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

GamesRPGDragon AgeDragon Age: The VeilguardAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWareWhen 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)

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

After BioWare bid farewell to the Forgotten Realms following the modders' playground that was Neverwinter Nights, I—a fantasy-obsessed 19-year-old—was beyond excited to hear that it was building its own fantasy realm. The first screenshots of Dragon Age—which bore no resemblance to the game we eventually got—instantly became my desktop wallpaper. It took a long ass time, but when Origins finally materialised, it convinced me that it was more than worth the wait.

I was 24 when I at last got my hands on the RPG I was sure would reveal the future of the genre; the same year I decided to stop trying to find a real job and instead embarked on my questionable career as a videogame critic. Dragon Age: Origins was everything I’d hoped for, but I would have perhaps been less enthusiastic had I known that it served more as the conclusion of an era of exceptional CRPGs.

(Image credit: Future)

Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds, in Dragon Age: Origins

Every BioWare game since then has shifted further away from the design philosophy that had initially enthralled me. Dragon Age 2 with its rushed dungeons and action-RPG combat; Inquisition with its big open-world-inspired maps and reduced character agency; and of course the second and third Mass Effect games, which existed in a completely different RPG space.

I loved them all the same. Hawke’s misadventures featured some of BioWare’s strongest, boldest writing; Inquisition boasted an epic scope, companions I couldn’t help become smitten with, and a brilliant extension of BG2’s strongholds as you became the leader of the titular organisation; and while Mass Effect may have been a million miles away from the CRPGs of yore, Shep’s quest to save the galaxy over and over again absolutely gripped me.

So as I mourned the loss of the old design, I still accepted that things had moved on. People didn’t want CRPGs anymore, I kept being told. So I just accepted modernity and found plenty of things to love about the new games. These were still, ultimately, BioWare RPGs, after all.

(Image credit: EA)

With Andromeda, though, that all changed. I genuinely could not tell you a single character’s name. I can’t even be arsed looking them up. I just do not care. From a combat perspective, it was a decent shooter, but that’s as much faint praise as I can muster. Dull story, forgettable characters and choices I didn’t give a hoot about—it was the first BioWare game I didn’t bother finishing. Until Anthem, anyway. I put maybe five hours into that multiplayer disaster before I just ejected forever.

Not my Thedas

So I was simultaneously excited and extremely worried when BioWare announced that it was finally returning to Thedas. What changes were in store for us this time? Unlike Andromeda, this new Dragon Age was a direct continuation of Inquisition, as we hunted down our treacherous pal, Solas, the titular Dreadwolf—at least until the game was renamed as The Veilguard. This connection to a game that, while not reaching the heights of Origins, had so many brilliant qualities reassured me. What an idiot.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

I really tried to enjoy myself. God, I tried so hard. I attempted to find nuggets of joy within its hamfisted dialogue, one-note companions and the flashy but soulless fights. But I just couldn’t do it. Every time there was a glimmer of hope, it was dashed against the rocks of infinite disappointment.

(Image credit: BioWare, Electronic Arts)

Scout Harding looks upwards with interest

Honestly, I’m amazed I finished it. There was certainly a point where I was starting to feel like I’d rather do anything else than listen to a hot Grey Warden talk about his big dumb bird for the hundredth time, or play therapist to a giant dragon slayer who just wants to moan about how their mum doesn’t understand them. These should have been great characters. A veteran knight reclaiming his order’s lost legacy, a proud warrior wrestling with their cultural and gender identity—there’s so much good stuff to mine here. But nope, they’re just plain boring. All of them.

I’m beating a dead horse, I know.I’ve already said my piece. But it’s just a real shame. When I got to the final cutscene that teased what we can expect from the next Dragon Age, it really sealed the deal. I’m out. BioWare just isn’t telling stories I care about anymore. Instead of moping around, I’m moving on. BioWare had an exceptional run, but that developer is long gone. What’s left is just an EA studio that makes middling games I’m not really interested in.

The silver lining, of course, is that all the claims about nobody wanting CRPGs proved to be complete nonsense. We’ve got plenty of them again, not least of which is Baldur’s Gate 3. Waiting to find out what Larian’s planning for us next, I feel like I’m that eager 19-year-old again. So instead of being bummed out about The Veilguard, I choose to be excited about what other developers are doing. I’m choosing optimism, it’s just not directed towards BioWare.

TOPICSBioware

TOPICS

More about dragon ageDragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsBioWare considered bringing the hero of Dragon Age: Origins back for Veilguard, but with a horrifying catch: ‘Do not let her see me like this’LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11See more latest►

More about dragon age

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsBioWare considered bringing the hero of Dragon Age: Origins back for Veilguard, but with a horrifying catch: ‘Do not let her see me like this’

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

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

Dragon Age Manfred skeleton with crystal eyes looking shocked

BioWare considered bringing the hero of Dragon Age: Origins back for Veilguard, but with a horrifying catch: ‘Do not let her see me like this’

LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11See more latest►

Latest

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

Wordle answers

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

See more latest►

Most Popular

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

Five new Steam games you probably missed (January 6, 2025)

I’ve seen enough: No more forcing singleplayer studios to make mediocre live service games

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! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD 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

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

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

Not my Thedas#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Not my Thedas

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals