My name is Steve Saylor, and this is my quest log for Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD. If you want to play the game and come back to listen or read this later, please do. Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you’re ready.
Hello, welcome to Quest Log, journal entry number two for Dragon Age The Veilguard. I... things started off with a bang. That's basically all I can really say. It started off with you find out a little bit about your party as you're looking to find Solas. And you as Rook and Nev and Harding and Varric are in this sort of floating city of sorts, I guess, and you're just trying to be able to find your way to Solas.
Early Game Experience
This is actually something that I remember seeing at Summer Game Fest this past year. I got to have an hour preview of the game, and that first hour was basically a little bit of building your character, plus this first mission. You confront Solas and then, or at least Varric does. Choices you make basically either follow Varric's plan or not. You start to see some of the choices that will have some effect because characters approve or disapprove of the choices you make. I'm kind of liking the idea of being a little bit sarcastic and flirty. My character seems to have that vibe right now, and it works.
Solas and the Ritual
At the very beginning, you disrupt the ritual that Solas was performing. You start to notice that Solas isn't fully the bad guy as you think he is. He's more of an anti-villain, more like a Loki than a full-on evil person. Solas was a big part of Inquisition, where you first met him as part of the Inquisition. Now, you find out he's the Dread Wolf. This game picks up from that. Even without playing previous Dragon Age games, I could follow along.
Stuck in the Fade
After stopping the ritual, you and Solas get stuck in the Fade. You learn he was trying to keep the old gods imprisoned so they don't escape into the world. Unfortunately, two elven gods have escaped, and it's your responsibility to fix that. This reminds me of the redemption arc in Inquisition. The main crisis in the world feels semi-caused by your character. I appreciate that this story focuses on fixing mistakes and moving forward.
Character Dynamics
Relationships and Party Interactions
The conversations between Varric and Solas feel nuanced. Even as someone new to the series, I could sense their prior friendship. Talking to Harding was surprising. She rebuffed my empathy, insisting she was fine despite her injuries. Nev, on the other hand, has a flirtatious vibe, and I enjoyed exploring that dynamic. Playing a Batman-like character, I'm naturally drawn to Nev as an investigator and find her intriguing.
Choices in the Story
Nev suggested learning more about the elven gods before attacking them. I agreed, valuing information for better decision-making. Returning to the site of the ritual revealed dormant magic and threats like Darkspawn and constructs attacking elven villages. Meeting Ballara, an artificer-like character, added a quirky and inventive personality to the story. Her task of dismantling magical bubbles hints at future quests involving similar challenges.
Gameplay Mechanics
Combat and Accessibility
The combat feels more refined than in Inquisition. It’s action-oriented, similar to Mass Effect. I enjoy using ranged attacks with arrows and switching to a sword for melee combat. Accessibility features like sound effects and visual cues enhance gameplay. Dodging during animations is responsive, and the game notifies you when to heal with a subtle vignette effect. Special attacks and upgrading weapons add depth to the strategy.
Aesthetic and Customization
The world and UI feel streamlined. I like the gold-and-red armor, though it’s not my favorite aesthetic. I’m hoping to switch to darker, more mysterious outfits later. The linear path in the early game makes it easier to follow the story compared to previous titles. I’m enjoying the simplicity so far but look forward to potential open-world elements.
Conclusion
So far, I’m thoroughly enjoying Dragon Age The Veilguard. The story, companions, and gameplay keep me interested. It’s streamlined yet engaging, and I’m excited to see what happens next. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next journal entry. Bye-bye.
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