Summary
Dragon Age: The Veilguardis the fourth game in a sprawling setting that changes quite a lot with each new game, and no two crossings into Thedas swim in the same waters of this dark fantasy. It was never going to live up to everyone’s expectations, but for those who stuck with it to find out,The Veilguardis all about giving answers to those who were invested in some of the deepest and darkest plots in the franchise since the beginning. The history of the Blight and the Veil, the fall of the elves and the Titans, and the corruption that keeps haunting Thedas in violent and cunning ways all have threads linking them together, and as Rook, it’s up to players to bring the big picture into focus.
The Veilguardis a cap on some ofDragon Age’sbiggest, most long-standing plots, providing the final puzzle pieces that tie together the events of the previous games in one context, beginning with an ancient rebellion and ending with Rook meeting Solas. As for those who loved the feel and atmosphere of the previous games,Veilguardplays a lot with nostalgia and continuity in unexpected ways.
1Meticulously Gorgeous Visions Of Thedas
Veilguard Inherited Inquisition’s Taste For Visual Grandeur
If there’s one undeniable benefit to a modern game, it’s the lengths to which graphics can be pushed to bring the world’s setting to life, andVeilguarddoes not disappointin this department.Veilguardshowcases countries fans have been whetting an appetite for sinceOrigins, including places like Tevinter, Antiva, and Arlathan, with all the majesty their storied descriptions conjured and more. The design of each locale is distinctive and full of detail, and at times familiar designs hint at characteristics of the previous games.
The plausibility of seeingsuch a variety of placesall at once without having any traditional aid, means of travel, resources, or time is all neatly woven into the plot without sacrificing the scope of how much of ThedasVeilguardwants to unveil.Inquisition’s breathtaking vistas and huge explorable maps were appropriate for a protagonist backed by an army that could make its presence known anywhere with effort and planning, but Rook only has a small team. As it happens,Inquisitionalso introduced the most efficient and stealthy way of being everywhere at once, andVeilguardfully exploited the theme by finding the backdoor to the Crossroads.
2That Unmistakable Sound
The Soundtrack Subtly Calls Back To All Three Previous Games
Soundtracks are essential for both atmosphere and emotional context, andDragon Ageset the bar high with its heavy reliance on this tool.Veliguard’ssoundtrack is one of its triumphs, and not simply for Maryden the Bard’s eminently singable hits fromInquisitionbeing strummed in the streets of Treviso or the Kirkwall-esque melodies heard in the noir gloom of Minrathous dives. The ambient music evokes impressive settings, dramatic emotions, and defining moments from the previous games throughout the story, weaving it together with a distinctive new sound befitting the new settings and plot.
Veilguard’sapproach of mixing the old with the new has a thematic value beyond nostalgia for longtime fans because familiar notes and atmosphere seamlesslyconnect the game’s story to past relevant contextsin the widerDragon Agestory. This ranges from more obvious choices like classic Darkspawn and Blight themes through Kirkwall’s vibe to the subtle callbacks toInquisition’smost haunting moments and plot twists.
3Rook Is A Mix Of Previous Heroes
In Dialogue, Background, & Leadership Style
Like Hawke, Rook’s main function is to be the glue that holds an amazing team together, andVeilguarddoubles down on theDragon Age 2leadership model. It also takes a cue fromHawke’s personality-based dialogue choicesoffering more range in tone rather than content.
As for the unique flare that Rook’s chosen background brings to the role,Veilguard’sfactions most resemble how the Hero of Ferelden’s origin shaped their story, and there’s a lot more thatRook and the Inquisitor have in commonbeyond knowing Solas.
4The Codex Entries Are Part Of The Story
The Veilguard Library Has An Origins Feel
Seasoned lore-sleuths might take a leaf out of Neve’s investigative approach and dive into their Libraries to find the goods on modern Thedas. Far from dry descriptions of compounded lore to catch players up on three previous games,Veilguard’sCodex Entries and Missivesare full of notes, letters, and commentary by Rook’s team. Every entry has the distinct tone of the companion who wrote it, making the Library an excellent place to get to know them and their respective cultures a little better.
