Dragon Age: Inquisition is an action role-playing game similar to its predecessors. At the beginning of the game, the player chooses a race for their player character: human, dwarf, elf, or Qunari, a playable race for the first time in the series.[1] Players customize the Inquisitor's physical appearance and gender, among other things.[2] Players can access a cloud-based online interactive story creator called Dragon Age Keep, and detail the major plots of the previous two Dragon Age games and import a world state in Inquisition without requiring replay of the initial games.[3]
The game has a semi-open world structure, as the world is broken up into several sections, which players can freely explore.[4] To allow players to navigate the game's world faster, mounts, creatures players can ride, are introduced.[5] The various regions that make up the game world do not scale in level, meaning players can be too weak or strong for the enemies found in a region.[6] In each hub world, players can complete side activities such as sealing Fade rifts and capturing keeps or forts, and establishing camps, which are used to provide fast travel and resupply points.[7] Performing these acts will grant players resource points in Influence, which can be used to unlock global upgrades for the Inquisition (called Inquisition perks), and Power, which is required for progressing the story and unlocking new areas.[8] In addition, the player can complete side missions, fetch quests, collect magical shards,[9] and solve Astrarium puzzles.[10] Players can also collect codex entries, allowing them to have a deeper understanding about the world of Thedas.[11] At Skyhold, the Inquisition's base of operations, players can access the war table to unlock locations, receive rewards, gain influence and/or progress the story. As the Inquisitor, players deploy agents and troops of the Inquisition to complete various text-based operations through their primary advisors, which influences the rewards and time requirements of the effort undertaken.[12]
In Inquisition, players can interact with numerous non-playable characters, some of whom can be recruited as agents for the Inquisition.[13] A dialogue wheel offers several dialogue options for the player to select.[14] Depending on the Inquisitor's race and class, additional dialogue options are available for players to select.[15] Throughout the game, the Inquisitor needs to make important decisions that might change the state of Thedas and have long-lasting consequences.[16] Companions will sometimes approve or disapprove of the Inquisitor's decision.[17] At Skyhold, the Inquisitor can talk to their companions and learn more about their backstory, and initiate their personal quests.[18] Among the nine companions, who assist players in battle and three advisors, eight can be romanced. Some of these party members can decide whether to fall in love with the Inquisitor based on their gender and race.[19] In addition, the Inquisitor can "judge" certain people on their actions and decide their fate at Skyhold.[20]
