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Everything you need to know about why some fans are upset with BioWare’s latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, for the most part, had a fantastic launch, with the game being received well by both players and critics alike. However, as is the case with most AAA titles nowadays, The Veilguard isn’t free from its fair share of controversies. While the game did receive glowing reviews from most critics, some fans, especially those who have been with the Dragon Age franchise since its inception, are upset with developer BioWare’s latest title. Given BioWare’s history since Mass Effect 3, it’s not surprising. Most fans seem to have an issue with the game’s art style and the action-focused direction. However, others are upset over its story direction, characters, and overall tone.
Some of the criticisms levied towards BioWare’s latest offering do seem fair, especially when viewed from the lens of long-time Dragon Age fans. However, some players also seem to take issue with the game, despite not having any prior experience with the Dragon Age franchise. Here’s everything you need to know about the online discourse surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard and why some fans are upset with BioWare’s latest RPG.
Note: Aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinions.
Why Are Fans Not Happy With Dragon Age: The Veilguard?
Among the reasons for the frustrations fans have with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the most prominent is related to the art style. While the game does offer stellar visuals, the art style has become one of the biggest points of contention among fans. Dragon Age has always featured a more gritty art style, which felt in line with its dark and mature theme. However, for The Veilguard, BioWare chose a colorful and stylistic art style, which does feel jarring for a Dragon Age game. The art style in The Veilguard feels like an awkward mix between The Sims and Dragon Age: Inquisition. It’s understandable why some long-time fans of the Dragon Age franchise might find the art style not to their liking.
However, that’s not to say the art style in The Veilguard is bad. In fact, for an action RPG, it’s quite good. However, the criticisms levied towards the art style are understandable and, on some level, also justified. Another thing that many fans take issue with in The Veilguard is its combat system. While Dragon Age has always featured a hybrid combat system, it never dipped too deep into the “action-heavy” route. From Dragon Age: Origins to Inquisition, the series has always featured a hybrid combat system.
With Dragon Age, BioWare essentially tried to meld turn-based and real-time combat, akin to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake titles. While the system wasn’t nearly as polished as FF7, it still was something that fans of the series enjoyed. However, with Veilguard, BioWare went all in on the real-time combat route. The combat system in The Veilguard is quite akin to games like God of War or Kingdom Hearts. While the combat system is quite robust, it also feels generic, which explains the frustrations of long-time fans of BioWare’s games.
Story and Characters
Some fans have taken umbrage to The Veilguard’s story and characters. One of the biggest issues fans have with the story is the lack of maturity and depth. In the opening hours, almost every other character, save for Varrick and Morrigan, relies too heavily on “quips” for their dialogue. While Dragon Age (and even Mass Effect) has always had some humor to their stories, that part was always handled with subtlety and maturity. This is what some fans think is missing from the latest Dragon Age title. Furthermore, the characters and the banter between them in The Veilguard never feel genuine. Most of the dialogue in the game feels overly safe and too afraid to offend someone.
Then there’s the argument of progressiveness, which is a whole other can of worms. To be fair, Dragon Age has always featured progressive ideologies, and The Veilguard isn’t the only exception here. However, certain dialogue and cutscenes in The Veilguard do end up feeling a bit too preachy. Furthermore, there are some instances where characters start talking in an accent that doesn’t necessarily feel fitting for a medieval fantasy setting. All these reasons do justify the frustration some fans have with the game.
Then again, not everyone who is complaining about the story is doing so in a constructive manner, and that’s precisely what’s fueling the discourse more than what it really should amount to. It’s understandable why some fans might feel betrayed and upset by BioWare’s decisions regarding Dragon Age: The Veilguard. However, it’s also paramount that before complaining, players give the game a shot. After all, on the internet, it’s quite easy to present things out of context.
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