<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2009	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
BioWare	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
franchise	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioWare	O
described	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
as	O
a	O
"	O
dark	O
heroic	O
fantasy	O
"	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
unique	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
their	O
previous	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
franchises	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Origins	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
in	O
November	O
2009	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
OS	I-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
in	O
December	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
sold	O
more	O
than	O
3.2	O
million	O
copies	O
and	O
1	O
million	O
pieces	O
of	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioWare	O
released	O
several	O
instances	O
of	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
initial	O
launch	O
,	O
an	O
expansion	O
pack	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
titled	O
Awakening	B-Application
in	O
March	O
2010	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
sequels	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Inquisition	I-Application
,	O
were	O
released	O
in	O
2011	O
and	O
2014	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
available	O
classes	O
are	O
warriors	O
,	O
who	O
perform	O
strong	O
physical	O
attacks	O
;	O
rogues	O
,	O
who	O
carry	O
out	O
stealth	O
attacks	O
and	O
steal	O
items	O
from	O
other	O
characters	O
;	O
and	O
mages	O
,	O
who	O
cast	O
spells	B-Application
on	O
enemies	O
,	O
create	O
combo	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
and	O
support	O
other	O
party	O
members	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combination	O
of	O
class	O
and	O
race	O
determines	O
which	O
of	O
six	O
different	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
the	O
player	O
experiences	O
:	O
Dalish	O
Elf	O
,	O
Dwarf	O
Commoner	O
,	O
City	O
Elf	O
,	O
Mage	O
,	O
Human	O
Noble	O
,	O
or	O
Dwarf	O
Noble	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
all	O
classes	O
follow	O
the	O
same	O
plot	O
after	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
origin	B-Operating_System
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
companions	O
are	O
normally	O
controlled	O
by	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
with	O
behaviour	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
adjust	O
through	O
the	O
"	O
Tactics	O
"	O
menu	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
player	O
also	O
has	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
switch	O
between	O
characters	O
and	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
issue	O
orders	O
to	O
them	O
in	O
real-time	O
or	O
pause	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
queue	O
up	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Strength	O
inflicts	O
more	O
damage	O
,	O
dexterity	O
helps	O
evade	O
attacks	O
more	O
often	O
,	O
willpower	O
increases	O
stamina	O
,	O
magic	O
increases	O
spell	B-Application
damage	O
or	O
magic	O
defence	O
,	O
cunning	O
improves	O
combat	O
tactics	O
,	O
and	O
constitution	O
helps	O
withstand	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
dialogue	B-Application
tree	I-Application
offers	O
several	O
dialogue	B-Application
options	I-Application
for	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
select	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Through	O
conversation	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
unlock	O
unique	O
quests	O
and	O
dialogue	O
revealing	O
the	O
lore	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
begins	O
on	O
the	O
eve	O
of	O
Thedas	O
's	O
fifth	O
Blight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
prequel	O
novels	O
released	O
in	O
2009	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Stolen	O
Throne	O
and	O
its	O
direct	O
sequel	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Calling	O
,	O
provide	O
context	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
lore	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
backstories	O
of	O
several	O
characters	O
and	O
their	O
relevant	O
conflicts	O
in	O
Origins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
chief	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
is	O
the	O
player-controlled	O
character	O
,	O
whose	O
biography	O
and	O
combat	O
specialization	O
are	O
determined	O
by	O
the	O
race	O
and	O
class	O
chosen	O
at	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
The	O
Stone	O
Prisoner	O
installed	O
,	O
Shale	O
,	O
a	O
sarcastic	O
Golem	O
with	O
a	O
mild	O
ornithophobia	O
who	O
was	O
a	O
female	O
dwarf	O
in	O
her	O
prior	O
life	O
,	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
as	O
an	O
optional	O
companion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
other	O
main	O
antagonists	O
are	O
Loghain	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
Tir	O
,	O
Teyrn	O
of	O
Gwaren	O
and	O
father	O
of	O
Queen	O
Anora	O
,	O
a	O
once-respected	O
war	O
hero	O
gone	O
mad	O
with	O
ambition	O
and	O
paranoia	O
;	O
and	O
Rendon	O
Howe	O
,	O
the	O
amoral	O
and	O
corrupt	O
Arl	O
of	O
Amaranthine	O
who	O
allies	O
with	O
Loghain	O
to	O
further	O
his	O
own	O
ambitions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
six	O
predetermined	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
begins	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
's	O
race	O
and	O
class	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
recipient	O
,	O
if	O
they	O
survive	O
,	O
is	O
granted	O
the	O
Taint	O
,	O
a	O
connection	O
into	O
the	O
Darkspawn	O
hive	B-General_Concept
mind	I-General_Concept
to	O
sense	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ferelden	O
's	O
nobility	O
rebel	O
against	O
him	O
,	O
igniting	O
a	O
civil	B-Application
war	I-Application
which	O
ends	O
in	O
an	O
inconclusive	O
stalemate	O
and	O
allows	O
the	O
Darkspawn	O
to	O
advance	O
further	O
into	O
Ferelden	O
unopposed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
was	O
created	O
by	O
the	O
Edmonton	O
studio	O
of	O
BioWare	O
,	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
and	O
Jade	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
officially	O
revealed	O
at	O
E3	O
2004	O
as	O
simply	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
and	O
was	O
re-revealed	O
as	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
in	O
July	O
2008	O
,	O
alongside	O
a	O
new	O
trailer	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
subtitle	O
"	O
Origins	O
"	O
was	O
chosen	O
to	O
represent	O
the	O
six	O
origins	O
storyline	O
,	O
BioWare	O
's	O
return	O
to	O
PC	O
role-playing	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
franchise	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Origins	O
is	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
,	O
as	O
an	O
attempt	O
to	O
build	O
a	O
similar	O
fantasy	O
RPG	O
without	O
any	O
licensing	O
restrictions	O
or	O
issues	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
similarities	O
are	O
mostly	O
present	O
in	O
gameplay	O
elements	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
real-time	O
tactical	O
combat	O
;	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
not	O
share	O
the	O
Dungeons	O
and	O
Dragons	O
setting	O
of	O
the	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
series	O
and	O
is	O
instead	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
period	O
where	O
dragons	O
are	O
prevalent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
initially	O
built	O
with	O
the	O
engine	O
that	O
powered	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
,	O
the	O
team	O
switched	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
Eclipse	O
Engine	O
midway	O
during	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
were	O
twelve	O
different	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
,	O
including	O
Human	O
Commoner	O
and	O
Avvar	O
,	O
a	O
barbarian	O
origin	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Greg	O
Zeschuk	O
,	O
another	O
co-founder	O
of	O
BioWare	O
,	O
described	O
the	O
fantasy	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
as	O
in	O
between	O
the	O
high	O
fantasy	O
of	O
J	O
.	O
R	O
.	O
R	O
.	O
Tolkien	O
's	O
works	O
and	O
the	O
low	O
fantasy	O
of	O
works	O
by	O
George	O
R.R.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
elves	O
are	O
often	O
described	O
as	O
a	O
race	O
of	O
high	O
prestige	O
in	O
fiction	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
presents	O
them	O
as	O
slaves	O
of	O
humans	O
,	O
labelled	O
as	O
second-class	O
citizens	O
who	O
resent	O
the	O
human	O
race	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
intentionally	O
avoided	O
adding	O
a	O
karma	B-Application
system	I-Application
,	O
as	O
the	O
choices	O
are	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
ambiguous	O
,	O
with	O
only	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
judge	O
whether	O
they	O
are	O
good	O
or	O
bad	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
the	O
announcement	O
,	O
Zeschuk	O
suggested	O
that	O
the	O
entire	O
franchise	B-Application
has	O
a	O
"	O
console	O
future	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
set	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
early	O
2009	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
and	O
later	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
delayed	O
to	O
November	O
17	O
but	O
did	O
end	O
up	O
launching	O
alongside	O
the	O
other	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
TransGaming	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
December	O
21	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
Character	O
Creator	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
13	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
character	O
in	O
advance	O
and	O
import	O
it	O
into	O
the	O
full	O
game	O
upon	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
November	O
26	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
announced	O
a	O
competition	O
called	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	O
Warden	O
's	O
Quest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
standard	O
edition	O
,	O
the	O
Collector	O
's	O
Edition	O
included	O
a	O
redemption	O
code	O
to	O
obtain	O
the	O
Stone	O
Prisoner	O
and	O
Blood	O
Dragon	O
Armor	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
for	O
free	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
featured	O
three	O
additional	O
exclusive	O
in-game	O
items	O
,	O
a	O
bonus	O
disc	O
containing	O
a	O
making-of	O
documentary	O
,	O
concept	O
art	O
,	O
trailers	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
original	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
cloth	O
map	O
of	O
Ferelden	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
supports	O
released	O
several	O
DLC	B-Protocol
packs	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
content	O
ranged	O
from	O
single	O
in-game	O
item	O
packs	O
to	O
entirely	O
new	O
plot-related	O
campaigns	O
,	O
which	O
include	O
The	O
Stone	O
Prisoner	O
,	O
Warden	O
's	O
Keep	O
,	O
Return	B-Application
to	I-Application
Ostagar	I-Application
,	O
The	O
Darkspawn	O
Chronicles	O
,	O
Leliana	O
's	O
Song	O
,	O
The	O
Golems	O
of	O
Amgarrak	O
,	O
and	O
Witch	O
Hunt	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
expansion	O
,	O
titled	O
Awakening	B-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
new	O
area	O
called	O
Amaranthine	O
and	O
introduces	O
five	O
new	O
party	O
members	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
16	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Ultimate	O
Edition	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
includes	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
Awakening	B-Application
expansion	O
pack	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
9	O
DLC	B-Protocol
packs	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
26	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
