After a long period of secrecy, Bioware is releasing more and more information regarding the third chapter of its epic RPG series, Dragon Age: Inquisition.
It was recently revealed that the game would return to the more flexible character creation of Dragon Age: Origins, following Dragon Age II restricting players to only human characters. Now you'll be able to play as various fantasy races as well - including the hulking warrior-like Qunari. That's a first for the saga, and both male and female variations will be possible.
Also revealed in a new Gamespot preview is the news that Dragon Age II characters Varric and Cassandra will be available to join your party, and that the top-down tactical battle view - introduced in the first game but abandoned for the second - will return.
Of course, among the creatures you'll be battling are dragons - it's right there in the title, after all - and Bioware is designing these encounters to be challenging tests of player skill, with dragons now designed with knowledge of their surroundings, and the intelligence to use it. One example given is that they'll now use their flames to destroy cover - even melting stone - to get to you.
"I don't ever want a player to casually kill a dragon," Bioware's Mark Laidlaw has told Game Informer. "I see a dragon as something you aspire to. You see it flying overhead and make future plans... You should feel that anticipation. You should clench up a little. And when they appear, they should be aware of the space in which you're fighting them and be able to use that."
Dragon Age: Inquisition is due in 2014, for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.