Though I would recommend Dragon Age Origins, it doesn't quite live up to the hype.
I wouldn't say it was time wasted by any means but my expectations were not met. How can you expect to be the greatest RPG to date if you deliver such yesterday visuals. Yes I know graphics are not everything but if you're trying to deliver a cinematic masterpiece like in Mass Effect then they certainly help. Cut scenes where generally excellent but no amount of AA or AF can save the average-at-best visuals during gameplay. Would it be too unfair to say these graphics would have looked good on the original Xbox. I hear the 360 versions visuals suck even harder.
The sound design in this game is much better however. As with all Bioware games, they seem to get the best out of their actors. Almost every character is superbly voiced. The sound effects are also quite excellent particularly in combat with all the spells flying around & yelling & shouting.
If you're familiar with Bioware games then the style of game on show here will be very familiar indeed. Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, Jade Empire etc. Lots & lots of dialogue to get through & the character you play does not speak the lines you get to choose from like Shepard does in ME. Theres the usual characters siding with you or disagreeing with your actions. It's all been done before but it still works well.
It's a shame really that the world of Ferrelden just isn't as interesting a place as some other RPG worlds. There's no day/night system or dynamic weather. The mage tower in the game will always be seen at night. I can't think of many RPG's that don't have a day/night system. Also a lot of the lore revealed throughout the game is just plain dull & you won't feel compelled to read it at all. Towns & settlements don't feel lived in & lack the hustle & bustle lowering the games atmosphere & immersion. I would actually say that the small world in another recent RPG - Risen was more stimulating to explore.
So I've basically complained all the way so far but I still gave the game an 8. That's because the game is saved by it's superb combat & satisfying level up system. The battles in this game are intense & bloody with the excellent sound effects I mentioned earlier. I love the way my characters are drenched in gore after a fight & there are a lot of skills, spells, weapons & armor to keep things very interesting. My first play through character was a basic human warrior, but I am definitely playing through as a mage next time. Problem is, all that dialogue won't be so welcome a second time round but escape key will skip conversations quickly.
The story is the other main factor that help lift this game above mediocrity. The game has such quality acting & some of the finest looking cut scenes in gaming memory it's just a shame the rest of the game couldn't meet such high production values.
So in summary, if you're a fan of RPG's then you should invest time in this very decent game. The combat is very satisfying & bloodthirsty & the story is dark & gritty. It could be argued that the rest of the game is just filler but there are some interesting side quests to do outside the main one & the banter between characters is always cool. Still I'm not really sure how the gamespot reviewer decided this was a 9.5 out of 10 game.