Dragon Age: Veilguard Explores Unique Narrative Ground

Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, recently lauded Dragon Age: The Veilguard, offering high praise for BioWare's latest action RPG. This article delves into his assessment and highlights key aspects of the game.

Larian Studios' Publishing Director Praises Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Baldur’s Gate 3 Exec Calls The Veilguard a Focused and Fun Experience

Michael Douse (@Cromwelp on X), the publishing director at Larian Studios (developers of Baldur's Gate 3), expressed enthusiastic approval for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. He revealed playing the game "in complete secrecy," even resorting to playing behind his backpack at the office!

Douse highlighted The Veilguard's clear sense of self, stating it "truly knows what it wants to be," a refreshing change from previous entries that sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the experience to a "well-made, character-driven Netflix series," contrasting it with a "heavy, 9-season long show."

The combat system also earned significant praise, described as a "mix of Xenoblade Chronicles & Hogwarts Legacy"—a combination he called "giga-brain genius." This faster-paced, combo-driven combat aligns more with the Mass Effect series than earlier, more tactical Dragon Age titles.

Douse praised the game's pacing and its ability to balance narrative moments with opportunities for player experimentation. He noted the game's "good sense of propulsion" and its understanding of "when it needs a tentpole narrative moment, and when to let you toy around." He even commended BioWare's continued industry presence, emphasizing its importance amidst "moronic corporate greed."

The most striking point was Douse's assertion that The Veilguard is "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While potentially a subtle critique of past titles, Douse clarified, "I’ll always be a [Dragon Age: Origins] guy, and this isn't that." However, he clearly respects The Veilguard's distinct vision, summarizing his feelings simply as: "In a word, it’s fun!"

Deep Character Customization Offers “True Player Agency”

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Rook character offers extensive customization. According to Xbox Wire, players have considerable creative freedom in shaping their Rook's background, skills, and alignment. The player's task: assemble a party to confront two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.

Character creation emphasizes player agency, ensuring choices resonate with the player's vision. Classes include Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with specializations (e.g., Spellblade for mages). Customization even extends to the Rook's home, the Lighthouse, allowing players to personalize rooms to reflect their character's journey.

A developer quoted by Xbox Wire highlighted the impact of these choices: "As you do, Rook reminisces about their history before the events of the game...The result is a character who truly feels like mine."

This depth of character detail likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, particularly the focus on impactful choices. With The Veilguard's release on October 31st, BioWare hopes players share Douse's enthusiasm. Our review, awarding the game a 90, praised its embrace of a faster, more engaging action RPG style compared to its predecessors. See our full review for more details!