As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for immersive RPGs, I must say that The Veilguard has truly captured my heart and imagination. With its intricate character development and intuitive combat system, it’s like stepping into a living, breathing world of Thedas.
A significant number of fans excitedly await the upcoming release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, set for Halloween. However, if you’re not familiar with the series, it’s understandable given that BioWare and its publisher Electronic Arts haven’t introduced a new game in this franchise since 2014, when Dragon Age: Inquisition was released. Personally, I too wasn’t acquainted with the series until recently, having only started playing after attending a preview event for The Veilguard.
Based on insights from long-time enthusiasts, The Veilguard appears to be introducing substantial modifications compared to past installments, which is intriguing given that it serves as a direct follow-up to Inquisition. Having invested around seven hours playing The Veilguard on PC and engaging in conversations with Game Director Corinne Busche and Producer Jen Cheverie, I can attest to my delightful experience with this upcoming fantasy RPG and acknowledge its creative direction. Now, it’s one of the games I’m most eagerly awaiting to play as a novice Dragon Age fan for 2021.
Let’s delve into exploring The Veilguard for beginners. How user-friendly is the narrative, what’s the mechanics behind battles, and what can we expect from the gameplay in general?
An impressive character creator and gorgeous aesthetic
In the style of many role-playing games set in high fantasy realms, The Veilguard begins by allowing me to craft my character – a figure called “Rook” within the game. During this phase, I select various traits: species (Elf, Qunari, Human, or Dwarf), physical features (to be detailed later), profession (rogue, warrior, or mage), and allegiance (Grey Wardens, Veil Jumpers, Shadow Dragons, Lords of Fortune, The Mourn Watch, or Antivan Crows). Many of these decisions influence how non-player characters (NPCs) behave towards me throughout my adventure.
To begin with, I opted to start off by assuming the role of an Elf Warrior affiliated with the Antivan Crow faction in the game. Additionally, I experimented with playing as a Qunari Mage and a Human Rogue at various stages during the demonstration. However, for the moment, let’s discuss the visual aesthetic and character customization features instead. So, let’s delve into those aspects of the experience.
Amazing textures and hair physics
Following the debut of the initial Veilguard trailer, some internet users criticized its cartoony art style, but after spending multiple hours watching it, I must admit my admiration for it has grown. The design of buildings and characters certainly leans towards a stylized aesthetic, yet upon closer inspection, the textures and details prove to be nothing short of remarkable.
As a researcher immersed in this captivating digital world, I can’t help but marvel at the intricate dance of light bouncing off cobblestone paths or the subtle translucency that brings each character to life under varying lighting conditions. At one instance, I found myself spellbound, observing the wind rustling through the trees, a symphony of shifting leaves and blades of grass illuminated by the gentle glow of the setting sun. The game’s visual beauty is undeniable, capturing my admiration from its very inception, even with the character creator offering an initial glimpse into this visually stunning universe.
The Veilguard has one of the most impressive character creators I’ve ever seen.
Let me tell you, The Veilguard has one of the most impressive character creators I’ve ever seen. As Busche repeatedly emphasized, “Be who you want to be” was one of the team’s main focuses, if not the main focus for the player experience. Nearly every aspect of my The Veilguard character can be customized, including hairstyles, facial features, gender, pronouns, vocal pitch, and more. Some of these options even included sliders for me to determine features such as the exact shape of my face, my body type, and more. I was even able to determine whether my character had cataracts and how pronounced they were, something I’ve never seen in a game.
In my experience as someone with curly hair, many games lack diverse hairstyle options. However, The Veilguard stood out with an extensive variety of hairstyles, making it easy for me to choose a style that suited me instead of having to make do with limited choices.
Beyond that, The Veilguard’s hair dynamics are so lifelike that I found myself captivated by my characters’ hairstyles throughout my entire use of them. There’s a tender softness and weight to these strands that adds depth and a natural movement as my character moves about. Frankly, it seems as though the Veilguard team may have struck a bargain with the devil or tapped into some genuine sorcery to achieve this feat.
At the preview event, Busche kept stressing that a key priority for the team’s gameplay design is enabling players to express themselves freely as “create your own identity.
