Bioware announced that the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins will be available in North America on March 8, 2011, and in Europe on March 11, 2010. Dragon Age 2 will feature a new art direction, an updated method of storytelling, and faster-paced action. According to Bioware executive producer Mark Darrah, this new, more response combat system will allow players to “think like a general, but fight like a Spartan.” It’s probably safe to assume the Spartan to which he refers is of the Greek , rather than the Reach, variety.

In the sequel, players will be given the role of Hawke, a refugee whose homeland has been destroyed, and who becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke is intended to be “one of the most important characters” in the Dragon Age universe, and the lore of this character’s “blood-soaked” rise to power will be the driving force behind the story, which will span 10 years in the Dragon Age universe. Players will uniquely experience how the legend unfolds through the choices and allies that they make.

For more information or to check out the game’s first trailer, visit www.DragonAge.com.

You’ve kicked, screamed, and tore out your hair waiting for BioWare’s epic and massive Dragon Age: Origins, and today, you can final taste the carrot once dangling and teasing you in front of your mouth.

The game, for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3, released today, and so did  a triple-shot of Day 1 downloadable content by the names of Warden’s Keep, The Stone Prisoner, and the Blood Dragon Armor, so really, when it rains, it pours, in a good way of course.

“The launch of Dragon Age: Origins is the fantasy event of 2009,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group at EA. “I am extremely proud of the entire development team – and we’re all very excited to release one of our best games yet!”

Our editor, Marc, has conquered the lands of Ferelden, and will share his thoughts with you, faithful slayer of Darkspawn, later this afternoon. Stay tuned!

It may not be Baldur’s Gate, but Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins is shaping up to be the next-best thing. One part dungeon crawler, one part Lord of the Rings (okay, maybe two parts LotR, but hey, it’s set in a fantasy realm, so that comes with the territory), the RPG will aim to combine the visceral thrill of hacking, slashing, spell-casting, and trap-laying with a deep supporting cast and a compelling narrative. Oh, right–and dragons.

If “because orcs are ugly” doesn’t seem like sufficient reason to put your life and credit rating on the line, Bioware has come up with six additional (though not necessarily more convincing–orcs are really ugly) reasons for your character to take up arms. You’ll want to think about these for a while, since your choice will affect far more than the opening cinematic. Each backstory will provide a unique experience throughout the final product’s sure-to-be-lengthy playtime, ensuring plenty of replay value . CYOA below.

From EA/Bioware:

BIOWARE REVEALS ALL SIX DRAGON AGE ORIGIN STORIES

BioWare’s Spiritual Successor to Baldur’s Gate Weaves an Epic Tale
that Begins in One of Six Different Ways

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (February 12, 2009) – Leading video game
developer BioWare(tm), a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:
ERTS) announced today the highly anticipated details of all six Origin
Stories featured in the upcoming dark, heroic fantasy Dragon Age(tm):
Origins. Each Origin Story starts the player off with a unique series
of locations, characters and events that establish their motivations
and lay the groundwork for the adventure to come.

With each Origin Story boasting several hours of unique game play, as
well as challenging strategic combat and exploration, these 6 distinct
preludes make Dragon Age: Origins the first BioWare game to offer not
only multiple endings, but also multiple beginnings. Players will
start their adventure in one of the following roles:

Dalish Elf
As one of the last “true elves”, you were content to spend your life
wandering with your clan… until a chance encounter with a relic of
your people’s past threatens to tear you away from everything you’ve
known.

City Elf
You have always lived under the heavy thumb of your human overlords,
but when a local lord claiming his “privilege” with the bride shatters
your wedding day, the simmering racial tensions explode in a rain of
vengeance.

Dwarf Commoner
Born casteless in a land where rank is everything, bound as the lackey
and thug of a local crime lord, you have spent your life invisible…
until chance thrusts you into the spotlight, where you can finally
prove whether you will be defined by your actions or your birth.

Dwarf Noble
The favored child of the dwarven king, you proudly take up your first
military command… only to learn that the deadly intrigues of dwarven
politics pose an even greater danger than that faced on the
battlefield.

Mage
Gifted with a power considered a dangerous curse by most, you have
spent most of your life secluded in the remote tower of the Circle of
Magi to be trained and watched closely by the dreaded templars. Now
your final test is upon you — succeed and prove your strength, fail
and you will perish.

Human Noble
Born to wealth and power second only to royalty, you find your
training in both diplomacy and war put to the test when your father’s
castle is betrayed from within on the very night your elder brother is
to lead the family’s forces to war.

The player’s choice of Origin Story lays the foundation for a profound
journey based on the character’s past experiences, establishing how
they perceive the world and how the world perceives them. ‚ The choices
you made during an Origin Story will influence the way the game
unfolds, including different story elements, dialogue options and even
plot branches, providing a wealth of replayability.

Dragon Age: Origins offers an immersive, beautiful and often
threatening world in which the player will live out a fantasy of epic
proportions. ‚ With six unique paths to choose from, the choice of
Origin Story will be the first of many important decisions players
will face in Dragon Age: Origins.

For more information, visit www.dragonage.com.