Dragon Age: Absolution Review: A Simple and Effective Story, With Fun and Coherent Characters, And A Fabulous Pace
Directors: Ki-Yong Bae, Mairghread Scott
Starring: Kimberly Brooks, Matthew Mercer, Phil LaMarr
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3/5 (three stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
We have already seen Dragon Age: Absolution, the new Netflix animated series, complete, and we must admit that streaming is taking a liking to animated video game adaptations. It’s surprising that we’re going to say this, but video game adaptations have found a haven on Netflix. However, they have done it through animation. The last recent case to have demonstrated this has been Dragon Age: Absolution, which has reached the streaming catalog and has satisfied all fans of the saga.
In recent years, the ‘gamer’ public has found two gems animated by Netflix in the likes of League of Legends: Arcane and, more recently, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Both cases are irrefutable proof that the North American streaming giant has taken the measure of video game adaptations. And he doesn’t want to stop. Dragon Age: Absolution, created by Mairghread Scott from the legendary BioWare franchise, has surprised players with a miniseries of just six episodes, anime format, which has been able to transfer the most positive characteristics and intrinsic virtues to the saga of the video game.
Dragon Age: Absolution Review The Story
The story takes place in the time between Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, so there are several references to the last game in the series and the universe created by BioWare. References that will greatly confuse those who approach Absolution without knowing absolutely nothing about Dragon Age. Unlike productions such as Arcane or Castlevania, Dragon Age: Absolution seems to assume that the viewer knows – and even well – the reference videogame series. It is a feature of the miniseries which, on the one hand, respects the fan without wasting time on didactic explanations, but on the other, it enormously limits its audience. Despite this, the premise is within everyone’s reach: the Elf Miriamshe is hired by her human lover Hira to join a band of mercenaries and steal an artifact guarded by wizards in the empire of Tevinter.
For those who know Dragon Age, this premise already suggests a series of interesting reflections. Tevinter is expected to be the main setting for the next game in the series, an empire where wizards hold power, wield blood magic and tolerate slavery, especially to Elves like Miriam. And in fact, Absolution is a miniseries focused above all on interpersonal relationships, which are the trademark of BioWare video games, in which the narrative is often intertwined with the relationships that the player can build by choosing the answers he prefers in the dialogues. Absolution is not an interactive mini-series, obviously, but it puts its hand on the characterizations thanks also to the excellent dubbing – in Italian, but above all in English – and to the well-kept and expressive animations.
In just six episodes of about 30 minutes each, Absolution manages to manage a mix of action, fantasy, irony and drama, between flashbacks and introspective moments, winking without too many ceremonies at the theme of inclusiveness. Unfortunately, not all the characters manage to get the space they deserve: the sorceress Qwydion, for example, ends up being a nice speck and little more, and we wouldn’t have minded if the script had better explored the dynamics between the antagonist, Rezaren, and his right-hand man, Commander Tassia. The fact is that, in just under three hours, Dragon Age: Absolution intertwines more subplots than what the first minutes suggest, launching several truly unexpected twists that continuously shuffle the cards.
Dragon Age: Absolution Review and Analysis
Dragon Age: Absolution follows the adventures of a group of misfits who band together to steal an artifact as powerful as it is dangerous from a sinister wizard. The Netflix animated series is set in the world of Tevinter, an empire within the Dragon Age universe. As you can see, the premise is exactly what we expected from a Dragon Age animated series. The characters fulfill certain stereotypes and allow themselves to be transported through a fantasy world full of obstacles that they must overcome. At the same time, they will have to learn to put up with each other, get to know each other and tolerate each other.
The dynamics between all of them lead to some of the best moments from the Dragon Age: Absolution animated series. As we said at the beginning, Netflix has taken the measure of adaptations of this nature and does not want to reinvent anything or do “probatinas”. It is exactly what we expected and nothing more. Yes, Netflix can be criticized for the fact that unlike the cases mentioned with League of Legends: Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the animation of Dragon Age: Absolution has left a little to be desired. Not so the artistic designs, which have been able to adequately adapt to the context in which the characters move.
Those of BioWare was smart to commission a story that remains confined to a limited space, preventing the protagonists from having to deal with a wider imagination. In some ways, Absolution looks like what in video games is called Downloadable Content, DLC for friends: additional content, a subplot that takes something from the original game and develops it in its own way. In the Red Dog miniseries, Culture House also appear briefly a couple of historical characters – Cassandra Pentaghast and Evariste “Fairbanks” Lemarque – who for spectators fasting Dragon Age they will mean little: fortunately, the cast doesn’t need them to make an impression, and the way the miniseries ends would make you want to see it continue… or to see the characters again in the next BioWare game.
Although it may appear as a kind of tribute to the fans, just to entertain them while waiting for the video games to continue, Dragon Age: Absolution is a production that is cared for above all in terms of traditional animations, which give their best in the action scenes, moreover very well shot, never dull and respectful of the reference games. In some episodes, the animation limps a hair, perhaps for budgetary reasons, but in the climactic moments, it gives its best, while the soundtrack, unfortunately, you forget almost immediately. It’s really a shame that the narrative races to respect the short duration of the miniseries: with these production values and more time available, Absolution could have been an all-round memorable miniseries, and instead it remains a product designed for the fans and them only.
Dragon Age: Absolution Review The Last Words
Dragon Age: Absolution is the new Netflix animated series that adapts BioWare video games. A simple and effective story, with fun and coherent characters, and a fabulous pace. Great entertainment that will delight the most fans and surprise the “new”. Funds are conspicuous by their absence and the world could have gotten more out of it. However, Dragon Age: Absolution focuses on giving the viewer a dose of action, a frenetic pace, a fun adventure, simple and coherent characters, and, ultimately, a series that can be seen and will fall in love with more than one spectator. The great conceptual translation that they have made of the universe of video games.
