Playing 6 hours of Dragon Age: The Veilguard gave me the faith its trailers couldn't: This is the BioWare comeback fans want

Dragon Age: The Veilguard hit me with its own unique fighting and grinding, including how the plot never stopped holding my hand.

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(Image credit: Bioware)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard could be called Bioware's comeback. It's not built on the trendy multiplayer feast that Anthem was, and in the six hours I was able to actually play it in this month's advance viewing, Veilguard didn't give me any random bugs like Mass Effect Andromeda didn't. It actually has the features to justify that BioWare listened to its players. And actually, more importantly, BIOWARE is actually preparing for what's to come before anything else: a beautiful, rich, intimate role-playing game.

The whole marketing of Veilguard during this period was polarizing. PC Gamer Dragon Age Fellow Botaniki was on the fence about whether the new video would foretell the series' fall or reconciliation, with worldviews converging. Before the game started, I was leaning towards disappointment. Now, not paying attention to all Bioware's conclusions, I still don't agree - action-packed combat action, sparkling and no-time characters, ridiculous Darkpauns - I believe Actuality is an amazing return to the world I loved for 15 years.

Setting the dragon stage

Naturally, I started by creating a character that is definitely considered to be the most detailed of all, in fact, anything ever done by BioWare. I was beguiled to see the silky hairstyle - another big improvement for the series, but even such small details as mediocre graphics and asymmetrical ears of the faction are rampant. Regardless of my concept about the overall visual manner, it's impossible to argue that he's impressive.

As soon as I finished creating my character, I found my main hero hand under the bar trying to find out the location of the bartender's informant. Inspired by this scene, in contrast to the trailer, her viewing immediately made me grin when I was very good and actually winked at the video camera. For example, we start the game Dragon Age with an interrogation, but in the end I only demand an answer.

I immediately get the first choice: will it be the Hand or Clark with the backing of charisma? Those who have chosen at least one by chance for the more brutal version of the dialogue in this Irge of the expected will love to hear the consequences spelled out directly above each variant of the dialogue: "Try to vouch for the bar owner" or "Hit the whole room".

Anyway, Rook and fan-favorite Varric Tetra get the information they need and head to Minrathos, the magical city we saw in the gameplay.

A combat convert

It's not immediately obvious when you play the wheeled tutorial battle, which has Rook and Varric walking through Minrathos fighting the wraiths plundering the city, but you soon realize that the battles are fun. For example, "I love playing warriors, and this is the first time I've played a warrior in a Dragon Age game."

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You can block magic bullets with a shield, or dodge and stun enemies' contact attacks. You can create distance by dodging backwards, or close the gap with a kick skill that lets you jump through the air. You can also run forward and unleash heavier special attacks. In your first fight against a large Pride Demon, be careful of its AoE attacks that will have you lying on the ground. The best part is staying aware of what's going on and being mobile in each fight.

There feels like a high skill level here, especially for those who have memorized their gear and combos well.

And there are some crazy moments. The health and mana potions found throughout the world are aggressive, vibrant greens and reds that seem straight out of a 1990s platform game. I never found myself hitting the "quick heal" button when I was killed in combat, and I rolled my eyes at the Captain America-esque shield throw that the Warrior has as his main area of ​​effect attack. Sometimes the superhero style is just too much for my dark fantasy series.

As the difficulty ramped up and classes were swapped out with each new segment, I worked up a sweat. I often found myself pushing my companion's steering wheel to use Neev's "slow time" spell or Belara's healing ability. I was offended when BioWare announced that we would lose full control of party combat in Veilguard. But fair is fair, and they were right. I tried both the mage and the rogue, and it was really nerve wracking not to die in the boss fight.

The skill tree node contains an activation skill and a devil that releases the combo according to the situation. These functions, such as "Grappling Spear", starts hitting the opponent with a harpoon when activated and attracted himself. These functions such as "tumbling sword" can be attacked after combat throws and attacks. For those who have acquired all personal kits and combos that attack with perfect defense after 'counterattack', I feel that there is a high professionalism ceiling here.

I was one of the disappointment of Bioware, who switched to a heavy battle with a veil guard. However, I looked back and found out. This is what I was looking for. I was tired of the rol e-playing game supported by the skill hot bar for several years, and I was entrusted with a smoother combat system that could decide on a personal combo instead of playing aggressively. When I announced such dissatisfaction, I imagined MMO, but now Dragon Age has realized such a fas t-paced comb o-based battle.

