Dragon Age: Inquisition - Exploring the Winter Palace

[@Nikisek9993]

This makes me feel hopelessly uncomfortable in the most beautiful way. This quest is so incredibly stressful. I hate it. I love it.

[@samanthapatrick4345]

I love the winter palace quest actually it's my favourite one actually out of all the quests

[@Collerz7]

First time playing the quest is extremely stressful indeed 😂 once you know what to do it’s one of the best though and you can do it without stressing too much.

[@ZenZudokai]

There’s such an air of mystery and intrigue in this piece. As you walk about the inquisitive eyes and attractive smiles, and all the allures of beautiful masks...there is something sinister at work all around you. This is the Game. Allies and rivals in equal measure, and all taking note of every move, gesture, and word you make. “I’ve seen countless displays of power like this in the Fade. The powerful never change. Only the costumes.” - Solas

[@pelinalwhitestrake5055]

The Winter Palace is one of my favorite quests in a video game for its uniqueness as a political thriller rather than an epic action packed adventure. The intrigue, mystery, and witty remarks create an atmosphere I’ve never experienced before in a video game. The climax of the quest is unmatched and satisfying if you gain full court approval and destroy the culprit before the assembled guests and the empress.

[@Kraziel797]

Hated it entirely, the time limit made it unexplorable to gather the necessary puzzles to get Duke as the sole leader, Leliana's story at least was fun this crap was like playing assasins creed but with death for saying the wrong shit

[@OneEsk19]

The finest main quest I've ever played in any game ever!

[@pawe1721]

Shepard... don't forget mighty Suicide Mission back in Mass Effect 2...

[@Benassiesto]

Paweł Suicide Mission > any single mission/ quest in any game EZ

[@stars-and-clouds]

Ikr. I still look forward to replaying this quest. Idk what it is about it

[@limitess9539]

Same, really satisfied my intrigue needs in a video game

[@EthicalCrusader]

So atmospheric. So mysterious. So elegant. I LUV IT!

[@jackjager8790]

I dont trust anyone who hates this Quest. This Quest imo is the best one in the game, it has everything i like from an RPG quest, it has a lot of critical and sensitive dialogue options/choices, it has multiple endings, it has clues, it has a plot twist, a great classical theme and architecture to the place, the mask and the noble atmosphere is so elegant and cunning. Then we have the music, from the dancing scene to the classical piano music in the background and finally this piece of mysterious dark music while revealing the dark and sick truth behind the competition for the throne. It is just very magnificent, those who hate it for lack of combat for example are big time 100% idiots with trash taste :)

[@legz4dayz905]

I agree, an excellent quest.

[@FelixEarth]

Exactly! Moreover, this theme conveys a subtle feeling of being watched, as if you can't make any false step: you're entangled in a web of deceit and lies and it's up to your common sense and cunningness if you want to come out of it unscathed. Play or be played. Hope that for the next Dragon Age they will feature a beautiful main quest like this

[@gamer4vr638]

I do not hate it for lack of combat, I hate it because of these stupid timers, the unreachable halla statue and because Orlesians are a bunch of good for nothing nancies.

[@xell6834]

Those who hate it are usually those that prefer combat over story.

[@Hjalmar_an_Craite]

​@@xell6834 I hate it because I hate Orlais. What Pride Had Wrought was imo the best one, but I'm a sucker for elvhen lore. And Morrigan's bickering with Solas.

[@oberkorn13]

The music box-like bits are the best.

[@РусскийГром-ь3м]

Ikr those parts give me a feeling, it's hard to explain, but it's kind of a nostalgic feeling as best as I can express

[@oberkorn13]

Yeah, that whole quest is really cool. I need to do it again and shoot for doing everything 100%.

[@AlkisGD]

+SovietThunder - This. I can't put my finger on it but I feel like I've listened to parts of 2-3 pieces in DAI's OST and I've been wracking my head for hours trying to remember, to no avail.

[@mysteryone8462]

The music box parts play during Cole's quest too if you go the spirit route

[@mazzaleenh8388]

its very similar to some of mass effects music- no surprise considering both are made by bioware

[@keelansteele8138]

I loved this song, the nostalgia it brings. This quest was one of the most fun i've ever done in a videogame.

[@DevilChildVorn]

I am almost literally in tears because you have literally all the pieces of music I ever wanted on the soundtrack. THANK. YOU.

[@chemicalpoisons]

Many thanks for this, and for all the unreleased soundtracks you have uploaded. This one, in particular, is just mystifying. You barely see a soundtrack matching an important part of the game so absolutely. Trevor outdid himself with this one, and I'm glad for it. I find the Winter Palace to be one of the best missions I've ever played. So, thank you again!

[@skybacsi]

You are very welcome! :) I'm very happy that so many of us after all these years still enjoying these masterpieces. I completely agree, not many video games have such magnificent storytelling. Especially true for this quest, place and background music. The songs in the game have their own special aura and atmosphere.

[@LadyStoneheart312]

This is actually the best OST in the game

[@Jaclyn531246]

This was such a memorable and well written quest and it barely even involved much combat. The music captures the mood and "game" perfectly :o

[@Mindoir]

I love all the Orlais soundtracks. I dunno why but there's just something about each track, this one especially. The music alone makes me love the quest at the Winter Palace.

[@Skandalos]

Im not even a great fan of this game but the Winter Palace episode is an absolute master piece of game design. Everything is done with the greatest inspiration and love, everything, every detail adds to the superb and mind blowing experience, and the stellar music makes it unforgettable and most addictive. It makes you feel the sweet pain of desire, danger, and fate.

[@Phlebas]

Dragon Age Inquisition is a bit of a strange game. I don't care for the single player MMO style which makes up for the majority of the game but the main storyline and companion quests are really well done. I'm currently on my second playthrough and just finished this part yesterday; I've had the music stuck in my head all day today. I'm playing a slightly more ruthless inquisitor this time around. I gave the throne to Gaspard and I now have a war mongering idiot in my back pocket.

[@beardedtinman8491]

The part that u enjoyed was the focus of the first two games i feel. They went a bit tangent on the third one.

[@Phlebas]

I agree. Inquisition had far too many collectibles and side quests which distracted from the main story. It was hard to feel any sense of progress. Origins did it well: almost every area you went to was tied to the main quest. All of the side quests were things that could be done along the way. Inquisition, on the other hand, had enormous areas that were completely optional and seemed like they were put in there only to grind for experience, gold and resources. Off the top of my head, you can complete the game without ever going to the Storm Coast (except to recruit Iron Bull, who's optional but... hell, who wouldn't recruit him?), Fallow Mire, Hissing Wastes, Exalted Plains, Emerald Graves, Forbidden Oasis, or Emprise du Lion. Granted some of these areas had interesting quests to do along the way but that's _a lot_ of aimless wandering

[@aerothallji6514]

I did that to but with giving the Elven lady behind the original empress control the strings of Gaspard, in return giving the elves of Orlais rights in a way.

[@protodominichusplay]

cough cough I've been through 10 playthrough

[@liszst]

Those fucking halla statues.... That's all I can think of. I kept jumping down the freaking balcony so I could get a perfect court score LOL. VERY INCONSPICUOUS, INQUISITOR.

[@Blind_Dragoon]

I'm so happy to have found this. I just completed the quest yesterday and this is one of my favourite soundtracks. Thanks so much for putting it up ^^

[@pawe1721]

One of the best Main Quest I've ever played. Next to Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2 & Battle of Kaer Morhen in Witcher 3.

[@daenwallace5487]

I absolutely agree!

[@samanthapatrick4345]

this is my favourite soundtrack and I absolutely love this quest because the music gave me a sense of urgency of what was at stake and what could happen if I screwed up if I didn't find out who was behind the plot

[@optimaltt6070]

Anyone who hated on DA:I clearly never played this part of the game. It's a shame, really. Inquisition blows Origins out of the water and then some. Oh, Nostalgia goggles...not even once.

[@klimopeter2712]

Szervusz! Kösz hogy feltöltötted ezt a zenét! Régóta kerestem és sehogy sem sikerült megtalálnom.... egészen eddig :D Kösz még egyszer! Ez a része a játéknak marad számomra az örök kedvenc és ezt még tetőzi az, hogy a zenét is mennyire eltalálták és mennyire illik a környezethez.

[@skybacsi]

Nagyon szívesen. Örülök, hogy segíthettem. :)

[@kevincastro1927]

Hypocrasy, Greed, Lies This are the things i felt while being around this palace, i hated it And i love this game for making me feel this way, the immersion this game had was amazing Playing as an mage elf was the best choice i made when starting the game, you start so low that everybody there hates you and fear you, and slowly you start changing everybodies opinion if you play your cards well

[@ZenZudokai]

Kenai 93 I was second worst with being a Qunari mage. “Is that the Inquisitor?” “It can’t be. It *must* be someone’s pet.” Me: A ‘pet’ am I...? Hehehe. Oh how all your opinions will change of me by the end of this Game. It was such a beautifully immersive mix of combat and RPG and mystery. I absolutely loved this moment of Inquisition.

[@Hjalmar_an_Craite]

What's even worse when you play as an Elf - Winter Palace is build on elven ruins. It's incredibly depressing that not only you have to go there and pretend you're okay with the fact that people dance on bones of your ancestors, but people go and tell you have to save Celene who burned an alienage.

[@samanthapatrick4345]

I played as a rogue plus the lockpicks came in handy

[@shirochancosplay]

legjobb háttérzene morrigan cosplay készítéshez :DDD

[@Francis_UD]

Thank you so much Bioware for ME trilogy & DAI

[@xophaser]

best ambient , setting in the whole game, this track score is perfect. Brings back memories.

[@simondeluna8005]

this quest made me feel like im doing a james bond sort of work lmao

[@samanthapatrick4345]

That's a very good description of the winter palace quest

[@ookami-chan3328]

One word: Briala

[@Abs0lut3_ZER0]

I love the suspense of it

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Was playing Ghost Of Tsushima, and heard a similar soundtrack to this. Glad I played both games.