In various Role-Playing Games (RPGs), I’ve often found that the appearance of my character, as chosen from the character creator menu, changes dramatically once the game starts. However, this issue is not something I encounter in The Veilguard, which seems to maintain the intended design of the characters consistently throughout gameplay.
In a thrill of excitement, I discovered that the game offers me a peek at my crafted character under four distinct lighting conditions: mystical purple, bright and sunny, somber night, and foggy. This allowed me to notice that the hair color I initially selected appeared more green than the intended blue. Consequently, I was able to tweak these hues prior to starting the game. Rest assured, you don’t have to agonize over perfection in the character creator, as many (or even all) of these elements can be modified later at the Mirror of Transformation, which serves as the central hub within the game.
Prior to diving into the game, I was given the opportunity to select a difficulty level from six options: Storyteller, Keeper, Adventurer (equivalent to Normal), Underdog, Nightmare, and Unbound (for custom settings). A handy guide on the screen’s right provided details about Incoming Damage, Enemy Aggression, Tactical Challenge, and Defend Timing complexity. I picked a challenge level that matched my preferences based on this information. I commenced my initial playthrough with Adventurer mode.
Intriguing plot and companions
To get ready for the Veilguard sneak peek, I installed Dragon Age: Inquisition on my portable gaming device (ROG Ally X) and spent a few hours playing it, but I didn’t complete the game. Consequently, I have a partial grasp of The Veilguard’s recurring characters and ongoing narrative, but not entirely. This turned out to be beneficial as I was eager to assess how effortless it is for new players to jump into The Veilguard without being familiar with the storylines from earlier games.
Upon embarking on this exciting journey, I was quickly reacquainted with familiar faces such as Varric Tethras, Lace Harding, and Solas (the Dread Wolf, Fen’Harel). It wasn’t long before it became apparent that these three had a rich past, contributing to the palpable tension among them. The intriguing character of Solas, an ancient Elven Trickster god, was in the midst of a ritual with potentially catastrophic consequences – restoring elven power and immortality by tearing open the Veil, thereby inviting demons and Darkspawn into our world. However, my team, The Veilguard companions, intervened just in time, which unfortunately led to the release of two formidable elven deities from an ancient prison. Now, these elven gods aim to bring about the same destruction that they had sought long ago.
In this narrative, you are given the central challenge: vanquish the two divine elves, halt Solas, subdue demons, and rectify matters within Thedas. Consequently, your band becomes recognized as the esteemed Veilguard.
In essence, my rudimentary grasp of the Inquisition’s narrative served as a partial precursor for this sequel’s sneak peek, yet it didn’t fully prepare me. The Veilguard plunges you headfirst into the story with scant introduction, which could initially perplex novices. Fortunately, the game effectively communicates essential details to ignite curiosity and deliver key information swiftly, avoiding excessive exposition or verbosity in the process.
Delving into different parts of the game unveiled unique cinematic moments that added depth to the narrative. But, it’s essential to stay vigilant as these immersive experiences can slip past if you’re not careful. It’s one way The Veilguard encourages exploration.
What about DLC and expansions?
When I inquired if additional downloadable content or expansions were forthcoming for The Veilguard, Busche responded, “At present, our primary goal is to create an outstanding single-player RPG, so we’re dedicated to crafting the best possible content within the game itself.” This information might not be what some players are hoping for, but it’s reassuring to know that the developers of The Veilguard aren’t relying on post-launch content to ensure the game’s success, which can sometimes lack polish and feel rushed.
Impactful decisions that affect story, companion relationships, and romancing
In terms of the task at hand, I might be accompanied by a maximum of two allies. Each of these allies possesses a unique history that can be explored further through their individual missions. This additional detail adds complexity to our relationship when I decide to embark on those specific journeys. Furthermore, my allies have distinct skills that aid in map navigation or puzzle-solving. I am able to instruct them to utilize these skills while they are with me, but if they are absent, a tool called the Lyrium Dagger enables me to use their abilities directly, proving very useful.
