Dragon Age Veilguard: Full Post-Mortem Review

Sneaky Mage
Apr 18
27 min read

So here we are. Only a couple of months late to the party, but as I've already mentioned in my short review (don't worry if you haven't read it yet, I will reiterate it here), I wanted to take some time to gather my thoughts, before airing them out into the open.

Now, I don't normally drink much, but for this special occasion, I decided to bring out my favourite Save Game's Dragon Age inspired cocktail (click here for the recipe) to keep me company. So relax, grab a drink of choice (non alcoholic options are also welcome) and join me as I corral my thoughts and feelings into this lengthy review.

As it currently stands I've unlocked all achievements and replayed the game 3 times to completion.

For anyone interested in the details, here were my starting choices for each playthrough:

Rook's Origin	♡	Inquisitor's Origin	♡
Elf/Veil Jumper/Mage	Lucanis	Elf/Mage/Disbanded Inquisition	Solas
Dwarf/Grey Warden/Warrior	Davrin	Qunari/Mage/Disbanded Inquisition	Blackwall
Qunari/Mourn Watcher/Mage	Emerich	Human/Warrior/Inquisition given to the Chantry	Dorian

For the sake of transparency: When I first played the game, I didn't expect I'll replay it ever again... and then I did. I almost quit in the middle of my second playthrough, due to a certain quest being just too annoying (don't worry, I'll share... ). And somehow I managed to get through it, and then... here we are. Three playthroughs later...

For anyone NOT interested in the full length read or wishing to hop around:

Into the Nug Hole... on Things that Veilguard Gets Right (...for the Most Part)

Source of the Injury aka When Things Start to go Sideways

Internal Examination e.i. Deep on the Core Issue Most People have With the Game

The Cause of Death or How Corporations Kill

The Results of the Autopsy and the Final Verdict

Into the Nug Hole...

As I've already mentioned in my short review a week ago: the scenery is downright gorgeous in this game! The amount of detail and work that went into this, is ridiculous and deserves every possible recognition. Kudos to those amazing artists and every single person who worked on this!

I spent at least a dozen hours admiring the scenery, while playing around with in the photo mode in the game.

Environments, character customisation and hair dynamics are amazing, however music is absolutely subpar, compared to the rest of the series.

And the hair! Why is nobody talking about this?! I guess it’s been so long, that helmet hair of the past entries slipped out of the collective memory....

Anyway, for the first time ever, a series known for horrible, clunky and limited hair options, came out with an amazing (read: ridiculously extensive) character creator, with the most luxurious locks and hairdos, height options, body proportion settings and so much more!

On the other hand, the music is... well underwhelming. And that is about the nicest thing I can say (well write) about it. As the forth entry in the Dragon Age series, a series known for epic music scores that knock you on your ass, grab you by the heart strings, and throw you through the screen into the nug hole of the fantastical dark medieval-ish world of Thedas... Veilguard’s score is disappointingly generic and downright annoying at its worst (looking at you “elven” chimes of whatever during Bellara’s personal quest...). It also feels sooo out of place.

Now, I have never been one of those people who gave much emphasis on the musical score of a game, but here... there were times I had to remind myself that I am actually playing a Dragon Age game. This was the only game series I've never turned down the music, or muted it out completely, it always went along so perfectly with each setting and the storyline, it was transformative, but here... yeah, no. Just...no. I know it's Hans Zimmerman, but I can't remember a single note of the main score.

On the other hand loot system and gameplay also received a mayor improvement. I really like the flow of the whole combat/loot system, which lets you switch gear mid exploration and completely overhaul Rook's or any companion's abilities.

Tired of using lightning and fire? How about spicing things up mid-game and going full on necromancer? Feel like you messed up your skill tree and wish to change a few abilities? No problem, just cancel those two with a click of a button and choose the two you'd actually find more useful for the current situation.

Loot and gameplay systems are a mayor improvement, allowing you to adapt to the situation on the fly.

