Capcom’s Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is out next month on 6th September 2024 and if you’re looking for a reason to pre-order it, the prosecutor Miles Edgeworth has put forth a strong case.
Players who pre-order the game now will get the bonus of “5 arranged tracks from the second game, “Prosecutor’s Gambit”, that you can use in-game”. Detective Gumshoe has no objections and suggests “we’ve gotta buy it right now”.
“I’ll see you all again at the closing ceremonies”.
The 2024 Pokémon World Championships is currently taking place and it’s been confirmed there will be some Pokémon game news shared at the end of the weekend.
The Dragon Age is an era in the history of Thedas, specifically one where nobody on the continent could seem to catch a break. Each mainline game in Bioware’s fantasy RPG series introduces a new character facing (mostly) new threats, while DLCs, novels, and comics expand on this sprawling world and, of course, its beloved characters. From the Chantry’s tales of Andraste to the darkness of the Deep Roads, Dragon Age is a franchise you can’t help but lose yourself in.
I’m not going to lie to you: each mainline Dragon Age game takes place pretty much immediately after the last one. Still, maybe you’re trying to figure out what order to play the DLCs in. Most likely, you’re planning a refresher before The Veilguard drops. Or, maybe, you’re as insane as I am and want to find every possible sprawling lore tidbit about this series.
So, for those in the latter group, here’s every Dragon Age game (and DLC, book, comic, movie, and series), in timeline order, where applicable, using Thedas’s own calendar system. You can also jump to specific lists in release order below.
How Many Dragon Age Games Are There?
There are 3 mainline Dragon Age games, with a fourth game releasing this Halloween. Origins has 8 DLCs, DA: II has 4 DLCs, and Inquisition has 4 DLCs. The discontinued mobile game Heroes of Dragon Age and the flash games Dragon Age Legends and Dragon Age Journeys are not included on this list.
In addition to the games, there’s 9 comic series, 7 novels, 17 short stories, an animated movie, an animated series, and two mini-series in the Dragon Age universe. I will not be including the notedly non-canon comics from IDW Publishing.
Also, because they exist as “compendiums” outside of specific narratives, The World of Thedas Vol. 1 (released before Dragon Age II) and Vol. 2 (released before Dragon Age: Inquisition) aren’t on this list, but in my personal opinion they’re probably some of the best sources of deep-dive Thedas lore outside of this timeline.
Which Dragon Age Game Should You Play First?
If you’re just looking to pick up a new RPG, or only have time to get through one game before Veilguard, you can stick with the most recent release. Dragon Age: Inquisition has the most accessible gameplay and it actually runs on PC and new-gen consoles. It’s also the only open world game in the series.
For the full “Dragon Age experience,” you’re going to have to play Origins at some point. The impact of the player’s choices in previous games is a selling point of Dragon Age, and there’s something especially satisfying about playing through the consequences of your own actions, meeting characters and shaping conflicts that carry significance throughout the series. So yeah, it runs terribly on PC, but with the right settings (and maybe some mods), it’s worth looking past some less than stimulating mechanics to experience a narrative-driven fantasy RPG at its best.
What About All That Other Stuff?
Because a major feature of the games is impactful decision-making, a “Bioware canon” exists for media outside of the games. A lot of this stuff is great for understanding more about important characters and scratching the Thedas lore itch, but that’s my word of caution for anyone particularly attached to their own in-game outcomes. In general, I’d recommend reading whatever is “connected” to the DA games and characters you like most. That said, if you’re going to read anything to set you up for Veilguard, I’d recommend the most recent comic, The Missing.
The Complete Dragon Age Timeline, Explained
If you’re trying to “start at the beginning” of Dragon Age, you should start with Origins and then loop back to these. But, for the sake of timeline accuracy, these technically take place before any mainline Dragon Age game.
*Warning: While I tried my best to keep this list free of major spoilers, there are mentions of some characters and conflicts that re-appear across the series
The Stolen Throne & The Calling (Novels)
[8:96-9:00] & [9:10–9:11]
Two novels take place before Origins, both penned by Origins’ lead writer, David Gaider. The Stolen Throne begins when the Queen of Fereldan, Moira Theirin, is murdered in 8:96. Her son, Maric, works with Loghain Mac Tir to find those responsible while also grappling with an invasion from the neighboring nation of Orlais. The Calling picks up about a decade after the events of Stolen Throne, but continues to focus on Maric with appearances from a certain young Grey Warden.