Just like in previous Dragon Age games, as a player in Veilguard, I often find myself presented with opportunities to engage with NPCs and various situations. When I hover over a response, an icon appears, giving me insight into the general tone of my reaction – whether it’s blunt, sarcastic, empathetic, or something else. The decisions I make can influence how my companions view me and may even shape the narrative and character interactions in significant ways.
At the outset of the game, I found myself faced with a choice: should I bring Neve or Lace along on a risky mission that could potentially harm them. While I won’t disclose the exact outcomes from my gaming session, I can assure you that some of the results were quite significant. In moments of difficult choices, I sometimes upset certain companions while reassuring others, which only adds to the game’s richness and complexity. This very aspect has me eager to revisit certain parts of the game and make contrasting decisions.
As an analyst, I’ve noticed that, similar to BioWare’s other games such as Mass Effect, players have the opportunity to develop romantic relationships with their companions in this game. Notably, the development team has emphasized a significant focus on making the romance system feel more authentic and organic. This includes introducing the intriguing aspect that some of these companions can reciprocate those feelings and even fall in love with each other.
To make things crystal clear, these characters aren’t defined by their sexual orientation. Instead, they possess rich backstories, personal preferences, and unique romantic histories that remain consistent regardless of your role as the player character.
In response to managing relationships and romantic possibilities within the game, Busche stated, “It’s a tough task,” admitting that he isn’t certain of the ideal method for handling it. He clarified that in this particular game, they chose to allow players to form relationships with companions, but stressed that these interactions are not intended to be sexually explicit. Instead, the companions are well-developed characters with their own romantic histories, preferences, and backstories, which remain consistent regardless of who the player character is. The companions do not alter their personalities to fit the player, a key distinction.
Additionally, she clarified, “We intentionally include characters representing various sexual orientations within our storyline. This way, our portrayal is more nuanced and inclusive, allowing viewers to recognize and identify with the characters.
During my gameplay, I switched between various character setups, which prevented me from fully experiencing the intricacies of the overall romantic system beyond occasional flirting with different characters. Yet, learning that certain companions may develop relationships among themselves if I don’t participate piques my interest and leaves me wondering about how these relationships might influence the storyline.
Combat, gameplay, and performance
During the trial run, I tested The Veilguard on a PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processor and an RTX 4080 graphics card. While these components aren’t the most potent available, they certainly belong to the upper echelon. It’s worth noting that The Veilguard doesn’t require a top-of-the-line system to play, as its system requirements are reasonably modest. I didn’t have an FPS counter enabled or any additional tools, but The Veilguard performed flawlessly with smooth gameplay, no screen tearing, and minimal pop-in effects.
In the game, what seemed unusual was that Rook couldn’t leap too far. While Rook swiftly scales climbable surfaces and items when moved near them, his jumping distance is rather short. This could be intentional to encourage solving puzzles in a specific manner, but it felt peculiar at times.
As I was enjoying my game time, I switched back and forth between a keyboard/mouse setup and an Xbox controller, trying out each method. Both control systems seemed natural and comfy for me to handle.
Gameplay that’s hub-world based rather than open-world
From a gameplay perspective, instead of being an entirely open-world title, The Veilguard blends hub missions with players initiating new quests via magical elven mirrors called Eluvians. According to Busche, it’s challenging to oppose popular trends such as open-world gaming, but the team believed they could deliver the most impactful narrative by returning to a mission-based structure. As a fan of games with strong plots, I think this design decision fits The Veilguard perfectly.
When I asked how big The Veilguard is, Busche responded, “the thing that I think we’re most proud of, when we think of the breadth of the game, is just the sheer number of biomes and regions we’re revisiting. We cover more of Thedas than we ever have before…there’s going to be a lot there for people that really want to just immerse themselves in this world building.”
We really felt we could tell the best stories… The most curated moment-to-moment experience by really going back to a mission-based structure.”
During downtime between adventures, I’d often end up at The Lighthouse – a hub where I can interact with my team and examine an old, deserted facility. Historically, this basecamp has been significant in Dragon Age for facilitating conversations with your companions and deepening relationships. To enhance the user experience, The Veilguard now alerts me if a companion desires to converse by illuminating lanterns outside their quarters, eliminating unnecessary searching around to check for dialogue opportunities.
