Dragon Age: The Veilguard has finally been revealed, and judging from the gameplay trailer alone, it looks alright. Not amazing. Not terrible. It looks fun and has potential, which is what I want from a BioWare RPG in 2024, especially since the studio hasn’t produced a title worth playing since Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. That’s a decade of mediocrity, which means it has a lot to prove as it returns to the fantasy well.
We don’t live in a world where BioWare is the cream of the crop anymore, not in RPGs or in open world games, two genres we have seen evolve significantly in the past ten years. Yet it still holds onto Mass Effect and Dragon Age, two of the medium’s biggest names that come with incredible cultural cache. Regardless of whether new entries live up to the hype, they’re bound to draw millions of eyes, which brings us to Veilguard and the laundry list of impossible expectations it must live up to.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Changed How We View Blockbuster RPGs Forever
We also have the mechanically complex, visually splendorous, and beloved elephant in the room, that is Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian’s masterpiece has been mentioned in the same breath as Dragon Age: The Veilguard countless times in the past week, because as a new high for the genre, BioWare’s latest effort will no doubt be expected to live up to it.
But hoping for this is not only foolish, but downright impossible. Games are often developed in a vacuum, made behind closed doors for years before finally being unveiled to the world. Major mechanics or narrative ideas are locked in at an early stage, and once you reach a certain point, it can be too late to turn back without throwing the entire production schedule into disarray.
I have no doubt that BioWare was looking at the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and wishes for the same to happen with Dragon Age (especially as it made the first two Baldur’s Gates), but it wouldn’t have been wise to see what it was doing or try and translate it into its own project, at least not in major, all-encompassing ways. To think this is to set yourself up for failure, and to expect The Veilguard to live up to an image in our heads that it has no business trying to achieve.
Besides, Larian takes more than a couple of pages from the BioWare book anyway, especially when it comes to the increased focus on its companions and how the player character can get to know, grow closer, and even fall in love with them. Baldur’s Gate 3 wouldn’t be nearly as successful if its world and characters didn’t capture the imagination of its audience, and without them, it would not be where it is today. Yes, it has an accomplished 5e combat system and a great world to explore, but with no emotional connection underpinning it all, what does it really matter?
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Should Be Judged On Its Own Merits
I think our immediate comparison of Veilguard and Baldur’s Gate 3 also points to how utterly confrontational video game communities have become, and how it is impossible to enjoy a variety of different things in the same genre on a similar level, only to champion a single title and punch down on all the others. Moments after reviews drop and the game is released, I can see the common consensus being ‘Well, it isn’t as good as Baldur’s Gate 3’ or ‘It sucks it isn’t like the old Dragon Age games’ when neither of those conclusions are productive or fair to put forward.
Once you’ve finished the game and come to those conclusions yourself from a real place, by all means go wild, but right now they’re being drawn after two trailers and a handful of gameplay previews, some of which seem pretty positive. The Veilguard features a real-time combat system, will forgo an open world for larger hubs and linear missions, and is far more about building traditional relationships and making moral narrative choices over the freeform nature of Baldur’s Gate 3. Our own Stacey Henley said that Veilguard understands what it means to be a BioWare game in her preview, and I think she’s right.
But what it means to be a BioWare game has changed, and what it means to be an RPG has changed since we last got our hands on Dragon Age or Mass Effect. Those are key factors to consider when it comes to The Veilguard and how we’ve already drawn harsh conclusions about what it is and what it isn’t, and how it measures up to a masterpiece like Baldur’s Gate 3 which, by most accounts, will remain untouchable for years to come.
Lets at least wait for The Veilguard to come out before we pit it against Larian in this unfair gaming deathmatch. Besides, it looks pretty cool, and that’s all that should really matter.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the long-awaited fourth game in the fantasy RPG series from BioWare formerly known as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. A direct sequel to Inquisition, it focuses on red lyrium and Solas, the aforementioned Dread Wolf.
FAQs
Since the talking brain can be used to aid you, you should help the talking brain unless you don't want to for roleplay purposes. Either way, you can continue the story by receiving the quest from someone else if you don't help the brain and receive the quest there.
