Dragon Age: Origins Preview
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Combat in Dragon Age is mainly handled in the same way as it was in BioWare's previous fantasy RPG, Baldur's Gate II. If you're not familiar with Baldur's Gate II though then let us just tell you that it's a very good thing.
Playing on the PC the default camera position is high and at a slight angle, so that it looks down on the 3D world in an almost isometric perspective, but the camera can also be controlled too. If you want to get down at shoulder level, perhaps to get a better view of your surroundings when exploring new areas, then you can do that with no issues whatsoever.
For combat though, the aerial view is a real necessity, especially when you're warring with magic users like we were. The sheer number, size and fidelity of the mystical effects can quickly crowd the screen otherwise, filling your view with auras, trails, whirlwinds and all manner of cool swirly lights.
Just like Baldur's Gate, the combat is a complex affair when you get down to the actual mechanics of it because, although it's presented in real-time by default, it actually functions on a round-based system. Actions, be they spells or attacks, happen in cycles that run together one after another, allowing the game to be a strict, fair RPG underneath while still having the gloss of an action game. It's a system that's worked well in the past.