Having an involved journal with excessive notes was a charmingly bookish feature thatOriginshad in spades, and this became a signatureDragon Agestorytelling tool through which so-inclined players could become acquainted with a whole other side of Thedas.Dragon Age 2andInquisitionfollowed this tradition with extensive codex entries built up while exploring. However,Origins, as lore-heavy as it was, had a character-driven way about it that yielded countless intriguing and often quite amusing anecdotes that were unfolding stories unto themselves, and this is the modelVeilguardemulates the most.
5A Haunting & Lore-Laden Atmosphere
The Plot Is Rooted In The Drama Of Inquisition & Origins’ Secrets
The titular Dragon Age is all about emptying every last archdemon skeleton from ancient Elvhen closets because, fromOriginstoInquisition, there have been not a few world-shattering secrets weaving in and out of the story. Players familiar with the Grey Warden lore will recognize names, events, and squawking creatures inVeilguard, as well as long-unsolved foreshadowings ofdeeper truths in Thedasian historypresented as early asOrigins. Still, this story is about more than finally returning to the Grey Wardens.
AfterOrigins,Dragon Age 2andInquisitionat first glance seemed to deviate more and more from these first quintessentiallyDragon Agemysteries by focusing on an even more ancient drama surrounding the Evanuris, and to a lesser extent the mysterious extinction of the Titans.Veilguardis the story where all the clues are revealed as pieces of a story that fit together intoa much larger picture. The ancient evil Grey Wardens protect against inOrigins, the secrets of ancient Tevinter unearthed inDragon Age 2, and the aftershocks of the Dread Wolf’s ancient rebellion explored inInquisitionall meet inVeilguard.
6Picturesque Blighted Villages & Venatori Blood Sacrifices
The Dark Fantasy Themes Of Origins Make A Comeback
Some of the best moments inDragon Ageare the franchise at its darkest, presenting the rotten underbelly of Thedasian history. From discovering broodmothers and sentient darkspawn to blood magic and mass sacrifices, this franchise has always made it clear that Thedas was no land of sunshine and lollipops. As such,Veilguardis at its best when it exposes the depravity and darkness that corrupts both the hearts andactions of the game’s villains, who all have a clear lineage in the franchise’s established lore.
Fans who have read the books and played all three previous games will recognize stories and choices in Rook’s enemies, making their arc poignant in some cases, like the Gloom Howler, and intriguing in others, as with the Butcher. Some may lament the lack of villainous options for Rook compared to the behavioral spectrumOriginsandDragon Age 2were better known for, and yet, the darkness of Thedas and the corruption in Thedasian hearts did not become less potent, they merelygained deeper context.
7The Blight, Andraste, Magic, & The Game
The Problems Of An Average Thedasian
All the seeds of what made each previous game in the franchise bloom are presented as an entertaining bouquet of classicDragon Ageexperiences inVeilguard. Those who began their journey as Grey Wardens inOriginscanjoin the Order again. Players who loved the rags-to-riches city life of Kirkwall will have treasure to plunder. Anyone fascinated sinceOriginsabout Tevinter and early humans, Dorian-lovers, and blood magic aficionados alike will finally walk the streets of Minrathous and see where the dark magic happens.
The politics inDragon Age 2andInquisitionmight have the least emphasis inVeilguardcompared to its predecessors, although Treviso and Minrathous have their moments of intrigue. Meanwhile, more mysterious subjects like magic, undeath, the Fade, and what happened in ancient conflicts, have plenty of continuation. Ancient events reverberate through time and still matter in the present, and unlike its predecessors, theVeilguardleaves noDragon Agesecret unaddressed, even ifnoteveryquestion is answeredyet.