To be honest I was miffed at first when I saw you can use only 3 abilities at a time (well that and the special attack) and wondered if combos are now a thing of the past... luckily that is not the case. They did a little rehaul which means that companions are much more involved, you just need to figure out the right combination of their abilities (and yours, of course).

Dragon fight in Dragon Age Veilguard — Fool proof system that also involves heavy hints everywhere.

And while I do still miss the classic group of 4 configuration, I will not deny that the current set up does streamline the whole gameplay and combat experience. It's a lot more simplified and action packed, to be sure, however it did feel a little spamy and bland the further along I went. By the time I got to the end of my first playthrough as a mage, I was a more than a bit bored by Rook's repetitive special attacks and moves.

Hence the need to cleanse my palate with a warrior on my next playthrough (which was a bit out of character for me, as I only ever play rogue-ish or mage-ish character builds, but ended up a surprisingly fun experience.

I will also take this moment to lament the omission of my favourite build of all time, the God-mode from Origins also known as Arcane Warrior...gone and forever missed. I kind of always held out hope that it would make a comeback someday in another instalment, alas...'twas not meant to be. I just miss the sheer amount of spells and elements you could choose from, instead of just the three special attacks.

I will say that another thing which I found to be a MAJOR improvement, was the option to use ANY companion's special ability, anytime, anywhere, without them being present in the party!

*Cue in applause and standing ovation*

Gone are the days of my Inquisitor running around the Haven's chantry begging Varric (or Sera) to unlock all the doors for me, spending extra points in upgrades that would give me that ability in other areas, being forced to have a balanced party (having a warrior present, so they could smash that pesky wall/red lyrium rock for me),... my poor mage being stuck with one rogue per playthrough (as they were usually the one with enough points in cunning to unlock those locked chests again)... nope, not missing them at all!

In Veilguard, you can choose to build a party from the companions whose company you prefer, no matter their special ability and on easier settings can even completely ignore the ones you might dislike or even "hate" (yes, that is an option!... you might even kill them off in a way in the end, if that specific set of pixels offends you so), so no more locked doors/chests or unbreakable walls, any and all loot is here for the taking!

And it is worth taking. I don't miss the days of sifting through random generic armour, or being stuck wearing the absolutely worst looking armour, for the sake of stats. I know inquisition dealt with this already, however I do like the option to change your appearance and run around looking like a literal scarecrow, if you're into that sort of thing... or a full on Antaam armoury:

That said, I wouldn't mind if this game also had something along the lines of a Golden Nug like the Inquisition or a New Game plus...

Importing an already created character from a previous save into a new one, is however a nice touch and greatly appreciated - so if by chance you love the look of your custom made Rook so much, you'd wish to replay the whole game with the exact same one, but try out different origin/specialisation, you most definitely can!

The Source of Injury and it's Extent

And while we're on the topic of Rook...

For a leading Dragon Age character Rook has very little agency (even compared to Hawke) - you can only choose how to react or respond, but it changes little in the grand scheme of things, if anything.

While you have the option to create the perfect character, with luscious locks, customized proportions and whichever race, gender/sex you could think of... your roleplaying options are very much limited, to put it mildly.

Rook and her/his/their personality is pretty much set. You can choose different "words" to respond in conversations, however it changes very little in terms of reactions or consequences. Your influence mostly limited to who you end up in a romance with, and who your companions romance in turn... (more on this topic later).

The only case of actions and consequences really counting for something (that stands out now that I think on it) is in one of the very first missions where you can decide on the fate of a certain mayor... the rest is pretty much dependant on how many quests you complete and how much time you invest into your companions' personal quests and not any actual decisions (yes, even the ending).

But wait, you might ask, what about the Minrathous vs Treviso dilemma? For anyone who doesn't know that I am talking about and wishes to be spared the details please skip this next paragraph.

Apart from the cosmetic overhaul of a city you don't choose and supposed rivalry of a companion tied to that city (which consequences are only really felt in the "who can you" romance department) the side quests, conversations and various other areas you'd expect to be impacted in a major way, only ever have a slight difference here and there and result is pretty much the same.

And while we're on that topic. A fair warning: Rant bellow. Skip, if not interested.

Don't even get me started on how that choice is one of the more baffling ones, if you take into account the lore of the series.

Are you telling me, that a city full of mages with unlimited powers (where templars are more just for show and do not police the abuse of magic in any real way, shape or form, and are as corrupt as can be... case in point the Knight Commander), with a bunch of blood mages among them, could not singlehandedly fought off a dragon attack?! Really? What, are they suddenly all Venatori?

Sure dragons might be sacred, but even if you worship a tiger and it tries to eat you and rampage around the city, you would normally do something about it... most of humans would... it's in our nature to, you know, have survival instincts that are not completely for show (not counting the Darwin Award contenders...)

And sure there might be politics involved and it's hard to achieve anything if you're too busy infighting, however an existential threat like a dragon!? A dragon! Burning down your precious wardrobe of rich robes, stash of antiques, destroying the city willy-nilly Godzilla style and you couldn't be bothered to go out and throw a couple of spells at it?!

So NO, Bioware, that is not a real choice at all.

Treviso has a bunch of civilians and a couple of crows, who would what? Throw daggers at a dragon until it looked like an annoyed flying pincushion and which might have only piss it of even more...

On the other hand Minrathous has a bunch of mages, blood mages AND Shadow dragons, who are for the most part...mages. Even their lead (and apparently only) detective is versatile in magic that is mostly winterish in nature and their city gets attacked by a fire-breathing dragon?

They were not even trying... but sure. Let's go with it. On, no... those poor, poor mages.

Role playing is limited to your choice of race, specialisation, faction and romance.

Choice of race, however, really does make an impact in this game, giving you a decent amount of extra dialogue options, NPC reactions and responses, which which I absolutely and wholeheartedly approve. Veilguard has some of the richest background storylines for Rook and at the same time some of the most barren, even if they might seem intriguing at first (but sticking out like a bronto in a negligee on an Orlesian ball... this metaphor will make sense soon, I promise).

Grey Wardens are back with a bang in an epic redemption arc that is definitely among my top favourite parts in the game! Same goes for Rook's background. A Grey Warden just make sense story-wise, considering that in its core the game really is about the last blight of the Dragon Age, the blight to end all blights.

It is also, in my opinion, one of the most squandered opportunities on Bioware's part, to include at least one Grey Warden character from previous entries. While I do appreciate the little mentions in the from of a couple of scattered notes around the Weisshaupt fortress, most of them pertain to side characters you haven't really met in person in any previous entry.

Joining chalice from Origins in Veilguard — *A touching gesture. Now, move along...*

Even the joining chalice from Origins, isn't the chalice you actually interact with in the first game. It has obviously gone through the Bioware "glow-up".

This is actually one of my biggest pet-peeves when it comes to Bioware's games. I understand the change of the game's engine can lead to having to redo the same work again, but for the sake of consistency, why also completely redesign and change the original model?

For example the darkspawn (yes, I know they justify the change in Veilguard, but this was not the first overhaul), Redcliffe village in Origins vs Inquisition, is not even remotely the same place, only thing "similar" is the position of the Redcliffe's castle (it still bothers me to no end, even after all this years, especially because The Witcher series proved it can be done, when it kept Kaer Moren's design virtually the same as in the first game, but upgraded), and now the joining chalice as one of the latest examples... there are many more, but that would cross into excessive nit-picking, so I'll rather stop here, as it's not the point of this post.

Back to the topic of Rook's background... you'd expect that a game called the Veilguard, would also give more emphasis (in quests and dialogue) to the new faction seemingly the most connected to the new storyline - the Veil Jumpers, but that is not really the case. Grey Warden background triumphs in comparison.

Same goes for Shadow Dragons (I haven't played, but from what I've read while researching which background to choose for my third playthrough, it seems it's plagued by the the same problem) and the Crows as well, if you believe the internet. As I haven't personally played through those two yet (probably will in the future, but definitely not anytime soon), I can not (yet) attest to it.

