After ten years, we’re now just a bit over a month away from taking part in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. I performed a hefty seven hours of BioWare’s first authentic sport since Anthem in 2019 and fourth mainline installment within the Dragon Age sequence, beginning with the prologue and later loaded into a number of totally different saves. As a longtime fan, what I’ll say is ten years is a really very long time however to date, The Veilguard hasn’t dissatisfied.
Getting Into Character
Now, I might speak to you concerning the fight (and I’ll) or the beautiful locales (that’s coming too) or the way in which it felt to see Varric and Solas once more. Or I might skip straight to the character creator and begin with: There’s. So. A lot. Hair. Look, I cherished Dragon Age: Inquisition, however followers have lengthy acknowledged the constraints of its character creator. The Veilguard blew me away in that regard. After the lackluster choices of the final entry, it’s wild to see what we’ve received to look ahead to. Thirty hair choices for Qunari and 88 for non-Qunari, full with beautiful physics as Rook scurries by way of Northern Thedas. So many various hair textures are represented, whether or not you’d like completely straight hair, 2B waves or 4C curls. In making my character, I used to be drawn instantly to an extended braid that whipped round as shortly as I did.
Qunari horns additionally see a large enchancment. With 49 distinctive types, choices vary from giant and imposing to ornamental and even asymmetrical. That stated, sure, their foreheads can look fairly jarring. I performed as a Qunari mage throughout most of my preview and can say I received used to the look fairly shortly. Drago n Age: The Veilguard really solely marks the second sport of the sequence the place you possibly can play as a Qunari, so the odd imbalance of brow versus face seems like stylistic rising pains. I stay interested in whether or not extra time with the character creator may assist. The Arishok of Dragon Age 2 is, for my part, such a fantastically crafted mannequin and I’d love to have the ability to create a Qunari Rook that feels as memorable.
Customization actually doesn’t cease at hair (or horns) in fact. Each facet of your Rook is editable, even permitting for facial asymmetry for those who select. Sliders help you change all the things from head form to the melanin in your pores and skin to the presence of vitiligo. Maybe my favourite addition, nonetheless, is the introduction of physique variety. Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3 had whiffs of this, however nowhere close to what you’re able to in The Veilguard, which is way more much like the breadth of the character creator in Dragon’s Dogma 2. For every of the 4 races, there are many presets to select from, all with various heights and muscle/fats distribution. When you’ve chosen your preset, nonetheless, you possibly can construct additional upon these components as a lot as you’d like.
First is a triangulation of coordinates permitting for a lot of distinctive combos of physique sorts which can be thinner, bigger, or extra muscular. Peak sliders are enjoyable – particularly when it means watching my significantly brief elf damage years of Solas’ ritual planning by pushing over a statue. The choices really feel nearly countless. There’s even a glute slider and, sure, I gave my Rook one hell of an ass. All of that is solely scratching the floor. I haven’t even gotten into facial hair, make-up, scars or tattoos. As an elf, my Rook sported` some vallaslin, however there are such a lot of totally different designs for each the face and the physique to experiment with.
Whereas I didn’t spend very a lot time exploring customization for the Inquisitor, I simply know we’ll all get the prospect to make them in the way in which we’ve all the time imagined. Additionally, it could be a reduction to a few of you to know that Veilguard abandons the terrible inexperienced lighting of Inquisition’s character creator and as a substitute permits you to cycle by way of a number of lighting choices in service of making Rooks that look simply pretty much as good in gameplay as they do while you create them.
Combating Probability
Fight, in the meantime, was a refreshing change from DA:I. My go-to class has all the time been mage, and whilst a Knight-Enchanter I typically felt like I used to be standing in a single place holding down the left set off. This felt like a return to the tempo of DA2, with improvements that enhance upon the expertise of battle total. The Veilguard introduces a brand new combating type for mages that includes an orb and dagger tailor-made for close-quarters fight. It’s tailored for gamers like me who love magic however, additionally, actually prefer to stab.
Throughout my preview, I performed by way of the prologue after which dropped ahead into numerous factors of Act 1, so I actually received to shortly expertise the development Rook and their companions can undergo as fighters. We could not be capable of take management of our companions this time round, however The Veilguard actually encourages strategizing with them. They’ll name out to you once they’ve rebuilt their mana or stamina, and the power wheel even suggests combos. My focus through the occasion was mission-driven so I didn’t get as a lot of an opportunity to work together with the characters as I’d have favored, however even the temporary moments of banter endeared me to them fairly shortly.
Every class will get its personal final means (suppose the Focus means) together with a ranged assault – for warriors which means yeeting your protect like a large metallic boomerang. I’ve all the time performed Dragon Age for story and never fight, however with this new system I had a lot enjoyable. I felt current throughout each encounter and actually completed after each boss battle. That stated, there’s undoubtedly a little bit of a studying curve. I nonetheless discovered myself complicated controls just a few hours in. It’s a departure from all three earlier installments, however fortunately The Veilguard affords 5 totally different problem ranges you could change at will if you wish to ease your self in.
The Dragon Age-Free Decade Ends Quickly
As a longtime fan, The Veilguard felt like a homecoming of types. Simply as a lot as seeing acquainted faces in Solas and Varric, I used to be overjoyed to be again on the planet of Thedas itself. Shifting us north permits for that sense of discovery I received in Inquisition, and if I’d encourage something it’s to actually take a look at your environment. Not solely are there small environmental puzzles to untangle together with small and efficient moments of visible storytelling, however the horizon is stuffed with breathtaking surroundings that drives dwelling the size of those places I’ve personally all the time puzzled about. One new locale, as an example, is a beautiful underwater jail known as the Ossuary. I received’t spoil what you’re there to do, however the design alone makes it one of the crucial memorable moments I’ve had in any Dragon Age sport.
Even after hours of gameplay, I nonetheless felt like I might have performed for a lot of hours extra. I’m optimistic about The Veilguard and excited for it in a manner I haven’t fairly felt about one other sport in fairly a while. In the event you’d prefer to see much more of the sport, try our unique IGN First protection, which options much more gameplay and deep dives on Rook’s companions.