I’m back, and yes, I’m genuinely excited to get into this again. One of my friends read my last post and asked, “How do you write as you go?” Simple: I take quick notes as I’m playing, then flesh them out into a blog post later. It’s more or less a live feed of my brain, which is why it feels faster-paced than my usual blogs. What you’re reading is exactly what I’m thinking in the moment, no filter. Now you’re in on my process.
Observations, Confusions, and WTF Moments
Before I jump back into the game, here are a few things I’ve noticed, paid attention to, or straight-up gotten confused about:
- Water whirlpools: There are these weird spirals of water just floating up into the air like it’s the most normal thing in the world. I don’t know what they mean, but they have to be important later, right? Games don’t throw in cool effects like that for no reason.
- Camera angles: Is it just me, or do all games force your camera to be this close to your character? I’m so used to Final Fantasy 14’s zoomed-out view where I can see the entire thing. This forced perspective thing is… different for me. I’m not sure I like it, but I’ll adapt. Maybe.
Enough overthinking. Time to jump back in and see what carnage awaits.
Bellara, Darkspawn, and Confusing Universes
I’m back in the game, and Bellara’s… well, she’s sort of subby. Keeps going on about her gods nonstop. Like, I get it, you’re in shock, but can we focus on not dying?
Harding’s around too. She’s nice enough, but I don’t know. Feels like she’s trying hard to be that best friend everyone has, but she’s just… there. It’s kinda sad, honestly.
Oh, and Darkspawn have made an appearance. No idea what these things are, but they’re badass and evil-looking. I kind of want one as a pet.
Apparently, the Gods are directing the Darkspawn, and something’s different about them. Are they? I wouldn’t know—never seen Darkspawn before. Is that something I should know from previous Dragon Age games?
Found out the hard way that not all chests are friendly. One just spat poison at me, and now I’m green and hurting. Not cool, game. Not cool.
Ogre Fights and Shopping Woes
That Ogre fight was intense. He just kept coming at me over and over. Props to the game for replenishing my arrows, though. Makes life a bit easier when “running out” isn’t permanent.
Made it to camp and got acknowledged as an ally or something. Which basically means I can spend money now. YAY! Found the merchant and… most of the stuff isn’t available for me to buy. How fucking great. Ended up buying this one lonely bow and moving on with my life.
Bellara’s still following me around like the little subby she is. Maybe I should collar her. And there’s Harding too, still trying to be my best friend. Sigh.
Why is Groot sticking out of the ground? Seriously, it’s weird. Are we in the Marvel universe now? This game feels like it’s pulling in things from everywhere, and I’m so confused. I mean, I know it’s not actually Groot, but still.
Met up with Neve at the dock. We’re about to go on a boat. I hope it doesn’t sink.
“It’s quiet… too quiet.” Okay, that’s the first cliché line I’ve heard in this game, and for a moment, it took me out of the immersion. I hope there’s not more of that. Lazy writing isn’t cute.
This place is covered in blight. That can’t be good.
Mind Control Magic and Confirming Suspicions
Apparently, someone is using powerful magic to dominate minds. Teach me your ways, oh mighty one.
So, remember how I joked about Bellara being subby? I just ran ahead through the blight, and there she is, on the ground, in Nadu position. Okay, she’s definitely subby.
Something just screeched, and now someone wants the veil jumpers taken to the mayor. This is all so confusing and amazing at the same time.
Porridge Blight and Mihlva’s Unfortunate Demise
These blight things… when they bulge, they remind me of watching porridge cook. It’s weird, gross, and oddly fascinating all at the same time.
Mihlva looks dead. Unfortunate, I guess? No clue who Mihlva is, but at least Jahel is alive. And again—no idea who he is either.
Jahel tells us the gods have returned, which is like… thanks, Captain Obvious. That’s literally the whole plot of the game. Appreciate the recap, though.
Surprise!
Oh no, the mayor—OH FUCK, A DRAGON!
I don’t know why I didn’t see this coming. The game is called Dragon Age, after all. You’d think a dragon wouldn’t be a total shock, but here we are.
Meanwhile, the mayor is desperately trying to convince us he’s not a complete asshole. I’m not buying it.
Bellara, my favourite subby sadist, pipes up with the suggestion to leave him here to die. I’ve never agreed with her more.
Bye, dude. Enjoy your demise.
Morrigan! Morrigan!
Oh. My. GOD. MORRIGAN! I love when things drop nods to mythology, and Morrigan is one of my favourites.
A Celtic goddess tied to war, fertility, destiny, and death. If she’s even half as badass in this game as she is in myth, I am so here for it.
So, Morrigan tells us we’re going to need some serious magic to beat the gods.
Well, shit. Maybe I should have picked mage at the start. Is it too late to restart the game? Probably, but fuck, now I’m second-guessing everything.
And of course, there’s Bellara, right on cue, being all subby and servicey again. It’s like her full-time job.
Oh, but wait—she’s ranting about her gods again. Girl, we get it. Can we focus?
Cutscene Fatigue
Okay, I have to say this: the cutscenes are starting to drive me up the wall. I love the story—don’t get me wrong—but it’s cutscene after cutscene after cutscene. I just want a quick break to make a cup of tea, but nope. Gotta sit through it all first.
Fine, I’ll deal with it, but I’m not thrilled about it.
Falling in Love with the Lore
If there’s one thing I can’t resist, it’s good lore. It’s one of the reasons I love Final Fantasy XIV so much, and when I started Dragon Age, Bea told me I’d fall in love with the lore here too. She was right.
I’ve been reading into the codex entries every time I unlock one, and some of them are absolutely amazing.
Ruin’s Reach
One of my favorites so far is Ruin’s Reach and the entry from The Strife’s Journal. It’s described as this stretch of forest that can be calm and inviting one moment and then change into an “ever-shifting hall of mirrors.” But the best part is that no one knows what it is. There’s something so satisfying about lore that leaves questions unanswered. It gives me hope there’s more to uncover later.
Andraste
Then there’s Andraste. Her story hooked me right away. A former slave of the Tevinter Imperium, she became a prophet, war leader, and eventually a religious icon. She sang to the Maker, and her voice was so captivating it convinced him to return to help her people.
The part that gets me is the betrayal. Her husband, Maferath, couldn’t handle that the people loved Andraste more than him. So, he sold her out to the Tevinter Imperium in exchange for power. It’s tragic, messy, and deeply human, which is probably why I can’t stop thinking about it.
Final Thoughts
The lore in Dragon Age is everything I hoped for and more. It’s deep, layered, and it’s mysterious enough to keep me wanting more. I can already tell this is going to be one of my favourite parts of the game.
Until next time!
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