How many hours does it take to beat Baldur's Gate 3? ›
When focusing on the main objectives, Baldur's Gate 3 is about 68 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 161 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
What is the most op class in Baldur's Gate 3? ›
The Paladin is the strongest class and subclass in Baldur's Gate 3 due to its damage output, survivability, and versatility. The Paladins can access various weapons and armour types, allowing for diverse playstyles. Combining Extra Attack with Divine Smite results in exceptional raw damage potential.
Who is the bad guy in Baldur's Gate 3? ›
The Absolute, later known as the Netherbrain, is one of the three main antagonists (alongside Enver Gortash and Raphael) and final boss of the 2023 fantasy video game Baldur's Gate III.
What happens if I mutilate the brain in BG3? ›
Mutilating the Intellect Devourer may sound like a safety precaution, but the only consequence we know of is that if you fail, you'll have to fight it - and there's no positives to succeeding mutilating it at time of writing.
Can you actually dominate the brain in BG3? ›
It is actually impossible to dominate the Elder Brain during your first encounter with it at the caustic brine lake. The final check is set at DC99. If, bychance, you manage a critical success (natural 20) on this roll, you will still not be able to dominate it.
How many endings does Baldur's Gate 3 have? ›
Simply put, Baldur's Gate 3 has way more than three endings. But at the same time, 17,000 different ones is a big promise, and one that few games could truly live up to.
Is Baldur's Gate 3 max level? ›
Baldur's Gate 3 is based on Dungeons & Dragons 5e but has a maximum level of 12, not the tabletop RPG's maximum level of 20. Expansion of the level cap is unlikely. Higher-level spells and stronger villains in late-game DnD make it challenging to continue Baldur's Gate 3 past level 12 in a video game format.
Which act is longest in BG3? ›
Having completed the game myself Act 2 is by far the shortest. Act 1 is the longest followed by Act 3. But then that could change depending on what you choose to do in each. However, I did not find much to do in Act 2 even after attempting to find things to do.
Who is the most romanced character in Baldur's Gate 3? ›
But let's talk romance: while Baldur's Gate 3 has a number of intriguing romance paths, Shadowheart's is easily the most popular, with 51.3% players completing her romance arc (which you can find a walkthrough of here). It turns out she really is God's favorite princess and the most interesting girl in the world.
What are the best BG3 builds?
- Berserker Barbarian: for close-up power and leaving enemies prone.
- College of Valour Bard: for resistance to status effects and higher damage output than your typical Bard.
- Light Cleric: For regeneration and healing to the max.
- Moon Druid: For the most shapeshifting abilities and raw power.
You can successfully make your way through Baldur's Gate 3 while playing as any race of character. However, each race and the subrace within some races have special perks that might mesh better with your preferred playstyle.
Is Raphael a villain in BG3? ›
Raphael, also known as the Devil, is one of the three main antagonists (alongside the Absolute and Enver Gortash) of the 2023 fantasy video game Baldur's Gate III.
What's still missing from Baldur's Gate 3? ›
The Upper City Is Missing From Baldur's Gate 3
The most noticeable missing content from Baldur's Gate 3, and the one causing most of the contention with the community, is the entire Upper City of Baldur's Gate.
Can you be evil in BG3? ›
2: While it is entirely possible to do an evil playthrough, doing so cuts out a massive portion of the game's content. Because of this it's not recommended for first playthroughs, if this is going to be your first one.
Is the brain evil in Baldur's Gate 3? ›
The talking brain is an intellect devourer, something the character may find out with an automatic Arcana check when they engage with it. In this universe, they are evil entities. This specific one is named Us. A purely good Paladin or Cleric may wish to destroy the brain on the spot.
Should I purge mind or consume bg3? ›
Unless you're doing an evil playthrough and don't care enough about the advantage on Intelligence saving throws that the Githzerai Mind Barrier provides, it is highly advisable that you purge the Waking Mind's consciousness rather than consume it.
Should you consume the mind flayer brain bg3? ›
If the Mind Flayer is fed, it will leave the windmill after a long rest. It will later re-appear in the Lower City, killing a couple of NPCs. The Mind Flayer can still be killed for its brain after giving it a corpse, but consuming it at this point will not grant an additional illithid skill point.
Can you keep the brain pet in BG3? ›
Can You Keep Us? Unfortunately for the player, US, the intellect devourer, is not a permanent companion. Indeed, it will only accompany the player from the moment they free him from the skull until the ship crashes. Us can also die at any moment during the prologue if the player is not careful with it.
