Dragon Age Has Always Been Woke

[@GreenWormJello]

A really funny thing about this whole Veilguard backlash is that I remember when DA:I was getting ready to be released and the same types of people were basically complaining about the exact same things. Krem, a trans man, being in the game. Female love interests that weren't 'hot' enough. Exclusively gay characters (especially the complaints about not being able to romance Sera as a man). Vivienne being a prominent black woman with power in Orlais. A lot of complaints about Sera in general. It's the same old song and dance, and these same people have the audacity to pretend that they supported the increase in LGBTQ representation and overall a more progressive message way back in the day. They did not support it. They complained about it almost as much as they are now. Unfortunately they feel louder now, somehow.

[@koshetz]

I still remember the day when Bioware announced that Dorian is going to be first open male gay character in Dragon Age. Shit was WILD.

[@GreenWormJello]

@@koshetz I also remember the fucking outrage when Mass Effect 3 allowed for openly gay romance as male Shepard. Fanboys literally acting like they were being forced to suck a man's d*ck by Bioware

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

"The ice mage brown lady person". These people kill me though.

[@KB-qk1ic]

As somebody that is currently playing DA:V and has enjoyed every release of the dragon age series i appreciate this video. The game certainly has it's flaws and they should be called out. Sadly most of what i have heard in reviews comes off as nitpicky and childish. Hearing mattyplays review was shocking after he hyped the test play just a few weeks prior. The writing has definitely taken a step back and i completely understand the gripes there, but the flat out whining about how terrible everything is in the game is beyond overkill.

[@anitaremenarova6662]

I don't think so, the game is bad by DA standards and only worth buying to marvel normies

[@ericedwards8234]

The most annoying thing in the world is how clogged with alt right shit my feed has become simply for watching a few videos about this game. Please tell me I'm not the only one having to swat these things like flies.

[@kelseymtf8345]

The KZbin algorithm loves to do that because rage bait content keeps viewer retention high and viewer engagement even higher. It's also in general easier to make rage bait from a right wing/anti-progressive perspective than a left wing, progressive one, usually. It's easier to feign outrage over say, queers and environmentalists than exon or Ted Cruz. Actual evil tends to be quite mundane unlike these new and strange invaders who are apparently trying to destroy my life long hobby of vidya games. Oh and a lot of these fuckers are straight up payed by disinformation groups to create the slop they mass produce. That'll do it too.

[@Fanrak-2700]

Its a plague at this point

[@axbloodtheory7885]

Just click the three little dots and select "Don't Recommend Channel" on all of them. That's what I do.

[@Fanrak-2700]

@@axbloodtheory7885 i allready do that but they keep comeing

[@random1237]

yea same i watched reviews and stuff about veil guard and then got a ton of those

[@beccangavin]

28:46 I had an interaction with someone in a comment section. He said something along the lines of “We allowed them a little room but now they are just going too far.” Suggesting that it was a straight, white man’s place to tell people in other people groups exactly how much they were permitted to have in the video game space and that it was wrong somehow for them to insist on more. It didn’t occur to him that the people making the games don’t necessarily fit his ideal demographic and the people that could play the games don’t fit his ideal demographic. All games are made to be consumed by him and people like him so deviation from the desires of straight, white males was a sign that all was chaos and it needed to stop. If that last bit sounds dramatic, I assure you that is where he was coming from based on his other comments. The world was breaking down because video games did not cater exclusively to his preferences as a straight, white man. 44:17 And this part right here. I had said something along the lines of “There are legitimate criticisms you can make about the game but a lot of what I’m seeing isn’t legitimate criticism, it’s bigotry.” And some fellow responded with what he called a non-bigotry criticism…which was that Blackstone was using ESG to force diversity into games. He dismissed me when I pointed out that what he gave me was an old anti-Semitic conspiracy theory remolded for a modern audience. Believing this conspiracy requires some pretty big leaps of logic and some very large areas of ignorance. It’s surprising how many people latch onto it.

[@WraithReaper09]

To add to your first point, a lot of times we (the LGBTQIA+ Community) are told "If you want representation do it yourself! Don't force us to do it." But the moment they realise that we are doing it ourselves it's suddenly "wrong" and "pandering" and "going WoKe!" and "You're stealing OUR games!" BioWare has always had LGBTQIA+ representation in one way or another in their games and they have always been adding more representation of those in the Community with each game.

[@AKATenn]

​​@@WraithReaper09 it's that you expect people to like it. Nobody should be forced to play games they don't like, that isn't made for them. Make an LGBTQ+ game all you want, but when only people from that community like it, it doesn't make everyone who isn't part of that community bigots or phobes, the game just isn't for them. If you are allowed to not like something, they are allowed to not like something, and neither you or them are bad for it You also need to budget for the size of your community, an LGBT game is not going to sell well, so a 150 million dollar budget, and a well established franchise is not going to work.

[@palamedes4740]

I got one even better about Krem and trans people in thr Quun. It was actually in since DAO. If you play a woman warden. Sten is surprised. Most people assumed it was sexism. But he's not doubting your abilities. He's surprised buy your presentation. Since warriors always present male no matter their sex it's strange for him to see some both be a warrior but also present as a woman.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I remember that! My first playthrough was a female elf mage warden.

[@SyBorg-to3ni]

Asmongold clearly doesn't understand how hated and feared magic is in most parts of Thedas

[@toolatetothestory]

And isn't that one of THE most basic information you can get about the lore? Like, 1. Elves are oppressed, 2. Mages are oppressed Like the second and third game literally couldn't have hammered it into your head any harder if they TRIED that nobody trusts mages, HOW TF

[@dftp]

​@@toolatetothestoryYeah, I don't think anybody should be surprised anymore that Asmongold is this ignorant and disinterested in the things he says and does.

[@C4MG1RL]

Let me listen to an hour long video on how Bioware has literally always made woke games while playing Veilguard

[@FelisImpurrator]

Sounds about right. I haven't been able to start playing yet but it honestly looks like such a good time.

[@C4MG1RL]

I'm further in the video and 1: THANK YOU someone with a platform pointing out that Bioware has been on a steady path towards ->ACTION

[@SabiJD]

How far are you in, in terms of hours? I'm about 8hrs, and unfortunately I'm so far incredibly disappointed and underwhelmed by the writing, narrative, and even some of the voice acting (Neve is *so* flat and listless). I'll be playing some more, in a sec. I'm enjoying the combat the most, which feels so weird bordering on wrong in a DA... I'm not sure I'm having a bad time overall, I'm just not engaged with the story or characters at all yet.

[@haurg7418]

Which they never did

[@C4MG1RL]

@SabiJD I have never and probably never will have the same opinion as the mainstream. I'm taking the game as itself instead of judging it off my nostalgia of the previous entries and have been greatly enjoying it so far. I'm not too far in, I had leadership passed onto me and have done a couple missions for my first faction: the crows. The story hasn't let me down so far but is kinda hard to praise without spoilers. Neve, IMO, isn't flat. She's a more subtle person, of which I know quite a few lol. She isn't one to be overly expressive with her emotions, but they are there. She's a detective who is very inquisitive and curious. She loves to see the new sights and ask about them. But she is very entrusting and cautious, and she's much slower to open up. She also is not a big fan of her fame. All that I got from the interactions so far with her. Though, tbf, more reserved and introverted characters usually get called flat and uninteresting both in fiction and IRL :p

[@airrickdebunks]

absolutely FANTASTIC video!

[@CH4R10T_TV]

OMG Airrick! Thank you so much!

[@infinitivez]

I think @TTBNGAMING put it best. Reviewers and reviews should be focusing on the good and bad of THE GAME, and people should use that information as they see fit. But the dialog from some of these reviewers has revolved around aspects of the game that touch on social issues, who's involved in making the game, etc. Like seriously, don't try to sell me on why I should dislike a game. Tell me what you thought about the combat, the dialog, pacing, voice acting, inventory and skills. Did it run well on your system, hows the fps and controls. If a so called reviewer is spending most their time trying to convince the viewers games suck or are horrible, they aren't reviewing the game. They're pronouncing judgments.

[@FelisImpurrator]

That is literally just Mortismal Gaming reviews.

[@infinitivez]

@@FelisImpurrator lol, TTBN actually shouts out Mortismal in his video about reviews, just for that reason. 😆I'm guessing you've either seen it, or good thoughts follow sound minds.

[@dataportdoll]

18:50 Bioware committed the ultimate sin: Kept a gamer tourist from his "Asian" waifu.

[@kdjets]

Calling a trans person a "jump scare" is unreal. I listened to two different long videos that were very critical of this game and none of them had to resort to petty name calling or bigotry. It just says a lot about these culture warriors and The insane bigotry they live within. Damn. And the guy Who talked about if something woke popped up in Mario. It's like bro, Mario isn't going to be about political strife and violence. Like, different game, man. Very different games.

[@kdjets]

I love how these people call it current day-isms as if people haven't been pansexual for All of human history. As if there hasn't been non-normative gender descriptors dating back to ancient civilizations. Such incurious and disingenuous people.

[@GabrielAlves-nv2vh]

There's no diplomacy with these people. They wanted that trans people didn't exist.

[@jo0rd73]

It’s incredibly frustrating. I’m replaying inquisition right now before starting veilguard but I know there are definitely valid critiques to be made. I just wish people could focus more on that? Besides the fact that it feels terrible to have these people constantly single us out and discriminate, it just obscures actual legitimate reviews ? But look I guess they don’t care and neither do their audience who play like nothing given how ‘woke’ every single good game tends to be.

