Developer Bioware made quite the splash with Dragon Age: Origins last year by introducing a new RPG in the midst of dozens of sequels and shooters. The not so black-and-white tale that involved darkspawn, big choices and an epic story was one of my favorite games of 2009 by far, and while I haven’t been able to play its expansion Awakening yet, I’ve been anxious to hear about any news of a sequel.
Well today, Bioware and EA delivered with the announcement that Dragon Age 2 would be dropping in March 2011, with a debut trailer coming for the game as soon as August of this year. So does this mean we can expect more Morrigan loving, Orzammar questing and tricky gameplay? Well, perhaps not.
According to the official Dragon Age 2 site, some things are going to be changing:
- Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.
- Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.
- Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.
- Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.
- Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.
Updated graphics? Count me in. I’m really excited about the direction of some of these changes, especially considering I didn’t have many complaints about the first game to begin with. The team also gave a brief plot overview:
You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.
Anybody else excited about this? Just looking at the concept art gets me all a flutter. Consider me geeking out.
Source- Dragon Age 2
Last year, Dragon Age Origins stood out to me as one of the better RPG experiences I’ve had this gen. Even though there were parts of it that frustrated me, overall it was a really solid game that created a rich world with a vibrant history. It was everything I want from a fantasy game. Of course, now that I’ve played Mass Effect 2, I know that there are even better things to come, but the game still deserves its due.