Morrigan Returns: Dragon Age Witch Hunt DLC Review

Oh yes, Morrigan returns. But you have to hunt her down first.

After playing the DLC over twice and starting it for a third time, it’s time to write a bit on the thing. I’m a huge, huge, Dragon Age fan. It is my favourite game by far. So know this: the overview before you comes from a genuine Dragon Age lover to you, the reader.

Morrigan concept from Bioware.com

The first thing to get out of the way is that the DLC is short. Just like Leliana’s Song, or Golems of Amgarrak, this is not a large DLC like Awakenings. Just like the other short DLCs, Witch Hunt is similar in length (2 hours at most), structure, and that there are no real “decisions” to make that will seriously affect your character or other playthroughs….or so we think.

Having said that, Witch Hunt is the DLC that most greatly draws on the decisions you did make in Origins. This is apparent as soon as you start, and plays big when you finally do find Morrigan. This was to my immense joy when I started the DLC, quickly putting my personal feelings about a tiny little game about Morrigan instead of waiting to find how things pan out in Dragon Age 2.

Without revealing too much, the beginning of the game I think I’m at liberty to describe without spoiling much. The DLC starts in front of Flemeth’s Hut, where you are re-united with your trusty mabari, who has forgotten his name (or perhaps you forgot it!). You learn most mabari hounds used in the army has died, and due to your mabari’s exceptional abilities, he has been used to mate with many, many female hounds to produce a new army of super awesome mabaris.

Lucky dog.

Let me give you a taste of what kinds of different decisions play into things at the absolute beginning of the DLC. My first playthrough I used my first-everDA character. Human warrior, whose decisions included a) killing Flemeth the High Dragon, and b) sleeping with Morrigan to make a demon baby. My warrior was drawn to the place of Flemeth’s demise, triggering a somewhat solemn reaction from my character. Entering the hut, you see an empty chest bed, and seemingly eternally lit flame. It is here where you meet an intruder of the hut, a Dalish Elf, and your two-hour adventure truly begins.

These decisions were probably the more obvious ones to make in DA: Origins, but here’s some food for thought. I played through again as my mage who forced Alistair to sleep with Morrigan to make a demon baby, went to Flemeth to get the book (didn’t kill her), then returned to Morrigan and lied to her about Flemeth’s death.

Two totally opposite scenarios, reveal much different experiences, at both beginning and end of the DLC.

Along the way you’ll return to the Circle of Magi, where your decisions there in Origins will play out: Templars might not like you too much. You will also return to the dungeon in which the Dalish Elf origin plays out. There are also a few references to events in the Awakenings DLC. Some of them are quite comedic if you look for them, for example, you might find some textbook vandalism by Anders.

Other things you can expect from the Bioware team, as per usual, great voice acting you actually listen to, great writing, great conversation, and little surprises thrown in for fans that are not tasteless or silly. And again, as seen in Awakenings andAmgarrak, interesting tweaks and twists to battles and bosses, such that the game is not a straightforward hack-and-slash.

Lastly, the game does not sell short of ruining the Morrigan character or saga, as were my worst fears. If anything, the encounter with Morrigan and this DLC, makes you look forward to with excitement for Dragon Age 2. The Witch Hunt DLC is the best short Dragon Age DLC thus far and you will enjoy it, especially if you are a Dragon Age fan.