Dragon Age: Inquisition is a 2014 action role-playing video game created by BioWare and released by Electronic Arts. It is the third major game in the Dragon Age series and follows Dragon Age II (2011). The story centers on a player character called the Inquisitor, who travels to the continent of Thedas to end civil unrest and close a mysterious tear in the sky called the "Breach," which is releasing dangerous demons. The gameplay of Dragon Age: Inquisition is similar to earlier games in the series, but it includes several partially open worlds for players to explore. Players control the Inquisitor or their companions mainly from a third-person view, though a traditional top-down camera angle is also available.
When Dragon Age II was released, some players were disappointed because it lacked the complexity of the first game, Dragon Age: Origins (2009). To improve based on player feedback, BioWare focused on making the sequel better. The developers aimed to combine elements from the first two games in the series. Starting in 2011, BioWare used EA DICE’s Frostbite 3 engine to create the game, which caused many challenges. The team worked long hours during development, and some features had to be removed due to hardware limits on older consoles. Trevor Morris composed the game’s soundtrack, replacing Inon Zur, who worked on earlier games.
Officially announced in September 2012 as Dragon Age III: Inquisition, the game was released worldwide in November 2014 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Critics praised the game for its exploration, combat, writing, characters, and customization. However, some criticized it for having too much filler content, technical problems, and certain aspects of the story. Commercially, it was one of BioWare’s most successful games, earning many awards and nominations, including Game of the Year by several publications. Additional story-based downloadable content (DLC) packs were released to support the game. A sequel, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, was released on October 31, 2024.
Gameplay
Dragon Age: Inquisition is an action role-playing game similar to earlier games in the series. At the start of the game, players choose a race for their character: human, dwarf, elf, or Qunari, a new race added to the series. Players can customize their character’s appearance, including gender, and other details. An online tool called Dragon Age Keep lets players create and share stories, learn about the plots of previous games, and import game progress without replaying earlier games.
The game world is divided into sections that players can explore freely. To move faster, players can ride mounts, such as horses or other creatures. Each area in the game has enemies of the same level, meaning players might be too weak or too strong for some regions. In each main area, players can complete tasks like sealing magical rifts, capturing forts, and setting up camps for fast travel and supplies. These tasks earn players resources called Influence and Power, which help unlock upgrades for the Inquisition and progress the story. Players can also complete side missions, collect magical items, solve puzzles, and read entries in a game encyclopedia to learn more about the world of Thedas. At Skyhold, the Inquisition’s base, players can use the war table to unlock locations, earn rewards, and advance the story. Players can send agents and troops to complete missions through advisors, which affects how much time and rewards are needed for each task.
Players choose from three classes: warrior, mage, or rogue. Warriors use swords and heavy weapons and take more damage. Rogues use daggers or bows, and mages use magic to cast spells. Each class has different stats, such as strength for warriors or dexterity for rogues. Stamina or mana controls how often players can use special abilities. During combat, the whole team gains Focus, which lets them use powerful abilities. Players can switch control between their character and party members, while the game’s AI controls others. Combat uses a third-person view, and players can pause the game to assign orders to party members through the Tactics menu or a top-down camera view.
Players earn experience points (XP) by killing enemies and completing quests. When players gain enough XP, their character levels up, improving health and stats, and gives skill points to unlock new abilities. At Skyhold’s Undercroft, players can craft and upgrade armor and weapons using collected materials. Rare materials improve armor and weapons, and accessories like rings or amulets can change stats. Players can give research items to Skyhold’s researchers to gain XP and damage boosts against enemies. Players can also customize keeps, like turning a garden into a church or herb garden, which slightly improves the Inquisition’s abilities.
Dragon Age: Inquisition includes a multiplayer mode called “dungeon crawling,” where players work together as agents of the Inquisition. Players complete levels with increasing difficulty, fighting AI enemies. This mode can be played alone or with three other players. At launch, the game had three multiplayer campaigns and nine playable characters. Progress in multiplayer does not affect the main story. Players can upgrade items, craft gear, and unlock characters in multiplayer. An in-game currency called Platinum can speed up unlocking new characters. Two multiplayer expansions added new maps, armor, creatures, and characters, including Isabela from Dragon Age II.
