Info about Dragon Age™ Inquisition:

Official game description:
When the sky opens up and rains down chaos, the world needs heroes. Become the savior of Thedas in Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition. You are the Inquisitor, tasked with saving the world from itself. But the road ahead is paved with difficult decisions. Thedas is a land of strife. Factions constantly war with each other even as a larger demonic invasion has begun. And you? You and your band of champions are the only ones who can hold it together. It’s your job to lead them...or fall.  
**Enthralling, choice-driven narrative** — You’re not just deciding who to send into which battle in Inquisition; you’re making important decisions that shape the future of Thedas. Each choice carries weight, and your actions can lead to a variety of outcomes. Inquisition is a highly personalized journey, where one wrong move could set in motion a series of events that alters the physical aspects of the world itself, making your Thedas — and your heroes — feel truly unique.  
**A massive world to discover** — The world of Thedas has never been bigger or more detailed; it’s wide open and ripe for exploration. Discover enemy keeps ripe for the taking. Unearth hidden caves filled with lurking creatures. Thedas is vast and dangerous, but uncovering its secrets can spell the difference between victory and defeat.  
**Intense, strategic combat** — There’s no wrong way to play Dragon Age: Inquisition...except for the way that gets you killed. Fortunately, the optional strategic view gives you a god’s-eye vantage on battle. Time stops while you plan in this view, but if that’s not your style, you can just barrel ahead, crossbows blazing.  
The Game of the Year edition comes with:  
*   Base game  
*   Flames of the Inquisition Arsenal, Armor, and Armored Mount  
*   Dragon Age multiplayer Deluxe Edition chests  
*   Skyhold Throne, Red Hart Halla and Bog Unicorn  
*   Jaws of Hakkon DLC Pack  
*   The Descent DLC Pack  
*   Trespasser DLC Pack  
*   Spoils of the Avvar: 5 new mounts, 2 new sets of armor, and new options to personalize your base at Skyhold.  
*   Spoils of the Qunari: An armored war mount, new armor sets — including 1 in the style of the Arishok — and Skyhold items.
**Jaws of Hakkon DLC**  
Discover the fate of the last Inquisitor and the powerful dragon he hunted.  
**The Descent DLC**  
Go underground to reveal the source of mysterious earthquakes threatening Thedas.  
**Trespasser DLC**  
Decide the Inquisition’s final fate as new threats emerge.

Release date: Jun 4, 2020

Categories: Action RPG, Choice-based Narrative, Open-World Exploration, Party-based Combat, Character Customization, Companion-Driven Storytelling, Tactical Combat, Non-linear Narrative