I can however attest that the Mourn Watch, also a new faction, is a surprisingly delightful option for anyone who wants to do some actual role playing (you'd think that would not be the case, as it's not really a faction pertinent to the main storyline). I chose this for my third playthrough based on the already mentioned internet recommendations and I am not sorry I did!

As to the bronto in the room AKA the Lords of Fortune. While it does sound like a fun option (at least on paper), it's the one that, to me, sticks out the most as the least Dragon Age-ish faction. It feels tagged on from another game (similar to the musical score). I get it's probably a remnant of the multiplayer version of the game and in that case it makes sense in the setting, however it would definitely benefit from more content and side quests.

As it stands, it's just one of the more barren parts of the game (if you wish to level it up to the maximum, you just need to defeat 10 opponents in the Hall of Valor, and you don't even get a medal for it). Even Isabella (one of my all time favourite characters in the series) can't save it for me. It does, however, give you the option to run around half naked in their skimpy armour, so at least there is that...

Romance took a backseat however, and while it's nice to have the option to romance anyone of your companions regardless of your Rook's race, sex and gender, it could do with a little less formulaic approach compared to the previous entries (it's really reminiscent to the Mass Effect 2's approach to romances). I don't mind the lack of a real "sex scene" at the end, I would however wish for a bit more nuanced approach to companion romances, especially when it comes to Lucanis (you're kind of stuck as a third wheel to his and Neve's budding relationship, even if you do choose to romance him).

But while there is plenty of extra content regarding the romances themselves, it feels less, due to that formulaic approach: innocent flirting (that seems to drag the longest time), expression of intent, obligatory date, a couple of short, one sentence interactions sprinkled in between the dialogue (not in every case), other companions comments on your choice, and sex scene coupled with proclamation of eternal love at the end.

I will say however that Emmerich, while not my first choice, was a a complete surprise. He is hands down one of the best written characters in the game and if you choose to romance him (especially as a necromancer yourself), it makes for one of the more delightful storylines of the game. He definitely took the crown as my favourite companion this time around. And if you've told me that was going to be the case before I've played the game, I would probably look at you aghast, you'd even think to mention such a thing. While his age was one of the factors for my reluctance at first, the necromancy itself made him seem like a peculiar and occult choice geared toward a very specific crowd... I couldn't have been more wrong.

I absolutely loved the Memorial gardens' missions and the dialogue. The solemn and dignified discussions on the profound topics of mortality and death, were handled masterfully and with the gravitas one does not usually expect in popular media (or games). Also Emmerich abilities are pretty awesome. Just imagine how many crimes (or family disputes) we could solve, if this sort of magic would exist in real life...

On to the Internal examination...

All that aside, you've probably figured out by now, that I don't think the game is perfect in any way, and I do have my share of gripes with it, but I’m not about to hop on the hate train of bashing the game for not being all that I imagined (and wished) it to be. Because to be fair... ten years is a long time and I have quite a vivid imagination, so no, I knew it was never going to come even close to that.

But as far as the most common “issue” that people have with the game...

Tash and qunari Rook — No, let's not skip: Tash, who towers over my (as tall as the character creator allowed me to make) Rook. Not. Fair.

Dragon Age series has always been about all the usually generic dark medieval fantasy tropes you can think of, but turned on their head whenever possible (a.i. progressive to its core):

Female Messiah? Check. Female priesthood? Check. Bisexual, trans, gay or straight companions? Check (right from the start). Warriors of all genders, shapes and sizes? Check. Conventionally “unattractive” female companions that didn’t ponder to the male gaze. Check.

I could add a bunch of other examples, but I think it’s enough to make my point clear: the addition of another character on the spectrum doesn’t really stand out as something new, outrageous or breaking up with the tradition of the series.

Could it have been executed in a less heavy handed manner?

Yes.

Most definitely.

And this brings me to my last major issue I have with the game:

What happened to the "Show, Don't Tell"?!

