The truth about Dragon Age: The Veilguard

[@steffen89able]

James Ohlen(lead designer on dragon age origins, Kotor, bg1-2) and Drew Karpyshen(lead writer Mass Effect 1-2, Kotor) Are both working on Exodus, a new sci-fi action RPG alongside a bunch of old school Bioware people. If people want to know where BioWare is now.

[@jow-ris9355]

Thanks for the information.

[@arboris]

Thanks for that info

[@lonewolf5238]

Thankyou! A small glimmer of hope in the darkness, Exodus may be. Appendages crossed.

[@laciza2005]

I dont know men, they are working with Wizards of the coast. and they are full of woke...

[@YesoN8y]

@@laciza2005 if its like baldurs gate 3 idc how much ''woke'' is in it if its actually a good game

[@bernardo.bridon]

Me, looking at the Darkspawn design in DA2 "Perhaps I've treated you too harshly"

[@xthor86]

Yeah the one thing DA 2 did really well was the design of the elfs, qunari and darkspawn. That was peak character models and enemy models (even though they had WAY to few off them). DA2 coulda beaten DA:O with 1-2 years more in the oven in terms of beeing good.

[@cannibalraptor]

I still don’t like the darkspawn designs of DA 2. They always looked so goofy to me

[@sheridanmovieguy]

@@xthor86 The darkspawn haven't looked good since DAO. Every game has made them look goofier and less threatening. In DAO they were actually scary. Bet this game won't even mention brood mothers exist.

[@antonhaatyla4267]

Can't believe I'd ever say this, but yeah. DA2 was miles better than whatever the hell this is.

[@TheRainsRuined]

@@xthor86 Dragon Age 2 Darkspawn look like Skeletor. All I see is "Err! IM SKELETOR" Idk why people refuse to admit DA Origins Darkspawn design was peak design. Which fit the dark design Dragon Age had... why is it so colorful now...

[@sunidaze]

The characters felt off to me, and I never figured out why until someone shrunk the heads.

[@Rapunzel879]

The shoulders are too broad and the heads are too big, and that makes them all look like dwarves.

[@Super-Godzilla99]

thats the same like in mass effect andromeda look at those characters they are the same big heads small bodys

[@Doomseer]

​@@6thhistoryOh so you're going with the "don't believe your lying eyes" talking point LOL. Jeez I wonder where you fall on the political spectrum 😂😂🤣🤣

[@Doomseer]

@@6thhistory You really didn't understand my joke did you lol. Can't say I'm surprised considering how comedically illiterate leftists are.. 😂

[@andyward8430]

Noticed it from the first trailer. Everybody has stumpy, dwarfish proportions. I thought it was just an odd choice for the trailer but it seems like that’s the actual game. Everyone is five feet tall or shorter.

[@TheTrinitySaga]

The visual style of this game feels like "Disney's Dragon Age: Veilguard". That's the best way I can sum it up.

[@NTLBagpuss]

Sounds like the narrative tone is the same as well.

[@RobertoCorsini]

Personally I feel like Pixar is closer... ;) ;)

[@6millionLiesRememberHolodomor]

While madly homoerotic aka crap

[@Mcnuke1453]

My jaw actually dropped when you said there were only 3 imported choices from inquisition. So many questions from the previous games now have to be just be ignored due to the lack of care for those choices, something BioWare products used to be known for.

[@maelstrom52]

I'm going to say something that probably isn't very popular with this group, but almost none of the choices from the previous games actually impacted the story of the sequels in any meaningful way. Outside of a line of dialogue here and there, or a different character who says a few lines of dialogue what were the major changes you were able to producer in DA:O to DA2? DA2 to DA:I? The only major things I can think of are who rules Ferelden (which has exactly ZERO impact on the story of Inquisition), whether Hawke sides with the mages or templars, which produces a few lines of dialogue, but also has almost no impact on the anything in Inquisition. Your choices in previous games make appearances merely as references and/or alternate dialogue lines, but ultimately nothing from a gameplay perspective or quest perspective is changed. It's not nearly as big of a deal as people are making it out to be.

[@blankflank3488]

@@maelstrom52 I can't be bothered to go check how much all the choices actually mattered, but tbh if it really is just a few lines of dialogue... that makes it even more egregious to not include them imo. That means the inclusion is a small easy effort while still giving people a bit of continuity, still making them feel like their choices are real, even if they don't ultimately "matter." It creates a lot of restriction and isolation to completely ignore EVERYTHING about the other 3 games. I often thought the other games had too many unimportant choices in the Keep, but only 3 total choices from only a tiny portion of the most recent game is... just really sad. People like hearing a single line from Alistair or Morrigan about their Warden love. I would love to hear a line from Varric mourning Hawke left in the Fade. Morrigan had a freaking kid! These characters they're bringing back have a completely sterilized past. I think it doesn't really matter to most people for their past decisions to have a huge impact on the story of the games after it (unless it makes sense for it to, such as the existence of an old god baby). I think we just want to feel like the world has been affected. And it no longer does. If that doesn't matter to you, that's fine, but there's nothing wrong with people being more invested in the world.

[@ElwoodCity]

@@blankflank3488 the game takes place 10 years after the previous game and in another part of the world. those past choices dont matter much for this games story

[@user-tw2te2dz6m]

​​​@@ElwoodCityHoF trying to cure the calling. He's only who survive killing the Archidemon. Its very important for the whole world

[@nameless_h3ro.]

@@maelstrom52 It's not about the impact on the actual campaign story, it's a matter of world building and connection to the franchise. In every DA game, starting from Awakening, you can find references to the choices you made in previous games, and that creates an atmosphere and a sense of belonging to one specific story that YOU, the player, shaped. That's why I (and a lot of people really) like to do franchise-playthroughs, where you start from origins and finish with inquisition. If none of those choices are even mentioned in veilguard, what was the point in playing the previous ones? Why is it even called Dragon Age? It would be like writing a sequel to LotR and forgetting to mention who carried the ring to mordor, or whether rohan came to break off the siege of minas tirith or not, it makes no sense.

[@Barl3000]

Bioware is trying as hard as they can to distance themselves from the style of games they used to make, trying to chase a broader audience and then Larian swoops in and gets that broad audience with, a game not only the style Bioware used to do, but also a direct sequel to one Biowares past hits. Its gotta sting somewhat.

[@jfelton3583]

While I personally enjoyed BG3 it definitely wasn't accepted by a "broad audience"

[@rkj5480]

@@jfelton3583????. Tell us again what GOTY 2023 was?

[@shoukaiser]

Probably not. Most of the og bioware staff is gone, and probably looking at their past employer like ugh, what have you become. The suits, the finance guys, couldn't give a shit about what we or devs want - they're looking to print money, quality loyalty and all that doesn't matter.

[@Steir12]

I dont think they care after all none of bioware current employees worked on bg1-2

[@SlappyTheElf]

@@rkj5480 Doesn't have to be accepted by a wide audience. McDonalds is not the best food in the world.

[@warlordofbritannia]

10 years. We waited a decade. Trespasser set up an Armageddon type scenario, racing against time to stop Solas before he can destroy the world. And you tell me the tone is Guardians of the Galaxy? That it’s basically an action-oriented reboot? I’m not sad, I’m not even angry. I’m just disgusted.

[@lucaleone4331]

Did you play Guardians of the Galaxy...?

[@krow7402]

@@lucaleone4331 While that game was good, I never played that and went "You know? This would be a great Dragon Age game."

[@adamgerald849]

All of these new "woke" games are all trying to be guardians of the galaxy. Why?????????? If they actually made a game that was really good, almost no one would care if it was "woke" (look at Baldur's Gate 3. Tons of people called it woke (not me, I'm just saying)). They all have to try to be so quirky and random. Its because the writers have no actual ability or talent. Quirky is the only thing they like.

[@vegassims7]

This is my big issue.. it took them 10 years to make THIS?

[@zelasd3125]

I mean bruh, Bioware of early 2000-2010s is dead. My secret to taking this calmly is that I expected nothing out of modern Bioware anyway, at most I just cope they realize if this bombs they are likely donezo. So maybe if for nothing else, that would make an incentive to put some effort in this time around.

[@juliangonzalez3749]

What did they do the Qunari? They were one of the coolest races in fantasy totally unique to dragon age and they just made them Baluga whale humans.

[@Xenolithial]

They've been desmantling them since Inquisition. It started with the lore and culture and now they've finally worked their way to their appearances

[@WarnerDawg]

Ikr some of us like playing MONSTERS. It's cool to make a menacing looking character.

