Also, you don't have to be online to play the base game. However, if you have any DLC, you must be connected to the internet and logged into your BioWare account through Dragon Age to access it -- and if your saved games have any of that content in them, that means you can't load those saved games unless you're connected to the internet.
I have DLC and have no trouble loading my saved games while disconnected from the internet. Oddly enough, while I *am* connected to the internet I occasionally get an error saying I must login to load a saved game with premium content. So far I've always just been able to click "OK", and then "Resume" a second time and I get in just fine.
I'm playing the PC deluxe edition ordered from Impulse.