Synopsis
After the explosion of the Kirkwall Chantry in Dragon Age II and the events of the 2011 novel Dragon Age: Asunder, the Circle of Magi has acted without permission, and the Templar Order has separated from the Chantry to fight mages. The Mage-Templar war is paused temporarily by a meeting near the village of Haven in the Kingdom of Ferelden. At this meeting, Divine Justinia V, the leader of the Chantry, organized a peace conference before the events of the game. The 2014 prequel novel Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, written by Trick Weekes, a member of the game's writing team, describes a civil war in Orlais, a country near Ferelden. This war involved supporters of Empress Celene and a powerful group led by her cousin, Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons. It also details the rise of a neutral elven group led by Briala, Celene's handmaiden.
Characters from previous games return in the game, including Cullen, who leads the Inquisition's military, and Leliana, who works as a spy. Cassandra Pentaghast and Varric also join as companions. New characters introduced in the game include Solas, an elven mage who knows about the Fade and its spirits; Blackwall, a lone Grey Warden from the Free Marches; Sera, an elven thief who is part of a secret group called the Friends of Red Jenny; The Iron Bull, a Qunari warrior who leads a mercenary group called the Bull's Chargers and works for the Ben-Hassrath; Vivienne, an official enchanter in Orlais's Imperial Court; Dorian Pavus, a mage from the Tevinter Imperium; and Cole, a mysterious figure first introduced in Asunder. Josephine Montilyet, an Antivan diplomat, serves as the Inquisition's ambassador. Hawke, the main character from Dragon Age II, and Morrigan, a companion from Dragon Age: Origins, help the Inquisitor.
A large explosion destroys the Conclave and creates a hole in the Veil, the boundary between the physical world and the Fade, a spiritual realm. This hole is called the "Breach." The only person who survives the explosion is the player character, who has a mark on their hand that can close rifts in the Veil. However, the player character has no memory of the event. Witnesses say the player character was guided out of the Fade by a mysterious woman, believed to be Andraste, a historical figure known as the Bride of the Maker.
After closing several rifts, the player character is called the "Herald of Andraste." With the Chantry without a leader, Leliana and Cassandra Pentaghast follow one of the Divine's final orders to re-establish the Inquisition, an organization formed to protect against magical dangers and heretics. After closing the Breach with help from rebel mages or remnants of the Templar Order, Haven is attacked by Corypheus, an ancient Darkspawn mage who opened the Breach. With the help of a dragon, Corypheus defeats Haven's defenses and confronts the Herald. Corypheus refers to the mark as "the Anchor," which he plans to use to enter the Fade and achieve godhood. He tries to remove the Anchor using a magical artifact, but the Herald triggers an avalanche that destroys Haven and Corypheus's army. Solas leads the survivors to Skyhold, an abandoned fortress that becomes the Inquisition's new base. The Herald is named the Inquisitor, the leader of the Inquisition.
With Hawke's help, the Inquisitor investigates the disappearance of the Grey Wardens and discovers they are being controlled by Corypheus to raise demons. During a battle with the Wardens, the Inquisitor enters the Fade and regains their memories, learning that they obtained the Anchor at the Conclave after witnessing a ritual involving Divine Justinia V and Corypheus. They also encountered the magical orb. Either Hawke or a Grey Warden ally sacrifices themselves to help the others escape the Fade, after which the Inquisitor must decide whether to exile or recruit the remaining Wardens.
