“Dragon Age” does go that one step further though, allowing you to develop the relationships with your friends by way of gifts matching the right gift with the right companion can improve what is called an “Approval-rating,” or a quantifiable measure of how much your companion likes you. Hence, one can clearly see a return to the old-fashioned mechanics of “Baldur’s Gate,” “The Temple of Elemental Evil” or “Eye of the Beholder,” to mention three games where party-management and pausing become essential (yes, I am that old). Both the game-play and game-concept of “Dragon Age: Origins” revolve around your party, and your ability to manage each companion.
