Luinlote Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review

Dragon Age: Veilguard Review – From the Perspective of a fan since Origins. Initial Impressions and Gameplay: Let me start by addressing something that's been causing quite a stir in the gaming community - Is this a "true" Dragon Age game? Short answer: Absolutely. Long answer: Let me tell you why. Lore and Storytelling: As someone who can get completely overwhelmed by too much lore, I was pleasantly surprised by how this game handles its complex history. The writers have managed to weave past storylines together seamlessly, dropping references and twists that had me going "Aha!" instead of "Wait, what?" It's like they found that sweet spot between "here's a wikipedia dump" and "remember that thing that happened?" Combat System: Look, I'll be honest - I usually hate fighting in games. As an old school turn based original, I suck at action combat. I'm that player who button-mashes and hopes for the best. But something clicked with this combat system. For the first time in my gaming life, I found myself actually enjoying the harder battles and - wait for it - using actual strategy! I know, I'm as shocked as you are. The mechanics are intuitive enough that even a combat-challenged player like me could feel like a badass while still offering enough depth for those who actually know what they're doing. Companions and Character Interaction: Here's where the game really shines. You know how in some games there's always that one companion who makes you go "ugh, you again"? Not for me with this game. Even the companions who annoyed me (looking at you…. - no spoilers!) were so good that I couldn't help but love them anyway. The banter, the personal stories, the way relationships develop - it all feels natural. I've literally been brought to tears more times than I can count, which led to an awkward moment when my husband walked in to find me sobbing over a particularly emotional scene. No, honey, I don't need help - I just have a lot of feelings about these fictional characters, okay? Writing Quality: Now, I've seen complaints about the writing being "too vanilla" or "poorly developed." To those people, I ask: Have you actually played a Dragon Age game before? This is a series where "Swooping is bad" is an iconic line - we're not exactly dealing with Shakespeare here, and that's part of its charm! The dialogue feels natural (have none of you ever had an awkward conversation with another person before) the relationships feel genuine, and yes, the characters are supportive of each other. In a world where everything seems to be getting darker and edgier, is it really such a bad thing to have characters who actually care about each other and support the team? That's not to say there isn't conflict - there's plenty of tension and disagreement between characters if you stick around long enough to see it develop (instead of rushing to Reddit after two hours to complain). The difference is that these conflicts are resolved through character growth and understanding, not just for the sake of drama. It's refreshing to see how people can work through their differences while fighting for a greater cause. Setting and Atmosphere: "It's not dark fantasy," they say. Oh, it Definity is. Veilguard is dark. But it's smart about its darkness. Instead of focusing on overtly graphic content, it incorporates unsettling elements into the world in subtle ways. Finding a perfectly set dinner table in a Blight-ravaged town hit me harder than any number of dramatic blood splatters could. It's these quiet moments of horror, these glimpses of interrupted lives, that really drive home the darkness of this world. The game is full of these subtle touches that make the world feel real and lived-in. It's these small dark details that remind you what you're fighting for. Quests and Side Content: Can we talk about side quests for a minute? Because after the fetch-quest-apocalypse that was some parts of Inquisition (listen, I love that game, I am an open world fanatic), Veilguard feels like a breath of fresh air. Almost every quest feels meaningful and ties into the larger narrative somehow. Even the smaller tasks have weight to them. I found myself genuinely invested in helping my companions with their personal quests and faction quests, not just because I'm a completionist who needs to do absolutely everything (though I am absolutely that person too). These missions actually feel like they're developing the characters and moving the story forward, not just padding out gameplay time. The decisions. THOSE DECISIONS. Without spoiling anything, let me just say: save often. Save very, very often. I may or may not have had to reload several times because I wasn't emotionally prepared for the consequences of my choices. These aren't just "pick option A or B" moments - they're complex situations that will have you staring at your screen for far too long, weighing every possible outcome. My family actually thought the game had frozen because I spent so long on one particular choice. (No, I'm just having an existential crisis over here, thanks.) Technical Aspects: Graphics and Design: Let's get shallow for a moment - this game is gorgeous. The environments are breathtaking, the character models are detailed, and THE HAIR. THE HAIR! Finally, FINALLY, we have good hair in a Dragon Age game! Do you know how long I've waited for this? As a consol player mods have never been an option for me. This made me so freaking happy I actually did a little dance! Character Creator: Speaking of appearance options, let's discuss the character creator. First time I opened it, I felt like I was totally out of my depth. I am not great with sliders and feared the worst. There are so many options, so many sliders, so many possibilities. I