[@krisantusliang9595]

@@Xenolithial okay... but qunari in origin was just black/gray-ish big people... qunari got their cool horns in dragon age II... and... despite that there are many things that dragon age II lacks, to me the Arishok was one of the best designed and voiced and written character in the whole franchise

[@Xenolithial]

@@krisantusliang9595 From what I remember Sten's appearance was the result of graphical restrictions. Origins was already pushing the limits of the current systems at the time and they were forced to hold back on a lot of things unfortunately. The Qunari are still described as "ox men" in Origins though and were already intended to look like more than large, Axanthic humans. I'm pretty sure there was even dialogue addressing Sten's lack of horns That's honestly where DA2 really shined haha. The Qunari were finally able to be given the appearance overhaul BioWare had been intending for them from the start and they've never looked better. And I agree the Arishok was really well done and easily one of the best characters in the series. If you look up the comics you can see the female Qunari also originally had a different design that more closely matches what was shown in DA2. Albeit with more emphasis on them being obviously female. The Qunari since DA2 have just been disappointing to say the least

[@blampfno]

The Qunari look like Sims characters. They all look like Sims characters.

[@RealKeetz]

Well, the creative director of Veilguard DID work on the Sims 4, so...that tracks.

[@ginacirelli1581]

No, in the Sims you could actually make female characters.

[@asherking159]

@@ginacirelli1581 wtf does this mean? Are you honest to god trying to tell me these characters don't look feminine enough for you? Ain't no way

[@asherking159]

I dont really see the hate for most of the character designs, but the qunari look horrid

[@DylanCar]

@@asherking159 I guess you just hate women huh? Or at least hate looking at them

[@pathfindersavant3988]

"So how's it feel to have lived long enough to see all your favorite franches go down in flames?"

[@Starcraftgamer97]

Feels great but don't remind me.

[@xthor86]

Well except baldurs gate 3 and the souls games.

[@rigatenes338]

"Actually most of them are fine/great if you don't listen to overdramatic lunatics."

[@pathfindersavant3988]

@@rigatenes338 "this is fine" says the dog while his house burns down.

[@alatan2064]

@@xthor86 "Baldurs Gate 3" to Baldurs Gate fans is what this is to Dragon Age Origins fans.

[@dblundz]

“So what happened at the end of the last blight?” - Rook “Some stuff and things, somebody became king. The dragon was killed by someone. We don’t know who” - Morrigan “WHAT?”

[@jenniferhanses]

No. She doesn't know someone became king because its possible no one became king and Queen Anora rules alone. I know, because that's my default state for my mage world where I romanced Alistair. Setting up Anora with Alistair or a male warden never made any sense to me. They wouldn't have kids, and then the whole issue would start over again. Better for Anora to be single and marry someone who could give her kids. Not my fault if she wasn't politically savvy enough to do so.

[@bloodgodalucard4769]

@@jenniferhanses What are you on about they couldn't give her kids? History is full of nothing but forced political marriages among the nobility where they bred for the sole purpose of having an heir and keeping their lines going. If the Warden or Alistair married Anora, at some point her back is getting blown out until she pops out a son. That's just the way the world works. lol

[@vanyadolly]

More like "Something happened to some people, I'm not sure who or what."

[@Loengrinn]

That's a lot to just ignore. My bet is they're either going to force several items from the other games as canon or create outcomes from those events that work no matter how they ended. So as an example, it doesn't matter who we installed as ruler or Ferelden, the country got invaded by this new blight and wiped out. Or the royals were all killed by a coup, here's the new dictator.

[@GeorgeMonet]

Morrigan either killed the dragon herself BY BECOMING A DRAGON or the Inquisitor destroyed the dragon by pulling a dragon out of her butt.

[@Omgits7ito]

That’s not my Varric , he has and always been a ginger dwarf. And suddenly he looks nothing like Varric.

[@AdibasWakfu]

you wont have to endure this for long

[@nuancedgaming]

He looks like Thorin Oakenshield from the Hobbit

[@TheGrimmCommoner]

He also always shaved his beard and refused to shave his chest, he doesn't look the same at all.

[@rinraiden]

Rook: So, Morrigan. How's your son doing? Morrigan: I can't confirm nor deny that. Rook: Uh... ok? Well, what about your husband? Find the Calling cure yet? Morrigan: I can't confirm nor deny that.

[@BrokeBech]

That about sums up the entire game right there. 😮‍💨

[@sicariau6436]

That's assuming she didn't pull a charlize theron and he became a she.

[@OniLink97]

And rook would know about Morrigan's son because?

[@AstralJustus]

@@OniLink97 they wouldn’t because she wouldnt tell them

[@OniLink97]

@@AstralJustus exactly, and he doesn't exist in many people's playthroughs

[@sol-hunter2332]

Why even have dragon age keep? They built that system so that they could easily port choices into future games...

[@SeventhheavenDK]

The worst part of abandoning the Keep for Veilguard is that it creates doubts about what will happen with the Keep? (Especially if the game flops). If the keep disappears then there will be no way to customize your world in Inquisition.

[@revolutionarydragon1123]

​@SeventhheavenDK your save data i played orgins (didn't finish it)on the ps3 a few weeks ago still pick up my world state in inquisition without using the keep at all

[@SeventhheavenDK]

​​@@revolutionarydragon1123. Yeah, right now the Keep is still working, I finished Inquisition last week. But, the question is if in the near future they will stop supporting it as Veilguard won't use it anymore, and in the case the game flops... what will happen with the keep?

[@marbleman8144]

They were planning to release the next game before 2020 when they made Keep instead of making a soft reboot a decade after the last entry in the series.

[@Doge-bz3vj]

My guess is that this game does not take 10 years to make, but they just rebuilt it 3-4 years ago for whatever reason and don't have enough time to implement Keeps in this installment because there are too many outcomes that can happen with many choices from Inquisition

[@danielp8433]

amazing that origins was really the peak of dragon age.

[@sisifo55]

besto game

[@kraosdadafusfus8034]

I can't even fault EA for that one. It's Bioware that's been slowly falling apart over the last 20 years.

[@Runefather]

It really was. I wouldn't say it's amazing, though. Going into DA 2 I hoped for ME 2 level of excitement. It was alright at best but still better than the totally GOTY abomination known as Inquisition.

[@danielp8433]

@@Runefather for me origins was kinda magical and i loved all the stories so much, me2 had same magical effect for me - im glad i was there when games like this were made. now it seems a contest of game developers on who can go bankrupt 1st - for what!? a stupid agenda..

[@CyrusIsnt]

​@@kraosdadafusfus8034Are you the same after 20 years?

[@Twitchy_McExorcism]

"The only past choices that get counted are three from the end of Inquisition." I think someone didn't want to make another Dragon Age game, but wanted to piggyback on the name with a similar concept thinking it would guarantee sales. That worked out _great_ for Saint's Row, didn't it?

[@Kelleeart]

My biggest issue, even over character design, is the monster design. You can never get me to believe this is a "serious/dark" game and give me baddies that look like dollar store Halloween decorations. I thought maybe that was just the teaser trailer look, but....ugh.

[@happyjonn9242]

The game comes out in Halloween. makes sense.

[@globmonkey200716102]

Right? Like they looked at the original ogre design, for example, and went "Not scary enough. Give it a skull face and glowing red eyes so people will know its supposed to be a big scary monster". Like are the designers 12 years old or something?

[@Jonathananton670]

Is that all you guy's do? Complain and Complain some more. No body is forcing you to play it. You know that right? 😂

[@Kelleeart]

@@Jonathananton670 Yeah, I know. People are still allowed to voice opinions about it, good or bad.

[@rb98769]

@@Jonathananton670 No one is forcing you to read these comments either.

[@Reds_dead]

“Light whimsical tone” in a series know for being dark fantasy? Ya hard pass thanks

[@threestars2164]

Marvelslop is their only chance to obtain a broader audience. Artistic integrity is off the table as this is really their only chance to recoup the losses they have suffered over the decade.

[@joshualuke7003]

They lost all of their good writers except Patrick Weekes, and Patrick Weekes is going through an incredibly embarrassing and prolonged midlife crisis where all the praise from the very online LGBTQ community fans got to his head so now he goes by 'Trick' and is non-binary, despite being a bearded middle aged man, and was the one who wrote the trans character in DAI...and the companion who transparently lectures the player about the trans character...and the OTHER companion who transparently lectures the player about the trans character.... So basically all they CAN write is hyper cringe, quippy Marvelesque slop. Philosophy, deep conflicting personalities...clashing, unsavoury, but layered and ocassionally admirable characters are beyond them now. 'All the companions will be good-hearted snarkers who all hold the same unproblematic personality and real-world political opinions and who refer to everyone as they/them as though this is just an established thing in this medieval fantasy setting and always has been. Trick' COULD write some complex characters, but he'd rather tell us how stunning and brave non-binary character 12 is for being a man with long hair.

[@SquidGains]

Oof. That resonates

[@Carnage7209]

It goes to show how pathetic the staff left over from ea are. Slapstick comedy tropes are easy to write. Dark and dramatic are difficult.

[@raspvidy]

How come the lock on aiming mechanics don't bother you? That's like giving the controller to your older brother because you cant do a level. This is the real problem for gaming.

[@Anna-B]

A soft reboot isn’t a terrible idea. But it is a terrible idea to make the soft reboot the one game that’s a direct sequel.

