Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, recently lauded BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, offering high praise for the newly released action RPG. Let's delve into his insightful comments.
Baldur's Gate 3 Publisher Praises Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Focused Vision
A Dragon Age Game That "Truly Knows What It Wants To Be"
Michael Douse (@Cromwelp on X), the publishing director at Larian Studios (creators of Baldur's Gate 3), expressed immense enthusiasm for The Veilguard. He revealed playing the game "in complete secrecy," even jokingly admitting to playing it hidden behind his backpack at the office!
Douse highlighted The Veilguard's clear direction, a refreshing change from previous Dragon Age titles which sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the game's experience to a "well-crafted, character-driven Netflix series" – a concise and engaging experience, unlike a sprawling, lengthy series.
Douse also praised the innovative combat system, describing it as a brilliant blend of Xenoblade Chronicles and Hogwarts Legacy – a combination he called "giga-brain genius." This fast-paced, combo-driven combat system marks a departure from the slower, tactical combat of earlier Dragon Age games, aligning it more closely with the style of BioWare's Mass Effect series.
Douse further commended The Veilguard's pacing and narrative structure, noting its effective balance between key story moments and opportunities for player experimentation and class exploitation. This represents a significant departure from the more traditional RPG structure of earlier Dragon Age games. He even extended his praise to BioWare's continued industry presence, emphasizing its importance amidst "moronic corporate greed."
The most significant point Douse made was The Veilguard's newfound identity. He declared it "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While this could be interpreted as a critique of past titles, Douse clarified, stating "I’ll always be a [Dragon Age: Origins] guy, and this isn't that." While not replicating the nostalgia of Origins, The Veilguard's distinct vision resonated strongly with Douse. In his own words: "In a word, it’s fun!"
Unprecedented Player Agency Through Rook Character Customization
Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers players deep immersion through Rook, the customizable protagonist. According to Xbox Wire, players have extensive control over Rook's background, skills, and alignment. Players assemble a party to confront two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.
Character creation is meticulously designed to ensure player choices – from backstory to combat specialization – resonate with their role-playing vision. Classes include Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with unique specializations (e.g., Spellblade for Mages). Customization even extends to Rook's home, the Lighthouse, allowing players to personalize rooms reflecting 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 level of detail likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, particularly the focus on meaningful player choices. With The Veilguard's October 31st release, BioWare hopes players will share Douse's enthusiasm.
Our review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard highlighted its embrace of "the faster pace of the action RPG genre," delivering "more fluid and engaging gameplay" compared to its predecessors. For a full review and our 90-score justification, please see our dedicated article.
