TechRadar Verdict
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a mightily impressive return to the fantasy series offering engaging combat and a charming cast of supporting characters - but it never quite escapes the orbit of its predecessors.
Dynamic fantasy combat
A delightful cast of supporting characters
Strong, relatable dialogue
Exceptional scope for build customisation
Side quests often feel rushed
The main story may alienate those new to the series
Cutscenes are undermined by the occasionally dodgy facial animation
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Platform reviewed:PS5Available on:PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PCRelease date:October 31, 2024
Dragon Age: The Veilguardoffers a flawed yet engrossing story-driven actionrole-playing game(RPG) experience. Uplifted by a compelling cast of supporting characters, an impressively dynamic combat system, and gorgeous environments,Veilguardnever quite escapes the long shadow of its predecessors. This makes for a memorable third-person fantasy adventure which, while likely to appeal to long-time fans of the series, may bamboozle newcomers with its onslaught of proper nouns and specialist terms.
It’s been nearly a decade since the RPG veterans at BioWare releasedDragon Age: Inquisition, the predecessor toVeilguard. Despite this gap,Veilguardbuilds directly and insistently upon plotlines and themes developed inInquisition, to the extent that the 2014 RPG often feels like required reading for this latest release.
This issue is baked into the RPG’s core premise. You play as ‘Rook’, a troubleshooter employed by Varric, a sassy and lovable bard fromDragon Age 2andInquisitionwho is putting together a team to stop the ancient elven mage Solas (anotherInquisitioncharacter) from ending the world in a catastrophic ritual.
After an exciting twist, you’ll put together a team of talented misfits while squatting in Solas’ magical interdimensional summerhouse, using a network of portals to zip across the world to put out fires, make friends, and try to prevent an impending apocalypse. These trips involve journeys to gorgeous, explorable environments where you’ll traverse beautiful vistas, battle bad guys, and solve problems. Sometimes you’ll make tough ethical decisions along the way which affect the main story, too, though such opportunities are more scarce than would be ideal.
As pitches for a grand adventure go, it’s strong, if a little by the numbers. However, if you don’t know who Varric or Solas are or why the world of Thedas is in this mess, you may find yourself adrift. Contrary to the likes ofBaldur’s Gate 3andMetaphor: ReFantaziowhich stand alone,Veilguardexists under the long shadow of its predecessors, building on existing themes and plotlines while rarely establishing new threads. Though there is an in-game repository of information (known as the ‘codex’), the vast reams of text on offer can often feel off-putting rather than inviting.
For long-time series fans, this is a feature, rather than a bug. Seeing answers and resolutions to long-time mysteries (some of which date back to the originalDragon Age: Originsin 2009) makes for some powerful and rewarding catharsis. However, regardless of its impressive combat and strong writing,Veilguardis defined by its past. While the RPG never outright collapses under the weight of its predecessors, it certainly buckles and bends with regularity.
Fight club
Veilguard’s combat system is a courageous offering, combining engaging, kinetic action with occasional moments of thoughtful strategy. As you battle, you’ll use a real-time combination of attacks, dodges, parries, and special skills to win victory. Much like BioWare’s sci-fi seriesMass Effect, combat exists in real-time but may be paused at the touch of a button, allowing you to direct your comrades or select some of your more powerful, cooldown-based abilities. These abilities vary wildly depending on your build. As a Rogue, I had access to special bombs, daring shooting techniques, and devastating sword attacks, all of which could be refined and tweaked as I leveled up.
Abilities can be strung together in combos, where certain actions ‘detonate’ corresponding status ailments (such as ongoing damage over time or a flat damage reduction), creating a satisfying magical explosion. What’s more, given that these abilities work on a cooldown, you often have to choose between damaging combos and necessary combat utility. Is it better to heal or to unleash a maelstrom of deadly necrotic magic? Do I have my ally taunt my opponents, or should I order them to make me temporarily invulnerable with an inspiring shout? Questions like this keepVeilguard’s combat engaging hundreds of battles into the campaign.
All of this is punctuated by a slick system of parries and dodges, allowing you to rapidly react to enemy attacks. Parry at the right time, and you’ll perform a ‘perfect parry’, sometimes stunning your opponent and, depending on your build, offering you significant buffs to damage. This adds an ebb and flow to battles, rewarding you for attentive play. However, those looking for a more laid-back experience can easily customizeVeilguard’s combat difficulty to suit their needs, tweaking granular elements from parry windows to enemy health.
This sort of customisability is at the forefront ofVeilguard. Not only is the character creation process detailed enough to giveStarfieldandCyberpunk 2077a run for their money with its wide range of body types and permutations, but you also have access to a massive advancement tree which varies depending on your class. This tree contains dozens of nodes, each unlocking novelties ranging from significant passive buffs to brand-new abilities. Each of the game’s three core classes (Warrior, Rogue, and Mage) boasts a completely different tree and, thanks to the meaningful choices on offer, I always found myself looking forward to my next level up.
