2. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Ankle-deep in Inquisition's beautiful water

As the third and latest entry in the Dragon Age franchise, Dragon Age: Inquisition has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, with Inquisition, BioWare shows us it knows exactly what it’s doing with the franchise.

Inquisition begins by literally exploding in your face. As the only survivor of a cataclysm that turns a mountain to dust and slaughters a great number of mages and templars alike, you are treated with both suspicion and reverence. When it’s discovered that only you have the ability to close the portals through which demons are now pouring into Thedas, however, you become the only hope in a battle to save the world.

In dragon territory

Size matters in Inquisition, which covers not just Ferelden, but also its neighboring country of Orlais. Inquisition’s gameworld is massive and brimming with content, so much so that it could take anyone over 80 hours to complete the game. The game also has you making (or destroying) even bigger alliances – with entire nations and institutions so powerful their rise or fall could change the fate of thousands. In Origins, you’re a heroic warrior with a band of like-minded individuals; in Inquisition, you’re the ruler of a rising power.

Inquisition is also indescribably beautiful to look at, and, to date, is the best-looking of all Dragon Age games.

None can withstand the Inquisitor's might

But lest you think Inquisition has focused on quantity over quality, think again. Inquisition has some incredible writing. All those difficult moral choices that had you grinding your teeth in Origins? They’re back in full force in Inquisition. And when you’re not weighing the pros and cons of sending a team of loyal soldiers to their deaths, you can, once again, charm the pants off supporting characters for more private (but no less engaging!) adventures in bed. Inquisition also gives us even more memorable characters, from the battle-hungry yet laidback Iron Bull to the irreverent and impulsive thief, Sera.

Inquisition’s combat is a departure from Origins’, occurring in real-time as well as employing a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective. With a push of a button, however, you can bring back the top-down, tactical combat of old, so at the end of the day, everybody’s a winner.

Our rating – 5/5