Cooperative multiplayer is coming to Dragon Age: Inquisition , and the four-player adventure isn’t as close to Mass Effect 3’s online mode as you might expect. Both share qualities, particularly in their economies, but in almost every instance, Inquisition’s levels, characters, and economy are significantly deeper.

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“ Nothing is behind a paywall.

Inquisition’s story is an enormous, 200 hour commitment for completists, so BioWare wants multiplayer to work in short 20-30 minute bursts. Each of the three multiplayer campaigns available at launch randomly generates a large level comprised of smaller sections. you’ll fight through five of 10 pre-designed areas in one go, each with distinct variables. Next time, you may see the same stage in a new spot, or an entirely different collection of arenas entirely, all with different enemy encounters, ideally making multiplayer missions replayable indefinitely.In my first run through the Elven Ruins, my team fought through a graveyard full of (shared) gold hidden behind doors only accessible by mages. The next time through, the graveyard was replaced by something else, with destructible walls only breakable by the brutish kick of a warrior one of us may or may not have decided to play. In addition to these Elven Ruins, Inquisition’s multiplayer visits Tevinter and an Orlesian Palace, with more locations to come.BioWare’s Scylla Costa told IGN that he hopes fans “commit to a multiplayer service. That means lots of DLC, lots of new heroes and levels.” Service? Fortunately, BioWare isn’t planning any sort of subscription or premium plan for additional multiplayer content. Costa said, “It’s all free DLC for everyone.”Missions have a loose connection to the campaign, but the signature BioWare storytelling is reserved for single-player. “The campaign is a story about you, and your growth, and your Inquisition,” Creative Director Mike Laidlaw said, so there’s little room for dialogue wheels in a group setting.Multiplayer runs sort of parallel to the Inquisitor’s story -- you’re working for the Inquisitor, running behind-the-scenes Operations with a squad. “One of the things that came out of early explorations is that we wanted the multiplayer characters to be characters,” Laidlaw said. BioWare didn’t want templatized, boring heroes lacking personalities. “They’re kind of like mini followers, and they banter among themselves.”Single-player is aiming for a smart marriage of narrative and gameplay systems. Multiplayer is pure, meant to attract role-playing junkies with a passion for loot, combat, and team-based battles in the gorgeous, brutal world of Dragon Age. After completing a multiplayer quest, you’ll take home your found gold to spend on treasure chests, which include items such as item recipes, new equipment, potions, grenades, and salves of varying rarity. Some may even unlock a new hero or character skin. Nine heroes join Dragon Age: Inquisition’s multiplayer roster at launch -- three for each mage/melee/archer class, each unique in their appearance, abilities, and characterization.If you’d rather not grind, you can purchase Platinum, which is an “optional time saver” currency. “Nothing is behind a paywall,” Costa said. “We will never sell you an item.”Like League of Legends’ business model, you’ll have to play plenty to earn enough for a prize, or you can pay outright to accelerate your unlocks.I broke down bows and knives I wasn’t using, and used the materials to craft a new pommel upgrade for my hammer, increasing its damage, and built a fancy new set of armor. I always had something in mind for my heroes, whether I planned on playing him next, or wanted to eventually try a level with her.It’s a satisfying loop that preys on role-playing junkies’ obsessions with more, more, more, and rewards them for it in turn. Feeding into that is the weekly Operations and Prestige objectives. Personal Prestige accomplishments include killing 25 of a certain enemy, and smaller tasks like that, which unlock new character icons, banners, and other cosmetics. Operations, though, work globally, with the entire Inquisition player-base working toward a communal goal, such as slaying 1 million demons by a deadline.We never got around to increasing the difficulty, which is recommended for higher-level players only, but the default was challenging enough that my crew didn’t complete an entire mission. When an ally goes down for good, enemies get stronger.Multiplayer is tough.The real-time combat doesn’t allow for Inquisition’s tactical camera, but instead requires careful coordination of magical buffs, timely heals, area-of-effect slows, damage-over-time grenades, and ranged-fire coverage as broadsword-wielding fighters assault enemies in an area.We weren’t great about that, and we paid for it. The quicker we lost, the less gold we earned -- and the more motivated we became to try again.

Mitch Dyer is an associate editor at IGN. He's trying to read 50 books in 2014. These are the 50 . Talk to Mitch about books and other stuff on Twitter at @MitchyD and subscribe to MitchyD on Twitch