There are few games that I’d say changed my life, but Baldur’s Gate 3‘s spiritual predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins, is one of them. Bioware’s high fantasy epic spawned oh so many of my myriad Dungeons and Dragons characters, inspired my university courses, and is one of the reasons I’m sitting here as PCGamesN’s news editor. If you love Baldur’s Gate 3, or just want to see why I love this game so much, then you need to pick up Dragon Age: Origins now – but not on Steam.
You are a Grey Warden, the last bastion between the innocents of Ferelden and the encroaching Darkspawn; twisted, vicious creatures who won’t stop until the entirety of Thedas’ fantasy world is engulfed in flames. This is Dragon Age: Origins, the best fantasy game ever made.
As The Blight ravages the countryside, you’ll recruit a series of different companions to help you on your quest: Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds, Alistair, your loveable Grey Warden companion, and Zevran, the sly yet ultra-sexy Antivan assassin that you love to hate, and many more. You can romance them, exile them, or leave them to fester in your camp – getting hints of Baldur’s Gate 3 yet?
Your decisions will alter the very fabric of the story – coerce the werewolves to kill the Dalish Elves and join you to battle the Darkspawn, and see what happens (it’s worth it, trust me). Should you let Genitivi showcase the Urn of Sacred Ashes to the world? Well, I know what I’d do.
If you love high fantasy themes, incredible narrative storytelling, and chatting up your fireside companions, then Dragon Age: Origins has all that and more – I’d wager it does it better than Baldur’s Gate 3, too. Sorry Shadowheart, Morrigan is my one true love.
So, if you fancy delving into the wild world of Thedas, then you can pick up the Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age: Origins on Gog for $3.99 / £3.18. Compared to Steam, this is a slight discount, where it sits at $5.99 / £4.99, but both promotions only run until Thursday, January 4, so make sure you click the button below before then.
Some games are just special, and Dragon Age: Origins (and the rest of the series) is my special game. But, for many of you who are taking your first steps in Faerun, BG3 may prove to be your equivalent. So, make sure you check out our list of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 builds, as well as our rundown of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes.
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