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 collection, beginning with the prologue and later loaded into a number of completely different saves. As a longtime fan, what I’ll say is ten years is a really very long time however up to now, The Veilguard hasn’t dissatisfied.
Getting Into Character
Now, I might speak to you in regards to the fight (and I'll) or the attractive locales (that’s coming too) or the best way it felt to see Varric and Solas once more. Or I might skip straight to the character creator and begin with: There’s. So. Much. Hair. Look, I beloved 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 bought to stay up for. Thirty hair choices for Qunari and 88 for non-Qunari, full with attractive physics as Rook scurries via Northern Thedas. So many alternative 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 a protracted braid that whipped round as shortly as I did.
Qunari horns additionally see an enormous enchancment. With 49 distinctive kinds, choices vary from massive and imposing to ornamental and even asymmetrical. That mentioned, sure, their foreheads can look fairly jarring. I performed as a Qunari mage throughout most of my preview and can say I bought used to the look fairly shortly. Drago n Age: The Veilguard really solely marks the second sport of the collection the place you possibly can play as a Qunari, so the odd imbalance of brow versus face seems like stylistic rising pains. I stay inquisitive about whether or not extra time with the character creator may assist. The Arishok of Dragon Age 2 is, in my view, such a fantastically crafted mannequin and I might love to have the ability to create a Qunari Rook that feels as memorable.
Customization actually doesn’t cease at hair (or horns) of course. Every facet of your Rook is editable, even permitting for facial asymmetry when you select. Sliders help you change every little thing from head form to the melanin in your pores and skin to the presence of vitiligo. Perhaps my favourite addition, nevertheless, is the introduction of physique variety. Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3 had whiffs of this, however nowhere close to what you’re succesful of in The Veilguard, which is far more just like the breadth of the character creator in Dragon’s Dogma 2. For every of the 4 races, there are a lot of presets to select from, all with various heights and muscle/fats distribution. Once you’ve chosen your preset, nevertheless, 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 varieties which can be thinner, bigger, or extra muscular. Height sliders are enjoyable – particularly when it means watching my significantly quick elf damage years of Solas’ ritual planning by pushing over a statue. The choices really feel nearly infinite. 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 completely different designs for each the face and the physique to experiment with.
While 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 best way we’ve at all times imagined. Also, it could be a aid to some of you to know that Veilguard abandons the terrible inexperienced lighting of Inquisition’s character creator and as a substitute permits you to cycle via a number of lighting choices in service of creating Rooks that look simply nearly as good in gameplay as they do whenever you create them.
Fighting Chance
Combat, in the meantime, was a refreshing change from DA:I. My go-to class has at all times been mage, and whilst a Knight-Enchanter I usually 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 general. 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 wish to stab.
During my preview, I performed via the prologue after which dropped ahead into numerous factors of Act 1, so I actually bought to shortly expertise the development Rook and their companions can undergo as fighters. We could not have the ability to 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 flexibility wheel even suggests combos. My focus in the course of the occasion was mission-driven so I didn’t get as a lot of an opportunity to work together with the characters as I might have favored, however even the temporary moments of banter endeared me to them fairly shortly.
Each class will get its personal final capacity (assume the Focus capacity) together with a ranged assault – for warriors meaning yeeting your protect like a large steel boomerang. I’ve at all times 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 achieved after each boss battle. That mentioned, there’s positively a 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 presents 5 completely different issue ranges that you may change at will if you wish to ease your self in.
The Dragon Age-Free Decade Ends Soon
As a longtime fan, The Veilguard felt like a homecoming of types. Just 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. Moving us north permits for that sense of discovery I bought 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 full of breathtaking surroundings that drives house the dimensions of these areas I’ve personally at all times questioned about. One new locale, as an example, is a beautiful underwater jail referred to as the Ossuary. I received’t spoil what you’re there to do, however the design alone makes it one of probably the most 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. If you’d wish 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.