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging story with impactful choices (weight 0.67): The game is praised for its rich, layered narrative with meaningful choices that significantly impact the story and endings. Players highlight the political intrigue, moral decisions, and replayability due to varied outcomes.
- Beautiful and immersive open world (weight 0.38): The game features a visually stunning, lore-rich open world with diverse regions, meaningful NPC interactions, and engaging exploration. The art style and environmental design are frequently highlighted as strengths.
- High replayability and customization (weight 0.3): The game offers extensive replayability through difficulty scaling, party customization, multiple playstyles, and mod support. Character creation and class systems are flexible, allowing for unique experiences per playthrough.
- Rich lore and world-building (weight 0.21): The game excels in immersive world-building, with deep lore woven into the plot, ambient dialogue, codex entries, and environmental storytelling. Fans appreciate the connections to previous games in the series.
- Graphics hold up well over time (weight 0.17): Despite its age, the game's graphics are still considered impressive, with detailed environments, striking landscapes, and strong artistic direction that remain visually appealing.
- Strong crafting and progression systems (weight 0.12): The crafting system is flexible and engaging, allowing players to create powerful equipment and customize builds. Progression systems, such as skill trees and war room points, are well-integrated and satisfying.
- Impactful DLC and expansions (weight 0.11): DLCs, particularly *Trespasser*, are praised for adding significant lore, emotional depth, and satisfying narrative closure. Players highlight the value and quality of the additional content.
- High-quality voice acting and soundtrack (weight 0.1): The game features top-tier voice acting, memorable dialogues, and an excellent soundtrack that enhances immersion and emotional impact. The sound design is frequently praised as a standout feature.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive Open-World Design (weight 0.99): The game's open-world is criticized for being repetitive, filled with fetch quests, and lacking meaningful content. Players feel the world is large but empty, with side quests disrupting narrative urgency and pacing.
- Poor Quest Design and Rewards (weight 0.74): Quests are often criticized for being repetitive fetch tasks with little narrative value or meaningful rewards. Many feel like filler content designed to pad playtime.
- Excessive Grind and Time-Wasting (weight 0.72): The game forces players into repetitive grind mechanics, such as resource gathering, war table missions, and mandatory zone clearing, which disrupts gameplay flow and extends playtime artificially.
- Clunky and Uninspired Combat (weight 0.69): Combat is described as slow, clunky, and lacking depth, often feeling like button-mashing or a chore. Many players find it less engaging compared to previous entries in the series.
- EA App Dependency Issues (weight 0.2): The mandatory EA app causes technical problems, including crashes, mod-breaking issues, and performance degradation, making the game unplayable for some players.
- Numerous Bugs and Technical Issues (weight 0.2): The game suffers from frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, including game-breaking bugs, crashes, and unpatched problems that persist even after a decade.
- Frustrating Navigation and Map Design (weight 0.17): Maps are overly large, confusing, and poorly designed, leading to disorientation and frustration. The minimap lacks clarity, and traversal feels tedious.
- Poor Controller and PC Port Issues (weight 0.1): The PC port suffers from abysmal controller support, clunky controls, and compatibility issues with modern hardware like the Steam Deck, making the game unplayable for some users.
- Slow and Rigid Movement (weight 0.08): Character movement is described as slow, rigid, and frustrating, with delays between input and action, making exploration and combat feel tedious.
- DLC and Save File Issues (weight 0.07): Additional content and DLCs cause technical problems, including corrupted save files, unrecognized installations, and progression locks, disrupting gameplay.
- Weak Final Boss and Endgame (weight 0.06): The final boss and endgame content are criticized for being mediocre, poorly paced, or locked behind DLC, leaving players underwhelmed by the conclusion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Hybrid Combat Mechanics (weight 0.34): The combat system blends real-time action with tactical pause and turn-based elements, offering strategic depth. However, some players feel it lacks the depth of previous tactical RPGs in the series.
- Rich Quest System Design (weight 0.3): The game features a robust quest system with main storylines, side quests, companion quests, and optional content like collectibles. While praised for variety, some side quests are criticized for being repetitive or fetch-based.
- Party-Based Progression (weight 0.2): Character progression includes leveling, skill trees, gear customization, and companion interactions. The system is grind-heavy but allows for deep build customization and party management.
- Companion-Driven Storytelling (weight 0.2): Companions play a central role with unique quests, relationships, and banter. Romance options and approval systems add depth to interactions, though some mechanics feel underdeveloped.
- Impactful Player Choices (weight 0.19): Dialogue choices and decisions significantly alter the narrative, relationships, and endings. Replayability is enhanced by branching storylines and multiple outcomes.
- Deep Character Customization (weight 0.13): Players can customize race, class, skills, armor, and weapons, with mod support enhancing options. Replayability is boosted by varied character builds and specializations.
- War Table Strategic Missions (weight 0.11): The War Table system allows players to delegate missions for strategic progression, adding a layer of turn-based or timer-based gameplay. It ties into main quests but can feel disconnected.
- Flexible Difficulty Settings (weight 0.09): The game offers multiple difficulty modes, including scaling options and casual-friendly settings. Nightmare difficulty and endgame challenges cater to hardcore players.

Performance notes:
- Game launch failures common (weight 0.19): Multiple users report the game failing to boot or launch, often due to launcher issues (EA/Origin/Steam) or crashes during early gameplay. This affects both high-end and mid-range PCs.
- Frequent crashing (weight 0.12): Crashes occur during gameplay, when switching audio devices, or due to launcher conflicts. Some users experience save corruption or system instability.
- Performance varies by hardware (weight 0.11): The game runs well on mid-range/high-end PCs (e.g., MX150, i5 8th gen) but struggles on low-spec systems. Some users achieve 120 FPS at 4K ultra, while others face FPS drops.
- 30 FPS cutscene lock (weight 0.07): Cutscenes are locked at 30 FPS, creating a jarring contrast with higher-FPS gameplay. Some users note lip-sync issues and the need for third-party fixes or Origin settings adjustments.
- Long load times (weight 0.07): Extended startup and loading screens are common, often tied to server connectivity requirements or menu/store transitions. Some users report settings resetting after closing the game.
- Save file corruption risks (weight 0.04): Loading issues and DLC compatibility problems can corrupt save files. Mods may exacerbate loading screen or save-related bugs.
- Frostbite engine limitations (weight 0.04): The Frostbite engine restricts modding and open-world performance. Users note graphical glitches and the need for restarts after adjusting settings.
- Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.04): The game runs well on Steam Deck with custom Proton, but controller issues persist. Some users require significant tinkering for compatibility.

