Dragon Age: Inquisition is on the way next month, and to get players up to date on the latest happenings in the fantasy world of Thedas, Bioware has teamed up with Sunless Sea devs Failbetter Games for browser game The Last Court.
Playable for free, the text-only expansion to the Dragon Age Keep bridges the gap between Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition, and sees players take command of a noble court in the country of Orlais.
Choosing either the Huntress or Scholar classes, players will have to manage the affairs of state while negotiating with a cast of new characters and familiar faces. In typical Bioware style, there will be some difficult choices to make.
“This is a game of lordship,” explains Failbetter. “You’ll manage the affairs of your court. You’ll choose a counsellor, a bodyguard, an accomplice and a lover. You’ll balance the concerns of your subjects. Will Serault be renowned for its dignity or its freedom? What is the greatest threat: outlaws, revolutionaries, or the the nameless ancient things that slither in its deep woods?”
This is clearly a big deal for Failbetter, who are huge fans of Bioware’s work. “Working with Bioware has been something Alexis and I have dreamed of since we used to build modules in Neverwinter Nights,” explains co-founder Chris Gardiner. “Or maybe even earlier, around the time Sarevok killed Gorion. Damn you, Sarevok. We can’t quite believe it’s actually happened.”
The Last Court plugs in to the recently released Dragon Age Keep, and you can get a sense of how it all works in the video above. It should be available to play in around a week. Inquisition is out on PC and consoles this November 18.