[@baldwin4494]

My favorite part 1:00

[@Lucas-iw5xo]

So many millionaire people and no one dares to make a party so fine, so intriguing. "The grand game" is played in the world but not in the style that we see in Orlais.

[@samanthapatrick4345]

Be thankful for that because they resort to asassanation if something doesn't work out in Orlais if they did that in our world we'd be screwed.

[@xanderwinn7018]

Beautiful

[@limitess9539]

3:53 where to find extended version of this particular melody?

[@fairy_polumna]

Это музыка будто воплощает в себе русскую историю, французский шик и венецианский секрет. Что за смесь... потрясающе) Когда буду гулять в Зимнем дворце в России обязательно включу эту музыку)

[@jessepaea7683]

Yes I thought so too.

[@Retbullgivesyouwings]

Thank you so much.

[@skybacsi]

Retbullgivesyouwings You are very welcome. :)

[@Shadowpack95]

the villain I didn't see coming at first

[@tlotpwist3417]

You can hear the gibberish shushes even if they're not on that track

[@Collerz7]

I really hope the next dragon age is good! I love inquisition unlike a lot of people who give it hate.

[@ТатьянаХлебодарова-ю2в]

Don't bank on it, Chief

[@Collerz7]

@@ТатьянаХлебодарова-ю2в yeah…😂 the trailer made me sad.

[@ТатьянаХлебодарова-ю2в]

@@Collerz7 If it is any consolation, you're not the only one

[@Hawaiian_Pizza_Enjoyer]

For every Dragon Age Novel I listened to a different ambience/soundtrack from the games while reading. For The Masked Empire I choose this one.

[@fatherireland5737]

Thanks for the uploads I really like the music from dragon age inquisition by any chance could you upload the song played in combat in the descent dlc? Thanks!

[@skybacsi]

+Mark Lee If noone did it yet, of course, I happily could. :)

[@fatherireland5737]

+Sky bácsi thank you so much

[@raquelfonseca5504]

thank you for uploading this! do you know where I can find the song that plays during the dance scene at the end?

[@dandankovsky7968]

Raquel Fonseca Val Royeaux theme?

[@qasimgaming4531]

Some say, "All is well". At least, on the surface. But any politician/assassin/smart person will know that SOMETHING is amiss. And it's up to them, to find out what it is. And not get killed in the process. Will they/you succeed? Or will you share the same fate as many others before you? I don't know. But we shall see...we shall see indeed...

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

And one more thing: what are the tracks for the ambient music the musicians play in the Winter Palace ballroom? It's like a really cool twist on classical strong quartets.

[@skybacsi]

+G Cutro If they are not considered like complete songs (like the tavern ones), they don't even have a name. Are you referring to the ballroom introduction background music, maybe?

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

+Sky bácsi Maybe. If you replay the level even, right after you're released from the cinematic introduction, you can begin to hear them start up after a couple of seconds. There's no real time limit, so I just let it run while I read a book. It was really nice

[@JeanMaria93]

+G Cutro Look up "Chateau Haine music",it's actually a piece from the DLC of Dragon Age II.Sky bácsi,thank you for the trouble,chum. :-)

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

+JeanMaria93 Thanks! I'll take a look!

[@Zinemay]

This quest makes me incredibly sad. Why? Because it's a good one. And there is like a five-six good quest for a whole game and that's sad man, that's so sad.

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

Where do you find all of these songs that aren't in the main soundtrack? People all over other videos are looking for them! Thanks! :)

[@skybacsi]

+G Cutro I use magiiiic! ^^ Well, joking aside, all the sounds are inside the game's files. It's just hard to find them. Back then, when the game came out, I was really amazed by the Fereldan Frostback theme and was very disappointed when the official soundtrack didn't have it. That's why I started to upload these. The Dragon Age community is really helpful, I often get suggestions of the missing tracks. I hope the people who are looking for their favorite tracks under those other videos can find some here. If not, I'll try my best to get things done. :) And of course, you are welcome! ^^

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

That's awesome! Especially for someone like me who plays DA:I on console, because I don't have access to its file directory. Apparently there was this same issue with Civilization V, because there were only the main themes available on the "Official Soundtrack", and people were looking for more of the genius work by the composer to listen to. Then, on KZbin, somebody uploaded something like hundreds of new songs in the directory, creating a satisfyingly COMPLETE soundtrack, 10x bigger than before! Keep up the awesome work! You have a new subscriber! :)

[@gabrielcutrone7606]

+Sky bácsi ...Especially for someone who listens to hours and hours of movie and video game OSTs for homework and stuff

[@skybacsi]

+G Cutro Thank you! :) It means a lot to me when I get positive feedback about how everyone enjoys these tracks.

[@gustavo33413]

Somehow makes me think about Assassins Creed 2

[@samanthapatrick4345]

Which part?

[@gustavo33413]

Reminds me of Assassin's Creed 2 somehow

[@OroborusFMA]

What do you get if you get that 400 approval I heard is possible.

[@trugoingnowhere]

the music in this shit game is really wonderful, funny that moments with properly used music are so rare, like prologue in dialogue with solas

[@Raptor3Falcon]

Baldur's Gate type feeling