Dawn of the Seeker (Animated Movie)
[9:22]
After the release of Dragon Age II, Bioware tried out animated movie-making. In collaboration with FUNimation, Dawn of the Seeker is an origin story for Cassandra Pentaghast, a character in Dragon Age II and companion in Inquisition. The movie follows Cassandra in the land of Ferelden’s neighbor, Orlais, and explores her path to becoming Seeker.
Leliana’s Song (Origins DLC)
[9:28]
As the name suggests, this Origins DLC explores the backstory of Leliana, a main companion in Origins who returns as an advisor in Inquisition.
Dragon Age: Origins (Game)
[9:30]
The game that started it all. After a prologue sequence defined by the selection of one of six character backgrounds, the player is recruited into a noble guild of warriors tasked with battling haunted humanoid creatures called Darkspawn. As one of the last Grey Wardens, the player must travel across Ferelden, navigating complex political machinations to build an army that can take on the greatest Darkspawn threat.
All of DA:O takes place within one year. While certain questlines can feel like a royal pain 15 years after release, the writing of our first exposure to Thedas (and how much control the player has over it) makes this dark and tactical action RPG my favorite game of all time.
*Stone Prisoner, Warden’s Keep, The Darkspawn Chronicles, and Return to Ostagar are all DLC’s that add questlines and additional content to the main campaign.
Warden’s Fall (Mini-Series)
This Machinima-made mini-series links Origins to Awakening. Each part is only about 5 minutes, so you can watch the full thing in about 30.
Awakening (Origins DLC)
[~9:31]
Awakening is pretty much a full expansion to Dragon Age: Origins, picking up about 6 months after the first game with almost 20 hours of additional content. Due to some Dragon Age II decisions, the “canon-ness” of this expansion’s place on the timeline is a little dubious, but I personally think it has one of the most compelling stories in the series that’s still worth playing through.
Golems of Amgarrak (Origins DLC)
This DLC chronologically takes place after Awakening. I don’t have too much to say about it other than, compared to the base game, it’s a lot more challenging.
Witch Hunt (Origins DLC)
[9:32]
The last Origins DLC to be released, Witch Hunt checks up on what Origins companion Morrigan is up to a couple years after the first game’s conclusion (technically after the start of Dragon Age II, but I’d still play this after Origins first). Without too many spoilers, I’d argue this is the most important Origins DLC for the rest of the Dragon Age series.
Dragon Age II Short Stories
Before DA:2
Dragon Age II inaugurated the “short story” tradition for DA games, starting with “prequel” short stories for each of the seven main companions. I’m sticking the collection here for simplicity, but each story takes place at various points before the start of DA2. You can read them all online here.
Dragon Age II (Game)
[Prologue: 9:30 Acts 1-3: 9:31-37]
During the Fifth Blight, the Hawke family is caught up in the wave of refugees forced to abandon their homes in Ferelden. After battling Darkspawn (and encountering a certain witch/dragon/icon), the player winds up at the gates of Kirkwall, seeking refuge for their family. Over the course of 10 years, Hawke gets roped into all sorts of chaos above and below ground while trying to survive and, dare I say, thrive, in the “sh**hole” that is Kirkwall.
Timeline-wise, the opening sequence of Dragon Age II takes place during the Blight of DA:O, but Acts 1 through 3 take you from 9:31 to 9:37. Yeah, this one’s got a lot going on. And while Dragon Age II was a notoriously rushed production, this odyssey of a game dives deeper into the political intrigue of Thedas, expanding on the Qunari as well as the dynamic between mages and Templars that continues to be at the forefront of the Dragon Age series.
*Exiled Prince, Mark of the Assassin, The Black Emporium, and Legacy are all DLC’s that add questlines and additional content to the main campaign, though Legacy does explore Hawke’s past.
Dragon Age: Redemption (Short Series)
[~9:31]
While released as a tie-in to the Mark of the Assassin DLC for Dragon Age II, this short series from Felicia Day introduces her character, Tallis, and takes place at some point before the end of Dragon Age II: Act 1.
The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep (Comics)
[~9:38-9:40]
There aren’t any Dragon Age II DLCs that take place after the base game, but DA: II did lead to the start of the canon “Dragon Age” comics. First up in release and timeline order was The Silent Grove, a six-issue comic series that follows Alistair, accompanied by Isabela and Varric, as he heads to Antiva to investigate what happened to a certain Fereldan King. Those Who Speak picks up where The Silent Grove leaves off, expanding on the backstory of Alistair, in particular. Until We Sleep concludes this particular comic series with three final issues, which, on top of showing more of the Tevinter Imperium, also provide particular insight into Dragon Age’s pseudo-narrator, Varric Tethras.
