Exclusive first look at Dragon Age: The Veilguard on IGN
It's been ten long years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the expectations for the next game in the series, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, seem insurmountable.
After spending several hours on the game, spread over two days, we left feeling excited and curious, but mostly relieved to say goodbye to many of our worries.
Initial Impressions
The time we spent with The Veilguard covered a wide range of things: the incredibly rich character creator, introductory quests, a faction mission, and a companion quest.
What impressed us most was the ability to explore the northern Thedas in all its glory and discover part of the Dragon Age history we've only heard about.
Let's be clear, The Veilguard isn't the open world that Inquisition was. It's more "mission-based." However, the extent of exploration possible in different regions and the impact your character, Rook, can have on these regions is quite impressive.
Gameplay and Combat
Forget Dragon Age: Origins and its tactical system. It's replaced by a mix of fast action and a mechanic that lets you pause and bring up your radial menu.
We mainly played mage and rogue builds, relying heavily on our companions' abilities. For instance, the mage's healing ability was essential.
- Bellara's magic was crucial for healing.
- Neve's ability to slow time helped control the battlefield.
- Companions have different combos together, creating team synergy.
Your dialogue choices and the consistent decisions you make have a direct impact. The dialogue wheel is back, as is the approval/disapproval system.
Exploring The World
One of our biggest fears was that The Veilguard would become more linear. However, once you're past the tutorial stage and well into Act 1, you're much freer to tackle quests as you see fit.
You unlock new regions by fighting in certain areas of The Crossroads, a link between the waking world of Thedas and the metaphysical realm of The Fade.
The regions are radically different from each other. For example, the forest of Arlathan is a beautiful, colorful region, while Hossberg, besieged by the Blight, has a horror-inspired aesthetic.
Companions and Choices
Each companion has an environmental ability, some of which were very useful. For example, Bellara can tinker with magical artifacts.
The game offers unique ways to interact with the environment, and your companions don't need to be in your party to use these abilities.
Choices in The Veilguard have lasting consequences. Early on, a decision we made hurt Harding, who remained bruised for the next two hours.
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse serves as a hub for you and your companions. Each companion has their own room, and a light outside their door indicates when a scene is available.
It's also where you can do some housekeeping, especially with Caretaker, who helps enchant and upgrade your armor.
The Lighthouse represents one of the game's biggest challenges: attracting new players while honoring the vast history Dragon Age has built.
Final Thoughts
Many things have changed in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but many things have stayed the same, much to our relief. The focus on companions and romance, the rich story, and a beautiful world to explore remain.
We haven't seen a large part of The Veilguard yet, but we're more excited than ever to dive into this game.
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Author: Streamers Visuals