spent five hours - FIVE HOURS - creating my character. But you know what? Worth it. My Rook looks exactly how I wanted, and that level of customization really helps with immersion. Though I will say, some eye presets wouldn't have gone amiss. As I'm not great with sliders, trying to get the eyes right was an adventure in itself. Inclusivity and Representation: Right, let's tackle the elephant in the room As a straight white woman, I've generally felt well-represented in modern games (I am an old gamer so every game after 2000 is modern to me) I've never had to struggle to find characters I can immerse with and relate to. So when I see people getting upset about DAV being "too inclusive," I have to ask: Why? What exactly is the problem here? I stumbled across a thread on Facebook the other day where people were sharing their non-binary and transgender Rooks, and let me tell you – It was the most positive thread I think I have ever read on social media. These players were absolutely thrilled to see themselves represented in a game they love. The whole thread was just pure happiness and excitement. Someone please explain to me how that's a bad thing, because I genuinely don't get it. (And let's be real - Dragon Age has always had these elements. They've just become more visible now, which apparently is somehow offensive to people who've presumably never paid attention to the series' themes before?) Romance and Relationships: Now, let me tell you about something unexpected that happened during my playthrough. I'm usually a strictly male-romance player. It's just my preference, and I've never felt particularly drawn to any female romance options in previous games. I went into DAV with my romance already planned out. And then... SHE showed up. The chemistry between her and my Rook was so intense, so natural, that I found myself thinking, "Who am I to stand in the way of true love?" Sorry, previously-planned romance option, but the heart wants what it wants and honestly, he felt more like a mate than a lover. My daughter had the opposite experience - she ended up romancing the character I'd originally planned to pursue because that's where she felt the chemistry was strongest with her Rook. This is what I love about these relationships - they feel organic. They're not just about ticking boxes or following a predetermined path. The connections feel real, even if the number of romantic scenes is a bit limited. (That's actually my biggest gripe - I miss being able to smooch my love interest whenever I want. Come on, BioWare, let me be disgustingly affectionate!) The Emotional Journey: Fair warning: I cry easily. Movies, books, TV shows - if it's emotional, I'm probably crying. But this is the first game since Final Fantasy X that has reduced me to actual sobbing. There was one particular moment that I had leave the room to cry and it had me wondering if my husband was right about me all along. Things I Miss: A few things I wish were different: • The ability to just chat with my companions about random stuff at the lighthouse (I really miss those casual conversations) • More romantic scenes with my chosen love interest (the ones we get are great so far, just... more please?) • Personal preference but I didn’t much care for the armour designs. I spent more than half the game in my starting rags until I finally found something decent to wear. • Maybe a few more areas to explore and some more faction quests (in saying that, I’m an open world fan so this might not appeal to everyone) • Eye presets in character creation Final Thoughts: Listen, I need to be clear about something - no game is perfect, and no game will appeal to everyone. That's just how it works. But as someone who's been with Dragon Age since Origins, who's replayed each game more times than I'm willing to admit publicly, I can say with confidence that DAV feels like coming home. For every person complaining that "it's not a real Dragon Age game," I have to wonder if we're playing the same series. This game has everything that makes Dragon Age special: • Characters who feel like real friends • A rich story that respects its established lore • Moments that make you laugh, cry, and occasionally sob uncontrollably • Choices that keep you up at night wondering "what if?" • And yes, even some wonderfully cheesy dialogue The thing about Dragon Age is that it's never been about just one thing. It's not just dark fantasy, or just romance, or just epic battles. It's about people coming together despite their differences. It's about finding hope in dark places. It's about making impossible choices and living with the consequences. DAV gets this. It understands what makes this series special. Have I mentioned the hair is awesome? Because the hair is awesome. That deserves its own paragraph. After years of suffering through TERRIBLE hairstyles, this feels like a personal victory. I could go on about this game for hours. I could break down every side quest, analyze every character interaction, and debate every plot point. But here's what it comes down to: I enjoyed every minute of this game, even the parts that’s that I wasn’t keen on, I still enjoyed. I'm already planning my second playthrough, and my third, and... well, you get the idea. To the developers: Thank you. Thank you for creating a world that feels both familiar and new. Thank you for giving us characters and a world we can believe in and care about and remaining inclusive. And yes, thank you for finally giving us decent hair. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Is it perfect? No. Is it Dragon Age? Absolutely. Will I be playing it obsessively for the foreseeable future? You better believe it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another playthrough to start. Once I emotionally recover….