Official Trailer Breakdown for Dragon Age: Inquisition
Watch it on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-gDghEaSiU
Transcript
No talk, just Dragon Age.
On Monday, Bioware released the official trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition during the Microsoft conference, as well as one voiced by the female Inquisitor during the EA conference. For this video, I will be directly addressing the official trailer. At a later time, I will analyze the female Inquisitor.
No further introduction - let's get to it. Thoughts and explanations here are not guaranteed to be correct; however, I try my damned earnest to be as accurate to the lore as humanly possible.
The trailer starts with the Inquisitor on the ground, fully-clad in armor and incapable of standing up. He passes out and is found by two soldiers supposedly part of the Inquisition, indicated by the sun and sword emblem stitched onto their armor. (A few red crystals are scattered while there is fire surrounding the area.)
A bald man comes into focus, who could be the Inquisitor or another character we don't know. Two figures walk in the background, which I will estimate, by strut and shadowing, to be Vivienne and Cassandra.
In the next scene, a shot of what seems to be a torture chamber pops up with Leliana at its center. The room features a cage in the corner, torture devices in the background, skeleton hanging on the right, numerous skulls on the ground, and strange tools on the table. The Tevinter banner hangs in the background, so this may very well be a Venatori base.
Shifting scenes, we see Sera in the Exalted Plains with her bow and arrow, slowly moving towards the previously devastated area. However, the way that she carries herself through this area is interesting, as her hand glides through the foliage and she calmly moves forward.
Now, comes a companion we do not have a name for. Yet. The gentleman who's definitely a mage...and well off, considering the clothes he wears. In the vicinity, the bridge he walks on is supported by chains, hanging over water (as reflected on the right top of the screen). The Veil is strangely present here, as a green tint glows through. Some skeletons hang by the neck with their armor still intact. One specific enemy who hangs those in such a fashion that comes to mind are the Darkspawn, who sometimes did not care to strip their enemies of armor. However, these skeletons are quite bare and indicative of those long gone.
Next scene is one of two things: 1. an area devastated by a Veil tear and is slowly being split apart by the tear. Or 2. a part in the Fade that manifested itself based on what the Inquisitor wants to see or a memory in mind. Nevertheless, the statue of what seems to be Andraste extending her hand, as well as the statue of the hooded figure holding the crown, are the most poignant elements in this area. Well, other than the Orange, Reddish crystal encapsulating the grounded statue and the tree.
A Dragon flying in an area we saw during the gameplay trailer. Or at least similar, though does not have the blue crystal growing along its edges. Further off, we can see a devastated area.
A curious demon wrapped in cloth and has lots and lots of teeth. Distinctively in the Fade, as made known with the buildings, flora, Deep Mushroom, and all its greenness vividly about.
At first when I saw this scene, I thought it was a random attack between two factions. However, there are 7 people shown on this screen. What seems to be a camp with warriors versus mages, kind of similar to the concept art with mages fleeing the templars. (From left to right: warrior with a shield, another warrior, mage with a long staff, an additional warrior, another warrior, and fire-wielding mage.) However, I do want to point out that the warrior behind the fire seems to be wearing an Inquisition emblem, but it's rather blurry. The building in the background's wall is breached, and smoking.
Here, two things come up: the Fear demon in the background floating ominously in the back, and the Inquisitor in painstaking agony due to his hand glowing bright. The bridge that he is on seems to be from the concept art previously released on the Dragon Age twitter, as well.
A very dark area, lighted by the red crystals strung about. The canoes present, however, have the same binding metal pattern on the front and rear, as well as the general shape, of the Red Templar boats featured in the Crestwood Village gameplay from PAX Prime last year. The ones we lit up with Antivan fire.
Shifting to Vivienne: her very intricate headpiece, elegant dress design, and high cheekbones. For some reason in a bedroom, which I believe we've seen before in one of the Inquisitor screenshots with the big hats. Behind her is the unnamed blonde male, Varric, and possibly the Iron Bull. Or a Qunari Inquisitor with the same horns.
