I called it! BioWare revealed the new DLC for Dragon Age: Origins today, and just like I had prophesied you will be playing as a Darkspawn. The Darkspawn Chronicles will set you in the shoes (greaves?) of a Hurlock Vanguard set to the task of burning Denerim to the ground. Rally your warriors and heed the call of the Arch-Demon, and you may win this war for the side of evil.

Here are some exciting details for the upcoming DLC:

  • A look at an alternate history: what if your character had died in the Joining ceremony, and the Grey Wardens marched under Alistair's command instead?
  • A standalone adventure in which you command genlocks, hurlocks, shrieks, and even the mighty ogres.
  • Complete the module and unlock an epic Darkspawn item in DA:O and Awakening.

Interesting and more interesting, indeed! Dragon Age: Origins seems to have solved its DLC conversion problem and will allow you to transfer an item between DA:O and the Awakening expansion. That was always a frustrating bug, intended or not.

Also, despite my interest in seeing how the war pans out with Alistair at the lead (I don't think it will go well), I really wish Dragon Age would just stick to a story. After my main character died at the end of Dragon Age: Origins, BioWare forced me to resurrect him for the expansion or else I had to leave all of my progress behind. In the end it feels as if the efforts I've put into the game are meaningless if BioWare is simply going to ignore my choices with every new DLC and expansion.

Still, I'll likely make the purchase. Any other Dragon Age fans out there excited for some new DLC? It'll be at least a hundred times better than Mass Effect 2's new horse armor pack.

Dragon Age: Origins Darkspawn Chronicles will be available this month for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. For more information visit BioWare's Dragon Age DLC website.