Mark Plays ‘Dragon Age: Origins’: Hour 20

In the twentieth hour of Dragon Age: Origins, I LOVE REDCLIFFE SO MUCH OH MY GOD. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to play Dragon Age: Origins.

Hour Twenty

I think I’m close to the end of the game? I mean, I still need to save Arl Eamon, get the dwarves, kill Loghain, and then… that’s pretty much it, right? I guess I’m trying to gauge this sort of thing because I keep making hyperbolic, exaggerated statements about Dragon Age: Origins, and I’m sure they’ve all cancelled each other out by now. I have loved a good portion of this game, but sweet baby gods, there hasn’t been a single moment quite like the monster siege on Redcliffe.

A lot happened before that. I had to backtrack my way out of the caverns, passing Father Kolgrim’s followers along the way, and they just stood there??? Apparently, without their leader, they are nothing. I got alllll the way back to the beginning, where Brother Qunitivi was excited to see me. I agreed to let him open a museum of sorts. I think? I know he wanted people to visit and study the place, and I didn’t really see a problem with that. It pissed Morrigan off, so that must mean it’s a good decision. This started a pattern of Morrigan hating everything I chose to do so much, she actually dropped below a positive approval rating for me. Well, that is until I gave some sort of dragon scale necklace? Now she likes me! She is so easy to please and anger at the same time.

From here, it was time to finally head to Redcliffe to go take care of the Arl Eamon. I was there less than sixty seconds before I was approached by a guard who was severely upset. This game has followed a familiar pattern for each new place that I visit: I show up expecting one thing to happen, and I discover that the Blight has ruined every single one of my plans. In this case, Arl Eamon’s sickness isn’t the only worry I have. Turns out that “monsters” of some sort have overrun the castle and keep storming down into Redcliffe at night. I am needed to help save the day!

And so I set out to do just that. Every single time I took on a new mission, Morrigan’s approval rating of me dropped 6 points, and she’d throw another condescending comment my way about how much time I was wasting. If she wasn’t so close to getting Crushing Prison or I didn’t desire Animate Dead like my life depended on it, I’d get rid of her. WE’RE BEING BIG DAMN HEROES ON PURPOSE. MY CHARACTER HAS PUT ASIDE HER ANGRY CYNICISM TO BEAT BACK THE BLIGHT. Get with the program! At least Wynne and Alistair both gained approval points every time Morrigan disapproved of me.

Also, Teagan just reminded me of Tegan and Sara. I CAN’T HELP THE THINGS IN MY BRAIN.

I honestly expected to spend the majority of this hour of gameplay running errands and getting shit ready for the assault. I spoke to Murdock and insulted him for being a bigot; I got the blacksmith working again; I spoke with Ser Perth at the windmill; I killed Dwyn because he was being difficult and apparently that’s all you need to justify a murder; and then I lost my shit when Perth revealed that the ashes from the Sacred Urn could cure him. UM, HI, I HAVE THOSE. I HAVE THEM WITH ME. THEY ARE RIGHT HERE. Did I do something out of order? Why can’t I tell him I have them? Why is Alistair acting like he’s never heard of them before? OH GOD. WHAT. Don’t make me go back and get them again!

Also, please tell me that one of you managed to overhear Wynne and Alistair talking about a dirty sock. It was the weirdest conversation my party members have ever had without me. I DON’T GET IT.

Anyway, I talked to as many people as I could around town, hoping they’d join in the oncoming battle. I even found barrels of oil for Perth! I was happy, then, that I still had about 15 minutes until my hour was up because lord, I did not want to cliffhanger myself again right in the midst of some awesome shit. So I told Perth that I was ready for battle.

I wasn’t ready for battle.

LOOK. LOOK HOW AWESOME THIS IS. HOARDES OF BAD GUYS WHO AREN’T TERRIBLY HARD TO BEAT BUT ARE RIDICULOUS. THIS. WAS. INCREDIBLE. THIS WAS SO FUN. IT WAS LIKE FIGHTING A ZOMBIE HOARDE.

no oh my god YOU DON’T GET IT. I LOVED THIS PART SO MUCH AND I HAVEN’T EVEN MADE IT TO THE CASTLE YET. I was sad that Murdock and Tomas both died. I wonder if it’s possible for them to survive? Perhaps I should have done a better job. Oh god, LOOK AT HOW MUCH FUN I HAVE. I know it’s bad that I don’t care that much that some of the defenders died, but whoops.

Oh fuck, what the hell is in the castle? This should be fun.

My Character Stats 

Strength: 26
Dexterity: 23+2
Willpower: 19
Magic: 14
Cunning: 18
Constitution: 23

Heroic Stats

Kills: 342
Damage dealt: 64423
Friendly-fire: 0
Greatest damage dealt: 90
Contribution to party damage: 35
Hit rate: 84
Most powerful foe slain: Uldred
Injuries: 8

Mark Links Stuff

– You can follow me on Twitter for any updates and live commentary on upcoming reviews I’m writing.
– You should read this very important post about supporting Mark Does Stuff!
– I have just released Mark Reads Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for $4.99!
– You can commission a Mark Plays video for just $25!