Dragon Age The Veilguard reviews are great but can’t top Inquisition or Origins

The Dragon Age The Veilguard reviews are Bioware's best in close to a decade, but they can't quite top the beloved Origins or Inquisition.

It’s been ten years since we last stepped foot in the magical world of Thedas; a decade since Solas’ betrayal left the realm in tatters. As an avid fan of the fantasy franchise, I’ve been avidly awaiting Dragon Age: The Veilguard, wondering what comes next in Bioware’s epic saga of strife. Well, The Dragon Age The Veilguard reviews are finally in, and they’re generally pretty glowing, even if they can’t quite match the heights of Origins or Inquisition.

In my Dragon Age The Veilguard preview earlier this year, I praised the game’s character creator and stunning fantasy aesthetic but criticized the somewhat linear gameplay and disappointing boss fights. While Thedas has never looked so good, I was concerned that the RPG lacked the narrative excellence of Origins and Inquisition.

Over on review aggregator Metacritic, Dragon Age The Veilguard sits at a healthy 80 on PC and 84 on PS5 as of this writing. Origins, meanwhile, earned 91 on PC and 86 on Xbox 360, while the GOTY-winning Inquisition hit 85 on PC and 89 on PS4. While The Veilguard hasn’t quite topped the franchise’s highlights, there’s every chance its scores could climb as more reviews come in.

Reviews praise the Dragon Age The Veilguard companion roster, as well as the move away from Inquisition’s controversial open-world approach.  Some note that the narrative isn’t as engaging as the earlier games and that choices don’t appear to carry the same weight. Others note that the mission design feels somewhat tired, which was my main concern post-preview.

In terms of 2024 as a whole, The Veilguard sits just shy of the top 100 and a little short of heavy-hitters Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Metaphor Refantazio, which hit 92 and 91 on PC respectively. On Metacritic’s list of the best PC games of this year, it ranks 101. Still, it’s clearly head and shoulders above both Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem, which earned 72 and 59 on PC respectively. Thankfully, The Veilguard seems to be a bit of a return to form for the legendary dev.

The Veilguard release date is just around the corner, so why not check out our list of all the Veilguard factions to give you a headstart? Alternatively, if you have plans for some smooching, here’s how the Veilguard romance system works, plus a rundown of which Dragon Age The Veilguard class might work best for you.

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