Dragon Age: Origins

Play it on: PC, PS3, Xbox

Current goal: Revisit a classic

Often, the end of one year and the start of the next is a quiet time for game releases, offering me a rare opportunity to catch up on games I missed or revisit old favorites that are calling out to me for a replay. Right now, the game I can’t stop thinking about revisiting is Dragon Age: Origins. I haven’t played it in any real way since around the time it was released, and while I enjoyed The Veilguard, all the ways in which it’s so different from the first game leave me wanting to explore that contrast. How does the original’s tactical combat feel now that I’ve experienced the action of The Veilguard? How does the quest of the original’s heroes, who have few creature comforts and often sleep under the stars, feel in the wake of The Veilguard’s story, with its cozy hangout vibes as party members become friends within the relative luxury of the Lighthouse? In some ways, I’m sure I’ll prefer Origins, though revisiting it may also help me view and appreciate The Veilguard in new ways, too. One thing’s for sure: since I’ve only properly played Origins once, there’s still much in it I have yet to experience. Can it still cast a spell on me after all these years? – Carolyn Petit