DA:Inquisition - Trespasser: Interview and Reviews

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MMORPG: Was DAI always planned to be the base game + 3 DLC with Trespasser bringing it to a definitive end?

Mike: No, not really. We wanted it to be built as its own distinct story. We hinted at future content with the arc based around Solas and his disappearance. We want to keep the story alive and filled with interesting elements for the future. It was about identity, a major theme in the game…a lot of that comes through – not everyone is or was who they said.

When we started working on DLC, we wanted to demonstrate mastery over certain things. We wanted to do an exploration of the world with more story meshed in it. So when we got to Trespasser, we heard our fans. We wanted to provide more story. We didn’t expect Solas to get the fervor he did but he did and we followed. At the same time, we wanted Trespasser to feel it was its own set of narrative themes. It’s clearly a post-game epilogue and it stands on its own feet.

MMORPG: Is Trespasser designed with the franchise’s future in mind because there have been a lot of “if the series continues” statements in the last month or so. Has anything changed with Trespasser’s release? Will the series continue?

Mike: The thing about being part of EA, is something that changes the rules about what you promise. It creates responsibility around communication. It’s one of those things in the future. We haven’t made any statements or made promises we can’t keep with 100% certainty.

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The best part of Trespasser, however, isn’t the combat. It’s not the loot. Trespasser excels in giving players the chance to interact with their companions in a very deeply satisfying way that far outpaces the original campaign or the two previous DLCs. We find out what each has been up to for the last two years. We see them in situations outside of combat and the dire urgency of saving the world (at least at first). The dialog with each one is rich, funny, moving, heart-wrenching and is so well-written that there were times when tears streaked down my face for more than a few reasons. Not only does the group bond with the Inquisitor in meaningful ways, but they reveal how they have grown to fondly care for one another along the way. Trespasser’s writing in all of this is some of the finest ever -- a huge feat given the number of outstanding RPGs Bioware has produced over the years.

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It's not on par with Mass Effect 3's exemplary Citadel, but then it doesn't need to be. Dragon Age's varied protagonists and settings mean the series isn't as suited to fourth-wall breaking sentimentality. It's not as funny, either. Nevertheless, Trespasser is a fitting conclusion to Inquisition—both its highs and its lows.

Trespasser progresses the timeline two years after the events of Inquisition. Divine Victoria—whoever that is based on your choices in the main game—calls for an Exalted Council at the Winter Palace to decide the fate of the Inquisition. Ferelden wants you disbanded, and your armies off their lawn. Orlais seeks to bring you under their direct control. It is heavily implied that this is one political situation you can't easily talk your way out of.

In other words, it's the same setup as used for many of Dragon Age: Inquisition's main missions. More than in any previous Dragon Age, Inquisition's protagonist exists as a political force—albeit one that is regularly called away to stab some demons. Here, too, your negotiations are cut short by the discovery of a dead Qunari soldier in the Palace's grounds. It's decided that, rather than continuing to make snide remarks at high-ranking officials, you should probably figure out how he got there.

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Score: 77/100

A worthy end to Dragon Age: Inquisition. A lengthy quest with a satisfying pay-off makes up for some unimaginative encounters.

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