Dragon Age: The Veilguard review – Bioware’s RPG return goes big on heart and spectacle

Bioware's first new entry in the RPG space for 10 years sees the storied studio return back on mostly top form.

The beloved Dragon Age series finally returns in an excellent blockbuster entry that doesn't disappoint with its selection of charming companions and epic, sweeping story.

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that there is a lot riding on Dragon Age: The Veilguard. After all, developer Bioware’s last big release was Anthem – a misguided, live service shooter attempt that felt fun to play in the moment but lacked the compelling endgame loop a title of that style demands. It was a rare stumble from a studio previously well-regarded for its RPG chops, with a stable of franchises including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and of course Dragon Age. It’s with this in mind that I can comfortably say that Bioware is back on form with Dragon Age: The Veilguard. It’s an appropriately epic third-person action RPG packed with loveable companions to meet, engaging lands to save, and a compelling story to take in. Certain design aspects might be rough around the edges, but this is mostly the Dragon Age experience players have been waiting for.

For as much as Dragon Age: The Veilguard pays tribute to events that occurred in 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition as well as the series entries that have come before, Bioware has done a brilliant job onboarding anyone who is a first-time visitor to the continent of Thedas. You play as Rook, a character of your own creation – both physically and narratively – who is entrusted to lead a merry band of heroes on a world-saving mission against a seemingly unstoppable force. Obviously, there’s no getting away from the fact that The Veilguard was previously titled Dragon Age: Dreadwolf up until just this year (via Bioware). And while it’s true that the titular villain (known as Solas to his friends) now takes more of a backseat than maybe the end of Inquisition would suggest, he still plays a crucial role to events; being honest, I didn’t mind the more conventional ensemble dynamic that’s emphasised throughout much of this story.

The Veilguard begins with a bombastic prologue that sets the stakes for the main narrative, which in simple terms involves two ancient Elven gods escaping from their prison and threatening to destroy all life in Thedas using an infectious evil blight. The rift this causes between all four races – Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Qunari – allows the story to touch upon certain political themes, yet for the most part the goal of your mission remains clear from start to finish; something that can't always be said about other Dragon Age entries. I was impressed just how many times my chosen background as a Warrior (aligned with the Shadow Dragons faction) bled into how other characters treated me and what I was able to do. Sure, instances like these are minor within the larger narrative framework, but can slowly build into something more meaningful.

Any fantasy RPG is only as good as its party members, and thankfully, Dragon Age: The Veilguard delivers in this department. Of the seven available companions you’re able to take with you on both main and side missions, all are pretty eclectic, spanning everything from returning faces – like plucky scout, Lace Harding – to all-new allies, like resident ice mage Neve Gallus. My favourite of the bunch by far was the endlessly charming Lucanis Dellamorte, assassin to the order of Antivan Crows who just so happens to have his soul intertwined with a literal demon. This alone kept me fascinated by his personal journey just as much as Rook’s; a fact that devastated me when the game forced me into a position of siding with the Crows or staying true to my allegiance with Neve and the Shadow Dragons. I ended up favouring the latter, which called my bond with Lucanis into question thereafter – both narratively and gameplay wise.

Dark ages

Speaking of which, combat is a bit of a mixed bag, because while I didn’t once regret my decision to be a sword-and-board Warrior, I’d be lying if I said that getting up close and personal with foes as such a melee-driven class feels fairly sluggish. Long wind-ups for both light and standard strikes combined with spongey enemies meant that I always felt underpowered – no matter how much higher-tier gear I piled on, or stronger abilities from the undeniably sprawling skill tree I obtained. Sure, new Rage skills that operate on a cooldown were always there to get me out of trouble in a pinch and introduce some variety, but there were certainly times where attacking foes felt more of a grind than I expected.

It's surprising considering how much Bioware has clearly taken inspiration from other, more recent action RPGs greats such as 2018’s God of War in the combat department. Don't get me wrong, there’s definitely a lot of variation that can be layered onto your chosen class of Warrior, Mage, or Rogue, but certain attacks don’t always feel satisfying to pull off in the moment. Easily the biggest culprit for me are what's called 'Stagger attacks' whereby enemies become temporarily stunned should you fill up a metre and you engage in what should be a cinematic finisher. The problem is the animation that followed always played out the same for me – to the point I lost count how many times I watched my Rook thrust his sword into a foe, jump up in the air, and then slam down on their neck with a shield. The first 10 times it looked epic. The 100 more times that followed? Less so.

Repetition also plagues Dragon Age: The Veilguard during dialogue instances outside of combat, where you’re left to explore regions alongside two chosen companions. Admittedly, I could have avoided hearing the same back-and-forth discussion between Lucanis and Neve by swapping in another duo, but why would I do that when my focus was on romancing the latter while trying to rekindle my friendship with Lucanis? Examples like this are snags in the wider tapestry of Bioware's ambition to make another all-encompassing RPG. On the topic of companions, guiding them in battle no longer means having direct control but it’s still mostly a breeze, providing you’re willing to pause events and select actions from a menu as opposed to commanding them in real-time – not too dissimilar to Mass Effect. The real-time route requires no less than three button holds to see them pull off a single attack, which is far too much during the heat of action.

Fortunately, general exploration is much better handled, not least because the handful of locations included ooze a lot of depth and detail. Easily one of the most memorable is Treviso, a port town home to one of Thedas’ most iconic bustling markets – which works great for buying and selling goods but also really showcases the resilience of civilians during what could be the end times. Others, like the Arlathan Forest and Minrathous, are more conventional outdoor regions, yet the main journey never failed to wow me with new locales – be it in the form of the Ossuary’s underwater prison, or the ghoulish Necropolis halls. Tens of hours in, and I’m still nowhere close to discovering 100% of Thedas, but there’s plenty of reasons to do so in the form of hidden collectibles, puzzles, companion quests, and side missions that often feel just as consequential as the main narrative.

In many ways, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is emblematic of a studio trying to find its foot in the RPG space again while also considering the genre’s new standardised mechanics of today. Combat is sadly the weak link in this particular chain, but even then, it’s not an outright disaster and can offer a good amount of flexibility. Where it counts, The Veilguard succeeds in being the momentous fantasy epic long-time fans have been waiting 10 years for, jam-packed with interesting characters to meet and fun activities to do, all against the backdrop of an appropriately calamitous world-saving mission that surprised me multiple times. A few niggles aside, the future is once again bright for both Dragon Age just as much as it is for the RPG veterans at Bioware.