PLATFORM: PC, PS5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Set ten years after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, (which coincidentally was released pretty much exactly ten years ago), The Veilguard finds Inquisition companion Solas attempting to destroy The Veil – basically the boundary between life and death. Players take the role of a customisable character called Rook, whose task is to put an end to Solas’ plans and restore order to the world. But, in true Dragon Age fashion, Rook won’t be alone – half a dozen companions will accompany you on your quest, and you’ll meet plenty of members of their associated factions along the way too.
The first thing you notice after playing The Veilguard for just a few minutes is the dramatic shift in tone when compared to previous installments. The DA series has become known for its gritty dark fantasy setting, intelligent themes, likeable characters and engaging dialogue, but those have pretty much all been removed here in favour of a more child-friendly (almost Disney-esque) approach. The fantasy setting is still there, but the art style is much brighter and cartoonish than before, and the dialogue follows suit with constant quips and one-liners that are certainly quite departure for the series. The visuals, when you get accustomed to them, are very pretty indeed, but those whose age has entered double figures might find that the non-stop chatter, wisecracks and borderline patronising dialogue (we’ve all heard about it by now – the handling of certain themes is very ham-fisted) can only really be successfully dealt with through their TV remote’s mute button…
Elsewhere, Bioware’s customary branching dialogue, with choices that have very clear consequences, has been scaled back, with the majority of your decisions now only really affecting a few lines of dialogue that lead to a single scripted conclusion (in simple terms, you might say no to something, but the next few lines of dialogue will work its way around to the event still happening regardless of your choice). Combat has also been streamlined, with simple button combos performing melee attacks along with a range of magical abilities that can sometimes be combined with your companions’ skills to perform devastating special attacks.
While the shift in tone and easily-accessible combat may come as a disappointment for long-time fans of the series, they do make things much more accessible for a younger audience. If you’ve got younger family members who aren’t quite ready for a more robust and complicated RPG, the bright and cartoonish visuals, straight-talking characters and easy to grasp combat could mean that The Veilguard may well fit the bill perfectly.
