"Dragon Age Inquisition Trespasser" DLC Review

Publsher:  Bioware

Genre:  RPG

Summary:  As the Exalted Council meets to determine the future of the Inquisition, a fully-armored Qunari warrior is found dead on the grounds.  Investigate secret plots and conclude the Inquisition's story.

Gameplay:  As in the other "Dragon Age:  Inquisition" DLCs, enemies scale with your character.  Trespasser also adds new abilities for your Inquisitor's Mark gradually throughout that are both helpful and interesting from a story perspective.

Fortunately the combat, while challenging, is combined with plenty of exploration of mysterious ruins and tantalizing knowledge learned.  The pacing is nicely set with regular returns to the Winter Palace and therefore a chance to stock up and chat with your friends in between combat, if you so choose.

There are also numerous little opportunities to earn attribute bonuses via searches and other acts so minor I hesitate to call them minigames (microgames, perhaps?)  These are a nice, if minor, touch (I don't think I even discovered the fireworks-creation one until my third or fourth playthrough.)

Style:  The misty landscapes are beautiful, as usual.  There are some clipping bugs, but the major issue I've had is serious lag (and usually several crashes) during the underground portion of the DLC.  Fortunately, it only seems to be a problem for that location.

Story:  Trespasser (not the best name, something that seems to plague Bioware's best DLCs recently) is a success on several levels.  On a basic level, it offers a bit of fun combat and exploration.  It's also a chance to interact with Inquisition's characters again, with plenty of memorable moments and conversations.

Moreover, Trespasser fixes a weakness in the original game by offering a satisfying conclusion to Inquisition's story.  In this fitting epilogue, much is determined by decisions made in the previous game, for better or for worse (or just who the Inquisitor is kissing.)  And there are a few more choices to be made within the DLC that feel momentous (who knows if they might be, but it's nice that they feel that way.)

And all the while providing an ending, Trespasser deepens characterization and lore for the gameworld and suggests exciting possibilities for the future of Dragon Age.  All in all, not much more can be asked of an epilogue.