GamesRPGDragon AgeOn Dragon Age’s 15th anniversary, join us in celebrating one of the most iconic RPG series of all timeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRPGDragon AgeOn Dragon Age’s 15th anniversary, join us in celebrating one of the most iconic RPG series of all timeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: BioWare)
Jump to:A tribute to MorriganRanking the OriginsAn ode to the HinterlandsThe changing face of Dragon AgeOur Dragon Age reviewsDragon Age 2’s forgotten DLCSkip the Fade?Best Origins modsQueerness and Dragon AgeThe best companions
Jump to:A tribute to MorriganRanking the OriginsAn ode to the HinterlandsThe changing face of Dragon AgeOur Dragon Age reviewsDragon Age 2’s forgotten DLCSkip the Fade?Best Origins modsQueerness and Dragon AgeThe best companions
When Dragon Age: Origins first launched back in 2009, it was both the start of something and the end of something.
On the one hand, alongside Mass Effect it helped to make the genre bigger and more exciting than ever, in the process laying down a template for cinematic, big budget RPGs that’s still enormously influential today.
But also, in the time since, it has felt like the last swan song of a certain traditional style of RPG in the blockbuster realm—one interested in top-down, tactical, real-time-with-pause combat, random encounters, and intricate character building across an entire party of characters.
In many ways, the series has subsequently struggled to live up to that legacy, always attempting to evoke the magic of that first game, but also to move its formula and its world forward with the times. It seems to have a fresh identity crisis with each entry, changing how it looks and feels dramatically each time.
But despite that, each game in the series has had its own moments that have resonated and stayed with fans through the years—and, more importantly, its own beloved characters, cherished like few others in the world of videogames. Companions such as Morrigan, Varric, Iron Bull, and many more stand as elder statesmen of the RPG world, benchmarks for design, writing, and performance across the industry. And you could fill a thousand galleries with the fanart…
So this week, as the series turns 15, and in the wake of a controversial new sequel, we’re looking back on the whole history of the series—its highs, its lows, and the things that we love here on the team. Check back over the course of the week, as I’ll be adding to the list each day with more and more nostalgic ruminating on quests long completed.
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
A tribute to Morrigan
(Image credit: BioWare)
Morrigan isn’t just my favourite Dragon Age character, she’s the greatest fantasy RPG companion of all time
What made a humble swamp witch with a bad attitude stick in the hearts and minds of so many RPG fans? Rob Jones has the answers.
Ranking the Origins
(Image credit: EA)
Every origin in Dragon Age: Origins, ranked
“Origins” wasn’t just a meaningless subtitle, it was a whole new approach to introducing your character to the world. But which of the game’s playable intros was the best, and which best forgotten? Jody weighs in.
An ode to the Hinterlands
(Image credit: BioWare)
Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Hinterlands were the closest BioWare got to making an Elder Scrolls-style open world, and everyone agreed you should leave as quickly as possible
Inquisition’s starting area was much maligned, with “Get out of the Hinterlands” fast becoming the community’s catchphrase. But was it unfairly judged? And should we look back on it now with a bit more appreciation? See if Ted’s defence convinces you.
The changing face of Dragon Age
(Image credit: Electronic Arts)
From the moody horror of Origins to the gleaming high fantasy of The Veilguard, few series have changed as much as Dragon Age
The series has always had something of a rolling identity crisis, changing its style, tone, looks, and systems with each entry. Fraser takes us on a journey through its mercurial history, up to latest entry The Veilguard.
Our Dragon Age reviews
(Image credit: BioWare, EA)
Looking back on 15 years of Dragon Age reviews—including that Dragon Age 2 score we’ve never stopped defending
Dragon Age 2’s forgotten DLC
(Image credit: BioWare)
It was nuts that BioWare based Dragon Age: Inquisition’s story on a DLC nobody played, but that DLC also proved just how close Dragon Age 2 was to perfection
Dragon Age has a strange habit of dropping its biggest lore bombs in overlooked DLCs, from Awakening to Trespasser. Legacy might be the most ignored of them all, but Ted’s here to explain not only why it’s crucial to the series' history, but also how it offers a glimpse into a better version of Dragon Age 2.
Skip the Fade?
(Image credit: BioWare)
Dragon Age: Origins' Fade level is the sort of funky failed experiment you just wouldn’t see in a triple-A RPG these days
Across the whole of Origins' epic quest, nothing drew as much ire from players as one dreamlike hour in the Fade. But was it a rare blunder, or a fascinating experiment? Ted is here to defend the indefensible.
Best Origins mods
(Image credit: EA)
The best Dragon Age: Origins mods
Origins is well worth replaying, but some elements of it have definitely aged better than others. Given that there’sno remaster on the way, mods are your only option for tweaking and modernising the experience. Check out Jody’s comprehensive guide to the best ones to download.
Queerness and Dragon Age
(Image credit: Bioware / via Seraphicvictory, Dragon Age Wiki)
The messy queer representation of Dragon Age: Origins was commendable for 2009—and I even miss some of its thorns
The Veilguard’s progressive politics have become a hot topic of debate, but Dragon Age has always explored gender and sexuality in its storylines. Harvey looks back at the queer representation in Origins, and its unlikely link to the CIA.
The best companions
(Image credit: BioWare, EA)
The six best Dragon Age companions ever
Across its 15 year history, the Dragon Age series has blessed us with some of the most loved characters in videogame history. But which stand above the rest? The team has whittled the list down to our favourite six.
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knows
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After years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare
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LatestTeam Fortress 2’s just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get in the game’ going for around $40KSee more latest►
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Team Fortress 2’s just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get in the game’ going for around $40K
Team Fortress 2’s just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get in the game’ going for around $40K
Team Fortress 2’s just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get in the game’ going for around $40K
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