Following Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s first cinematic trailer, fans stayed feeling dissatisfied. The trailer was full of humor and a quirky art style for the series we reported on at PGG. It seemed to lighten the game, written to be a quirky introduction to the seven companions players can expect from Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Something that also caught the attention of many fans was Varric’s appearance and voice, both of which are very different from the dwarf we all know and love. His hair is noticeably darker, and his voice is unrecognizable. As a character who has been the narrator of Dragon Age since Dragon Age II, including several voiceovers in Dragon Age: Inquisition, I have no idea what BioWare was thinking.
Beyond this, we have this comedy… Overwatch-like introduction to the game. The DLC for Dragon Age: Inquisition left us in a sober and vengeful mood. Many fans came out of the Trespasser DLC feeling heartbroken and/or betrayed. I didn’t date Solas in my first game, but I ended up making an Inquisitor for the sole purpose of seeing firsthand what he does in Trespasser when it’s his lover and not just a friend in front of him.
Time to crack an egg, that’s all I’m saying.
However, BioWare saved itself by quickly releasing a gameplay preview of Dragon Age: The Veilguard ahead of schedule. We weren’t supposed to see anything until June 11, 2024, when the official gameplay reveals was played live on their YouTube channel.
All of a sudden, we have this new video that is the complete opposite of the companion trailer. In 13 seconds, BioWare prevented huge damage to their series. The new preview, released on June 10, actually feels like a Dragon Age game.
It’s dark, it’s foreboding, and the graphics look AMAZING. Dragon Age has always had beautiful scenery, and you can see how much time must have gone into creating the environments for this game just in these few seconds. Strangely, even Varric’s voice sounds different – slightly deeper, more suited to his original character.
This is Dragon Age as it has always been. It has that sense of suspense and even though I don’t control the characters yet, I want them to move faster through this area and indoors or somewhere less shadowy.
We also got a sneak peek at Scout Harding, and I’m very glad to have her as a companion instead of an NPC you meet at every campsite in Inquisition.
While I didn’t have as much hate for the companion trailer as others, the gameplay preview made me feel 100 times better about the 10-year wait for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Keep it up BioWare, this is the energy we want for this game.
Want to brush up on your Dragon Age knowledge before the game drops? Try our Pro Game Guides pieces on Who is the Dire Wolf in the next Dragon Age game? and Best Companions in Dragon Age Inquisition.