9	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
announced	O
that	O
players	O
who	O
pre-ordered	O
Darkspore	B-Application
would	O
receive	O
a	O
free	O
copy	O
of	O
Origins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
to	O
celebrate	O
the	O
first	O
anniversary	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
 '	O
own	O
digital	O
distribution	O
software	O
Origin	B-Operating_System
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
made	O
free	O
to	O
download	O
alongside	O
Battlefield	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bad	I-Application
Company	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Spore	B-Application
for	O
a	O
limited	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
8	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
it	O
became	O
free	O
to	O
download	O
again	O
for	O
a	O
limited	O
time	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Origin	B-Operating_System
's	O
On	O
the	O
House	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
from	O
major	O
video	O
game	O
critics	O
upon	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
considered	O
to	O
be	O
virtually	O
identical	O
across	O
all	O
platforms	O
,	O
differences	O
in	O
user	O
interface	O
,	O
graphical	O
performance	O
,	O
and	O
online	O
content	O
delivery	O
have	O
led	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
to	O
be	O
reviewed	O
more	O
favorably	O
than	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
versions	O
;	O
Metacritic	O
ranks	O
the	O
PC	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
scores	O
of	O
91	O
,	O
87	O
,	O
and	O
86	O
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
added	O
that	O
the	O
six	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
and	O
their	O
unique	O
dialogue	O
and	O
referencing	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
make	O
the	O
world	O
feel	O
cohesive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Jeff	O
Haynes	O
from	O
IGN	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
were	O
inconsistent	O
,	O
with	O
missteps	O
that	O
make	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
while	O
"	O
rich	O
and	O
vivid	O
"	O
,	O
feel	O
less	O
believable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Villoria	O
called	O
the	O
world	O
engaging	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
replay	O
value	O
very	O
high	O
,	O
as	O
players	O
can	O
play	O
the	O
story	O
over	O
and	O
over	O
again	O
with	O
a	O
different	O
origin	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Juba	O
agreed	O
,	O
as	O
did	O
Yin-Poole	O
,	O
who	O
added	O
that	O
the	O
way	O
companions	O
react	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
decisions	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
six	O
origin	B-Operating_System
stories	O
,	O
significantly	O
expand	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
longevity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
topped	O
Steam	B-Application
's	O
sales	O
chart	O
on	O
November	O
10	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
the	O
ninth-best-selling	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
NPD	O
Group	O
,	O
selling	O
approximately	O
362,100	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
John	O
Riccitiello	O
,	O
CEO	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
is	O
very	O
satisfied	O
with	O
the	O
sales	O
of	O
Origins	O
;	O
more	O
than	O
1	O
million	O
DLC	B-Protocol
packs	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
sold	O
before	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
2009	O
Spike	O
Video	O
Game	O
Awards	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
received	O
the	O
Best	O
PC	O
Game	O
and	O
Best	O
RPG	O
awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
chosen	O
as	O
the	O
PC	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
RPG	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
Best	O
Story	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
and	O
Best	O
PC	O
Role-Playing	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
by	O
IGN	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
Origins	O
"	O
hinted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
a	O
beginning	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
franchise	B-Application
,	O
the	O
team	O
did	O
not	O
expect	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
become	O
successful	O
and	O
had	O
never	O
planned	O
for	O
sequels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nonetheless	O
,	O
Origins	O
spawned	O
a	O
franchise	B-Application
consisting	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
comics	O
,	O
and	O
novels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
sequel	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
which	O
features	O
a	O
new	O
protagonist	O
and	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Kirkwall	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
transfer	O
save	O
data	O
from	O
Origins	O
into	O
the	O
sequel	O
;	O
decisions	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
made	O
during	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
Origins	O
may	O
impact	O
the	O
narrative	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
installment	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
:	I-Application
Inquisition	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Decisions	O
made	O
in	O
Origins	O
are	O
also	O
referenced	O
in	O
Inquisition	O
;	O
players	O
may	O
revisit	O
the	O
plot	O
points	O
from	O
Origins	O
by	O
selecting	O
their	O
choices	O
on	O
the	O
Tapestry	O
feature	O
on	O
the	O
online	O
application	O
Dragon	B-Application
Age	I-Application
Keep	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Origins	O
proved	O
that	O
"	O
a	O
hardcore	O
,	O
older-fashioned	O
game	O
could	O
still	O
find	O
a	O
devoted	O
audience	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
established	O
a	O
new	O
baseline	O
for	O
the	O
genre	O
in	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
way	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
back	O
in	O
1998	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