[@jo0rd73]

@@kdjetsOf course, it’s not like these people care about facts much. History is whatever they’re spoonfed and parrot ad nauseum from their parasocial buddies on KZbin….

[@DamnedSilly]

Good thing too, otherwise we'd have to question why he's still supporting a useless monarchy in the 21st century. Wasn't the whole thing between the Princess and a revolutionary the point?

[@esbenm6544]

MOM!They're putting pronouns in the videogames again!

[@FelisImpurrator]

[Evil Gilbert Gottfried voice] FAH-KING PRONOUNS!

[@3choblast3r4]

It's quite the opposite though. It's more like "Maaahaam, I need you to respek my pronouns" .. but they're not titles sweetie pie, they're not meant for you to pick and choose. Some languages like mine, don't even have gendered pronouns

[@esbenm6544]

@@3choblast3r4 cope harder🍼

[@TheFamousYakTamer]

I tried to think of a more thoughtful comment but this has quite literally perfectly summed up everything there is to say so I'll say: Yes.

[@suburbansamurai3560]

Great video! I've been interested in the discourse around Veilguard mostly out of general gamer curiosity. Dragonage isn't a franchise I've ever dipped into, but I was surprised at the Skillup review since he'd seemed pretty positive on the game's preview builds. I've never associated him with the 'anti-woke' crowd, but I did think his 'like HR is in the room' comment felt out of character for him, as usually when someone mentions HR it's because misogyny and bigotry are present. (I want to give him the benefit of the doubt that he just meant all the characters were too nice to each other and lacked what he felt was deeper interpersonal drama). I also didn't realize how much representation was actually in the franchise, which is great! I have several co-workers and acquaintances who love Dragonage, and I've been curious to hear how they're liking Veilguard, and now I'm equally curious how a long time fan such as yourself enjoys the game after such a long wait!

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Thank you! I want to give Skill Up the benefit of the doubt as well, because to me charitably the way it came off is maybe as a kind of awkward or at most biased way of talking generally about the character writing, but not necessarily hateful or malicious. I do also recommend the Dragon Age games (or Mass Effect if you're more of a sci-fi shooter person and less of a fantasy party combat person)!

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

Regarding SkillUp and his "HR" statements, I think you may be reading far too heavily into the Queer aspect of the discussion either because that is the toxic narrative surrounding the game or because it is personally relevant to you. I don't have any reason to believe that Ralph -- who is a cis straight man -- has any problems with LGBT+ representation, having watched his content for some time and knowing the circles he runs in online. My interpretation of that statements, as another cis straight man and also a long time fan of the series with no objections to this content, is that the game is not interested in doing anything truly challenging or subversive. As an easy example, even changing the name of the game from Dreadwolf to THE Veilguard (most unnecessary "the" ever) signals this -- as a reflection of the change of direction the developers spoke about to explain the change. We are no longer focusing on the morally complex character of Solas and his goals which would bring about great change in the world, good and harm, and instead appear to be shifting toward a more simplified good guys vs evil gods trope. As for why he does not show footage of this, I can only assume he did not want to spoil the game more than he felt was necessary or there were specific embargo restrictions on what he could show. Because he did actually show plenty of footage to justify his claims. Like when the dialogue wheel said "who is this idiot" and Rook simply spook "who is this?". That is what meant by the game feeling as if HR is in the room. Because even so much as calling someone an idiot would be edgy or renegade for the type of character, story, and tone they want to tell. Of course, most people have not seen all of the game. I have not, it sounds like you have not, and obviously most people on the internet have not. So we can only really take people at their word on these things, but between all of the evidence Bioware themselves have provided and the considerably detailed review by SkillUp I am inclined to believe the game's core writing falls short. Which is the problem for me. When the product is bad, it reflects poorly on whatever group is the face of that product. Obviously that does not mean it is bad because it is diverse or LBGT friendly, nor that those are bad topics or groups to represent, but it is part of the reason this narrative exists at all to begin with. People may have good intentions, but lack the talent to create a good product. Which is especially bad when they take a previously established IP -- like Dragon Age or say, Star Wars, and people begin to correlate a rise in representation with a decline in quality. In the case of Veilguard, they have basically done a complete 180 on the combat, the tone, the RPG mechanics, story direction, and even have done a soft reset of the world by throwing out all previous games and choices minus a handful from Inquisition and coincidentally justified lore changes like Dwarves developing magic all culminate in a game that feels nothing like Dragon Age. So a lot of fans feel left behind. Unfortunately, genuine criticism of the title is being caught up the flood of hate and outrage grifting over pronouns. Ironically, I suspect that the success of Baldurs Gate 3 -- itself inspired by Dragon Age, which was inspired by BG1 and 2 -- will bring us full circle 360 with Dragon Age 5.

[@JeannieLove]

THen why in his Saints Row review does he make the same complaints as the anti-woke?

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

@JeannieLove idk I havent watched that review in a long time. But his review is also like 50 minutes long and does provide specific examples of all of his complaints totally unrelated to that subject. Dismissing all of that specific information as "vague" while hyperfixating on one actually vague line with the least charitable interpretation seems unreasonable. Its unfortunate, but there is an actual trend of some very progressive media being very poor quality. You cant dismiss genuine criticism of its quality just because its progressive in its themes, casting, etc.

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

@@JeannieLove I rewatched his review. What complaints do you have exactly with it? He doesn't say anything about the diversity or make any "HR" similar comments. He just complains about the quality and the tone. So again, probably pretty legitimate complaints considering how many people have them. Just because some of the anti-woke mob also express doesn't invalidate them.

[@robinfox4440]

She took it in bad faith, because of course she did.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

@robinfox4440 That's not what "bad faith" means. You're describing a lack of charitability (not that I agree with the description, but you shouldn't abuse those words).

[@mse90]

I'm playing through Dragon Age: Origins for the first time, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't just the romance options, but that some of the companion's queerness was undeniable in their backstories and personal quests as well. That's still not the norm to this day, let alone for a game that came out 15 years ago. Anyway, I absolutely hate this gamergate ragebait industry that's somehow still alive and well in the year of our lord 2024. Not the least because it makes it so hard to have any normal, especially critical conversations about games that become the targets of these people. Those nonsense arguments start seeping into even the most good faith criticisms people have, and it's endlessly frustrating to disentangle those and engage with any discourse happening.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Happy to see more people replaying the old games!

[@FelisImpurrator]

Yoooo Chariot's back! And Mortismal Gaming mentioned (shoutout to the GOAT, the duly elected co-op leader of RPG gaming autism himself) in an hour long delivery of things that should have been staggeringly obvious but reactionaries somehow still don't understand. Nice! Admittedly, my personal take on any representation-related subject is an "okay, cool" and just using the options I like. I feel super apathetic about identity anything, so I just think more options should be present because they're nice to have. Diversity isn't about why, it's about why not. But even my gender apathetic ass has something to take from the "woke game" discourse, and that is an all you can eat buffet of schadenfreude as reactionaries get upset about something they just kind of don't need to care about. It's amazing how I'm trans and think about transness less than these people, and it's fun knowing that my mere existence outside of a fragile social artifice strikes terror into their puny hearts.

[@FelisImpurrator]

At the middle of the video, and... I did realize that Asmongold's complaint implies trans people should simply all wield the Old God-level magic needed to shapeshift freely into dragons. And you know, he has a point. Why do we need surgery when we can all just turn into dragons instead?

[@autobotstarscream765]

​@@FelisImpurratorReject gender, become skeleton. 💀

[@admiralpaco507]

Heck yes, Chariot is so back!

[@chapomon]

This was an interesting video to watch as someone who hasn't been following the Veilguard discourse prior to launch. Your criticism of Skill Up's HR comment is valid that you think that it's a comment that Skill Up should have put more thought into if he was going to be vague on what he was critiquing (either because of his spoiler agreements as part of is review copy or of his own choice) but I don't understand why you bring up Ralph's identify into the argument. Ralph's identity is irrelevant to your criticism of the HR comment and that section is the lowest point of the video. As someone who has never seen any of your content prior to this and was recommended this video from F.D Signifier's community post, that gave me the impression that you wanted to be harsher on Ralph for that comment but because you couldn't because you weren't sure if he was cis het. Does that mean the HR comment wouldn't have been weaponized the way it was if Ralph is non-cis het? I don't recall anything about identity of the characters bring brought up around the comment or at all in the review. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see this connection you're trying to make with the HR comment and identity.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I mentioned that I wanted to be open-minded about Ralph's identity specifically because I felt that if Ralph were trans, then avoiding the topic of trans issues would make a lot more sense as it would be the equivalent of a trans person not wanting to come out or not wanting to invoke their own identity for fear of reprisal. In that situation, he would be the victim, and I wanted to be open to that possibility when I was writing this essay.

[@chapomon]

@CH4R10T_TV Ah, ok. Thank you for the explanation. 😊

[@toolatetothestory]

"Dragon Age is woke now" My brother in Andraste, the entire second game was you and your FOUR bisexual "roommates" fucking around and finding out

[@FelisImpurrator]

There is one singular thing I still can't forgive about Veilguard. A thing that I think is a deep and terrible flaw about the game. "The"

[@CH4R10T_TV]

OMG so true, it makes coming up with titles for video essay pitches a nightmare.

