Table of Contents
Review of Dragon Age 4
While enthusiastically exploring the captivating realm of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Wait, BioWare made this? 2024 BioWare?” Following the disappointment of Anthem, which came after the mixed reception of Dragon Age: Inquisition and Mass Effect: Andromeda, I doubted whether these once esteemed RPG developers could create a game of similar quality. However, assembling my group of fascinating and charming comrades to rescue the world seemed reminiscent of reuniting the classic band, in multiple ways.
This adventure covers the entire North of Thedas, taking you from Rivain’s coasts to the blighted wilds of the Anderfels in your quest to stop an ancient and threatening evil from emerging. As a dedicated fan of the series for many years, it was exciting to finally visit the places mentioned in a journal entry from 2009. The method BioWare uses for guiding us through exploration is highly concentrated and intentional.
The level design of Veilguard immediately caught my attention, bringing to mind the original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The cleverly interconnected corridors with hidden nooks to explore show how a BioWare-style RPG benefits greatly from abandoning the concept of a completely open world without losing much.
A few of the taller parts of Minrathous can be difficult to navigate. The environment art is stunning everywhere, from the barren mountains of Kal-Sharok to the ethereal elven ruins in Arlathan Forest.
I also loved the character designs. The armor and clothing are absolutely fantastic. I invested over an hour in the character editor, as I typically do, and produced a rendition of our main character, Rook, that brought me joy every time she appeared on screen. This could possibly be some of the most attractive hair I’ve ever witnessed in a video game.
Veilguard’s fighting style has been improved from what we saw in Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition
Despite the impressive visuals, I managed to achieve a steady 60 fps at 4k on my RTX 4070 Super with DLSS set to maximum performance, without significantly impacting visual quality. The only time this didn’t happen was during the end game, where numerous spell effects were triggered simultaneously causing not only frame rate drops, but also making it hard to follow the action.
Despite the crackling and sparks, Veilguard’s combat clearly improves upon the gameplay seen in Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition. I have always favored the more strategic gameplay of Dragon Age: Origins or Baldur’s Gate 3, but that opportunity has passed for this studio long ago, not even the Evanuris recall its appearance.
Therefore, when evaluating this action-oriented combat system as it is, it is quite impressive! BioWare has fully embraced the frenetic style and perfected it to a degree that I find very enjoyable.
Being able to pause and give orders to party members, similar to Mass Effect, allows tactical players to assess the battlefield and plan their next move. Using a controller feels superior compared to using a mouse and keyboard, for sure.
I felt let down that party members act more as an extension of my character in combat than as individuals themselves. For example, they lack health bars altogether. If Rook is defeated, you will immediately lose the battle, unlike them who are unbeatable in combat.
They possess equipment slots and skill trees, but not as many as Rook receives. In general, the extent of customization options for the entire team with abundant, upgradeable loot was sufficient to meet my RPG desires, even if it didn’t fulfill my elaborate battle management dreams entirely.
During my 100-hour playthrough where I completed almost everything, I chose to play Rook as a Spellblade, a mix of melee and mage, and thoroughly enjoyed the unique play style after obtaining all necessary tools. Dancing with a dagger through a lightning storm, swiftly evading danger to strike with precision, is a thrilling experience that requires smart decision-making. This is not the strategic Dragon Age from my younger days, but it is a Dragon Age that I can resonate with.
The boss fights are the standout moments in combat, providing a satisfying challenge even on the standard difficulty setting. Although battling regular mobs like Darkspawn or Venatori cultists became monotonous after over 90 hours, facing off against a High Dragon always kept me on edge as I had to analyze its attack patterns and react quickly.
Every member of your team is unique, unforgettable, and endearing; facing the dragon always kept me on edge as I analyzed its moves and reacted quickly
This game could be considered the most BioWare game ever as it focuses on the relationships with your companions, also known as the friends we meet during the journey. The entire team is comprised of intricate, unforgettable, pleasant, unique individuals from all over Thedas, and they are each regarded as the protagonists of their own tale.
