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[#1]

I managed to score a copy of the collector's edition for PS3. I'll be picking it up on PC as well, but I do enjoy Achievements/Trophies and I wanted a big screen / 5.1 surround sound experience for my first playthrough.

Out of the Box: Collector's Edition
For an extra $10 I'm surprised that anyone is buying the standard edition; the collector's edition delivers for me. The packaging is quite attractive.

For the PS3 it still sports the old PlayStation logo - a bit odd considering the brand revamp happened almost two months ago. The slip case is attractive, and the metal tin looks great with the screened art. Everything's packed quite tightly inside - manual, cloth map, two discs, and two pieces of paper for the included bonus content.

I was very impressed with the manual; it doesn't compare to Baldur's Gate I or II (I still have those on my bookshelf and leaf through them from time to time. Volo and Elminster crack me up) but it's got a sufficient quantity of information to get you started. The cloth map is an ever so *slight* disappointment: it's shedding threads on my coffee table as we speak. I was hoping the edges would be finished; I'm going to have to either frame this or fold it up and not handle it or it'll be gone before you know it.

The DLC on PS3 is a chore. Downloading each piece of content boots you out of the game into the PlayStation Store Lite Edition that will only let you download that piece of content. You have to go through the process of downloading the item, waiting for it to install, then popping back into the game to choose the next piece. It's a right pain in the rear when you've got half a dozen chunks of content from the CE, Dragon Age Journeys, and the Character Creator. Checking under Dragon Age in the PS Store yields no available content - something that would have made it easy to download the items you have rights too. I suppose they have to verify your EA account, but it's still restrictive and a right pain in the rear. It felt like the game was trying my patience when I was getting set up.

I did buy the optional content for $7. We usually pay more for these items in Canada, so I took the opportunity while it was $7. Downloaded and installed in the same process, took about five minutes.

Gameplay So Far
I can't really do much here other than chime in with everyone else: it's great. Like really, really good. This is a statement made amongst some really fantastic PS3 gaming (Uncharted 2, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Borderlands). It delivers the goods.


Video Performance
It's true that the frame rate becomes janky at times. You just feel like you're moving a little slowly. That said, I'm bringing up the radial menu so often that it's not something I'm overly concerned with. I don't miss the overhead view as much as I thought I would. I'm sure I'll enjoy it on PC, but I love being in the thick of the action on my 42" plasma at the moment.

It has to be said that the colours and the textures are fantastic. I went with the PS3 version after reading several reviews that said the Xbox version felt washed out and the low res textures on it were bothering reviewers. I can't speak to the Xbox version, but the PS3 version looks wonderful. I'm so pleased with the whole host of colours other than brown and grey - there are roaring rich fires that glint off of armor, deep red blood, ominous greens and blues. In short: Dragon Age: Origins does away with the next gen filter and gives the colour gamut of your HDTV a workout.

There are some glitches and tearing, but they're few in number and brief in duration.

Audio
If you're looking for immersive audio, DA: O has it. Music is subtle, sounds are realistic, and the 5.1 surround is always active. I chose a bit of a smarmy character voice (I'm rolling a bard first time around) so I'm hearing things like "Because we're that AWESOME!" or something similar - it's a bit odd but I'm going with it.

I had to turn the sound down later in the evening for fear of irritating my neighbors. Let's just say that the bass is very, very present.

Social Networking and Enhanced Content
DA: O did something quite different when it has come to marketing. Setting up a sub-reddit on reddit was a smart, fun movie - giving gamers an uncensored place to speak frankly about the game. The Bioware Social network is another interesting move - instead of turning responsibility over to a third party, Bioware has decided to own that piece of the pie (and take responsibility, to a degree, for what happens there).

Finally, Dragon Age Journeys was a master-stroke; a free-to-play 2D adventure to get gamers prepped for the 3D experience - and one that fleshes out the backstory of the game and offers bonuses for the 3D version. It's clear that EA/Bioware are looking to build a brand and a franchise out of Dragon Age - and that's something that I have no problem with, given the smart interconnections that they've managed to create.

Conclusions thus far
I can feel really good about recommending this game. With a pedigree that hails two of my favourite games of all times at its root, I had high hopes for DA: O. So far it has delivered everything it promised and then some. With six separate storylines I can see this as a game that some gamers (myself included) will lose themselves in for months (and perhaps years) to come.

It may be hard to find the Collector's Edition, but if you can then I'd recommend it. For $10 you're getting some in-game items as well as an extra dungeoun, another party character, and (at least on PS3) some additional trophies. It's worth the extra cash.

Message Edited by Graham on 11-05-2009 01:10 PM