Once again, I'm exploring Dragon Age 4 returning to it's original dark fantasy roots, I've touched on this topic in the past where I discussed the meaning of the dark fantasy genre, and how the Dragon Age franchise has utilized and based their narratives on this genre.
I explored the foundations of Dragon Age: Origins, delving into how the game had been created following this dark fantasy genre, but then further on through the franchise's growth with games like Dragon Age: Inquisition, the genre was no longer being utilized in the same way it once was originally created.
And so today, I'm furthering on with this conversation, plunging into what makes Dragon Age dark in the first place, and how the franchise going forward with the next titles can return to this dark fantasy genre.
I feel that this debate has been sparked once more with the recent news that Dragon Age 4 is taking Shakespearean influence, we've also known for a while that Alexis Kennedy has been confirmed as a freelance writer for Dragon Age 4.
Reportedly his work will involve writing a lot of dark fantasy lore, which I'll touch upon later on, so leaving no stone unturned - Dragon Age 4 Should Return To It's Dark Fantasy Roots.
As a TLDR regarding the meaning of the genre, I like the phrase, dark fantasy is an amalgamation of the horror and fantasy genres. So, what makes Dragon Age dark in particular?
The morally grey choices that subjectively don't have a right or wrong answer.
The Maker-forsaken world, Thedas is a tumultuous setting where the jaded notion of "anything that can go wrong will go horribly wrong."
The plot devices and themes that surround the narrative like violence, slavery, poverty, abuse of power, religious intolerance, demonic possession, etc.
The blood, gore and graphic scenes of murder and chaos.
The disturb creatures, demons, spirits and other sinister supernatural creatures that play a part in the surrounding lore of the games.
And The Broodmothers (which I kinda want to romance in Dragon Age 4, #BroodDaw please?)
And so on! You get my point. However, when I mention each of these themes, instantly, you think of Dragon Age: Origins, am I wrong?
This is because we all know that Dragon Age: Origins takes the mantle for being an RPG that truly follows the dark fantasy genre, it's revolutionized the genre not just for the Dragon Age franchise, but for mainstream RPG's too!
Can we really say the same of Dragon Age: Inquisition? Is the game truly dark fantasy? I don't want to delve into the question too much, I feel that strays away from my main topic...
But, even if you look at something so basic as Dragon Age: Origin's colour palette. it's filled with reds, maroons, and a variety of light and dark browns, very overcast colours that represent blood, dirt, death, decay, etc. These colours represent the overhaul mood and theme of the world.
When contrast to Dragon Age: Inquisition's world, can we really say the same? We have particularity nice, bright, high-fantasy colours, showcasing beauty in the world, and barely any signs of depravity and despair.
On the flip-side, Dragon Age: Inquisition leaps at dark elements, the game does feature what I'd call a pretty dark romance with the betrayal of Solas, as he decides to end the relationship, now it's not as severe as killing a 10 old kid, or slitting his mum's neck open, however, it is tragic and that's something I see will go forward with the narrative and theme of Dragon Age 4.
Y'see, Dragon Age: Origins set a standard with it's horror elements and high fantasy genre, and then The Witcher 3 came along and trumped it, it'll only make sense for Dragon Age 4 to reclaim that.
Something that's going to be huge going forward for the Dragon Age franchise that we can work out right now at it's current development level, is the game's inspiration and what that may convey for the narrative.
For instance, Dragon Age: Origins clearly took inspiration from the likes of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and the real-life historical event, The War of Roses. You can see each reference and inspiration plentiful within Dragon Age: Origins, like the White Walkers and the Darkspawn, Jon Snow is basically Alistair, etc.
And so, with Dragon Age 4, as I discussed within my latest "Tevinter of our Discontent" video, the game is directly taking inspiration from Richard III and the War of Roses, truly a tragic turn of events. So, again, the theme of tragedy is something that I see will be huge in Dragon Age 4 has a motivation and plot device.
So, will Dragon Age 4's Shakespearean inspiration revert the franchise back to it's iconic genre? I certainly think so, and with, how will Dragon Age 4 double down on dark fantasy and tragic themes then?
Well guys, remember we are going to the Tevinter Imperium, the very home to slavery, chaotic magic, racism, cults, left and right political agendas, magisters, mayhem and an abundance of dark, disturbed themes.
Dragon Age 4 should reclaim it's roots simply upon entry into the Tevinter Imperium, but if that's not enough, well we have Alexis Kennedy writing a whole bunch of gothic shenanigans going in and on around Thedas.
He spoke in this in an interview, saying that:
"I'm just a big old goth. And BioWare put me on working on a whole chunk of lore and backstory for the faction in the game that you would think of if you were thinking big old goth. You know, if you were interested in death.'
So, I'm thinking some crazy Dragon Cult, the Mortalitasi, heck, even the Magisterium. This opens the doors to plenty of speculation and dark fantasy roots!
Alexis is apparently incredible at writing narratives surrounding death and departure because of his own personal experience with it first hand, so if you needed anymore encouragement for Dragon Age 4 to return to it's gothic teen phase, well guys now we have it.