"Dragon Age: The Veilguard Praised by BG3 Exec for Clear Vision"

Larian Studios' Publishing Director Michael Douse recently shared his high praise for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the latest action RPG from BioWare. Dive into his insights on this much-anticipated game.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Earns Acclaim from Larian Studios’ Publishing Chief

“It Feels Like the First Dragon Age Game That Truly Knows What It Wants to Be,” Says Baldur’s Gate 3 Exec

Michael Douse, known as @Cromwelp on Twitter (X), and the publishing director at Larian Studios, responsible for Baldur’s Gate 3, has expressed his admiration for BioWare’s newest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Douse shared his impressions on Twitter, revealing that he had been playing the game "in complete secrecy," humorously mentioning playing it behind his backpack at the office.

Douse believes that The Veilguard stands out as a game with a clear vision, stating that it "truly knows what it wants to be." This focus is a refreshing shift from previous entries in the series, which he felt sometimes struggled to balance storytelling with gameplay. He likened the game to a "well-made, character-driven, binge-worthy Netflix series" rather than a "heavy, 9-season long show."

Douse also commended the game's combat system, describing it as a "mix of Xenoblade Chronicles & Hogwarts Legacy," a blend he calls "giga-brain genius." This approach seems to align The Veilguard more closely with the fast-paced combat of BioWare’s Mass Effect series, allowing players to chain together primed attacks for powerful effects, differing from the slower, tactical style of earlier Dragon Age games.

Douse praised the game's pacing, noting that it "has a good sense of propulsion and forward momentum," and effectively balances narrative moments with opportunities for players to explore their class and exploit its strengths. He also highlighted BioWare's enduring significance in the industry, especially in the face of "moronic corporate greed."

A key aspect Douse emphasized is The Veilguard's unique identity. He considers it "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While this could be interpreted as a critique of previous games, Douse clarified that his love for Dragon Age: Origins remains strong, yet he appreciates The Veilguard's fresh approach. "In a word, it’s fun!" he exclaimed.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Rook Character Customization Offers “True Player Agency”

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare is set to deliver a deeply immersive character experience through the Rook, a customizable protagonist. According to Xbox Wire, players will have extensive control over Rook's background, skills, and moral alignment. Rook's mission is to assemble a party to combat two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.

The character creation system in The Veilguard is designed to resonate with players' role-playing visions, allowing choices in classes such as Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with specialized roles like the Spellblade for mages, which combines close combat with elemental magic. Additionally, players can customize Rook’s home, the Lighthouse, to reflect their character’s journey.

A developer from BioWare shared with Xbox Wire, "As you do, Rook reminisces about their history before the events of the game. This let me define more about my Rook—even down to choices I thought were incidental, like why he has face tattoos. The result is a character who truly feels like mine."

This level of character detail may be what Michael Douse found commendable, particularly as the game emphasizes choices that feel genuinely impactful. With The Veilguard set to launch on October 31, BioWare hopes that players will echo Douse’s enthusiasm.

In our review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, we noted that the game successfully embraces "the faster pace of the action RPG genre" with gameplay that "is more fluid and engaging compared to its predecessors." To learn more about our thoughts and why we gave the game a score of 90, read our full review below!