Dragon Age: The Veilguard GBAtemp review
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Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): October 31, 2024
- Release Date (EU): October 31, 2024
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: BioWare
- Genres: Action RPG
- Also For: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Game Features:
BioWare has had a rocky experience with its last game releases. Between Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem, it would be easy to say that the developer seemed to have lost its touch. Mass Effect Legendary Edition did indicate a semblance of a return to form, but it didn’t deliver the experience of any new games. Now, BioWare has revisited a beloved franchise with the launch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This marks the first entry to the Dragon Age series after 10 years; and it begs the question: was the wait worth it?
A divine quest
Rather aptly, Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes place ten years after Dragon Age: Inquisition. Since then, Varric has been recruiting new members, including this entry’s protagonist Rook, to find Solas. The game starts off with the team having found the Dread Wolf and attempt to stop him from causing irreversible damage to the world by tearing down the Veil.
While they do manage to do so, the process led to new threats emerging. Ghilan’nain and Elgar’nan, who are literal Gods, have escaped from the veil and plan to use the power of the blight to bring the world under their command.
Rook, under the guidance of Varric, sets out to prevent this catastrophe from unfolding; but not without the assistance of other characters who go on to form the titular Veilguard.
Return to Thedas
From the early trailers, it was evident that this new Dragon Age adventure wouldn’t look the same as other Dragon Age titles. Compared to Inquisition’s aesthetics that leaned more towards realistic visuals, The Veilguard takes a more stylistic approach. It’s not a choice I’m against as, even with the new look, this new title, which takes place in the northern regions of Thedas, is vibrant and full of details across its varied environments. Minrathous’ market is bustling with activity, while the Arlathan Forest’s lush vegetation offers a contrasting calmness.
Even if The Veilguard veers away from realistic graphics, BioWare has added destructible environment in its fantasy world. This adds a touch of immersion while also encouraging exploration as you can find hidden chests behind crates.
Despite the varied locations, you do revisit the same places over the course of the game. While it’s noticeable, it didn't distract me much from the captivating plot. Indeed, as a true BioWare single-player RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has a finely crafted narrative. This is presented in a highly cinematic fashion and brought to life by professional voice acting throughout.
Rook’s quest to defy Gods and recruiting an adequate team to do so is gripping as the adventure is not without new challenges. Each of your seven companions are also central to the story, with each having unique characteristics and backstories for you to explore in their individual side quests.
While there are recurring, and fan-favourite, characters, the new additions are also interesting and unique like Luca is who is possessed by a demon and Davrin who has a young griffon by his side. I felt invested in each of the characters as they are each unique to see their stories and side quests through.
However, there is a noticeable slow burn to the narrative pacing. You might not relate to the companions from the get go but sticking with the game is rewarding. By learning more about the companions, you can also decide who to team up with in combat, where to allocate each in decisive moments, and, of course, who you’ll romance. Completing side quests and also faction quests are optional but this choice will influence your experience of the game, especially the ending, thanks to the branching narrative design.
Indeed, as with other BioWare games, your in-game choices have a meaningful impact; some of which are morally challenging. One of the earlier examples is making the choice between helping one of two areas under dragon attacks. You know that one region will suffer and this will have severe consequences; but you don’t know how and need to make a choice.
Similarly, your dialogue choices can gain the approval or disapproval of your companions. But by taking on quests related to each companion, you get to learn more about their individual motives and this can help your future decisions. However, as with the companion stories, encountering meaningful decisions do take their time, and only really start to ramp up towards the latter half of the game.
If you’ve played a BioWare game before, this story will feel familiar yet original. It’s a true statement that the developer is back in full force after a marked period of absence.
Defy the Gods with a new gameplay
It’s not just the looks that are new but Dragon Age: The Veilguard also brings notable changes to its gameplay. Most significantly, you only control Rook in this entry. In combat, you can command your companions to conjure spells and special moves but Rook is the one issuing those commands. This diminished control over companions somewhat plays against relating to your companions, which takes more time in this entry.
This change follows the fact that The Veilguard adopts a more action-RPG combat approach, making it more akin to Mass Effect games than previous Dragon Age titles. Rook has heavy and light attacks, and can also parry and dodge. Based on your chosen character class, you have unique abilities that you can further upgrade via the skill tree. You can choose to use one of your own or that of your companion’s abilities from a circular dial; and there is a cool down period after using an ability.
Completing encounters rewards you with weapons and/or armour which you can then equip for a slight boost in stats. This real-time combat mechanic makes for a more engaging experience, especially as you take on towering enemies and literal Gods. But this approach is lacking in terms of strategizing which might need some adjustments for Dragon Age veterans.
I didn’t mind this change personally but it might be divisive for some. You have more encounters that are less impactful, but they serve as a welcome playground to test new skills and combinations with companion abilities. Through such encounters, I found, for example, Bellara to be better suited for healing and Taash’ aggro approach to match well with my ranged skills. Via the skill tree, you can make some companions lean towards a particular tactic, test it out in combat and refund your skill points to respect characters should you want to.
Encounters offer a fair challenge and the AI is competent, whether it is enemies or party members. But the action focus means frequent encounters with similar enemies and I felt variety was lacking over the 20+ hour duration of the main quest. I also found focusing on particular enemies during combat to be rather awkward and disorienting. This is one of the main areas in which combat could have been better executed.
As for exploration, the main areas are rather linear, and sandbox at best. While you are free to explore and take on side quests, some of which offer more freedom, the approach feels restrictive. Having a more open-ended approach in the main areas would be welcome, but the linearity does enable the main story to be more streamlined, with the option to explore further if you wish to.
Exploring further and taking on side quests is encouraged as you can spend more time exploring some of your companion’s native areas and learn more about the situation of the dwellers. By exploring outside of the main quest areas, you can even spend some memorable time with your companions such as drinking coffee with Lucanis or playing rock, paper, scissors with Manfred.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard - BioWare’s return to form?
Despite the new looks and mechanics, Dragon Age: The Veilguard ultimately feels like a Dragon Age game in both story and gameplay. This feeling might take some time to sink in due to the slow burn nature of its execution, but if you’ve been waiting for a new Dragon Age game, this one will feel rewarding.
It has a high replay value by virtue of its branching narrative design and optional side quests that link into the main quest. You’ll be tempted to replay whether it’s to see other romance options play out or what path would unfold if you take other decisions during key, branching events. Even the “bad ending” feels cohesive to your actions, and keeps the player wondering about how events would unfold if they took other decisions or spent more time tackling certain side quests.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard will feel familiar to those who have played BioWare games before but it does pack some new changes that signify a new era for the studio and won't make everyone happy; but all things considered, I would say the wait has been worth it. After completing the game, it gave me an encouraging sign that BioWare is back in a new, full form, ready to make memorable single-player experiences, with some new twist to the developer’s formula. And this bodes well for the future of Dragon Age and Mass Effect alike.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Dragon Age (and BioWare) is back!
- Engaging plotline and interesting companions
- Branching narrative design with morally challenging decisions
- Limited enemy variety
- Linear level design of main quest
- Slow burn excecution
