Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Xbox Series X) Review

That is my third time trying out our Dragon Age: The Veilguard, however this time, it’s full, and after greater than 50 hours of gameplay, the primary story, and numerous aspect quests and companion quests, I can confidently say it’s all the things I hoped it will be.

There’s something to be stated about video games being introduced far too early, and even video games being launched far too shortly. Name of Responsibility and Closing Fantasy gamers are consuming nicely yearly, and followers of video games like Fable, Dragon Age and The Elder Scrolls are over right here ravenous for one thing new. Now, lastly getting a brand new launch in one in all my favorite franchises with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I’ve been granted the chance to leap in head first.

What I believed Dragon Age: The Veilguard was about was actually solely a small portion of the story. I don’t wish to spoil any story beats, as I imagine Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a narrative greatest skilled, however I may give a quick rundown. As revealed in the latest recreation trailer, Solas, The Dread Wolf, is just not the most important subject. As a substitute, two historical elven gods have been launched into the world, and it’s as much as you and your staff to cease them.

You spend lots of time talking with different characters, gaining perception, constructing a military and a close-knit staff. Veilguard is closely voice-acted, and everyone seems to be fantastic, however a particular shout-out goes to Gareth David-Lloyd, who performs Solas. The vary Solas has in Veilguard is mind-blowing at occasions. He covers each emotion you possibly can consider on this recreation and does so with a lot energy that I haven’t stopped fascinated with it. As I discussed, everybody, even random NPCs, is nice, however David-Lloyd is one thing particular.

“Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the Sport of the Yr contender to beat.”

I spoke on the character creator in my final Veilguard preview, as I spent way more time than I ought to have there, and my messaging remains to be the identical. There are preset and sliders and selections galore so that you can create the character of your goals. BioWare has tried to stay inclusive with quite a lot of pores and skin tones, hairstyles, eye colors, markings, tattoos and extra. There are even extra-deep settings that let you fiddle with varied ranges of color. As an example, there are three locations the place you possibly can modify the color of your eyes: the interior iris, outer iris, and sclera.

For previous Dragon Age gamers, it is possible for you to to customise your Inquisition again story, together with romance, what the Inquisitor seemed like and their relationship with Solas. Additionally, you will want to decide on your class and race. You’ll be able to select from Human, Elf, Dwarf or Kunari in your race. And in addition, select your faction, which can impression the story all through. Mage, Rogue or Warrior are the courses out there. Should you’ve performed any Dragon Age recreation or RPG usually, you might be doubtless fairly conversant in this. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you possibly can take your class a step additional with the kind of weapon you employ and specializations, permitting you to focus your skills inside your class additional.

Every class has three specializations and two weapon teams. Rogues have daggers and bows with these specializations: Saboteur, which entails traps and explosives. Duelist, which is extra close-ranged and melee-focused. Then, there’s Veil Ranger, which is primarily long-ranged and bow-focused. Warriors have their sword and defend or a two-handed weapon, as you’d anticipate. Their specializations are Reaper, which permits for leeching life and defend throwing. Slayer, which is your extra two-handed targeted spec. And eventually, Champion, which entails lots of flames and shields.

Mages have their workers, and one thing referred to as an orb and dagger. This brings your Mage nearer vary however nonetheless permits shorter, long-distance assaults. This made the Mage really feel a lot quicker and a detailed competitor to the Rogue in my eyes. I went with this as my foremost for my first playthrough and actually loved it. You’ll be able to tackle these specializations: Evoker, which is extra ice-focused to assist gradual the battlefield down; Dying Caller, which is extra magic-focused and primarily based round life drain magic; after which Spellblade, which is a little bit of magic and melee. 

Dragon Age: The Veilguard encourages you to respec as you see match. There is no such thing as a value, and you are able to do it at any time. So when you select a kind of specialization paths above when spending your factors, you aren’t locked to it. I performed round with every specialization and sometimes swapped my talent factors primarily based on what cool gear I discovered. It’s simple to do, and there’s a lot of customization in the way in which you play.

One thing that I discovered fascinating was how each class appears to have a little bit of magic, even when that isn’t what we’re calling it. Why can my warrior rain hearth down from the sky? I’m unsure, but it surely appears to be like actually cool. For some, I feel this could be a grievance, however I like that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is blurring the traces between courses, even simply barely, so that you don’t must sacrifice all the things if you wish to attempt a brand new class.

“Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s beautiful armour, landscapes, atmosphere, and animations will sway you if the superb fight, story, and characters aren’t sufficient.”

When you get into fight, there are some things you have to to control. First, who you are taking into battle with you issues. We are going to discuss extra about companions later, however in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you’ll be able to assign your companions to particular targets, and every has three skills which are additionally out there to you. Leaping into the short menu throughout a struggle pauses fight, and you will notice what you will have out there and what’s on cooldown. There are additionally on-screen and audio cues when a companion’s skills can be found.

Should you don’t just like the pause to take a look at skills, you can too maintain your left set off, and each talent has a hotkey. These skills are one thing it is best to make sure you’re utilizing recurrently. First, who doesn’t need further harm? However they will also be used for crowd-control, like freezing from a Mage, or a buff that amps up harm from a Warrior, or therapeutic with a Mage’s therapeutic spell. The abilities additionally work collectively, so you possibly can chain them throughout a struggle. 

You’ll be able to combo your or your companion’s skills with one thing you’ve chosen. Which of them work collectively can be highlighted on the display, permitting you to chain as much as three collectively for a large burst. You want companions that synergize collectively to make that work. It can vastly assist your harm, but it surely additionally appears to be like actually cool once they all chain collectively on display.

Are you able to get by simply mashing buttons? Certain, if you happen to’re on a decrease issue and plan to make good use of the inexperienced pots full of potions or blue pots that fill your final energy. However Dragon Age: The Veilguard has introduced depth to their fight system, protecting issues fascinating strategically and visually, in addition to bringing a problem for many who need it. Sure expertise may also enable for combos, which might enable for varied actions after a sure button mixture is enter, like X, X, Y, as an illustration. However you can too change your issue stage at any time, which makes issues extra accessible and permits for extra issue if you happen to select.

For fellow gatherers like me, worry not; you possibly can nonetheless gather gadgets from the world. These might be dropped at one thing referred to as a Caretaker who will make it easier to improve or enchant your weapons. If you get an merchandise, you will notice somewhat lock beside a number of the specs, which implies when you improve it, you should have entry to even higher perks. You need to discover Mementos on this planet to improve your Caretaker, which gives you entry to even higher enchantments and perks.

There are additionally Runes which permit for particular harm sorts, however these aren’t utilized to weapons like enchantments are. As a substitute, they’re in your expertise hotkeys and are utilized in bursts with cooldowns like your regular skills. They’ve passive and energetic expertise, like permitting for an additional potion slot and receiving extra therapeutic from feelings, and many others. 

“Dragon Age: The Veilguard didn’t cease with greater than 40 hours of story-only content material; there are doubtless one other 30+ hours if you wish to dive into each aspect quest.”

The enemies you tackle in Dragon Age: The Veilguard can be acquainted to anybody who has performed the collection. Darkish Spawn and Ogres are taking on, Dragons are after you, and everybody has gotten a severe glow-up. With up to date designs, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is profiting from this era of consoles and PCs, bringing new life into our outdated pals. Blight and enemies can greatest be described as “moist,” and paired with some severe sound results—I used to be grossed out greater than as soon as.

As I discussed, although folks have been involved you couldn’t management your companions in Veilguard, you possibly can, inside cause, however you can too use them to manage your story. Every character is from a special faction and has completely different values. Selections you make on this planet will have an effect on them, and the alternatives you make with them can vastly have an effect on the world round you. With seven to select from, bringing the precise folks with you on the proper time and leaving the precise ones house will matter.

Generally, it would have an effect on the story long-term (particularly who you aspect with), and different occasions, it would have an effect on how your staff and the folks round you react. There may be additionally somewhat recap on the finish of each main mission/space that tells you what occurred, what selections have been made, and the way relationships have modified. A welcome addition for somebody like me who has a tough time remembering story beats.

All of this permits for main replayability, with so many outcomes out there and much more aspect quests, relationships and missions to tackle. Companions and dialogue have all the time been on the core of Dragon Age, and I’m thrilled to see that even after ten years, BioWare has introduced that very same allure and wit to its story and characters. That is the primary time in any companion-based recreation that I’ve appreciated everybody. 

There are nods to previous video games and characters all through, and though I performed all of them completely, I don’t keep in mind half the folks as a result of I’ve been holding out for Morrigan for the reason that starting. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I genuinely had a tough time selecting who to convey with me as a result of I appreciated them a lot and didn’t wish to miss out.

This was very true in terms of romance. I held out so long as I might, however between Neve, Lucanis and Davrin, it was a battle. Romance dialogue felt much less tacky this time round, too. I imply, it’s nonetheless campy, however so is the start of each relationship I’ve ever been in. I feel it felt extra true to life in Veilguard.

“Veilguard is extraordinarily well-polished, with each raindrop feeling actual and each step met with flowing hair—perhaps even an excessive amount of hair.”

For reference, although, Neve and Emmrich are your Mages, Harding and Bellara are your long-range with bows, Davrin and Taash are your tanks, and Lucanis is simply doing his factor with a dagger. I attempted to stay to protecting a tank AND somebody, however I all the time needed Lucanis and Davrin in my celebration they usually don’t work in addition to I need collectively, although they do make for some fascinating dialogue. I extremely suggest attempting completely different pairs for that alone. 

