Origin Editor's Review

A New Name That's Good for New EA Games

If you wondered where EA Download Manager ahd disappeared to, you'll be happy to know that it is now known as Origin.

When you are looking for an EA game then Origin should be your first stop, as it acts as a catalogue and store for their new titles. Sadly, older games are not always available, which is a bit of a missed mark on EAs part.

If you are looking for deals you might want to go elsewhere, as pricing is usually the same as in retail stores, although there are occasionally bargains to be found.

In terms of functionality, a friends list is present for online play. When you purchase a game, it downloads and installs on your hard-drive, ready for play. One great feature is the ablity to play streaming demos in your web browser through the GaiKai service, so you can try before you buy.

Pro's: Streaming demo play is very convenient. Easy to use. Good library for new EA games.

Con's: Only EA games are available. Older games not available. Better deals can sometimes be found elsewhere.

Conclusion: If you only care about finding EA games then Origin is all you could wish for. While streaming demos are very convenient, Origin is far from a one-stop shop, even for EA's catalogue, as older games are not always available. Origin is certainly good at what it does, but doesn't do enough to be the only game manager you will ever need.