Asunder (Novel)
[9:40]
The third Dragon Age novel and the final one to be penned by David Gaider, Asunder explains the origins of the Mage-Templar War that, despite climaxing in Inquisition, aren’t really explained in-game. The novel specifically addresses what happens to the Seekers, the Circle of Magi, and the Templars after Dragon Age II but before Inquisition.
The Masked Empire (Novel)
[9:40]
The Masked Empire is another direct tie-in novel for setting up Inquisition, bringing the reader to Orlais and setting up the political dynamics between the Empress and her rivals that ultimately lead to my personal favorite questline in Inquisition.
The Last Flight (Novel)
[9:41 & ~5:12-5:20]
This one is tough because it technically follows two timelines: one in 9:41, and the other way back in the Exalted Age during the Fourth Blight. Because I wouldn’t recommend anyone start their Dragon Age experience with this novel, I’m placing it here, but yes, to be clear, this Grey Warden-based novel also extends back the farthest of any Dragon Age media listed.
Dragon Age: Inquisition Short Stories
Before DA: I
Instead of short stories based on companions, Bioware released three stories about other side characters that are significant in Inquisition. Paper & Steel, Paying the Ferryman, and the Riddle of Truth were all released alongside the World of Thedas Vol. 2 and take place between DA2 and Inquisition. You can read all three of them here.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Game)
[9:41-9:42]
The most recent mainline DA game begins at the height of tensions between mages and Templars, when an explosion during peace talks at the Chantry has disastrous consequences for the institutions keeping Thedas together. This explosion turns out to be a tear in the Fade, and the player assumes the role of an Inquisitor who is the only one equipped to stop the demons and spirits emerging from the breach from taking over.
In a return to the form of Origins, DA: I has the player battling an immediate, civilization-ending threat, so the narrative is significantly less sprawling than Dragon Age II. DA: I also brought back the choice of different character backgrounds that influence how the player is treated in and by the world of Thedas (which, notably, now features both Ferelden and Orlais). While a little less tactical than previous DA games, Inquisition’s killer story and expansive world still made it our Game of the Year for 2014.
*Jaws of Hakkon and The Descent are DLCs that can be played after finishing Inquisition, but I consider it a player decision how these fit into the timeline.
Magekiller (Comic)
[9:41-42]
This five-issue comic follows Marius and Tessa, blood mage hunters, during the Inquisition. While the comic technically starts before Inquisition, most of the storyline intertwines with the events of the game, so it makes more sense to read this after playing.
Dragon Age: Trespasser (Inquisition DLC)
[9:44]
Similar to Awakening, this Inquisition DLC adds a decent amount of content, and is also probably the most important thing on this list outside of mainline games in terms of setting up Veilguard. Several years after Inquisition ends, this expansion has the Inquisitor investigate who really kicked off the events that tore open the Fade. If you play through Inquisition, you better make it through Trespasser.
The Knight Errant (Comic)
[~9:44]
The Knight Errant follows an elven squire who heads to Kirkwall for the appointment of a new Viscount, and like anyone who goes to that forsaken city, gets caught up in a much larger mess. It’s not super clear when this five-issue comic is set, but with characters from the Inquisition assuming new roles in Thedas, my guess is during or right after Trespasser.
Dragon Age: Absolution (TV Series)
[~9:44]
Bioware collaborated with Korean animation company Red Dog Culture House for this six-episode Netflix series. With some entirely new characters (Matt Mercer may be involved), alongside some Dragon Age staples, we noted in our review this show might be a little hard to access without some previous DA experience, but it’s still a pretty fun ride. Based on some references to both Inquisition and Trespasser, I’m placing this Tevinter-based series toward the end of our list.
Deception, Blue Wraith, and Dark Fortress (Comics)
[9:40-9:45]
Combined into an anthology called The Wraiths of Tevinter, these three comic series all (for the most part) take place after Trespasser and, as the title would suggest, in the Tevinter Imperium. Funny enough, that’s also where the next game is set, so it’s more than likely these post-Inquisition comics are setting up some characters and conflicts we’ll see more of.