Classes, level cap, and combat mechanics
During the preview, I spent a few hours playing as a Warrior (roughly level 1-5), a Rogue (roughly level 6-8), and finally, a Mage (level 30+, if I recall correctly). While there are some similarities between these classes, they do play very differently in The Veilguard’s action-based real-time combat.
During my playtime, I found each class to be enjoyable with distinct attacks and responsive controls, leaving it up to you as a player to find the one that suits your preferred gaming style best. Warriors are sturdy and charge head-on into battles, using their shields to knock down opponents and slicing with swords. Rogues provide a blend of ranged and close combat, making them versatile in battle scenarios. On the other hand, Mages focus on long-range attacks and have low defense but powerful spells at their disposal. The path you select for your character’s skill development will ultimately shape what kind of fighter your Rook transforms into within these classes.
In contrast to games like Baldur’s Gate 3 where you can freely move and switch characters on the fly, The Veilguard gameplay doesn’t offer that freedom. Instead, it introduces an Ability Wheel (RB on Xbox Controller or Tab on PC) that pauses the game when pressed, enabling me as the party leader to choose my companions’ attack strategies. This system offers a unique blend of strategy and real-time combat, something I haven’t found in many other RPGs. Additionally, it makes me feel more attached to my character, keeping me deeply immersed in the world of Thedas rather than constantly switching characters.
Tactically speaking, by blending certain characters’ assaults, I can craft combos that inflict greater damage than normal. The secret is recognizing which attacks to employ at specific instances and waiting for certain cool-down periods to end so another similar combo can be executed. In summary, the battle felt instinctive, well-balanced, and gratifying.
In contrast to earlier Dragon Age games that maxed out at level 30, the developers of The Veilguard have raised the maximum level to 50. As for the hurdles encountered when elevating the level cap, Busche mentioned it required a collective effort, along with some clever foresight regarding the manner in which we would adjust the fundamental damage calculations. She further explained that enemies adapt as you progress, creating instances where you might feel too strong, only to find them catching up quickly to keep you consistently challenged and motivated to advance.
As foes climb with you, there are instances when you might think you have the upper hand, only for them to surge past you to maintain a challenge and keep you persistently advancing.
We aim for players to discover unique, self-generated game structures. In other words, we hope they’ll feel capable of outmaneuvering us without necessarily breaking the game entirely. Laughing, she adds that while total domination isn’t our goal, it would be fantastic if our top optimizers were outsmarted by a player. To my delight, The Veilguard team has achieved this balance exceptionally well, making me feel empowered with diverse combat possibilities, yet maintaining a challenging experience even after I’ve upgraded my character, gear, and companions. As in most RPGs, acquiring the right equipment and optimizing my character are vital if I want to keep up with the game’s demands.
So, is The Veilguard approachable for new players?
From my perspective, playing The Veilguard should provide a generally enjoyable experience for newcomers. For those who have delved into past Dragon Age games, they will find a deeper appreciation of the game world’s history and faction dynamics. However, The Veilguard’s narrative begins in a manner that swiftly imparts essential information, ensuring you won’t feel lost. You can further expand your knowledge as you progress through the game.
When inquired about tips for newcomers to Dragon Age, Busche and Cheverie suggested, “Just dive right in.” They recommended starting with The Veilguard and then exploring the earlier titles from there. It’s evident that these seasoned Dragon Age aficionados hold a deep affection for this series, as they expressed feelings of envy towards my current first-time experience with Dragon Age.
Because The Veilguard game is accessible across multiple devices, you have the freedom to enjoy it according to your preference, whether you’re an experienced gamer or a newcomer like me. As Busche shared, the focus was not only on delivering an exceptional PC gaming experience but also ensuring compatibility with devices such as the Steam Deck. This meant optimizing aspects like UI elements, resolution, and more for smooth playability on smaller devices like the Steam Deck. With The Veilguard being Steam Deck verified, I’m excited to try it out on my Steam Deck or ROG Ally when it launches later this year!
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2024-09-19 18:10