When we first meet Hawke in Dragon Age 2, they are a humble farmer from Lothering whose life is suddenly upended due to the ravaging Blight seen in Dragon Age Origins. For Hawke, however, each win came with ten losses behind it, ultimately leaving them to be one of the most heartbreaking protagonists in gaming to date.
In many stories where there is a hero at the heart of the tale, that hero goes through Hell and back to become a shining beacon of triumph and prosperity. Dragon Age 2 did many things right – and many things wrong – but one thing that stands out the most to me is the tragedy that is Hawke.