[@FelisImpurrator]

​@@CH4R10T_TVI just call it DA:Ve. Why? Because it's funny. I guess it's... DAVe the Diverse? Eh? Ehhh? (That has literally nothing to do with that game beyond the bad pun.) Seriously though, Bioware, please. No articles in the subtitle. Think of the poor video essayists and gaming content creators who now have to say it! D:

[@kdjets]

​@@FelisImpurratorhard agree

[@infinitivez]

@@FelisImpurrator lol, Da:ve! I like it!

[@SabiJD]

So what you're saying is... a badly written game even has a badly written *title*? That actually checks out... (for my sins I'm about 8hrs in, btw, and have been playing the series since Origins. fuck the anti-woke, but The Veilguard is The Badly written)

[@randomaether]

I love that asmongold wants to limit fantasy. He never NEVER read a fantasy novel, especially not something from, Allende, for example (tbh its a South American author). Fantasy is not swords, shields, and a blast of a fantastical power. Fantasy is a response to reality at its best and a sloppy, boring, repetitive world that is like a milliard before at its worst.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Allende as in Isabel Allende? I love fantasy and want to write more essays about fantasy lit, but I don't think I've read anything by her. I guess that's a good place to expand my horizons!

[@randomaether]

@@CH4R10T_TV Her style is quite peculiar, same for many of her contemporary authors, as it incorporates the magical, the fantastical, seamlessly into reality, I loved it when I read her as a child, even if I was forced at the beginning by my school. Grateful now though, discovered a beautiful sub-genre.

[@Blackinght11]

Asmon rotted his brain in the culture wars, when he talked about games and not grifting he used to be entertaining

[@3choblast3r4]

Yes, all fantasy should instead adhere to your ideology. Fantasy is also escapism. Being inclusive doesn't mean hammering your message into peoples throat over and over and over again. Your ultra narrow idea of fantasy is what's the issue, not Assmons. Fantasy allows us to tackle all kinds of stories, but good fantasy does that in a coherent, realistic feeling world, in subtle ways, using good allegories, well written characters. By taking risks and making you feel things, including sadness, anger, pain .. not just cookie cutter disney nonsense with characters straight from 2024 California being projected into the fantasy world where their experiences, ideas and feelings would be completely different. Pronouns aren't titles. Not every language has gendered pronouns. (mine doesn't) no one needs your desperate attempts at wanting more attention in their games

[@randomaether]

​@3choblast3r4 What you are calling escapism is what makes them so grounded in reality. What are you scaping from? And if so why is it right for us "normal people" to scape, and not others? I love how you singled me out to canalize your anger I suppose but, you did not read the books I mentioned nor understood why I said what I said. Its all fine either way.

[@erikscottdebie7665]

Man, you’re gonna LOVE Baldur’s Gate 3.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I know! I'm really excited. I want to play the first ones first, but I'm upgrading my setup right now to stream Veilguard and I just *know* Baldur's Gate is going to have to come soon after.

[@Rebelco]

16:50 this is something scary that I see not a lot of people talking about. I mean, it is funny to treat people like them as just too dumb to know that what they say is just wrong, but they know really well what they are doing and why they are doing it, and they know very well what they are achieving by making videos and posts like that.

[@marcospisanis739]

Comment to help the stupid algorithm. I can't wait to watch this. Btw, did yous see the video Solar Sands has done with the Hollywood mainstream oroborous?

[@reszolve3685]

I appreciate this video. I will be watching more of your content.

[@Skelethin]

I had taken Skill-up's comment about how the writing felt like "HR was in the room with them" to mean that it felt like the writing was so overly stifled and stale that it had stripped any hope of nuance out of it, and resulted in things like the role play scenarios designed by committee stuff that HR consultants use. Like the HR team in question is only there to crack down on any and all possible violations as they exist per some corporate lowest common denominator checklist, rather than anyone actually knowing or caring about the topic personally wanting or trying to make the product/script better.

[@robinfox4440]

He meant that it felt like a hugbox, and everyone had to be nice to each other, stripping the scenes of any genuine human emotion. Just affirming one another and getting over conflict in the way a preschool teacher teaches kindergartners to share.

[@wolfblaide]

Agree with you on this. It's the dialog and how it's presented. And as @robinfox4440 says, the removal of the genuine human element. I think the "HR is in the room" comment seemed quite appropriate. I haven't played the game, but I've seen a few vids now of examples of the dialog, and I can see why people are reacting to it.

[@eugeneworthington7042]

I’m about to watch this, but I sure hope this video didn’t take Skill-ups criticism as anything other than good faith

[@robinfox4440]

@@eugeneworthington7042 prepare to be disappointed.

[@dust7001]

@@eugeneworthington7042 This entire video is someone straining the bounds of suspension of disbelief to try desperately to misunderstand common sense as hate speech.... Then a cartoon that seems to imply that "CIS WHITE" people are the core of the problem, not the content of the game.....

[@CrimesNewRoman]

appreciate the comment on my dragon age vid and thus you turning me onto your channel, love this video and will definitely be watching more of your stuff. Subscribed!

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Real! Thank you!

[@teslercoil5174]

Could have said BioWare has been woke for a while.

[@kambion]

Finally, this video. Hell yeah. The hate this game is getting from what gamer gate has become is hilarious. Im buying it today.

[@anitaremenarova6662]

Don't, you'll waste your money. It's like a 6/10 and even that if you hadn't played previous DA

[@YdaxraTala]

A lot of the people making videos against Veilguard don't share level minded criticism, instead they repeat the same "it's woke" "makes you gay" even though they overexaggerate scenes and dialogue options (which are optional) and make them out to be forced upon them if they play over the fact such options are in existence, in a world of fantasy they claim such identities and beliefs will not be believable to exist, yet there is many approaches one could take to make themselves appear how they feel or transform around how they want to be, like in Witcher with Yennefer or a bunch of other examples. They just close off their minds that other people exist in different mindsets and way of living. I just wanna play a game I like, and look up guides about it -- but every time I do I see the discourse and drama. 🙁Thanks for a break from the negativity.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

This is the reminder I needed to play the Witcher games!

[@anitaremenarova6662]

The artstyle is terrible, dialogue choices are worthless most of the time, other things that are spoilers it's just a bad DA game. Yeah on its own it's like 6/10 but it's very clear they don't care about fans and are just trying to scoop up mainstream marvel audience.

[@nooneofnote8453]

Here at Fiq’s recommendation. Enjoying your work on this video so far and especially your point of the grift. It’s so obvious to me especially that video around 18 minutes in is totally misinformed (to put it kindly). Umm, didn’t some of the BioWare folks work on the 90s Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 games where you had gay and lesbian characters? Your Inquisitor looks awesome, I hope you have a good time making them in VG! PS appreciate all the The Iron Bull footage 😅 Edit: “Wedge” ended me 🤣

[@neobahumuth6]

those 2 weeks of soul searching really helped asmongold I see

[@supergamerboy1177]

True like that guy is a jerk also that one clip showing that one guy Saying it isn’t brave to come out Despite the very same guy who supports bigotry and shown to have anti sjw view and Should’ve known that people both lgbtq+ Having been targeted harassed and being killed like wow these people are just Ignorant jerks

[@justinleronowich3028]

I don't know why everyone feels like bioware is suddenly woke. As a straight male I exclusively romanced garrus and am proud of it. 😊 He was my Shepards rock

[@CH4R10T_TV]

That's actually really sweet. I hear good things about the Garrus romance, I just tend to fall back on romancing Liara every time. I don't know why. I just love her too much.

[@dbryant965]

In my opinion, previous games handled the matter with tact. It didn't seem forced and preachy with Zevran or Krem because the characters were portrayed in a way that was natural and allowed you to feel genuine empathy for them. Veilguard just kinda shoehorns it in, and it ends up feeling out of place and kinda cringey.

[@MadamPanda1]

I feel that it's because the writing has declined and went from trusting were intelligent enough to understand things to over simplifying everything. Side note the nee character design for the qunari sucks

[@justinleronowich3028]

@@dbryant965 It's not forced.. There is one..one instance where you have an opening for trans based character development. I chose not to make it a part of my story so i skipped it; and it hasn't come up since in my 20 hours of gameplay. I haven't even seen characters that are gay or bi acting shoehorned.

[@justinleronowich3028]

@@MadamPanda1 I can understand people having an issue with the writing. Honestly for me it feels no better or worse than DA2 and I still enjoyed both. In regards to the model change for qunari you'ld be right, comparing the new style to Iron Bulls model is pretty rough.

[@cfehunter]

It's odd to see people attacking it over ideology, when there's terrible writing, goofy art direction, and kind of dull spammy combat right there to complain about.

[@SabiJD]

I'm enjoying the combat - and I'm someone who thinks it's sad DA had to ditch CRPG design to try to further appeal to the mass-market. Especially when BG3 showed you really don't have to do that - just make a damn good game. But even though I never wanted this type of design in a DA, the combat is well done so far, and I'm not finding it spammy. I adjusted damage values to force me to play more carefully and reactively, and since doing that it's been a lot of fun. The writing, however... and story, and some voice acting? Yeah, that's mostly terrible by BioWare's past standards. I have no interest in the 'story' yet, I find all the characters to be incredibly shallow and simplistic (so far), and I'm baffled as to how a voice actor like the one playing Neve got the gig. Or maybe it was poor session direction, because most voice actors need good direction to shine. It has its moments, but they've been fleeting. Looks gorgeous - goofy cartoon characters aside. Some phenomenal landscape/vista art direction. And I'm sorry... because Asmongold seems like an idiot, but the 'T&A' sliders *are* pitiful. I'm someone who never wants wackily busty/curvy body mods in Skyrim/Fallout... I hate that aesthetic, personally. But Veilguard does seem to have an aesthetic grudge against typically feminine/female options. I maxed both sliders just to try to add *some* definition, but it's so minimal. And the Qunari could still look incredible in DA:I, but now they mostly just look like goofy humans in cosplay. I really hope whoever was responsible for these types of changes isn't involved in future BioWare projects. I'm really hoping the story actually starts to have some nuance to it, and the characters start to liven up, because so far it's extremely disappointing as a DA.

