My Background: While I haven't played Dragon Age's spiritual predecessor franchise, Baldur's Gate, I have completed Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Journeys and read the two novels, Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne and Dragon Age: The Calling.

What you need to know about this game: Awakening is an expansion to Dragon Age: Origins. One playable member of your Origins party is playable again, one is a guest giver and depending on your choices from your characters' playthrough in Origins one of two will make a cameo. You are now the Grey Warden Commander who must stop a darkspawn civil war.

Awakening's story is an interesting one. It is a continuation of your Grey Warden character's story. Even if your Warden died at the end of Origins, you'll find him/her alive and well here. I can't condone nor condemn this decision, it would be pretty disappointing if you were barred from using your dead Wardens yet at the same time it demeans your choice to sacrifice the Warden. For those in that position you can create a new Orlesian Grey Warden if you want, one who will constantly gain hate from all locals, as is the opinion for Orlais natives, who ruled Ferelden up until the events of Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne.
No matter your choice, the task at hand is still the same. You are to rebuild the Grey Wardens when your stronghold, Vigil's Keep, is under attack from darkspawn, showing a level of cunning that they weren't thought to be capable of. Lead by waking, talking, thinking darkspawn of all things. It's up to you to find out the hows and whys and deal with the darkspawn again.

There's a lot of new spells and abilities to use, enemies to fight and characters to recruit. What I don't like about Awakening is how it diminishes the concept of the Joining. Few are meant to survive but in this there's an obvious plot-device rule at work. But that's a small dislike in what is a great new area to play in and many ways in which to do it. What actually stops this from getting the full five is that it barely relates to Origins. You can't go back to any previous areas from Origins for new quests and post-Origins updates. The characters in Amaranthine are still well worth meeting and you've got until 2011 to wait for DA2.

A great addition to DA:O that should keep you busy until DA2 4/5 - Highly Recommended