Honorable mention: Heroes of Dragon Age (2013)
Though discontinued, Heroes of Dragon Age was a strategy-based mobile game that re-imagined key moments from the setting with different characters from across the series. Unfortunately, the free-to-play game was discontinued in 2022 after nine years. However, there’s plenty more Dragon Age out there to enjoy.
The best Dragon Age games come in many different shapes and sizes. From Dragon Age: Origins in 2009 to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, these fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) have changed and evolved with the times. While each title offers different stories and characters, all of them share a central commitment to weaving gripping fantasy tales that’ll immerse you in the fantasy world of Thedas.
That said, of the many gems in the Dragon Age crown, some shine more brightly than others. To help you find the very best experience possible, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best Dragon Age games.
With a series as iconic as Dragon Age, making such a list is a tall order. The developers at BioWare have offered a wide range of different experiences over the years, making the titles challenging to compare. The granular, slow-paced combat of Dragon Age: Origins may engage fans of more traditional RPGs while disappointing those who are looking for a more cinematic experience. Similarly, the more intimate, character-driven storyline of Dragon Age 2 is rewarding for fans of ensemble drama set in a single city but may disappoint those looking for more exploration in their fantasy.
With this in mind, we’ve put together this list based not on any idea of an objectively best Dragon Age game, but, rather, a Dragon Age game that most delivers on the promise of its premise. Every game on this list is, in its own way, one of the best RPGs and best story games out there, well worth playing in its own right. However, if you’re looking to find out which of the best Dragon Age games is right for you, then read on.
Best Dragon Age games to play in 2024
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Why we love it
Inquisition boasts an exceptional soundtrack from world-class composer Trevor Morris. Thanks to soaring orchestral sounds and moving in-setting folk music, your ears are in for a treat.
Available on: PS5 (backwards compatibility), PS4, PS3, XSX|S (backwards compatibility), Xbox One, Xbox 360, Steam
2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition is an ambitious, world-spanning adventure that thrusts you into the very heart of the dark fantasy politics that helps make the Dragon Age setting so iconic. You play as the Inquisitor, the leader of a powerful, pan-national organization tasked with stopping an apocalyptic plot to overrun the world with demons. It’s a tall order, but you’re joined by the usual cavalcade of strong supporting characters that you’d expect from a Dragon Age game.
Inquisition is an excellent title, but it does creak under the weight of its own ambition at times, earning it the bottom spot on our best Dragon Age game list. The RPG’s narrative sections are sublime, but its open-world sections can feel bloated and aimless. That said, the rewarding main story and the fascinating supporting characters make Inquisition well worth a try.
What’s more, Inquisition boasts a fast-paced and kinetic combat system that maintains a satisfying degree of strategy and player choice. Character customization is excellent, and offers plenty of scope for you to create an Inquisitor who reflects you.
Should you pick up Inquisition, we strongly advise picking up the Dragon Age: Inquisition – Trespasser expansion too. It adds a substantial epilogue to the game and serves to make Inquisition a more complete experience.
Why we love it
Awakening offers tantalizing glimpses into the mysteries that underpin the main story of Dragon Age: Origins. Fans of lore and worldbuilding are in for a delight.
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, Steam
Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is a stand-alone expansion for Dragon Age: Origins which offers a new perspective on the events of the main game. Playing as either a brand new character or your character from Origins proper, you’ll be forced to balance your responsibilities as a Darkspawn-slaying Grey Warden with your new political role as the Arl of Amaranthine.
Awakening complements Origins, offering fresh perspectives on existing characters and situations. For instance, the cast of supporting characters includes a minor character from Origins alongside Anders, a fan-favorite character who goes on to feature as a companion in Dragon Age 2. Oghren the drunken dwarf makes a return, too, serving as a key member of your party as he did in Origins.
This dark fantasy story lives up to the name, forcing you to make difficult decisions in the name of the greater good. The best Dragon Age games are those which offer the player agency and the ability to shape the wider world as they play. While Awakening focuses on a small parcel of the setting, it does an excellent job of allowing you to leave your mark on the world. However you slice it, this expansion offers a lot more than just empty fanservice.
Why we love it
The final setpiece of Dragon Age: Origins sets a gold standard for RPG finales, offering a wide range of nail-biting choices and meaningful consequences.
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, Steam
Inspired by classic RPGs like the original Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age: Origins offers real-time top-down combat (which you can pause) with an emphasis on strategy over flair. These more granular mechanics help sell the gritty realism of the dark fantasy at the heart of Dragon Age: Origins’ story.
The tale itself is a standout classic. After choosing an ‘origin’ that determines your character’s prologue arc, you’ll be thrust into a war against the Darkspawn, a sinister army of corrupted monsters led by a massive dragon known as an Archdemon. To combat the threat, you’ll need to unite the disparate factions of the nation of Ferelden. However, your quest to form an alliance to fight the Darkspawn comes at a cost. As you adventure, you’ll be forced to make tough decisions which will really test your moral values. Without spoiling too much, these are often more than your traditional video game trolley problems and often force you to wrestle with all sorts of (sometimes literal) demons.
