Evil elven gods have broken free from their metaphysical prison and are threatening doomsday. And it’s not just Hans Zimmer’s epic music that sets the tone for the battlefield: There is a historical rush throughout “Dragon Age: The Veilguard”. “Baldur’s Gate”. “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic”. “Mass Effect”. “Dragon Age”. It’s no wonder that many people highlight Bioware as one of the best role-playing game creators of all time with a history like this. They were known for having a “secret sauce” – a secret ingredient that lifted everything they took in to the top shelf. It started to falter with the release of “Mass Effect: Andromeda” in 2017. Then it went really bad with the fiasco “Anthem” in 2019. The secret ingredient had expired. Now Bioware is back with the major investment “Dragon Age: The Veilguard”. The fantasy world of Thedas is threatened with doom, and it’s up to you to assemble a team of heroes who can stop the apocalypse. We’re talking impossible odds and an imminent danger of annihilation. And there is certainly a lot at stake for both Bioware and owner Electronic Arts as well. This must be a success. For Bioware, it’s about the right to exist. Nervous launch It is worth mentioning here that only a small number of media were given access to review copies before launch. It may indicate that EA have been nervous and unsure of the reception. And after around 50 hours of playing the game, I can understand the nervousness. The secret ingredient this time is of the Thousand Island dressing type. At the same time, there is much to appreciate here. Technically, the game is a minor miracle. Playing through a game as large as this without encountering bugs and other problems is bordering on shocking. ADVANCED: The battle system in “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” is easy to get used to, but advanced enough for you to enjoy yourself. Here the game is paused while the player chooses what both the two on the team and one himself should do to get at the enemies. Photo: Electronic Arts Everything also looks ridiculously delicious. Bioware has gone for a somewhat more colorful, cartoonish style this time, and I think it’s both beautiful and well-functioning. There aren’t any microtransactions or “season passes” or anything like that here either. It must be called a pleasant surprise. The music is also beautiful. Which is perhaps not quite so surprising when it is made by, among other things, Hans Zimmer himself. I also like the battle system and the development of my own character. Here there is both variety and depth, which leads to many spectacular battles against small and large monsters and enemies. And then I will highlight the quests that are linked to the seven companions you recruit for your team. These are the best stories in the game. So far I have described a huge role-playing game that I think many people will have fun with. “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” is a very inclusive and streamlined experience with broad appeal and a warm heart. But this is also where I have major problems with the game. The exciting edges in the experience are sanded away with coarse sandpaper. There is little to chew on here. No particular resistance. BEAUTIFUL: The game doesn’t have one, cohesive world that you can freely explore. Instead, you travel to more independent areas, which means lots of variety and lots of beautiful surroundings. Photo: Electronic Arts Superficial empathy This is particularly noticeable in the role of Rook – the leader of the eight-man team that will save the world. All seven characters you recruit have baggage that you must help them unpack. A warrior with complicated feelings related to his own gender. An antisocial necromancer who is afraid of not being accepted. A dwarf with suppressed powers. A hottie with an inner demon. And so on. CONFLICT MEDIATOR: Mediating conflicts between the others on your team is just one of the leadership roles you have to handle in “Dragon Age: The Veilguard”. Photo: Electronic Arts Here you come in as a kind of welfare manager in a medium-sized company. You can choose empathy and understanding, you can try to brush the problems away or you can be the strict leader. There is a lot of actual pedagogy and therapeutic methodology here, but it is done so superficially that it almost becomes parodic. These characters have challenges that cannot be solved by a correspondence course in emotional guidance. When you then regularly receive feedback that you are a great and inspiring leader, it sounds hollow and meaningless. You’ve only been spouting the obvious. Set against dialogue, characters and character development in games like “Baldur’s Gate 3” and “Cyberpunk 2077”, “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” is far too slow. Example of dialogue in the game “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” between the characters Rook and Bellara. Assembly line action The same broad brush is used in the exploration of the worlds. Hidden treasures are usually not particularly well hidden, locked doors are rarely difficult to open. Instead of a large, open world, you get smaller, more compact worlds separated from each other. This means great variety, but also less freedom and a more linear progression than one might expect from the genre. A few times you get quests and experiences that require more than just walking around and letting things happen. Some of the twists in the companion stories also manage to penetrate the surface. Then I glimpse the game this could have been. It is probably a conscious choice Bioware has made. It seems as if the guiding star has been to create an experience that will reach as many people as possible. And sell as much as possible. But the rate that is staked out for the game is devoid of risk. The really deep impressions and grand surprises are missing. “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” lacks the sharp, cool edges that a game like this needs. news reviews Photo: Electronic Arts Title: “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” Genre: Role-playing game Age: 18+ Platform: PS5 (tested), Xbox Series X/S and PC Developer: Bioware Publisher: Electronic Arts Date: 31 October 2024 Hello !I am a freelancer and write about games for news. On a daily basis, I work at Level Up Norway. If you want to read more about games with horror elements, I can recommend my reviews of the games “The Last of Us Part I”, “A Plague Tale: Requiem” and “The Quarry”. Published 14.11.2024, at 15.26
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The Veilguard” – Reviews and recommendations