While the return of Varric's narration does feel like a nostalgic throwback to the second entry to the series and I kind of liked it at first, it completely ruined the game for me, the further along I got. Instead of connecting the dots between the various quests or serving as a silver thread of sorts (which, to be fair, it does at times to a varying degree), it often goes completely rogue and like an elephant in the proverbial porcelain store, smashes any and all suspense or immersion you might have left at that point. Revealing (telling) absolutely everything that might have happened in between no holds barred.

Majestic winged structure with glowing patterns, set against a radiant, circular background. — Some heavy hinting over here, but this, however, is still mild, compared to the rest. I do like the artwork though... colour me impressed.

How in the Maker's name could that make sense with Varric telling the story?!

And no, I won't be spoiling anything here, because I am (or try to be) a nice person most of the time, so you can continue reading, without fear of me revealing any pertinent information.

First: in Dragon Age 2 Varric was being interrogated by Cassandra, so it gave him the artistic freedom to "interpret" or "reinterpret" events as it suited him at the time (which one might say didn't necessarily happen exactly as told by him, and which could leave you to question the whole Hawke storyline).

Still his narration inserts were there to bridge the storyline between the years when nothing of import "supposedly" happen, and it kind of fit (even though the game itself didn't really do that convincingly enough, but that is a story for another day).

Second: Due to his unusual circumstance in Veilguard you could argue he has a "unique" perspective and could know things that happen offscreen,... but not really.

Warning rant with spoilers bellow, skip if you wish to avoid them:

Argument one: Solas is in the fade, so he can observe everything that happens and is feeding that information to you, through the use of blood magic and your memory of Varric.

You might say this is a most convincing argument, but then the fact you can "plot" against Solas the whole time while he is in the fade completely throws it in the garbage.

Or perhaps the Big Bad Fen'Harel is an incredibly considerate guy and the God of lies and treachery, prefers to turn his back, plugs his ears, and sing a song, so he can't see or hear what you are plotting against him... such a nice guy. He would even go so far as to allow you to "update" him on the events that are happening on the outside, so he can dole out his wisdom and help you, even though he already knows everything...

Which makes him a) a yerk, b) an evil genius, or c) a deeply conflicted good guy, who deep down inside, just wants someone to stop him.

Yeah. No. I could poke holes in each of these counter arguments, until this post would be the length of Diana Gabalon's Outlander series, but ain't nobody got time for that, and I'd have to quit my day job, so I'd rather not.

Argument two: Varric can see everything that is going to happen, due to his special "circumstances"...

It's been established he is only a memory in Rook's head...so no.

Argument three: A quirky artistic choice! Go with it.

For the sake of my love of previous Bioware games and their previous work and the veterans behind it...sure.

But...

...my face is tired...

And the writing in this game, does have a couple of holes to fill, and edges to polish...

What is the point of these inserts?

Why are they here?

To patch up holes in the storyline and development cycle apparently. But just like with any submarine, you can patch up the pipeline up to a certain point, but if you don't fix the issue causing the pipes to burst, the holes will just keep popping up and it will sink.

Take for example the Dragon King mission (the straw that almost broke me during my second playthrough. What's the point in playing through an end quest, when literally all the potentially fun parts were explained away by the inserts...).

Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the mission itself, if by chance you still haven’t managed to play the game since it came out... but anyone who did...you'll know what I mean.

Instead of dragging me in, narrative insert here just threw me off, and broke off any threads of immersion I had left by that point. After a hefty dose of hinting, it comes to a point where it outright explains to you what has happened, instead of you know... letting you figure it out for yourself through actually playing the game.

The only thing left after this, is for you to go into this quest and confront the big baddie over there. Gee. Thanks a bunch!

And the only feeling I had left by that point was annoyance, to put it mildly.

After already a lot of handholding through out the game, it felt downright insulting. No, I do not have the memory span of a gold fish and while I do play to relax, the need to think would not prevent me from having fun. Instead Veilguard takes great effort to hint, overexplain, summarise, describe and remind the player of everything in case they might get lost, frustrated with the controls, forget the plot, or how to play the game.