The Inquisitor attends a ball at the Winter Palace to resolve the Orlesian civil war and gain Orlesian support. Later, Morrigan, the Empress's advisor, joins the Inquisition as an Imperial liaison. She guides the Inquisitor to the Temple of Mythal to stop Corypheus from obtaining an Eluvian, an artifact that could allow him to enter the Fade. Inside the temple, the Inquisitor or Morrigan gains the powers of the Well of Sorrows, a source of magical energy tied to the elven goddess Mythal. The group escapes Corypheus through the Eluvian, which breaks behind them. Mythal is later revealed to be Morrigan's mother, Flemeth. Those who drink from the Well of Sorrows receive wisdom from Mythal's past followers but also become bound to her will. The group learns that Corypheus's dragon is key to defeating him. They confront Corypheus as he reopens the Breach, defeat him and his dragon, and permanently seal the Breach. In the process, the magical orb carried by Corypheus is destroyed. The Inquisition returns to Skyhold to celebrate their victory, while Solas disappears after retrieving the device. An epilogue narrated by Morrigan describes the outcomes of the Inquisitor's major decisions.
A post-credits scene shows a meeting between Flemeth and Solas, who is actually the Dread Wolf Fen'Harel, a previously inactive deity and the original owner of the orb. Their conversation reveals that Solas indirectly caused the events of Inquisition by allowing the orb to be used by Corypheus. Solas petrifies Flemeth and takes Mythal's power.
Development
Development for Dragon Age: Inquisition started in 2011. At the time of its release, it was the largest single-player game BioWare had ever made. The project focused on five main ideas: "story," "characters," "open world," "choices," and "personalise." The game’s main idea was that the player would lead an organization inspired by the historical Inquisition. This idea was originally meant to be the next game after Dragon Age: Origins, but development was paused when EA forced BioWare to hurry the creation of Dragon Age II. The game’s development began in 2011, and production started in 2012. The team had the option to revisit Jade Empire (2006) or create a new game. However, they chose to continue the Dragon Age series because they believed it had more recognition and would be easier to develop than a new intellectual property. David Gaider returned as the lead writer, while Mike Laidlaw and Mark Darrah worked as the creative director and executive producer, respectively. Jeremie Voillot and Michael Kent were the joint audio directors, taking on roles similar to their work on Dragon Age II.
The game cost "tens of millions" of dollars to create. More than 200 people worked on it, including eight writers, 70 artists, 75 game testers, and over 30 actors.
“We still didn’t have all our tools working properly at launch,” one developer said.
Earlier Dragon Age games used BioWare’s own Eclipse engine, but it could not handle open-world features or multiplayer. Its visuals were also not strong enough. EA wanted to use the same engine for all its games, so BioWare used the Frostbite 3 engine from its sister studio, DICE, which had been used for Battlefield games. Since BioWare had never used Frostbite before, they tested it with a multiplayer project called Blackfoot. Switching to Frostbite was a big challenge. To manage resources, BioWare canceled Exalted March, the final downloadable content for Dragon Age II. However, working with Frostbite caused many problems. It was designed for first-person games and lacked features needed for role-playing games, such as saving progress, conversations, and cutscenes. The team had to update the engine to add these features. Frostbite also struggled to animate custom characters and four-legged animals. Many designers found working with Frostbite frustrating. John Epler, a designer on Inquisition, called it “the worst tools experience” he had at BioWare. The situation worsened when DICE added new features without updating BioWare’s version, making the engine unstable.
BioWare planned to release the game for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, but EA worried about mobile gaming and pushed BioWare to also support older hardware like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. These older systems made development harder. Features that worked on newer platforms had to be removed to ensure the game ran smoothly on all five platforms. Laidlaw and Darrah showed some of these features in a demo at PAX Prime 2013, including environmental destruction and a war simulation system. However, these features were later removed because they were not fully developed and might disrupt gameplay. In a book called Blood, Sweat & Pixels, Laidlaw and Darrah admitted the demo was not real gameplay and was only meant to show transparency after the mixed reception of Dragon Age II.
Technical challenges delayed the game’s development. Art director Matthew Goldman said, “We had to create new consoles, a new engine, new gameplay, and build the biggest game we’ve ever made to a higher standard, all with tools that didn’t exist.” The game was unplayable for the first few years of development. Darrah asked EA to delay the game for a year, but only if BioWare added more features, like multiple playable races. Later, BioWare and DICE worked better together, speeding up progress in 2014. However, the team ran out of time because the game had to release in late 2014. Since Dragon Age II was seen as a failure, Inquisition had to succeed to regain fans. The team worked long hours in late 2014.