[@cirescythe]

And changing the visual design to that extend. If its not the same genre, and does not look like the former titles, why use the IP at all.

[@Wikingking]

@@cirescythe because without the IP this would be an absolute B-game, under the radar, for 29,99 max. But if you put DA in front of it, it is immediately a "triple A" game for 69,99. Although it is still that same crappy game.

[@jenniferhanses]

The killer thing is that for DA5, they could have focused on the Calling and had a companion Apocalypse. Allistair, Loghain, Stroud, Anders, Oghren, Nathanial, Velenna, Sigrun, Bethany/Carver and Your Warden are all due to die soon. It's been 20-ish years and wardens last 20-30 before the Calling over takes them. They could have done a last hurrah before definitively killing off most of them. Yes, I realize some of them are already dead (I think we're just going to ignore some of the Awakening possibilities. If you saved both the keep and the town, they're all alive). Have the entire party or nearly the entire party made of characters who might or might not be dead. Maybe you'll pick up a few more along the way as you call in favors for your quest to free yourself from the Calling. Should you even do it? There's still two more archdemons set to rise. It could have been an epic cap to all your adventures. And then they could have soft rebooted 200 years in the future or something where your choices don't make much difference beyond maybe a codex entry.

[@Anna-B]

@@jenniferhanses that sounds interesting, but way too sad for me! But I do agree, they could have very easily capped off the current saga with a new game, and then rebooted the world a few generations later. No one would have minded if they treated this game as a well crafted, well loved finale, and then continued the series without the connections we’ve come to expect

[@vanyadolly]

THIS. They could have picked another time completely. I doubt anyone would have been against a game set in the ancient elven or Tervinter empires.

[@bjrnhalfhand2258]

God I really hate the art design.

[@coldera100]

When I was a kid I played games that were bloody, had mature themes and stories. Now I’m 30 and every game is cartoony and made for kids

[@Anonymous_Whisper]

Kinda like cod and lobster 😅😅😅

[@emptyshogun]

It's not just gaming, everything is sanitized now, I'm an adult, I thought now I can enjoy the cool shit! Where did it all go?

[@svcolonel89]

Almost like they’re the ones spending the money or something

[@RednaluN]

Welcome to the post-Fortnite age

[@asherking159]

Just play indie games then. AAA games are for the broadest audience possible now cause the projects are bloated and need to recoup cost

[@VillainQueen]

As a long time dragon age fan I feel betrayed, traded in for another, a new audience.

[@Percopius]

You have been. You are not welcome.

[@Mediados]

Now you know how we feel about Titanfall.

[@DrSlackr]

The best thing is.. that new audience DOESN'T EXIST.

[@jgamer2228]

A new audience that isn’t going to carry them to the success they need to survive. Move on, brother. They don’t give a fuck about you.

[@purefoldnz3070]

an audience that doesnt even buy games

[@pawsgerby]

i made my peace with the DA series being over like 5 years ago. and now we get this game and it feels like just another bad Netflix adaptation of a once-beloved franchise.

[@zhilong]

Make your peace with Bioware

[@maevethefox5912]

Honestly the Netflix adaptation was way better than this looks hahaha

[@Dragonage2ftw]

Okay. Don't buy it then. You will not be missed.

[@The_Real_Mr_Al]

@@Dragonage2ftw 😂🤡🤣

[@romanshimanov]

@@Dragonage2ftw Well, if you bought this - congratulations, you sponsored EA and BioHazard for making another shit game. If you want quality in games such as Baldur's Gate III - stop buying those "AAA" project, or you will get games like this or starfild

[@paulpsomiadis5847]

Considering DA: Inquisition allowed you to use Dragon Age Keep website to import and customise basically the majority of decisions from the past two games…and this only accounts for three (not particularly important) decisions only from Inquisition…what the actual #@?! 😢

[@orrusfellin5150]

Do you remember Dragon Age? Remember when it was an RPG? When your choices mattered? When you could roleplay in an RPG? Do you remember how dark and bleak the tone of Dragon Age was? When the loading screen was a piece of parchment stained with blood. When you could sell your elf sister to a bunch of human nobles for a "party". When every mage was a real and tangible danger to society. When something as simple as going to sleep could end up with a demonic possession. When the Fade was a mysterious and unknowable place. When the whole purpose of your order was to sacrifice yourself to kill a corrupted god of a fallen empire. Do you remember that Dragon Age?

[@BARRI39]

You made me cry...

[@Beldhan]

i do, i did play all DA, but i will not touch this one... don't want to destroy my memory of this license. this one is not a dragon age. whatever people say, it can't be one. a dragon age is not a game with light tone, it's dark, grim and the world it's at stake. but when i seet he darkspawn i feel like i look at an episode of the scooby doo gang. not dragon age... the one that did think it was a good idea to mix GoW and guardian of the galaxy need to be fired. you want the truth, they did wanted to make a game that will work and decide to check what did work and instead to create a new ip decide to... molest dragon age ip. sad day...

[@Rex-pc8em]

I remember..

[@lyravain6304]

I remember DA;O's prologue TODAY, after SO MANY YEARS. I have not played it since, but that prologue ALONE was so impactful, that I remember it clearly right now. I'm not even talking about the rest of the game, which is just as memorable. It was a game that was so full of passion and soul that it stuck with people for so long. And what is now getting produced is the exact opposite. Veilguard isn't Dragon Age. It's nothing like it.

[@Dragonage2ftw]

Do you remember 'swooping is bad'? Do you remember how the whole game was written by a Joss Whedon show? Clearly, you don't remember Dragon Age. Also, didn't people who got the game early outright say 'this has the largest amount of choices changing the game in the entire series, many things you decide in act 1 change act 2'? So how do choices not matter here?

[@JayViper]

3 choices carrying over and only 1 from the base trilogy. A mortal sin for any Dragon Age game. That is pathetic.

[@pawe1721]

yeah, don't mind any other changes as much as I mind this one. I freaking hate it, they should've never abandoned the Keep

[@The_Real_Iggy]

How many choices did inquistion have? Oh wait...

[@lordhater4207]

@@The_Real_Iggy That's right NONE.

[@sincerelyfit4057]

Yeah, choices made 10 to 15 years ago. Ya'll need to get t a grip and be realistic. Like they were gonna expect people to know about decisions made on a PS2. Its a fast paced action game that's meant to pick up n play and be entertaining. Not pour over lore sites to craft a 20 year long story.

[@geraldsoria1764]

@@sincerelyfit4057I don’t see why not, they’re a triple A company. They should have the ability to do so. Also THAT IS ONE OF THE CORE OF DRAGON AGE. Crafting a story of 20 years sequel by sequel. Did you not watch the video. Without that it is a hollow shell of a game.

[@bwhere45]

I just can't get over how much this looks like an upscaled mobile game, UI nightmares and all.

[@meepmoprobbotcaptain]

Yeop, screams mobile game.

[@Raansu]

Probably started as one.

[@ovnis__]

Yup. It's horrible.

[@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation]

Fortunately you can turn down the UI, which honestly should be the default.

[@gobi7959]

@@Raansu it did

[@rooneytutoring]

BioWare and Bethesda both seem to suffer from a similar problem. They are constantly trying to over simplify their game design in-order to increase mass appeal. This result in games with systems that tend to get shallower as time goes on. If there is a huge market of untapped potential players then this strategy can work because the flood of new players will outweigh the complaints of older fans. When that pool of new fans increasingly becomes just regular fans over time they eventually start to crave more in depth experiences. The studios used to rely on simplifying their game design game over game to widen appeal eventually hit a wall where they can't bring in enough new players and the fans they cultivated in previous games become bored and disillusioned with that companies ever more shallow product. They assume that audiences are stagnant, that the player who was wowed Skyrim and fallout 4 as a new player is no longer a new player. That player has now been exposed to dark souls, Baldur's Gate 3, and many other games that are not shallow in their design. These studios are hitting a point of diminishing returns in trying to widen their appeal.

[@x_Altre]

''It's a good game it's just not a good Dragon Age game'' Yeah people said that about Andromeda too..

[@Cramblit]

Funny thing is.. games are so bad these days, that I went back to play Andromeda, and it actually felt like a good Mass Effect game... that's how far Bioware, and gaming has fallen.

[@asherking159]

@@Cramblityou’re just playing the wrong games. Genuinely

[@Cramblit]

@@asherking159 I disagree. I've played hundreds of games since Andromeda, everything from COD, to Battlefields, to indie games, and everything in between. When it comes specifically to games like Mass Effect, RPGs, etc.. very very few good games ever come out anymore. I'd be more inclined to say that you've just got used to the garbage, while I haven't.

[@twigsno]

Don't be ridiculous Andromeda is a steaming pile of shit. Especially now.

[@x_Altre]

@@Cramblit Andromeda on release was a mess. Bugs, awful facial animations, new protagonist with lack of charisma, boring villan, frostbite engine, EA greed, lack of soul and more. It was just a huge quality downgrade compared to the trylogy.

