The lights are on
Like the GI review said, 98% of this game is amazing: the gameplay combines the best elements of ME1 and 2, every one of your decisions (past and present) has a measurable impact on the story, and the story itself is well-paced and epic. I assumed it was a 10/10 game for me, until the closing 7 minutes or so--anyone who's beaten the game knows the moment I refer to. At that point, EVERYTHING that you've done over the course of the three 20-50 hour games is thrown out the window, the final "twist" answers nothing and opens hundreds of new questions, and you're forced to make an abstract choice between 3 colors. Most damning of all, no matter what choice you make or how your galaxy has evolved over your playthrough, it ends on an utterly miserable note with no possibility whatsoever for future games to take place in the galaxy we've fought so hard for (at least, not in any recognizable way). The ending is so bad that I've lost all desire to replay ME3 with my other Shepards, because literally nothing I do will make any difference at all in the end.The only comfort I have is that EA will probably retcon the final sequence as some sort of dream, and release an "alternate ending" DLC within a couple months. If so, that will be the last Bioware product I spend my money on.For many fans of the series like myself, this game's ending is a cruel betrayal that absolutely ruins the greatest trilogy in gaming. I've never been more disappointed in my time playing video games.
Awakening lasts over twenty hours, and each is filled with new battles, environments, and characters. The story is more focused than the base game, yet the new revelations and the effects of your choices (which you'll have dozens of opportunities to make throughout the adventure) are at least as profound as anything in Origins. For Dragon Age fans (and who else would be interested in this anyway?), Awakening is an amazing deal. The only complaint I have is that I have experienced a few minor but annoying bugs, such as being able to access areas or complete quests when they should be inaccessible. As long as you save often and don't try "break" the game, these shouldn't even be an issue.