The Frostbite engine helped the art team create many environments quickly. However, Director of Art and Animation Neil Thompson compared learning Frostbite to European artists mastering realistic oil painting during the Northern Renaissance. The new systems and technologies set a visual standard for future console versions. Artists and animators drew inspiration from traditional art, film, photography, and architecture, while keeping the game’s themes consistent across different factions.
Because of the switch to Frostbite, BioWare had to rebuild systems for Inquisition, including an AI system for open-world combat. AI is usually improved between games in a series to keep development smooth. Gameplay engineer Sebastian Hanlon said BioWare used a modular approach to create creature AI. The open-world system required rethinking enemy AI and ensuring players could control combat effectively, even for characters not directly controlled by the player.
Dragon Age II faced criticism for repeating environments, as most of the game took place in Kirkwall. To fix this, BioWare aimed to create more open spaces in Inquisition. The team studied games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and wanted to bring back large-scale exploration. Darrah noted that BioWare games had become smaller since Baldur’s Gate II, and the goal for Inquisition was to expand the world again. The team aimed for 20 to 200 hours of gameplay. The design team was divided into specialized groups to handle different aspects of the game.
Marketing and release
In September 2012, Electronic Arts (EA) first announced the game as Dragon Age III: Inquisition. The game was created through a partnership between BioWare studios in Edmonton and Montreal. Initially, the game was planned for a late 2013 release, but at E3 2013, it was delayed until late 2014. EA removed "III" from the title because the game was described as a "new chapter" in the Dragon Age universe, not a direct follow-up to Dragon Age II. The game was originally set for release on October 7, 2014, but was delayed for six weeks to allow more time for improvements.
On October 31, 2014, BioWare confirmed that the game had reached the "gold" stage, meaning it was ready for production and release. Dragon Age: Inquisition was released on November 18 in North America and November 21 in Europe. The game was not released in India to avoid violating local content laws. EA also launched Dragon Age Keep, a website that allows players to customize the game world before starting a playthrough. This site included Dragon Age: The Last Court, a companion game by Failbetter Games, though it was later removed in late 2020.
A mini-game called "Quest for the Red Lyrium Reapers" was available on the Inquisition website, offering red lyrium-themed weapons as rewards. These items were later added to all players' games through a "special delivery chest" in Patch 11, released in October 2015. The Golden Nug statue, introduced in Patch 10, allowed players who had completed a playthrough to sync their collected items, recipes, and schematics.
Multiple editions of the game were available, including the Digital Deluxe Edition and Inquisitor's Edition, which included the game's original soundtrack and in-game bonuses such as a throne made from a dragon's skull, mount skins, and the Flames of the Inquisition equipment set. Multiplayer DLC packs, Destruction and Dragonslayer, were released in December 2014 and May 2015, respectively, and were available for free. New playable characters were added through post-launch updates.
The first single-player DLC, Jaws of Hakkon, was released on March 24, 2015, for PC and Xbox One, and May 26, 2015, for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Xbox 360. It focuses on the previous Inquisition and introduces a new area called the Frostback Basin. The Black Emporium, released on May 5, 2015, added a new vendor and the "Mirror of Transformation," which lets players change their Inquisitor's appearance.
On July 6, 2015, BioWare announced that it would stop supporting downloadable content for seventh-generation consoles, though saved games could be transferred to newer hardware. Spoils of the Avvar, the last content pack for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, was released on June 9, 2015. Spoils of the Qunari was the first content pack for eighth-generation consoles, released on July 22, 2015. The second single-player DLC, The Descent, was released on August 11, 2015, and takes players to the Deep Roads, where earthquakes threaten the lyrium trade. The final single-player DLC, Trespasser, was released on September 8, 2015, and takes place two years after the defeat of Corypheus. It expands on the game's ending and concludes storylines from the main game.
A Game of the Year edition, which included the base game and all post-launch content, was released on October 6, 2015.
Reception
Dragon Age: Inquisition received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, a review aggregator platform. OpenCritic reported that 92% of critics recommended the game. Many critics believed it was a major improvement over Dragon Age II and helped bring the series back to life.