[@TranceEmotion]

OOf. Coming from someone who has a signed copy of DA2, obtained at a midnight release at a GameStop here in Edmonton, with a bunch of the devs from Bioware this makes me weep. Watching MY Bioware evaporate into this shriveled husk of what it used to be has been one of worst things as a gamer. I used to be able to say "Yeah that amazing gaming company Bioware is based here in the city i live in! How cool is that!" Now its always past tense "How great that company USED to be...."

[@xjapan3]

I understand why this happened. Younger designers who illustrate what they like, and they haven't been pushed and pushed to the point of being in tears. Also, there was no time to push them to that point because of very tight deadlines. "Just get it out there." Bioware even had awful voice actresses who did audio narration for university programs. It is common knowledge that they were never told that they have to push themselves to anguish because they failed to understand the difference between Art & Design ... and business. The Dollarama Halloween characters were acceptable because their managers only saw that the job got done. Again... Tight deadlines.

[@TheMordgan]

THREE CHOICES? Are they fucking kidding me right now? I love Dragon Age. I played all of them again this september to have the choices fresh in my mind. I shaped a world that I wanted to visit again in Veilguard. And 3 choices is all I get? I honestly was excited for this game, but after hearing that the coolest feature from DA games, which is the relevance of your previous decisions, is basically lost.... Dude, wtf. F them. And F Dragon Age. It was good while it lasted, but this is not it.

[@Aura.ad.Infinitum]

On one hand, it sort of makes sense since it's happening very far away from the places the previous games were situated in (probably on purpose so they don't have to deal with many choices). But still...some of those decisions were massive and would have rippled out through many countries. And there's returning characters. Especially with Varric and Morrigan there who were present to quite a lot of world-shaping stuff

[@antkazakov99]

Same. Ran through all previous games in the series this September. 3 choices for all games, destroyed all my expectations about Veilguard

[@krlt9481]

@@TheMordgan The whole it's happening far away from where the previous games take place is a cop out. They used messenger birds in Inquisition to pass and receive intel, so tbh it just feels lazy.

[@ArantyrDarkhand]

Dragon Age its dead. ANd BIOWARE i hope dies with this too.

[@Hankering5656]

I knew it was over when they changed the name to veil guard from dreadwolf

[@DanSolo41]

The funko pops bit was unexpected, but not *surprising* per se. Like, of course they look like that. Everything is sanded down and smooth. Soft and safe. No edges, points, warts, gravel, or roughness anywhere - from gameplay to character aesthetics.

[@zxyatiywariii8]

Ikr, it reminds me of Disney's massive failure with their "Galactic Starcruiser" -- the original designs looked good. But then the legal department got ahold of them, and warned that there were too many "sharp edges", so everything from the ship's bridge to the crew quarters was softened and dulled to make it safer. . . and the whole thing became duller.

[@Incoherent-excitement]

How do you spend 10 years creating a game with 3 previous games worth of rich lore and varied decisions that heavily impact the world you play in and the people you interact with and just throw it all way as if none of it occured?! What a slap in the face to longstanding Dragon Age fans. As the video pointed out, even rushed DA2 had the players' previous choices respected, and with games like BG3, which took player choice and agency to the stratosphere, fresh in people's minds, I think this will be a massive bone of contention for a lot of fans. Edit: I'm praying some clever modder will be able to fix the Funko pop head problem and maybe tone down the Fortnite vibes. 🤞

[@Savanna-e9m]

"How do you spend 10 years creating a game" Probably because they didn't. Anthem failed because Bioware did not spend 7 years making it, they spent 6 years dicking around and then built the entire game from scratch in the final 18 months. I suspect the same thing is going on with Veilguard. That would explain why they changed the title a year before release and why they're not using the Keep.

[@phyxion123]

I think they spent 9 years trying to figure out how to make the characters as ugly as possible, then outsourced the rest of the game in the last year.

[@krlt9481]

Laziness?

[@Vesparion]

No creative direction, lots and lots of managers and directors and hundreds of meetings. This game was rebooted at least twice and if the leaks were true it had a much more interesting concept in the earlier version that they killed.

[@alihorda]

Mentally ill people That's how

[@riverbankchristmas276]

Bioware as we remember it exists in name only. You want old Bioware style games? Follow the original team to the studios they currently work for. You may find hope there.

[@dew8368]

Spiritual successor Larian Studios. They are currently developing two new games. One space themed and one presumably DOS 3.

[@Wolfrich666]

i looked up and the game the ex bioware devs are making seems promising but it could go in the direction of calisto protocol...

[@indigogoboy9090]

@@dew8368 its not gonna be another DOS, they confirmed they are making new IPs

[@Elazul2k]

BioWare hasn't released a good game since 2012. They're a bloated corpse of their former selves.

[@ShepardCommander]

@@dew8368 Larian is kinda... quirky? with their writing. Their games tend to have major inconsistencies, plot holes, dark humor where inappropriate and plot points that ruin established lore (Divinity and Baldur's Gate). What they do very well is fun crpg tactical combat with verticality. In BG3 they specifically did well the interactivity between game mechanics and storytelling, impressive visuals, full voice acting, great map design and companions that have a lot of emotion in them, despite some of them being rushed. While Larian appeals to the more casual and broader audience their games feel as wide as an ocean and as deep as a puddle. If you want good crpgs, in the style of dragon age origins specifically, look no further than Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity and Tyranny (so disappointed it isn't getting a sequel) and Owlcat's Pathfinder games and Rogue Trader. Their writing might be too much for some people but their consistent with both the lore and world and it's harder to find plot holes in their stories.

[@TheEffectOfMass]

I can't unsee the big heads. I can't take the game seriously at all at this point. The art style looks like a Dream Works movie, the heads are big, and now you're saying the dialogue is like GOTG.

[@purefoldnz3070]

everything is wrong about the game is wrong not just the art style

[@hermitcard4494]

I can't unsee the wokeness 😂

[@purefoldnz3070]

@@hermitcard4494 the previous Dragon Age games were pretty woke but this takes up to 11

[@hermitcard4494]

@@purefoldnz3070 Yeah, we didn't understood nor saw back then the consequences of homosexual relationship option with characters. If I could boycott Inquisition and even Mass Effect 2 and 3 I would.

[@purefoldnz3070]

@@hermitcard4494 I cant wait to watch this game crash and burn

[@h.stiner6467]

Why is Varric not a ginger anymore? Its a minor thing, but it still bothers me.

[@briegookin2112]

It bothers me greatly. As a redhead and huge shipper of Varric x Hawke, I am deeply offended. Redheads do not go black as we age.

[@ezekielbennetts1093]

Wait till you what they did to Isabella it's just sad completely changed everything about her

[@TheGrimmCommoner]

They gave him a beard and shaved his chest. Isabella became woke and less flirty. Inquisition is when the shift away from the first two games happened, Veilguard is more on the nose about the shift.

[@ruok-l5t]

To me, this is what happens when you hire the wrong people. People who do not respect what's already been established and loved by many, and think they are better and superior to everyone else. We've seen this so many times already, and this won't be any different.

[@HCforLife1]

It's rather what happens when you hire people to sell an agenda instead of authentic product

[@failingup4907]

This is what happens when you hire unqualified woke grifters pushing and agenda nobody wants. They are running your games on purpose, quit buying them!

[@daylen577]

I've seen people defending this game, saying they're glad it's not like Origins. That's the split Bioware is enforcing here, they're literally saying 'you who enjoyed Origins are no longer our target audience'. Just sad they had to use this franchise for this game, I'd rather have seen it unfinished after Inquisition than this..

[@SHLN-y4s]

In every game they changed more and more, they knew their actions will tear the community apart only because they are lazy. It’s easier to give players 2-3 voices reactions/“choices” -rather than 6-8 written (unvoiced like in DA:O and BG3) and taking into account all 6-8 of them in meaningful ways. This new BioWare hopes that New Gamers from the last 10 years or so will come to save this game. People who don’t know DA or only played (even some) of Inquisition. Go and support other companies that listen to you and care about their customers, don’t treat you like a baby and handhold you to oblivion and back :) (FromSoft, Larian etc…)

[@BittermanAndy]

If they wanted to make a new game - great! There's room in the world for that. But they shouldn't have stolen the Dragon Age name and IP to do it.

[@jpb2366]

Now its for the woke modern left.. good luck

[@DaoistYeashikAli]

I hate games (or any media) where the characters or the story don't take themselves seriously

[@Elmodias1]

This ^

[@welton9748]

Same. It doesn't means I can't have some silly moments, but when everything is as dumb as Sera from Inquisition it annoys me to the core.

[@fakepasta3935]

@@welton9748 I have just finished Inquisition with all dlcs. Sera is the worst character in Bioware history :D.

[@Cassandra_Steel]

thank you marvel, iron man was a curse on culture

[@65firered]

There's a time and place for everything... Maybe this isn't the series for not taking things seriously. Then again this game was made to appeal to the widest audience possible minus Dragon Age fans.

[@garylane6227]

This isn't a Dragon Age game. I will pass.

