I’ve solely been into Dragon Age for four-ish years now, however even I do know simply how determined the fandom is for any and all new drips of story. It’s been a protracted drought since 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition, so a six-episode animated Netflix collection is an absolute feast.
However on the similar time, Dragon Age: Absolution is barely something. But, it’s one thing. But, but, it’s additionally not a lot to go off of. But, but, but, it nonetheless manages to pack in plenty of what makes Dragon Age so compelling. Yetttttttt it’s solely six half-hour episodes! Argh! Mainly, the collection is simply as irritating as each teeny tiny bit of latest Dragon Age content material, and nonetheless, I am keen on it. Will it have an effect on the following sport in any means? A part of me hopes not — although I do need to see these characters once more. Right here’s why.
[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for the Dragon Age games and some light setup spoilers for Dragon Age: Absolution.]
Dragon Age: Absolution follows a bunch of thieves who journey to the magic-dominated nation of Tevinter with a purpose to steal a harmful artifact often known as the Circulum Infinitus. Elf murderer Miriam (Kimberly Brooks) is roped into this mission by her former lover Hira (Sumalee Montano), a passionate mage working for the Inquisition (the titular group within the 2014 Dragon Age sport — the franchise’s most up-to-date entry — which, relying on the participant’s resolution, could or is probably not disbanded; we’ll get to that in a sec). Miriam is a runaway slave from Tevinter, reluctant to return, however Hira tells her that after this mission, they’ll go on to reside a peaceable life collectively. Becoming a member of the 2 of them are Fairbanks (Matthew Mercer), a minor character from the sport and an Inquisition agent; human mercenary Roland (Phil LaMarr); plucky Qunari mage Qwydion (Ashly Burch); and grumpy dwarf Lacklon (Keston John).
Whereas the crew plots their heist, Tevinter magister Rezaren (Josh Keaton) makes an attempt to unlock the secrets and techniques of the Circulum, satisfied that after he figures out easy methods to deliver again the useless with it, all his issues will probably be solved. His loyal Knight-Commander Tassia (Zehra Fazal), nonetheless, worries that he’ll go too far on his mission. This all involves a head when the gang of thieves unintentionally triggers an elaborate safety system, trapping everybody contained in the partitions of a palace — and because it seems, a couple of of the thieves have a extra private connection to the mission than initially revealed. Even with the heist and the Circulum driving many of the plot, the present focuses on these eight characters and their relationships, and by doing so, it makes essentially the most out of what it is ready to do given the video games’ player-driven parameters.
From the get-go, Dragon Age: Absolution is working in a curiously restricted framework. There may be solely a lot it could actually do this received’t drastically change the world within the setup for the following sport, or make assumptions in regards to the decisions the gamers made within the earlier video games. The present brings us to Tevinter — the extremely anticipated setting of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf — however retains the characters confined just about to a single palace, for the reason that massive reveal of the better world is greatest left for the sport itself. Favourite characters from the video games solely make cameos and different transient appearances, as a result of their final fates depend upon participant selections.
Hell, even the very existence of the Inquisition will depend on whether or not or not the participant dismantled the group on the finish of the final sport’s closing enlargement. Hira mentions that this mission got here from proper earlier than the Inquisition disbanded, which appears to reply that considerably, however the characters nonetheless reference bringing the artifact again to what’s left of the group — when the characters speak in regards to the Inquisitor, they maintain it very generic, so acquainted viewers can image their very own participant character. It’s simply sufficient to string viewers alongside, however not sufficient to really be satisfying. That’s most likely for the higher, although, contemplating that this animated present isn’t the franchise’s principal medium. With one hand tied behind its again, the present does what it could actually.
The very coronary heart of Dragon Age — the element that makes it so compelling to followers in spite of everything these years — isn’t essentially the lore or the plot, however the characters and their relationships. The characters in Absolution are dynamic, leaping off the display screen with stellar animation and very good voice appearing. Qwydion particularly is a delight; Burch’s appearing makes her bubbly and bouncy, however succesful. Her animated expressions are particularly great. As Rezaren, Keaton infuses his vocal efficiency with the right mix of attraction and cruelty. It’s clear he’s the unhealthy man, however there’s one thing about him so compelling that I simply hoped he’d have a turnaround.
However whereas the characters are individually pleasant, it’s their relationships with each other that seal the deal. BioWare video games are well-known for his or her relationship programs, the place gamers earn or lose approval with characters relying on their actions — and generally even romance them. The present can’t fairly do this with out participant enter, however the writers acknowledge that romance and friendship are large components of why folks love these video games. Probably the most pivotal relationship is the difficult romance between Miriam and Hira, however they’re not the one ones flirting and smooching. Easy-talking Roland flirts with the flustered and gruff Lacklon. Tassia and Rezaren have the sort of loyal, bittersweet romance between a frontrunner and their proper hand that may by no means be absolutely realized. The romance isn’t all, although — there are poisonous household relationships; burgeoning friendships; a way of discovered household by way of this plucky crew of criminals; after which, as is the essence of so many Dragon Age video games, there may be betrayal.
It’s the whole lot you may need from a Dragon Age story — and it largely works as a result of the majority of the present focuses simply on these characters on this specific second in time. A part of the rationale I discover the video games so compelling is that particular decisions I make have ripple results down the road. The Dragon Age franchise has plenty of supplementary comics and books that dive into NPC backstories and whatnot, so that is completely not the primary time the world has been explored with out that participant enter. However it’s the first time this has been finished on this extra accessible tv format, which provides newer followers a means into the franchise, teasing what makes it particular with out altering an excessive amount of.
There are threads in Absolution that might come again in future Dragon Age tasks. A part of me desires them to; these characters and their relationships are so vivid. However a part of me doesn’t, as a result of I don’t know what that’ll imply for my very own playthrough of the fourth sport. I’m torn. There’s a distinction between a present like Arcane or Castlevania, which broaden on the lore of a sport that’s already just about set in stone, and Absolution, which expands on a sport the place a lot of what occurs depends on what you do as a participant. It’s a difficult stability, however Absolution pulls off what it could actually by centering the story on one particular group of individuals finishing one particular job. The ending hints at an even bigger influence, one which makes me barely uneasy as a participant, however in the end does intrigue me as a fan.
Dragon Age: Absolution season 1 is out now on Netflix.