Made To Wait A Dragon's Age

We don't know much about Bioware's next RPG, reportedly in development for five years now. But we probably think we know a lot about it as, well, their last three games were a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitle bit similar.

Reassuringly, it's the Edmonton lot closing the circle. They've already shed their Star Wars handcuffs by following up KOTOR with Mass Effect, set in their own Roddenberryesque sci-fi universe, and Dragon Age will see 'em finally step out of Dungeons & Dragons' shadow and into their own medieval fantasy world. And about time too - a developer with that much clout shouldn't have to suckle from another man's elf.

So will it be KOTOR with dwarves, or Baldur's Gate IIIish? Bioware say the latter, even claiming this is very much Doing It For The Fans - which would be quite the contrast from the canny populism of KOTOR and Mass Effect.

On Wednesday we'll hopefully get our first clear look at what manner of beast Dragon Age really is, according to Ye Olde Cryptic Website Teaser. If all the talk of dark, gritty storytelling and lasting effects on the world based on player choices rings true, it strikes me this could be 2009's perfect companion/antidote to Diablo III's merry meatheadedness.

So long as they've not used the Mass Effect combat system, anyway. [Shudder].

Edit - some interesting details on the game, carefully scavenged from dev posts over the months, are collected here. Thanks, MasterBoo!