Dragon Age: The Veilguard keeps reminding me that I'm still angry with BioWare for its crimes against the qunari

GamesRPGDragon AgeDragon Age: The VeilguardDragon Age: The Veilguard keeps reminding me that I’m still angry with BioWare for its crimes against the qunariWhen 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, Electronic Arts)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Taash looks upward with a serious expression

Brave soul that I am, I’m about to embark on a perilous quest. Over the next however many paragraphs this potentially rambling feature ends up being, I will say some nice things about Dragon Age 2.I have done it before, and I may do it again. I am aware this is upsetting to some readers. Please know that I respect your decision to be completely wrong about this misunderstood RPG (while also acknowledging that, yes, in some regards it’s a bit of a stinker). OK, hopefully you are now properly prepared.

Although, a cursory glance at the internet suggests that my appreciation of DA2, at least when it comes to this specific element, might actually see me placed in the majority. I’m talking about the qunari, of course, and how the crew that caused a big ol' ruckus in Kirkwall was so much more badass than the defanged version introduced in Inquisition. I am, I should emphasise, not including Iron Bull in this slight, who of course is wonderful and, yes, weirdly hot.

(Image credit: EA)

The Iron Bull

Every time we get a new Dragon Age, it’s a starkly different RPG. Dragon Age: Origins remains the GOAT, and it’s where we meet our first qunari: Sten. He’s a big brooding lad who largely just looks like a bloke who hits the gym a lot. As character designs go, he ranks alongside elves on the creativity scale. Big guy, pointy ears. Notably, he’s hornless. Their later addition wasn’t technically a retcon, though. BioWare always envisioned the species as horned, but it cut this feature in Origins because it got in the way of helmets. Sadly, the people of Thedas were too busy dealing with the Blight to invent the concept of horn holes. The in-fiction excuse is that Sten is one of the qunari who simply doesn’t have horns—a rare genetic disorder.

(Image credit: EA)

Qunari

The quanri design of DA2, then, fits perfectly. It’s over the top, emphasises some of their actual traits, but also encourages you to have misconceptions that will eventually be squashed. And, let’s face it, they just look cool. The trinity of elves, dwarves and humans isboring, and while BioWare could have probably gotten away with phoning it in and being like “Oh, I dunno, let’s just do orcs”, it gave us a design that was striking and original. Kirkwall is a pretty dreary town and I remember little of its streets, but I absolutely do remember the qunari towering over everyone and menacing the shit out of its residents.

Four horns are better than two

Inquisition undid most of that. Yes, the qunari are still a bit more original than the other races, and Inquisition’s range of character customisation options mean they look less homogenous than their DA2 counterparts, but they also look more human. Very big humans with horns—but only a single pair this time. It’s absolutely a downgrade.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

(Image credit: EA)

Dragon Age: Inquisition qunari

The way the current version of the qunari look, move and dress—in both Inquisition and now, seemingly, in The Veilguard—just makes them seem more, I don’t know, average? And look, yeah, you’ve got that one buddy, Taash, who’s got a crystal horn, and that’s undeniably cool, but the qunari were definitely cooler when they weren’t given only one defining physical characteristic to set them apart. Otherwise Taash kinda looks like a very tall elf. She’s certainly no Iron Bull. If anything, The Veilguard’s qunari actually look even more generic than Inquisition’s. Perhaps that’s more down to the broad style of The Veilguard, where everything is smooth and shiny—a bunch of porcelain dolls fighting a god who looks like an egg. Just give me some craggy, weather-beaten faces, man.

I’m worried, too, that this is maybe indicative of the game’s general direction—though, to be clear, I’ve not remotely seen enough to be an authority here. The thing is, so far the cast looks a bit basic. Some dwarves, some humans, an elfy qunari—I’m already asleep. I’m really hoping BioWare is keeping some surprises tucked up its sleeve. With Origins we got Shale, a sarcastic golem, while its Awakening expansion gave us Justice, a spirit possessing a corpse, and while I’ve loved plenty of the more conventional companions we’ve gained since then, none of them have been quite as exciting or surprising additions to the party.

(Image credit: BioWare)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard - A qunari woman with long horns and hair in the character creator in front of a blue sky

I can’t wait to be proven wrong, though. And you know what would help with that? Bringing back DA2’s qunari. Go on, BioWare—I’m sure the fans won’t mind a big delay this close to launch. Do it for me—as a treat. Anyway, in the meantime you should give DA2 another chance folks. There’s some good stuff in there.

TOPICSBiowareElectronic Arts

TOPICS

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 BioWareLatestWorld of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is strugglingSee 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

LatestWorld of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is strugglingSee more latest►

Latest

World of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is struggling

World of Warcraft Mythic Plus screenshot

World of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is struggling

See more latest►

Most Popular

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

6 games that could be bigger hits than you’re expecting in 2025

What are your 2025 gaming resolutions?

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

Four horns are better than two#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Four horns are better than two

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals