Free the Mages!

For the third chapter of its fantasy role-playing video game series, Bioware opened up its world in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The sprawling sword and sorcery epic sends the player across two nations to stop the machinations of a demonic wizard who craves godhood.

The basics may not sound different from other fantasy-fueled stories. What makes the Dragon Age series special is its cultural dynamics. Mages, who are born with their skills, are considered dangerous and at risk of corruption by demonic entities. As a result, they are essentially kept as prisoners. But the warriors tasked to guard the mages and protect society from their evil actions have themselves become corrupted with power.

The mages have different ideas about how they should be treated-there's even a libertarian faction. Beyond the knights and dragons, players are challenged to weigh in on issues of liberty. -Scott Shackford