Recommendations:
- Must-play for RPG fans (weight 0.32): The game is widely recommended for its deep storytelling, immersive world-building, and emotional character arcs, making it a standout title for RPG enthusiasts. Many reviews highlight it as a timeless classic or a must-play for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
- Focus on main story (weight 0.17): Players advise prioritizing the main quest and companion quests to avoid tedium, grind fatigue, or repetitive side content. This approach is often recommended to enhance enjoyment, especially for those primarily interested in the narrative.
- Best for Dragon Age fans (weight 0.17): The game is highly recommended for fans of the *Dragon Age* series, *Skyrim*, or narrative-driven RPGs with political themes. Many reviews emphasize its value as a triumphant return to the world of Thedas, though some note it may not surpass *Dragon Age: Origins*.
- Mixed reception on side content (weight 0.14): Opinions on side content vary: some players recommend exploring it for a richer experience, while others advise avoiding non-essential quests to prevent boredom or grind fatigue.
- Discount purchase advised (weight 0.1): Reviews frequently suggest buying the game at a discounted price (e.g., $15 or below) due to its age, technical limitations, or mixed reception of side content. Full price is often deemed unjustified for a 2014 title.
- Avoid if seeking depth (weight 0.05): A subset of reviews criticize the game for design flaws, lack of depth, or technical issues, advising against purchase unless the player is a lore enthusiast or buys at a steep discount.
- Gamepad enhances experience (weight 0.04): Using a gamepad is strongly recommended for smoother gameplay, though some players report issues with Steam Deck compatibility. Controller settings may need adjustment for optimal performance.
- DLCs improve story closure (weight 0.04): The *Trespasser* DLC is frequently recommended for providing a more satisfying ending to the story. Playing the entire trilogy is also suggested for the best narrative experience.
- Leave Hinterlands early (weight 0.02): Players advise quickly progressing beyond the Hinterlands to avoid repetitive grinding or underleveled struggles. This strategy helps maintain engagement and pacing.
- Roleplay for immersion (weight 0.02): The game is best enjoyed when players immerse themselves in roleplaying, leveraging features like party banter and romance options to deepen the experience.
- Origin launcher preferred (weight 0.02): Some players recommend purchasing the game on the Origin launcher instead of Steam to avoid compatibility issues or save file conflicts, particularly for those with EA Play subscriptions.

