This summer, Dragon Age: The Veilguard was finally revealed to the world. However, the response from fans has been mixed, with some concerned that the tone is a lot lighter compared to previous games, especially Dragon Age: Origins.
In response to this, The Veilguard's creative director, John Epler, argues that it actually borrows a lot from Origins' tone. He highlights that while Origins had plenty of dark moments, it also had a lot of levity and comedic relief, something that the team wanted to "lean into" with The Veilguard.
"Something that I think we occasionally lose sight of is Dragon Age: Origins also had moments of levity," says Epler. "You have Alistair [who] kind of comes across as a goofball. There's a lot of funny moments with Dog."
He continues, explaining how this influenced the new game. "I think it's that contrast that Origins did that we really lean into in the Veilguard. There are characters who are a little bit lighter. But even they have tragedy. They have moments of personal despair."
He also explains why the levity is there in the first place, arguing that it would be "fatiguing" if everything was miserable all the time. "You need...