[@cfehunter]

​@@SabiJD Felt the need to respond just because of the effort you went through in typing out that comment. I really hope it works out for you and you have a blast with the game. For me I'm not willing to commit to playing it any further at the moment. I have no opinion about the representation here, particularly since Bioware have basically represented me since the original Mass Effect. I do find the scenes I've seen to be poorly written and counter to what we've seen of the characters before now. Hopefully it gets better. In terms of combat, I was playing mage. Perhaps warriors are better.

[@SabiJD]

@@cfehunter I picked a Warden warrior. I've actually assumed rogue and/or mage would be even better, to be fair, but I've not seen how their system's really work. I say it hasn't been spammy for me because I'm just leaning into the parry/dodge stuff. You can get rewarded for good parries in a number of ways, and with high enough incoming damage values, you get punished for messing up dodges or getting tunnel vision. I'm using almost exclusively sword'n'board, and I enjoy how some of the moves are animated, e.g. the rather Cap-esque shield toss, or the [aerial] shield slam. Will it get dull? Potentially. It depends how the skill progression pans out. Ultimately I just want to find out how the lore is built on, and where the story goes (if anywhere... ). I've heard the ending is rather wacky/out there, so I'm looking forward to whatever that is. I'm dreading meeting the guy with the cartoon skeleton sidekick, though... I really don't want that in any DA I ever play. A mobile spin-off, sure, but not a mainline entry. But yeah, there's a chance I'll come around to it, I suppose.

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

Overall a great video, I enjoyed this. It has always upset me that channel like Critical Drinker get several millions of views which suggests millions of people think a) he is intelligent and b) think he is correct. And I wasn't sure if I recognized Asmongold as belonging to the same grift, maybe he drifted over time, but either way I never understood the appeal of a dirty, generic looking unshaven white guy in a t-shirt shooting from the hip about everything with nothing in particular to say about any of it. Though I guess that is the appeal. I think one reason so many people subscribe to the hateful grifting on the right is because the left pushes them away. Let's be honest, it is mostly straight white cis men that are a part of that demographic. And coincidentally, that is the singular group that progressives, democrats, liberals what have you don't take seriously at all. There is genuine positivity from all kinds of people toward "men" as a group that socially acceptable, but would be derided instantly if you added "gay" or "black" in front of the same statements. And the left barely even recognizes this as a problem, only now basically because they might lose an election in the US because of it. I think that our side needs to do a better job of not pushing away half of the population. Obviously that won't account for everything, but it is a start. After that, we do just need to keep calling bigots bigots. I also hate how we have someone entered a world where it is almost as, if not more, offensive to call someone a racist than it is to call them an actual racial slur. It's psychotic. Once the left has welcomed everyone willing to come over, then we need to shame everyone else. Point at them, laugh at them, stamp the word bigot on their forehead, and don't let them dogwhistle, gaslight or pretend otherwise. But once again, I feel as though a lot of people on the left are unwilling to do that because they are too nice and diplomatic. Tolerance only goes so far, and there should be minimal tolerance for intolerance.

[@koshetz]

I will watch this video later (after i finish DATV) but here's a comment for the algoritm since i always love your work

[@urahi830]

I used to review stuff (games, movies and tv shows) for a small local publisher, even though I was basically a nobody I got my hands on a lot of early access content, usually minor stuff, nonetheless I never leaked anything, accidentally or not. It's really not that hard

[@kasumigrl]

Finally the video we deserve

[@Violesada]

I won´t lie. The writing imo is very weak for Dragon Age. This game is such a disservice to the great build up trespasser created. Solas and the entire conflict surrounding the dread wolf deserved better. As for the progressiveness, DA has always been progressive with its characters and representation. My issue is that the major scenes people are talking about come of performative and lack any chemistry. That scene where Isabella does push ups is laughable. feels like the game is talking to you, its so strange. DAI presented a trans character in a much better way with far more success imo. And the dialogue feels so incredibly stiff and weak.

[@twenty-fifth420]

SHE IS BACK RIGHT AFTER I ALMOST BUILT MY NEW PC. LETS FUCKING GOOOOOO

[@kdjets]

I think what skill up meant with his HR comment is simply that the conflicts between characters and dialogue, along with the outcomes and consequences didn't feel outwardly influential toward the plot and narrative of the game. I listen to a lot of his content and he seems constantly willing to push back against bigoted opinions in gaming. I don't believe he meant anything negative or suggestive about it towards lgbt people whatsoever. Later he shows some conversations that are really low-key and not very confrontational and he likely just meant that. More so that characters seem to be getting along so swimmingly that for him it got boring and didn't function as any. Interesting way to move character relationships along. That's what I took away from it as a queer person myself. I think he's generally a good writer, I really enjoy his reviews. He thought the last of us part 2 was a bit thin with its characters and I respect his opinion. But I also respectfully massively disagree with his last of Us part 2 review. I'm hoping I disagree with the dragon Age review once I play it

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Yeah! Just for clarity, I don't bring up Skill Up or MrMattyPlays because I think they're bad dudes, they're probably really chill, or at least they seem like it outwardly, but based on what we've seen unfold in the fandom, my larger point (which I bring things around to later on) is that far-right people are using discourse like that to push their bigotry, so this is an important moment for fans and people in online gaming communities. Watching something like this happen in real time is depressing, but it's also an opportunity for people to see what's happening and learn from it, which I hope we do.

[@autobotstarscream765]

​@CH4R10T_TV The Anti-Wokerz always take pains to mention "if EVEN "ShillUp" or MrMatty, who are normally woke simps, agree with us". 🤡

[@SarastistheSerpent]

I’m totally new to the series, so I can’t compare my experience to other games in the franchise, but I bought Veilguard on a whim and am loving it to far. I have no clue what all these people are complaining about when it comes to the story or writing so far. Seems like a thin veil for their bigotry

[@kelseymtf8345]

they call them antiwoke because you'd have to be asleep to believe any of their obvious lies :)

[@WhichDoctor1]

i love the contrast in the intro between being like "they put woke in my dragon age! Dragon age of all games!!" with "dragon age has been gay since 2009, it's not brave or clever any more they need to stop". Which is it guys? Pick a lane

[@verablack3137]

I am certainly going to pick it up, a narrative RPG that the company didn't put Denuvo in? Count me in, the LGBT stuff is just a bonus on top. I think my 5800X/6700XT is good enough to run it via Proton

[@PlaylistGeneral]

The frustrating part of this conservative backlash is that as always, I feel like they're actually almost onto something with their complains, but just reach really bizarre and way-offbase conclusions. I do think there's something up with how a lot of games are writing their characters. I watched my housemate play the intro or Veilgard and the writing and dialoge felt super clunky. The intro has the same issue as the last Mass Effect where nothing feels emotionally real and grounded, and instead feels like a TTRPG session with friends. But maybe it recovers. SkillUp seemed to be onto something, everyone is too nice in these games. That, or it doesnt feel like the writing doesn't have the confidence to go for more emotionally complicated characters. I think that's a Bioware issue though, because games like BG3 and Disco Elysium DO NOT have this problem at sll imo. But all that's entirely separate from the increased inclusivity of these games. And it's also kinda revealing that these people correlate "being nice to people" with some kind of entropic cultural rot. The real issue here is just modern writing tropes being correlated with some kind of agenda. People are correctly identifying the tropes they dislike but then running in the wrong fucking direction. The problem is the same as always: people getting valid feelings on things that aren't working in their art and not quite figuring out why, but running with it anyway and continuously doubling down until Oops All Bigotry! Seriously, top surgery scars in a character select is so fucking cool. I'm so happy for my trans bros.

[@a_stray_dog]

It depresses me to no end that gaming discourse has been contaminated by grifters and rage-addicted tourists to the point where we cannot discuss one of the biggest releases of the year, from one of the industry's most veteran and revered studios, without kowtowing to their insipid, baseless arguments. I think there's a lot other developers could learn from the failures and triumphs of Veilguard, but it's all going to be buried under an avalanche of discourse from some basement-dweller about how he couldn't get his peepee hard because of chest scars. It makes me specially mad because I am convinced these people don't actually enjoy games. Go to any of the channels and social media profiles of the people complaining about "the woke": It is, nearly unanimously, 100% culture war garbage. None of them actually play any games, yet they try to act as gatekeepers, like they know what the "real gaming audience" wants. Dude, the last game you enjoyed was released in 2005, I'm sorry to tell you that you are completely and absolutely out of touch with the culture and the community. Go back to obsessively watching isekai anime or whatever you were doing before you realized being mad at games was profitable and shut up.

[@anitaremenarova6662]

What triumphs? This game fumbles at every turn, is there any area where it excells?

