From the makers of the classic Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age: Origins brings us back to the good old days of classic RPG gaming with a fresh new look and feel. Pimped as the “RPG of the decade” by PC Gamer UK mag, it harkens back to the golden days of storytelling in games.

Due for release on November 5 on PC and Xbox 360 (PS3 owners have to wait until Nov 19), if you plan to get Dragon Age, we recommend going for a pre-order. This is because with most RPG pre-order deals, you’ll score special weapons and downloadable content (which must be paid for if bought separately). Each vendor is offering different items for your characters, so check out each one to see what’s on offer:

Buying digital on Steam (PC only)
Since last week, the Aussie Dollar has dropped back to roughly 89 US cents for each Aussie dollar. It’s not quite the scary heights of the week before (when I imported all four seasons of Battlestar on Blu-ray for less than $200! -Ed), but it’s still a decent rate if you’re thinking of buying on Steam. The standard edition pre-order is a reasonable $49.99 USD (which converts to around AU$56), and you score yourself:
- an exclusive ring: The Wicked Oath
- the Memory Band ring
- two pieces of DLC; the Blood Dragon Armour (which also works in Mass Effect 2) and the Stone Prisoner golem character

Steam is also offering a ‘Digital Deluxe’ version for $64.99 USD (approx. $72.50AU) which gives you all of the above, plus:
- three more items; Bergen’s Honour Helm, Final Reason Staff, Grimoire of the Frozen Wastes
- the third and final DLC announced so far, a series of quests in Warden’s Keep
- a digital soundtrack
- several wallpapers

You should also note that Steam is offering a much better price than Australian retailers.

Preordering at EB Games (PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Buying at EB Games is going to be a lot more expensive, but not a bad option if you trust retail and want to have the hard copy of the game. Boasting an RRP of $109.95, the standard edition of Dragon Age will come with:

- three EB-exclusive in-game items: Feral Wolf Charm, Dalish Promise Ring, Lion’s Paw boots
- a Memory Band ring

This is probably not the best deal, considering the Collector’s Edition is only another $20 and comes with much more.

EB's Dragon Age Collector’s Edition comes at a rather hefty price, of $129.95. It’s a full-blooded collector’s edition though, the likes of which we haven’t seen for a long time. You will score yourself:

- an exclusive steel case
- an exclusive cloth map
- a bonus DVD (with the Making-Of, soundtrack, trailers, and more)
- three EB-exclusive in-game items: Feral Wolf Charm, Dalish Promise Ring, Lion’s Paw boots
- three other items (Gimoire of the Frozen Wastes, Final Reason Staff, Bergen’s Honour Helm).
- two pieces of DLC; the Blood Dragon Armour (which also works in Mass Effect 2) and the Stone Prisoner golem character.

The prices for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions are all the same.

Preordering at GAME (PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
GAME is offering lower prices on Dragon Age than EB, but only if you buy online (GAME offers free shipping Australia-wide). The standard edition costs $89 online, but $109.95 in-store. Note that this standard version does not come with any pre-order bonuses. Meh.

If you do want the bonuses, simply fork out another $10 for GAME’s Dragon Age Limited Edition (same for all platforms). You’ll score:
- a plastic collector box
- a GAME-exclusive item (Guild Master’s Belt)
- a Memory Band Ring
- one bonus DVD
- three other items (Gimoire of the Frozen Wastes, Final Reason Staff, Bergen’s Honour Helm)
- two pieces of DLC; the Blood Dragon Armour (which also works in Mass Effect 2) and the Stone Prisoner golem character

Preordering at JB Hi-Fi (PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
If you want only the standard edition and prefer to buy retail, JB is the place to go. The standard edition is $99, only $10 more than GAME’s online-only price.

JB’s Collector’s Edition is the same as GAME’s Limited Edition, minus the 2 GAME-exclusive items, for $114.98.

Phew – there’s a large range of different packs out there. Personally, the Steam Digital Deluxe version offers awesome bang for buck for PC players, while EB’s collector’s edition gives console gamers the most goodies. We hope we’ve helped you find the deal that’s right for you– happy dungeon crawling and dragon hunting!