Review: Dragon Age: Origins

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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As for the save game thing, don't you overwrite existing saves? I know I do, else I end up with hundreds of the damn things clogging up my system. BUT ANYWAY...

So, its as good as I hoped?! Sweet, it'll be here by the end of the week :) Looking forward too it.

EDIT:
Slycne said:
hansari said:
Russ Pitts said:
For the most part the game is a washed-out mess, and the items and character models are uninspiring. If sub-standard graphics are a severe impediment to your enjoyment of a game, then you'd be wise to play the PC version if you have the option. >
Can you or someone else explain to me why developers would take the risk to use different graphics engines? Wouldn't focusing on one be better?

While I found Mass Effect to be shiny enough on the console, the developers said they couldn't tap into it because the Unreal Engine 3 was new to them...

Now they say they have everything peachy with Mass Effect 2...but then I hear this about Dragon Age??

Why? Because they are once again using a new engine called Eclipse?
A combination of different teams, development times and needs most likely. Eclipse is an in-house engine likely built out of their previous Odyssey and Aurora Engines, so they have a lot more freedom to do with it what they want. Mass Effect went into development after Dragon Age. It's also not free to use the Unreal engine and a successful engine can in turn be marketed out to other companies.
Come to think of it, why didn't they use a version of the Mass Effect engine? That worked good on both PC and XBox (yeah, I know, I'm an idiot for having both).
 

Mr.Pandah

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Jul 20, 2008
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Slycne said:
hansari said:
Russ Pitts said:
For the most part the game is a washed-out mess, and the items and character models are uninspiring. If sub-standard graphics are a severe impediment to your enjoyment of a game, then you'd be wise to play the PC version if you have the option. >
Can you or someone else explain to me why developers would take the risk to use different graphics engines? Wouldn't focusing on one be better?

While I found Mass Effect to be shiny enough on the console, the developers said they couldn't tap into it because the Unreal Engine 3 was new to them...

Now they say they have everything peachy with Mass Effect 2...but then I hear this about Dragon Age??

Why? Because they are once again using a new engine called Eclipse?
A combination of different teams, development times and needs most likely. Eclipse is an in-house engine likely built out of their previous Odyssey and Aurora Engines, so they have a lot more freedom to do with it what they want. Mass Effect went into development after Dragon Age. It's also not free to use the Unreal engine and a successful engine can in turn be marketed out to other companies.
I glanced through the comments on this, but didn't see anything pertaining to the PS3...How well does it run on the PS3? Or does it have the same hiccups as the Xbox360?
 

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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dandahammer said:
This will be my first proper Bioware game (my bro raves over mass effect) so I am really looking forward to it. My local Walmart had no Ps3 copy, so must wait til Gamestop opens to purchase. And word on the street is PS3 finally got a above average port.
Welcome to the world of RPGs! Though I should point out it'll be different from Mass Effect as, firstly, its a Third Person 'directing' RPG, not a Third/First Person shooter RPG. Just letting you know it'll likely be abit of jump from whatever you've played before if you've not RPGed before. That said, Bioware are, pretty much, the Valve (in terms of quality) of the RPG world.
 

Lord_Gremlin

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"Buy it for PC if you have a choice"...
I have PC, but I want trophies. So, in fact, I have no choice. Anyway, I've seen comparison - PS3 and PC versions look and run absolutely same (well, PC version can handle higher resolutions and AA, but fuck em).
 

soulasylum85

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i want it but im getting mw2 next week and l4d2 the week after. however i have run out of things to play now....
 

Markness

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Apr 23, 2008
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If the pc version is so superior, I can't understand why you would review it on the 360. Dragon age seems like a very pc game to me and from what I have read from other reviews, graphics look alot better and the issue you mentioned about the codec is resolved on pc.
 

Heart of Darkness

The final days of His Trolliness
Jul 1, 2009
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Oh, damn. I wanted to get this when I bot an Xbox 360, but I think I'll get it for the PC instead.

