Dragon Age: Inquisition

Platform(s):

PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Release Date:

November 2014

Genre:

Action/Adventure, Mystery, Open World, Puzzle, Role-Playing (RPG)

Creators:

Bioware, Electronic Arts

M (Mature, 17+)

Blood
Intense Violence
Nudity
Sexual Content
Strong Language

Read Our Review

Story & Themes

Dragon Age: Inquisition may be a tough game to jump right into without playing the previous two Dragon Age games. The lore and history of the fantasy world it takes place in is complex. That being said, the game does feature a new story and entirely new set of main characters.

Inquisition's main character, the Inquisitor, is fully customizable in appearance, gender, and voice. Players may choose to play as a human, an elf, a dwarf, or a qunari (large, horned people). They may also choose to play as a warrior, rogue, or mage, with further specializations available. The Inquisitor has acquired a strange mark that allows them to close dangerous "rifts" in the Veil, the barrier between the real world and the Fade. The Fade is filled with demons and spirits who are spilling out into the real world. The Inquisitor is tasked with fixing the problem.

Inquisition's central focus is on faith and religion. With three major religions coming into play, plus different sects and cults forming within them, it gets complicated quickly. Questions of what it means to believe, the place of organized religion vs. personal faith, and what basis in reality religious myths and stories have—and whether it matters, in the end—are all important concepts in the game. The Inquisitor is named a Herald of greater powers, and the player must decide whether their character believes they really are sent by the Heavens or not. Some characters ostensibly worship a different set of gods, adding further complexity to the issue.

The Inquisitor also has a group of companions and followers with different faiths, beliefs, and agendas. Different actions and decisions may garner approval among certain companions and disapproval among others. The Inquisitor can forge friendships and even start up a romance with a follower.

Save Points

Players can save the game whenever they choose, except during a cut scene or while in combat. Parents should know that some fights may take a long time to complete.

Difficulty

There are several difficulty modes, and players can switch between modes at will. Some enemies may be tough even on casual mode, however—particularly in the beginning of the game.

Heads Up!

Violence Dragon Age: Inquisition is intensely violent. Blood spatter can be toggled on and off in the settings, but blood and gore will still be present in the environment. Some scenes depict torture or imply torture. Sexual violence is implied (though only subtly, and through text) at one point. Parents should be aware, however, that while Inquisition depicts a large amount of violence, it is handled respectfully. Death is treated as a sad, but sometimes necessary evil, and good characters typically do not engage in gratuitous violence.

Scary Imagery Some monsters may be pretty scary to some people. There are demons, walking corpses, huge dragons, and giant spiders galore. There are also some quests that deal with fear in a more visceral way, with uncomfortable settings and disembodied voices. Inquisition is not a horror game, however—there are no jump scares.

Sex & Nudity Sexual content is both frequent and mature. Players may choose to start up a romance with another character of their choice, and can flirt with a number of companions and NPCs. These romances vary in nature; some are intimate, some are raunchy, some a combination. All are mature and healthy relationships however. One example: players can start up a fling with a character who enjoys BDSM. While actual sex depicted, the characters will discuss safe words and safe practices, and make it clear that everything is consensual. If the romance continues, the characters become closer, exchanging gifts and spending time together.

Players should note that none of these romance scenes include the actual act of sex, but rather the before and after. Many of these romances also include nudity, both male and female. No full-frontal nudity is depicted, but breasts and buttocks are shown.

There is also a large amount of mature humor in the game. Characters do not hesitate to joke about their own romantic escapades or flirt with one another. This dialogue varies in subtlety, but is no less raunchy than the sex scenes.

Strong Language Strong language is used liberally for emphasis but is not gratuitous. You can expect to hear "sh*t" and "d*mn" more often than "f*ck," for instance. There are no racial slurs, but occasionally gendered slurs will be encountered.

Substance Use Players can drink (ale) at a tavern, and it's depicted as an act of camaraderie and entertainment. They can also collect the "Bottles of Thedas," a collection of various types of alcohol with humorous descriptions.

Lyrium is a fantasy substance that acts as a stimulant or steroid. Templars in the story must take Lyrium in order to increase their powers—this is sanctioned by the Chantry (the religious body in the game), but they do become addicted. One character attempts to stop taking Lyrium and must suffer withdrawal. The player can choose to support him or encourage him to begin taking the substance again.

Lyrium is a major plot point in that some Templars begin taking a stronger version of it, and the player must fight deranged, corrupted addicts. This is always discussed as a tragedy, and never a positive development.

Discrimination While Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of the best games out there for diversity, there are some dialogues that may be hurtful to transgender people. One character in particular makes a few insensitive jokes.

Conversation Starters

Do you think that it matters if a religious story is literally true or not? Is faith about things that actually happened?
The Inquisitor fulfills a sort of Joan d'Arc role in the story. When your Inquisitor was named "Andraste's Herald," did you feel like you were lying about being sent by a greater force?
Did you use people's belief in you as a way to do good even if your Inquisitor did not believe in Andraste? Was there space to believe in the idea, even if you did not believe you had literally spoken to Andraste?
Do you feel like the Inquisition was a force for good? If led by a different person, might the Inquisition make some very different decisions? Do you think it's right for any one person to have that degree of power?

Heads Up!

Genre:

Action/Adventure, Mystery, Open World, Puzzle, Role-Playing (RPG)

Interests / Subjects:

Animals,
Architecture,
Art (Painting, Drawing, etc.),
Collecting,
Europe,
Fairy Tales,
Fantasy,
Fashion,
Gardening,
Geography,
Hiking,
History,
Humor,
Hunting,
Languages,
Magic,
Martial Arts,
Music,
Mysteries,
Social Justice,
Travel,
War/Military

COMPETENCIES / INTELLIGENCIES:

Communication skills,
Critical thinking,
Emotional intelligence,
Ethics,
Mental health,
Reading,
Reaction Time,
Pattern Recognition,
Multitasking,
Hand-eye coordination,
Strategy

REGION OF ORIGIN:

North America

ONLINE PLAY:

Can be played online

DIFFICULTY SETTINGS:

Yes

Violence:

4 / 5

Scary Imagery:

3 / 5

Sex & Nudity:

4 / 5

Strong Language:

4 / 5

Substance use:

4 / 5

Story & Themes

Save Points

Difficulty

Heads Up!

Conversation Starters

Genre:

Interests / Subjects:

COMPETENCIES / INTELLIGENCIES:

REGION OF ORIGIN:

ONLINE PLAY:

DIFFICULTY SETTINGS:

Violence:

Scary Imagery:

Sex & Nudity:

Strong Language:

Substance use:

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