[@rashkah]

Imagine being triggered by the word "melanin" lmfao

[@DamnedSilly]

I'm starting to think this 'outrage' happens so much these days because people keep jumping onto every bad game and blaming it's badness on whatever hobby horse they want to ride instead of looking at what actually made it a bad game to begin with. I don't know if Veilguard is actually a bad game, haven't played it, but it's getting a lot of negative reviews so lets jump on the bandwagon, but... instead of talking about gameplay, story, graphics, bugs or any of a million possible failings lets blame this easy, kneejerk umbrella issue I already have a bunch of talking points to spout about. I've seen a number of games in the past couple years that I _have_ played go through this same cycle.

[@leatheryfoot6354]

I watched a couple of your videos before this one and I have never disagreed with a person on so many topics before. I wish your channel the best tho. I ain't gonna hate on the grind. Respecc. It's all love, baby. ✌️ ❤️

[@FelisImpurrator]

Okay, okay, I have a serious question. What do you think of the cultural discourse around so-called "modern writing" (or phrases like "Marvel writing" or "no one talks like that" or "cringe dialogue" that have been floating around) and the way people suddenly started throwing those accusations around? Personally, I think it's a mix of people just sort of culturally gaslighting each other into thinking there's a problem (or that a minor issue is way bigger than it is), people wanting to be edgy and part of a "counter-culture" that presumably involves hating things they ate up five years ago, people literally just getting old and cynical (or similarly, wanting to seem more mature and "discerning"), and - in some specific cases - just acting out cultural biases (mainly the dogmatic extremes of "show don't tell" and frankly, allistic biases against autistic people and the way we talk). It all mixes into this whole feedback loop of people normalizing the idea that there's something socially unacceptable or "tasteless", and subsequently conditioning more people into disliking it, which fuels more "see, no one likes this" groupthink, and... I dunno. It's dumb. I don't understand it because I disregard public opinion and can't connect to it in any meaningful way. But I will say the only truly memorable example I've played of a game with obnoxiously ham-fisted faux "progressive" writing was Borderlands TPS and that was ages ago. It actually was trying way too hard to be in line with vaguely reactionary Tumblr-liberal sentiment and relied too hard on cheap stereotypes against "acceptable targets". But for the most part, games grew out of that era and moved on. Reactionaries didn't.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I'm glad you asked because I've been wanting to make a video about that, but I think I need to do a couple videos about adjacent topics before I get around to it. Hopefully for now it will suffice to say that I have opinions!

[@FelisImpurrator]

@CH4R10T_TV Hell yeah. Looking forward to THAT one. Can you playlist the whole arc including related topics when you do that?

[@CH4R10T_TV]

@FelisImpurrator I've already considered it! Might be a good idea.

[@fellen_]

This has been feeling weird to me too, it sometimes feels like people are being trained with palatable phrases so when they want to throw shade at some project it's just 'legitimate concerns'. I watched my friend playing Veilguard and the dialogue just felt like game dialogue, it's always going to be a bit janky becuase of how it flows and has to fit to the players inputs and timing etc. So many videos about veilguard have a bunch of comments with almost the same words "I just can't get passed the writing..". it's starting to feel like a dogwhistle. Also the 'marvel writing' thing is odd to me as the things often pointed to have been present in media for decades. Action characters have always been quipping and underplaying situations, James Bond, Indiana Jones etc.

[@GM_MorganV]

Having taken the game for a spin this morning, here’s what you get to customize about the world state: Origin of your inquisitor Romance option If you wanted to bonk or redeem Solas If you disbanded or not.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Hmmm, guess in that respect the DA2 custom worldstate comparison was apt.

[@FelisImpurrator]

Honestly, it is lame but also I kind of completely understand. The sheer weight of having to track so many choices across games has always been an utterly unsustainable vision for Bioware to deliver on. Even at their height, they were hard pressed to give us more than a list of score popups. We were never going to get a game of that scope with a new team. But hey, it seems to have prevented the crunch demon from possessing Bioware again and that's great.

[@GM_MorganV]

@@FelisImpurratorYeah, much as I would have loved for this to use “My Thedas” I get it. BioWare got high on their own supply and needed to make a good game even if it meant not making the game they wanted to. I’d rather them make a good game that’s a more tailored experience than promise me everything and under deliver.

[@FelisImpurrator]

@GM_MorganV It's a new team scaling BACK from a multiplayer live service (thankfully) and taking the reins from the old team, too... So really, it's just responsible project scoping in the AAA scene for the first time in years. Also they're still mandated to use Frostbite, and Bethesda's failure to make Starfield good especially should be a stark lesson in not forcing engines past their limits. Inquisition nearly broke that engine. We weren't ever getting a CRPG on it. But honestly, it seems like these new guys know that and have what it takes to craft a fun, focused, polished, and complete experience, so let's let 'em cook.

[@GM_MorganV]

@@FelisImpurratorOH yeah, I’m actually thrilled about a complete lack of live service fuckery in this. The game seems to take a lot of inspiration from Mass Effect 2 and I’m happy to see where it goes.

[@shallowhound2751]

commenting for the algorithm because it’s important to push back against bad faith rage-bait slop that’s Trojan horsed as quote on quote ‘criticism’ but really it’s just bigotry. Anyways wishing all actual Dragon Age fans a very pleasant time with the new game :3

[@BixRibene]

I think the correct response is "Wah Wah, grow up babies" or something along those lines, maybe?!!!

[@DamnedSilly]

It kind of worse, because there are from what I've heard real problems with the game, but some people coopt the negative responses to support their 'message'. You know, all those people who go on and on about how 'the message' is ruining games. It's not game play, blandness, writing etc. It's this 'message' we should all fear. The only real 'message' is AAA studios are having a hard time making good games, but any real reviewer can see it's not that a certain character exists, it's that their dialog was badly written, or their role in the story was pointless or whatever. We can see this clearly because it applies just as much to characters who don't fit the profile. When all the writing is bad, singling out that a trans character was written badly is hardly the point. Yet, that's all some will focus on.

[@FelisImpurrator]

​@@DamnedSillyI'm genuinely unsure whether the complaints are even valid. They're covered here in the second half of the video but those criticisms are so vague they could just mean "me no like".

[@Snowie7826]

​@@DamnedSillyHot take: Authoritarianism is bad, actually

[@Despoina_Nyx]

Sending a wee little comment for the algo. I feel at some point we'll have to utterly un-engage with this grifters, part of their powers is algorithmic pushing and part of it gets fuel by hate watch. I feel we need an alternative while also utterly ignore them, do our best to drown out their hate and starve them for views so that the grift is so utterly powerless we may be able to defeat it.

[@wyattbrown6492]

It’s strange the biggest infighting argument is “it’s too heavy handed”. It just gives me “slippery slope” vibes any time someone says it.

[@TheThasadar]

Yesterday an acquaintance of mine started some ~small talk~ with "Dragon Age: Veilguard is failing because of the trans-stuff". I told him that I don't believe that argument, he dropped it and we talked about something else. So I got curios and found some videos that compared DA:O dialog with veilguard, and yeah there's a qualitiy drop. And the algorithm offered more of the same guy and then obviosly videos around the woke argument. Eventually found this one, and I'm glad I did. Good stuff

[@kdjets]

I've been having a really rough day so the footage at the beginning actually did make me tear up a little bit. I just can't stand thinking about people that live their lives in such bigotry. Just imagine how less rich their lives are, tossing out a whole demographic of people that they simply won't take the time to understand.

[@kdjets]

Yeah, I'm just going To laugh at these people through the rest of the video with your commentary because with commentary it's so much more pathetic and funny. I don't know without commentary or somebody speaking some sense. I just see so much thinly veiled hatred and grifting that it's disappointing as hell

[@FelisImpurrator]

I can't imagine being these people. It's as if they don't realize they can just... Not care. Acknowledge the existence of a new and unfamiliar thing and move on.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I understand. I put that footage there specifically with the music to make fun and to give an impression of the weeks and weeks of this that I've been sifting through. The number one thing that had me heated while making this was how the formula is basically taking something people like (game, movie, show), and attaching suspicion towards a minority group to it as "criticism." It really drove home to me the industry, replete with financial motivations, of online bigotry, the sheer willingness to make unprincipled reactionary content doing their little Vernichtungskrieg podcasts and videos and streams, half for dollars and half for hatred. They're monetizing our marginalization.

[@FelisImpurrator]

@CH4R10T_TV Always has been. I mean every moral panic has a political and/or (usually and) monetary incentive behind it. That is the entire sordid history of the Religious Right, televangelists, and all sorts of other supposed moral arbiters throughout history. Make bank, gain social power, and condition obedient servants or submissive followers by preying on people's fears and claiming moral authority. Even the online left has this crap.

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

Dragon Age has always been woke, but it also used to be good.

[@kambion]

it's still good, you just haven't played it or care to engage with it honestly.

[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

@kambion I am like 2 hours into the game right now. Though I have chosen to play it without buying it for the moment, until I can decide for myself.

[@Courier_333]

​@kambion nah you have zero taste if you think this new dragon age feels anything like the original games. BTW I have zero problem with any woke elements in anything.

[@Violesada]

@@kambion this is cap bro. the new game is a spit in the face of the all build up that trespasser did. despite all its flaws. inquisition created a fantastic character with nuance and solas was exactly that. instead he's side-lined and his entire conflict is not given the respect it deserves.

[@Sakuna451]

@@Courier_333 Let's take your reasoning. You have zero taste if you think Dragon Age inquisition is like the original game

[@planescaped]

The term woke has been used and misused so much that people these days tend to apply it to anything mildly progressive or unconventional. Dragon Age has always been progressive and unconventional... "woke" is taking that to extremes.

