(PS4)(PS3) Dragon Age: Inquisition

Bioware Blog

With an official release date of October 7th, pre-order bonuses are showing up as well.

Base version: $59.99
>> Pre-Orders only receive the Flames of the Inquisition Weapons Arsenal.

Deluxe Edition: $69.99
>> Skyhold Throne: Throne made from dragon's skull.
>> Red Hart Halla: Special mount to travel the lands.
>> Bog Unicorn: Unique mount to travel the lands.
>> Digital Soundtrack
>> Bonus Digital Content: TBA
>> Pre-Orders receive the Flames of the Inquisition Weapons Arsenal.
>> Pre-Orders receive the Flames of the Inquisition Armor.
>> Pre-Orders receive the Flames of the Inquisition Armored Mount.

If you've got money to blow, there's now an Inquisitors Edition. This shit's getting out of hand.
$180.
Polygon Article - Full details.

The Bioware blog has posted a few preview articles this week.

First Look: The Emerald Graves & Emprise Du Lion
The Fortress of Adamant
The Grey Wardens & Darkspawn

BioWare: First Look at the Winter Palace

At E3, EA (BioWare's overlords) had more to show off about Dragon Age.
Joystiq - Exclusive DLC
The heartbreaker, Microsoft ponied up and paid for timed exclusive rights to DLC. So like Call of Duty, XBone gets the DLC first for an extended period of time. Surprisingly this does not extend to the XBox 360.

Polygon - Premiere Content
Also, XBone gets premiere content. This is likely in the vein of how Sony often gets exclusive content from Ubisoft titles like Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs where the user is promised an hour of extra content (terrible filler).

Polygon - Switch between 3rd Person and top-down cameras.

Kotaku - What fighting a dragon looks like.

IGN - Inquisition is the biggest game BioWare has ever made.

Joystiq | DA: Inquisition is being built as a true explorer's dream. The designers are developing the landscape with places to visit that aren't part of the game in any way. There will be assorted caves and such that have no quests tied to them, but are still places worth checking out. Pretty neat idea.

BioWare unveiled that Leliana returns to the Dragon Age Series.

BioWare Website wrote:She has many names. Most know her as "Sister Nightingale” or “the Left Hand of the Divine.” To the rare friend, she is Leliana. They say she found faith amid darkness, and that her devotion to the Maker is matched only by her devotion to Divine Justinia V, a woman who is both mentor and savior. Those who have earned her loyalty know her as a steadfast ally. But enemies of the Divine know to fear her, for she is the shadow behind the Sunburst Throne—the one who watches and waits, who strikes when her mark is most vulnerable and least suspecting.

About 15 minutes of pure, gameplay goodness.

Raptr | QA Details
There was a huge Raptr QA session with some great info revealed.

The Inquisitor 

• The British male voice actor for the Inquisitor is Harry Hadden-Patton, and the American male voice actor is Jon Curry.
  
• The British female voice actor for the Inquisitor is Alix Wilton Regan, and the American female voice actor is Sumalee Montano.
  
• The inquisitor will regularly be referred to by their surname, not just “Inquisitor.”
  
• The qunari pc’s body will be big, but smaller than Iron Bull.
  
• Qunari use something other than helmets/hats.
  
• The Inquisitor will definitely meet people who think they’re a holy figure, but how you react to that is up to you.
  

Character Creation

• Scars and freckles will both be available in the character creation. (Update: freckles actually might not be, we’ve received contradictory answers.)
  
• Heterochromia is not available.
  
• CC is very complex — for instance, you can choose one color for the outer part of the iris and a different color for the inner iris.
  
• Lots of lip options, but no body sliders.
  
• As aforementioned, qunari pcs will get customizable horns.
  
• They’re already working on creating game-appropriate lighting for the cc screen.
  
• The CC will be before any major cutscene in the game.
  

Companions and advisors (and romance)

• Both Cullen and Cassandra are straight romance options.
  
• Scribbles has a cool accent… and is a bisexual romance option (probably).
  
• The majority of romances are not concerned with race, but “a few” are.
  
• You can talk to followers at your party base at any time, but not “ in the middle of a blood-soaked murderfield (of death)”.
  
• Banter is supposedly going to be “Barney Stinson level of legendary”.
  
• The interactive banter will time out if you don’t react to it and continue on its own.
  
• You will be able to hug some of your companions/advisors.
  
