Dragon Age: Origins is BioWare’s 2009 party-based RPG, and it’s widely considered one of the finest dark fantasy RPGs ever made, closer in spirit to Baldur’s Gate than to BioWare’s own later, more action-focused Dragon Age sequels. You become a Grey Warden in the kingdom of Ferelden, one of the few soldiers immune to the corruption spreading through an army of Darkspawn, racing to unite a divided land before an ancient evil called the Archdemon destroys it entirely.
Six distinct Origin stories let you start the game from genuinely different backgrounds, a noble, an elf, a mage, and more, each coloring how the world reacts to you from the very first hour. It’s a game built entirely around consequence: companions leave, die, or turn on you based on what you choose, and very little in this story comes free.
It’s aged in some real ways, but the writing and world it built have held up remarkably well.
Curious how it stacks up against the rest of the genre? See where it lands in our ranking of the best party-based RPG games you can play right now.
Is Dragon Age: Origins Worth It?
Yes, emphatically, for fans of dark, choice-driven fantasy RPGs. It holds an 8.6 user score on Metacritic, “Generally Favorable” with 86% positive ratings, and critics across the board describe it in genuinely glowing terms, “one of the most enjoyable and immersive RPG experiences since the Infinity Engine days,” an RPG that represents “role-playing at its roots.” The writing, world-building, and companion relationships are consistently singled out as the game’s strongest elements, and the six Origin stories give it real replay value most RPGs don’t attempt.
The criticism that comes up most often is about combat: several reviewers, then and since, have noted fights can run unnecessarily long and grow repetitive, and the character progression system lets you build a genuinely overpowered or broken character without much warning if you’re not paying attention to how skills interact. It’s also, honestly, a 2009 game, the graphics show their age clearly by modern standards, though most players report the strength of the story and atmosphere carries them past that within the first few hours. One notably harsh outlier review called it “so often calamitous that its few charms are either squandered or obscured,” but that take is a genuine minority position against overwhelming praise.
Gameplay & Features
You choose one of six Origin stories, each a genuinely different opening chapter that shapes how NPCs and companions react to you for the rest of the game. From there, real-time-with-pause combat lets you position your party, queue abilities, and manage a growing arsenal of gear and crafted items across a story split between political intrigue in Ferelden’s cities and brutal fights against the Darkspawn horde.
Companion relationships run deep, romance options, personal quests, and real consequences for how you treat each one, some can permanently leave your party or die based on your choices. The Ultimate Edition, the version currently sold, bundles in the full Awakening expansion plus all nine additional content packs.
- Six distinct Origin stories, each shaping the game’s opening and how the world treats you
- Real-time-with-pause tactical combat with deep character build customization
- Genuine companion consequences, including permanent departures and romance options
- The Ultimate Edition bundles the Awakening expansion and nine additional content packs
- 100+ hours for a full playthrough, considerably more across multiple Origin stories
PC System Requirements
Dragon Age: Origins is by far the least demanding game on this list, a 2009 release will run on essentially anything built in the last decade or more.
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, or 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Single 1.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 2.0 GHz |
| Memory | 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB on Vista/Windows 7) |
| Graphics | ATI Radeon X850 (256 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT (128 MB) |
| Storage | Around 20 GB available |
One practical caveat: Steam’s client itself only supports Windows 10 and 11 as of January 2024, so even though the game lists older Windows versions as compatible, you’ll need a current Windows install to actually launch it through Steam. It’s also officially supported on macOS and Linux, and playable on Steam Deck.
How to Buy & Play Dragon Age: Origins
The Ultimate Edition, the only version currently sold, is priced at $29.99, and it goes on sale often, historically dropping as low as $3-7 during major sales.
- Buy Dragon Age: Origins – Ultimate Edition on Steam, for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Also available on GOG and the EA App.
After purchase, install through your chosen storefront. Take some care with character build choices early on, it’s genuinely possible to make a mage or warrior far weaker (or unexpectedly overpowered) than intended if you’re not paying attention to how skills interact. For more deep, choice-driven fantasy RPGs, Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Pillars of Eternity are worth comparing against, and our full RPG catalog covers more options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dragon Age: Origins worth buying?
Yes, emphatically, especially for fans of dark, choice-driven fantasy RPGs. It’s considered one of BioWare’s finest games, with dated combat and aged graphics as the most common caveats.
Do I need to play the later Dragon Age games too?
No, this stands entirely on its own, and it plays quite differently from the more action-focused later entries in the series. Starting here is a completely reasonable way to experience the franchise.
What does the Ultimate Edition include?
The base game, the Awakening expansion, and all nine additional content packs released after launch, everything in one purchase.
Is combat turn-based or real-time?
Real-time-with-pause, similar to the classic Baldur’s Gate games, letting you pause at any moment to issue tactical orders to your party.
How long does it take to finish?
Around 100 hours for a full playthrough with the main story and major content, considerably more if you replay it across different Origin stories.
Who made Dragon Age: Origins?
BioWare developed it, published by Electronic Arts, originally releasing on November 3, 2009, with the Ultimate Edition bundling all expansion content into a single current release.
