Dragon Age: The Veilguard review – Thank the Maker, it’s a triumph

One sip from a blighted cup and 15 years later Thedas still needs saving. We've become a Grey Warden, a Champion of the people, an Inquisitor to lead the way, and now the defining Rook on the chessboard. After the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare more than ever had inflated expectations biting at its heels. The next instalment needed to blow us away lest it face the same fate as Mass Effect Andromeda.

The last time we saw Solas, assuming you played the Trespasser DLC, we learnt the true extent of his plans. We witnessed a shift in dynamic as our friend (or lover, depending on your decisions) promised to bring down the Veil by any means necessary. What remained of the Inquisition could choose to hunt him as a friend or foe.

After 10 years of waiting, of praying we wouldn't be let down, the only question that anyone gives a damn about being answered is whether BioWare has succeeded. I can’t speak for every Dragon Age fan, but as far as I’m concerned, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has pulled off the unthinkable. BioWare has created a sequel equally deserving of the praise Inquisition was lavished with.

Don't let its stylised aesthetic fool you into believing Dragon Age has lost its bite. This outing may be colourfully cartoonish in some ways when compared with previous games, but it’s no lesser for it. In actuality, its art style is befitting of the franchise. Ultimately, no two Dragon Age games look the same. When you view each of the previous outings in turn, none of them deliver photorealistic visuals, it’s merely a creative interpretation.

I’ll admit, when the first Dragon Age: The Veilguard reveal trailer dropped, I was troubled. Instead of viewing it with an open mind, I immediately called out its Fortnite aesthetic – where was the brooding allure of Inquisition, of a legacy that’s been steadily built upon since Origins? Everything felt too vivid, too nice. My initial fears were partially laid to rest when the official gameplay trailer was unveiled. The vividness of the visuals still remained, but the atmosphere of the series came through to create a fuller picture, one which felt more akin to what we know.

Th Dread Wolf isn't the only problem facing Thedas in the official Dragon Age: The Veilguard trailer

But doubts still remained until I started playing, I’m embarrassed to admit. All that worrying was completely unfounded, for The Veilguard is an especially picturesque experience. Even walking through the Necropolis, a place steeped in the eerie viridescent glow of the undead, is uniquely bewitching. Some areas within this portion of the map are among my favourites because of their macabre beauty. Where there’s beauty though, there’s also grit.

Ignorance would have you believe that the visual vibrance of this game eradicates its heroic narrative and gut-wrenching decisions. The real world is full of colour, yet there’s darkness that casts immovable shadows; the same is true of The Veilguard. Call of the Sea is another example of an experience that dazzles you with its aesthetic brilliance, only for you to discover that the umbra cast from such brightness holds horrors best left alone. BioWare has challenged the generic conventions we’ve come to associate with DA. It delivers a dynamic aesthetic to match the diversity of the world our Rook is thrown into.

The more I started to explore, the more I fell in love with the majesty of these environments. If we’re being honest with ourselves, this stylisation isn’t dramatically different from what we’ve seen before, both from DA and other RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate 3. I’ll admit that BG3 delivers slightly greater aesthetic realism, but it’s by no means true to life.

Similar to BG3 again is the depth of its character customisation. BioWare has always provided us with a means of personalising our characters, but that isn’t to say the options haven’t left fans wanting. Despite winning Game of the Year, Inquisition’s character creator had numerous faults, particularly when it came to hairstyles. The Veilguard has righted that injustice, with each strand of its diversity falling into place like a well quaffed do. It’s no word of a lie to say I spent close to an hour – yes, really – creating my Rook.

There were so many aspects I could alter, from facial structure to the scars on Rook’s body. Being able to mould your character isn’t a new feature from BioWare, but the extent of its variety is. The only part of Rook you can’t change is their genitals. Although BioWare allows you to fine-tune your character, you won’t find quite the selection of options that we’ve been afforded in other experiences. In all honesty, I don’t think you’re going to miss it, save for losing out on the novelty factor such features afford us. What feels of greater importance here is the diversity of body shapes and identities.

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I especially enjoyed being able to make my character overweight. As someone who’s mid-sized, it’s validating to be able to create a character that reflects that aspect of myself. Not everyone will want to, but it’s liberating to have the option. As too is being able to have top surgery scars, or to depict a woman with facial hair. These are details that help us resonate with Rook on a deeper level, truly allowing for the immersion RPGs are so famed for. Some will call it woke, but they’re merely parroting a word without understanding its origins.

Simply altering Rook’s appearance isn’t the only aspect of customisation you can rule over like a god, there’s also their backstory and associated faction too. Will you be an Antivan Crow, a Lord of Fortune, one of the Veil Jumpers, or pledge your loyalty to another group? There are six factions in total. Even though your choice will impact how each collective interacts with you, you can still improve your reputation with them, it’ll just take more time. Your faction choice will also determine part of your backstory in how you came to meet Varric.