Deception starts this collection off with a new character’s schemes in the city of Ventus, which is being threatened by a Qunari invasion. Over three issues, the comic has appearances from the Tevinter-based companions of previous games and expands on the role of the Venatori.
For those of you who crave more of a certain angsty, white-haired elf from Dragon Age II, these next ones are for you. Blue Wraith starts around 9:40, but quickly timeskips to pick up in 9:44-45 as the conflict continues to broil between Tevinter and the Qunari. Dark Fortress is a pretty direct follow-up to Blue Wraith, with all three issues playing out over 9:45.
Tevinter Nights (Novel/Anthology)
[9:44-9:45]
As an anthology of short stories, it’s a bit challenging to pinpoint an exact place on this timeline for Tevinter Nights. Many of the stories overlap with the Tevinter-based comics above, making it a matter of personal preference (in my opinion) which you start with. Of note, some of the characters that first appeared in these stories have been revealed as main companions for Veilguard.
The Missing (Comic)
[9:45]
The most recent piece of released canon Dragon Age media, The Missing is a four issue comic series where Varric and everyone’s favorite scout attempt to track down an old friend from Inquisition. This one is, by all indications, a pretty direct tie-in for The Veilguard, so if you’re going to pick up any physical Dragon Age reading before the new game, it should probably be this (but make sure you play Inquisition and Trespasser first).
Dragon Age Day Short Stories
Before DA:TV
Like the rest of the short stories on this list, these snippets jump around timeline-wise. But let’s cut to the chase: these are already categorized as “Veilguard” short stories on EA’s website, and a couple of them feature known Veilguard companions. Seven of these stories have been published over 2020-2023, and you can find them all here.
BONUS: Hard in Hightown (Novella)
Dragon Age II and Inquisition companion Varric Tethras is an author, made famous in particular for his novel, Hard in Hightown. While you can collect parts of the novel in Codex-form across Inquisition, you can also read the full novella (with illustrations) as an eBook. It’s fiction within fiction, so no real timeline relevance, but hey, it’s fun.
Dragon Age Media in Release Order
Dragon Age Games + DLCs in Release Order:
Dragon Age: Origins: Nov 2009
Awakening: March 2010
Leliana’s Song: July 2010
Golems of Amgarrak: August 2010
Witch Hunt: Sept 2010
Dragon Age II: March 2011
Exiled Prince: March 2011
The Black Emporium: March 2011
Legacy: July 2011
Mark of the Assassin: October 2011
Dragon Age: Inquisition: November 2014
Jaws of Hakkon: March 2015
The Black Emporium: May 2015
The Descent: August 2015
Trespasser: September 2015
Dragon Age Novels in Release Order:
The Stolen Throne: March 2009
The Calling: October 2009
Asunder: Dec 2011
The Masked Empire: April 2014
Last Flight: September 2014
Tevinter Nights: March 2020
Dragon Age Comics in Digital Release Order:
The Silent Grove: Feb-May 2012
Those Who Speak: Aug-Nov 2012
Until We Sleep: March-May 2013
Magekiller: Dec 2015-April 2016
Knight Errant: May-Sept 2017
Deception: Oct-Dec 2018
Blue Wraith: Jan-March 2020
Dark Fortress: March-May 2021
The Missing: Jan-May 2023
What’s Next for Dragon Age?
15 years since Origins and 10 years since Inquisition, I wasn’t sure if we’d see another Dragon Age game. But then, all of a sudden, in early 2024, The Veilguard (previously known as Dreadwolf) was announced as a release coming later this year. Not often you see that in gaming anymore. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to release on October 31, with pre-orders available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S | X.
Video game movie fever continues unabated, with obscure Sega fighting game series Eternal Champions the latest to get its own live-action film.
Originally released in 1993, Eternal Champions was Sega’s answer to the popularity of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. It was heavily hyped for its graphics and enjoyed strong sales, even receiving a sequel on the Sega CD, but it was ultimately axed because Sega reportedly wanted to focus on promoting Virtual Fighter in the U.S.
Since then, Eternal Champions has fallen into obscurity as the publisher (and the world) has largely moved on. Now though, it’s getting its own movie.
According to THR, Jurassic World writer Derek Connolly is set to pen a live-action version of Eternal Champions for Skydance. Toru Nakahara, who oversees the Sonic movies, will act as one of the film’s producers. Not much is known for the plot, but it will presumably follow that of the game, which sees a god-like Eternal Champion try to restore balance to the world with a martial arts tournament featuring characters drawn from throughout history.