Bonding moments
BioWare RPGs tend to live and die on the strength of their supporting cast, andVeilguardis no exception. While I shall do my best to avoid spoilers, rest assured that the cast of supporting characters inVeilguardis diverse and relatable.
Each companion’s personal storyline is a coherent multi-part adventure, composed of dramatic set-piece battles, gripping dialogue, and gentle walk-and-talk scenes framed againstVeilguard’s jaw-dropping environments. Having a gut-wrenching discussion about family trauma is one thing, but doing so on a sprawling, torchlit coastline at dusk elevates the scene to new heights. Though these scenes are occasionally undermined by slightly janky facial animations, such flaws rarely detract from the meaningful exchanges on the screen.
Getting to know Taash, a brusque dragon hunter, was a particular highlight. Without spoiling too much, Taash’s story is intimate and relatable, addressing themes of family, identity, and personal growth in a moving and refreshing way. It’s arguably one of the strongest personal storylines in a Bioware game to date.
Veilguarddraws each of its companions from a different faction and, by extension, a different region of the setting. This ensures that their differences in opinion seem organic rather than forced. It follows that an upstanding and knightly Grey Warden would be skeptical of a dubious assassin from the cutthroat, Venice-inspired nation of Antiva.
Unfortunately, not every aspect ofVeilguard’s storytelling is as consistent or impressive as these character-driven vignettes. The RPG’s explorable environments boast plenty of side quests, but almost all of them are forgettable and leave little scope for decision points and player agency. In one particularly disappointing showing, you meet a fan-favorite character fromDragon Age 2, only for her to have you fight a series of repetitive arena battles as she offers repeated, canned dialogue after each of your victories. WhileVeilguardrarely stumbles to this extent, the side-quests often feel rushed and do little to broaden the fantasy.
Despite its high barrier to entry, the main story does demonstrate opportunities to make meaningful decisions as a player character. One particularly gut-wrenching decision forced me to choose between two missions offered by different companions. There was only time for one, and, no matter what I did, somebody was bound to lose out. When I made my decision, the venomous disappointment of the offended party felt compelling and realized.
It’s these moments that cementVeilguard’s place in theDragon Agecanon. While flawed, janky, and rushed in places, BioWare’s latest delivers a coherent and rewarding adventure that will delight fans of the series. However, those newer toDragon Agewill need to hit the books if they want to enjoy everythingVeilguardhas to offer.
Should you play Dragon Age: The Veilguard?
Play it if…
You’re a Dragon Age fanFor fans of the Dragon Age setting,Veilguardis an absolute treat. If you’ve been yearning to return to Thedas, you’ve come to the right place. The campaign is a whistle-stop tour of yet-unexplored locales - a wish come true for long-time fans.
You love ensemble castsVeilguardtreats its supporting characters with love and attention. Invest time and effort into this RPG’s ensemble and you’ll be rewarded with resonant, relatable, and memorable character drama.
You enjoy character customizationThe character creation systems inVeilguardare as comprehensive as they come. In addition to extensive face and body customization which includes a wide range of gender presentations, you can also choose from six meaningful backstories which affect dialogue in the game proper.
Don’t play it if…
You’re concerned about having to learn a whole new fantasy settingWhile it’s entirely possible to enjoyVeilguardas a newcomer, complex in-setting terms and weighty pre-existing plotlines come at you thick and fast. If you’re new, make sure you’ve got a wiki open in another tab or you’re liable to have a confusing time. If you’re looking for a fantasy epic with less of a buy-in, we recommendBaldur’s Gate 3.
You’re looking for a full-on open-world experienceVeilguardframes its main campaign and companion missions amidst a range of gorgeous and varied environments. While there are places to explore and things to collect, the side-quests are far thinner than would be ideal. Those looking for an open-world RPG will be better served byElden RingorDiablo 4.
Accessibility
Dragon Age: The Veilguardoffers a broad range of accessibility options. The game offers filters for colorblind players with Protanopia, Deuteranopia, and Tritanopia. Subtitle size and frequency can also be customized. Visual effects such as motion blur, camera shake, and depth of field can also be adjusted.
Combat and exploration are highly customizable. Difficulty in battle can be tailored to remove requirements for quick and precise input timing while the glint distance on objects can be adjusted along with objective marker and waypoint visibility. There are also sliders for the camera and aiming sensitivity.
How I reviewed Dragon Age: The Veilguard
I spent over 35 hours withDragon Age: The Veilguard, taking time to explore the central campaign, companion storylines, and numerous side-quests. I took the time to experiment with all three classes as well as a wide range of different builds. I also replayed certain set pieces throughout the game to test the extent to which making different choices would affect the story.
I played the game on PS5 on a 48-inchLG C2 OLED4KTV with aDualsense Wireless Controller. The game mostly ran smoothly, but I did occasionally notice input lag when in menus. That said, the lag was rarely sufficient to meaningfully detract from the experience.
First reviewed October 2024
An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.
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