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After investing more than 50 hours in the game, I believe it’s safe to say that Dragon Age Veilguard is a classic, but it has its ups and downs. Even though the game’s mechanics and graphics are on par, what’s actually getting the heat, or why this game is getting review-bombed by angry gamers on sites like Metacritic and IGN, is due to a multitude of reasons. Today, we are going to share some of those reasons and reviews from critics, and let’s understand what’s really making gamers tick. Let’s not forget that this game was released after almost a decade since Dragon Age Inquisition came to the market.

Metacritic Ratings | Mostly Positive Yet Game Isn’t Appreciated

Dragon Age: The Veil Guard has earned an overall critic rating of 84. It has become one of the better-received new releases of the year. Today, many fans are excited about how the game turned out. Even Steam has scored it with a “Mostly Positive” overall rating, yet still, it’s getting hate speech? Why? Well, here’s the answer. There are many who genuinely didn’t like the game because of its clunky narrative and overall criticism about having a story that’s mostly one-sided or extremely prejudiced towards LGBTQAI+ promotion. In fact, the current story does not connect with the previous storyline at all. It left those who invested a great deal within the game to be left entirely deluded or totally lost. 

How Veilguard’s Narrative Fell Short of Fan Expectations? 

One of the core things that really didn’t go too well with gamers was the story. Somehow, the story felt quite superficial, and the franchise, which is known for its complex characters and intricate plots, just turned out to be meh. The moral dilemmas of Veilguard have been massively criticized, and many individuals actually claimed that it’s missing what we term as “emotional engagement” and “crafty storytelling depth.” Today, many players feel the characters are actually flat. The plot was missing memorable twists, and moral choices were just absurd. In fact, in some situations, it feels like they are trying to force-feed you the LGBTQ+ content even though you’re not interested, especially if you’re invested in the game’s storyline.

Even though the game is good, it has been flooded with negative user reviews, dropping the overall rating to 3.3 with more than 1,700 negative reviews. Many criticized it as a “woke” dialogue machine.

Missed Potential in Graphics and World Design

Compared to most modern RPGs, Dragon Age Veilguard was expected to stand out with its improved graphics and remarkable world design. However, fans around the world still find it underwhelming. The art style just feels quite outdated, and the level of design also lacks visual clarity. It eventually makes the game less immersive. One other thing that really made me tick was how the world design would actually make it super easy for you to predict everything. Even though the maps are expansive, they become surprisingly linear. And the environment fails to capture the allure which players are supposed to expect from an open-world experience. The game features repetitive textures and uninspiring landscapes. It often draws players in, the world of Veilguard feels static, as if it’s simply a backdrop rather than inviting. 

Combat Breakdown – Where Strategy and Fluidity Fall Short? 

I was genuinely excited for a classic Dungeons & Dragons-style combat system with more decision-making possibilities, but the game’s combat doesn’t quite deliver. Players report that the system feels clunky and repetitive, lacking the strategic depth and finesse that longtime Dragon Age fans expect. For those who favor classes like the Rogue, the combat falls short, lacking the polish and fluidity that make for a satisfying experience. After nearly a decade of waiting, fans anticipated something more refined especially with a game such as the Dragon Age series. And apparently, it just didn’t add the kick which was expected. As it stands, they could have opted for a similar experience by simply picking up Elder Scrolls Online from Bethesda. They may have had the same exact experience overall. 

The Game is Simply Disconnected from the Main Theme

Simply put, Veilguard is set in a unique and unexplored part of the world, one that’s potentially interesting in its own way, but it escapes the original mid-12th century gothic age touch. It’s more cartoony and superficial which leaves the longtime fans utterly disappointed. The game lacks reference or meaningful ties from the major factions and characters. As a result, anybody who is too used to playing the previous Dragon Age titles would feel rather disconnected from the preceding overly rich Dragon Age universe. There is very little chance for exploration of world events, which have unfolded in the previous series, and the players feel like they are starting fresh in a world that doesn’t acknowledge the consequences of actions from the past, at all. The game also lacked familiarities with the previous cities, landmarks & any other substantial impact from the Inquisition, or from the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition. 

Missed Opportunities for Tie-ins and Lore Expansions

The Dragon Age universe is expansive, with a deep history that spans centuries, from the ancient Tevinter Imperium to the rise of the Qunari and the fall of the Blights. There are countless opportunities for exploring untold stories, such as the mystery of the old gods, the rise and fall of civilizations, or the conflicts within the Fade itself. Veil Guard could have been an excellent chance to go deeper into their untold stories, but instead, it introduced entirely new lore that didn’t tie back to the more established elements of the world and in fact, complicated the characters in “woke”. As a result, fans were left feeling like the game missed a chance to expand the rich backstory of Dragon Age, instead opting for a fresh take that felt more like an experiment rather than an integral part of the franchise’s universe.

Even though Dragon Age: Veilguard strayed from the established themes, “woke” focused and clunky game narrative, and detached story with little ties to the previous games, it still offers a good playthrough experience. It introduces a new setting & cast which just doesn’t blend all too well with the Dragon Age Universe. But for someone who is just jumping in, the game might feel a lot exciting.