Other player notes:
- Comparisons to other RPGs (weight 0.06): The game is often compared to other CRPGs (e.g., Baldur’s Gate 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Skyrim) and previous *Dragon Age* titles, with some players preferring this entry over others.
- Sequel and DLC context (weight 0.05): Players discuss the game’s relationship to its sequel (*Veilguard*) and consider *Trespasser* DLC as the true ending to *Inquisition*. Some dismiss *Veligard* as the series finale.
- Nostalgia and replay value (weight 0.04): Players highlight the game's nostalgic appeal, citing long playtimes (e.g., 404 hours) and plans for second playthroughs. The narrative depth is praised for encouraging replayability.
- Criticism of EA policies (weight 0.03): Players express frustration with EA’s anti-consumer practices, such as mandatory Origin accounts, anti-modding policies, and external stressors like the EA app or localization issues.
- Lore and cultural depth (weight 0.02): The game’s exploration of systemic oppression, racial lore, and cultural themes resonates with players, particularly those who relate to historical marginalization.
- Cheats and refunds (weight 0.02): Some players use cheats to enhance gameplay, while others mention refunding the game multiple times, possibly due to dissatisfaction or technical issues.
- Cultural and industry impact (weight 0.01): The game’s legacy, including awards (e.g., TGA) and developer influence, is noted as significant within the gaming industry and community.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): Players experience frustration primarily due to technical issues like frequent crashes, launcher problems (e.g., EA/Origin app requirements), and game-breaking bugs. Additionally, repetitive and grindy gameplay mechanics, such as excessive fetch quests, War Table missions, and forced farming, contribute to the negative experience. Clunky combat, poor AI, and convoluted map design further exacerbate the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stems from the game failing to meet expectations set by previous *Dragon Age* titles, particularly *Origins*. Players criticize the shallow open-world design, repetitive side quests, and lack of meaningful choices. Technical issues, such as launcher problems and unresolved bugs, further undermine the game's potential. Many feel the narrative and character depth are inferior to earlier entries, with a perceived decline in Bioware's quality.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players express satisfaction with the game's engaging story, well-developed characters, and emotional depth, particularly in DLCs like *Trespasser*. The combat system, mod support, and replayability are also praised. Despite initial flaws, many find the game improves over time, offering a rich RPG experience with strong world-building and companion interactions.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.06): Nostalgia is driven by the game's connection to earlier *Dragon Age* titles, particularly *Origins*. Players revisit the game for its beloved characters, lore, and emotional impact, often comparing it favorably to other RPGs. The return of fan-favorite elements and the sense of closure in the trilogy evoke strong sentimental feelings.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the game's deep narrative, complex characters, and immersive world-building. The inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation, strong companion arcs, and meaningful choices are frequently highlighted. Despite gameplay flaws, the story and lore are seen as standout features that align well with the *Dragon Age* universe.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment comes from the game's engaging combat, exploration, and roleplaying opportunities. Players highlight the fun of discovering new locations, customizing builds, and experiencing the story's twists. The soundtrack, cinematic moments, and companion interactions also contribute to the overall positive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is generated by the game's strategic combat, epic story moments, and immersive world. Players enjoy discovering unique combat styles, engaging in political debates, and experiencing impactful plot twists. The anticipation for future games in the series and the emotional weight of the narrative also fuel excitement.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game is tied to its compelling characters, emotional storylines, and the overall experience of the *Dragon Age* universe. Players form deep attachments to companions, romances, and the game's unique fantasy setting. The blend of gameplay, narrative, and world-building creates a lasting emotional connection.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Joy arises from the game's immersive storytelling, character interactions, and nostalgic moments. Players delight in revisiting familiar characters, exploring vast landscapes, and engaging in companion quests. The emotional depth of the story and the sense of accomplishment from overcoming challenges also bring joy.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is directed toward the game's rich world-building, well-developed characters, and high-quality writing. Players praise the visual beauty, lore depth, and the game's ability to create a cohesive and immersive fantasy world. The attention to detail in graphics, music, and narrative design is frequently highlighted.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Affection is expressed for specific characters (e.g., Leliana, Dorian, Cullen) and the game's replayability. Players enjoy romantic storylines, companion interactions, and the cozy, intimate feel of the game. The emotional bonds formed with characters and the personal significance of the game foster strong affection.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Awe is inspired by the game's grand narrative, epic moments (e.g., dragon battles, the loss of Haven), and the sheer scale of its world. Players are impressed by the attention to detail in graphics, music, and world design, as well as the immersive storytelling that makes the game feel like a living, breathing fantasy.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is primarily directed at technical issues, such as the mandatory EA/Origin launcher, frequent crashes, and poor customer support. Players also express frustration with design choices that feel disrespectful to the franchise's legacy, such as shallow combat mechanics and unresolved narrative threads (e.g., Solas' betrayal).
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from humorous in-game moments, such as companion banter, quirky animations (e.g., Dorian's sliding), and exploitable mechanics. Players also find entertainment in the game's quirks, like the horse being slower than walking, and the antagonist's lack of charisma.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom stems from repetitive gameplay mechanics, such as tedious fetch quests, grindy combat, and overly long side quests. Players feel the game becomes monotonous, especially toward the end, with excessive grinding and lack of engaging content.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion is achieved through the game's richly detailed fantasy setting, engaging story, and roleplaying opportunities. Players feel deeply connected to the world of Thedas, particularly when the narrative and lore make the experience feel alive and evolving.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from inconsistent gameplay styles, unclear mechanics (e.g., potion usage, Divine choice system), and the protagonist's sudden importance. Players also struggle with the disconnect between this game and its sequel, *Veilguard*, and the overwhelmingly positive reviews despite its flaws.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is sparked by the game's intriguing lore, world-building, and quest design. Players are drawn to explore the vast world of Thedas, uncover hidden stories, and engage with the game's rich narrative implications.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief is felt when technical issues are resolved, such as the game running smoothly on PlayStation or after finding fixes for launcher problems. Completing the game and feeling a sense of closure also brings relief to players.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is directed at poorly designed mechanics, such as braindead AI, illogical quest design (e.g., finding map fragments in a barren desert), and the overall negative experience caused by technical issues. The Origin Launcher is particularly criticized as a poorly programmed hindrance.}