The Quill #5: Video Games #1

The Dragon Age (DA) series has been close to my heart for many years. Its rich lore, complex characters, and incredibly immersive storytelling have given me countless hours of adventure and emotional engagement. Each game in the series provides a unique experience and a new main character to customize and control. Through every story, you can choose to be a specific race (Human, Elf, Qunari, Dwarf) and class (Warrior, Rogue, Mage), and you get to romance your companions! The game choices are very story-driven, so an option you take could affect the entire storyline, and ultimately, the fate of the world.

Dragon Age: Origins: Released in 2009, Origins introduces us to the dark fantasy world of Thedas. You play as a member of a group called the Grey Wardens and are tasked with stopping the Blight, an invasion of monstrous Darkspawn led by an Archdemon. I’ve played this game the least out of them all, but the unfathomable moral choices and fun group of companions are the backbone of the entire series, and what you decide to do in Origins affects the entire world state for the next two games. If you can get past its subpar graphics and strange combat mechanism, it’s still a blast!

Dragon Age II: The second game in the series shifts its focus to the rise of Hawke, a refugee who rises to power in the city of Kirkwall. The game spans over a decade, showing how Hawke’s decision impacts the city and its people. Unlike Origins, Hawke’s story focuses more on personal and political conflicts rather than stopping a world-ending event. This is the first game that introduces a main character who speaks the dialogue options you choose, and I’m super glad they stuck with that for future games.

Dragon Age: Inquisition: Inquisition was my introduction to the Dragon Age series and is still my favorite of all the games. Your character is forced into leading the Inquisition, taking command over a group to restore order in Thedas after a massive breach in the sky unleashes demons from the Fade. Inquisition has so many twists and turns, plus a storyline that is written incredibly well. The game has a massive open world, and there is an abundance of quests to keep you occupied. I’ve done a few different playthroughs, and I’m always finding something new to do! It also has the best start screen, with a super-captivating soundtrack.

Dragon Age: Veilguard: Just recently released in 2024, Veilguard is the newest game in the series. It continues the saga with some friendly faces from past games, but this time, you create the uprising of a character named Rook. Your ultimate goal is to stop the blighted elven gods from destroying the world by protecting the Veil, a barrier between the physical world and the Fade, a realm of spirits and magic. The game isn’t as open-world-based as the rest of the DA games, but other features make up for it. The combat is super smooth, and the world of Thedas is brought to life in stunning graphics. I’ve already played through the entire game a few times and would 100% do it again.

Now the question is: How will you decide the fate of Thedas?

Platforms:
Origins & DA2: PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Inquisition: PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Veilguard: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC