Metareview: Dragon Age: Inquisition

Yeah, we know. "Nobody expects the Dragon Age: Inquisition" and all that. News Content Director Alexander Sliwinski gave the game five stars, explaining that Dragon Age: Inquisition is "BioWare's reaffirmation of what it's capable of delivering," and that players in it "aren't just exploring a new world, but helping shape it at various levels of society. Inquisition sets the bar for what a blockbuster RPG should be."

Other critics around the web were largely impressed by Dragon Age: Inquisition as well. Head past the break for a glimpse at other reviews. BioWare's latest will arrive on Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC next Tuesday, November 18. A six-hour trial of the game will reach Xbox One's EA Access service on Thursday.

• Game Informer (9.5/10): "Inquisition is not defined by the traditions it returns to, but by the new directions it forges for this magnificent fantasy universe."

• GameSpot (9/10): "Dragon Age: Inquisition is a wonderful game and a lengthy pilgrimage to a magical world with vital thematic ties to one we already know."

• IGN (8.8/10): "It's a surprisingly huge, dense world, and I soon realized there were still entire sandboxes I hadn't even set foot in. Even in my hundredth hour, I'm still discovering. Despite its less than compelling plot, I still want to go back to explore and fight through every nook and cranny of Dragon Age: Inquisition, until every dragon's skull is mounted on my wall."

• GamesBeat (87/100): "What BioWare has done better than most in the past is just as smooth and well-tended here. Characters are well-realized beings of desires and complications. The world of Thedas is an inviting glimpse into complicated fantasy, now with that new-generation gleam and polish."

• GamesRadar (4/5): "Multiplayer foibles aside, Dragon Age: Inquisition is a robust and immensely enjoyable game with hours upon hours worth of quests to explore. It smartly expands upon almost every aspect of its predecessor, creating an engrossing experience that lets you emulate some of the power and prestige of being a war general."

[Image: Electronic Arts]