Peer Pressure Prevails, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Dragon Age: Origins

I’m not quite sure I should be telling the world that it took a healthy dose of peer pressure for me to buckle down and purchase one of the year’s best video games, but I finally picked up BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins this weekend after a strong recommendation from a friend. I suppose the abundance of top-tier titles being released this holiday season isn’t exactly a problem for gamers, but damn, the hobby gets expensive this time of year. After Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I thought I was all set with video games for a while (and so did my wallet). But I’m the highly suggestible type…or so people tell me.

At dinner, prior to a marathon Lego Rock Band session last night (another fun game), my friend Morgan told me that if I was into Mass Effect, also developed by BioWare, then Dragon Age would be right up my alley.

Now, if you’ve been following The Wort Report with any regularity over the past three years, you know that I’m a major BioWare role-playing game fanboy. I loved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (not just because I’m also a notoriously unapologetic Star Wars nerd), I played through Mass Effect several times and I’m counting down the days until Mass Effect 2’s January 26 release date. If Dragon Age was anything like Mass Effect, I needed to own it, despite already having far too many games to play right now. Again, not the worst of problems for a gamer.

There was a Target nearby, and everyone in the group was keen on going there after we were done eating. Okay, I thought. In all likelihood, the game would be sold out and the burning desire to buy it immediately would subside by morning. Damn, they had it. Double damn, there was a salesman nearby. And when he brought the game to the register, it was on sale for $39.99. Triple. Dog. Damn. I couldn’t even argue over the price! So, it was mine…the only trouble would be finding the time to actually play it.

While I haven’t gotten the chance to sink my teeth into it fully, I really like Dragon Age thus far. I’m still getting the hang of some of the micromanaging and combat mechanics (it’s a bit more like SW: KotOR than Mass Effect on that front, which isn’t a bad thing whatsoever), but I dig the medieval fantasy setting, the voice acting and the character customization thus far. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to finish the game and write up a detailed review anytime soon—if at all—but most of the reviews out there already are positive overall and seem mostly in line with my own thoughts. Click here to check out Dragon Age’s Xbox 360 Metacritic page.

And thanks, Morgan. Now I need to somehow invent a moderately healthy alternative to sleep.

Production Delayed on The Hobbit

Peter Jackson has announced that production on the two-part film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit will start in the summer of 2010—a few months later than expected, Variety reports. The Lord of the Rings prequels, helmed by Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro, are slated for release in December 2011 and December 2012.

But what on Middle-earth is the hold up? Jackson, an executive producer on the film, said that he, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and del Toro are still working on the second Hobbit script, and aim to have it finished early next year. After the script is completed, the film will be budgeted and shooting can begin in New Zealand.

I have faith in Jackson, and I doubt we’ll be seeing the first installment of The Hobbit any later than 2011. But whenever it does hit theaters, rest assured: geeks will be there…and back again.

Iron Man 2 Teaser Poster Hits the Web

On November 30, Yahoo! Movies unveiled the first teaser poster for Iron Man 2, which hits theaters next May. There’s not much to say about it, except that it gives fans their first real glimpse of Jim “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) suited up as War Machine. He looks, well, like War Machine should look. Good stuff!

What do you think, Wortmaniacs?