Veilguard lacks the traditional side quests like “Help Bingo Bongo find nug grease,” but instead offers in-depth heroic storylines for companions, complete with plot twists, character development, personal enemies, and triumphant moments befitting a main character, not just a supporting role. It feels as if the writers expanded the loyalty missions from Mass Effect 2 and created seven smaller games. The majority of side missions connect to one of these, eliminating the feeling that you are completing meaningless tasks.
Selecting one Veilguard member to discuss as a favorite truly seems like an insurmountable challenge. I truly wish to express that every single one of them is my favorite. However, my choice for this playthrough has to be Davrin, the stoic Grey Warden, with whom I had a fulfilling romantic relationship and became the mother of his young griffon companion, Assan. If anything bad happens to that little guy, I will destroy Thedas with fire. Emmerich, the necromancer inspired by Vincent Price, offers a unique spin on the typical dark goth mage concepts.
Requested by developers not to reveal the specific identity, but as a non-binary individual, Veilguard portrays realistic exploration of gender identity and dealing with family reactions, making it one of the most authentic representations in gaming. I don’t feel like I’m watching a scripted after school program or being patronized. The writer for this character being non-binary themselves didn’t surprise me because the handling of it was done well.
The overarching storyline that looms over our personal quests is not exceptionally remarkable in its overall design. We must bring together certain groups to combat sinister deities attempting to cause harm with their tentacles. What adds an intriguing twist is Solas, also known as the Dread Wolf, elven deity of deceit and defiance, lurking nearby, leaving me uncertain if he was an ally or enemy.
This narrative seems like a combination of a farewell and a gentle restart, in a sense
Veilguard, as part of the Dragon Age series, does seem somewhat separate from where we were ten years ago. If you thought decisions from past games in the series would impact the outcome, I regret to inform you that they are now more insignificant than ever.
You can only bring in three options, with one of them being mentioned in just one letter that you might come across and choose to read. You can recreate your Inquisitor from Dragon Age: Inquisition, in a similar way to recreating your Hawke in Dragon Age 2. The Inquisitor turned out to be quite a significant character, which was quite interesting.
However, decisions such as selecting the leader of the Chantry in Inquisition’s finale are never brought into discussion. While you pay a visit to the stronghold of their order, the Warden from Origins is nowhere to be found. Hawke is briefly mentioned. Some additional appearances from characters in Origins and Dragon Age 2 can be seen, but these individuals notably do not acknowledge any significant decisions you made while interacting with them. This narrative comes across as both a farewell and a gentle reset, in a somewhat contradictory but simultaneously satisfying and underwhelming manner.
The pacing in the beginning is a bit odd, and I got the sense that I could almost detect the revisions. For instance, it’s funny how “Veilguard” is never spoken aloud during the 100 hours I spent playing this dialogue-heavy game, revealing a sudden change in marketing strategy. However, it doesn’t take much time for the story to improve and once it does, it continues on that positive path.
The sacrifices I had to make towards the end were painful. The smart choices I made were worth it
Except for a major decision early on, the most compelling elements of narrative structure are not revealed until the conclusion of Veilguard’s story. Once more, it’s difficult to delve deeply into this without giving away spoilers, but the ending of the game is reminiscent of Mass Effect 2, known for its intricate and impactful choices that may have been the most impressive set of decisions in an RPG series. The sacrifices I had to make at the end were painful. The smart choices I made were worth it. I had the opportunity to surprise everyone by revealing my ace in the last moment, all thanks to my meticulous and cautious preparation. That seemed like the greatest prize.
During that entire period, BioWare’s cinematic style is exceptional, demonstrating their unparalleled skill in the RPG genre. I can’t mention a lot of the great things, but some of it was like experiencing a high-quality fantasy film. A successful and impactful – though not quite legendary – soundtrack enhances these moments even more.
The final decision
Dragon Age: The Veilguard revitalizes a well-known series that struggled in its previous installments, confirming its rightful position in the world of RPGs. I never thought I would say this before getting caught up in this adventure, but the upcoming Mass Effect will face a difficult challenge. Exciting combat, a great group of allies with individual stories, high-quality cinematics, and detailed character development contribute to the success of this impressive game as it embarks on a thrilling journey through Northern Thedas, concluding with a memorable finale filled with tough decisions and consequences. If we don’t receive any more Dragon Age games, at least the series ended on a positive note.
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