Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

by Matt Cabral |
Published on

Platforms: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S

Dragon Age: The Veilguard doesn't begin with a bang, but a bar brawl. Electronic Arts and Bioware's highly-anticipated RPG sequel kicks off with one of the series' signature choice-and-consequence conversations going south, if you so choose, and quickly escalating to fists flying in a cozy little tavern.

The action soon spills into the village streets, where horrifying demons – that make Harry Potter's Dementors look like playful puppies – literally rain from the sky while terrified townsfolk scatter in all directions. Before long, your fully customized, sword-swinging, spell-slinging fantasy adventurer is thwarting the supernatural threats with style to spare, pinballing their shield between baddies – Captain America-style – and kick-flipping them across the battlefield.

While it retains and refines many of the franchise's core elements, it's definitely a different beast.

All this is to say, The Veilguard looks, feels, and plays like a big-budget summer blockbuster. And that's before your cranky dwarf companion approaches a zip-line and drops an “I'm too old for this...” that'd make Roger Murtaugh proud. These are not criticisms, by the way, but high praise for a franchise – and studio – that's had some trouble finding its footing in recent years.

The sequel's refreshing approach makes it both more accessible and fun than previous entries, but not at the cost of the series' defining elements. Combat is incredibly layered and deep, dialogue choices shape and influence the narrative, and colorful companions are as crucial to enemy encounters as they are story-steering conversations. That said, the game unmistakably serves up a remixed potion some old school fans might have trouble swallowing. While it retains and refines many of the franchise's core elements, it's definitely a different beast. From its slightly-less realistic – albeit stunning – presentation and more approachable systems and mechanics to a tone that's more lighthearted than grimdark, it markedly leans more into fun, flashy cinematic style than self-seriousness and strategic substance.

Those suiting up expecting a contemporary rehash of Dragon Age: Origins or a more cerebral, Baldur's Gate III-like experience will find things to gripe about. But anyone craving a high fantasy romp fueled by fast, fluid combat, rewarding character progression, twisty, absorbing storytelling, screen-consuming boss encounters, and cinema-rivaling set pieces are in for one hell of a ride.

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