As I getting older I stop playing long games, but this is one series I will play. Resident Evil also, but I think I am done after RE6.
I was going to write a review after 20hrs and give it a 8 or 7. Well it took me 110 hrs to beat the game with all the side quests done and it gotten better. I think the first DA origin/ awakening is still the best in the series overall (10/10). The second dragon age had simpler combat, with cookie cutter levels that were short (8/10). They reused so many levels/layouts in DA2 it was joke, trying to make it seem longer. Well DA:Inq is really big. I still have one big map left and hopefully it trigger more areas. I will try not give off too many spoilers, so I will try to be vague in some description, and talk more of the mechanic of the game.
Positives:
1. Good size map. Some map or area can take a day to finish (normal people playing less then 8hr). Hinterland map is gigantic and after a while you get tired of it.
2. Unique worlds. I still remembered doing the same dungeons, castle over and over in different part of the map in DA2. This game is beautiful and different. I rarely go to an area more than 2x too much to explore. The full moon in the desert, waterfall in the canyon oasis, and France like forest (green marsh) are some of the best maps. The France or Italian -like Incognito ball party at a chateau was very nice too.
3. Storyline is a continuation of DA:O and DA2, so if you played with those game you see characters that were minor before are now part of the new storyline. Also you must login onto EA's dragon keep to update your character logs from the previous 2 games if you want those storyline events to be noticed in this game. I didn't do it that before starting this game, wished I did, but I don't think it matter too much really.
4. Great graphic on the PS4. Further draw distance, the previous games even if you see the world open. You kind of know you are boxed in, not this game. The environment is very large and you can see further if you stand on a hill top. Character details are better, so is the environment. Level map are bigger, in the other 2 games, you have to reload scenes way too much, not here.
5. Background/ ambient music is good (not all areas), much better than DA2, but I like DAO for some reason. Like the charm of Origin.
6. Dragons, and lots of them. They are a certain levels so you might have to skip them the first time around and come back when you are strong enough.
7. Puzzles here and there is nice. I did almost all of the puzzles myself. Did the constellation without much issues (1 or 2 were hard but most are easy).
Differences:
1. Combat, while it is still dragon age in general. It took some use to, the button layout and tactic changed a little. Actually it was hard early on as your character is weak and enemies have curtain level to them. No constant healer. Mages in other games I use as healer for the group. Mages are used as ranger fighter or barrier user here and to open magic doors. They have lifewind and that is you time it right you can resurrect a player. Only 1 of the 3 mages has a true healing spell and that is Vivanne. She annoyed me at first, but I realized I need her healing, which takes time to regen anyways. You get only 8 heal potions too (upgrade to 12 by inquisitor perks) so you will die a lot in this game and I was on causal. As usual always carry a mage and rogue to open certain area. Iron Bull's lines are hilarious, DA's Qunari are very monotone and boring, but they broke the rules for Iron Bull.
1b. You need to carry a rogue and mage with you all the time as they can open certain doors or situations. Vivienne is the best mage, Cassandra's skill can turn on guard for all team member (Templar's skill tree). Varric and the Sera are equal archers, so I switch between them for Dragon fights. Otherwise I switch between all the character for regular exploration as I said before. For melee players you need to get item that increase guard. My main character with guard on didn't really die in the Dragon fights, as the other members are dying over and over.
2. Crafting, upgrade, and potions making. If you want good weapons and armors you can actually craft better one yourself. In other games, you get better weapons and armors as you play, oddly the not the case here. Still using some of the best weapons I found in the middle of the game. Maybe I am playing some of the harder levels first and the easy one later, maybe.
3. War-room, where you plan your next attack and world strategies. Didn't like it at first, but it is very cool.
4. Some annoying characters and some good companion characters. I dove have a fav 4 for major battles. But for most exploration, I mixed all the characters to see what they can do. Also when you mixed them, they have more dialogues and argument.
5. I rather fight darkspawns then fighting other humans for some reason. You fight a lot of humans here.
Bads:
1. In some game play: if you don't map some command action/skills to your controller you can't use them. In previous game the radio/radius control allow you to get to command skills not mapped so you can use it during combat.
2. Map or gps is hard to use at time. I been climbing cliff and scaling mountain that are unclimbable when it look like it is doable but isn't. Cartoon map are hard to tell what is a what elevation also. Just a little frustrating on the map part, but the world is very true 3d and very platform-ish then flat.
3. I got the deluxe edition hoping to get more scenes or something good, it is a waste of money.
4. no treasure/item chest. I am guess they make you pay for it like in the first game dlc later, very cheap.
5. Less buggy, but some are there. The 2 other DA games were extremely buggy. You have to save often because some tasks don't work and you have to reload and it might fix the freeze or some other bugs. Haven't felt bugs were an issue here, I do have issues with the radius control at times. But leaving the map or recharging my controllers seem to help. I played DAO may times, BioWare usually send patches later to fix things.
This is becoming a better game as I play, storyline is good, environments are enjoyable to explore. It is different in the game play mechanic a little, but still stays true to the Dragon Age series. This is a real game compared to DA2, which now looks like an add-on to DAO. Still remembered so many scenes, level and moments from DAO, but not much of DA2. DAO has its charm, which this doesn't have as much but still great.