Game News Dragon Age: Origins announced epically

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

Oh boy, here's something that looks important! <a href="http://www.bioware.com">BioWare</a> is pimping around this press release about <a href="http://www.dragonage.com">Dragon Age</a>:
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<blockquote>EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading video game developer BioWare®, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced details of the highly anticipated dark fantasy Role Playing Game <b>Dragon Age™: Origins</b> which will be featured as one of the premier video games at the 2008 E3 Media and Business Summit, July 15-17.
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As the spiritual successor to BioWare’s Baldur’s Gate™, one of the most successful role-playing games in the industry, <b>Dragon Age: Origins</b> represents BioWare’s return to its roots, delivering a fusion of the best elements of existing fantasy works with stunning visuals, emotionally-driven narrative, heart-pounding combat, powerful magic abilities and credible digital actors. The spirit of classic RPGs comes of age, as Dragon Age: Origins features a dark and mature story and gameplay.
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"We’re thrilled to be returning to BioWare’s fantasy roots, with <b>Dragon Age: Origins</b> representing the culmination of over a decade of experience," said Ray Muzyka, co-General Manager and CEO, BioWare and Vice President, Electronic Arts. "<b>Dragon Age: Origins</b> is a dark heroic fantasy that doesn’t pull any punches. Our fans are in for the most emotionally intense gaming experience we’ve ever created, and we hope to surprise them with just how dark and gritty it gets!"
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BioWare will be demonstrating some of the compelling features of Dragon Age: Origins behind closed doors at E3, including:
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<ul><li><u>Epic Party-Based Combat</u> – <b>Dragon Age: Origins</b> will introduce an innovative, scalable combat system, as players face large-scale battles and use their party’s special abilities to destroy hordes of enemies and massive creatures.
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<li><u>Powerful Magic</u> – Raining down awesome destruction on enemies is even more compelling as players apply "spell combos," a way of combining together different spells to create emergent unique effects.
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<li><u>Deep Customization</u> – Players will develop their characters and gain powerful special abilities (spells, talents and skills) and discover ever-increasing weapons of destruction.
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<li><u>Your Story, Your Way</u> – With its emotionally compelling story, players choose with whom they wish to forge alliances or crush under their mighty fist, redefining the world with the choices they make and how they wield their power.
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<li><u>Origin Stories</u> – Players will select and play a unique prelude that provides the lens through which the player sees the world and how the world sees the player. The player’s choice of Origin will determine who they are and where they begin the adventure, as they play through a customized story opening that profoundly impacts the course of every adventure.</ul>
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<b>Dragon Age: Origins</b> is scheduled to ship for the PC in early 2009. For more information, the latest updates, or to join BioWare’s Dragon Age community, visit <a href="http://www.dragonage.com">www.dragonage.com</a>.</blockquote>
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I challenge the PR department at <A href="http://www.bioware.com">BioWare</a> to, just once, write a press release about a game they're making <i>without</i> using the word <i>epic</i> anywhere. Here's a helpful link: <a href="http://www.thesaurus.com">Thesaurus.com</a>.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[Oarfish]

players choose with whom they wish to forge alliances or crush under their mighty fist, redefining the world with the choices they make and how they wield their power

Unless its enslaving nations with necromancy of course.

 

[Jasede]

Epic! Powerful! Deep!

 

[Micmu]

Awesome! Massive! Intense!

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

dark and mature story

Warrior Within left me forever scarred. Whenever "dark and mature" is uttered, I think of this whore, swearing and jiggle physics.

 

[Lumpy]

delivering a fusion of the best elements of existing fantasy works

What the fuck? You don't even have to call them out on plagiarism, since it's on the fucking press release.
Wasn't that shitty Eragon movie criticized for being exactly that?

 

[Saxon1974]

Hordes of Enemies and Epic scale battles along with weapons of increased mass destruction makes me nervous. I think it sounds like it's gonna be slug fest combat wading through hordes of enemies.

I still have hope for this game, but as usual with games now, each thing I see takes my hope down a notch.

 

[Micmu]

My greatest concern about it is that it's gonna be one of these 15hrs of gameplay linear cakewalks. Other than that, I'm kinda fine with it so far.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Considering that every game Bioware has made since NWN has ranged from excellent (KOTOR), to pretty good (Mass Effect), to good (Jade Empire), I'm prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. Since this was in development before Bioware got bought by EA, maybe it isn't too much to hope EA's grubby paws won't spoil it. I'm still pessimistic about the future of Bioware, though.

I'm not so impressed with the trailers, of course, but trailers have never really been that good at demonstrating the actual gameplay.

 

[ricolikesrice]

if i remember right, the MOTB announcement used the word "epic" 5times as much as bioware here ... cant blame them given the average gamer these days.

other than that it sounds somewhat interesting to me at least, might be a good game (if the gameplay s good i dont care about biowarian stereotype writing or generic settings )

we hope to surprise them with just how dark and gritty it gets!

i d always thought it d be hilarious if in a bioware game the hot elfboy/girl you re trying to fuck gets taken hostage by a gang of ugly midgets who in turn want you to deepthroath their extremely hairy leader or suffer the boy/girl to be cut in pieces (in which case they d still rape you afterwards.... ). now that d be an innovative "romance" well tailored for merilinda and co.....

 

[Saxon1974]

My greatest concern about it is that it's gonna be one of these 15hrs of gameplay linear cakewalks. Other than that, I'm kinda fine with it so far.

Agree. Companies seem to be able to make games now that are only 15 hours long and sell just as many copies, so purely from a profit point of view I can see how they would take that route. Let's hope not.

 

[Gragt]

Well it's a press release so I did not really expect it to sound intriguing.

 

[Kingston]

"Epic... innovative... massive... destroy... awesome... destruction... unique... Customization... powerful... special... destruction... emotionally... redefining..."

I hate press releases.

The isometric screenie makes me smile though.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

The spirit of classic RPGs comes of age

wat

 

[Texas Red]

I'm actually looking forward to this. BG wouldn't be as popular as it because without its combat, which is wonderful. I could forget the absence of real dialogs, no choices or other flaws of BG when having just a blast fighting.

 

[Korgan]

Sounds like a better ME with somewhat more cerebral combat. Not too bad, really.

 

[deuxhero]

Love how it mentioned nothing about the combat system...

Is this good or bad for the chance we won't get that god damn horrible RTWP?

 

[Jack_Deth]

 

[serch]

I'm positively surprised about feature 4 and 5 getting into the press note as hype-worthy.

 

[thesheeep]

Sounds like a better ME with somewhat more cerebral combat. Not too bad, really.

Yup.

 

[J1M]

Would have been nice if their trailer showed some of these things. Would have made this press release more than just empty words.

PS: Are they going for dark epicness or epic darkness?

 

[Murk]

That bit about the origins and it impacting how the actual game goes sounds interesting provided it's not just a novelty after-thought.

 

[NiM82]

...emotionally-driven narrative... Our fans are in for the most emotionally intense.... With its emotionally compelling story..

Lesbian romance with an elf then?

 

[WalterKinde]

Anyone know why the name was Expanded from Just "Dragon Age" to "Dragon Age: Origins" almost makes you feel like they ditched the original game to make a prequel trilogy (DAMN YOU GEORGE LUCAS).

 

[Naked Ninja]

I'd guess because of the origin stories for each character type. Methinks it's a less than subtle pimp of that feature.