Like many RPGs, Dragon Age: Origins gives its players far more to do than wage war against mythical beasts. The BioWare game was designed to be completed in roughly eighty hours, and not only enables players to develop a character’s combat and magic skills and interact with other characters, but affords them opportunity for their characters to have romantic encounters. If you play as a male character, it is even possible to have a liaison with a male elf NPC. Sex in video games is nothing new, but a romance between two male characters is, and this “newness” has garnered quite a bit of attention: both positive and negative.

BioWare has been quick to defend their title (as always) and stated that the inclusion of the gay sex scene, as well as other romantic interludes, was not meant to incite arguments or bolster any social causes, but to provide players with an immersive gaming experience. “This isn’t a product about controversy,” said Mike Laidlaw, the game’s lead designer. “It isn’t a product designed to shock, by any means.” He went on to describe the game as “designed to celebrate player choice and create a story that is reactive to the way you choose to play it. Among the tools that we have as storytellers, I see romance as being one of the principal ones.” As far as any negative criticism of the game goes, Laidlaw appears unconcerned. “People who have played the game are very happy with the experience that they’ve been having. If players are happy with the experience, I think we’ve done our job.”

Have any of you encountered Zevran? What’s he REALLY like?

Source: New York Times