Dragon Age: The Veilguard,[1] previously referred to as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, The Dread Wolf Rises or Dragon Age 4, is the fourth installment of the Dragon Age video game series. It was released on October 31, 2024 for PC and current generation platforms.[2]
Announcement and release[]
On December 6, 2018, at the 2018 Game Awards, BioWare released a teaser trailer.[3] The video mostly shows a close-up view of the lyrium idol, a dwarven artifact uncovered by the Champion of Kirkwall during the events of Dragon Age II. The image shown at the end of the trailer depicts the idol in the center, an unnamed character to the left, and what is likely a wolf to the right. The idol is surrounded by seven circles, two of which have not been greyed out, and the ground appears to be on fire.
In late 2018, the game was said to have been in development "for quite a while."[4] Sources within BioWare stated that the game would be released no earlier than 2021, and that, as of late 2018, the game was without an official name.[5]
In a company earnings call, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen stated that the game would probably be released post-fiscal year 2022.[6]
On June 2, 2022, the game’s title was officially announced to be Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.
In a blog post published on Dragon Age Day 2023, BioWare published a teaser and announced that more information about the game would be released during the summer of 2024.[7]
On June 6, 2024, BioWare announced that the game's title had been changed from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to Dragon Age: The Veilguard.[1] On June 9, 2024, they announced that the game would release in the Fall of 2024.
Development[]
An April 9, 2019 article by Jason Schreier of Kotaku stated that the game was originally intended to be a heist-heavy, smaller-scope adventure revolving around a group of spies in the Tevinter Imperium. Players would have the opportunity to influence other characters, enjoy a rich companion roster, and watch the land and scenario change over time with their choices and–potentially, with multiplayer–the choices of thousands of other players. However, in February 2021 it was confirmed that the game would be exclusively single-player.[8] There was no mention of the Inquisition in the Kotaku summary, and the protagonist was clearly not The Inquisitor.
In the early stages of development, the Veilguard project was code-named "Joplin," and thematically centered around heists. This working title changed after much of BioWare's staff were routed from the project to work on other BioWare titles, with a small team remaining to start the Veilguard project anew. Now code-named "Morrison," this second evolution was built on Anthem's tools and codebase, featuring a multiplayer live service component[9] akin to Destiny. The decision to use multiplayer was later reversed.[10] The decision to make it multiplayer originally was not a mandate from Electronic Arts, but rather undertaken at BioWare's own volition.[11]
With the transition back to singleplayer, the game's systems had to be reworked, including its companion system. In the game's final version, players can take two companions at a time. Originally, the game had a four party setup from previous games, but rather than AI-controlled companions, all four would be player-controlled.[11]
The game was renamed "Veilguard" after a change in the story's direction.[2] With the shift to singleplayer, the game's protagonist (Rook) and companions were given more focus. A system of three (Rook, two companions) were chosen as it felt like the "right number" for the game. Ergo, the game's banter system is based around trios being present at any given moment.[11]
Veilguard scaled back on the open world elements in Inquisition. The decision was in part a reaction to the trend BioWare and the games industry had been taking in the mid to late 2010s with a shift towards open world games. In BioWare's case, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Inquisition, and Anthem were examples of BioWare pursuing open world sensibilities. An early version of Veilguard was more open, but was scaled back by the time of its singleplayer reboot, as while the developers still wanted players to have a sense of discovery, they didn't want an open world they couldn't fill.[11]
The game's companion system took inspiration from BioWare's Mass Effect franchise. Its talent system was inspired by JRPG titles such as Final Fantasy X.[12]
In July 2020, Mark Darrah reiterated that BioWare was continuing to work on the game, but that progress had been slow due to the amount of staff required to work from home (due to the Covid pandemic).[13]
The game reached its alpha milestone in October 2022, meaning that the game was playable from start to finish.[14]
After the game's release, BioWare shifted its staff to focus on its as of yet untitled fifth Mass Effect game.[15]
Reception[]
Dragon Age: The Veilguard received "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic, getting a Metascore of 84/100 on PS5 based on 51 critic reviews,[16] 79/100 on PC based on 24 critic reviews,[17] and 93/100 on Xbox Series X based on 5 critic reviews.[18]
One of the game's most common criticisms was its shift in art style from previous games.[19] During EA's 2024 Q3 investor call, it was announced that the game's sales had fallen short of initial sales expectations.[20] It also became the target of an internet culture war[21] citing misrepresentation of player interest.[22]
Plot[]
The protagonist of the game is known as Rook. The game starts around 9:52 Dragon, 9-10 years after Dragon Age: Inquisition and Trespasser.[note 1] Solas has begun his ritual to tear down the Veil, causing demons to slip into the world. Members of the Inquisition, having recruited a new ally that Solas would never see coming, attempt to stop him before he can finish his ritual.
