Dragon Age is a flagship franchise for BioWare. This new installment was therefore highly anticipated. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a massive role-playing game. You encounter characters from the past who tie into the overall storyline of the saga. However, the story stands well on its own. Here are my impressions of this imposing title set in Thedas.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard details
Platforms: PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X/PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Style: Role-playing game
Mode: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
A World on the Brink of Collapse
After the disruption of a magical ritual resulting from a heated discussion between Solas and Varric, two corrupted former elven deities escaped from their prison, Fen’Harel (aka Solas). Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain now threaten to destroy the world. They are creating rifts that cause demons and other abominations to appear all over the realm. Accompanied by the Veilguard, Rook must stop them to save Thedas from this foretold chaos. Filled with conflicts and secret magic, the universe invites us to discover wild lands, treacherous labyrinths, and sparkling cities.
The Veilguard
The Veilguard consists of a team of seven companions, each with their own story to uncover. Of different races and occupations, we get to know them throughout the game. They will have quests dedicated to forging deeper bonds with them. One of the first is with the dwarf Harding, which allows Rook to master a new power after being touched by the blade of Solaris. This will aid players during exploration. I also toured the docks with Neve, helped Davrin tame his young griffin Assan, and enjoyed a good coffee with Lucanis. These moments are optional, but for me, they are an essential part of the adventure to deepen the stories of our allies.
I appreciate knowing that I have an influence on the narrative direction through the choices I make throughout the game. Rook makes action and dialogue decisions, which affect their attitude towards others and vice versa.
Dynamic combat
Whether during exploration or quests, players must remain vigilant. Enemies are everywhere and will attack as soon as you come within their reach. Starting with two colleagues, players should ensure to form the best trio against the foes that appear in front of them. By exploiting the strengths and weaknesses of enemies against the elements, you can switch heroes if a confrontation turns disadvantageous. For example, selecting the one who specializes in fire, ice, or electricity attacks to maximize the impact on enemies.
Being able to give orders to companions during combat adds a good strategy to the actions taken. After a while, this mechanic becomes instinctive. Additionally, there is a large skill tree for each character to explore. My tip is to always keep some points in reserve for allocation as needed, especially if a fight proves to be too challenging, like against colossi. I created my Rook with swords and a bow. I started by enhancing their bow skills since that is the weapon I use the most. Later, I unlocked skills that strengthened close combat, as I realized that small creatures like ghouls were easier to attack with a sword. In short, don’t hesitate to experiment!
A vast universe to explore
The environments are diverse and filled with things to see and collect. The map unfolds as you explore. Initially, I spent time wanting to discover everything but accomplishing nothing narratively. I eventually focused on the quests. Sometimes there are multiple quests in the same area. So, I took the opportunity to complete as many as possible while satisfying my exploration urges. Additionally, I realized that certain elements like elven modules only appear after a specific point in the story. Therefore, it isn’t very useful to scour everywhere right from the start. In any case, with quests being added regularly, players will almost certainly return. Activating the beacons in the field makes fast travel easier.
Visually, the game is stunning. The sound quality is equally impressive. I played most of the time with headphones and in French. The translation and voice-over are very well done and align nicely with what appears on screen. The music is perfect. Honestly, the overall production of Dragon Age: The Veilguard is top notch.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is worth exploring
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not only a good Dragon Age game. It offers an excellent fantasy-styled story. I had played little of the previous titles, and I thoroughly enjoyed my adventure in this one. I was never lost, especially due to the amount of text explaining the lore of the game’s events in the overall iconic Dragon Age universe.
At times, I felt like I was missing little bits of the overall story. For example, Varric, Solas, and Harding mention having experienced adventures together in the past. The same goes for Morrigan. From their discussions, it’s clear they carry historical baggage from the Dragon Age saga. However, all of this doesn’t prevent following the current storyline well. Perhaps it will even motivate me to delve into the previous installments after finishing this one. Who knows?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good, well-crafted story | Some sound differences in dialogues when faced with decisive choices |
| Plenty of content to discover in addition to the main quest | Repetitive phrases during exploration, even from our characters |
| Engaging, well-rounded characters | Items that “magically” appear in environments only after certain quests have been completed |
| Impeccable production |
Overall rating for Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Gameplay Experience: 4.5/5
Graphics: 4.5/5
Sound: 4.25/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 5/5
Overall Score: 4.5/5 (92%)
Purchase Dragon Age: The Veilguard for Xbox Series X|S or for PlayStation 5.
Click here to see the full line of video game software available at Bestbuy.ca.
Click here to see digital video game downloads offered at BestBuy.ca.
