tldr; if you are a long-term fan STAY AWAY, don't let this game ruin your Thedas too. And if you're new here, there are better RPGs out there, this is NOT worth your money or time. Lots of "meh"s.

Dragon Age: Veilguard – where the franchise's legacy goes to die... If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a Dragon Age game had all the depth of a kiddie pool, this is your answer. Sure, it’s an action RPG, but if you’re hoping for something even remotely close to what made Dragon Age great, prepare to be let down.

Let’s start with the lore—because who doesn’t love a good betrayal? The game completely erases everything that made the Dragon Age universe interesting. Racial tensions? Gone. You can still play as elves and Qunari, but don’t worry, their history and struggle won’t be weighing you down. Slavery? Meh, doesn’t matter anymore. The deep complexities of a world where elves are oppressed and Qunari are locked in centuries of war? Apparently, those were just too complicated for this Disney game, so we’ll just toss them out the window. Pick your race, get a tiny bit of unique dialogue and move on.

Gone are the days when your decisions in previous Dragon Age games actually mattered. The impact of past choices? Sorry not here. The world of Veilguard feels so disconnected —like it’s trying to be a Dragon Age game but not really bothering to remember what came before it. Decisions you made in 1, 2 AND Inquisition —where the MAIN VILLAIN of Veilguard came from? Well, forget about them, because none of that is relevant now. The game’s world-building is just a vague outline of the Dragon Age universe with no respect for the rich history of the series.

And let’s not forget the dialogue system. It’s basically a choose-your-own-adventure but none of the choices matter. You get a dialogue wheel that lets you pick responses that have absolutely nothing to do with what your character actually says. It’s a masterclass in not letting you make meaningful choices. Oh, and the voice acting? Think of it like a motivational speaker giving a TED talk—flat, lifeless, and completely lacking in emotional depth. The banter between companions? Let’s just say you’ll be begging for a little awkward silence after the 50th pep talk with toxic positivity.

The pacing is... something. Act 2 is a marathon of side content, designed to grind you down until you start questioning all your life choices. You’ll feel like you’re playing a game made by someone who’s read a book about RPGs but never actually played one. You’ll hear your companions repeat what you just saw in case your brain stopped working for five seconds. It’s as if the developers thought, “What if the player is too dumb to remember what just happened? Let’s remind them every two minutes!” WE MUST DEFEAT THE ANCIENT ELVEN GODS ELGAR'NAN AND GHILAN'NAIN!!!

Veilguard tries so desperately to be all things to all people, but ends up pleasing no one. It sacrifices the depth and complexity that made Dragon Age special in an attempt to be more accessible. It borrows elements from action games like God of War —but somehow doesn’t do any of them nearly as well— and hopes that’s enough to satisfy Dragon Age fans. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

The game’s a confused mess of half-baked ideas, watered-down lore, and combat that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. Enemies are too spongy, characters are too one dimensional, writing is horrible. I could go on and on... Maybe a small group of people will enjoy it but for anyone who has any attachment to the Dragon Age franchise, this game is a sad, sad shadow of what used to be.