Varric Tethras assembles a team called the Veilguard to track Solas down and attempts to stop his ritual. Varric attempts to talk Solas down from completing the ritual while Rook disrupts the ritual by tearing down a buttress supporting the ritual site. Unable to negotiate with Solas and with Solas' ritual going awry, Varric and Solas end up in a struggle leading to Solas inadvertently stabbing Varric with his ritual dagger. Solas' botched ritual leads to the release of Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain who goes on to unleash the Sixth Blight on Thedas. Rook is knocked unconscious while tending to Varric and bleeds from an injury. Solas gets trapped in the Evanuris' Fade prison but manages to use blood magic to connect himself to Rook and speak to them in their dreams.
Rook recovers in the Lighthouse where they are encouraged by an injured Varric to take command of the Veilguard and lead the fight against the elven gods. To defeat the elven gods, Rook must take advice from Solas as the two form an uneasy alliance.
Data transfer and world-states[]
Unlike its predecessor Dragon Age: Inquisition, Veilguard does not use the Dragon Age Keep to generate world states. Instead, the Inquisitor's appearance, race, gender, and voice as well as three player choices from Inquisition can be manually customized during character creation. These choices are: who your Inquisitor romanced, whether or not you disbanded the Inquisition, and whether you vowed to stop or save Solas.[23] No player choices from Dragon Age: Origins or Dragon Age II can be imported to Veilguard. If the player chooses not to edit their Inquisition choices during character creation, the game will default to a female elven Inquisitor who did not pursue a romance, disbanded the Inquisition at the end of the Trespasser DLC, and vowed to save Solas from himself.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard largely avoids referencing previous player decisions to prevent contradictions. However, certain previous decisions are overwritten by Veilguard's narrative. An optional conversation with Harding at the Lighthouse confirms that the Inquisitor recruited Blackwall, Sera, and Cole regardless of whether the player recruited or rejected them during the events Inquisition.
Characters[]
- For information about recruitable companions, see Companions (The Veilguard).
The core members of the Veilguard
Major characters[]
- Rook – the protagonist of the game and leader of the Veilguard.
- Elgar'nan – the leader of the Evanuris, and one of the main antagonists.
- Ghilan'nain – one of the Evanuris, and one of the main antagonists.
- Solas – former companion of The Inquisitor, the Dread Wolf and one of the main antagonist.
- Varric Tethras – a close associate of Hawke and the Inquisitor, Viscount of Kirkwall, member of the Inquisition and mentor to Rook.
Companions[]
Others[]
- Andarateia Cantori
- Antoine
- Caterina Dellamorte
- Dorian Pavus
- Evka Ivo
- Heir
- Illario Dellamorte
- The Inquisitor
- Irelin
- Isabela
- Morrigan
- Manfred
- Maevaris Tilani
- Strife
- Viago De Riva
- Zara Renata
Quests[]
- Main article: Quests (The Veilguard)
The quest "The End of the Beginning" was revealed in the Official Gameplay Reveal on YouTube on June 11, 2024. It involves Rook, Varric, and Harding tracking down Neve Gallus in Minrathous for assistance in finding and stopping Solas as he attempts to tear down the Veil. Rook and their allies manage to interrupt Solas's ritual, but accidentally trap Solas in the Fade and free Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan from their prison in the process.
