There are very few games that I hold near and dear to my heart. Fable, Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls and most relevant today, Dragon Age. At Summer Game Fest 2024, I got to sit in on the first hour of gameplay of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the hype I’m feeling right now is incredible. With ten years behind us since Dragon Age Inquisition, EA and BioWare have all eyes on them with The Veilguard, and they are ready to show us what they can do in 2024.
It’s honestly hard for me to say anything other than “Squeeee!” when it comes to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It just looks so good. But I have MANY thoughts. First, I was a little concerned when we got our title changed from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard. I loved that we were going back to past characters and that they were the focus. I think the title change was meant to focus on the good guys, not so much the bad, but I can tell from the first hour that Solas is going to be an enemy worth a title.
From here on, there will be MILD story spoilers, but I’m leaving out all the good stuff. Be warned.
We start with Varric in our party and he is just as wonderful as ever, with Bianca in tow. Our name is Rook, and Varric has enlisted our help to stop Solas from destroying the Veil, which separates Thedas from demons. The Dread Wolf is so wrought with guilt about what he created that he will stop at nothing to undo it, no matter what the cost, and destroying the Veil will destroy their world, too. In the first hour of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, we see Varric and Solas. We also meet two other companions, and it feels like the game might be very female-led, but I’m quite excited about it. God, I miss Morrigan.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard starts with an intricate character creator, more than in past games. For the first time, you will be able to customize your body type using sliders, test your character’s appearance in different environments, and adjust normal things like face, hair and make-up to your heart’s content.
Creating your character’s background feels very similar to past iterations, including your race (Qunari, Elf, Human and Dwarf), class (Rogue, Warrior and Mage), and then also your faction. I missed one faction, but I saw Grey Wardens, Veil Jumpers, The Mourn Watch, Antivan Crows and Shadow Dragons. There will be six in total. These will create a backstory for your character, affecting in-game moments between characters, other factions and different locations.
We headed to Minrathous during the preview, which we had only heard about in past games. Creative Director John Epler explained that in past games, characters have discussed this city, essentially commenting that it is far more impressive than what we saw in previous games. When they were creating this area, they kept that in mind and looked at other locations to figure out how they could make it more grand. They developed the entire area based on a comment someone said in a past game, and if that isn’t dedication to lore, I don’t know what is.
“BioWare has completely overhauled the combat systems in Dragon Age: The Veilguard…”
Characters in Dragon Age: The Veilguard are fully voiced, including our hero, Rook. We only saw a female Rook, but there were options for pronouns and different body types, so I am curious to see what other voices are available. There will be familiar companions, including Varric and Lace Harding, as well as newcomers, like the Veil Jumper, Bellara, Necromancer, Emmrich, and Private Detective Neve. Each comes with their own unique storylines and will have their own opinions on you, your actions and the world around you.
This leads me to combat with your companions: BioWare has completely overhauled the combat systems in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, changing the way you interact with your companions and your skills. There are still the standard three square hotkeys (and I love that they look like an updated version of past ones), but during combat, you can enter a skill menu that pauses the fight entirely.
This menu will not only host your skills but also have sections for skills from other companions. Instead of controlling them directly this time around, you will be able to pause, assess the situation and then choose skills that are appropriate for the situation, all in one spot. I personally hated having to micro-manage my party and usually ignored this in past games, so it is nice to see it simplified in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
“Clearly, ten years later, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is worlds above the rest of the Dragon Age series graphically.”
There will also be skills that develop as you level, changing and possibly even synergizing with other characters’ abilities. I can’t give full details, as we went by it quickly, but it sounded like there is also a system that allows hints during battle, like when something is a certain range, etc., that they said could be turned off. These menus and tips will be helpful when strategizing, and though I could skip it in past Dragon Age titles, it feels a little more involved now but more streamlined.
Clearly, ten years later, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is worlds above the rest of the Dragon Age series graphically. Even as a fan, I know there were moments in Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2 that don’t hold up visually, and jumping into Dragon Age Inquisition recently, you are very much aware of how long ago it came out. What I expected from Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s visuals were beautiful cutscenes with combat graphics that felt a little more toned down.
The good news is that I was wrong—both cutscenes and live gameplay in Dragon Age: The Veilguard are absolutely stunning. Seeing a world that I have known for years jump over ten years of video game advancements is everything I hoped it would be. In cutscenes, rain dripping down a building, blood on someone’s hands, or stepping into a puddle looks outstanding.
“Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not only a world worth saving, but it is a world worth going back to.”
During combat, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has added a layer of finesse and flair to its graphics that I am so thrilled to see. The colours are vibrant. Things like clothes and hair are dynamic and move with you. Your customizations carry with you and look fantastic. Most interesting to me, though, were the combat animations. They were brilliant colours and very flashy, almost reminding me of JRPGs like Final Fantasy XVI, albeit a little less dramatic than that.
I don’t want to talk about what I saw in the first hour of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in detail. I want players to jump in and see the world for itself, new characters and old, familiar enemies and story beats that will have real fans gasping for air…and that’s just one hour. I know that the game is not an open world, but it will leave more room for exploration than in the past, and I think that is the best place to leave it, for you to explore.
Epler noted that they wanted to create “a world worth saving.” Well, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not only a world worth saving, but it is a world worth going back to.
