According to BioWare, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the first entry in the series where 'the combat's actually fun' and where characters are 'intentionally' the focus of the storytelling, which seems pretty unfair on the first three games

GamesRPGDragon AgeDragon Age: The VeilguardAccording to BioWare, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the first entry in the series where ‘the combat’s actually fun’ and where characters are ‘intentionally’ the focus of the storytelling, which seems pretty unfair on the first three gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: BioWare/EA)

Dragon Age Dreadwolf antogonist, Solas the elf, with a huge wolf walking next to him through smoke

To say I’m not especially enthused about the long-awaited new Dragon Age sequel, The Veilguard, would be a bit of an understatement. As a longtime series fan, the new game just doesn’t seem to have the look, the charm, or the RPG depth I’m after compared to previous entries.

Coming from that perspective, I’ve noticed an uncomfortable trend in the way BioWare developers have been talking about the project: that is, dogging on the old games to make the new one sound cool.

It’s particularly noticeable across a run of recent GameInformer interviews, as part of theirreally extensive exclusive look at the game. For example,speaking about the battle mechanics, Mark Darrah (consultant on the game and former executive producer on the series) says: “Previous Dragon Age games got to the realm of ‘combat wasn’t too bad’. In this game, the combat’s actually fun.”

As a longtime BioWare veteran who worked across the whole series, Darrah’s more than entitled to his perspective, but hold on now. I think Origins' more old school, strategic combat was really fun, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. DA2 and Inquisition’s fights were better than merely serviceable, too, and where I do think they were flawed, it was mostly in how they reached for a more action-heavy feel—exactly the style that The Veilguard is leaning into more strongly than ever, as seen in thegameplay reveal.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Official Gameplay Reveal - YouTubeWatch On

Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Official Gameplay Reveal - YouTube

Again he’s the man who would know—Darrah’s history at the studio goes back much further than Dragon Age—but the notion that this is the first time BioWare has ever “intentionally” told stories through characters is baffling to me.

“In this game, we’re finally putting that intentionality first and foremost,” he goes on to say. “Putting the characters first, building the game around that, around those character moments, which is really the best way that BioWare knows how to tell stories.”

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

One of the new companions in The Veilguard.(Image credit: BioWare/EA)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard trailer

I can’t say that gels with my experience as a player of BioWare’s RPGs at all, and particularly not the Dragon Age series. All that time spent interacting with characters, following their personal stories, romancing them, seeing their reaction to events—none of that was intentionally telling stories through characters?

Varric in Dragon Age: Inquisition.(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

varric takes aim

Even past character designs receive a subtle dig, with art director Matt Rhodes suggestingthey were deliberately simplified compared to what The Veilguard is doing. “The previous art director had the mindset we should make things easier for [cosplayers], which I think is a misunderstanding of cosplayers,” he says. “We’ve seen the kind of challenges they’re willing to take on, and so we’ve gone for, in some cases, a level of complexity and detail that I hope a lot of them are excited to rise to the challenge for.”

It’s hard to see that as an issue in the memorable original looks of characters like Morrigan or Varric—and equally, all I could think when I first saw the admittedly more detailed companions of The Veilguard is thatthey look more like the cast of a hero shooter than an appealing adventuring party. If this is an improvement, it’s one I still need to be sold on.

Morrigan in Dragon Age: Origins.(Image credit: BioWare)

Morrigan the forest witch in Dragon Age Origins.

I’m being over-sensitive, I know, but after a reveal that already felt alienating to many longstanding fans, as well as a decade of high profile failures from the studio, this approach seems foolhardy. Darrah is a BioWare veteran, but he’s only consulting on the game, not leading it, and over the years we’ve seen many high profile departures as well asa mass layoff in 2023. In the wake of Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda, I think it’s healthy to question whether the studio still has what it takes.

Quotes like this speak toan unearned arrogance to BioWare’s messaging that I’ve noted before. There’s always going to be a degree of hyperbole to the messaging a studio puts out about an upcoming game, but it feels like in this case we’re getting boasts where what we really need is reassurances. Talking up the flaws of its predecessors only serves to highlight all the ways The Veilguard is diverging from them—and that’s exactly what’s making it so difficult to believe that this can be a satisfying sequel.

More about dragon ageDragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWareLatestWatching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delightSee more latest►

More about dragon ageDragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

More about dragon age

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knows

Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds in the Dragon Age serries, shown wielding magic in front of a Darkspawn.

After years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

LatestWatching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delightSee more latest►

Latest

Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delight

null

Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delight

See more latest►

Most Popular

This bizarre roguelike has a new take on the Vampire Survivors formula: letting you build your own custom weapons out of brains, eyeballs, and chimpanzee spines

18 games the PC Gamer team can’t wait to play in 2025

The Witcher 3’s now 2-year-old bonus quest is our first taste of the ‘vibe’ CD Projekt is going for in The Witcher 4

2024 was the year updates for old games beat out all the new ones for me

Train like you game with this adventure-inspired workout

‘It’s simply impossible to make a difficulty level that’s just right for all players’: How Final Fantasy 14’s lead battle designer has been playing a precarious balancing game for Dawntrail’s dungeons and raids

Please join me in getting super excited for all the cool looking survival games coming in 2025 (and beyond)

Competitive shooters are at a crucial crossroads in 2025: ‘sweaty’ teamplay vs. casual fun

Call of Duty’s $28 Squid Game skins are the perfect crossover for our capitalist dystopia, and Activision knows exactly what it’s doing

These are the 14 biggest upcoming RPGs of 2025—get ready for another amazing year for the genre

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals