Dragon Age: Origins Preview
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In the proving grounds, it was just my character facing off against a series of opponents, each more difficult than the last. Controlling my character in the 1v1 matches was entirely simple and any modern MMORPG-gamer should be able to pick it up without problem. You select your character and then right-click on the enemy you want them to attack. Each character has an array of skills they can utilize on a quick-bar at the bottom of the screen. Once selected, the character uses the skill and then it takes a certain amount of time to recharge to be used again.
My character started with a very cool shield bash ability that executed smoothly and without glitch every time I used it. BioWare has really made it so that the animation doesn't miss a step in going from a basic attack to a special one. Seeing my stout Dwarf reel back with his shield and drive it into his opponent really looked like it had a lot of force behind it. My helpless foe would fly back and smash into the ground from the force of the attack. This shield bash leaves enemies stunned on the ground for a short time, giving you the ability to hit them once again when they are down. It is a great way to interrupt an opponent in mid swing. Combat is brutal and full of blood spraying-action. In fact, I even saw that my character had some of the spray on him after a sufficiently-bloody swipe. 1v1 was visceral and I can't wait to see the carnage which will ensure in a full party battle.
