Dragon Age: Veilguard

Post-Release, Pre-Completion Thoughts - 12/26/2024

I wanted to capture some of my thoughts about the game having been playing it for twoish months. I haven't finished either save that I have active as I am waiting to do the major plot beats with my partner before progressing on my solo save, but I haveeeeee been letting myself indulge in a few no-context spoilers and fan works to pass the time. Obviously spoilers below, so scroll with caution. My pre-release thoughts are also further down, and if you'd like more up to date thoughts, you can always see where I'm at on tumblr.

Last chance!

I've put a few of my initial reactions to Veilguard on tumblr so far, but honestly, most of my thoughts remain unchanged. In the days leading up to release, I was purposefully avoiding reviews, but my partner kept updating me that the game was reviewing pretty well so I let myself read ONE review that was fairly level-headed to get a feel for what I was walking into. After Inquisition's Game of the Year win and a decade between major entries in the franchise as well as a major plot set up at the end of the Trespasser DLC, I think the game kind of found itself in a similar situation to Cyberpunk 2077 regarding the hype and fan expectations. (Not the bugs! I've been pleasantly surprised with how stable the game was on release which was completely unlike my Inquisition experience.) This game, even though a new Dragon Age game was definitely desired by long time players and fans, was never going to live up to everything that people wanted to be (and had a decade to dream about), and even Creative Director John Epler touched on this in an interview with Eurogamer.

My absolute biggest gripe is with the music. Idek what other people think about big name composers, but while Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe are both big names with lots of big name notable projects under their belts and I do enjoy some of their works! I think a fair bit of both of their works are more like subtle wallpaper than having a genuine presence. Whereas Inon Zur spent two games creating excellent abiance that could stand it's own and add something to a scene and Trevor Morris created deeply melodic score whith very distinct sounds for different regions while still remaining fully cohesive, I don't even have anything interesting to say about the Veilguard score. It is fully forgettable, and even my listen through of the soundtrack on it's own left me with no impression. Frankly, there're a couple songs that are so synthy they feel like they should be more in Mass Effect's camp, but all of the Mass Effect Composers were able to build something with more personality on their respective tracks. From what other fan reactions I've seen, I doubt my feelings will change here, which is honestly almost worse.

Other gripes: Some of the returning companion outfits (Morrigan's and Isabela's come to mind); not letting some of the returning characters age (one again, Morrigan and Isabela. it has been 20 years in canon with these two and neither have lead easy lives, let them look a little more worn); the reboot vibes I'm getting about everything in Southern Thedas; the lack of carry over of player decision from past games (honestly one of my favourite franchise features, but from a game dev perspective sounds like a nightmare); and I'm sure some others that aren't readily coming to mind right now but I will add when they do.

It's too early for me to say where it ranks in my Dragon Age tier list, but the general feel of this game is summed up in this quote from Game Director Corinne Busche: "In many ways, it is a love letter to what makes a BioWare game a BioWare game..." I clocked it in the gameplay preview of the opening sequence in Tevinter: "The movement and linear progression looks so much like Mass Effect." Varric's little asides to companion story beats make this feel like Dragon Age 2. Suicide mission where we need to complete personal quests to improve our success/survivability and bolster our allies? Also Mass Effect. Gameplay loop? Inquisition (sans war table, thank the maker). Addition of markers in the lighthouse so you don't necessarily have to stop at every companion to check in on every lighthouse visit? Great QoL improvement from alllll of their games going back at least to KotOR. Party banter. Companions. Queerness. I think at the end of the day, this really is a Bioware game as imperfect and inconsistent as the rest. I'll keep playing and see how the ending leaves me. It'll be a while yet, but we're still early in the fan reaction cycle so I'm anticipating fan reactions to temper a little bit too and then we'll get into the good meta discussion.

Pre-Release Thoughts - 10/16/2024

IT'S COMING! I AM HYPED AND YET SKEPTICAL. I AM NOT PREORDERING BUT I WANT TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS GAME! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

But also there be spoilers (and criticisms) down below. Scroll at your own risk.

OKAY SO, my feelings expressed above are true in terms of both my apprehension and excitement. New Dragon Age for the first time in a decade! But also Bioware keeps beeing shitty to their employees. GRIFFONS!!! But also, how are we handling the explicit role of slavery in the narrative of this game now that we're going to Tevinter? WE'RE GOING TO TEVINTER AND RIVAIN! The deluxe-preorder doesn't even include the fucking game. I'm super intrigued by the origin stories for Rook! The fandom is back on its bi/pansexual-erasure bullshit again. There is just... SO MUCH. And I am trying desperately to hold my judgements until the game is out and playable! But I want to be pleasantly surprised and intrigued and absorbed into this game. FINGERS CROSSED, ALL!