Dragon Age™: The Veilguard

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review Graphics & Zones: 10/10 This is easily the strongest part of the game for me. The environments are beautiful and have a really distinct artistic style. There were multiple times I actually stopped progressing just to take in the scenery instead of running straight through an area. Every zone felt like it was designed to be looked at. Story: 6.7/10 Prologue: 7/10 It captured my attention, but it wasn't anything incredible. My biggest issue was that I wish there had been more time building up the team instead of essentially dropping you into an established group. Act 1: 10/10 This was fantastic. The pacing, reveals, momentum, and feeling that something bigger was happening all worked really well. This was when I was most invested in the story. Act 2: 4/10 This is where the game really lost me, especially because it's such a huge portion of the game. The story basically becomes "we can't deal with the big bad until everyone works through their personal problems." Companion quests went from something I wanted to do into something I felt forced to do. At times, it felt more annoying than a fetch quest. Act 3 & Ending: 6/10 I actually liked the ending I got, and there were some good moments. The problem was that by this point I was already feeling serious game fatigue, which took away from the impact. Companions: 5.7/10 Bellara: 4/10 Not particularly compelling for me. She could be annoying and uncertain early and mid-game, although I thought she became much more interesting toward the end. Davrin: 8/10 One of my favorites. His history with the Grey Wardens is interesting, and his griffin adds a genuinely fun and wholesome element to his story. Emmrich: 10/10 Easily the most fascinating companion story to me. His entire storyline was unique and consistently interesting. Harding: 6/10 Interesting story, but it felt rushed. There was a lot more potential here than the game actually gave her. Neve: 4/10 She never really felt like she developed. She seemed largely the same character from beginning to end, and I felt like her story was somewhat left behind by the end. Lucanis: 7/10 I liked his story and he plays an important role. Some of the choices I made prevented me from seeing as much of his storyline as I would've liked, though. Taash: 1/10 This is where the stoicism really didn't work for me. The character is presented as "I don't care about anything," but then constantly behaves more like a child who absolutely does care. I liked the dragon-hunter concept and some of the abilities, but the actual character was extremely difficult for me to enjoy. Combat & Skill Tree: 6/10 The combat is fun enough, but the progression is disappointing. You get through most of the really exciting abilities and upgrades relatively quickly, so by the final third of the game I rarely felt like I was gaining something genuinely cool or changing how I played. Overall: 7.1/10 If you're a longtime Dragon Age fan, is The Veilguard going to be Origins or Inquisition? No. Honestly, it's probably closer to Dragon Age II than either of those games. That doesn't mean I think it's a bad game. I think it's worth playing at least once if you're a Dragon Age fan, especially if you want to see certain stories and characters finally get some resolution. 7.1/10. Beautiful world, some genuinely great story moments and companion arcs, but dragged down by a weak middle act, uneven companions, and progression that loses steam toward the end.