Dragon Age: Origins Preview
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If this weren't enough to get CRPGers salivating, the graphics engine looks phenomenal (see the screenshots). Full 3D environments allow for vertical planes of action, giving environmental height to the usual depth and width, creating a more immersive world to explore, and potentially adding an extra dimension (no pun intended) to tactical combat decisions. The engine also switches perspective, offering an over-the-shoulder exploration mode similar to KotOR and a top-down tactical combat mode reminiscent of the Baldur's Gate. With the duel camera mode, Bioware also offers fully controllable camera angles, like NWN. The engine will boast around 2 million polygons per model, and the character animations were done with motion capture to make their movement and acrobatics look incredibly smooth and true to life. When you zoom out, the focus shifts from the detailed characters to the meticulously designed indoor and outdoor locales that will just further immerse you into the Dragon Age world. Imagine if you will.
An epic battle ensues with thousands of soldiers fighting hoards of enemies. Arrows fly back and forth, and fires rage (all in beautifully rendered 3D).
We plunge over the field of combat to a bridge high above the action. Continuing to fly across the bridge, we see a group of people watching the action unfold below while crossing the bridge. Eyes track the carnage, hips sway in a motion captured walk, and lips move as they talk. Something out of a book or movie? Possibly, but that's what the first part of the in-game demo depicts.
Needless to say, this stuff looks awe inspiring, as is appropriate in a game as epically visual as this one. The screenshots alone should be enough to get any serious gamer salivating and searching for change in the couch cushions, but let's recap what BioWare states are some Dragon Age key features:
- Epic open ended storyline
- Top down party-based tactical 'combat mode'
- Cinematic 3rd person camera 'exploration mode'
- Full character customization (race, sex, class, abilities, spells, etc)
- Separate singleplayer and multiplayer campaigns
- End-user content creation tools
- Cinematic story-driven single-player campaign
- Set in a new fantasy world created by BioWare for fans of its past titles
- Party-based gameplay for outstanding tactical combat and immersive character interaction
Based on what I've seen so far, this is going to be one of those (must have) games that will be played and talked about for years to come. I don't know about you, but I'm already sharpening my sword, honing my spellcasting abilities and standing in front of the mirror and, in the immortal words of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman from Full Metal Jacket, practicing my (combat face.)
