I wish people would spoil erm post some more about their DA:O experiences. I am still adamant and will wait till xmas.

So I can’t and won’t comment on the storyline – but I do not mind spoilers, I also do not mind spoilers for books or movies. So no worries about lessening my experience, you are actually making me hot and eager to play the game!

Regarding the MORRIGAN – she is quite modelled after one of the most fascinating proto-celtic goddesses, often portrayed in a very ambiguous fashion in art and literature. The Queen of Battle, but also Harbinger of Death and Healer alike.

Basically, your main char is trying to get along with a crazy Banshee… good luck with that. Your character is torn between keeping a valuable party member or following his beliefs.

BTW, Morrigan is voiced by Claudia Black, the Vala from the late Stargate SG1 episodes: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Morrigan

Keeping her around will make life more interesting. I personally would try to keep her in the party at all costs.

The dialogue is clever and I do find myself laughing out loud at some comments. The main difference with DAO dialogue and previous RPGs is the dialogue is much higher quality than one usually has encountered in these virtual games – and the acting and toon inflection more believable.

That along with the sense that you are not forced into certain choices – i.e. they really did their work on making sure a multitude of branches were fleshed out fully including dialogue etc. and as you mention, the expansive “sets” one finds oneself in really creates a sense of immersiveness and liveliness that makes DOA unique.

Just starting out for example in the mage intro – and walking around the mage tower, typically in an RPG I might pass over the NPC “props” which usually seem to be put into the game as an after-thought. But with DAO the extra NPCs you come across are not “props” but “scenes” and they do not feel like after-thoughts – they really add to a sense of reality to your role-playing. The Enchanter students teaching their students – watching it take place, the comments made between teacher and student – a small thing surely, no rewards involved – nothing you gain from it – yet done well enough that you stop to listen and *gasp* you enjoy the interaction.

I got the dog and he’s real cool. lol. But it’s tough as you get more toons you can play with. Who do you bring to your party and who do you leave out? The dog is fun but lets face it, how flexible is he and how much does he bring to your party?

I like yourself currently am in the first outside town Lethora – where again, the Refugees really add IMO to the atmosphere of play. All the sub-story plots enjoyable just in the town. Trying to release the prisoner was very interesting task … Which is another shining point in DAO – IT JUST ISN’T HACK AND SLASH you really have to think or come up with a little something more to progress your story.

Riddles in the Harrowing?? How you actually talk to NPCs make a difference?? Romance? Pre-tactical sets you can use and even expand with experience? Plenty of RPG branches to make your choices seem very real in game outcome?

Awesome. True it ain’t Ultima or Oblivion – there is no free roaming to the game. You really do play in “scenes” much like a play and much like Mass Effect. So that freedom you get with Oblivion is missing. So you do trade off one type of RPG for another. I also agree that it is disappointing that my main toon doesn’t speak the lines. You’re right, if your going to go the distance with all other dialogue in game – then you should have purchased the main toon dialogue as well. Maybe that will happen in the next BioWare game 5 years from now …

The amount of production that must have gone into this game – especially the acting/writing is scary. Scary and brilliant. Some very high quality production values – and I didn’t even mention the amazing soundtrack and sound effects – also among the best I’ve experienced.