[@devinhill6823]

I genuinely do not understand how people are able to grift with BioWare, the studio that was openly progressive from its inception. Have they had issues with said representation? Hell yes, I always cite the gay romance in Mass Effect 3 as a concrete example of the traumatized gay trope. I played that game around the time i figured out i was gay when i was a teen and it made me feel gross seeing how that romance went. When even Angry fucking Joe back in the day could look at that romance and go "eeeeehhhh" you know you done fucked up. Despite their issues, theyve always attempted and Zevran in Origins is a great example of a well written potentially gay romance, that game also has some bad shit in it too but hey it was 2009 so ill give some leeway there. I havent played Veilguard yet, cant afford a $60 charge when rents gone up, but ill prolly pick it up when it goes on sale and I finish a full playthrough of the series again. Im not gonna fall for cherry picked bs. Granted what i saw was pretty bad compared to Krems' representation in Inquisiton, so i know they can do better when it comes to exploring trans issues, and I hope im proven wrong when i finally play because its gonna be really sad if I find Taash to be badly written. Krem was a nice character, I always liked talking to him in inquisition but at the end of the day, he's a side character with very little screen time. I want a good example of a trans companion in an rpg. The closest example I got was in Baldurs Gate Siege of Dragonspear and i cannot for the life of me remember that characters name and im pretty sure they only had like 4 lines of dialogue.

[@nischana4194]

Thanks you for this well structured and layed out video, while it might not be the biggest hit because it dos not fan the flames of rage like everything else on the Internet it helped me alot. I myself, as someone that used games as a save haven for years, while not beeing part of a minority struggelt with the things you describe here. At some point i was very well on the train of going fully to the extrem right because these appeals to emotions worked on me. Lucky for me i have few friends that helped pull me back, and while i had a understanding whats happing, your video rly helped me to put into words and put reason to a vague understanding that can be used. The last 5 min of the video where the most important for me and hepled me to ajust my perspektiv on whats happing and form a even clearer picture. i rarly comment on things, but since your video helped me so mutch i feld i wanted to leave one here.

[@legendswarble2845]

Not even a minute in to the clipshow and I have to laugh at the notion that physical strength and being nonbinary are somehow contradictory things lmao

[@GreenWormJello]

So after playing Veilguard for 60 hours, I have some thoughts… and I have to say that the criticisms against it have been massively overblown to the point that I literally don’t know what anyone is talking about. The writing is not bad at all. The dialogue is really no more ‘modern’ sounding than in inquisition, and the characters talk appropriately depending on who they are. Everyone crapping all over the way Taash speaks is very stupid. They speak very similarly to other Qunari throughout the series. They’re very blunt and don’t mince words and since they were raised by a qunari mother who still believes in the qun despite leaving it behind it makes perfect sense. Sten’s dialogue was way more curt and to the point, and Bull in inquisition had that bluntness about him too (though he is considered very charismatic for a Qunari) But when you look at a character like Emmerich, an older character who works as a professor, his dialogue is written immaculately. He speaks in much more metaphorical and poetic language. The story and characters are great imo, but I do agree that SOME of the dialogue in VERY early game seems a bit strange and I do wish there was more friction between the companion members. As someone who’s been a huge fan of Dragon age for 15 years, I think Veilguard is a solid entry in the franchise. I don’t think it’s as good as Inquisition or origins but it’s better than 2. Not that I blame anyone for liking 2 more or having it as their favourite but from an objective standpoint 2 is the least coherent in the series, due to rushed development. As for its wokeness? What a stupid criticism. Literally everything we see happening in Veilguard has been set up from the very beginning. Like this video says “dragon age has always been woke”

[@GreenWormJello]

PS the game is beautiful looking with a perfected knack for environmental storytelling. I miss the RPG style combat a little and I’m not a huge fan of how similar to mass effect the combat and companion controls are… But the combat is really fun and satisfying at the same time so I can’t complain too much.

[@CH4R10T_TV]

I haven't settled on whether I like the combat better or worse than the other games, but I think you're hitting on something big. I've been streaming this game on and off to my audience on Twitch and it's become clear to me that a lot of the people talking smack about this game are living in an alternative reality. I've been hearing for weeks about how the game doesn't have any dark themes, that it doesn't allow the player to make bad decisions, that Rook is allowed to offend the companions, that the writing is all around bad (they rarely specify how or why they think this, it's just a kneejerk aesthetic judgment), that the representation is somehow offensive, that actions have no consequences, etc. etc. and genuinely I have watched every single one of those criticisms fall completely flat against the reality of what the actual game is like. I have started to formulate some criticisms, but I think it'll be a while before I figure out how to voice them (fine by me since those patron videos won't happen until starting around May of 2025 anyway). Ultimately, this has reaffirmed my belief that product reviews are not the same as art critiques, that people can't be trusted to judge good or bad writing (a thing which I as a writer and former English student already felt coming on), and that everybody who got judgy in the comment section of this video because I said I was going to give a fair shake to a work of art that they insisted -- sometimes quite angrily -- was bad before I played it are all clowns. I can't wait to write critiques and commentaries on The Veilguard just like I've been doing for Origins, 2 and Inquisition (some of those coming to the main channel in 2025)!

[@GreenWormJello]

@@CH4R10T_TV Yeah saying there are no ‘dark themes’ is just baffling to me specifically because it says to me that the people saying that haven’t played past the prologue. None of the games are perfect, but I feel there is a distinct lack of media literacy when it comes to the criticisms against this specific game, and it’s almost like a complete derangement. It’s still a dragon age game and nothing in the game retcons or breaks the established lore and it continues to expand upon the themes of the rest of the series , despite what people suggest. I don’t know if people just haven’t been paying attention to the through lines of this series or if the people criticizing it just aren’t familiar with the other games.

[@salamantics]

@@GreenWormJello Dude i'm playing dragon age 2 right now and I have no clue what you're talking about. Even basic conversations have better dialogue, and certainly better choices. Hawke can be quite the douche, as can the inquisitor. The harshest thing Rook did for me was punching the warden and assuming control. Besides the mayor the choices just don't feel significant at all. If you don't care about lucanis or neve the minrathos vs treviso choice is just nothing. I don't feel the presence of the occupying venatori, and they're staring at me. Side quests are horrible, the most interesting ones are related to the memories of the dread wolf. It's much like inquisition in that way, but inquisition actually bothered to deal with your previous choices in other games. Romance is pretty bland, doesn't remotely compare to merill. The combat is boring on any difficulty other than easy, so combat is certainly not the reason you'd replay. The game also decides a lot of your canon, for example we're not dalish no matter how hard we might have wanted to be. The background origins were somewhat decent but also feel a little lacking in the case of the shadow dragons and lords of fortune. Ta'ash is also a very annoying companion for reasons completely unrelated to their gender identity, though for some reason the writers made that half their motivation. Also...ta'ash vs emmrich. and Ta'ash vs neve. I did like the two main antagonists though! i'll give credit where i think it's due. The voice actress for Ghila'nain (i believe) was really performing her heart out. I half think the only reason people defend this game is because it's supporting a certain political lens. And if that's what you want, you should be demanding better representation and better analogues to political issues. This game doesn't serve that purpose well, either. I've seen a lot of people say "Ta'ash behaves like a stereotype" and that's not what we want. also even people who liked the game admit that the baarve scene was horrible PR.

[@GreenWormJello]

@@salamantics I mean a lot of these things are a matter of perspective. In order to get into why I think DA2 is very underwritten it would take way too long. Also it’s been done to death and while it’ll probably always be my least favourite of the series I think, similarly to Veilguard, its flaws have been exacerbated so intensely by a very toxic minority of people online (people sending death threats to the developers back when it came out) that I simply have no interest in publicly shitting on something a lot of people like and adding to that toxicity. If others like DA2 more than Veilguard, then more power to them. If DA2 is their favourite in the series even. I don’t get that but good for them, I’m glad they found something they enjoyed. There are also things you’re just incorrect about. Like not being able to be Dalish? If you play as an elf you can have Vallaslin and also talk with conversation options specifically for Dalish. I mean you can’t explicitly choose the Dalish as a faction (though the Veiljumpers are a Dalish-run group) But… i mean inquisition didn’t let you play as a non-Dalish elf, or a non-noble human, or a Qun-raised qunari. Yeah I think more options for a backstory is always a good thing. But let’s not pretend Veilguard is the only game with limited options or even the worst for limits on options. It’s also ironic to defend DA2 where you literally have a set race, background and family with no ability to adjust that for yourself…then turn around and criticize Veilguard for not being able to make yourself ‘Dalish’ (even though you can) Also what do you mean half of Taash’s motivation is their gender? That’s just not true. The struggles with their gender directly coincides with the internal conflict they have about their entire identity. They don’t know if they’re truly Qunari like their mother wants them to be, or if they’re Rivaini because of where they were raised. The struggle to have their mother acknowledge them as more than just someone to carry on the Qun. Taash’s entire journey is about self-discovery. If you don’t like their personality fine, but you can’t just ignore the layers of meaning within the story and character dialogue then try to claim there simply are no layers. Dragon Age has always been about trying to save a broken world and this game’s story follows that by being all about healing from the scars of our past. It’s the main throughline of Veilguard and it’s represented in each character’s backstory and their rivals. Showcasing the toxic dynamics with their gods, their ancestors, their friends, their families. The support from the others leads each of them to a place of stability and security. Then they can break their chains of trauma and especially regret. People are so focused on nitpicking every little piece of dialogue they deem ‘bad’ (even if it makes perfect sense if you were to think about it for more than 3 seconds) that they seem to fail to even understand the meaning behind the words. That’s why I find a distinct lack of media literacy in a lot of the criticisms I see. For example people who criticize the awkwardness of Taash’s dialogue. Failing to see that it’s entirely by design. Taash is an awkward person, they also are almost as blunt as Sten was in origins. That’s a qunari thing Taash has learned being raised by a mother still loyal to the Qun religion. Or I’ve seen criticisms that Bellara speaks in short, simple and almost modern-sounding language. But that’s also by design because she’s in the clan that founded the Veiljumpers, who were the first Dalish to rediscover the advanced technology and lore of the ancient elves. She’s been steeped in that world so she speaks like it. She also is constantly trying to find the simplest and most straight forward ways to explain things to people who are not from that world. Each character has a unique way of talking and expressing themselves based on where they’re from and who they are and the scars that haunt them. Not everyone has to like Veilguard. It’s not a perfect game by any means but I still think it’s solid. I give it like a 7.5/10. I think Origins is an 8/10, inquisition is a 9/10 and DA2 is a 6/10 But that’s just my personal view of it 🤷‍♂️ I’m not saying every criticism of the game is wrong but putting my defense out here is important as everywhere I see, anyone giving this game even a remotely positive review is getting dogpiled and insulted in the majority of the comments. It’s just not necessary. Also yes I think this game probably has the most compelling main villains of the series. But then again that’s because they’ve been built up since the very beginning of the series so it’s almost unfair to compare them to the other antagonists of the series.

