UPDATE: I've been playing this for a few hours and it's a generous game with a lot on offer. However, there comes a point when you feel urged to spend your own money in order to acquire some of the epic hero characters from the Dragon Age game in order to compete more aggressively with other people. It's not a necessity, and you can get by without, but it's what you'll want to do.

You're guaranteed an epic character when you buy the Ultimate Pack for £1.49, which summons one character. All of the packs summon only one character despite being called packs. Alternatively, you can by gems - game currency - and spend them on a Champion Pack, which guarantees a rare character. The other packs, Warrior and Recruit, are bought with game gold that you earn as you play. The Warrior Pack guarantees an uncommon character, whereas the Recruit pack guarantees a common character.

You can earn gems by questing in the game as well. The first time you clear a map you're dished out 10 gems, usually, and then you can go back and master each quest for additional gems.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Heroes of Dragon Age mobile game is out now on iOS and Android devices. And it's free.

The whole thing is geared around collecting heroes and assembling an increasingly more powerful team to overcome increasingly bigger opponents - or your friends.

You buy new heroes with in-game gold or gems, which you can also spend real money on. There's even a $99.99-worth of in-game currency if you want it!

That isn't the only way to upgrade heroes, though. They can be levelled up, combined and consumed to either make them or other heroes more powerful.

There are runes that also act as temporary buffs to swing a battle your way.

Based on 10 minutes with it, Heroes of Dragon Age is fast, fluid and nice to look at. Battles zip by in a blur, seemingly without much tactical nuance. But there's a lengthy initial loading screen to sit through at start-up.

Whether Heroes of Dragon Age is a vehicle for fun or for micro-transactions remains to be seen, but it's a positive start so far.