Very few fantasy RPG series are as iconic as the Dragon Age series. These games have been capturing the hearts of gamers all over the world since 2009, and with Dragon Age: Dreadwolf still on the horizon, that popularity isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.
For those who are new to the Dragon Age fandom, however, it can be tough to know which games to start with. If you’re new to Dragon Age and aren’t sure which game you should play first, you’re in luck! Keep reading to find out how to play all of the Dragon Age games in order!
How to Play all of the Dragon Age Games in Order
There are three main Dragon Age games that have been released, with a fourth one currently still in development. The three main games that have been released so far are Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. You can play them in any order you want, but this is the best chronological order to play the Dragon Age games in:
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins, as original games often are, is arguably the most popular game in the series. This game is the first in the Dragon Age series, it was released in 2009 and is currently available on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. This game focuses more on the story than on combat (unlike some of the other Dragon Age games), and it does an excellent job of introducing the characters and political climate of Thedas, which will be important in future games.
Dragon Age: Origins only has one expansion pack: the Awakening DLC. This DLC is massive, so even though it’s the only one, it still gives you a lot of new content. Playing the DLC after you finish the main game is recommended before moving on to the next Dragon Age game (the DLC isn’t essential to the story, but it expands the narratives of certain characters and places that will be relevant in future games).
Dragon Age II
Dragon Age II received extremely good reviews when it was released, and there are many fans who maintain Dragon Age II as their favorite game in the series. Dragon Age II was released in 2011 and is currently available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. This game was released as a direct sequel to Dragon Age: Origins, so it’s best to play this one right after the first game. This game is still as heavily story-based as the first game, but it does offer a better, more responsive combat system than Dragon Age: Origins.
Dragon Age II features three expansion packs: Mark of the Assassin, The Exiled Prince, and Legacy. All three of these DLCs are fantastic and help build on individual characters’ narratives, but should be started/played in this order to get the best experience: The Exiled Prince, Legacy, and then Mark of the Assassin.
Related: How to Play the Resident Evil Games in Order
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition came out in 2014 and is the latest game in the series. This game’s reviews weren’t as stellar as Dragon Age: Origin’s or Dragon Age II’s reviews, but it was still met with an overwhelming amount of praise and it remains one of the most well-known Dragon Age games on the market. Dragon Age: Inquisition is currently available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC. This game is massive; Dragon Age: Inquisition is much larger than any of the previous games (including DLC) and has been compared in size to Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls V.
In addition to being much larger than its predecessors, Dragon Age: Inquisition also has three massive DLCs, which are also much larger and more in-depth than the DLCs of previous games (because apparently the main game just wasn’t big enough on its own). The three DLCs that were released for Dragon Age: Inquisition are: Trespasser, Jaws of Hakkon, and The Descent. For the best DLC experience, you should start these DLCs in this order: The Descent, Jaws of Hakkon, and then Trespasser.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is the fourth game in the series and is currently still in development. It’s expected to be released sometime in 2023, and if its trailers are anything to go by, it’s going to be huge. Fans are expecting this game to be just as big, if not bigger, than Dragon Age: Inquisition.
There have also been rumors that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will contain an online multiplayer feature, which is something that no other Dragon Age game has ever had before! Keep up with Gamer Journalist for all new updates regarding Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s release!
The Dragon Age fandom has always been huge, but it’s only going to get bigger once Dragon Age: Dreadwolf releases. You should definitely play the rest of the games before Dreadwolf releases in 2023, so you’ll know what to expect in the new game!
If you love playing the Dragon Age games and would love to play more games like them, try playing Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls V or God of War Ragnarok.