[@dspellcaster1027]

I was excited at first and my excitement slowly died off. Numerous questionable decisions, the companion trailer, the first interviews with the director, and finding out they didn't know who Zevran was just to start. It then compiled and built up a lot of skepticism and turned it into cynicism. Then...as a fan who has consumed and own all of the media for the franchise possible, to be called a Tourist. As the meme says, My disappointment is immeasurable and my day (excitement) is ruined.

[@misfitwhocares7554]

Amen. after watching the gameplay teaser I actually had tears in my eyes because this is not the sequel I wanted after 10 years of anticipation and excitement

[@ClanToreador]

Why even bother if you aren’t passionate about the project, just DONT TOUCH IT and let others who actually have the heart DO IT!! 😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬

[@ClanToreador]

Why even bother if you aren’t passionate about the project, just DONT TOUCH IT and let others who actually have the heart DO IT!! 😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬

[@Philliwolf5]

​@@ClanToreador​ oh, SHUT UP. We have legitimate issues with this game and the fact it craps in everything DA stood for. Has nothing to do with having damned heart. If you don't understand that, you're the type of fan they made this dogfood for and you are very much part of the problem. A dumbed down version for dumbed down gamers.

[@LaylaLestrange]

Wait, the director didn't know who Zevran is? Did that happen in a interview?

[@realaveragejon]

Fun Fact: If you transfer your import directly from Dragon Age Origins to DA2, its more than 20 choices that were imported to DA2. Example: Not sure if you sided with the Werewolf or not in Brecillian Forest, a minor elf NPC will speak to you on DA2. This NPC will not appear if you create your save game with mods or using the default worldstate in DA2.

[@gorelash9056]

It was these little things that turned so many into diehard fans, and now bioware scrapped that whole approach. Seems to me they somehow got lost at the drawing board with this game, and just set out with all the wrong priorities.

[@War624]

Yeah, it's why, despite it's flaws, I still really enjoy DA2. Didn't care for the changes to combat, that have clearly been leading to this since, but it is what it is. DA2 was the last one I enjoyed the story of. I didn't care for Inquisition's, and never finished the game. I don't care about Solas, or his involvement in anything. Inquisition had characters I liked, and that was it.

[@jakeling2]

Its a fun fact that is in the video that Im sure you watched

[@TheNFromO]

Their is exactly 32 choices that is imported from da1 to da2. Also, the game was made in under 2 years.

[@Mont3000]

wow didnt know that. For some reason didnt get a chance to play DA2 but loved DA1. That game was hard to put down.

[@lonewolf5238]

I got the full picture. Thanks for your honesty and integrity, qualities that are in short supply these days - particularly among AAA game developers.

[@ANGRYWOLVERINE2060-ft2nc]

agreed.

[@jedismuggler9424]

For someone who played Neverwinter nights and baldur's gate, I wish they would of stick to that gameplay mechanics. Its why I love Dragon Age Origin so much. So I will just say no to this game and stick to Baldur's Gate 3, as of right now there are not many RPG games that can compete to BG3. IMO!

[@UserJ1513]

You said God of War and now I just see it everywhere in the footage.... can't unsee that now, thanks

[@ornado4773]

It's Dragon Effect Andromeda: Guardians of the Veilguard 2 wearing the programming of a subpar fantasy mobile game. It appeals to the 10-16 range and the adult that wants to sit down and play an hour or two of a video game and see flashing colors.

[@pedroartvel]

There's something that nobody comments about that REALLY bothers me: uniqueness and how special magic is supposed to be in the Dragon Age world, and how that has been completely ignored in this game. I mean, it was already getting pretty bad in Inquisition, but there was some distinctiveness (and I know how they justified that the Veil is open so things are more magical now, but still). Warriors/Rogues delivering explosions, magical blows or F***** SUMMONING METEORS will NEVER sit right with me in a Dragon Age game. It's like, disrespecting your own lore so that the game is more flashy and that's it, "the current audience want to see colorful explosions, so let's do it". Also, Darkspawn being weak to fire now? What? Is this Pokémon, why does every enemy type has to have weakness to an element? edit.: Just remember people were scared of mages because they're like walking atomic bombs due to magic and being a portal to demons. So why would magic be an issue if everyone is capable of these crazy feats? edit².: Yeah, I did not remember, darkspawn do have weakness to fire in the first game, I had "silverite" in mind for their weakness only. My bad.

[@gearstwoify]

Calma pedro

[@pedrobelmonte9053]

This bothers me as well, this explosions everywhere stuff seems so out of place. I'm pretty sure they will come up with shitty excuses like "tevinter was always more open to magic", pure BS.

[@nenadmilovanovic5271]

Did you see the rogue specialization? It has a fucking auto canon lol.

[@pedroartvel]

@@gearstwoify it's fuck, meu amigo

[@pedroartvel]

@@nenadmilovanovic5271 Well, apparently the Champion (Grey Warden) specialization makes you summon a rain of arrows, meteors and fire because Darkspawn are weak to fire now and I guess that's it?

[@Olfan]

I'm in the process of replaying Origins (yet another time), and it held up surprisingly well. Yes, the graphics do show their age, but story and gameplay are still an example to how future games should be made. Let's forget about BioWare for now, and see what Larian are doing next.

[@TheLeg4tus]

No matter how good or bad this is going to be, they did the Qunari real dirty. Maaan what the f is going on there???

[@mrturbo84]

The Sims.

[@Nahtan.9758]

doesn't make it a bad gane tho

[@richieene1042]

qunari in DA2 were peak, wth happened

[@Lernos1]

@@Nahtan.9758 You're right, it doesn't, the rest of the decisions like gameplay and story do.

[@Gabrilos505]

If the Qunari was the only bad thing about this game, then yeah, it wouldn't make the game bad. Problem is, a lot of everything else in the game does make it a pretty bad one. Who is this game made for anyway? Clearly not for the fans of the franchise.

[@Dimodins]

So Bioware is giving Dragon Age the Mass Effect Andromeda treatment... I wonder how that will turn out

[@randeli7785]

At least the facial animation doesn't look that bad. Too cartoony for Dragon Age tho.

[@Elazul2k]

My face is tired

[@Elazul2k]

@@randeli7785 You should look closer. Everything looks plastic and the animations are bare bones.

[@65firered]

Look at Andromeda. Now remember people had hope for that game. There's your answer.

[@GarySamione-zi8pj]

Please! Don't let it be as bad as Andromeda!!! I played like the first 3 yours of Andromeda and knew I waisted my money!

[@nalublackwater9729]

So, from groundbreaking game to a generic hack-and-slash Fortnite mod. Hard pass.

[@simonphoenix3789]

yeah this is clearly marketed for children now. On a happier note, Crimson desert seems to have a lot of potential to scratch that big budget RPG itch I have had since inquisition.

[@lordhater4207]

By that definition Dragon age began and died with Origins because Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition both are hack and slash action adventure games, only Origins is dark fantasy CRPG.

[@nalublackwater9729]

@lordhater4207 Well, strictly speaking, yes! I've been waiting for two games to go back to what Origins made me feel to no avail.

[@lordhater4207]

@@nalublackwater9729 I also hate every DA game but Origins so i understand ya, it's not passionate hate more rational one since i imagine we both have very good reasons why we hate those games however to fanatics Bioware can do no wrong.

[@TeaPol57]

"They're doing a very strange thing with Veilguard" Understatement of the century.

[@AndarilhoMarco]

The "more choices should impact the game" thing implies Bioware have writers capable of working with branching storytelling.

[@DavidPopelka13]

They would have to attempt to pay those accordingly 😭.

[@Kinvarus1]

Something's that Bioware and Bethesda still have in common. Back in the day they were the top 2 RPG makers in the buisness, before companies like CDPR, Obsidian, Larian came along to dethrone them. The other thing: The quality of their writing has massively declined over the years from where they were back in the day. As for the choices. This is the same Bioware that said that "Your choices matter in Mass Effect 3 and those choices will determine the ending you get. Then when you get to the end it came down to: Here's all the endings, pick one. So that doesn't surprise me.

[@threestars2164]

They never did.

[@vanyadolly]

"This didn't have enough impact, so we decided to remove it completely so now it has zero impact."

[@TheGrimmCommoner]

​@@Kinvarus1 Just like DA2, ME3 was very rushed. I liked both games (except the ending of ME3, there should've been an ending where you're drinking beer with Garrus at the beach with your spouses as a dead reaper sticks out of the water), but now the new Bioware (because most of the devs left and were replaced with devs who have an agenda) are pushing away the loyal fans in favour of fans they want regardless of money coming in.

[@boglurker2043]

Another case of developers/studios only wanting to wear the skin of an established franchise just so they can make a game that would never be greenlit otherwise.

[@scarlett8782]

100% correct

[@logangodofcandy]

Communism. They purposely destroyed the things that made up your culture, and then your culture is more easily replaced with the communist revolution

[@maevethefox5912]

Wasn't this supposed to be live service garbage at some point? It almost feels like what we're getting is an attempted rescue of something that would have been even worse.

