After nearly a decade of anticipation, BioWare’s latest entry in the Dragon Age series is finally here. Many expected Dragon Age: The Veilguard to be the redemption BioWare has been searching for after struggling with mediocre releases such as Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem. Has this proven to be true? Well… critics seem to think so.
Take a look at some of the critic reviews of Dragon Age: The Veilguard below:
- Metacritic (based on 51 critic reviews) – 84%
- PC Gamer – 79%
- IGN – 9/10
- Eurogamer – 5/5
- GamesRadar+ – 4.5/5
- VG247 – 3/5
The most immediate and striking aspect of The Veilguard is its technological advancement. Critics were unanimously impressed by the game’s visual design, with several praising how the artistic environment transforms each location into a character of its own.
The character creator was also heaped with praise, especially for its inclusive approach. One reviewer, a Black player, noted the remarkable depth of customization, including a wide range of skin tones, hairstyles, body types, and even detailed options like top-surgery scars.
True to BioWare’s tradition, the companions are the soul of The Veilguard. Critics described the seven party members as some of the most fully realized characters in the series’ history. Each companion comes with a complete personal storyline that feels more like a miniature game within the game, moving far beyond the traditional side quest format.
Standout characters include Davrin, a Grey Warden with great emotional depth, and Emmerich, a necromancer described as a “delightful twist” on typical magical archetypes.
The combat system, however, appears to have departed from earlier Dragon Age games. While purists might miss the tactical depth of Origins, most critics found the new action-oriented system satisfying enough.
Bioware has streamlined many traditional RPG mechanics, removing inventory management, respec costs, and other potential friction points. Though some see this as making the game more accessible, others worry it pushes the experience closer to an action-adventure title.
Unfortunately, The Veilguard‘s narrative received more mixed reviews than any other element. The game promises consequential choices, but some critics argue that the moral complexity of earlier Dragon Age games has been somewhat lost. As one critic noted, while choices have consequences, they lack the nuanced moral ambiguity that made previous games so compelling. The narrative seems more focused on character journeys than broader ideological conflicts.
Despite these imperfections, The Veilguard sounds like a promising reinvention of the Dragon Age series. It may not perfectly satisfy every fan’s expectations (and we wouldn’t expect it to), but it’s certainly a confident step forward. Whether fans will agree with the critics remains to be seen.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is available to play PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.
