A sprawling fantasy

Take "The Lord of the Rings," ''Game of Thrones" and pretty much every other epic fantasy of the last century. Throw in a shelf full of "Dungeons & Dragons" manuals and a library of classic role-playing games dating back to 1981's "Wizardry." Mix vigorously, and you have some idea of what to expect from "Dragon Age: Inquisition" (Electronic Arts, $59.95). The latest from BioWare ("Baldur's Gate," ''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" and "Mass Effect") is a sprawling creation that builds on all those successes. It has vistas of eye-popping grandeur but allows for quiet moments between characters. It lets you compete in fast-paced battles or idly pick out drapes for your castle. It offers a cosmic good-vs.-evil apocalypse along with more mundane struggles between its flawed, mortal heroes.

Associated Press