Warning: Some minor spoilers within, you Will be Warned what to skip if you wish to avoid them though I will try to be vague enough that it won't ruin anything for you if you read that section anyway.

I don't say this too often, but in this case, Believe The Hype!!! Dragon Age: Origins is the RPG Experience of the Decade. This is the most fun and epic story that's been done since Baldur's Gate. I don't want to give away any story secrets but, needless to say it's Amazing. I've already been part of a huge battle, had my destiny put to the test in "The Harrowing" which is the test you take to become a mage, and found not one, but two love interests. Lets go over some of the features that Dragon Age has to offer.

Below: My character standing between his master at the Circle of Magi and a Templar of the Chantry.

Character Creation: Creating a character in Dragon Age is actually pretty easy, especially if you've played "Dungeons and Dragons" before. The tried and True formula of picking what you look like and picking spells and abilities proves it's-self once again to be the best method currently to date for Role Playing Games. Where Bioware has stepped up their game here is in customization. You have complete control over the facial detail that goes into your character. If you're familiar with the Sims 3 or the last Morrowind game then you'll recognize a lot of the options here. Every aspect of the face can be moved, resized, stretched, and heightened or lowered until you have a face that looks the way you want it to look. I dare say if you're good at 3D modeling with sliders then you could put your own face on your character.

Interface: This is truly the spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series. In this respect though is where the differences between the PC version of Dragon Age and the Console version of Dragon show through. The PC version allows the player to scroll out to a over-head view reminiscent of Baldur's Gate. You can pause to tell your character or party what to do and then un-pause the game to see your orders unfold. The Console version Does Not give you this withdrawn 3/4 over-head view. Again the PC's superiority shines through. I would recommend the PC version over the console version based just on this option alone. I hear this is the Only difference in the two versions of the game though aside from the menus which are radial in nature on the console version (like Mass Effect). Still, if you've played Baldur's Gate then this interface will feel like putting on a well worn favorite glove. It fits the game, it fits the setting, and the over-all feel to the UI is simply perfect.

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Story: WARNING: Minor Spoilers Here though I will try to be as vague as possible. If you'd like to skip this go to the next section starting with a Bold Category. (After the line ======== )

The story in DA:O is one of the best stories Bioware has come up with in a Long Time. To say it's "Epic" would be the understatement of the year. I'm almost 10 hours into the game and from the start it's been action packed and full of twists. The land of Ferelden is torn by strife and mistrust between the various groups that are in power that govern the land. There is a war brewing against the Darkspawn and a new blight that threatens to destroy everything and the various races and factions in the land are fighting amongst them-selves as well. The Dwarven nations have all but been wiped out by the Darkspawn and the war hasn't even begun in earnest. The Elven homeland was wiped out before against another blight that threatened the world in Ferelden's past. Indeed this is not the first "Blight" nor is it the first time the Darkspawn have threatened to over-run all in existence. The players choices can change how many things play out in the story and not everything is the same every time. Many factors, including what conversation options you chose and your ability to see them can change the outcome of various aspects of the story of the game.

You meet various people who will join your group as you progress through the game. The player can switch between these people at any time though only 4 may come with you at once. What's nice is you can chose to change your party composition any time you want except during a fight. Depending on who you have with you some quests and dialog options may be different. Also the characters in your part have approval ratings with how they get along with you and with each other. If you make a lot of decisions that make someone unhappy, don't be surprised when they decide to leave your group. They may even go as far as to try to kill you or another party member.

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Graphics: The visual presentation of DA:O is beautiful and elegant. The world comes to life in all it's high fantasy glory. When you enter the Fade everything gets blurry to show it's a dream world. When you're in a dark dungeon the lighting fits the scene. When you are outside the weather changes. Everything is done in such vivid detail you'd swear you were part of that world making the big decisions that affect the lives of all those around you. I haven't seen a better looking RPG in years. IMO it is by far better then Oblivion, Risen, or anything else you can think to compare it to.

Sound: The sound in DA:O is awesome. The soundtrack is moving and epic in scale. The music always fits whatever context it needs whether your just walking around talking to NPC's or fighting a horde of Darkspawn that have ambushed you on the road. The voice acting is Top Notch in Dragon Age and they pulled out all the stops when hiring the cast. Such well known actors and actresses such as Tim Curry, Kate Mulgrew, and Claudia Black all play amazing parts in the game. The epic nature and feel of the music alone is enough to make you think you're right there taking place in the battles.

Battle System: In DA:O the battle system is just like it was in Baldur's Gate. It's a tried and true formula of pausable Real Time Strategy. You can pull amazing feats in battle that are all shown on screen. Have your fighter shield bash his opponent to the ground then run him through with your sword. Use magic to freeze enemies solid and then shatter them. Ogres and Dragons and other huge monsters can pick your party members up and throw them like rag dolls. Physics matters and is represented visually. Blood splatters and runs down your weapons and armor. Fire leaves scorch marks on the bodies of slain foes. Arrows stick out of body parts and characters and monsters alike react to where they've been shot. It's RPG combat in all it's glorious perfection.

Everything in Dragon Age: Origins has been polished and shined to the point that it's honestly hard to find any faults with it anywhere at all. If all games had this level of detail and this much love put into crafting them we'd be a nation of video game addicts who never left our homes and the human race would die off because everyone would shun real life. This game is a Experience that must be played to be believed. If you've been thinking about getting DA:O and haven't made up your mind then stop thinking and Go Get It!!! You won't be disappointed.