Some of its numerous heroes include Dawson, a sherriff from the American Wild West, a pirate named Riptide, and a chicken from Vietnam named Crispy. It will presumably try to capture some of the appeal of the Mortal Kombat films, which draw from a similar time period in gaming history and remain nostalgic favorites.
Aside from Eternal Champions, other games getting their own movies include The Legend of Zelda, Death Stranding, and Until Dawn, among others. Releases like Sega’s own Sonic movies have been a financial boon for Hollywood, but the trend is not without its risks. Borderlands, which released last week, was critically panned and a major bust at the box office.
We’ll see how Eternal Champions does when it eventually makes its way to theatres. It does not yet have a release date.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Summer Spotlight: Celebrating the More Than 200 New Games Released on Xbox This Season
Meredith Ingersoll, Xbox Games Marketing
Summer may be starting to cool down but that doesn’t mean we’re done celebrating all the amazing games launched this season on console and PC.
There have been more than 200 games launched this summer like Pizza Bar Tycoon, Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse, Just Crow Things, and the releases just keep on coming – with many having launched day one with Game Pass!
We’re highlighted a few of the more recently released titles for you below, and a few that are on the way, so be sure to check back every Tuesday on your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC to see the latest summer releases as we head into fall.
Pizza Bar Tycoon – Lookout! This pizzeria will soon become the talk of the town! Well… at least that’s the plan. Your customers are already queuing up, so you’ll have to serve them as quickly as possible. However, that’s easier said than done! Everyone’s in a hurry and you’ll have to prepare each order correctly, or else your customers are going to get crossed! Give it your all and you’ll come out on top!
Sam & Max: The Devils Playhouse – The final game in Telltale’s Sam & Max trilogy, beautifully remastered! Explore odd locales, meet eccentric characters, and solve brain-tickling puzzles in this bizarre paranormal adventure with a surprise around every corner. Jump into Max’s brain and use the Toys of Power to see the future, teleport, and read minds.
Just Crow Things – You’re a little crow trying to prove herself to the world. Make new animal friends, poop on unsuspecting hoomans, and steal all the shiny trinkets! Each level is a little sandbox full of fun items to discover and puzzles to solve, while leaving a bit of chaos behind. Why? Just caws!
Here are a few titles in pre-order that are coming soon:
Visions of Mana– A new adventure begins in Visions of Mana – the first mainline title in the Mana series in over 15 years! Immerse yourself in the vibrant graphics of this beautiful world, where the powers of nature blend with the elemental aspects of mana to create a rich tapestry of life. Journey through enchanting locations with near-seamless transitions in a semi-open field that’s yours to discover. Brace yourself for fast-paced, multi-dimensional actions in battle to enrich your fighting experience. Use the magic of the Elementals to explore this vast world to your heart’s content!
Casting of Frank Stone– The storytelling prowess of Supermassive Games meets the Dead by Daylight universe in a haunting horror game that won’t soon be forgotten. The shadow of Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, a town forever altered by his violent past. As a group of young friends are about to discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.
Perks for Ultimate Game Pass Members.
MultiVersus – The MultiVersus MVP Pack offers in-game content to further customize and boost your play for subscription members. MVP Pack 2 includes a Legendary Leave me Alone Ringout and an Epic Respects Sticker Emote.
Stampede: Racing Royale– Join the herd in style! Kit out your kart with the Xbox KartCore 3000 Wrap, update your avatar with the Xbox Pic and get a head start with 25,000 coins! This Perk content requires Stampede Racing Royale to use.
The First Descendant– Play a next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant now and claim an exclusive launch edition bundle: Elevate your weapon with a stunning weapon skin and customize your Descendants with vibrant paints and a stylish back accessory!
Newer Games That Launched Day One with Game Pass
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn – The Door to the Great Below has been opened unleashing the Gods and their armies of the Dead. The lands of Kian are besieged, the city of Dawn is on the brink of destruction. It’s time for the Coalition army to fight back. Embrace vengeance, gunpowder and magic as you embark on an epic journey to defeat the Gods, close the door and retake the world. Your battle begins now.
Still Wakes the Deep – Return to the first-person narrative horror genre for The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther. You are an offshore oil rig worker, fighting for your life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.