Cassandra shows in the next shot with the other troops blurred in passing. Most notably, they have very distinctive red sashes across their armor.
And Sera running with...more trees.
And the important shot: from left to right - Morrigan, Cullen, and the Inquisitor in the Dales forest, with statues that seem to be Red Hart and possibly the Dread Wolf. Let me readdress that Morrigan is NOT a party member, however she will have her role to play in the game. It's quite possible that she will be by our side during battle, or perhaps a very temporary companion. But that's speculative. As far as Cullen is concerned, he has very distinctive Lion armor that hides his face. This area has seen some wear and tear, with bricks missing, however we'll detail more as to why in a minute.
Fading into Sera, Vivienne, the Iron Bull, and the Inquisitor approaching the Fortress of Adamant in the Western Approach. However, the Inquisition has not conquered this base yet. Tevinter banners still show and smoke still rises from the base.
An old enemy, the Wyvern, reappears in the same landscape we saw a Dragon and some nugs in previous screenshots. Sera does a backflip move that lets her avoid the wyvern's attack.
It's hard to tell in this fast clip, but it seems the Inquisitor is sending magic towards a rock creature. The magic channeling splits apart the creature or otherwise in a green implosion.
The well-dressed mage from earlier appears on screen with the Inquisitor, the Iron Bull, and an unclear warrior, in what looks to be a mine dedicated to mining red crystals, judging by the crates and carts filled with them in the distance. Omnious blue candles light the floor, next to the bloodied corpse on the side, as a demon or a very nimble, Varterral-like creature spins up and attacks the party. Flipping angles, the area seems to be underground in a watery area, but the structures look man-made. However, the architecture seems from a darker influence like Tevinter or Nevarra, considering the skull on top of the coffin-like statue. Could be Deep Roads, as well.
Sera leaps out of the Dragon's way, in a field that seems to be outside a town. Quite possibly connected to the mines we saw before, as structures lead to a pit.
Then another shot of her taking aim at the Dragon, with the Iron Bull emitting a yellow buff around his head. (The blood certainly shows on her armor as she rips another arrow into the dragon, which explodes on impact.)
And in the former shot we saw of the Dales forest, we find that Morrigan, Cullen, and the Inquisitor are overseeing their soldiers as they cautiously moving forward.
Tired of Dragons? Don't be. You'll fight them a lot.
The mage, with his staff that looks very close to former First Enchanter Orsino's (with the three dragon heads spinning together), stands next to the Inquisitor at a Veil portal with an amulet floating. Fun fact: we know the Amulet to be something that was either taken from or given by an unknown person that Leliana holds against will. The Inquisitor turns to hear a demon, showing off the blood and degradation of the armor after extended use. (Lion of Orlais shield)
Leliana fights three Venatori, but she's wounded with an arrow lodged in her left shoulder. As she rolls to fight a third, a fourth enemy appears behind her.
Then, we're back to the underground mine, where a Red Templar (who still retains some of its humanoid form) is present and throwing a red shard projectile at the rogue Inquisitor - who leaps forward to avoid the impact.
A mage Inquisitor attacks the Dragon above, though it's curious whether this attack is focused at its head or this dragon is consuming the magic. The clip is too short to assess this.
Dragon fighting with Sera, Vivienne, and the Inquisitor. Who stabs.
And a scene where Leliana is restrained. Although at first I thought this was the Inquisitor, judging by the mask and the previous engagements, the one speaking is probably a Venatori warrior who has imprisoned Leliana and plans to torture her.
That's all I have for you today. I'll be checking out the game on the demo floor! If you have any lingering questions on Dragon Age, be sure to ask them now as I will be addressing them throughout the 3 days at E3. My name is Ashe - thanks for watching. Subscribing. Sharing. All that. Be sure to catch my blogs on ladyinsanity.com for more immediate impressions of the game. Take care and I will see you later this week.