Dragon Age: The Veilguard “Truly Knows What it Wants to Be” Praises BG3 Exec

Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, recently lauded Dragon Age: The Veilguard, showering praise upon BioWare's latest action RPG. This article delves into his assessment.

Baldur's Gate 3 Exec Applauds Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Focused Vision

Michael Douse (@Cromwelp on X), the publishing director at Larian Studios (creators of Baldur's Gate 3), expressed enthusiastic approval for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. He revealed playing the game "in complete secrecy," even jokingly admitting to playing it behind his backpack at work.

Douse highlighted The Veilguard's clear identity, stating it "truly knows what it wants to be," a refreshing contrast to previous Dragon Age installments that sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the experience to a "well-made, character-driven, binge-worthy Netflix series" rather than a drawn-out, less focused production.

The combat system also received high praise, described as a "mix of Xenoblade Chronicles & Hogwarts Legacy," a blend Douse called "giga-brain genius." This faster-paced, combo-driven system shifts from the tactical style of earlier Dragon Age games, aligning more with the action-oriented feel of BioWare's Mass Effect series.

Douse praised The Veilguard's pacing, noting its "good sense of propulsion and forward momentum," and its ability to balance impactful narrative moments with opportunities for players to experiment with their character builds and abilities. He even commended BioWare's continued industry presence, contrasting it with "moronic corporate greed."

The most significant point was Douse's assertion that The Veilguard is "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While this might seem critical of past entries, Douse clarified, "I’ll always be a [Dragon Age: Origins] guy, and this isn't that." He acknowledged a difference in style but emphasized his respect for The Veilguard's distinct vision. In his own words: "In a word, it’s fun!"

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Rook Character Offers "True Player Agency"

Dragon Age: The Veilguard emphasizes player agency through the Rook, a customizable protagonist with extensive personalization options. According to Xbox Wire, players have considerable control over the Rook's background, skills, and alignment. The Rook's mission: assemble a party to confront two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.

Character creation allows choices to deeply impact the player's experience, from backstory to combat specialization. Classes include Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with unique specializations (e.g., Spellblade for mages). Personalization extends to the Rook's home, the Lighthouse, allowing players to decorate rooms to reflect their character's journey.

"As you do, Rook reminisces about their history before the events of the game," a developer told Xbox Wire. "This let me define more about my Rook—even down to choices I thought were incidental, like why he has face tattoos. The result is a character who truly feels like mine."

This focus on character detail likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, particularly the emphasis on meaningful player choices. With The Veilguard's October 31st release, BioWare hopes players share Douse's enthusiasm. Our review awarded the game a 90, praising its embrace of a faster-paced action RPG style.