Dragon Age: Origins

However, during the battle, the forces of general Loghain inexplicably abandon the battlefield. As a result, the Grey Wardens, the king, and most of the human warriors are killed. Among the few survivors is the hero, who had joined the Grey Wardens just before the battle, and must now find a way to unite the races of Ferelden in a struggle against the common enemy.

During the course of the game, the player will have the opportunity to invite up to nine players to his party. While only four can leave the party camp at any given time, the experience points earned by killing enemies, fulfilling quests or simply opening a chest are granted to each member of the group.

Characters also earn skill points every three levels, allowing them to learn or get better at herbalism or increasing survival skills. At level 7 and 14, characters earn a specialisation point which allows them to learn two of four class specializations. These specializations give instant bonuses to certain attributes and unlock five exclusive talents.

Not everyone is willing from the start to teach the protagonist. The player's party members have a certain level of trust and satisfaction, which can range from -100 to +100. Satisfaction is influenced heavily by the decisions the player makes during the game. Talking and giving gifts to the party members also increases their satisfaction.

It is possible to have a romance with up to two of the party members if the player character is of the right gender and makes the right dialogue choices.

The default difficulty level on the consoles is lower than on the PC.