Origins also boasts an exceptional cast of supporting characters, many of whom went on to become staples in the series. While the new companions of Veilguard offer some excellent stories of their own, there’s no substitute for the acerbic wit of Morrigan the witch or the adorable sarcasm of Alistair the Grey Warden.
Why we love it
Veilguard nails boss battle setpieces in a way that Dragon Age has often struggled to achieve in its previous iterations. If you’re looking for epic fantasy battles, you’re in the right place.
Available on: PS5, XSX|S, PC
The latest addition to the Dragon Age series, Dragon Age: the Veilguard is an impressive addition to the series which stands shoulder to shoulder with its predecessors. Though the RPG drops you in the deep end when it comes to lore, Veilguard delivers the most polished Dragon Age experience to date.
The combat is especially rewarding, offering a highly customizable real-time system that rewards skillful parries and dodges while also leaving plenty of scope for strategy by allowing you to pause at any time. The execution makes for a fluid and kinetic combat experience, reminiscent of the Mass Effect series, BioWare’s beloved sci-fi saga.
There’s also extreme scope for customization when it comes to designing your character and deciding on their build in combat. While the large network of nodes on offer may be intimidating, the branching skill trees that makeup Veilguard’s leveling system allow for meaningful choices. Even the passive abilities can radically alter your playstyle, offering new attack combos and powerful situational buffs.
While Veilguard’s move toward a more high fantasy narrative may dissuade some, its supporting characters are written with a sense of maturity and depth. Taash’s journey of self-discovery and Bellara’s efforts to reconcile with grief feel relevant and personal. The emotive dialogue bites with an edge that you rarely see in RPGs.
Why we love it
Kirkwall itself often feels like a living breathing character. What start as intimidating alleyways and seedy backstreets soon become old friends as you learn its nooks and crannies.
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, Steam
In some ways, Dragon Age 2 feels directly comparable to Veilguard. Both were attempts to improve upon a beloved but flawed predecessor by adding cinematic flair and timeless fantasy spectacle. However, contrary to Veilguard, Dragon Age 2 delivers an accessible story that, while rewarding for die-hard fans of the series, is also welcoming to newcomers.
Dragon Age 2 is a classic tale of rags to riches. Starting as an immigrant, your protagonist, known as ‘Hawke’, must fight to rebuild their family and survive the grimy streets of Kirkwall – the city where the majority of the story takes place. Important Dragon Age concepts like Mages and Templars are introduced slowly with meaningful setpieces offering meaningful exposition. It’s a constant exercise in “show, don’t tell”.
While the game does re-use its environments, the intrigue and claustrophobia of Kirkwall help create a story that’s both extremely intimate and writ across a whole city. While most of the game stays in Kirkwall proper, the city itself acts as a sort of microcosm for the setting as a whole, allowing the story to focus on the social conflict that gives Dragon Age its grit without getting bogged down in high-concept metaphysics.
This intimacy gives Dragon Age 2’s companions room to breathe. Rather than approving or disapproving of you as they might in another RPG, companions in Dragon Age 2 veer between friendship and rivalry. This makes for some fascinating interactions and dynamics, all of which lend the main story a powerful sense of humanity. It’s this quality that earns Dragon Age 2 its spot at the top of our best Dragon Age games list.
How we made our best Dragon Age games list
I’ve devoted hundreds of hours to the Dragon Age series, having undertaken perhaps a dozen playthroughs across the series on both console and PC. I also reviewed Dragon Age: The Veilguard, spending more than 40 hours with the game to find out exactly what makes it tick. Armed with this knowledge, I’ve done my best to rank the best Dragon Age games as even-handedly as possible.
Best Dragon Age games 2024 – FAQs
Which Dragon Age game should I start with?
While Dragon Age: Origins may seem like an organic place to start, its slow pace and broad scope can make for an intimidating prospect. If you prefer tighter, better-paced experiences, then we recommend Dragon Age 2 as an ideal starting point. That said, if you’re prepared to be in it for the long haul, then Origins will suit you perfectly.
We don’t recommend starting with Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Though it’s an excellent entry in the series, it drops players in the deep end and is liable to confuse those who lack prior Dragon Age knowledge.
Which class should I play in Dragon Age: the Veilguard?
All of the classes in Veilguard are diverse and well-designed, offering distinctive playstyles which offer meaningfully distinct experiences. It’s a question of which fantasy you’d like to pursue. The Warrior offers a powerful suite of defensive abilities, making it a great choice for those who like to play more conservatively. Conversely, the Rogue is fast-paced, requiring you to skillfully dodge and parry as you weave through your opponents. The Mage is a bit of a wildcard, capable of sustained ranged attacks and powerful area-of-effect abilities.
However, thanks to the sheer variety of abilities and the scope of customizability on offer, you’re unlikely to go wrong with any of the Veilguard classes.
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