why is nobody talking about Veilguard

[MisterBoring]

I’m not, but it’s because for whatever reason, Dragon Age hasn’t captured my attention in any of the games in the series. Can’t explain it, the games are mostly solid and have a well written world, but playing them doesn’t trigger that part of my brain that makes me want to keep going. (Tangentially, that same part of my brain also requires 100% completion of a game when it triggers.)

I played the first game all the way to the Werewolf dungeon (which I believe is roughly halfway through the main plot), and have skipped the other games in the series altogether.

As good as Bioware games are, the last one I actually played to completion was Jade Empire. Bioware just never finds that magic thing my weird brain needs to actually play through them.

[Jennkryst]

I am not talking about it because I am too busy playing Space Engineers.

[Pyrephox]

I’m playing it! I’m enjoying it quite a bit - love the characters, enjoy the combat, and the plot is a Dragon Age plot: perfectly serviceable but don’t look too closely at the gaps.

I think there’s still plenty darkness in the setting, but definitely overall the writing and focus is on a lighter, more hopeful tone. There are times I have to remember that IC time and location has progressed quite a bit from Origins, or even Inquisition (“wait, everyone knows the differences between spirits and demons and is cool with the former?” - sure, years after stories about the Inquisition has made the rounds, and in places like Nevarra and Tevinter where these things were always seen a bit differently. It does remind me that Ferelden is, let’s face it, the depressed Bible Belt of Thedas.)

I’m gonna smooch the necromancer. IT WILL HAPPEN.

[Tori]

I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING and wondered if maybe no one was really into DA anymore or something.

I actually started Greedfall II a couple of weeks ago just to dink around until Veilguard came out. I’m putting that on the back shelf because I’m not a fan of early access, turns out.

I didn’t finish Inquisition because it just started feeling soooo sloggy to me. I loved Dragon Age 2, but yeah. Inquisition was too big for me. ANYHOW

I’m digging it. I’m not that far in but man - it’s so pretty and I like the story thus far.

[Pavel]

Played it, finished it, and smooched Harding.

I agree that they sanded it down a bit too much, with very little resolution or development on several thorny pieces of lore from previous editions: the ghettos, casual anti-elven racism, Tevinter slavery, etc. But it has been a decade, and I’d wager most folk these days are after more joyous fantasy escapism than the grittier fantasy-like-reality.

Additionally, from my limited checking, most of the voice actors seem to be culturally/ethnically appropriate – save for the main character, for obvious player-choice-related reasons. ETA: So the accents aren’t necessarily ‘silly fake’ they’re just accents. They might be put on, but they’re not like the formerly faux-French we’ve had to deal with.

Without spoiling the ending(s), it definitely feels like it’s bringing this era of Dragon Age to a close. Perhaps something akin to what ME3 and Andromeda attempted to do with Mass Effect, starting off a new series in the same setting. If that’s the case, I’m not entirely confident that Veilguard is going to be any better than Andromeda was at introducing a potential new series even though I had oodles of fun while playing it.

[dvoraen]

@Pavel said in why is nobody talking about Veilguard:

Played it, finished it, and smooched Harding.

I agree that they sanded it down a bit too much, with very little resolution or development on several thorny pieces of lore from previous editions: the ghettos, casual anti-elven racism, Tevinter slavery, etc. But it has been a decade, and I’d wager most folk these days are after more joyous fantasy escapism than the grittier fantasy-like-reality.

I would say that a few of the key writers (such as Mary Kirby) no longer being at the studio is another reason for this. I mean, they literally announced it as Dreadwolf, then a whole lot happened in terms of staffing there before reannouncing(?) the fourth flagship game as The Veilguard.

[Rinel]

@Pavel said in why is nobody talking about Veilguard:

Additionally, from my limited checking, most of the voice actors seem to be culturally/ethnically appropriate – save for the main character, for obvious player-choice-related reasons. ETA: So the accents aren’t necessarily ‘silly fake’ they’re just accents. They might be put on, but they’re not like the formerly faux-French we’ve had to deal with.

I think the Antivans are mixing Spanish and Italian, or am I missing something?

Also, is the female British VA for Rook Scottish? I keep hearing a twinge to her vowels.

I do agree with you with the escapism, but I’m not going to lie, I’d really, really, really like to kick some Tevinter ass for all the shit they’ve pulled

[Roz]

oh also, important update, since one of the rook faction backgrounds are the ANTI-SLAVER LIBERATORS i made my rook aleksei

[Pavel]

@Rinel said in why is nobody talking about Veilguard:

I think the Antivans are mixing Spanish and Italian, or am I missing something?

They are, but the voice actors are also Spanish/Hispanic and Italian (eta: thus the accents are more authentically from the region they’ve adopted/adapted), rather than Generic American doing a voice.

@Rinel said in why is nobody talking about Veilguard:

Also, is the female British VA for Rook Scottish? I keep hearing a twinge to her vowels.

Not originally, she’s from Northumberland, but that’s very close to Scotland so there’s likely some overlap… Her name is Bryony Corrigan, for reference.

[dvoraen]

@Roz said in why is nobody talking about Veilguard:

oh also, important update, since one of the rook faction backgrounds are the ANTI-SLAVER LIBERATORS i made my rook aleksei

Excuse me, did you just talk about Arx in a NON-ARX THREAD???

Anyway, more seriously I just want to know if you mean in terms of character choices and/or appearance, because in the latter case you have to supply a screenshot of Rook-Aleksei. I don’t make the rules.

[Tez]

DAI burnt the shit out of me. I really did not like it. I’m waiting for wider reporting and feedback on Veilguard from people I trust. SO HURRY UP GUYS.

[Pyrephox]

I will say I have returned to A Place after doing A Thing, and I take back the ‘not as dark’ comment. It can definitely bring the dark.

NEVERMIND. Spoiler does not actually spoiler. Bah.

[Jenn]

I’m not playing it, for a mix of reasons, but mostly because poor hand/eye coordination, pain, and focus/fatigue/energy issues.

But it looks cool af, and I would LOVE to see others playing it. So. If any of y’all are game streamers who like folks asking silly questions about shit while you’re off adventuring, I’d be down to tag along from time to time!

[Dreampipe]

I kinda just have trouble with the Dragon Age series in general. Played all of them except Veilguard on launch. Origins skyrocketed to my favorite game when it first came out, then Dragon Age 2 was a big shift away from all that. Inquisition was a huge game that made you do a lot of MMO-esque grinding to get to the good stuff.

Just feels like the games have been struggling to get a concrete identity on how they’re played for so long. I want it to be good, it’s a really cool world. I’m just hesitant.

[sao]

I am going to play it eventually, but I am not in the mood right now for a big rpg.