Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review

Hard choices should remain difficult because someone else will try to make them for you once they’re easier to make. BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard poignantly hits this sentiment home throughout its lengthy narrative, offering players numerous difficult decisions so that they can shape the dark fantasy land of Thedas. Does the fourth game in the acclaimed DA series meet the quality expectations set by its peers? I’d argue yes, and it even surpasses them in several aspects. The Veilguard is peak BioWare, a welcome return at a time with many debating whether or not we’d ever see them reach their previous heights again.

I’ve been a fan of BioWare’s RPG storytelling for quite some time. However, I technically started with the Mass Effect trilogy before taking my initial steps into Dragon Age‘s realm of Thedas. Both series share similar themes and gameplay elements, so they have a fond place in my heart. Despite its apparent flaws, I enjoyed the often-maligned Mass Effect: Andromeda. Thanks to a recent replay for Retro Encounter, I recently came to appreciate the narrative beats of the more divisive Dragon Age II. Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes more positive elements of each BioWare flagship series and improves upon their weaknesses, creating a polished RPG experience with gameplay and plot that’s well-designed and memorable in equal measure.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s narrative takes place some years after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition and its epilogue DLC, Trespasser. Inquisition agents Varric Tethras and Lace Harding have tracked down their former comrade-in-arms Solas, the infamous Dread Wolf of ancient elven myth, to the capital city of Tevinter. Solas is attempting a ritual to tear down the Veil surrounding the world to “restore” what’s been lost, though doing so will cause a catastrophe that could very well end Thedas.

Trying to stop his machinations, they enlist the help of Tevinter’s mage detective, Neve Gallus, and Rook, the player-controlled hero. For complete player immersion, Rook’s looks, gender identity, race, job class, narrative origin, and voice are fully customizable in a detailed character creation process before jumping into the first mission. Things don’t go swimmingly for our heroes, and soon, corrupt ancient elven gods threaten everything and everyone. Rook ends up the de facto leader of the party, assembling a group of colorful and varied characters to help in their quest. Can the newly appointed Veilguard drive away the chaos and save Thedas? Plenty of trials, tribulations, and tough choices lie in wait for Rook and their companions.

At the core of any great RPG is its story and characters. In this regard, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is right on track with an intriguing plot that carefully explores regions of Thedas only previously referenced in series lore. You get to travel to Tevinter, a location mentioned quite heavily in past DA titles, along with areas like Nevarra and Rivain, which were given more of a light touch in the series previously. Every region in The Veilguard has an impressive scope and depth with the lore. Its surrounding ancient histories get more exploration too, offering new insight and revealing fascinating additions to the mythos of Thedas alongside hidden truths. I also found the various factions of each locale, such as Arlathan’s Veil Jumpers or the Antivan Crows, to be fully realized and deftly explored. My Rook was originally part of the Shadow Dragons, and how your Rook’s origin gets interwoven into the plot through dialogue options and references is impressive. I even appreciated that at points in my playthrough, my Rook could discuss being of Qunari descent in Tevinter society, as it made her feel like she had an actual background.

The game’s characters are arguably the most substantial part of the writing, with its beating heart being the titular Veilguard. Harding stepping into a party member role after her stint as a beloved-yet-not-the-focus NPC in Inquisition is inspired, and she’s just as likable as ever here. Neve is a staunch defender of the oppressed in the poorer Dock Town area of the Tevinter capital with an analytical approach to most things that’s greatly appreciated. Bellara is an elven Veil Jumper who is a sheer delight with her bubbly mannerisms and penchant for hoping for the best in any situation. Emmrich is the kindest, most polite necromancer I’ve encountered in a video game! Davrin is a Grey Warden who very much espouses the order’s ideals thrust into a situation he isn’t prepared for. Taash is a dragon hunter who still shows understanding and respect for the magnificent and powerful creatures.

The feared assassin Lucanis was a pleasant surprise for me. He managed to worm his way into my Rook’s heart with a wonderfully charming personality, thoughtful observances, and a profoundly abiding love for coffee. For fans of romance in their BioWare games, I adored how cute and touching their eventual romance ends up being too! Emmrich’s skeleton butler, Manfred, and the young griffin Assan are also unique mascots. Indeed, I immensely enjoy the found family dynamic that evolves among the Veilguard. They all have their differences, yet regardless, they work through them to reach an understanding with one another. Their dynamic develops believably over time, especially if you try to follow through with all of their character arcs.

The various regions of Thedas you traverse also have essential characters to get to know by visiting them and completing quests raising that faction’s strength. Faction strength ties into what items can be found in shops and even has a surprising impact on the game’s narrative outcomes. Strife of the Veil Jumpers, Tarquin of the Shadow Dragons, Teia of the Antivan Crows, and a colorful married couple in the Grey Wardens are just a handful of potential allies with memorable plots and moments. At specific points, some nostalgic cameo surprises await fans of the series! Other minor characters in the plot have just enough lines and ambient dialogue to get attached to them, allowing the regions of Thedas to feel genuinely lived in.

You even get messages from characters you’ve aided occasionally, both prominent and minor in scale. These provide a sense that side quests have a lasting narrative impact outside of just raising faction strength and tangible rewards. The most significant character-related weak point is that, aside from the highly complex figure of Solas, most of the antagonists are one-note. They are solely “evil for the sake of being evil” villainy. Those wanting morally complicated or dubious villains won’t find them here, save for perhaps on rare occasions I won’t delve into due to spoilers. However, it makes sense that most of the villains aren’t redeemable when you’re fighting against groups of people who are abusive enslavers who go around gleefully murdering the innocent for blood magic sacrifices. Sometimes, a story needs adversaries you want to bash happily, and The Veilguard certainly provides that! Given how deftly combat is handled, you can be sure to appreciate the process, too.

Combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is sharp and fine-tuned, primarily through a more action-oriented RPG lens. Unlike my recent playthroughs of Dragon Age II and DAI, I didn’t find myself constantly wrestling with The Veilguard’s camera to find decent angles for attacks. Once foes step into your line of sight, they’re pretty much fair game for longer-range projectile attacks or melee assaults that can chain together to create powerful moves. With a simple button push, I switched fluidly from sniping to more close-quarters combat. Combat is fast and, most importantly, fun. Even a special meter fills up during fighting, letting you unleash an extraordinarily devastating and satisfying ultimate attack! My Rook went with the mage job class, ultimately landing on the powerful Spell Blade specialization. Tearing through hordes of enemies, taking on high dragons once you level up, and tailoring the robust and versatile skill tree to your liking is immensely enjoyable, so much so that I even sought out optional fights that I probably would’ve avoided in previous DA games. You have limited healing potions, but the combat zones provide resupplies should you need them. You can even pause combat to activate more tailored special moves or set up combos with party members, for which the AI is excellent. It’s a thoroughly entertaining battle system, so long as you’re an action RPG enthusiast.

Aside from fighting, there is a surprising amount of activity as the Veilguard traverses the land. Maps are large and expansive without seeming overwhelming or confusing to navigate using helpful on-screen pointers. Story quests are always clearly marked, with the fast travel world map helpfully noting when new quests have opened up in the current area so that you don’t miss them or constantly feel the need to backtrack to every region. Quests have a nice variety of completion criteria as you go. Area designs are full of nooks and crannies to explore for items and resources, with each party member harnessing special “dungeon abilities” to help you access different terrains or solve puzzles similar to old-school Wild ARMs games. In general, puzzles are more thought-provoking than frustrating. You can have fun simply exploring the various regions in Thedas.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s narrative centers a lot around choice. Rook has plenty of dialogue options at her disposal throughout story scenes, altering how the story plays out in subtle and obvious ways. The game does an excellent job of “remembering” essential decisions Rook makes, showcasing how they impact later interactions or moments. You might make an unpopular choice with someone in one instance that may even damage your relationship or reputation with them, but you can also repair that damage over time if you work at it. This creates a realistic approach to plot development and relationship building with the cast. Seeing how your actions can impact the story in many ways is fascinating, particularly in later plot events. You can even sometimes talk your way out of fights completely! There’s also a large amount of optional content to get through if you like, and much of that impacts things like faction strength, character bonds, and even the game’s ending. The possibilities for continued play are extensive, especially with the game’s various difficulty settings. I appreciate how none of your decisions are ever painted as “right or wrong,” as there are positive and negative outcomes for most.

Visually, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is easily the prettiest DA game I’ve seen from a background stance. Every area you travel to has a unique look and feel, with some genuinely gorgeous vistas in areas like Rivain and Arlathan. Comparatively, I think the character designs can take some getting used to, and their more “stylistic cartoon” aesthetic might not be for everyone. Still, I warmed up to them as I played and came to appreciate how varied, detailed, and expressive they are. This is easily the most visually polished BioWare game I’ve played, as I hardly ever noticed any graphical hiccups.

Sound-wise, the orchestral feel of the game’s soundtrack (as evidenced by its Main Theme) and the sound effects are phenomenal. The squelching of boots on wet ground, the clash of steel, and the cry of an angry dragon all come together incredibly well. While some voice actors are arguably more robust than others in their overall performances, everyone grew on me in their respective roles, especially the main cast as they faced their various characters’ trials and tribulations. Special kudos go to Erika Ishii‘s performance as Rook in my playthrough, as they captured the inherent goofiness of Rook’s mannerisms alongside some genuinely emotional and poignant moments, as well as Jin Maley‘s phenomenally passionate Taash performance and Gareth David-Lloyd‘s returning role as Solas. The game’s subtitles matched the voiced lines and were readable even on the default settings. I did notice that some selected dialogue options didn’t always align with spoken dialogue in the story scenes, but that’s more of a writing issue than a sound one.

Looking back on my sixty-five-hour The Veilguard playthrough for apparent flaws, I’m coming up short. While it’s relatively newcomer-friendly, given its focus on new areas of Thedas, prior knowledge of the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition is beneficial in the long run. It enriches specific story beats and character moments that much more. Those who maybe want a more “blank slate” protagonist might be put off by how much established personality Rook has and how much dialogue they get outside of the numerous player-choice dialogue options. But, honestly? That’s mostly it, and I feel like I’m nitpicking more than anything. This is a thoroughly solid and quite polished RPG adventure!

Dragon Age: The Veilguard has cemented itself as one of my favorite DA games and is easily the best BioWare outing we’ve had in a while. It has heart and plenty of emotion alongside a found family cast with some of the best personal character questlines I’ve experienced in a game. It’s evident that there’s a deep respect for the DA lore and titles that came before, and I love how The Veilguard takes vital points of so many BioWare games and builds upon them. Rook’s journey contains several devastating choices, but opting to give Dragon Age: The Veilguard a chance should be a surprisingly easy choice for RPG fans.