After nearly ten years of waiting, we finally have the first (officially sanctioned) gameplay footage of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare has released 20 minutes of the game in motion, showing new protagonist Rook and their crew exploring the magical city of Minrathous, fighting demons, and working to stop Inquisition’s surprise antagonist Solas from destroying the world.
The trailer shows off a chunk of The Veilguard’s opening segment, which has new protagonist Rook helping returning heroes Varric and Harding look for Solas in the Tevinter capital. The Veilguard returns to Dragon Age II’s three-tone dialogue options, allowing you to pick from a diplomatic response, a humorous one, or an aggressive assertion. But that’s not the only part of the game that harkens back to the divisive 2011 sequel.
The Veilguard is easily the most action-oriented Dragon Age game, and it looks almost like a character action game along the lines of early God of War or Bayonetta at points. Some of the setpieces and traversal reminded me of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, so it feels like it’s drawing from a lot of action games at first glance. Though you’ll still be able to stop the action to pick abilities and strategize, it definitely feels like a giant leap away from the tactical combat of the original Dragon Age: Origins. The combat looks pretty solid, but your mileage may vary depending on whether or not this is the direction you were hoping for.
Check out the trailer below:
Dragon Age: The Veilguard got its proper re-unveiling with a new name and a cinematic trailer showcasing its new party at the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, June 9. Some of these characters have appeared in Dragon Age comics and books, so diehard fans will likely recognize a few names and faces. The game is launching on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S this fall, so you have plenty of time to decide who you’re gonna smooch.
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