A later quest, "In Entropy's Grasp," was revealed in Game Informer on June 18, 2024. It involves Rook and their allies returning to Arlathan Forest after stopping Solas's ritual where they encounter Veil Jumpers Strife, Irelin, and Bellara Lutare. Bellara helps the group escape from a Veil Bubble using an artifact called the Nadas Dirthalen.
Gameplay[]
The Veilguard uses a hub-and-zone system with the characters operating from a hub area called the Lighthouse. From the Lighthouse, characters travel to zones throughout northern Thedas to complete quests, explore, and acquire loot. Zones are typically linear with alternate branching or hidden paths. Some zones are only accessible for specific quests while others can be accessed and explored at will.
Combat in The Veilguard is more action-oriented and streamlined compared to previous titles, taking inspiration from BioWare's Mass Effect titles. Players choose between the traditional classes of Warrior, Rogue, or Mage. Rook can be upgraded by assigning points into a class-specific skill web which includes passive bonuses, unlockable abilities, and combat "traits". Points are accumulated via levelling up (to a level cap of 50) and by completing certain tasks in the game world. At level 20, Rook may choose a specialization themed around one of the game's factions. The skill web can be freely respec'ed any time Rook is not actively in combat.
Rook can acquire gear by completing missions and quests, purchasing from vendors, and locating chests scattered across the game world. Gear pieces add passive effects during combat and improve Rook's damage and abilities. Acquiring duplicate pieces of equipment will upgrade the quality of equipment, adding additional bonuses and effects to the gear. The player can use a transmogrification system at the Lighthouse to change the appearance of gear. Appearances are unlocked when gear is acquired and some appearances are only available via transmogrification.
Unlike in previous titles, only two companions can accompany Rook at a time and the player cannot directly control these companions. Instead, companions engage in automated combat during fights and the player can use an ability wheel to issue commands to companions. Companion gear and abilities feature limited customization. Each companion has access to six abilities which can be augmented using limited skill trees. Various outfits, weapons, and keepsakes can also be acquired for companions, though unlike with previous titles, these equipables are specific to individual companions and cannot be equipped to Rook or to other companions. As with Rook, companion gear can be visually altered using transmogrification.
Locations[]
- Anderfels
- Antiva
- Deep Roads
- Halde Vaskar
- Isana Negat
- Kal-Sharok Outpost
- Fade
- Nevarra
- Blackthorn Manor
- Grand Necropolis
- Rivain
- Tevinter Imperium
- Arlathan Forest
- Arlathan Crater
- D'Meta's Crossing
- Minrathous
- Archon's Palace
- Dock Town
- High Town
- Arlathan Forest
System requirements[]
System PC Recommended Minimum OS Windows 10/11 64-bit Windows 10/11 64-bit CPU Intel Core i9-9900K
AMD Ryzen 7 3700XIntel Core i5-8400
AMD Ryzen 3 3300XSystem RAM 16 GB 16 GB Graphics Card NVIDIA RTX 2070
AMD Radeon RX 5700XTNVIDIA GTX 970/1650
AMD Radeon R9 290XHard Drive 100GB SSD 100GB SSD Preferred, HDD Supported (AMD CPUs on Windows 11 require AGESA V2 1.2.0.7 Miscellaneous DirectX 12 DirectX 12
Notes[]
- There is some contradiction on when Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes place, whether the time passage is from Dragon Age: Inquisition or from the events of Trespasser. In an interview, John Epler states that it starts 9 years after Inquisition.[24] However, in the official BioWare discord QnA, John Epler states that since the start of development they placed The Veilguard at 10 years since Trespasser.[25] Where as it is recalled by Trick Weekes that they had it set at 9:52 Dragon.[26] This is echoed by short story The Flame Eternal, which places the current time period at 9:52. These contradictions place the range somewhere between 9:51-9:54 for possible start dates for Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
- The game will not have post-launch DLC.[15]
Trivia[]
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard has 140,000 lines of voiced dialogue (80,000 without all the Rooks).[27]
- There are some references to other games created by Bioware throughout, such as Mass Effect.
Gallery[]
References[]
External links[]
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