We may not know how long we still have to wait for BioWare’s Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, but there is one Dragon Age deadline that should be exciting for players who don’t already own the latest game on PC. From now until Thursday, May 23, Dragon Age: Inquisition is free on the Epic Games Store, and if you’ve somehow managed to avoid playing the excellent RPG adventure until now, this is a great chance to correct that.
The wait for Dreadwolf’s release has now stretched to a full decade, but Inquisition was released just three years after Dragon Age II. Despite coming out so soon after its predecessor, Inquisition was a major change for the series, massively broadening its scope while introducing a whole new combat system and doubling down on what BioWare does best — write incredible characters.
After the deep tactical combat of Dragon Age: Origins, BioWare put a bit more focus on action for Dragon Age II, bringing the camera closer to your character and pulling away from Origins’ customizable AI system for party members as the main driver of combat. Inquisition continues that evolution with a game that feels far more like an action RPG than the two previous games, limiting you to a smaller number of skills for each character and emphasizing quick reactions over tactical thinking. That change makes party composition more important, since each character is more limited in their abilities, and makes each class feel truly unique.
Outside of combat, Inquisition expanded on pretty much every other aspect of the series, from world exploration to character dynamics. Inquisition is a gargantuan game, with a world map broken in 13 regions, each of which you could easily spend a dozen hours exploring. In fact, a lot of players had to be convinced to leave the game’s starting zone after launch, since it’s so huge that they were burning themselves out before the story really started.
Inquisition also adds a bit of management sim flavor, giving you a whole castle to run outside of battles. While there’s nothing too complex about keeping your home base in shape, it does add a strategic layer that makes players consider their relative influence over the world’s political machinations as they go about their quests.
But what has really made Inquisition a solid classic is its focus on characters. BioWare has always had a knack for making NPC party members feel like living, breathing companions, and that shines through in Inquisition. As your character gets closer to the party members and other NPCs who inhabit the castle, they’ll be able to see them grow into people far more complex than initial impressions may suggest.
That’s especially true of Solas, an elven mage who’s extremely important to Inquisition’s story and only gets more important as the tale reaches its conclusion. I won’t spoil exactly why that’s the case for anyone who’s been in the dark for the past decade, but suffice it to say his character ends the game in a far different state than he begins it, and understanding his journey will be pivotal for anyone diving into Dreadwolf whenever it’s finally released.
Even aside from Solas, Inquisition is packed with memorable characters. The most beloved of all may be Iron Bull, an eight-foot-tall behemoth rocking a giant pair of horns. Players flocked to him for his sense of humor and interesting personal quests, and he’s also a popular romance choice for those same reasons, and undoubtedly some raunchier ones, too. Whether you’re looking for smart-ass mages, stuffy clerics, or burned-out knights, the rest of Inquisition’s cast brings just as much personality to the story, so much that you may be tempted to wade into battle with a party chosen not for their combat skills but for how entertaining a mix they are to bring along. And thanks to the game’s much-discussed romance system, you can hook up with most companions for an even deeper look into their lives — or just because you want to see some hot digital makeouts.
Whatever it is you’re looking to get out of an RPG, Inquisition probably has you covered, assuming your tastes run toward the action-packed and smooch-heavy. Regardless of whether that’s your personal cup of tea, there’s really no reason not to pick it up while it’s free on the Epic Games Store. And once the deal is over on May 23, you’ll also have the chance to score a new free game each week during the Mega Game Sale, which also offers big discounts on recent games like Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
