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. Read on for his insightful commentary.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Earns Enthusiastic Endorsement from Larian Studios
Baldur's Gate 3 Executive Calls it a "Dragon Age Game That Truly Knows What It Wants to Be"
Michael Douse (@Cromwelp on Twitter/X), the publishing director at Larian Studios (creators of Baldur's Gate 3), expressed unreserved admiration for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. He shared his positive experience on Twitter, revealing he played it "in complete secrecy"—even resorting to playing behind his backpack at the office!
Douse highlighted the game's focused design, stating it "truly knows what it wants to be," a refreshing departure from previous series entries that sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the experience to a "well-made, character-driven, binge-worthy Netflix series," contrasting it with "a heavy, 9-season long show."
Douse also championed the innovative combat system, describing it as a "mix of Xenoblade Chronicles & Hogwarts Legacy," a combination he termed "giga-brain genius." This shift aligns The Veilguard more closely with BioWare's Mass Effect series, featuring fast-paced, chainable attacks for powerful effects, unlike the slower, tactical combat of earlier Dragon Age titles.
Douse praised the game's pacing, noting its "good sense of propulsion," and its skillful balance between "tentpole narrative moments" and opportunities for players to experiment with their class abilities. This represents a departure from the more traditional RPG structure of its predecessors. His praise extended to BioWare's continued industry presence, deeming it crucial amidst "moronic corporate greed."
However, Douse's most compelling observation centers on The Veilguard's distinct identity. He proclaimed it "the first Dragon Age game that truly knows what it wants to be." While this might seem like a subtle critique of past Dragon Age titles, Douse clarified, "I’ll always be a [Dragon Age: Origins] guy, and this isn't that." Though lacking the nostalgia of DA:O, The Veilguard possesses a unique vision that Douse deeply appreciates. "In a word, it’s fun!" he concluded.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Rook Character Customization Offers "True Player Agency"
BioWare aims to deliver a deeply immersive character experience in Dragon Age: The Veilguard through the Rook, a customizable protagonist with highly personalized traits. According to Xbox Wire, players enjoy extensive creative freedom in shaping the Rook's background, skills, and alignment. As the Rook, players assemble a party to confront two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.
Character creation in The Veilguard ensures player choices—from backstory to combat specialization—align with their role-playing vision. Players select from Mage, Rogue, and Warrior classes, each with unique specializations (e.g., Spellblade for mages). Customization extends to the Rook's home, the Lighthouse, where players personalize 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 meticulous attention to detail likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, particularly the game's focus on impactful player choices. With The Veilguard launching on October 31st, BioWare hopes players share Douse's enthusiasm. Our review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, awarding it a score of 90, highlighted its embrace of "the faster pace of the action RPG genre" with more fluid and engaging gameplay compared to its predecessors. For a more detailed review, see the link below!
