After what must’ve been one of the most excruciating development cycles in the history of game development,Dragon Age: The Veilguard(the gameformerly known asDragon Age:Dreadwolf), is finally something we can truly talk about. Though the game is not out yet, reviews are, and that’s the first good sign to look for when wondering if a game will turn out well. Reviews are mostly very positive, but they don’t all agree on everything.
Let’s have a look at what some of the most respected websites have to say, as well as see some of the bigger hot takes out there, shall we?
The most important video game outlet in the world, this place called Destructoid dot com, is yet to have its final say on the game. Still, our very ownreview in progress by Steven Millscan already assure you that you’re, at the very least, looking at a solid RPG in a beautifully built world.
The most glowing piece of praise comes from the usually very demandingEurogamer, who straight-up awarded it a 5/5 score. Reviewer Robert Purchese says “The Veilguard makes the Dragon Age games that came before seem trivial by comparison. The series has evolved. Dragon Age has never been this good.” and “The best BioWare game I’ve ever played”. Those are big words – but Purchese isn’t alone, as Eurogamer Germany seems to mirror his opinion, albeitin a different language.
IGN’s Leana Hafergave it a 9/10, praised the game’s scope, the characters, and said its level design is reminiscent of the originalKnights of the Old Republic– very high praise indeed. Much like Eurogamer, IGN also states that it feels like an overall improvement over pastDragon Agetitles.
Gamespot wasn’t as enthusiastic aboutVeilguard, and, though the review is still in progress, it’s currently sitting at the “worst-possible score” a game can get:7/10. Though Gamespot’s Jordan Ramée ensures youVeilguardis a good game, he warns that some classes, like mage, specifically, just aren’t as fun to play as others due to the immense visual clutter that’ll fill the screen, hurt your eyes, and likely cause you to die in dumb ways. Ramée also agrees with my take that the new art direction is a bit jarring at times.
Kotaku, while not giving out a score, had a lot of good to say about the game. Reviewer Kenneth Shepard praises the game’s cast, the solid RPG gameplay, and the conclusion. Shepard’s only warns that the main plot is a slow burn until the moment when it seriously picks up, and that the role of the inquisitor is a letdown.
Polygon’s also scoreless reviewby Todd Harper also praises the game’s cast of characters, and says it’s a solid title that improves upon many of its predecessor’s flaws. Harper only warns newcomers thatVeilguardmight not prove as fun for them as it is for those in the know, but even they may find a way to enjoy the game.
The good people atVideo Games Chroniclewere the least impressed with the title so far, awarding it a surprisingly low 6/10. Reviewer Jordan Middler echoes the previous positive sentiment others have towards the game’s characters but doesn’t have very kind words regarding the game’s missions. Unlike the previous reviewers, VGC believes BioWare should’ve already improved upon various issues seen in their previous games “BioWare had this issue 15 years ago when every Mass Effect combat zone was made as obvious as possible, thanks to the chest-high walls everywhere. For it still to be such an issue now is disappointing.”.
With all that being said, I’m betting most people will likely be able to greatly enjoyVeilguard, so long as they can stomach the new art direction and overlook a few possibly dated gameplay choices.
Dragon Age: The Veilguardis currently sitting at an 84 Metacritic rating, and it comes out on October 31 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox X|S.