Chris Carter of Destructoid praised the new combat system for combining the fast gameplay from Dragon Age II with the more strategic combat from Origins. He especially liked the return of the tactical view. Polygon’s Phillip Kollar agreed, saying the game "finds the best of both worlds" with this system. Richard Cobbett of Eurogamer thought the combat system was not fully successful, and he found some battles repetitive and not strategically interesting. Joe Juba of Game Informer called the combat "satisfying" and said it required players to "manage the flow of battle" during intense moments. However, he criticized the tactical camera for being unreliable. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot described the combat as "fun" and "colorful" but noted the tactical view was clumsy and that tactics were rarely needed in most battles. Maxwell McGee of GamesRadar praised the expanded customization options and the game’s vibrant visuals, which improved the combat system. Several critics mentioned technical issues in their reviews.
Phil Savage of PC Gamer enjoyed the main story, saying each mission was unique and helped move the plot forward. He liked how the Inquisition’s growth as an organization was shown. Carter appreciated the writing for the companions, especially Varric and Dorian, but thought the early story was weak and less detailed than Origins. Cobbett found the story uninspiring but said it gained momentum later. He was disappointed by changes to returning characters’ personalities. Juba criticized some story moments as poorly explained but enjoyed the characters and how player choices from previous games were reflected. Vince Ingenito of IGN called the central plot "frustratingly vague" and said it lacked the emotional depth of BioWare’s best games. Alexander Sliwinski of Joystiq noted that many choices had meaningful and lasting effects. Savage said the main campaign included "tough, world-shifting decisions." VanOrd enjoyed the characters’ dialogue and called it one of the game’s highlights. McGee described the characters as "eclectic" and "interesting" but warned newcomers might feel overwhelmed by the game’s complex lore, which was shared through codex entries. Robert Purchese of Eurogamer praised the use of tarot cards in the game’s menus, which changed based on player choices.
Thedas, the game’s world, was often praised for being well-developed. Carter called it "gigantic" and praised the Frostbite engine’s graphics. He liked the optional dungeons and bosses, which made exploration rewarding. Juba enjoyed the large open worlds, calling them the biggest surprise for fans. VanOrd said traveling the world was "an absolute delight" but felt collecting crafting materials disrupted the game’s pacing. Savage liked the open worlds but missed a city hub like Kirkwall from Dragon Age II. Cobbett praised the open areas but was disappointed by the mission design compared to quests in MMOs. Many critics liked how side activities were tied to the Power gameplay mechanic. The Inquisitor’s role in Thedas’s politics was highlighted as a standout feature. Phillip Kollar noted that War Table missions helped explore the world and its factions. While the game’s content was widely praised, Patricia Hernandez of Kotaku said it had too much filler content that was not meaningful. She advised players to leave the Hinterlands, the starting zone, quickly.
Lisa Granshaw of Syfy praised a key musical scene where Inquisition members sing “The Dawn Will Come,” calling it one of the series’ most memorable moments. Elijah Beahm of The Escapist noted that tavern songs, performed by Elizaveta with an "ethereal" voice, became unexpectedly popular.
Dragon Age: Inquisition debuted at No. 5 in the UK during its first launch week. Chart-Track reported it sold nearly the same number of copies as Dragon Age II in 2011. According to Electronic Arts’ 2015 third-quarter earnings report, Inquisition was BioWare’s most successful game launch based on units sold. In September 2024, executive producer Mark Darrah stated the game sold over 12 million copies, surpassing EA’s sales projections and becoming BioWare’s best-selling title.
The game won several awards and was named Game of the Year in 2014 by IGN, Ars Technica, Game Informer, Polygon, and Electronic Gaming Monthly.
Sequel
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a sequel that follows closely after Inquisition, was released on October 31, 2024. Solas was shown a lot in the marketing and promotional materials for the sequel. The game’s original name was Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, which came from Solas’s nickname, "Dread Wolf." In June 2024, the title was changed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare explained that the name "Dread Wolf" is still part of the game, but the new title better shows the game’s main focus.