As for deciding the world state of the game, this is going to be a heated subject of contention for fans. In Inquisition, we could log into The Keep, a place where you’d input all your previous choices from earlier games – who your Warden was, who they romanced, whether Alister became king, etc. It was a tedious addition, truth be told, one that required you to log in to make any changes. Gamers now review bomb titles because they have to sign into their PSN account to play even if they're a PC player, can you imagine how annoyed they’d have been with the return of The Keep? It doesn’t bear thinking about.

In the Veilguard, the selection has been stripped back to a handful of choices. Did you disband or keep the Inquisition, who was your Inquisitor, and who did they romance; those are your choices. It’s easy to see this as a missed opportunity or a failing of development due to the significance placed on such decisions in the past. Our previous experiences tell us that the world state should include more impactful choices than this. However, I’m about to argue otherwise.

Without divulging any spoilers, what our Warden or Hawke did – who they became – is done with now. It matters little to this chapter of the tale other than adding extra flavour. The same can be said of whether Alister or Anora took the throne. We’re a decade further down the line, Thedas has changed. To be able to decide your Warden’s choices only for them to never feature in The Veilguard narrative would feel like a far greater snub to fans than never referring to those choices in the first place. Although the games all interconnect, it’s Inquisition that’s of most importance when playing The Veilguard, and thus the actions of what you created there should take priority above all else.

As for the choices you make once you start playing as Rook, those are just as varied and detailed as any other DA experience. Being able to shape the narrative is one of the primary reasons players return to BioWare for their RPG kicks; The Veilguard is no different in its hands-on approach. For better or worse, you’re going to shape Thedas through your actions. The stakes are as high as they’ve ever been, perhaps even more so. Solas has left us in a precarious position, one that offers no easy solutions. Even the ones we eventually find might not always be satisfying in their conclusions.

Undoubtedly, the friends we make along the way become invaluable tools with which to combat the misfortune that’s befallen us. But their presence is far more vital than that. Similar to before, companions are the lifeblood of DA. Without their vast and differing experiences, The Veilguard would present only superficial depth. It’s these additional wells of lore – the side quests and companion missions, not forgetting the companions themselves – that make Thedas come alive.

Compared to Inquisition, the number of NPCs and allies we gather at the Lighthouse (our base of operations) has been reduced. Rook is fighting for the fate of the world, thus support isn’t just warranted, it’s paramount. That being said, those allies work externally from the Lighthouse, resulting in a close-knit community stationed at our headquarters. Consequently, it’s easy to view The Veilguard as emptier for it. But viewing it in such a way is too reductive, nor does it capture the context of the situation Rook and co find themselves in.

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The Inquisition formed an organisation, an army. Advisors, stable hands, travelling merchants, a tavern keeper, all of it was crucial in ensuring they had what was needed to combat the threat Corypheus posed. What is more, we needed to attack as a cohesive, singular unit. Rook’s band of merry men, so to speak, isn’t in such a position. While gathering support is vital, we need a widespread approach; we need a conglomeration.

Such a setup is reminiscent of Hawke’s time in Kirkwall, especially when first starting out and attempting to gain notoriety. For me, I love this return to a leaner, succinct foundation. But then, Dragon Age 2 is one of my favourite games, which makes this a rather fitting connection to discover between these sequels. Sequels that are perhaps destined, unfairly so, to live in the shadows of their predecessors.

Although the Lighthouse isn’t a bustling thoroughfare of activity, it’s still your home. Consequently, you can make it feel more inviting. Just as we did with Inquisition’s Skyhold, you can customise certain interior design elements to reflect your tastes. Some of these homely touches can be purchased from merchants, while others will be discovered by exploring the Lighthouse in its entirety. You’re not going to construct a building from the ground up like in The Sims, but you’ll be able to carve out a haven for yourself away from newly awakened ancient evils stalking you.

Upon leaving the safety of the Lighthouse, the world of The Veilguard feels compact despite the numerous regions we visit, though I see this as a positive rather than a negative. In Inquisition especially, vast open areas, while visually stunning at times, often felt barren. The Hissing Wastes and The Western Approach were two locations in particular I quickly grew tired of. Even though the Hissing Wastes has a name that speaks of nothingness, to just be greeted by an open expanse of sand is underwhelming no matter how attractive the graphics are. There were too many occasions when you looked ahead to see only dunes.

In The Veilguard, nothing feels forgotten or underused; it isn’t wasteful. Arguably, the removal of needless desolate spaces is the reason why mounts aren’t necessary. This isn’t to say that there isn't a thriving open world of intricacies to explore – you can roam across a map that’s easily the most ambitious BioWare has created. However, the fast travel points, coupled with the densely populated areas of certain regions, mean that mounts are defunct. Besides, other modes of travel are far more thrilling than riding a giant nug, though such a trusty steed is a cuter alternative.

