Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, heaps praise on BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In a recent Twitter post, Douse lauded the game, describing it as "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." He played it "in complete secrecy," even resorting to playing behind his backpack at the office!
Douse's commendation highlights The Veilguard's focused narrative, a refreshing change from previous installments. He likened the game's experience to a "well-made, character-driven Netflix series," a stark contrast to a "heavy, 9-season long show." He particularly praised the combat system, calling it a "giga-brain genius" blend of Xenoblade Chronicles and Hogwarts Legacy, resulting in fast-paced, chainable attacks reminiscent of BioWare's Mass Effect series. This contrasts sharply with the slower, more tactical combat of earlier Dragon Age titles.
The game's pacing also earned high marks. Douse noted its "good sense of propulsion and forward momentum," with a masterful understanding of when to deliver impactful narrative moments and when to allow players to experiment with their character builds. This represents a departure from the more traditional RPG structure of its predecessors. He even acknowledged BioWare's enduring importance in the gaming industry, particularly in the face of "moronic corporate greed."
While acknowledging his fondness for Dragon Age: Origins, Douse clarified that The Veilguard carves its own unique path. He simply stated, "In a word, it’s fun!"
The Veilguard's emphasis on character customization further contributes to its success. Players create their Rook character, with extensive control over their backstory, skills, and alignment. Choices resonate throughout the game, impacting everything from combat specializations (Mage, Rogue, Warrior, with options like Spellblade for mages) to the personalization of the Rook's in-game home, the Lighthouse. A developer quoted in an Xbox Wire feature emphasized the depth of character creation, stating, "This let me define more about my Rook—even down to choices I thought were incidental, like why he has face tattoos. The result is a character who truly feels like mine." This level of player agency seems to be a key element of Douse’s positive assessment.
With its October 31st release date approaching, BioWare is hoping for widespread agreement with Douse's enthusiastic review. Our own review, awarding the game a score of 90, highlights its embrace of a faster-paced action RPG style, resulting in a more fluid and engaging gameplay experience.