Also, werewolves? Fuck yes.
 

Milkman Dan

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Sep 11, 2008
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Graphics over gameplay, and yet I need a dual core to run this? My computer isn't brand new, but it can already run Mass Effect, the Witcher, and Gothic 3.
 

Nincompoop

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May 24, 2009
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Didn't read the review, only watched the video FYI. Anyways, a comment on the last bit. 'twas funny =P. Don't know what tha fuck your were imitating (if anything) but it sounded awesome xP!
 

Teh_Doomage

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This put me over the edge on getting at launch, which I did...I can confirm, a difficulty slider.

Also, great review! Russ, play some PC versions of the game for some reviews? Please?
 

Ganthrinor

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This is the game I have anticipated the most this year. Blood, violence, blood, and murder.

Also, FUCK YEAH! for a game that's more than willing to step up and kill you over and over! Too many games these days just want to hold your hand all the way to the "finish" line.
 

geldonyetich

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Aug 2, 2006
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Allow me to qualify that: If you enjoy fantasy role-playing games and prefer gameplay over graphics and story over style, then Dragon Age: Origins is the game you've been waiting for all your life.
These words... you might as well just pour honey over it and dangle the game a foot from my face.
 

Ancientgamer

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Milkman Dan said:
Graphics over gameplay, and yet I need a dual core to run this? My computer isn't brand new, but it can already run Mass Effect, the Witcher, and Gothic 3.
Generally speaking processors don't have as much to do with graphics processing as much as runnning A.I., tracking stats, and running the game engine.
 

Flamezdudes

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Aug 27, 2009
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The graphics don't look bad at all, and i've seen a lot of 360 vids. I don't care that much about graphics though anyway, i mean look at the 360 version of Prototype and Fallout 3, i still enjoyed them.
 

RollForInitiative

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hansari said:
Can you or someone else explain to me why developers would take the risk to use different graphics engines? Wouldn't focusing on one be better?

While I found Mass Effect to be shiny enough on the console, the developers said they couldn't tap into it because the Unreal Engine 3 was new to them...

Now they say they have everything peachy with Mass Effect 2...but then I hear this about Dragon Age??

Why? Because they are once again using a new engine called Eclipse?
I get the impression you don't actually know what a graphics engine is. It's just another component of the game engine itself; Unreal 3 includes its own graphic engine, as does Eclipse. Unreal 3 isn't a suitable engine to make Dragon Age in, and Eclipse isn't a suitable engine to make Mass Effect in. That's all there really is to it.

Doug said:
Come to think of it, why didn't they use a version of the Mass Effect engine? That worked good on both PC and XBox (yeah, I know, I'm an idiot for having both).
As above, different engines with completely different goals. I suppose we could have re-developed it in a version of the Mass Effect engine if you wanted to wait a few more years for the game.

Somehow, I'm guessing people aren't that patient.
 

Slycne

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Feb 19, 2006
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Doug said:
EDIT:
Slycne said:
Come to think of it, why didn't they use a version of the Mass Effect engine? That worked good on both PC and XBox (yeah, I know, I'm an idiot for having both).
Like I said it's likely a combination of development having started on Dragon Age before Mass Effect and the Unreal Engine not being able to do what they needed. A game engine does a lot more than just make the game look pretty.

Edit:
See RollForInitiative's post above [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.153453?page=2#3688367]
 

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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Slycne said:
Doug said:
EDIT:
Slycne said:
Come to think of it, why didn't they use a version of the Mass Effect engine? That worked good on both PC and XBox (yeah, I know, I'm an idiot for having both).
Like I said it's likely a combination of development having started on Dragon Age before Mass Effect and the Unreal Engine not being able to do what they needed. A game engine does a lot more than just make the game look pretty.
Ah, my bad - and yeah, it makes alot of sense if DA was being developed before ME - after all, we don't want another Duke Nuke'm Forever scenario where they chase technology into oblivion.

Either way, I'm buying PC and I'm sure I'll love it.