Nevertheless, it is hard to say that I chose it for the Dragon Age: Origins series, but I have to admit that Bioware wanted to do it with the support of this military system. I decided to accept this.

Another feature of VEILGUARD that Bioware emphasizes on a daily basis is that you can customize your personal skills. An example of my favorite option is hidden deep in the gameplay menu. By default, VEILGUARD is holding your hand. The mini map and quest log displayed on the screen are quite good, but with the help of the goal marker, it points to all doors and roads to go every day.

In Veilgard, these components can be set personally, and the illusion can be completely disabled, or when the button is pressed for a short time, it can be displayed for a short time. I decided to turn off everything, including the map, to explore each area naturally. By turning off the visual noise, it is a detailed and population that has never been seen in Tadas, such as exploring the cityscape of Treviso or searching for an incredible seaside prison during Lucanis recruitment. I was able to enjoy the scene. In fact, I will survive this, "I thank the opportunity, and I hope Velgard is looking forward to this choice.

The only unfortunate thing is that the script of Veilgard does not necessarily cause the same respect from me.

Conversation competencies

Vergard's mission creators desperately try to chew food for me. There are not only simple voice prompts such as this lever, but also a stupid replica such as "preparing everyone". Prepare everyone. "This applies not only to Quest Dialog, but also to overturn your conclusions, such as Velgard.

In fact, I sometimes see the scriptwriter sitting with me on the bench and reporting my first experiment.

A few times, when I was playing, in the middle of the stage, there was a text sentence that explained that the action I was watching was caused by my conclusion. Yes: I settled this choice two minutes ago! I picked up the grounds and results. What is different from the guide option is that there is no toogle switch that "knows the bioware game mechanism."

I can't identify it because it's spoiler, but I talked to me what the character is considering, and the po p-up window added, "This character is now experiencing ...", and in fact this is. It can be found that it is basically the result of the previous conversation. The po p-up window in the sense that the character is remembered is not bad, but these are in an uncertain element that players cannot understand.

This is an excitement that can be understood as the fourth part of the series, which is generated by the results of the game released 10 years ago. But I am conscious of this, I believe that it will be displayed sometimes, Scenarists actually sit near me on the bench and report my first experiment.

Thankfully, in conversation with friends, I didn't feel they were talking to me. Whether it is platonic or love, the formation with your party members every time is the cornerstone of Biowar e-Rol l-Plunning Games, and I was relieved to this old charm.

Instead of the castle in the mountains, the base was a "lighthouse". Under the title "Fade", it is a collection of surreal houses flying in the magical void. Each member of the party has a floating monastery, and they are repaired and individualized in the direction of the game. When there is some fresh topic, the aristocrats give the entrance a small and very bright.

These encounters are basically all the things I liked every time in Dragon Time. The dialogue is more natural than the quest dialogue I was unhappy with, and it also includes sensual delivery from the great voice actors. In the scarred part I played, I got a little bit of a glimpse of the plane, but there are few companions I've already seen, such as the dragon hunter Tasha and the white-haired overseer Davrina, and I can't wait to hear more about them.

It's best if your companions plan your life together. The illustration (above) of the seven restaurants in "The Lighthouse" is just that scene. At the beginning, he sits in a chair, Harding and NIV sit on a sofa, and all three of them stipulate what they will actually make, like SOLA, who interrupted the magical ritual of breaking the veil. It's lively and intimate in a way that I didn't feel in the Dragon Age game, and it seems to form a similar context between them. In fact, this scene will probably be repeated when new members join the team and more serious discussions are held on this issue. And for now, I'm completely guessing, but I'm curious to see if the poses of the party members in this scene will change as they become more intimate with me (or with my friends).

At the end of the game session, Bioware told me that everything was actually played out, referring only to Veilguard. I was kept on the constant instructions of the recruitment, boss fights and a certain number of really nice missions that didn't allow me to grow apart on the open world design of Dragon Age: Inquisition. The combat forced me to believe in my own strength, and the communication element with the party members during all these events ensured that the wait for them was worth it.

I will continue to find fault with it, and there were elements that I will never accept, but this is a matter of fans. Judging by the fact that I was all chance at this point, Veilguard is actually a pride of the series.