Game review
Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition
6.5 / 10
- Developer
- BioWare
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Released
- 3 November 2009
- Platforms
- Windows
- Genre
- RPG
- Monetisation
- One-time purchase, all DLC included
- Players
- Single-player only
The short version
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition is BioWare's dark fantasy CRPG, published by Electronic Arts, following a Grey Warden recruit through a war against a demonic Blight. It sits at 85% positive ("Very Positive") across 22,591 English-language Steam reviews, and this review read the 100 most-helpful negative reviews alongside the 100 most recent English reviews.
The single dominant, currently live problem in this review's negative sample is crashing: 75 of the 100 negative reviews read mention it, and unlike similar technical complaints this outlet has found fading on other older titles, this one has grown worse every year — 13 mentions in 2023, 24 in 2024, 28 in 2025, and 14 already in the partial 2026 sample. "I LOVE DRAGON AGE ORIGINS, BUT WOW it really needs to be fixed on pc, Its basically unplayable with all the crashing," reads a representative 2024 review. Several reviewers report trying every known community fix — the 4GB patch, DXVK, lowered graphics settings — without resolving it. This review found no evidence BioWare has addressed the problem: the game's own Steam news feed shows no relevant patch notes, and outside press confirms a proposed remaster was pitched and rejected for funding as recently as August 2025. Sixteen of the 100 negative reviews read independently recommend buying the DRM-free GOG version instead, which several describe as pre-patched and more reliable.
Biggest strengths
- Widely regarded as one of the finest CRPGs ever made, with a 91 Metacritic score and reviewers on both sides of the score still praising the story and characters directly
- The Ultimate Edition bundles the full base game, the Awakening expansion and all nine content packs at a low, frequently discounted price
- Deep, reactive choice-driven storytelling that reviewers consistently credit even while marking the game down for technical reasons
Biggest weaknesses
- The single dominant, currently live complaint: 75 of the 100 negative reviews read mention crashing, and the problem has grown worse every year since 2023 rather than fading
- This review found no evidence BioWare or EA has addressed the issue — the game's own Steam news feed shows no relevant patches, and press coverage confirms a proposed remaster was pitched and rejected for funding as recently as August 2025
- Several reviewers report trying every known community workaround (the 4GB patch, DXVK, lowered graphics) without fully resolving the crashes
Who it's for: CRPG and BioWare fans who want a genre-defining classic — strongly consider the GOG version over Steam given this review's findings, or budget real time for community fixes if you buy here.
Our recommendation: One of the best CRPGs ever made, undercut on Steam by a genuine, worsening, and seemingly abandoned technical crisis — buy the GOG version if reliability matters to you.
6.5 / 10
Introduction
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition is BioWare's dark fantasy CRPG, published by Electronic Arts. Originally released on 3 November 2009, this Ultimate Edition arrived on 26 October 2010 at NZ$39.95, bundling the base game with the Awakening expansion and all nine additional content packs. It follows a Grey Warden recruit assembling allies to stop a demonic Blight from consuming the land of Ferelden. It sits at 85% positive ("Very Positive") across 22,591 English-language Steam reviews. This review read the 100 most-helpful negative reviews of 3,302 total, plus a sample of the 100 most recent English reviews.
A worsening crisis, not a fading one
The single dominant theme in this review's negative sample is crashing, and it is unusually severe: 75 of the 100 negative reviews read mention it. Unlike similar technical complaints this outlet has found settling over time on other older titles, this one is measurably getting worse. This review counted mentions by year: 13 in 2023, 24 in 2024, 28 in 2025, and already 14 in the partial 2026 sample. "I LOVE DRAGON AGE ORIGINS, BUT WOW it really needs to be fixed on pc, Its basically unplayable with all the crashing, and also the dreaded message of 'game is already running,'" reads a 2024 review with 87 hours logged. A June 2026 review describes exhausting the known fixes: "I used the 4 GB patch, DXVK fix and put graphics to low. Still crashing." Another, from December 2025: "It's an amazing game but it's broken on Windows 11. Bioware needs to patch this if they want to keep selling it." A March 2025 review states the case most starkly: "This game is completely unplayable on steam. With or without mods. With or without patches. Its unconscionable that Steam would continue to sell a product that is unplayable on a PC setup made in this millennium."
No fix in sight
This review checked whether BioWare or EA has responded. The game's own Steam news feed shows no patch notes addressing the issue — only sales promotions dating back years. Outside press coverage confirms the picture: an item dated 10 August 2025 reports that "Ex Dragon Age boss says Bioware pitched a remaster, but couldn't get EA funding" — meaning even a full remaster, which might have solved the underlying compatibility problems, was proposed and turned down. Sixteen of the 100 negative reviews read independently recommend an alternative: buying the DRM-free GOG version instead, which several describe as pre-patched and substantially more reliable than the Steam release.
Verdict
Dragon Age: Origins remains one of the finest CRPGs ever made, and this review's own negative sample keeps confirming that even while explaining why reviewers can't recommend buying it here. What sets this review apart from several similar "old game, new hardware" complaints this outlet has covered is the direction of travel: the crash rate has grown every year since 2023 rather than settling, BioWare and EA show no sign of fixing it, and a meaningful share of frustrated reviewers have simply started pointing buyers elsewhere. Worth playing for the story and characters, which remain genuinely excellent — but this review's own findings point toward the GOG version as the more reliable way to experience them today.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Widely regarded as one of the finest CRPGs ever made, with a 91 Metacritic score and reviewers on both sides of the score still praising the story and characters directly
- The Ultimate Edition bundles the full base game, the Awakening expansion and all nine content packs at a low, frequently discounted price
- Deep, reactive choice-driven storytelling that reviewers consistently credit even while marking the game down for technical reasons
- Achievement and community data show a genuinely engaged, long-running fanbase still actively discussing and troubleshooting the game 15 years after release
Cons
- The single dominant, currently live complaint: 75 of the 100 negative reviews read mention crashing, and the problem has grown worse every year since 2023 rather than fading
- This review found no evidence BioWare or EA has addressed the issue — the game's own Steam news feed shows no relevant patches, and press coverage confirms a proposed remaster was pitched and rejected for funding as recently as August 2025
- Several reviewers report trying every known community workaround (the 4GB patch, DXVK, lowered graphics) without fully resolving the crashes
- 16 of the 100 negative reviews read independently recommend buying the DRM-free GOG version instead, describing it as more reliable and pre-patched
- A smaller, separate complaint concerns DLC content locked behind an EA/BioWare account system some reviewers say no longer works correctly
Screenshots
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Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate EditionImage: Electronic Arts via Steam -
Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate EditionImage: Electronic Arts via Steam -
Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate EditionImage: Electronic Arts via Steam -
How the review scores each part of the gameWanderer Editorial -
The essentials at a glanceWanderer Editorial -
The short versionWanderer Editorial