'Dragon Age: Inquisition' PS4 Review: Tremendous World Comes Alive On The New Consoles

So you just bought a brand new Sony Playstation 4 and you're immediately wondering what is the most visually impactful video game that could really show off the latest achievements in graphics. I'm here to tell you that the lush landscapes in the latest "Dragon Age: Inquisition" will leave your jaw hanging.

Developer Bio Ware introduced their first "Dragon Age: Origins" back in November, 2009. The franchise now celebrates its fifth year anniversary and it is amazing how much the game has changed and yet how well the latest "Dragon Age: Inquisition" remains true to the original.

For the "Dragon Age" veterans, "Dragon Age: Inquisition" begins where "Dragon Age 2" ends. The mages and templars are in civil war, which cause the conclave to convene in hopes to establish peace. However, a terrifying power known as the rift unleashes demons that kill the conclave. Your character is the only surviving person that was present when the initial rift was open.

Just like in past iterations of "Dragon Age," the player will begin with a "choose-your-own-adventure" style sequence. Players are able to choose the gender and the race of their character, which include humans, dwarves, and elves. What's more, the Qunari are finally playable for the first time in "Dragon Age: Inquisition," which adds another dimension to the latest "Dragon Age."

From the very moment the game begins, your character is being treated as a criminal for being the sole survivor of the demon rift attack. However, because you are also the only one that possesses the mysterious power that can close the rifts, an organization known as the inquisition is reborn to put an end to the demons.

Diving into the world of "Dragon Age: Inquisition," you will get lost in breathtaking forests with enormous mountains in the horizon, as well as enormous castles and narrow city streets. The colors are lush and radiant and it makes players literally feel like they are on a quest straight out of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Your companion of humans, elves, and dwarves certainly add to the Tolkien charm.

Just as the land plays a major role in the game, so are the characters that you will interact with. "Dragon Age: Inquisition" is a game of endless choices. Initially, you are treated as the prime suspect that caused the demonic rifts to open and terrorize the world. Your diplomacy will be necessary to win the confidence of the people. As your quest evolves, your inquisition will become an army that will answer your call to arms. Your decisions will steer the battle against the demonic rifts. This is truly a game of epic proportions, and I do not use that word lightly.

However, just as "Dragon Age: Inquisition" features dynamic quests in an awe-inspiring cinematic environment, the game demands some polish and finesse from the players as well when it's time to do battle. Button mashing will not get you very far. Just like any other RPG, each character in your inquisition can level up and gain points to learn skills and techniques. Variety is the spice of life and it would be wise to arm each of your team members with special abilities to find a strategic upper hand in all sorts of battles that you'll face.

Beyond individual player skills, another addition to the fighting mechanics in "Dragon Age: Inquisition" is a special bird's-eye point-of-view that can be accessed via the clickable touchpad button on the Dualshock 4. This special bird's eye mode will pause the fight and give players a moment to assess the situation and select primary enemies for your inquisition to attack. Wars are won by strategy and the tactical feature definitely offers more control and choreography in battle.

The level of precision that "Dragon Age: Inquisition" offers is what makes the game such a masterpiece, but it can also be its biggest flaw as well. Newcomers to the franchise or to the genre can get overwhelmed by the learning curve necessary to truly master the mechanics of the game and familiarize themselves with the unique abilities of the races.

"Dragon Age: Inquisition" delivers an extraordinary experience thanks to the painstaking efforts in environment design to produce one of the largest and most vibrant worlds and characters that I've ever seen. No doubt, "Dragon Age: Inquisition" on the PS4 will become a game with high replay value, and will still deliver a satisfying cinematic experience even after a year of playtime.

"Dragon Age: Inquisition" is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on Tuesday, November 2014. Be sure to watch the trailer, campaign gameplay on PS4, and online gameplay on Xbox One in the videos below: