Deciding where to start with a massively popular franchise like Dragon Age is a burden many newcomers have to bear. With a series spanning a handful of novels, comic books, and a six-part web series starring gaming icon Felicia Day, it is easy to see why a burgeoning fan might be intimidated by the scope of the franchise.
With Dragon Age 4 on the distant horizon, it may seem like 2009's Dragon Age: Origins is the best place for newcomers to start the groundbreaking trilogy. But is it really? Some say the third installment, Inquisition, should be where newfound fans begin their adventures, and when examined, it is easy to see why.
Modern Combat
A controversial change upon the release of Inquisition in 2014, the slow, tactical combat was replaced with a much smoother, fast-paced combat system. For new players, the original Dungeons and Dragons-style combat in the first game felt unwieldy. Inquisition combines the fast-paced action of the second entry and the tactical approach of the first to create a well-oiled machine for players to fight against the Breach.
The Story
Dragon Age is no stranger to epic stories of sword and sorcery. Inquisition places gamers at the heart of the story from the moment it begins, putting them in the shoes of the Inquisitor, whose job is to close the Breach and protect the continent of Thedas from a horde of demons. All this leads to many difficult quests throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's the type of story that will please fans of other fantasy greats such as The Elder Scrolls and World of Warcraft, and, for fans of deep lore, the world of Inquisition is not lacking.
Complexity
Depending on the player's level of appreciation for world-building and mythology in video games, Inquisition's complexity will either be a blessing or a curse. After the backlash from fans concerning the simplistic storyline of Dragon Age II, as referenced on Kotaku, BioWare sought to make the third game as detailed as possible, filling it with unique characters and locations to explore. Inquisition also offers several unique romance options to pursue.
Easter Eggs
A big part of a massive open-world game is being able to stumble across all of the Easter eggs the developers leave in as a nod to other franchises or simply to share an in-joke with others in the industry. Inquisition has no small measure of Easter eggs referencing classic literature, other BioWare titles like Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, and even blockbuster films such as The Lord of the Rings.
Character Creation
Like other RPGs of its kind, Inquisition allows the player to create their own character. However, unlike the previous installments in the franchise, the third game's character creator has many more options for appearance.
A wider array of skin tones to choose from and detailed face sculptors allow the player to make the Inquisitor their own rather than rely on a set sprite or randomly generated Inquisition character to adventure with.
Improved Visual Fidelity
It's only natural that the more recent installment in the franchise looks graphically better than the first two, especially considering the three-year time gap between the second and third games. The Frostbite engine in which Inquisition was built is leagues ahead of the dark and gloomy visuals that the Eclipse engine provided for the first two Dragon Age stories. Gone are the recycled environments, replaced with a variety of stunning geography that the player can get lost in.
The Companions
Traveling alongside the Inquisitor is a cast of twelve companions, three of which are in charge of running the Inquisition, who aid in the player's travels and combat encounters. Every single companion is a three-dimensional character with their own backstory and motivations. Fans particularly fell in love with the surface dwarf Varric and the mage Dorian for their wit and humor, making them two of the most memorable characters in the series.
An Open World
The world of Inquisition, Thedas, is a gigantic place fully realized by BioWare with intense dungeons and difficult boss battles, and a variety of entertaining side quests that help to relieve the stress of managing the Inquisition. When compared to other open-world games, this Dragon Age entry stands proudly alongside games like Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Replay Value
The world of Thedas offers an almost unparalleled amount of content to explore, but the game has to come to an end at some point. Fortunately, Dragon Age: Inquisition, as is the case with most dense RPG titles, offers a ton of replay value.
The designers and developers at BioWare filled their environments with countless details, including a number of hidden locations that can only be discovered by looking at familiar territory with fresh eyes. Beyond that, adding fan-made mods to Inquisition is always a surefire way to change things up.
The Ending
With the release of the third and final DLC for Inquisition, Trespasser, BioWare gives the player character a satisfying epilogue that puts a bow on the story as a whole. Playable after the main questline is finished, Trespasser has the Inquisitor venture out to discover who started the trouble with the Breach in the first place. Along the way, the player will experience a dramatic twist in events that will surprise and delight.