Original Dragon Age: Origins Free On Origin

Loads of games are free, you know. Lots of weird and wonderful games of all shapes and sizes made by all sorts of people. Many of them are great, aren't they? But imagine the giddy thrill of receiving for free a game which once cost actual money. How decadent! What a bargain! How could Dragon Age: Origins be free this week? Why? Quick, you better download it before The Man notices his mistake.

This is, of course, the latest freebie from EA's running 'On the House' promotion. They give away freebies to raise brand awareness (you haven't forgotten that Dragon Age: Inquisition is out in November, have you?), build a little good will, and get people using Origin and oh what Bejeweled 3 is free too why didn't anyone tell me get out of my way I need to download this.

Dragon Age came at an interesting point in BioWare's history. Despite a hilarious trailer declaring it "the new shit", it was perhaps their last ye olde style RPG. It arrived when parts of BioWare were looking at making more overtly action-y games, following Mass Effect and the mess that was Jade Empire. While Mass Effect went in interesting directions, Dragon Age 2 proceeded to make a complete hash of its murdering (though I'll still say its slow-burning plot and single-city setting interest me so much more than the 'only you can save the world from this ancient evil' guff in Origins). There sits Dragon Age: Origins, on the cusp of change.