[@Merafry]

"Dragon Age Has Always Been Woke". I'm not a right winger but people trying to insinuate that Identity politic was represented in the same way in DA:O and now in DA:V like you are just delusional. DA:O was a fantasy universe that had queers elements integrated in the world. DA:V feels like a conversation about hyper specific American identity politics and struggle, the way the characters interact, expresse themselves and even resolve conflit feel fake as fuck. I'm only 12 hours in btw if that important. I wont use the term woke because it doesn't mean anything really but it's just trash, hyper American id pol writing. If you want to be progressive, games like bg3 are a perfect example of how to do it, that why the backlash was minimal for that game.

[@oliviawilliams6204]

I wonder why they think surgery scars wouldn’t be a thing, considering how common scars are in the franchise

[@enjoyjustida9629]

Wait until they learn that pronouns are taught in schools

[@Courier_333]

Dragon age has always been woke. But this new game has clunky writing and bad art design. It's not woke trash. It's just mediocre.

[@Emanon...]

Star Trek, Star Wars, DnD etc All of this has been "woke" since day one. The problem is that Veil Guard, and other games/shows/movies criticised for the same thing, is just plain bad. But anger and outrage sells. Especially when many of the consumers are incel Tate weeks.

[@diestormlie]

RE Skillup- having watched Skillup content for quite some time, I really don't think he's Chud or Chud-adjacent. My read of 'Like HR was in the room' was that it was to mean stilted, overly non-confrontational. In another section of his review, for example, he comments about how somewhere between the Dialogue Wheel option and the actual voiceline, a confrontational-coded option is toned-down. (Paraphrasing, along the lines of from "Who the fuck is this?" to "who is this?") And the thing is, if you don't engage in chud content (either as a 'true believer' or as a Chud-Watcher) then you wouldn't have an idea that 'HR speak' is a Chud term. Hell, I didn't clock it as one, because good lord who has the time to keep up with their own Euphemism Treadmills?

[@CH4R10T_TV]

Yeah, I added it on screen at one point because I didn't think in editing that the script got it across perfectly, but I don't think he and MrMattyPlays are bad dudes, just that stuff they're adjacent to is being targeted for infiltration. I added the second quote from the MrMattyPlays tweet on screen as well because I had at least hoped it would inspire people to be aware that their communities are being targeted like how the Innuendo Studios clip says. Hopefully they weather that storm positively.

[@diestormlie]

@CH4R10T_TV Ahhh right. I suppose I got more of a... Implication of complicity? This is why Chuds are the worst- they extrude a miasma over the entire goddamn ecosystem.

[@mandu6665]

It's such a loaded and entitled "critique" though. Nearly every party RPG has teenage like problems (helloooooo bad girl Jack versus cheerleader Miranda) or the exact same conflict between Shadowheart and Lazazel. Why can't my team just get along? Him suggesting confrontation is more realistic and adds more.options is laughable because arguing for party members to act one way is incredibly limiting and the opposite of fantasy RPGs. It's such an awful "argument." Does SkillUp even understand RPGs?

[@diestormlie]

@mandu6665 I have to apologise, but I can't quite parse your line of argument. Don't suppose you'd be kind enough to try expanding/rephrasing it?

[@omegatheta1701]

look of all the reasons to be disapointed with dragon age game, wokeness isn't even in the top 112. like the first 100 are just variations on "EA sucking the soul out of Biowares ability to make a game that feels genuinely fun to play because they would rather overmonetize everything because EA is the devil" and then the next twelve are various critiques of gramatical errors and then i suppose we could fit wokeness into it somewhere past there.... but seriously im so tired of us giving these deeply closeted losers any attention when they scream "woke" because thats why they do it. they scream woke to get attention because without controversy they would have to go get a job at mcdonalds as the ephemeral nature of the human attention span is fleeting when it comes to drama, which they thrive on.

[@koshetz]

Okay, i didn't finished the game but my main grudges is that ALL discourse around DATV actually harm any valid criticism about it, which (as an old Bioware fan) i have. So here's some of my thoughts after playing 15+ hours. NO SPOILERS. The game on it's core is everything i wanted from new Dragon Age: good amount of story, interactions with companions aren't just two short quests, the game has right amount of filler which serves as an optional addition and does not harm the main story. Combat is fun and engaging i end up trying different companions and their abilities instead of ending up with one team of three characters as i did in previous games. The locations are beautiful and fun to explore. All these thing DO make Veilguard a big improvement after the Inquisition, the game that by most part felt like a chore to finish. So on core side Bioware did everything right. However, Veilguard kinda sucks at the details. Last time when i played DAI my main character of a choice was a human. Because of this he (the inquisitor) had to gain trust of dalish elves in the camp to proceed the questline. It was logical because we all know that humans and elves have a ROUGH history in Thedas. Yet in DATV the camp of mostly dalish elves was extremely friendly and on board with my TEVINTER HUMAN MAGE to the point they were open to an idea of him interacting with ancient elven artifact. You know the person elves historically should trust THE LEAST. It broke my immersion very quickly. And i also have a lot of grudges that nearly all elves felt the same despite city elves, dalish elves and ancient elves being presented wery differently through the series. Not to mention... Most of them feel too human. Even ancient ones and it's disappointing. To break immersion even more: every character is absolutely calm and okay to fight "ancient elven gods" despite most people in Thedas are Andrastian and do not know/believe in elven gods. It's the equivalent to go to random stranger and say "Odin is escaped the all god prison and now Ragnarok is coming" and everyone will be "ah sure how do we fight him" instead of "wtf are you talking about". Voice acting and accents are so over the place i end up skipping some dialogues simply because it was painful to listen to. And this is a big shame since DA2 was the FIRST game when i legit noted how good all characters speak and how real voice acting feels. The dialogue... Well i have a mixed feelings about this one. Dragon Age always been corny and I don't get the critique of "marvel dialogue" since almost every media has it at some point and you can clip any quote out of context to make it feel a bit cringy. But also the dialogue in DATV feels repetitive. 100000 talk about "ancient artifacts" gets boring really quickly. Companions always tell you what happened which is annoying. Trans stuff? Don't like the usage of modern terminology, it's just dont feels authentic like Krem dialogue did in DAI. But that's about it. In conclusion: i love to play this game, there wasn't a single moment when i get bored. But so many small things and decisions about it also disappoint me. Maybe my opinion will change more far in the game. We shall see.

[@wolfblaide]

You may have a good point (but I must admit I found it hard to follow, as you don't summarise your thoughts or present anything visual.) But I think you're missing the point a bit... the "HR was in the room" comment seems to be quite a good descriptive for the dialog. That actually does seem how it's presented... dumbed the topics down and removed the real human element from the characters. Some of the dialog I've seen is really quite poor. As if it's aimed at children. Of course people will react to that. To be honest I think the LGBTQ community will be split on this also. I can see real issues with the game dev's overly-sanitised approach.

[@restlessoblivion]

I've got the first two Dragon Age games from a Steam sale for super cheap at some point but I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to them. There's too many games to play and not enough time. Maybe Veilguard is a decent entry point?

[@wyattbrown6492]

I have played so many hours of veilgaurd. None of the claims they make are ever true. “Forced” themes are barely present and only offensive to those trained to hate.

[@wander7984]

i really like the representation and always loved the woke, that is not my problem with the game! make them even wokier for all i care

[@RedSunUnderParadise]

It isn't anymore. Woke would have meant having the stones to tackle brutal subject matters, to take people out of their comfort zones by showing them something dark and terrifying hence why the LGBT loves horror so much. Veilguard is trying to be hugboxy, dispensing with the dark elements despite the premise being perfect for it.

[@marcospisanis739]

I really wanna get Dragon Age Veilguard but price is too high.

