whilst not really fleshing out Kirkwall as much as they could have. I honestly hope that Dragon Age: Inquisition is a change in that regard, the Frostbite 3 engine might help but technical prowess does fairly little for actual environmental design.

For now I just hope I can freakin' run it on my PC so I can see. I can run Battlefield 3 (never got 4) pretty damn well though, not sure if that's an indication.

 

[mechalynx]

Why is everything so shiny? I mean it, everything looks like it's been buffed like a kettle. What happened to the grimy textures of DA:O and DA2?

 

[MrBaskerville]

I wouldn't use pretty to describe any of the Dragon Age games, but the new one does look like an improvement visually. It still looks too clinical and sterile though, same problem i had with the second one.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I do deny it though.

Well okay, maybe you can deny it. Personally, I don't think it holds a candle to the old hand-painted backgrounds of the Infinity Engine games. But the setting overall, the environments, the architecture, the dragons, they're pretty nice.

 

[Rad Party God]

I don't like the new direction it's getting, I mean, not everyday I can complain something is "way too bright". And not only DA:I, many of the other newer EA's games are looking similar due to their homogenization of the Frostbite engine, I mean, great for them, but... I don't like how it's looking.

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

I'm with everyone that it is WAAAAY too bright, like someone fell asleep on the gamma slider. Either way, graphics aren't the most important factor in an RPG soooo these screens tell us nothing of value. :d

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

It is strange how some of the stuff in there looks really good and current gen, like the dragon and the valley, while the characters look like they haven't improved much in the 3 years since DA2 was released. But maybe that's just my cynicism against anything Dragon Age related speaking. DA:O was so good, DA2 was so bad and I am not about to let Bioware rip me off again after the double disappointment punch that was DA2 and ME3.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I'm with everyone that it is WAAAAY too bright, like someone fell asleep on the gamma slider. Either way graphics aren't the most important factor in an RPG, soooo these screens tell us nothing of value. :d

Remember that this are likely (so I'm guessing) screens capped by a beta tester, not official releases, and are thus subject to the vagaries of his or her display, rather than the "ideal" brightness, contrast, etc. we'd expect. (Still waiting to hear back from EA/BioWare on that.)

 

[Grace_Omega]

Why is everything so shiny?

I'm guessing that's the Frostbite engine, which seems to have been optimized to slather the entire screen in bloom and specular occlusion-whatever effects. Some Battlefield 3 and 4 maps are actually difficult to play on because of how Dice abused the fuck out of the effects. It's like developers get the ability to do these fancy tricks and then just go hog wild with them.

EDIT: Oh wait, these are leaked? I didn't realize that. That probably explains why they look washed out then.

.... my criticisms of the Frostbite engine still stand though.

 

[Bostur]

I wish there would be screenshots of people actually playing the game. With HUD and buttons and little circles beneath the characters. That says a lot more about the game. Not directly aimed at DA, most games release these UI-less screenshots that mostly look the same no matter what type of game it is.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Can't deny the graphical fidelity, but there is just no style to it, looks like a first timers modelling arrangement when they haven't yet figured out how to give each peace it's own story in wear and tear.
And it's not like this is completely off the mark because it's unofficial material, all the footage so far looked real damn clinical.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Keep your elf with a bald head and tight pants. I want Merrill back! :-(

I'm noticing a concerning lack of Darkspawn in those shots. I really hope they don't get side-lined like the second game. Yes, I know The Blight is over, but damn, Origins made them sound like a serious threat. To just use them for one game seems like such a waste.

I'm excited about this game. I've been saying it all along, and I'm going to keep saying it. I feel the Dragon Age team learned their lessons from Dragon Age II if the DLC is any indication. So I will be giving this game a shot.

 

[james.sponge]

I do deny it though.

Well okay, maybe you can deny it. Personally, I don't think it holds a candle to the old hand-painted backgrounds of the Infinity Engine games. But the setting overall, the environments, the architecture, the dragons, they're pretty nice.

I strongly disagree, DA environments and setting are best described as bland and uninspired. Everything is clunky, rectangular and way too clean for its own good, Bethesda, Obsidian, CDPR did a much better job with environments and architecture in their respective titles. DA strength laid in character interaction and this nice feeling that your actions actually had an impact on the world (in particular in DA:O not so much in DA2). BW always had problems with level design hopefully they can make up for it with writing like in the old days.

 

[sir_charles]

Can't deny the graphical fidelity, but there is just no style to it, looks like a first timers modelling arrangement when they haven't yet figured out how to give each peace it's own story in wear and tear.
And it's not like this is completely off the mark because it's unofficial material, all the footage so far looked real damn clinical.

I've had that impression for a lot of Frostbite 3's footage. I'm not sure why they're using an ultra-realism engine for a fantasy title, either. I like fantasy games like Skyrim and such for their art style, not the photo quality. Sure it looks like they're branching out with some stuff, but overall its just coming across as boring.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Amazing how people go from complaining about how so many games last gen were all dark and brown looking. Now, when a bright and colourful game shows up, "hisss! My eyes, it burns!"

 

[-Dragmire-]

Hmmm, the shots would look far better if the rocks cast shadows. Using ambient occlusion to darken crevices and non lit sides of objects while casting proper shadows with trees makes the scene brighter than it should be. It'll be less of a factor when playing though.

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Edit: I know it's a technical limitation but I can't wait till particle effects properly cast shadows.

 

[Ferisar]

Amazing how people go from complaining about how so many games last gen were all dark and brown looking. Now, when a bright and colourful game shows up, "hisss! My eyes, it burns!"

Well, you know how gamers are...If the game would have the same style as the first, it would be boring, rehashing, GoW-brown and horrible.
If it would be like the second it would be cartoonish and horrible.
If it has colors its way too bright and has no more style (and is horrible).

But I have the solution: Make it a text-adventure! Nobody can talk bad about graphics that dont exist!

The lack of graphics obviously impedes my ability to immerse myself in the muddy brown bright poop cartoons. It's horrible.

OT:
Yep, looks good. Me want me pls. Also don't delay it until 2015. Unless you have to. (In which case you probably should(You goddamn mooks))