Dragon Age: Inquisition – Trespasser Review

Enchantment!

Trespasser is, without a shadow of a doubt, the story-driven finale that Dragon Age: Inquisition fans have been waiting for. Unlike Jaws of Hakkon and The Descent, both of which were somewhat underwhelming sidenotes, Trespasser is a true epilogue that answers the lingering questions left by the base game's tantalizing cliffhanger. Before moving forward, it will ask whether you're ready to advance the game ahead as it will lock you out from exploring everything else on the world map and the war table. Make sure that you're done with Orlais and Ferelden, because Trespasser will take you on a 10-hour adventure through lost lands and circuitous territory that brings your Inquisition to a loaded yet satisfying resolution.

Two years after dismantling the ancient darkspawn and past Tevinter magister Corypheus piece by piece and closing the unholy demon-spawning breach that threatened all of Thedas, the Inquisition still stands as an influential force, with enough military power and political clout to move the world, much to the chagrin of both Fereldan and Orlais. Where Fereldan respects the Inquisition for saving Thedas, it now views the order as a standing force that threatens their dominion, while Orlais wishes to leash the Inquisition with its own strings. The Exalted Council with ambassadors from both Fereldan and Orlais, as moderated by the current Divine, has formally called upon you to The Winter Palace to deliberate the current purpose of the Inquisition. However, the unusual murder of a Qunari warrior in the Winter Palace threatens the conference and pulls you from the council to uncover the truth behind this new menace.

Before delving into this new adventure, you are given plenty of roaming time to interact with the Inquisition's entire cast of party members, stationed about the gardens of the Winter Palace, and learn what they've been doing since. You can even collect expensive dog treats hidden throughout the gardens and find other environmental snafus for permanent stat boosts. The character-driven scenes in Trespasser act similar to Mass Effect 3's Citadel DLC, giving a fond farewell to your friends once the campaign ends and provides a welcome respite from the several combat-intensive sections of the game. And beyond that, Trespasser has its own snippets of character postscripts based on your actions throughout this DLC and Inquisition.

Trespasser equally follows through on elucidating and untangling the majority of the open-ended mysteries left behind from the main game, going as far as to revealing the history of the ancient elves, the reason behind the Inquisitor's rift-closing anchor, and even the origins of the Veil. As opposed to the vague conclusion of The Descent, the explanations Trespasser provides are straightforward, clear, and eye-opening. At the same time, they naturally propel the story toward the next core Dragon Age title.

The only minor blunder with the story is one particular betrayal (this can be prevented depending on your prior decisions). The issue isn't that it actually happens—in fact, it's rather clear this will happen given the circumstances and the personality of the betrayer—but that it's done and gone in a flash. Since the betrayal is embedded in a long string of scuffles, and you and your team only have about one sentence to react to the situation before oe of the the boss fight begins, the twist feels cut short and unfinished. Especially if your Inquisitor has a romantic relationship with the betrayer, it's greatly rushed for what's supposed to be a deeply dramatic backstab.

For those seeking a strategic challenge, Trespasser will not disappoint, with an onslaught of tough groups and optional side battles throughout the campaign, in a series of well-crafted environments that twist and turn in unusual ways. Both the enemies and the loot you'll gather are around level 25, which is appropriate for the endgame, and as such, your Inquisitor's anchor evolves into a powerful AoE burst that regenerates quickly over time. The downside, though, is that this deals so much damage that it becomes the major secondary, if not primary, method of attack; if you're in the weeds and almost out of potions, you can spend time running away or defending while your focus recharges for another anchor burst. The home stretch to the final battle is slightly heavy on the combat too, with about two or three more scuffles than necessary, but this is a very minor quibble.

Trespasser is one of the best DLCs in recent memory. It could be argued that Trespasser should have been a part of the original game since it wraps up Dragon Age: Inquisition so cleanly, but it does resonate as a distinct epilogue and holds up to the test of what should count as extra content. Apart from a few quibbles, Trespasser treats its cast of characters, the main game, and the Dragon Age series respectfully, balancing fan-service nods, thoughtful level design, and robust combat. For that, it's close to being a miracle.