After a decade, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has finally arrived as the fourth installment to the Dragon Age franchise. But was the long wait worth it? Well, that’s a complicated answer. While The Veilguard brings a lot of new and welcomed additions, like improved visuals, fast gameplay, and a robust character creator, it also brings a number of problems that have disappointed many. This mix of strengths and weaknesses makes playing a strange experience.
The first noticeable change is the improved graphics. BioWare, developer of Dragon Age, improved Frostbite — software used by developers to create the game’s graphics — to make the visuals more immersive and dynamic. This change gave the game richer textures and smoother animations that bring the characters and environments to life. Frostbite has already been acclaimed by game reviewers with The Veilguard’s predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition (a game that has aged fairly well after an entire decade), praising the stunning visuals, dynamic open worlds, and realistic lighting that set a new standard for the series. This time, their approach was to create a colourful and stylized world while maintaining some darker, eerie environments.
Another great change is gameplay, a key element that was expected to be improved on, since Inquisition previously faced a lot of criticism for gameplay that became repetitive and boring over time. The Veilguard addresses the issue by delivering a smooth combat system. Players can create weapon and magic combos, along with team based attacks from two chosen companions that have unique abilities, creating countless possibilities.
However, The Veilguard is not perfect, and its imperfections dull the player’s experience, especially for long-time fans of the franchise. A big problem is the script and dialogue. With the Dragon Age franchise, players have the opportunity to create their own character and make choices that affect relationships with other in-game characters and the world. This time, the playable character is “Rook.” However, Rook seems to have a heavy personality, with a set moral code and a tendency to be the “good guy,” limiting players’ freedom to shape their character or explore morally complex choices. This “fixed personality” is not very common in role playing games, as they usually give you freedom to explore the “good” and “evil” paths of a story.
Another problem is that, while the Dragon Age franchise is known for its dark fantasy genre, The Veilguard has removed any trace of those “dark” aspects. This is clear in how the game uses necromancy, a form of magic that deals with the dead and is usually perceived as dark and sinister. However, The Veilguard introduces a necromancer who is portrayed as a goofy, quirky guy that raises the dead for enjoyment. It unfortunately comes across more like comedic relief. This greatly contrasts a character in Dragon Age 2, who, in the quest “All That Remains,” is a necromancer and serial killer that has been gathering bodies of his victims to create a Frankenstein-like monster to bring back his deceased wife. The reduction of its dark fantasy aspects happens throughout the game, approaching them at a shallow level, undermining the darker tone the series usually has.
Overall, The Veilguard is an ambitious but messy addition to the franchise. For those willing to embrace its lighter tone and new direction, it’s an enjoyable game. But for players looking for the dark fantasy and complex storytelling of the franchise, it may fall short of your expectations.
