The reveal of Dragon Age: The Veilguard was one of the most highly anticipated showcases of this year's entire Summer Game Fest, but its trailer left fans disappointed - though lucky players with early access say people shouldn't be.
After almost a decade since BioWare's monumental release of Dragon Age: Inquisition, the legendary developer finally unveiled the RPG series' upcoming entry during yesterday's Xbox Games Showcase with an upbeat trailer - that unfortunately didn't live up to many longtime fans' expectations. The reveal sparked comments regarding The Veilguard's art style, with some calling it too "cartoony" and others comparing it to games like Overwatch.
The trailer doesn't actually feature captured gameplay, though, with a watermark reading that it's made up of "game engine footage." This was further confirmed by one of the developers himself, who says that it's only "a trailer" and reassures fans that they'll "see the game soon." Select players who got to experience The Veilguard in action this past weekend say as much, too - revealing that people shouldn't be so quick to judge whether or not the new Dragon Age lives up to the series' gritty dark fantasy reputation.
as someone who has played some of the veilguard already, the enemies and locations are beyond anything we’ve seen before, i was very impressed.the gameplay reveal captures dragon age’s classic dark elements! the horror & gore is back, you won’t be disappointed 💜 #dragonage https://t.co/ta4BL5gtpJ pic.twitter.com/ec6tcoIb9FJune 10, 2024
"As someone who has played some of The Veilguard already, the enemies and locations are beyond anything we’ve seen before," one early player explains, saying that she was left "very impressed" by her time in-game. She continues, detailing how fans "won't be disappointed" as "the horror and gore is back" in the soon-to-release Dragon Age, which "has a much more sinister tone" than BioWare's first trailer lets on. "You’ll be ass deep in demons and begging Andraste for mercy!"
Another content creator echoes a similar sentiment: "I forgot about the art differences not even an hour into playing. It works, in practice." The Veilguard's trailer apparently "doesn't do it justice" as yes, "there's still messy dark shit - it's Dragon Age, after all." Upon actually playing the game, she notes that the difference in aesthetic "really didn't matter anymore cause it all worked cohesively in a good way." Other players who were able to hop into the upcoming RPG claim the same - that The Veilguard "very much felt like Dragon Age."
As someone who's played some of Veilguard, if you want DAO-like horror... it's there. Trust me. All of the environments I got to experience were varied and very much felt like Dragon Age, including the new places. I think Tuesday's gameplay reveal will tone set for the game well.June 10, 2024
Overall, it largely seems like those playing early don't think hardened Dragon Age stans have any reason to worry about BioWare's finished project. As noted by one, "It's a little different, but it's also dark and beautiful and I genuinely loved it." It may even end up being "the most beautiful Dragon Age game" yet from the iconic developer - although the public will have to wait and see when The Veilguard launches this fall to be certain.
Dragon Age vet says the "fidelity death cult" and a "fear of backlash" over reused assets is making AAA games take way longer, but that creates room for Dark Souls-style surprise hits
As the 10-year wait for Dragon Age: The Veilguard ends, RPG veteran says AAA series like GTA show how a big gap between sequels "can actually improve the impact" of each release