I just didn’t see the point in having to play a mission where I already knew what was going to happen, leaving out only the minute details.

Easter egg, but a very heavy hint. — Still... this was kind of cute as far as hints go.

For the first time ever in a Dragon Age game I just couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to go through the quest on my second playthrough. I was stuck and I doubted I'd ever replay (or finish) the game at all.

So what happened? A couple of months went by, my disappointment cooled down and I returned absolutely hell bent on finishing my second playthrough, for old times' sake. Would I do so otherwise? No.

Over the years Bioware has bought up enough loyalty points from me, that I still had a couple of fucks left to give.

You see. Dragon Age Origins was the first Bioware game I played. The second RPG I managed to play through to the end (first was the Witcher...a whole story by itself). It was epic. At times boring. The combat was a pain (me being used to fast paced action games and the like up until that point).

I wasn’t even sure I was going to replay it ever again until I got to the finish line.

Than a couple of days later...

I created a new character and replayed it.

A couple of weeks went by....

And I created another new character and played the game to the end.

By the time of my last playthrough a couple of years ago, I probably replayed Dragon Age: Origins 20 times at least. It has helped me through some hellish times and then some.

It dug it's claws in me and dug them deep. Became my favourite go to "comfort" game.

Other RPGs followed...and over ten years later, here I am, still mostly stuck in the genre. Thanks Bioware! You ruined the rest of the gaming genres for me.

And now you're probably wondering... hey Sneaky Mage, you replayed the game three times! Does the same thing hold true for Veilguard, just as it did for Origins?

Unfortunately no, it doesn't. I've started my first playthrough after I learned that EA basically murdered Bioware and fired basically everyone who ever worked on any of the Dragon Age games. So you could say I was feeling melancholic and a little heart broken for the people who lost their jobs.

On to the Cause of Death...

Emmerich holds a skull, looking contemplative, while a woman watches.

Compared to the previous three entries of the series, Veilguard is plagued by an inconsistent, lacklustre and impoverished storytelling experience.

Veilguard has more than a few clumsy, heavy handed and even redundant dialogue options (that are there just to offer you an illusion of an option, but with the same outcome), which are more often than not stuck in what seems a "vanilla" approach to dialogue.

There is no real lasting conflict, darkness, or drama, or if there is, it is resolved incredibly quickly, which at times makes the relationships feel shallow and a bit Disneyfied, for the lack of a better term.

Team meeting — We do this mission, then we're going to make friendship bracelets! Cue in rainbows and unicorns (griffins in this case).

All the gravitas, sarcasm and sincerity of Origins, the darkness, humour and brutality of Hawke's story and high stakes, struggle and conflict of Inquisition are gone and replaced by a fluffy, everything will work out in the end approach, which makes it feel like a "Dragon Age light" experience.

Which also kind of makes sense, if you create a game aimed at as wide an audience as possible, but it is a complete disservice to its legacy.

And yes, also to its fanbase. It had to be said.

While it is at times toxic, it's still full of people who love the series to its core, and to completely dismiss them in order to pander to a massive new audience leaves you with a product that might be good and overall entertaining, but alienates the very people that stuck with it up until this point.

Which is a lesson corporations like EA can't comprehend:

When you're trying to please everyone.... you end up pleasing none.

But then again, what can you expect from a publisher, who doesn't understand its own developers, their strengths or weakness, but understands money, shareholders and revenue. The only really surprising thing about this whole debacle is, that it took so long and so many failed attempts, before it "killed" the once beloved company like Bioware.

Emmerich doing his corpse whispering again

I know it technically still exists, and I do not want to disparage or disregard the people that are still working for it, however most (over 90%) of the original staff is gone, and thus the very essence and the soul of that company, that Bioware, that made all those amazing games, is also gone.

I am not saying it can't create amazing games in the future... but as with any legendary group of people, you can't just replace the original members and then expect the people not to notice. The writing style, the charisma, the essence and presence are not the same.

