So, Dragon Age: Inquisition--this game looks massive. For starters, it features a giant open world as opposed to a series of self-contained zones connected by loading screens. Hell, just one of its zones is larger than the entirety of Dragon Age: Origins. Pretty slick. And while the revamped combat and incredibly detailed visuals both make a great impression, one thing has me even more intrigued: the promise that you, the player, will lead the Inquisition and rally forces under your command.
I finally got a glimpse of how some of this works in a new demo at E3 2014. As you explore the continent of Thedas, you encounter a vast number of quests and events--and depending on how you go about completing them, you gain renown for the Inquisition. Say you come across an area currently occupied by a huge-ass dragon. If you manage to drive it off--or kill it outright--you'll gain a foothold in the zone, empowering the Inquisition by unlocking new operations. From your War Table, the hub through which you make decisions for your organization, you then decide your next move from a variety of options, all of which have a far-reaching impact on the story.
You must also send operatives from your party of playable characters to embark on missions on your behalf--and these won't always go down as planned. In my demo, a party member is sent to go undercover and infiltrate a Mage stronghold. Unfortunately, by the time the player's party arrives to mop up, said party member has been captured and is being tortured. We recover her, but she (understandably) has developed a hatred for Mages--so, during a crucial interaction with the stronghold's Mage leader, she has little patience for words, and goes on a murderous rampage of revenge. Would this have played out differently had another party member been sent in her stead? Oh, yes--or so I'm told. Seeing as Dragon Age: Inquisition is packed with moments like these, I can't wait to see what else is in store.
I finally got a glimpse of how some of this works in a new demo at E3 2014. As you explore the continent of Thedas, you encounter a vast number of quests and events--and depending on how you go about completing them, you gain renown for the Inquisition. Say you come across an area currently occupied by a huge-ass dragon. If you manage to drive it off--or kill it outright--you'll gain a foothold in the zone, empowering the Inquisition by unlocking new operations. From your War Table, the hub through which you make decisions for your organization, you then decide your next move from a variety of options, all of which have a far-reaching impact on the story.
You must also send operatives from your party of playable characters to embark on missions on your behalf--and these won't always go down as planned. In my demo, a party member is sent to go undercover and infiltrate a Mage stronghold. Unfortunately, by the time the player's party arrives to mop up, said party member has been captured and is being tortured. We recover her, but she (understandably) has developed a hatred for Mages--so, during a crucial interaction with the stronghold's Mage leader, she has little patience for words, and goes on a murderous rampage of revenge. Would this have played out differently had another party member been sent in her stead? Oh, yes--or so I'm told. Seeing as Dragon Age: Inquisition is packed with moments like these, I can't wait to see what else is in store.