Regardless of whether you leisurely stroll through the streets or zipline across rooftops, enemies may lurk around every corner. You might be taking in the sights of the marketplace when your foes suddenly ambush you, or you’ll accidentally stumble upon a clandestine meeting. This is when you attack with everything you’ve got.

As a self-professed button masher, I've never been one for top-down tactical gameplay. I’ll utilise it if there’s no other option, but my preferred style is to react in real-time combat. This is why The Veilguard is superior to Inquisition in this specific area of gameplay, at least for me. You can instruct your allies to use certain moves, that’s not changed. However, you don’t need to be a strategic mastermind to get the job done. It feels fluid, instinctive; I don’t think, I just act. To do otherwise is to risk Rook's safety. That said, my poor Rook has landed on her arse countless times thanks to my inability to successfully block attacks.

What abilities you’ll use are largely dependent on the class you choose: rogue, warrior, or mage. Your specialisation also impacts the skills that become available as you level up. For veteran DA fans, this is familiar territory. Unlike other RPGs that maintain a traditional formula for combat, while you can tailor your skillset in The Veilguard, it isn’t an intense experience. The beauty of its simplicity broadens its appeal, helping to gently introduce newcomers to this fantastical experience as well as returning fans.

Electronic Arts

An element of combat I’ve grown quite reliant on is combos. Each companion has their own set of distinctive abilities, some of which complement one another. By opting to utilise these combos, you can devastate your enemies. Identifying which abilities work together isn’t difficult, you just need to open the ability wheel and look for the glowing orange arrows that connect the two. I’ve taken down mini bosses of a higher level than Rook this way. Still, it’s wise to think carefully about who’s in your party; a party of three all from the same class leaves you vulnerable. This is why you ideally need to ensure you have one of each, a bit like Pokémon.

You also need to upgrade your equipment whenever you get the chance. Arguably, this is of less importance when you’re playing on the easiest difficulty level, otherwise referred to as Storyteller, but it will still serve you well not to ignore upgrades and enchantments. A level 30 Rook with basic armour is going to suffer, it doesn’t matter how much you’ve bolstered their skills tree if you leave them defenceless with subpar protection. The higher up the difficulty ladder you climb, the harsher the trials that await you. Six difficulty levels are before you: Storyteller, Keeper, Adventurer, Underdog, Nightmare, and the Unbound. Should you wish to combine several aspects from each of these levels, that’s when you opt for the Unbound.

When Rook isn’t causing untold destruction on the streets of Thedas, they have their sights set on matters of the heart. If you’ve ever read one of my features, you’ll know that romance is a large part of the RPG experience for me. If I had my way, I’d court every companion in one playthrough – lord knows I tried to do that in DA2. I came close, but never quite managed it.

All seven of The Veilguard’s companions can be wooed regardless of your gender or race. Described as enforced pansexuality by some fans, I don’t see such romantic freedoms that way. Should you not believe Lucanis or Neve would romance a woman, you shouldn’t romance them as one. Removing rigidity doesn’t stop you from applying your own boundaries, it just ensures there’s more flexibility in how everyone can play. The biggest obstacle to Rook's big heart is who to give it to. Every character has something special about them. They may not always gel with Rook, but it’s an authentic mirroring of life to have romance born of rivalry. Enemies to lovers is one of the most popular romance tropes for a reason.

I don’t intend to go into details about each companion’s story so as not to spoil your first playthrough. This should be as much of an untainted experience as possible. That said, just be aware that the choices you make may result in slower relationship progression with some individuals. Just like in real life, not everyone is going to agree with the course of action you take, meaning that the path to their hearts, and their beds, won’t be devoid of complications. Expect angst in your future, dear reader.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is exactly what we needed after Inquisition. From the moment I stepped onto Minrathous’ streets, it felt like coming home. After such an agonising wait, the franchise I adore is back as strong as ever. It respects what’s gone before while also welcoming change and innovation.

I’ve long thought about facing Solas again, about seeing his sorrowful face justify his actions to me having already broken my Inquisitor’s heart. To finally witness what became of him and those who once called him a friend feels somewhat unreal. We’re here, the conclusion is nigh. But before the Dread Wolf catches our scent, perhaps for the very last time, we’re in for an arduous yet valiant adventure that feels right at home alongside the previous three games. Andraste, what a beautiful homecoming this is.

Pros: Stunningly beautiful, narratively rich lore, detailed character customisation, diverse companions, improved combat, epic battles, and you can hug a baby griffin

Cons: (If we have to be nit-picky) the lack of custom map markers, occasionally awkward targeting system

For fans of: Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate 3

Score: 10/10 - Perfect

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is available on PlayStation 5 (version tested), Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Review code provided by the publisher. Find a complete guide to GAMINGbible's review scores here.