Unlike most RPGs where you pick a class and experience pretty much the same story path no matter which class you choose, Dragon Age: Origins‘s narrative will unfold via six individual Origin Stories, each providing a “series of locations, characters and events that establish their motivations and lay the groundwork for the adventure to come.” So basically the game will be like six prelude storylines leading up to one main storyline, each offering “several hours of unique game play” as well as multiple beginnings and endings. Choices made in each Origin Story will then have an impact on the overarching narrative once the main story portion of the game begins.
Today, BioWare has unveiled all six of these Origin Stories. They include the following:
Dalish Elf:
As one of the last “true elves”, you were content to spend your life wandering with your clan…until a chance encounter with a relic of your people’s past threatens to tear you away from everything you’ve known.
City Elf:
You have always lived under the heavy thumb of your human overlords, but when a local lord claiming his “privilege” with the bride shatters your wedding day, the simmering racial tensions explode in a rain of vengeance.
Dwarf Commoner:
Born casteless in a land where rank is everything, bound as the lackey and thug of a local crime lord, you have spent your life invisible…until chance thrusts you into the spotlight, where you can finally prove whether you will be defined by your actions or your birth.
Dwarf Noble:
The favored child of the dwarven king, you proudly take up your first military command…only to learn that the deadly intrigues of dwarven politics pose an even greater danger than that faced on the battlefield.
Mage:
Gifted with a power considered a dangerous curse by most, you have spent most of your life secluded in the remote tower of the Circle of Magi to be trained and watched closely by the dreaded templars. Now your final test is upon you — succeed and prove your strength, fail and you will perish.
Human Noble:
Born to wealth and power second only to royalty, you find your training in both diplomacy and war put to the test when your father’s castle is betrayed from within on the very night your elder brother is to lead the family’s forces to war.
BioWare has also setup a new page on the Dragon Age: Origins website with screenshots, wallpapers and detailed descriptions of each Origin Story. You’ll definitely want to check it out.
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Excellent – I just hope they don’t overplay the PR too early … I mean, there are still 9 months until release!
It is odd how they are hyping the game so much so far in advance right now. But my guess is since the PC version was always planned to come out in Q1 this year they were probably already geared up to release a bunch of info around this time to hype the launch. So rather than hold it all back once the game got pushed back they just put it all out anyway.
That is also what I assumed. There is hot debate all around about the game. Personally they had me at ‘Bioware’, but I’m expecting more of a NWN successor with full party than a real Baldur’s Gate epic greatness level. Of course, I also love NWN, so I’m pretty thrilled.