"‘Dragon Age: The Veilguard’: Dense Myth & Intriguing Chars

12/13/2024
This review delves deep into EA's "Dragon Age: The Veilguard," a game that has arrived later than most due to the busy entertainment season and the author's desire to immerse themselves fully. After spending dozens of hours within its dense fantasy universe, we emerge with a complex assessment.

Uncover the Depths of "Dragon Age: The Veilguard"

Busy Entertainment Season and Late Review Copy

This review of "Dragon Age: The Veilguard" is notably late compared to others. One reason is the extremely busy season in the entertainment world, with a flood of major video games, movies, and TV shows. The review copy itself came in late during this run. It shows the challenges faced by both the game and the reviewer in getting the full experience.Another aspect is the author's decision to take their time with the game instead of rushing a review. They engaged in side quests, explored the world, and got to know the characters thoroughly. This approach allowed for a more in-depth understanding of the game.

Sequel to "Inquisition" with Its Own Identity

"The Veilguard" is a sequel to "Inquisition" but has faced some criticism. It focuses more on new characters rather than those beloved by "Dragon Age" fans. The end of "Inquisition" revealed that Solas, a major character, was actually a deity responsible for much of the chaos. Solas returns in the prologue of "Veilguard" as he attempts to destroy The Veil.Players take on the role of "Rook," whose identity can be shaped through a highly malleable character creation function. There are six factions to choose from, each with its own impact on the storytelling and gameplay. This gives the game an immediate sense of authorship, as each player's "Rook" will be unique.

Building the Team and Character Bonds

The first several hours of "Veilguard" are about assembling the team. Just like in most BioWare games, interactions with allies and choosing the right partners are crucial. You gather an "Avengers"-esque team and have to select two to take into battle. Who you choose and how you treat them builds bonds and even romantic entanglements.Characters like Varric Tethras, Lace Harding, Bellara Lutare, Davrin, Emmrich Volkarin, Lucanis Dellamorte, Neve Gallus, and Taash all have rich backgrounds and fluctuating relationships with "Rook." This depth of character and world-building is what sets "Veilguard" apart from many fantasy titles.

Combat Mechanics - Exciting but Repetitive

At first, the battle mechanics in "Veilguard" are exciting. Combining powers and using the rich skill tree allows for great customization in combat style. However, over long battle sequences, the mechanics become numbing and repetitive. There is a lack of strategy as it often devolves into button-pushing attacks while waiting for cooldown meters to expire.While there are thousands of combos available, players often find a favorite loadout and stick to it. Some multi-stage boss battles go on for a long time with the same attack and special moves, leaving one longing for more strategic depth in combat.

Puzzle-Solving and Storytelling

The puzzle-solving in "Veilguard" is a bit thin, with most missions feeling like "fetch quests." However, what keeps the game engaging is the density of the storytelling and the characters within it. Every time the combat or simple side quests become boring, there is something impressive about the character or world design that draws you back.The game's visuals on a PS Pro are gorgeous, adding to the overall experience. Despite some setbacks, the story and characters manage to hold the player's attention.

Bioware's "Team" Approach and Addiction

Much has been made of the original "Dragon Age" writers leaving the project over the years. This may have tarnished its reputation on release. But the author found themselves addicted to "Veilguard" more than many recent fantasy games.The Bioware "team" approach to gameplay is evident, as it takes a group of friends to save the world. This sense of community and interaction with the characters makes the game truly immersive.A review copy of this title was provided by the publisher. It is now available on PS5, Windows, and Xbox Series.