Especially if you don't understand what made that group of people and the games they created awesome in the first place... rant incoming:

You would expect ABBA to sound and look like ABBA, and not demand from the original members to mimic the sound of Lady Gaga, just because the technology is there, dress them up in new and "updated" costumes, put them on the stage, expect them to dance and sing and attract new audience with new choreographies and pyrotechnics... then fire a bunch of their staff, and perhaps even the original members, replace them in the middle of the production, change the whole set up, dancers and choreography (perhaps add Kendrick Lamar into the mix, because of his current popularity), and then get upset, when you don't rake in millions, or even cover the cost of the whole experiment, and the fanbase and internet bursts out in flames, over your decisions... (now to be fair, the internet and the fanbase, probably wouldn't want to crucify any of the original members, or any one specific minor member of the staff, unlike the gamer "fans"). Everybody would expect you'd own up to the disastrous decisions, take responsibility and punish the people who actually were behind the whole fiasco, not the band, their staff or choreographer after you destroyed their reputation, and then carry on like it's business as usual.

This was one long metaphor, but I hope you got the point... and just to indulge myself a little more...

You could however create an amazing tribute band, that would capture the original sound, charisma and stage presence, but only if you understood, what made ABBA great in the first place (spoiler alert, it was not just the funny costumes).

And here is where I think the main problem of the last entry in the Dragon Age series lies.

Anyone who has ever played any of the original games, knows what they are about. And up to this point any character that didn't fit the straight, while, male trope, was (in my opinion) masterfully written into the storyline and lore of Thedas (i.e. Master Wade, Dorian, Krem...).

This time around it clashes with the overall "vanilla" approach, aimed at as large an audience as possible, and sticks out like a tone deaf, heavy handed, "woke" propaganda, even if the intention was anything but.

The series has always tried to be as inclusive as possible (and successfully so, I might add), without explicitly alienating anyone, who was not in (or an ally of) that minority... but here it does feel like there is only one way you should feel about it, and I think that forced should is what really rubs the people the wrong way.

HOWEVER any sort of harassment, personal attacks, threats and wishing (if not right out demanding) for specific people to loose their livelihood, because you don't like a fictional character in a game, is ludicrous, unethical, abhorrent and immoral behaviour, not fit for any adult in a civilised society. You don't like the game? Don't buy it. Boycott the developer. Make your opinion heard. Just don't forget to keep a shred of basic human decency and dignity. As with any large corporation, Bioware is a puppet dancing to the tune of it's masters who pull the strings, and not one single employee has made all the decisions by themselves in a vacuum.

Completely severing ties to the Dragon Age Keep and any consequential decisions from the past entries, also does not help Veilguard in the long run. I get it, it's a logical decision, if you wish to invite more people into the fold, however it was never going to be a decision loved by anyone who already has played any of the previous games.

The Infamous Golden City. A nice bread crumb to be sure... alas if only there were more...

And I am not even talking about big decisions.

A couple of cameos dependant on the players decision in the previous games, would be a nice touch and keeping up with the tradition of the series, which would only add to the replayability value of the game.

With the heavy presence of Grey Wardens in the game, why not throw in a random Blackwall/Rainer appearance (or Oghren, or any other ex-companion from the order), replacing one of the NPCs you talk with defending Lavendel for instance...

It wouldn't even have to be a huge role, but just a nod to a returning player, to make them feel their decisions left at least a small impression in the whole saga... I mean the chalice and Kristoff/Blackwall mention in the Grey Warden's Weisshaupt library are a nice touch (as mentioned in the first part of my review), but can be easily missed and irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Even Morrigan is presented in a "light" version, with 70% less sass and 90% less potential "baggage" from the previous entries.

How about that Old God Baby she might have been raising all those years and his possibly personal interest in a storyline, where old gods are finally revealed for what they are?

