Compelling story, ugly graphics, neglected platform. [XBOX360 version]

After I got the first part of the series really played to death with over 300 enthusiastic hours of play and the second was relegated to the shelf because of the same old Quest Locations and rather clumsy Railroadings after half playthroughs, I was rather skeptical with regard to the third part of the series. That EA has released the title for review sites one week prior to publication date for review, leaving hope for good - and the first reviews known reviewer made me then curious enough to actually pre-order the title. Clear also has DA: I his weaknesses (in particular the old generation consoles!), But by now 3 playthroughs I must say: I do not regret buying the least!

ARTWORK ON LAST-gen consoles
Let's face it - Dragon Age: Origins was then visually in comparison to the games his time really not a pretty game (which did not bother me). And if you At length to this item on the XBOX360, you should be able to live with the fact that Dragon Age: Inquisition, it is not on this console. By far the most spectacular graphics on PC and NextGen consoles [I've been playing now for the PS4] differs significantly delayed here nachladenden and not particularly pretty textures, very reduced details and thereby fairly lifeless-looking world. Resource saving work on the relatively late emergence of details such as plants, rocks and grasses - in part, if one is already pretty close or in the middle of a video sequence. If you go jogging, they sometimes also appear on only when one is virtually able to get past. This reduces the quality of storytelling is not in the least, however, make such as delayed loading opponents (really rare, but it happens) partially fighting something hairy, as they need to be and late emerging flora ensures that between every now and then runs slower, to miss anything. Who is playing for the storytelling, will be able to get over the circumstances. If you want a pretty game, but the game should not play on the XBOX360 definitely. Really, really, really not.

SUPPORT XBOX360
The first single-player DLC was limited to Microsoft platforms - but only on XBOX ONE and PC. PS4 players waited a few months longer, for XOBX360 and PS3 DLC so far not even nMore announced. To come, but when the good Lord knows. Patches and bug fixes for known issues happen fastest in PC, then come the NextGen consoles - and at 360 and PS3 can grow a long beard before gameplay reducing bugs as faulty verborkte dialog output ("Get me the asgjshdgajshasfajsdgf bork bork ksdfhdgfkdfgh") are also just tackled

SET UP
+ The English language version can be downloaded as a free DLC (1.7GB). You can then easily change the Start menu under Options> Audio between languages.
o The game has to be necessarily installed and sets 8GB space on an existing hard drive ahead.
+ This time well regulated: There is an installation disc and a game disc. Ie continuous change of the disk is eliminated.
- Despite installation take place almost continuously (intensive) read accesses to the game disc.

Character Creation / GAME START
+ It is possible the game decisions from previous games online and upload platform independent via Dragon Age Keep and take over when the game starts. Import a local Scores (if you like I played all the parts on the XBOX360) there is unfortunately not. Alternatively, you can also play in a default world. I have my old Scores imported (went fairly easily) and has so far been positively surprised, take what influence the decisions then after initial low tide on the game. Even one of the previous two game characters on dips.
+ You can choose between human, elf, dwarf, and for the first time Qunari - each a different character classes. Dwarf mages are still not an option.
o The options for optical design of the character are quite convincing. There could be a few more hairstyles, and instead to make only the eye color and the makeup over free choice of color, I would really happy about it, to have this option, for example also in the skin and hair color. But with this in mind that the individual facial features much more harmonious to each other and you can watch the whole company through voting test in motion, I can not complain really.
- Stupid, though, is that the face of the character sometimes gets in the "loose seizures", which complicates the procedure. I suppose that is resolved fairly quickly on a bug fix and will update the review accordingly. Update April 2015: For the PS4 the bug is fixed, when not XBOX360 still.
+ One has the choice between different voices that make up not only with the mandatory in-fight-crying noticeable, but also in the dialogues.
o Significantly solved differently than in DA: O is the development of the character story. The game begins with the practical unerkärbaren explosion that destroyed a meeting (the Meeting itself you can see at this time - the game starts with the setting of gender, race and class, then a greenish explosion and hey presto - you are in the menu of character design. Your character was present depending on Origin as mercenaries or as a member of the embassy of one of the fronts and wakes up the sole survivor (and potential suspect) into a dungeon. It follows the tutorial without further background to the character. While you can Set in later conversations with team members, some aspects of their own history and experiences further in the character-specific waiting Able missions, but remains rather superficial. Why, for example, happens to be a female Qunari-Mage since the road (facing what we first made the Sharing knowledge about female Qunari and the attitude of Qunari against magicians, something strange!), is questionable and will not be commented or explained in the further course of the story. That was in DA: O solved by the personal story much better. Or like in Mass Effect by selecting between a handful of different biographical events at the beginning. Something I would have at DA: I also wanted.

GAMEPLAY / STORY
- Direct advance: When starting the game, entering a new area or in front of video sequences can be set on the XBOX360 to safely load times between 30 seconds and several minutes.
+ Menu navigation and control are similar to those in the last two parts (Radial Menu, assignment of keys with skills to their own taste, etc.). Big difference from the previous parts: The character can now jump.
+ One can team members - also as in the first two games - specify certain tactical behaviors. Personally, I have a feeling that this works much better than its predecessors and the AI ​​hits far more sensible decisions about when and what skills are used. Keyword: Timely taking of healing potions. Battles are fun and there are some places actually on the feeling of real teamwork.
+ There is a tactical camera view. The military action is paused, you can enter individual characters specifically commands and let time continue to run either piece by piece or leaving the tactic mode and continue the fight in real time. In boss battles on difficulty beyond 'normal' a real boon. If you do not like, but you can also ignore the tactic mode wonderful as usual and switches with the directional pad between team members and take on the characters themselves.
+ The world is * huge *. DA: I though is not really an Open World Game such as Skyrim and has completely different dimensions - the card is small and divided into individual explorable segments in which you then let off steam and can discover plenty of plenty of quests. Most reviews are talking about at least 80-90 hours of gameplay, and that's entirely appropriate.
+ The main quest will start very abruptly (and perhaps a bit bumpy), but gains after about 7 hours by an outlook on the actual extent of the story suddenly dramatic momentum and has really grabbed me. Wanting Without spoiling too much: The world has a problem, and it quickly becomes clear that it is strong in its own interest of the player character, on the solution to this problem (leading) to participate. For this must juggle between different factions and be negotiated, some of whose members have widely differing interests. After black / white drawing so you look in vain here.
+ The side quests are Bioware in its purest form: with vibrant characters with believable motivations rather than living Quest boards. And some one encounters repeatedly and influenced by previous decisions and quests sometimes very strong as the relationship develops. Sure, there are tons of "find five plants / my son / the commemorative sweater my great-grandmother" quests, but many are self-contained, well-told Geschichtenund include at least significantly less backtracking, as the in DA: was the case O.
o The first unlockable field next to Haven (hinterland) is Extem huge (if you want to complete all the quests, we are talking about some 30 hours or more). Most quests are collection quests and contribute little to the story. However, one can relatively quickly (after ~ 5h) unlock other (smaller) areas, there to continue the story and just turn up from time to time in the hinterland, to level in order (has not been necessary, but optional) to collect resources or simply a to run a little over the place and to explore the world. Many players remain but eternally long stick at the first playthrough in the hinterland and then wonder how little story the game. This could have been avoided by stronger Railroading at the beginning, which I personally would have been welcomed ...

CONCLUSION:
Overall, excellent storytelling, vivid world design, cool quests and again very ingenious interaction with the supporting characters make the game for me but despite initial skepticism personally but one of the best RPGs of the last few years and potentially quite dangerous looking. That would be from my point full five stars. The game itself so I recommend you!
On the XBOX360 the game, however, is not really beautiful, and inviting some details (including NSC and opponent) rather hakelig, and for the resulting quirks in terms on gameplay and the really underground support the games on the consoles of the older generation I give therefore for the XBOX360 version three star deduction. If you're looking pretty appearance, as is expected at the game for XBOX360 really, really wrong.