'Dragon Age Origins: Awakening' Review - Better Than Smelling Salts

I still can't put down 2009's "Dragon Age: Origins." Each new downloadable wrinkle in the ever-expanding narrative weave keeps my disc from collecting dead cells and keeps me entertained. So popping in the first full expansion, "Awakening," was a no-brainer. My only regret is that I forgot to feed my cats last afternoon.

The Basics

The Blight is quashed in "Origins;" its head cut off clean. "Awakening" picks up from that colossal crescendo, thrusting you into the shoes of a Gray Warden Commander during a period of strange struggle and reconstruction.

The last vestiges of the Blight aren't retreating in Amaranthine. Instead, they're surfacing with a vicious sentience and forging tribal alliances. As the Order's man, you'll need to do the usual -- explore, dungeon crawl, and interrogate -- in order to find out who is holding the macabre reigns on this new brood. You'll also be tasked with reconstructing and reinvigorating the Order and its foothold for an assured battle that decides Amaranthine's fate.

The Highs

Trinkets are Great, but Depth is Sublime
"Awakening" offers hundreds of additions that range from flashy armors and weapons to useful tonics, ingredients, and content-unique crafting options. But what makes it pop isn't the glitz -- it's the substance "Origins" is known for. The content features a rich, dark narrative that spins a satisfying tale of woe and incomplete triumph. It offers deep, earthy characters that make interaction a pleasure and conversation trees entertaining. And all the sidebar fiction that wraps around this is just as interesting, and in some cases, just as effective.

Location, Location, Location
Amaranthine is invigorating. Most of its locations -- with the exclusion of the bland main city -- are lush places that tickle the senses and act as a refresher. You'll travel from simple farms, to broken canyons, to creative spins on the Deep Roads, to organic caverns, and to an inky bog known as the Black Marsh.

Each place has its own identity, its own spin on common fantasy locales and themes. Each has its own breed of NPC hopelessly entangled in the world's tapestry, as well as its own themed foes -- some of which will react to you in new ways.

More Fun Than 'Origins'
This piece of content (which is offered at retail and as DLC) takes 15 to 25 hours to complete, depending on your fancy for the side-missions. An interesting kickback from this smaller package is the tighter, more coherent design. From dungeon to battle, "Awakening" is breezier and much more streamlined experience that also brings in fresh ideas and creative spins on the core game's fundamentals.

Dungeon design is a good example of this. Dungeons are now funnels that thrust you towards plot points and pitched battles. Sounds dull, but the layering keeps things interesting: puzzles offset trailblazing; frantic combat, bolstered by the new abilities, shatter puzzle monotony; sidequest pick-ups breaks up the plot pacing.

The Lows

You Should Know Me
There's a palpable disconnect between "Awakening" and "Dragon Age" proper that only rears its head after character importation. The narrative and NPCs make the barest of acknowledgments about your past acts in Fereldan. Returning characters like Ohgren barely register who you were in the previous content -- good or bad, choices and all. In essence, your import is nothing more than a "hero," and not the person you defined.

Collecting Silk And Saving Kittens from Trees
Most of this expansion is composed of side-missions. While the tight design allows you to receive the missions in immediate, new ways, there are still scores of meaningless quests that will have you collecting blankets or defeating a band of brigands to save maidens. Compared to the main quests, which all end in a violent crescendo of viscera, the side-missions are lifeless and dull.

There Was a Map Here
As with the core game, this content is missing a pass of polish. The map glitches during random encounters. Weird, jerky animations plague battle and several characters look unfinished. Justice, a companion you pick up, is the worst: his face disappears and leaves a hollow that has floating eyeballs and teeth. Nothing sucks you out quicker than a missing face.

The Verdict

"Awakening" aims to please "Dragon Age" vets. It doesn't fail. This tighter package is much more focused, more intense, and more entertaining for its relative girth. The last two hours especially, which bring the breakneck adventure to a gloriously impactful and dark stop, will keep you begging for more.

Tags bioware, Dragon Age, dragon age: origins -- awakening, ea