[@silanah]

Not even the skin, considering how it looks... They just used some familair names, slapped the label and that's it.

[@runek100]

I still don't understand, how can you even look at the lead developer, and say he is competent enough to make dragon age game. That is just crazy.

[@ironclad4451]

almost every choice made during this games development, regardless of stated motive or aspect can effectively attributed to laziness/lack of creativity. by removing past choices they reduce the amount of variants, limiting writing, limiting voice lines, saving money, and potentially reducing cutscene work. by removing character romance limits, they reduce the writing with romantic interests by like 50% which is just less work, but also removes a ton of personality from characters. by removing playing as companions, and limiting the number of abilities, they prevent the need for effective balancing, only needing to ensure that the main character feels good. by removing actual body and species diversity to amorphous parodies of humans, they make model design an rendering easy, and lazy. Qunari, are just humans with horns pasted on. by removing the gritty, immersive, emotional edges they ensure that the writing takes less effort, and the world building can be more generic. By removing the players ability to say NO, they limit the response writing dramatically, because regardless of which of 3 YES options you pick, the reply might be the same. by removing blood magic, they get rid of negative party responses and variation in how the player is perceived, which HUGELY reduces writing and voice acting. By removing mentions of previous game events, they limit the knowledge and care required from their own staff. You can not give a damn, and not know shit, and still do just fine. almost every single choice just reeks of laziness, whether fueled by corporate greed, or utter lack of creativity. *the assassin is called "de la morte" which roughly translates to "of death" or "of the dead" like... what kind of juvenile, edgy, babies first fanfiction after reading naruto, crap is this? *also I guess dwarves have magic now? which is just another cop out so they don't have to balance or design around non-magic dwarves.

[@jenniferhanses]

It has triple the voice lines of any other DA game. The writers were proud of this. To me, it just makes it more baffling they couldn't continue the continuity.

[@tmtrvllr]

Not roughly, literally: "della" means "of the" (f. s.), "morte" means "death". Although from what I heard it isn't a fake name, it's maybe a bit uncommon, but it seems there are people with such surname in the north. I honestly couldn't believe it myself.

[@IAMthatIAM992]

Man where's this channel been all my life. Finally someone calling it like they see it, no pick a side drama, just a shell of a game with a few highlights. Def subbing for more of these

[@SimmahV]

So that means I’ll never learn about Morrigan’s kid with the Greywarden and that wonderful nugget of information about him holding an Old God’s soul???? I HAVE TO LIVE WITH NOT KNOWING?????

[@paendapower]

The Old God’s soul is not in Morrigan’s kid anymore since DA Inquisition. The blight aspect will probably be resolved in this game, so no calling anymore. If Morrigan survives she will probably live a happy life with her Warden and her adult child.

[@HyouVizer]

Or if Morrigan or Inquisitor drank from The Well, the 2 characters that will be in this new direct sequel game....

[@SimmahV]

@@paendapower that’s a bummer I was honestly hoping for more on that front because it was just so cool. Especially when he just randomly showed up in Inquisition

[@jenniferhanses]

@@paendapower That's what we're told. I'm skeptical if it's true. It was HIS soul, and he's still alive. So clearly his soul was not sucked out of his body. Also, what the heck ARE Elder Gods. Because they're not the same as the Elven Gods.

[@pleco101]

I'll have to live with knowing that I won't bone Morrigan, one last time.

[@inerd77]

Thank you for an opinion that doesn't come across as toxic positivity

[@vanyadolly]

Or screeching about jaw sizes. It's insane how hard it is to find people actually talking about the gameplay.

[@kw4s]

Sad to see how far Bioware has fallen, from a top tier masterpieces to below average slop. Good video tho, fair take

[@JazminLantigua1]

All good things must end. Thank you for your review. I will not be getting this game. I will instead mourn what we once had. Because this is not dragon age. This thing is just wearing its skin. I am so,so dreadfully upset.

[@Cevanth]

Old Bioware was top tier in terms of western RPGs. Modern Bioware on the other hand... They are creatively bankrupt, and they hate their fans. The ones that made Bioware what it was, they are long gone.

[@scrublord7922]

Smile that it happened brother. The best thing about this era is unexpected hits like bg3 and stellarblade. I have confident faith in the studios I follow pushing what's expected in a quality game. The rest is just sad entertainment to me 😅

[@sol-hunter2332]

I bet they wanted to do a stand alone game so new people could jump in, but they couldnt ignore the fact that inqusition set up a sequel which would cause major backlash to ignore. In effort to appeal to everyone, they appeal to "no one."

[@Reddeth6332]

Im going to argue and say that I dont think that was the case. This game has been in development hell and it was scraped atleast 1 time from what I remember and it had something like 50%-70% completion. They also lost key figures during that development too and regain 1 back as a consultant. My guess is that scraping the game and losing those the team could look to put them into a spot where they tried to start with a clean slate. The issue is that a new team had to take on the task of weaving in a 4th story thats already connected to 3 other games with what was probably limited time. In a way I geel for the devs, but that doesnt excuse what we get.

[@jenniferhanses]

That's a false dichotomy. Though I think they were in a tricky place because of DA:I setting up a direct sequel. But they did NOT have to do this.

[@soulnomad5231]

"Building up a rage meter to unleash an ultimate" Dear God we're talking about Dragon Age right?

[@Lunam_D._Roger]

Inquisition had the Focus mechanic, surely this is perhaps the least impactful complaint you could have about Veilguard.

[@Thagyr]

Honestly sounds like another Andromeda treatment, but they wanted to give something the old fans might bite into as well so just tossed in some old characters for heck of it. Importing so little from the previous games is such a kick in the gut.

[@SarahStorm]

I have very little time to play games nowadays, I'm an adult, I have an adult life so before I commit to a game, before I give my time to it (which to me is more important than the dollars I spent for it) I have to know certain things. And above all the discussions this game has created, I really wanted to know "but is it worth my free time?" And by your analysis I can say it won't. Thank you for your honesty.

[@zxyatiywariii8]

Exactly, games need to be worth our time. Fewer and fewer new games are.

[@Str8reapin]

I cried just seeing the title .. but lets be honest you cant tell me people wern't expecting this

[@65firered]

Seeing how the reputation of Bioware is burning faster than canceled pre-orders. Yeah.

[@YangBalanceYin]

He really didn't say anything...

[@Str8reapin]

I just ment in general I feel most of us that are fans probabaly didn't have the best expectations. I wasn't bashing anyone its just sad 😢

[@billybpoon]

When you make a game for "everyone", it appeals to "no one". When you inject "everything" into the game, it becomes "nothing".

[@lucaleone4331]

Honestly comments like these are more annoying than people who just want it to be origins. This game clearly isnt for "everyone" you think EVERYONE wants to play this? No. Just be an Origins mad die hard and move on.

[@ahvin4764]

@@lucaleone4331 "Everyone" is referring to how modern AAA games try to appeal to as many groups as possible, effectively diluting anything that made it special. You're mad because you're taking something that, to any normal person, is not a literal statement as a literal statement.

[@isbammoi3358]

'Jack of all trades, master of none'

[@maccagrabme]

Same with diversity, when everywhere looks the same there is no diversity.

[@devinnewman2397]

The "Fallout 4" effect.

[@jjide76]

We just want dragon age origins and DA2 with better graphics and lots more story.

[@lordhater4207]

Yep same Dragon Age Origins with better graphics some fleshed up gameplay and extended story that would be a hit but they'd have to keep art style and not censor 90% of what made DAO great game fucking dialog wheel would have to go and so would unkillable companions.

[@cjartiste]

9:59 "Can't control your companions" is my hoop. This is so depressing.

[@JochenHeistermann]

Yes that is Autopilot. Like watch a movie.

[@lordhater4207]

First game had you control all companions in your party, you had ability to reposition them and make custom automated builds for each one the way you liked this was so fucking complex for Bioware to repeat so they removed it entirely from DA2 and all other games.

[@JochenHeistermann]

@@lordhater4207 sounds like mass effect.

[@4RedJohn]

I honestly can't wrap my head around it. What were they thinking? I get it, BG3 came out relatively recently, so they couldn't really base their project on this massive success. But Elden Ring and Marvel phase 4's massive failure came out soon enough that they could get it through their thick heads that it's just not the right direction... I'm so disappointed. I managed to forget about the pain this reveal caused me like a month ago, but now around the release the pain returned. I hate to see what was done to my favorite franchise...

[@depoittier]

It sounds like a game targeted at the audience who actually enjoyed the Netflix Dragon Age: Absolution series.

[@MaxStoryTeller92]

Exactly

[@Dee-b5p]

This exactly. I saw 1 episode and knew exactly where Veilguard was going.

