Characterization or customization: Bioware’s dilemma

Justin Kemppainen, Minnesota Games Examiner, writes:

Dilemma, of course, being not necessarily the case, perhaps it was more of an issue of simple choice. In any case, the beans were recently spilled about Bioware's upcoming sequel to the very popular (and excellent) Dragon Age: Origins, specifically how the characters would be structured.

Instead of the "Origins" type of storytelling (multiple different beginning scenarios based upon race, class, and societal standings), there will be one, and only one, situation. Boiled down to its essence, Hawke will likely take the route of Commander Shepard in Mass Effect: customized to a certain point: most likely choose male/female and class.

With this decision, there's a virtual certainty that the amount of choice in the character built for the DA: II will be much more limited, as there will be full facial expressions and voice acting.