Palworld – In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them. Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game! In the Sakurajima update you can find new pals, features, and map. The update also introduced Xbox dedicated servers, a new building and level cap, new subspecies, a new raid, faction, boss, and more.
This is just a small taste of the over 200 new games on Xbox this summer. Make sure you check your Xbox console, Store on Windows, and the Xbox app on PC every Tuesday to discover the new titles to play. Perks offers vary by region and game, so make sure you check the Perks gallery on your Xbox console or the Xbox app for more details.
Ubisoft is the latest video game company to be hit with another wave of layoffs.
As first reported by Bloomberg and later independently confirmed by IGN, 45 staff across the Assassin’s Creed publisher’s San Francisco and Cary, North Carolina locations were impacted by layoffs yesterday. Those affected will receive severance and career assistance, though further details about what those offerings include have not been revealed.
“Yesterday Ubisoft San Francisco and Red Storm Entertainment informed their teams of a restructuring that resulted in 45 employees leaving Ubisoft,” a Ubisoft spokesperson said in a statement. “This difficult yet necessary decision was made to align these studios’ organizations with their future business and development objectives. We are committed to providing comprehensive support to those affected, including severance and career assistance, and we thank them for their many contributions to Ubisoft.”
This is the second shift for the Red Storm team this summer, with the first arriving in May when Ubisoft announced that further development on its free-to-play spinoff, Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland, was canceled. At the time, the publisher called the move a “tough call” but would transition those members of the development team to other projects like XDefiant and Rainbow Six. It’s unclear how many members of the Red Storm team were affected by yesterday’s layoffs.
Red Storm’s portfolio includes a number of noteworthy Ubisoft titles from the last few decades, including a number of entries in the Tom Clancy and Far Cry franchises. The studio also recently developed a VR-only title, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, which released last year. Ubisoft’s San Francisco branch developed titles in the Rocksmith series as well as South Park: The Fractured but Whole. It’s currently working on XDefiant and Rocksmith+.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Editor’s Note: Yes, we’ve reviewed a mod! It’s true that this isn’t something IGN normally does, but seeing as Fallout London is a project on a scale that rivals a full game, we’ve made an exception.
It’s easy to see how a long-running series could fall into a rut. As gameplay conventions become increasingly entrenched, lore bloats, and deviation from what fans expect becomes riskier, it creates a lot of inertia in one direction that can be hard to redirect. That’s where something like Fallout London can shine. FOLON, the mod group behind this enormous (and completely free) total conversion for Fallout 4, approached the project with fresh eyes and ideas and no fear of alienating the Fallout faithful. Setting it across the Atlantic, where the America-centric Fallout universe has never officially visited, frees the story from the burden of most of the series’ decades of lore. Sure, a fan-made Fallout lacks the polish and ease of use we expect from a major developer – but it’s not as if Bethesda RPG fans aren’t accustomed to toughing out some technical issues as part of the price of admission to these worlds, and Fallout London is effectively a whole new, fun game that takes the series to a cool new setting.
As big and grand as Fallout London is, it can sometimes be easy to forget that this is a mod and not an official sequel. London itself is massive, around the size of Boston from Fallout 4. It’s also extremely dense with buildings to explore, bandit dens to clear, and all manner of interesting sights to see. In addition to the city, there are separate zones for many of the individual boroughs, each with distinct styles and factions. It may be dirtier and more chaotic, but I can’t help but prefer the punk rock vibes of the Pistols in Camden over the clean but snooty Gentry that inhabit Westminster. That variety in locations does a great job projecting the fact that a city the size of London isn’t a cultural monolith, and visiting one of the areas for the first time and discovering what it’s like is exciting.
I’ve never been to the real London, but the realization of the city matches up to my expectations based on how I’ve seen it portrayed in movies and television. Tight streets with dense residences, interesting shops, and no shortage of pubs form the residential neighborhoods. Iconic landmarks like Big Ben and the Tower Bridge beckon in the distance, and provided me with a strong motivation to reach those areas to see what’s become of them in the post-apocalypse. And who among us hasn’t wanted to sneak around Buckingham Palace at least once or twice? Sure, there’s no Fenway Park, but it does have medieval history, with swords, maces, and armor to go with it – and that’s great. Whether it’s the Capital Wasteland or New Vegas, modern Fallout games are at their best when they let the setting be a starring character, and London has that in spades.
