Platform: PS3, PC, 360

Number of players: 1

Genre: RPG

Developer: Bioware

The first thing to know about Dragon Age Origins is that if you're of an impatient nature, you will hate this game. This game is aimed at serious RPG-goers, and it shows. Casual gamers shouldn't come within ten feet of it. For one, it’s not free roaming (like, say, Oblivion) and you have to stick to predetermined areas. It’s not even possible to grind to level yourself up, so no easy ways out of tough fights. A significant chunk of this game is spent simply talking; you'll probably converse as much as you fight. However, in this game, it's actually integral as to how the game pans out.

    Conversation is at least not completely passive. You'll get various dialogue options to choose from, and each one of these will more often than not have a different effect, so don't expect to be able to sit there blithely tapping 'X', and your decisions can significantly affect the outcome of the game. If you're talking with other party members, for example, your responses will affect how much they like you. In turn, their attitude towards you affects how they behave. The more they like you, the better they'll perform in battle, and if they come to dislike you enough, problems start to appear.