There is however one good thing about Veilguard, that I am grateful for, in the long run (although I do wish the execution was a little bit more tactful and paced differently to at least make it seem, that it didn't serve only to purposefully and completely cut any and all ties with its predecessors) and that is the completion of any and all open questions regarding its lore.

The cat is out of the bag, there are no mysteries left regarding the Blight, its origins, Tevinter gods, dragons, elves, dwarves, titans... Any and (almost) all questions are answered, so if EVER, by any chance or miracle, another Dragon Age game does come out, it can have a fresh start, with only a tiny sliver of a thin thread connecting it to its predecessors in the form of the Executors.

It does however feel a bit exhibitionistic as you play the game and suddenly revelations and explanations start to rain down from everyone and everywhere at an unprecedented pace... which does feel like breaking with tradition and contradictory to the established lore at times. It's just resolved too quick, too easy and too neat. A clean break.

But given how other game series were (are) treated by their publishers and left in somewhere in the ether, unresolved and unfinished (hkhm...Half Life), thank the Maker for this... even if feels deeply unsatisfying.

Results of the Autopsy

Is Dragon Age Veilguard a bad game? No. It isn't, by any stretch of imagination.

Is Dragon Age Veilguard a good Dragon Age game? No.

Wait, what?

(You might ask... or at least I like to think you might, if you by chance skipped the whole essay)

Veilguard definitely is not among my top three Dragon Age games, if you get my meaning. Is that nostalgia talking? One could make that argument, however I really did try to find as much redeeming features as I could (it literally took me six months), but alas... it was not enough.

Something is just missing. A spark, je ne sais quoi, something. Perhaps that slight cynicism, that spoke to me.

Or... it's the musical score, that keeps me completely cold. I mean seriously. I used to boot up a Dragon Age game and the first thing that hit me was the chills, even before I've actually started playing the game. Here?...Not so much. I can't remember a single note of the top of my head.

Veilguard had a lot of positive, hopeful and beautiful messages, and while it was charming, it just felt a little too cardboardy, generic motivational poster-ish, for me to feel the feels.

Which is something that every other Dragon Age game managed to succeed in one way or another, by the way. From laughter, anger, sadness, frustration (not talking about gameplay here), awe and every other emotion in between.

When I usually replayed any Dragon Age game, I used to place saves strategically, just so I could enjoy the feels again with glee... Here? I just couldn't be bothered, to replay any scene again.

Hence, in an attempt to be as objective as I could be, I gave Veilguard two separate scores:

Dragon Age Veilguard's score board by Sneaky Mage

As an RPG game, Dragon Age Veilguard deserves a solid 8. Why?

+ A solid action packed game, that can stand on its own in the Dragon Age-verse (no previous knowledge or experience with the series required)

+ Amazing environments and character customisation

+ Fun and improved looting and party customization

+ Dynamic combat and the option to respect on the fly (including your companions)

However!

- Completely severing ties with its predecessors and eliminating returning players decisions, isn’t doing it any real service in the long run (lowers replayability value of the game)

- At times awkward writing and storytelling that simplifies the relationship dynamics among the main cast of characters making it feel skin deep and a bit forced (one big issue to resolve for each one of them, also adds to the feeling of them being a little too cardboard-ish and two dimensional.

- Music

- No New Game +

As a Dragon Age game, it gets a 6.

Adding to the already mentioned points...compared to the rest of the games in the series:

+ Upgraded hair dynamics, definitely cause it to stand out among the rest.

+ More content with regards to your origin, your race and choice of specialisation/faction than in any of the previous entries (that said some options do still get the short end of the stick...)

- Extremely limited role-play and dialogue outcomes, leaving the player with almost no agency

- Repetitive and limited combat options

- More than a few odd and awkward writing choices and a very streamlined “Dragon Age for dummies” approach

- Really formulaic and bland romances, that at times seem like an afterthought or a “must” have, if you will (you can romance EVERYONE, even if some companions seem to be more interested in other romantic partners... *cough* Lucanis)

- DLC content limited only to a couple of nostalgic cosmetic options

But at least we have some closure... in case this really is the end for the franchise.