The atmosphere throughout is excellent. Whether it’s the classic Fallout radio stations bringing back the oldies (including some very, very British tunes) or the thick and gloomy rainfall, it’s easy to just stand on a street corner staring at a double-decker bus and feel pulled into Ol’ Blighty, as the current inhabitants call London. I was surprised by how much setting a Fallout game outside of North America made everything seem fresh, despite the now decade-old foundation of Fallout 4 (which, let’s face it, wasn’t exactly on the cutting edge of graphical fidelity in 2015). Small touches, like swapping out the wrist-mounted PipBoy for the handheld Atta-Boy, felt like cute nods and adaptations, while mixing in new fauna like irradiated foxes and badgers broke the routine that came with decades of fighting radscorpions.
Still, this game is clearly built on Fallout 4. If, like me, you enjoy gunplay, sneaking, and V.A.T.S. combat, then know that it does all that and it feels the same. Most of the perks seem lifted straight from Fallout 4, but a few options, like the Numbskull trait that boosts your strength, endurance, and luck at the expense of a very low ceiling on your intelligence, give options for fun new builds. Outside of the aforementioned melee blades and clubs, there isn’t much in the way of weapons that feel distinctly new. There are some neat gimmicky weapons like the Dirty Weldy, which launches enemies into the air, but I found pistols, rifles, and shotguns to be the most universally useful weapons, as usual. The apparel options, while dashingly British, don’t functionally change much. I do like that you can craft upgrades and build settlements just like before, too, if you’re into that sort of thing (which I am).
Again, though, there is a major barrier to entry here. It needs to be understood that you can’t just download Fallout London and jump in. This is a mod, and it requires that you jump through a series of hoops: You will first need Fallout 4 and all of the DLC, then go through a careful step-by-step process to downgrade Fallout 4 to an earlier version (the most recent update broke a lot of FOLON’s work and they haven’t been able to address everything yet), and finally install Fallout London itself. It’s not exactly rocket surgery, but it is much more complex than just pressing the install button, and some scary-looking windows pop up during the process.
Even with a proper install, technical issues are common, and a big enough problem that it can’t be just written off as, “Yup, that sounds like Fallout!” Crashes are all too frequent, and if you aren’t diligent about quicksaving, those can be major progress killers. This can be especially frustrating thanks to load times that are exceptionally long, even with an i9 processor and RTX 3090-powered rig. Every time I loaded a save or fast traveled I was stuck waiting for close to a minute. Given how often you’ll need to do those two things in a playthrough of Fallout London you can expect to stare at that loading screen for quite a while, which is a shame.
So as much as I enjoyed exploring post-apocalyptic London, the looming threat of bugs hung over my head the entire time. Sometimes companions would just disappear, and multiple times quests simply broke, with whatever was supposed to happen at key moments not triggering. Anytime this occurred I was able to find fixes online or in the Fallout London Discord, often involving inputting console commands, but that’s something that not everyone will have the patience or technical know-how for. To its credit, the team at FOLON has continued to work on fixes, and the first big patch has reduced – but not eliminated – the crashes. And if you want to mod your mod, I found that BUFFOUT and the Long Loading Times Fix helped a bit… or they could lead to more problems. That’s the risk of playing with mods.
The story benefits from the clean slate of being outside North America.
Fallout London’s story benefits from the clean slate afforded by being out of North America. The setup is simple: you awaken in a lab and are sent to track down Mr. Smythe, the mysterious person behind whatever led you there, for some answers and/or revenge. The fact that you don’t have to deal with the baggage of the Forced Evolutionary Virus, Super Mutants, Enclave, or Brotherhood of Steel means there are actual surprises and mysteries to uncover, which makes for a compelling and much less predictable story than we’ve seen out of this universe in a long time.
Impressively, there are multiple endings, each with branching paths of their own. The two versions of my ending that I saw after a nearly 40-hour playthrough were as surreal and cinematic as anything I’ve seen in the series, and left me intrigued to see what the other potential conclusions look like. I really enjoyed the story overall, and found uncovering who Mr. Smythe was, and what he was after, to be every bit as interesting as meeting President Eden in Fallout 3, though it lacked the emotional pull of Fallout 4. I particularly enjoyed my time as a Peaky Blinders-esque ruffian with the Vagabonds, and earning the respect of their dirtbag-with-a-heart leader Sebastian Gaunt.
There’s a lot to do, and I could easily invest another 50 hours working through every faction’s story and exploring all the points of interest. My biggest gripe, though, is that a lot of the hours I invested reaching the end, particularly in the middle act, was spent on busywork. As invested as I was in uncovering the truth of what was going on in Ol’ Blighty, the momentum would get stalled for hours at a time as I was sent to deal with problems and missions unrelated to the central plot to progress. At one point, just as I felt like the story was sucking me in, I had to spend the better part of a day literally collecting signatures. I’m all for giving us a lot to do in an open-world RPG, but making those things mandatory is an unnecessary pain and kills the story’s momentum.
The actual mission design is a bit of a roller coaster, with plenty of ups and downs. Much like the vast majority of RPGs, most quests simply send you to a spot to kill stuff, which is fun for a while but eventually gets old. Several really stand out, though: there’s an exciting ferry ride shootout, a battle against waves of ghouls as you wait for some laundry to wash, and more. The best missions include unexpected twists and turns, like one that inserted me into a battle for control over the Roundels, a faction vying for domination over the Hackney area. I backed the candidate I thought was the most pragmatic, with the best interest of the group at heart. What followed was an absolute bloodbath involving an accidental drug overdose, a miniature civil war, and a body count that would look at home in an ‘80s action movie. I didn’t see any of that coming, and it ruled.
The companions who can join you all have fun personality quirks, like Kiera, who has delusions of being a master thief. They have interesting stories of their own, and earning the trust they need to open up is very worthwhile. There’s a great Dogmeat stand-in in the lovable bulldog Churchill, or Archie, if you prefer a street urchin who isn’t much of a fighter, but is great at picking locks for you. There’s a half dozen or so to recruit, and each is fun and weird in their own Fallout way. I appreciate that the companions and NPCs throughout London are well acted and produced. It sounded professional, which helped immerse me in the experience.
The frustrating issue I kept running into, however, was that the layout of paths and objectives within missions was often unclear. For example, one very early section has you exploring an underground lab, and the only path forward is a pitch-black door hidden in shadow, while the lit hallway next to it is a dead end. Another otherwise fun exploration of the Bank of England is derailed by the need to find exceptionally easy-to-miss keys. Both of those were big enough problems that there are entire guides online now explaining what to do. It’s the sort of thing one would hope would be caught and corrected in playtesting, and it’s the one area where Fallout London comes off as amateurish – which is actually praise, since so much of the rest of it could easily pass for the work of a professional studio.
Baroque wilderness-builder Nightingale has not been doing brilliantly since Ed Thorn described the launch early access version as “a numbers grind disguised as a gaslamp survival game”. We had moderately high hopes for it before the early access release – I personally enjoy the fairytale setting, with its pop-up Pucks and magic umbrellas, but I also think I’ve raised enough hovels on procedurally generated maps for one lifetime. Still, I’d quite like it to come good, if only so I can justify op-eds about Lewis Carroll, and I’m somewhat encouraged by what I’ve heard of the game’s forthcoming Realms Rebuilt update.
Toward the beginning of Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion, author Andy Kelly asks a question that, to an outsider, might seem particularly pertinent: why write an entire book about one game? However, to those who have ever held a deep passion for a piece of pop culture, whether it be a film, a book, or a game, there’s an innate sense of understanding right from the start. After all, who hasn’t felt a burning desire to harp on about their favourite game for hours on end to anybody willing to sit down and listen? It’s only natural that when we love something so completely, we want to talk about it.
This, ultimately, is what makes Perfect Organism such a pleasant read; it could only have been written by someone who loves Alien: Isolation from top to toe. I’ve experienced far too many books based on the world of video games that felt like they were written out of some begrudging obligation, but Andy Kelly’s exploration of Creative Assembly’s outstanding survival horror is simply overflowing with love and enthusiasm. As somebody who holds a similar passion for the game and the Alien franchise as a whole, it resonated with me deeply.
Last week, we asked you to dive into your inventory to share essential items from your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
call_me_xavii shares Alan holding the angel lamp light clicker from Alan Wake II.
laya_photo shares a detailed close up of Kratos’ weapons in God of War Ragnarök.
sorathluna shares Jin’s katana blade held out near a butterfly in Ghost of Tsushima.
Valkyrion126 shares Eve holding a master core from Stellar Blade.
RhodWulfLeon shares a close up shot of Aloy’s Focus being used in Horizon Forbidden West.
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Teachers SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on August 21, 2024
Next week, we’re going back to school and shining a light on gaming mentors. Share moments with characters that teach or impart knowledge from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