[@Grimreapo]

Hii, can you give a link to that good BBC4 clip? Wanna show it to a friend

[@CH4R10T_TV]

All clips shown are cited in the bibliography linked in the description, but if you're talking about the John Berger clip, all four episodes of "Ways of Seeing" are free on KZbin, just search "John Berger Ways of Seeing" and they pop right up.

[@sashashahriari8244]

Wow, inquisition felt like padding game time was the point. It was disrespectful that the horse didn’t actually move faster when sprinting. And the game was the worst of the 3.

[@jonathanstern5537]

Gaming, for decades, has been the domain of children and geeks. Typically, geeks are outcasts. What I don't understand is how one group of outcasts can turn around and treat another group of outcasts poorly.

[@kazamajack1091]

Dragon age 2 gets waaaaaay too much flack. It's undoubtedly the black sheep of the series (It should've been called Dragon Age: Exiduous as was planned, and I'm still mad that it wasn't) But putting aside it's reused assets, and narrow story DA2 is amazing IMO. If I could play DAO with DA2's combat I would 100% of the time.

[@Aliulo]

00:54 GINGER PRIME NOOOOOOOO

[@Aliulo]

I haven't watched him in a year or two but I thought he was (mostly) cool. :( Edit: Holy shit I just remembered when he pulled out his friend's dead child to win an argument over video games. Never mind, no longer surprised.

[@gytrplr]

I did not even know this was coming out. I have played all of them myself and liked them all. Will get it and play it on my Destiny downtime. “Gamers” are all grifters if you ask me

[@mikeyfisher4256]

I'm with you on welcoming new people to series, tourist when used in that way is more when people claim they love an entire series except the new one cause it's woke, ignoring all the stuff that they would call woke in all previous installments. Happened with Mechwarrior 5 Clans, tourists claiming to love Battletech hate Clans cause "powerful woke dei women" when the damn lore is woke af. That's what a tourist is, a fraudulent person pretending to like something just to spread their vitriol about in that fandom, then, like a tourist, they leave. I don't think people use tourist to describe newcomers to a series and if they have, that's bad.

[@ChrisMcElroy-k9n]

Dragon age was always woke!

[@Emma_square_Feet]

Thank you for putting this together, it's been a oasis in deluge of YT critism videos by those that have clearly never played previous dragon age games, or even mass effect games. Edit: & Thank you for tackling the subject of how the gaming community has been infiltrated by far right wannabes, pushing weird propaganda and values, and the noticeable lack of push back from the game community.

[@DirtyDan77-]

I’m not even a big DA fan (only played inquisition and veilguard) and I’ve known this, I do think it was definitely done more tastefully in the previous entry though, in this one it feels more like they’re lecturing you on it; which does kinda suck.

[@DamnTheBeavers]

If the game had better writting it wouldn't recieve this backlash..the dialogue is abysmal..even tho the dark fantasy is gone, the character designs are too cartoonish and there are almost no choices...the writting was all that mattered

[@Crystalgate]

I'm not a regular watcher of your videos, but this one appeared in my feed. I remember Dragon Age being very outspoken about featuring homosexual/bisexual relationships and characters and when I heard about it, I though "cool". With that in mind, it makes sense that the series would evolve into also featuring transsexual/nonbinary characters and I think they should be very outspoken about it just like they were with the homosexual relationships. At the same time, while I reacted with thinking "cool" when hearing about the homosexual relationships, I did not have the same reaction to hearing about the transsexual characters in Veilguard. Something felt off, but I can't nail why. I may have been manipulated into reacting more negatively to transsexual elements than I otherwise would, but there may also actually be problems with them that I can't nail down yet. I will look into how well the game does commercially compared to other Dragon Age titles and into the game's story and see what I find out.

[@lizb7271]

Dragon Age: Origins was so woke that playing it made me a trans lesbian. Edit: this is not a joke, playing as a woman in Dragon Age: Origins and romancing Leliana was a key part of cracking my egg.

[@eugeneworthington7042]

These are the kinds of stories that make me love video games.

[@JeannieLove]

Nice! I already knew I was trans and identified as a lesbian for as long as I understood what lesbian meant. But Bioware games were one fo the first I played that let me be who I wanted to be in a game. Jade Empire was the first one I played.

[@lizb7271]

@JeannieLove It was only being able to play games in private without someone looking over my shoulder in university that I was able to make my excuses to myself and play Origins and Saints Row III as a female character. After that, I couldn't go back. I tried playing Saints Row IV with a male character and I just couldn't do it, I changed back as soon as I could.

[@JeannieLove]

@@lizb7271 I gotcha. I was fortunate I didn't have to worry about it. I saved up to play Final Fantasy XI when it first released and picked the Mithra, all female catgirls, and I actually met someone in game and one day we acted like our two characters were in a relationship. I felt like Cinderella going to the ball.

[@kdjets]

29:22 skillup and mattyplays are other examples of people that are critical about Dragon Age but don't engage in right-wing propaganda.

[@kdjets]

Okay, that's hilarious that you happened to talk specifically about both of those people in response to comments saying they were proof the game is bad. I thought they were both fair in saying that you should explore the opinions of people who enjoy the game. They were initially the reviews I saw, considering I watched both of those channels. The Matty plays connection to that online racist is a little bit strange, But I Don't get outwardly bad vibes from Matt tbh. In his review for Dragon Age, he talked about how gone home was a landmark game for him that brought him into the queer experience And I don't think he would have brought up representation as a big positive if he was a negative grifter type. If his audience was looking for that, he only stands to alienate them, bringing up the importance of representation.

[@autobotstarscream765]

​@@kdjetsSometimes you gotta keep the audience happy, and sometimes you gotta weed out the face-eating leopards before they eat the rest of the audience. 🐆

[@jbdxiii]

It hasn't always been this badly written, though.

[@kambion]

it's still not.

[@justaaron2558]

@@kambion It is. The game is crap.

[@TheUnlimitedProductions]

@@kambionyes it is…

[@Lettuce_B3]

They did qunari extremly dirty. Their horns used to grow out of the skull, while in Veilguard they grow out their enlarged, deformed foreheads which looks very disturbing. Absolutely unforgivable.

[@TheRoguePrince0]

They have been doing the qunari dirty ever since the first dragon age 2 trailer. In dragon age origins qunari were giant grim looking warriors with braided hair they didn't have horns that's just a retcon.

[@Lettuce_B3]

@TheRoguePrince0 sure but at least the horns looked cool. Now its like they got hit on the forehead with a frying pan.

[@giverdend1416]

@@TheRoguePrince0 The Qunari were always supposed to have horns, but they cut it from DAO because they couldn't figure out how to handle helmets for them. You can even see their concept art with horns in the DAO section of the book "Bioware: Stories and Secrets". It's not a retcon.

[@jasontasco]

It’s funny how they all keep regurgitating the same thing about “woke culture” and not wanting to be preached to while playing a video game. Maybe if 75 percent of individuals within gaming and nerd culture wasn’t so racist, misogynistic, transphobic, and homophobic, devs wouldn’t have to remind you that it’s not cool to be a bigot lol

[@Courier_333]

The game is just bad. Im deeply progressive. But the dialogue and the art design is BAD. It has nothing to do with wokeness. New vegas is my favorite game ever BECAUSE it's woke

[@anitaremenarova6662]

Way to pull stats out of your bum, most gamers aren't bigots now that the medium is mainstream. Also what fellow reply says is true, this game is just bad and my favorite is Hades. Patronizing writing isn't justifiable because this game's target audience aren't infants.

[@jasontasco]

@@anitaremenarova6662 you seemed to be fixated on the 75 percent part. As a black guy who has been gaming since the mid 2000s this is just my observation, so let me break it down. Most jokes within gaming culture tend to be either racist or sexist. As someone who played COD back in the day I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been called the n word. When women stream or have gaming channels they constantly deal with sexism within the community. Even in nerd media how many times do people freak out when a show makes the main character a person of color or apart of the lgbtqia community. So to act like the gaming/nerd community is not very prejudice or it’s just a few bad apples is just plain ignorant on your part, so is it 75 percent maybe not but it’s definitely half of the community. To me a game is bad when they’re severe issues like glitches and bugs, now is some of the dialogue cheesy yes but to say it’s woke so is bad which is what damn near ever reviewer is spewing is just annoying and dumb

[@anitaremenarova6662]

@@jasontasco Your views are skewed by old gaming spaces, 95% of games are fine nowadays but if you want to cherrypick sure shooters like csgo or valorant are still mostly a time capsule of cod lobbies. Again "gaming culture" is so broad nowadays you have to be more specific regarding genre. I will repeat, actually engage with the culture now instead of repeating the trauma from two decades ago. If you want a good veilguard review check out SkillUp, sums up my thoughts about the game perfectly.

[@eugeneworthington7042]

I really can’t get around the fact that Veilguard is badly written and that is a deadly flaw for a BioWare game. You could forgive a first entry for the amount of badly written exposition, but not the fourth entry. For example, a mage explaining to a dwarf that they cannot do magic is ridiculous in the setting, because every damn dwarf would know that. This exact principle comes up again and again, of one character explaining something to another that everybody in the setting knows. Anyway, the anti-woke stuff is laughable. Dragon Age always has been woke and has had a woke fanbase. I’m so far in agreement with Skill-Up in terms of the tone of the game, but I want to give it a fair shake until the end. The blighted village in the beginning of the game was dark, but it hasn’t raised itself to DAO levels of dark yet.

[@jabrielmilner]

No, SkillUp is not a bigot.

[@ChrisMcElroy-k9n]

Well skill up's opinion is largely negative!