What can be fascinating is that you simply nonetheless stage up your companion’s expertise. They every have 5, and solely three come into fight at a time, however everybody has the chance to heal you, which I really like. I wasn’t caught taking somebody only for a heal. Everybody was versatile. The one time this doesn’t come into play is when a personality is “Hardened,” that means you made a selection someplace that harm them. They not tackle help talents (therapeutic) and are more durable to romance. It actually put a wrench in my plans once I made a name earlier within the recreation.

Every companion additionally has their very own story arc. BioWare has made a acutely aware effort to turn into extra inclusive concerning race, gender and different social points. A number of of their tales this time round could have an ideal impression on particular audiences, and it’s nice to see an organization bounce into these points head-on moderately than simply making pronouns or together with pores and skin color. I’m positive a wake of individuals could have nasty issues to say, however seeing extra folks be capable to see themselves in video video games is just good in my books, even when I don’t relate to the tales immediately. 

And maybe a personality in its personal proper: The Lighthouse. That is your base, and it’s really one thing to behold. Not solely is it full of secrets and techniques and loot, holds your Caretaker for upgrades and homes your companions, but it surely additionally grows with you as your staff progresses. Nature begins coming again to life, new areas unlock, and your companion’s rooms change primarily based on the place you might be within the story. You too can adorn your personal room, swap transmog for your self and companions and even change your look right here.

Between companion and foremost story quests, you should have your palms full. However Dragon Age: The Veilguard didn’t cease with greater than 40 hours of story-only content material. There are doubtless one other 30+ hours to go if I wish to dive into each aspect quest and discover each collectible. This recreation is huge, and none of it seems like an afterthought. As you progress by way of the sport, you will notice notifications {that a} new stage is accessible to discover, that means extra of an space has opened up. There’s a fixed drive to return to outdated areas and discover new content material. Dragon Age: The Veilguard may simply devour me.

If the superb fight, story and characters aren’t sufficient to sway you, Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s beautiful armour, landscapes, atmosphere, and animations will. Veilguard is extraordinarily well-polished, with each raindrop feeling actual and each step met with flowing hair. Possibly even an excessive amount of hair. Generally, I seemed like I used to be headbanging. Every space seemed utterly distinctive, and lore and factions have been taken into consideration, which was an ideal transfer on BioWare’s half.

We’re getting a have a look at cities we’ve solely ever heard of, and cutscenes usually put me in awe of the atmosphere round me. Even the fight animations have stepped up their recreation, feeling like one thing out of Closing Fantasy XVI. Every thing is massive and flashy, which can be loads to some, but it surely stored me excited and engaged even throughout lengthy battles. Often, nevertheless, it prevented me from seeing what was taking place on display. Heading to areas we all know from previous video games, I might cease to go searching ceaselessly. I received’t spoil the place you go, however some areas actually have seen a glow-up.

Like several good RPG, there are 1,000,000 mechanics I can go into, together with collectibles, gear and retailers. Reasonably than always swapping gear, yow will discover items that improve what you have already got. You don’t promote or break down your weapons/armour. You maintain onto it, and it’ll enhance over time, although you possibly can all the time swap it out for a special merchandise. You too can discover new gadgets on this planet or at retailers. 

Some retailers are faction-based, and these might be upgraded, very like your Caretaker, to offer you entry to higher gear for you and your companions. Some retailers could have entry to improve supplies, mementos in your Caretaker, presents, and even gadgets that completely improve a stat when bought. Appearances might be bought from retailers as nicely for transmog, however you possibly can’t preview them first, and that appeared like an odd oversight.

“Dragon Age followers have been ravenous for the final ten years. With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare is again, child!”

The ultimate factor I actually wish to point out that I feel lots of people may sleep on is how the sport saves. There are what seems like a thousand autosaves and 100 correct save slots—loads of room for players. However there are additionally non permanent determination and non permanent chapter saves. This implies if you happen to make a selection you don’t like, you possibly can hop again in and alter your thoughts with out dropping a ton of progress. 

I keep in mind that in Skyrim, there was some extent earlier than you exited the sewers the place you might change no matter you needed about your character after taking part in the entire intro. We had a everlasting save we created so we might skip it any time we needed. I’ve accomplished the identical after main moments in Veilguard, the place I can return, make the other selection and see what occurs. Not fairly the identical, but it surely works. I’m nonetheless going to replay this recreation a thousand occasions, however I breathed simpler as soon as I knew I might change my thoughts!

As I stated, I might go on about this recreation for days. Except for some small nitpicks, I really imagine BioWare took the time and went above and past expectations. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the Sport of the Yr contender to beat. With a stunning, detailed artwork fashion, a fight system that works wonders, a narrative that may actually pull your morals in all instructions and companions that kick ass, that is the Dragon Age I’ve been ready for. I stated it earlier than, and I’ll say it once more. Dragon Age followers have been ravenous for the final ten years. With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare is again, child!