[@bvick0035]

At least that series was dark and had some few comedic moments here and there. This game on the other hand seems to double down on the quippy comedy and have a severe lack of anything dark (save for that one town that got blighted so far) The darkspawn looking cartoonishly bad akin to a lot of mobile game monster baddies is just not reassuring 😢

[@mitko1955]

if what you said was true, we'd have a way darker game than this Scooby Doo spin-off

[@maevethefox5912]

Absolution felt like it was going for the Critical Role audience. This ... I don't know where it's going

[@kingdomtom]

Origins really was peak. Then they kept trying to ‘adapt it for a modern audience’ or trying to capture a new audience every time. Pure greed IMO

[@letsplaywildrift]

"Look How They Massacred My Boy" Meme They had something so original and unique, but instead chose to copy others for the sake of a "bigger audience." Fortunately, the people who once loved making these games have separated and created another game called Exodus.

[@jenniferhanses]

They should have learned from From Software and kept working on the kind of game they were got at making an interested in making and aimed to be the best type of that game.

[@patches_]

​@@jenniferhanses "they were got at making an interested in making" ????

[@spence6195]

I liked Dragon Age because it was a dark fantasy game and not just one of those other sunshine & rainbow fantasy series. BioWare didn't make Veilguard for the fans

[@Pale_Peryton]

Nah, sorry. If we'd never gotten another DA game that would've been sad but at least it would've been final. This is like having a pet who died and then watching their skin stretched over a mannequin and being told that "We got you another pet and its jist as good!"

[@simonphoenix3789]

This is more like being given a furry as a replacement for your dead pet. At least a mannequin would stay in the corner quietly.

[@Bonibello]

I'd be willing to overlook all of the hoops if only they allowed my choices - not even the past ones, the CURRENT GAME ONES - to matter. Yet I can't even use blood magic because evil 'is not the path they want the 'hero' to walk on' 🙄🙄

[@Kododie]

My interest in Dragon Age died like 6 years ago. It's another "Duke Nukem Forever" of AAA industry. It has been in development hell for a long time and I'm not surprised that the product that they are pushing out barely resemble older Dragon Age titles. Now I'm just here for the drama. This could very well be the final nail in the coffin for the hollow husk of Bioware game study.

[@thelaughingrouge]

This ain't dragon age, this is the Netflix adaptation. With one of the worst character creators I've seen in 10 years.

[@markhettenbach3141]

I woulda said Amazon, not Netflix. Netflix at least does some things right occasionally

[@simonjohansson7529]

And that crappy CC was one of the selling points (probably bc they know the actual game i at best a 6/10)

[@Brumizona]

*the worst

[@bloodgodalucard4769]

I'd say it's more of a modern day Disney adaptation at this point.

[@karan_k_b]

As a dragon age fan this is what hurts the most - why make a game that is NOT a good dragon age game? Its like diet coke - a drink that is NOT coke. People drink it cause they want to have coke but they are left with the fact that it just isnt as good.

[@boglurker2043]

Well the devs themselves came out and said they’ve never played the previous games. So they don’t actually know what a dragon age game is supposed to be like.

[@justcast1429]

⁠@@boglurker2043as a Halo fan that gave me ptsd flashbacks

[@sol-hunter2332]

​@@boglurker2043... no... I mean, I believe it, but that is baffling.

[@Gabrilos505]

@@boglurker2043 I felt like laughing when I read this, but man... wtf

[@ninvusoogoar6098]

It's easy...... Because the game comes with its own prepackaged fan base where some of them are going to be complete morons who will gladly eat the slop they're given so long as it has the brand name on it. because these devs, TV show writers and movie Makers know if they make their own original movies no one would watch or buy them because no one wants to watch their annoying modern-day nonsense, so they sneak it into pre-existing fan bases and then try to gaslight you when the game movie or TV show comes out and you complain and criticized about it not being the real dragon age or Star wars. This game feels like it was made by people who actively hate the dragon age fandom and the people who love dragon age origins every game after origins has been trying to move away from origins for some reason. This might sound dark or mean but I hope this game is a financial flop and I hope BioWare gets shut down and everyone who works there currently is out of a job and is no longer going to work in the gaming industry, the modern BioWare devs are all talentless morons and they should be delivering pizzas instead.

[@drizzt8955]

A game that is a sequel to the one of the best games of Bioware was made by some other company and won the game of the year award and they still want to distance themselves from their own legacy.

[@Paradoxonum]

It's like something shattered in my mind, when you mentioned the "inspiration" for gameplay and style and that it's based on GoW 2018. I can't unsee it now. And even the Artstyle is so much like the Guardians Game. The shield throw, the glowing spear throw ability, how did i not see it in the gameplay trailers before.

[@solicitr666]

For fifteen years, all we have wanted was a sequel to Origins; and for fifteen years, Bioware has been feeding us games less and less and less like a sequel to Origins.

[@Joyride37]

And then larian gave us the sequel via BG3. But still… love BG3 but it’s still a DND IP. I want BG3 but in dragon age’s world

[@solicitr666]

@@Joyride37 Exactly. I want to return to Thedas, but the HoF’s Thedas

[@Kadir-fw7xm]

Origins was mostly inspired from BG. Bioware developed BG back then. Though their shift came with Mass Effect 1. I like both directions. The more Action based one is my favorite though simply for the fact that the RPGs Bioware made were easy accessible and had a linear story with meaningful consequences in between for your character or the companions. I get it that people love RPGs where you can customize everything to the last bone and have the freedom to play the game as you like (which is nothing bad) but I think its also valid that some people want a Linear RPG with a good story. That aint a step backwards automatically.

[@wompoo7967]

@@Kadir-fw7xm DA:O is nothing like BG or 2 (except they were CRPGs). Inspired by or spiritual successor does not mean the same. Not in combat, not in story, not in art style. What has been delivered in DA:V is a nasty bandaid to somehow salvage 10 failed years of development and production.

[@Rodoet001]

@@Kadir-fw7xm I hear what you're saying, but this feels different. This isn't just a change in gameplay, it's a change from the whole setting, a change from the whole feeling and tone of the world, a massive shift from priorities and character types and writing that drew people in. As someone who actually still liked DA2, that game did the shift pretty right. Going into a more action oriented RPG was a big shift but they managed to do it all right. Not flawless, but the foundation was solid and the execution worked despite some hiccups. And even then the game remained the same classical Dragon Age in all other aspects. The complicated commentary, the dark undertones, the reoccurring themes and issues that world was dealing with, the nuanced writing and complicated choices. It managed to still maintain the air and tone of Dragon Age. Then Inquisition came along and further shifted the needle. It was the first game I felt like it wasn't entirely a DA game, like it wanted to be something else but painted a coat of DA over it in hopes of selling better. It departed from many of the themes and tones of the world, ignore many of the more complicated aspects of it, grew more light-hearted over all rather than letting the glimpses of light be a hope in the dark and difficult world. But it still ultimately was a DA game when it came down to brass tax. It took it self serious and it let some of the heavier moments be heavy. This? Veilguard? I don't know what this is. The massive shift in gameplay including things like removal of team play and tactics in general, something *all* DA games had despite their shift, the loss of tone, seemingly ignoring most of the world it takes place in and what happened in it, how it continues the trend of modern entertainment refusing to be sincere and acting almost embarrassed over being fiction. I suppose it's not "mature" a.k.a "graphic gore, sex, and swearing is mature right?" but that is a a scant comfort, seemingly opting to go all they way in the other direction. I get it takes place after a lot of time has passed, but from what we have been shown it almost wants to act like it exists in a vacuum, or that Inquisition was the only game. And the absolute immature response from the developers in respons to concerns and criticism does not help it one bit. DA changed, and not entirely for the worse, yes, and it is true we don't know everything yet, and maybe it's still a good game. But a Dragon Age game it is not, not from what we have seen, and that is the things that gives the whole thing a rather sour taste. Because most of us didn't just want a new game. We wanted a new Dragon Age game. And so far, all we got is a game with a thin coat of DA painted onto it to sell more copies. Kind of like they did with MA: Andromeda.

[@simonestain7241]

Thank you SO much. The moment the first trailer dropped and those comments from he who I won't bother to name came out saying this game will be the first in the series that's actually "fun" to play, I knew Veilguard was going to be nothing more than a spit in the face of OG fans. Feels like this is definitely the incident that ruins the franchise for good.

[@vegettosonlab]

Thanks for the video. I can tell this is a game not made for me.

[@Slanderbot]

Why are the characters SO ugly? It's like a creative choice to make them unappealing in the worst way possible. It's not even a "oh hey they are kinda ugly" it's like "what is wrong with that character?" They feel so strange and unnaturally designed.

[@kamranahmed5366]

It's weird, whatever happened to having actually nice looking characters? For some reason Bioware just decided there can't be attractive people in their universe anymore. Started with Andromeda, even the Asari were ugly in that game!

[@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation]

I don't have anything against most of the human characters. Races like the Qunari look quite odd though.

[@chillzzz6624]

Are you talking about the character creator or the companions

[@ryanc5572]

They look better than DA2's elves, at least

[@Kelleeart]

@@kamranahmed5366 Oddly, I don't think it's just Bioware. Have you seen what they did to the next Fable?

