When Dragon Age: Inquisition first released back in 2014, I tucked into the RPG on the Xbox 360. In hindsight, this was by no means the optimal way to enjoy BioWare's sprawling open-world adventure. The amount of NPCs were significantly reduced, Dorian Pavus' perfect moustache often loaded right near the bottom of his face, and textures were frankly all over the place. But without the then-new-gen Xbox One, PS4, or a powerful PC to my name, it was my only option… and as a diehard fan of the previous games, I damn well wasn't going to wait.
To be fair, I didn't quite realize how improved the next-gen version was until I at last got my hands on a shiny, newer console. Replaying on Xbox One, I can still remember how blown away I was to see fingernails on Leliana's hands, and a big Inquisition army standing outside my cabin to greet me in Haven. It became my introduction to the next-gen world back, but in all honesty, I hardly cared about the graphics at the time. I was just happy to be back in Thedas. Now, as of November 2025, it's been out for 11 years, and I've replayed it countless times since my first foray on the 360. In fact, it's the Dragon Age entry I've revisited the most, and the anniversary of its launch has me thinking about why.