• “Major characters all track something similar to approval, but the system has changed to put more focus on what you are doing and what you say instead of grinding by constantly giving them gifts. Each follower does have their own set of goals they want to achieve and if you help them, they will appreciate it.”
  
• Similarly, if you piss them off, they might leave.
  
• Approval for advisors works differently than approval for companions.
  

Combat

• Combat settings will range from easy to nightmare, as in previous Dragon Age games, but there is not (yet, at least) a story mode.
  
• You can only have up to one specialization in DA:I, unlike previous Dragon Age games.
  
• Weapons are still restricted by class.
  
• All rogues can use bows — there is no “archer” specialization.
  
• No mabari in combat.
  
• You’ll be able to quick travel to any Inquisition camps you’ve established in your current region, which allows you to rest and recover health.
  
• There’s plenty returning abilities and spells from previous DA games, but a ton of new ones, too.
  
• “Having control over fade rifts may provide some interesting possibilities in combat”.
  
• Cross-class combos are back.
  
• “Knight Enchanters were designed to let mages get up close and personal and the abilities in that tree encourage you to do so, including the ability to be effective at melee ranges. They’re different from Arcane Warriors, though. Less tanky.”
  
• Positioning, traps, and other preparatory manoeuvres are all available and even a good idea against some of the more difficult fights.
  
• You can jump, but there won’t be complex climbing dynamics.
  
• There is no weaponless combat, as in the DAO-style punching.
  
• If you get into a fight with friendly, non-companion NPCs around, they will typically come and help out (presuming they’re warriors).
  
• Certain specializations will affect moments in the story.
  

Miscellaneous

• “Faith” and “leadership” are going to be major themes of the game.
  
• The party base in Inquisition is going to be much grander than the camp from DA:O. “It’s the HQ of your entire Inquisition so there’s a TON of people in it to talk and interact with. You can customize your castle, rebuild some things, perform crafting and research etc.”
  
• There will be all kinds of wild animals in the game, some hostile and some not, including (but not limited to): foxes, bronto, nugs, wolves, rams, birds, lizards, etc.
  
• We will be visiting some kind of Dwarven settlement, but not Orzammar or Kal-Sharok.
  
• Both Flemeth and Dagna will appear.
  
• We may indeed see Gideon Emery again.
  
• Your inquisition will unlock some opportunities in conversations.
  
• In-game art differs depending on the country (it’s different between Orlais and Ferelden, for example) and you’ll be able to see how it progresses from being rustic/an early decorative piece to more refined work.
  
• There’s a pre-made world state if you do not want to or are unable to use the DA Keep.
  
• No flying mounts.
  
• “The bog unicorn is an undead horse which was killed by someone sticking a sword through it’s head… thus its horn is the sword that killed it”.
  
• No capes.
  
• Fast-travel is available between previously conquered Inquisition camps/keeps in a region.
  
• PC will support both mouse/keyboard control scheme and controllers.
  

Updates

• There’s eight romances total, and only two have race restrictions.
  
• There’s at least one romance option outside of companions or advisors.
  
• You might learn more about or even MEET one of the chasind, avvar, or dalish.
  
• Non-mage human inquisitors will have a “noble” background.
  
• You are a surface dwarf if you choose to be a dwarven inquisitor.
  
• Levels will cap off at around level 25 or 30.
  
• No Shale, no Zevran.
  

Polygon | Hands-on experience

IGN | Dragon Age delayed

Thank god. October was such a clusterfuck of games. The delay is for polishing off the game, I'd wager it's a money push by Marketing to maximize sales and get out of the zoo of releases.

Kotaku | Gamescom EA Presentation

DA: Inquisition has...wait for it...multiplayer?

It was just announced this week. But there's gonna be a loot based, multiplayer mode to keep players coming back to Dragon Age. IGN had a great article on it.

IGN | DA MP

Reviews
Joystiq | 5 / 5 Stars
Polygon | 9.5 / 10
Gamespot | 9.0 / 10
IGN | 8.8 / 10

Polygon | Day one patch to fix PS4 glitches

Sorry guys, I'm dropping from Madden and Destiny. This is my life now.

Dragon Age Event | Runs until Monday morning at 5 am PST.
There is a Weekend event in Dragon Age's multiplayer.
Get 100 kills with a Maul and/or get 100 kills with a Sword to get a Commendation Chest to give a ton of gear.

Dragon Age Multiplayer is a very simplistic dungeon raider like Diablo. But with 4 people on the mics, it's pretty good when you can be strategic together.