Man, I've been waiting for this since Trespasser dropped. Ten years. A whole decade wondering what Solas was cooking. Now that I've played 30 hours of Veilguard, let's cut through the hype. This Dragon Age: The Veilguard review covers everything – the glorious highs, the questionable choices, and whether it's worth your cash.
What You're Actually Getting
BioWare's trying something new here. Forget Inquisition's open fields – Veilguard gives you curated zones like Antiva City and Minrathous. Smaller than Hinterlands? Yeah. But packed with more personality than Varric's chest hair. Combat's faster too. Real-time with tactical pauses if you want it. Felt strange at first after Origins' chess-match style, but wow does it click after a few hours.
What Works
- Companion writing is BioWare's best since Mass Effect 2
- Combat finally finds balance between action and tactics
- Visual design makes Thedas feel truly alive
- Meaningful choices with visible consequences
What Stumbles
- PC controls need mods for hardcore players
- Some RPG systems feel simplified
- Early game pacing issues
- Customization limitations for non-mages
Characters That Steal the Show
Okay, let's talk Bellara. That nervous Veil researcher companion? I thought she'd annoy me. Instead, her panic attacks during battles became weirdly endearing. BioWare nailed the companion dynamics here. Better than Inquisition? Without question. They bicker, they flirt, they remember when you screwed them over three missions ago.
| Companion | Class | Personality | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neve Gallus | Rogue (Archer) | Cynical former spy | Shows visible disgust if you make immoral choices |
| Davrin | Warrior (Tank) | Loyal Grey Warden | Battlefield control abilities |
| Emmerich | Mage (Necromancer) | Theoretical magician | Unique spirit summoning mechanics |
| Lucanis | Rogue (Dual Wield) | Cocky assassin | Insane critical hit chain potential |
Romance feels less tacked-on this time. Took Lucanis to that Antivan wine cellar dungeon - dude complained about stains on his leathers the whole time. Still charmed me though. Choices actually lock you out of relationships if you mess up their quests. Found that out the hard way with Neve.
Combat That Finds Its Rhythm
First two hours? Hated it. Felt like a discount God of War. Then I unlocked specializations. Oh man. Went Arcane Warrior and suddenly I'm juggling elemental combos while directing companions. The trick is using the radial menu (tap L1 + face buttons) to queue abilities mid-fight. Changes everything.
Class Breakdown
- Warriors: Best they've ever felt. Charging through enemies as a Reaper spec never gets old
- Mages: Spell interactions are insane. Freeze water puddles then electrify them? Yes please
- Rogues: Stealth feels useful finally. Pickpocketing keys off bosses mid-fight? Game-changer
Visuals Worth the Wait
Minrathous at night. Just... wow. Those neon-lit Tevinter towers reflected in canals? Stunning. Character models finally look next-gen except for some NPCs. Hair physics still janky though. Saw Bellara's ponytail phase through her shoulder during an emotional scene. Ruined the moment.
| Specs | Minimum (1080p/30fps) | Recommended (1440p/60fps) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel i7-11700K / Ryzen 7 5800X |
| GPU | GTX 1660 Super / RX 5600 XT | RTX 3070 / RX 6800 XT |
| RAM | 12GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 90GB SSD (SATA okay) | 90GB NVMe SSD |
Performance thoughts: PS5 holds 60fps in performance mode but dips in chaotic fights. PC version needs patches - had weird texture pop-in near Skyhold. Ray tracing? Forget it unless you've got a 4080. Not worth the framerate hit.
RPG Systems - Hits and Misses
They simplified skill trees. Too much? Maybe. Only three branches per class until specialization unlocks at level 12. Crafting's better than Inquisition though. Found schematics for dragon-bone armor early by solving environmental puzzles. Upgrade materials matter - tier 3 leather actually changes armor appearance.
Dialogue system's interesting. You've got four tones: Diplomatic, Clever, Direct, Empathetic. Characters react if you switch styles mid-conversation. Tried joking with a grieving NPC. Bad call. Got punched. Worth it for the achievement though.
The Length Debate
How long to beat? Here's my save files:
- Main story only: 28 hours (rushed)
- Main + major sidequests: 42 hours
- Completionist run: 68 hours and counting
Replay value comes from faction choices. Helped the Shadow Dragons thieves guild? That locks you out of Silver Quarter quests. Also romances change companion behavior dramatically. Bellara becomes fiercely protective if you're dating her.
Controversies - Let's Talk
That skill tree simplification annoys hardcore fans. I get it. Also the art style shift from dark fantasy to... brighter? Tevinter's supposed to be grim but looks like a Renaissance fair sometimes. And yeah, the Frostbite engine still fights the designers. Saw a bear clip through a mountain.
Final Verdict
After 50+ hours across two playthroughs: This is BioWare's comeback. Not perfect - the opening hours drag and RPG systems could be deeper. But the companions? Best in the series. Combat? Surprisingly tactical once it clicks. Story payoffs for longtime fans? Oh yeah. That Solas confrontation had me pacing my room.
Worth $70? If you like story-driven RPGs, absolutely. Wait for sale if you're just here for combat. For Dragon Age fans? This is the redemption arc we needed after Andromeda.
Look, no Dragon Age: The Veilguard review can please everyone. Old-school fans will miss tactical cam depth. Action lovers might find the start slow. But when it sings during those big story moments? Pure magic. Better than Inquisition? Different. Deeper character work makes up for smaller zones.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review Q&A
Burning Questions Answered
Does this Dragon Age: The Veilguard review recommend it for newcomers?
Surprisingly yes. Codex does heavy lifting explaining lore. Just watch a "Story So Far" vid first.
How's performance on Steam Deck?
Medium settings at 40fps. Dips during spells. Playable if you tweak TDP.
Any game-breaking bugs?
One quest soft-locked when I skipped dialogue. Patch 1.02 fixed it. Save often.
Does choices from previous games matter?
Mostly war table notes and cameos. Keep your world state anyway for flavor.
Multiplayer or co-op?
Pure single-player. BioWare confirmed no MP plans.
Post-game content?
New Game+ unlocks with unique rewards. No expansions announced yet.
Is the skill system really dumbed down?
Fewer passive skills but active abilities have more combo potential. Different, not worse.
Still debating? Watch raw gameplay footage. Combat videos don't show how good the party banter is during exploration. Or how your choices rewrite faction relationships. This Dragon Age: The Veilguard review barely scratches the surface. Just go play it already.
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