As a long-time fan of the Dragon Age franchise, I approached Veilguard with both excitement and trepidation. After 86 hours of gameplay, countless detours for treasure mid-crisis, and a bittersweet final confrontation, I can confidently say this game is a mixed bag. It delivers some much-needed gameplay improvements but stumbles when it comes to narrative depth and world-building. Here’s my breakdown of the highs, lows, and the lingering sense of disappointment. Beware of some spoilers, it’s unavoidable.
The Gameplay: Streamlined, Refreshing, and Explosive
Some players have voiced frustration over the mechanical changes in Veilguard, but I found them largely refreshing. The removal of micro-managing companions was a welcome relief. While you can still pause to assign actions, the need to kite enemies or meticulously position party members has been eliminated—thanks, in part, to the new no-death system for companions. It shifts the focus from survival to strategy and pure combat satisfaction.
Healing mechanics also received a significant overhaul. Gone are the days of relying on a dedicated healer and lugging around countless potions. Instead, every companion can heal or toss potions on cooldowns, while breakable green pots scattered throughout the environment keep you stocked. This frees up party composition, allowing me to prioritize synergy and combo detonations rather than defensive setups. Blowing things up has never been more fun, and on my next playthrough, I’ll likely increase the difficulty for even more explosive chaos.
Another improvement is the removal of the war table mechanic. While it served its purpose in earlier titles, its absence in Veilguard makes way for a more immersive experience. Instead of dispatching agents to handle missions off-screen, you now engage directly with these quests. It’s a change that embraces the principle of “show, don’t tell,” adding depth and agency to the gameplay.
For all the streamlining, Veilguard still leaves room for exploration. Hidden chests, secrets, and environmental storytelling abound, making detours both rewarding and tempting—sometimes to the annoyance of your companions. (I imagine them rolling their eyes while I loot gold instead of saving lives.)
The Graphics and User Interface: Gorgeous and Intuitive
If there’s one area where Veilguard truly shines, it’s in its visuals. The game is breathtakingly beautiful, with a level of detail that makes each location feel alive. Two areas stood out to me in particular: Dock Town, with its rugged charm and atmospheric lighting, and Arlathan, which oozes ancient mystique and grandeur. Every environment feels crafted with care, immersing players in the world of Thedas like never before.
The user interface also deserves praise. Its intuitive design strikes a perfect balance between simplicity and functionality. Combat flows smoothly, thanks to the streamlined mechanics discussed earlier, but the ability to trigger companion combos manually adds a satisfying layer of strategy. It’s a system that empowers players without overwhelming them, reinforcing the idea that Veilguard is about experiencing the action rather than getting bogged down in micromanagement.
The Writing: Missed Potential and Sanitized Storytelling
Unfortunately, while the gameplay feels refined, the narrative doesn’t deliver the same satisfaction. Veilguard falters in its writing, veering into overly sanitized and emotionally shallow territory.
Let’s start with Taash. As a character, they had the potential to be one of the most compelling additions to the Dragon Age roster. Instead, their arc feels like a clumsy attempt at addressing contemporary issues, mishandled in a way that undermines the gravity of their story. The writing for their quests lacks nuance, presenting complex topics with the subtlety of a Saturday morning cartoon. If the goal was to appeal to younger audiences or avoid controversy, it backfired—alienating long-time fans while underestimating the intelligence of the target demographic.
This isn’t just a Taash issue. The entire game feels sanitized, as if someone scrubbed away the grit and moral complexity that defined previous titles. Consequences are practically nonexistent. Aside from one unavoidable companion death, there’s little emotional weight to your choices.
That said, Veilguard does get one thing right: Varric. Learning of his death is every bit as harrowing as it should be. As a character who has been with us through multiple games, his loss carries real weight, and the writing rises to the occasion. It’s raw, devastating, and lingers in a way that reinforces the emotional stakes of the world. Unfortunately, this depth doesn’t extend to other companion deaths or character arcs. Rook’s grief over a lost love, for example, is far too brief and sanitized to feel impactful.
For fans who’ve waited a decade for closure on the Inquisitor and Solas’ story, the payoff is underwhelming. While the resolution isn’t entirely unsatisfying, it lacks the catharsis we hoped for after such a long buildup.
The World-Building: Lore Breaks and Faulty Logic
Perhaps the most jarring aspect of Veilguard is its disregard for established lore and logical world-building. The Dragon Age series has always excelled at presenting morally gray conflicts rooted in systemic issues, but Veilguard sidesteps these complexities.
Take the elves, for instance. After centuries of oppression and systemic inequality, the absence of bigotry or meaningful societal tension feels unrealistic. Three elven gods are actively trying to destroy the world, yet there’s no widespread paranoia or scapegoating of elven communities? Similarly, Dorian’s ongoing efforts to reform Tevinter feel hollow when the nation’s darker elements are conveniently glossed over.
Then there’s Rook, the new protagonist. While he’s an enjoyable character, his universal likability strains credibility. Every companion adores him, and the world’s hostility seems curiously absent. Without meaningful resistance or personal flaws to overcome, he teeters dangerously close to becoming a “Gary Stu” archetype.
Final Thoughts: A Flawed but Enjoyable Entry
Where does Veilguard leave me as a fan? Torn. The game excels in mechanical improvements and offers plenty of enjoyment for fans willing to overlook its narrative shortcomings. The combat is engaging, the exploration satisfying, and the companions (cheesy dialogue aside) are endearing enough to carry much of the experience.
But the disappointment lingers. After a decade of waiting, I expected more—more emotional depth, more consequences, and more respect for the series’ lore. Veilguard feels like a product of compromise, its edges dulled to appeal to a broader audience while losing much of what made Dragon Age special.
Would I recommend it? Yes, with caveats. Play it for the gameplay, the companions, and the chance to revisit the world of Dragon Age. But if you’re looking for the rich, morally complex storytelling of past entries, be prepared to lower your expectations. For now, I’ll return to fan fiction to find the catharsis Veilguard couldn’t deliver—and at least I don’t have to wait another decade for answers.
