Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, recently lauded BioWare's latest RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. His enthusiastic assessment highlights the game's newfound focus and engaging gameplay.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Earns High Marks from Larian Studios

Baldur's Gate 3 Exec Calls it a "Dragon Age Game That Finally Knows Itself"

Michael Douse (@Cromwelp on X), the publishing director for the Baldur's Gate 3 developer, Larian Studios, expressed unreserved praise for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. He revealed playing the game "in utmost secrecy," even jokingly admitting to playing it behind his backpack at the office.

Douse emphasized The Veilguard's clear identity, a refreshing change from previous series entries that sometimes struggled to balance narrative and gameplay. He likened the experience to a "well-crafted, character-driven Netflix series," contrasting it with "a sprawling, lengthy television show."

Douse also lauded the innovative combat system, describing it as a "brilliant blend of Xenoblade Chronicles and Hogwarts Legacy." This fusion creates a fast-paced, action-oriented combat experience reminiscent of BioWare's Mass Effect series, a departure from the more tactical combat of earlier Dragon Age games.

Douse highlighted The Veilguard's pacing, noting its "strong sense of momentum" and its ability to seamlessly integrate pivotal narrative moments with opportunities for player experimentation. This represents a departure from the more traditional RPG structure of its predecessors. He even praised BioWare's continued industry presence, deeming it vital amidst "corporate greed."

The most compelling aspect, according to Douse, is The Veilguard's self-assured identity. He called it "the first Dragon Age game to truly know what it wants to be," a statement that, while potentially critical of past titles, was clarified by Douse: "I'll always love Dragon Age: Origins, but this is different." While not directly evoking the nostalgia of Dragon Age: Origins, The Veilguard's distinct vision resonated strongly with Douse. In his words, "It's simply fun!"

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Rook Character Offers "True Player Agency"

Dragon Age: The Veilguard aims for deep player immersion through the Rook, a customizable protagonist with extensive personalization options. An Xbox Wire feature highlighted the impressive creative control players have over the Rook's background, skills, and alignment. Players, as the Rook, must assemble a party to confront two ancient Elven gods threatening Thedas.

Character creation is meticulously designed to ensure player choices—from backstory to combat specialization—resonate with their role-playing vision. Classes include Mage, Rogue, and Warrior, each with unique specializations (e.g., Spellblade for mages). Personalization even extends to the Rook's home, the Lighthouse, allowing players to decorate rooms reflecting their character's journey.

"As you play, Rook reflects on their past," a developer shared with Xbox Wire. "This allowed me to define my Rook more precisely—even down to seemingly minor choices, like face tattoos. The outcome is a character that truly feels like my own."

This detailed character development likely contributed to Douse's positive assessment, especially given the game's focus on impactful player choices. With The Veilguard's release on October 31st, BioWare hopes players will share Douse's enthusiasm.

Our review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard highlighted its embrace of "faster-paced action RPG gameplay," describing it as "more fluid and engaging than its predecessors." For a more detailed look at our review and our 90-score rating, please see our full article (link to article would be here).