[@JustanotherTeg]

As a guy that grew up playing the Dragon Age series, ust watching this made me want to cry.

[@gpcube]

That cartoonish look is so ugly. And very outdated. I'm really not sure who the intended audience is.

[@Swift5703]

Dragon age newbies *sighs*

[@titanquest15]

It's for the people who bought DA: Inquisition, since all the Origin fanbase does is whine 24/7 for over 15 years and nothing else.

[@Swift5703]

@@titanquest15 like I said

[@titanquest15]

@@Swift5703 "Newbies" that have been fans since 2014, and have likely played all the other games in the meanwhile. Miss me with that bullshit, lol

[@wrngholeonichan]

The modern audience, brother 🤮

[@fakehistory9350]

What I love is EA Bioware turning DA into a pure action RPG, Fable-esque, right when BG3 proved tactical turn based D&D style gameplay can be a massive blockbuster.

[@Doomguyisbadass]

So let me get this straight: Smaller parties, more linear, past games mean exactly squat, cloned GOW combat, completely different art style, seemingly removed or severely toned down the Dark & Low Fantasy elements... I guess in an effort to appeal to a wider audience they've just made the Dragon Age equivalent of Saint's Row 2022. Some day it won't hurt me anymore when they strip all the unique elements out of my favourite titles but today is not that day.

[@Wickedstrife]

Agreed. Why not just call this an off shoot? Veilguard: a dragon age story. A nice little elseworld spinoff while we wait for them to build off baldurs gate 3s success and make dragon age 4: a dark fantasy rpg like origins but bigger and with new tech. Honestly even bring back the og hero of ferelden Grey warden for it. People would be fighting to pay you for that.

[@jenniferhanses]

Have you ever played Banner Saga? Might like that one, and I think it had some Bioware Devs behind it.

[@Doomguyisbadass]

@@Wickedstrife I definitely agree, the biggest thing about Veilguard is that if it wasn't a Dragon Age title at all or as you said was a spin off it would've gotten a better reception. But making this game proves that Bioware is dead everyone responsible for making the world that I loved has moved on or been forced out by EA so they can use whatever goodwill and popularity attached to the Bioware brand to push mediocre money grabs just like Visceral. The worst part is that Inquisition was a solid title if you add the DLC's and I was excited to see the conclusion of Solas' story, Veilguard has taken that from me.

[@Doomguyisbadass]

@@jenniferhanses I have not I had heard good things but never really took the leap on the title cause I only started to get into CRPG's and ARPG's in the last 10yrs and have only begun branching out recently.

[@jenniferhanses]

@@Doomguyisbadass If you like CRPGs, I'd highly recommend Banner Saga (3 games, complete trilogy available, choices matter), or Shadowrun (Harebrained version, 3 games, but they're not connected to each other, each game is, however, excellent with interesting storytelling).

[@but..whatif1416]

... You know ... After listening to this , all i can say is ... I coulndt be more happier , right now , after the release of baldurs gate 3 , that Larian are where they are today. Because...Yknow ... It was Bioware that used to make the games that Larian makes today. Mass effect. Kotor. Dragon age. Neverwinter Night... They used to be my favorite devs of ALL times. Period. No one else than bioware could scratch that itch. Now? Look at divinity. Baldurs gate. Doesnt it make you feel like an evolved version of Neverwinter Night? How the mighty have fallen and ... How the small ones have become mighty. Oh well ...

[@jimg1787]

Remember when Dragon Age was the spiritual successor to Baldurs Gate? yeah me too. Fun times.

[@kodaisosen]

In the final game, do your companions end up doing a good deal of damage to the enemies like in previous games, or is it closer to them doing barely anything and are just there for commentary?

[@kortanioslastofhisname]

It is wild that a year after BG3 brought back the classic cRPG to the mainstream with a bang, the franchise that started as the spiritual successor of BG1 and 2 would release Dragon Age: The Fortnite, a generic hero hack-and-slasher with a thin dusting of Dragon Age IP to milk a fanbase... I will give this one a pass and play some more BG3, KCD2, and DAO while waiting for Archetype Entertainment's Exodus (a studio made up of some of the developer legends in Bioware) and whatever Humanoid Origin (Casey Hudson's new studio) is cooking up, while waiting for Larian's next title.

[@hannaduet4727]

This is probably the most leveled preview I have seen of this game so far. Most of the videos I have seen on Dragon Age: Veilguard are so hyperbolic. They are either ridiculously optimistic or dreadfully pessimistic. It really felt like this was a fair assessment of the game so far.

[@shyviking]

Yes; agree very much with that. You really gget railroaded into either very positive or very negative reviews. Like there's no middle ground at all....

[@urmonatorgaming]

That's hardly what this review was. This was dreadfully pessimistic.

[@Matthew-ij3zm]

@@urmonatorgaming It felt fair and realistic. Some people will never agree with any bad thing being said about the game and will always find a way to call anyone who doesn't pretend to be optimistic about all this awfulness a "bigot", though.

[@urmonatorgaming]

@@justaguyfromeurope you're literally just a guy from europe, idgaf

[@Matthew-ij3zm]

@@urmonatorgaming I didn't mean you, I didn't know what your thoughts about the game and the people who dislike the game were. I do now, alas, but okay.

[@123Soulstorm]

Yet another beloved IP being stripped of everything that made it great in order to appeal to a wider audience.

[@Ach476]

Modern audience*

[@tine1012]

It's inherent to sequels where decisions from previous games matter. You can't keep making sequels to a 15 year old game, stacking lore on lore hoping people will keep up. You have to adapt it such that it is playable by a wider audience. You could make a direct sequel to origins and keep the lore and gameplay intact, but that's not a game a studio the size of Bioware can make they would crash and burn. For Bioware Dragon Age is a just a trademark to sell.

[@RG32822]

@@Ach476 *audience that likes God of War and Jedi Fallen Order.

[@christopherprivett3344]

@@tine1012 No, you stay consistent to your story, make good content and the "wider audience" will go and buy the other games if it's good enough. How many franchises have been destroyed by ignoring their fans hoping to get more who never were?

[@warlordofbritannia]

While selling worse.

[@ArelitaM]

3 choices? THAT KILLS MEEEEEEEEE, c'mon Bioware!!!! most of us care a lot about the choices from previous games 😢😢😢

[@2shoes155]

Origins felt like the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate 1-2. It took itself seriously and didn’t dumb things down, it knew and respected its audience. Vielguard is like Diablo turning into torchlight. It’s weird seeing companies gamble so much of their money on these dicisions.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

And now BG3 feels like the spiritual successor of Origins. Funny how things work.

[@ninvusoogoar6098]

It's worse than that this game is like Diablo II turning into Torchlight 4 the one where they just made a mobile game and put it on PC.... I hope this game flops and I hope it gets BioWare shut down I hope these devs never work in the industry again

[@lucaleone4331]

how did it "know" its audience when it was its first game?

[@ninvusoogoar6098]

@@lucaleone4331 dont be dumb, its from a different era of gaming where they actually respected their audience and made complete games by release.

[@bestkept999]

So, Dragon Age in name only. Heard

[@sicariau6436]

@@bestkept999 just like the studio. Bioware in name only.

[@CyrusIsnt]

​@@sicariau6436 its been over 2 decades since it started. Thats like visting your old school expecting the same teachers after 20 years. Not saying doing be disappointed but we have to be reasonable.

[@sicariau6436]

@CyrusIsnt it depends why the teachers left. Did the teachers retire or did the school board decide they didn't want white men anymore and push them out?

[@arthurmiranda8896]

@@CyrusIsnt It's more like coke changing its flavor over time. We are not visiting the physical offices of the studio, we are buying a product. And Bioware have been delivering atrocious products in the past 10 years.

[@CyrusIsnt]

@@sicariau6436 it does not matter why. Thats a pregancy-> a grown person passage of time. Even if they same people stayed their focus and interests in game design would probably shift. On a sincere level we cant expect them to remain as was.

[@dandreharris636]

Dragon age origins original team jumped ship years ago so sadly there will never be any more games of that caliber

[@rinraiden]

At this point Bioware should just remaster Origins and DA2 for modern consoles. They could use the money.

[@Gabrilos505]

Remastering, yes. My first thought was preferring a Remake of Origins and 2, but nvm! Can't trust Bioware with a project like that anymore. Maybe if we can get Larian interested in conducting the remake...

[@sol-hunter2332]

I'm afraid they would try to change or censor them if they did. "Sacrifice a child for blood magic? No, that's too icky."

[@kraosdadafusfus8034]

They will not survive Veilguard. It's over.

[@klassic1959]

It won't have spiders if they do it

[@shyviking]

"At this point Bioware should just remaster Origins and DA2 for modern consoles. " Yes...and modern PC's. Just add some graphic variety to DA2, and I am game. DA2 had such a fine, and very personal, story for your character (Hawke). At times, it almost felt like a greek tragedy, where you were the proverbial Cassandra, not being able to avoid the inpending catastrophes. A shame that it was let down by a rushed production.