Summary
As anRPG driven by player choice,one of the draws of theDragon Agefranchise is the wide range of possible endings available for each game. Unlike some games out there with static ending cutscenes, some of theDragon Agegames employ ending slides that will change depending on the choices the player makes throughout the story. These choices and consequences can range from being as major as the decision to kill a major character, or as minor as determining who runs the local tavern.
One interesting aspect of theDragon Agegames that makes the endings even more important is how choices carry over from game to game in the series. While the actions of one character may not immediately appear to have consequences, they may end up playing a significant role in the wider narrative down the line.
For the majority ofDragon Age: Origins,Loghain plays the role of the antagonist — he constantly tries to thwart the protagonist in their quest, even going as far as to hire an assassin to kill them. Many of his actions, such as betraying the Grey Wardens and endorsing slavery, have led to him beingone of the darkest charactersin the franchise.
to keep Loghain alive until the end of the game, allowing him to later appear inDragon Age: Inquisition,players must spare him when they are first prompted to execute him. This is a difficult choice to make, as it means losing Alistair,the strongest warrior in the gameand a companion that has been alongside the protagonist since the beginning. After sparing Loghain, the player must then either agree to do Morrigan’s dark ritual or sacrifice themselves in the final battle. While this may not be the most technically challenging ending to achieve, it poses several difficult choices for the player that may make them think twice about how far they’ll go to keep Loghain alive.
Whilethere are many companions inDragon Agethatcould be considered terrible people, The Iron Bull’s betrayal is something that often goes overlooked. InTrespasser,the DLC epilogue toDragon Age: Inquisition,players who chose to sacrifice Bull’s mercenary group will discover that he was working against the Inquisition the entire time and had been intending to betray them for years.
As with many of the rarer and harder to achieve endings, Bull’s betrayal is not technically difficult — however, many players will find it hard to justify killing the Bull’s Chargers, who are interesting and unlock several unique War Table missions.
InDragon Age: Inquisition,the player has the opportunity to choose who takes on the role of Divine, allowing one of their allies to becomeleader of the Chantry. Two of the candidates, Cassandra and Vivienne, are far easier to influence — their candidacy for the role is signposted clearly, with there being a set route to allow it to happen.
For players who disagree with how Cassandra and Vivienne would use their power as Divine, however, Leliana remains a slightly obscure third option who requires a more subtle approach. Instead of actively campaigning for her to take on the role, players must be careful to discourage the other two candidates' faith in the Chantry while affirming Leliana’s desire to make a change. This move is risky, as players who aren’t careful may influence the wrong person, but for those who agree with Leliana’s politics and want to seedrastic change in Thedas' future, the risk may be worth it.
Despite being a DLC forDragon Age: Origins,Dragon Age Origins: Awakeningalmost feels like its own game. It has multiple endings, a cast of unique companions, and plenty of side quests. One of these side quests involves upgrading Vigil’s Keep, the home base of the protagonist for the majority of the DLC. If the player manages to complete this quest, and decides to defend the city of Amaranthine during the final battle, the Keep and any companions left within it will be able to hold out, leaving some survivors and gaining a reputation for its strength.
Despite basically being a fetch quest, with the player being tasked with finding materials around the world with which to upgrade the Keep, it can be both difficult and frustrating to complete. Some of the materials are hidden in areas that can’t be returned to, meaning that if they’re missed, the player will be unable to complete the quest. At times, the quest can also be bugged, making its completion even more of an achievement.
Tonally,Dragon Age: Originscould be considered the darkest game in the franchise,which contains a number of disturbing elements. This can definitely be seen in the option for the protagonist to die during the final battle, sacrificing themselves in order to kill the archdemon and end the Blight. There are multiple variations to this ending, depending on the player’s relationships and origin story, but the main part remains the same: the protagonist dies, and everyone mourns them.
To achieve this ending, the player must turn down Morrigan’s offer to do a ritual that would save their life, then put themselves forward to strike the final blow against the archdemon. They must alsonotbe in a relationship with Alistair (a feature of one of themany interesting romancesDragon Agehas to offer), who will refuse to let them sacrifice themselves and die in their place. Taking so many deliberate steps, knowing that they result in the Hero of Ferelden’s death, is one of the hardest series of choices to make in the game, and something many players will avoid.
