Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, recently lauded Dragon Age: The Veilguard, offering high praise for BioWare's latest action RPG. This article delves into his assessment and explores the game's innovative features.
Larian Studios' Publishing Chief Showers Praise on Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Baldur’s Gate 3 Exec Calls it 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 enthusiastic approval for BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard. He revealed playing the game "in complete secrecy," even jokingly admitting to playing it hidden behind his backpack at work.
Douse highlighted The Veilguard's focused design, stating it "truly knows what it wants to be," a refreshing contrast to previous Dragon Age titles which sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the experience to a "well-made, character-driven Netflix series" instead of a sprawling, lengthy one.
The combat system also received significant praise, described as a "mix of Xenoblade Chronicles & Hogwarts Legacy," a combination Douse called "giga-brain genius." This faster-paced, combo-driven combat represents a departure from the tactical style of earlier Dragon Age games, drawing comparisons to the Mass Effect series.
Douse commended The Veilguard's pacing, noting its "good sense of propulsion" and ability to balance impactful narrative moments with opportunities for player experimentation. He even applauded BioWare's continued industry presence, emphasizing its importance amidst "moronic corporate greed."
The most striking observation was Douse's assertion that The Veilguard is "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While potentially a critique of past installments, Douse clarified, "I’ll always be a [Dragon Age: Origins] guy, and this isn't that." He acknowledged a different style but praised The Veilguard's distinct vision and overall enjoyment: "In a word, it’s fun!"
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Rook Character Offers "True Player Agency"
Dragon Age: The Veilguard aims for deep player immersion 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 players to align their choices—from backstory to combat specialization—with their role-playing vision. Classes include Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with specialized subclasses like the Spellblade Mage. Personalization extends to the Rook's home, the Lighthouse, where players can customize 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 detailed character development likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, particularly the focus on meaningful player choices. With The Veilguard's October 31st release, BioWare hopes players share Douse's enthusiasm. Our review, awarding the game a 90, highlighted its embrace of a "faster pace" and "more fluid and engaging" gameplay compared to its predecessors.
