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[IGN] Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is at War With Itself

LectureMaster

LectureMaster

Gold Member
www.ign.com

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is at War With Itself - IGN

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is awkwardly in conflict with itself, torn into pieces that reflect a sequel to a decade-old RPG and a fresh beginning with no ties to what came before.
www.ign.com www.ign.com

Actually a rather lengthy article criticizing the game. This guy Matt Purslow sounds more like a OG fan of the series rather a progressive agent. Here are some snippets:

While I’m nowhere near the 100-hour mark myself, that line is so far proving true – not a single character has mentioned The Veilguard. My team of D&D archetype oddballs may collectively be known as such in all the marketing, online articles, and the physical box itself, but within the world of Thedas they’re none the wiser. Imagine Tony Stark and Steve Rogers having no idea the world called them Avengers… that’s how odd it is.

Many aspects of The Veilguard point to it being something of a soft reset or even spin-off from the main Dragon Age series. Set in the northern Tevinter region, it leaves behind the saga’s original southern home of Ferelden, along with all its characters and politics. Dragon Age has always started afresh with each new game as, unlike Mass Effect, there’s no persistent protagonist across the series as each instalment tells a brand new story. The shift to Tevinter is perfectly in keeping with Dragon Age’s history, then, but The Veilguard isn’t a typical Dragon Age game. It is its first direct sequel – a continuation of Dragon Age: Inquisition, which dedicated its post-credits and Trespasser DLC to setting up Solas as the villainous Dread Wolf. And this is where it all starts to feel a little messy.

So much of The Veilguard is dedicated to Solas. Its opening sees him performing a dangerous god-unleashing ritual, and the world is littered with quests that explore his history and relationship with those dark deities. There may be no mention of the word “Veilguard” anywhere, but everyone is talking about the Dread Wolf. Why isn’t that the name of the game again?

The Veilguard crew all appear to be likeable people, but it feels as if I’m being blocked from forging true bonds with them. That especially goes for Varric. What is arguably Dragon Age’s best-ever character has been imprisoned in his bedroom, consigned to spouting incidental dialogue that you can’t engage with. His sidelining is yet another example of The Veilguard’s uneasy relationship with its predecessor, but unfortunately the frustrating treatment of its new cast means it’s also difficult to fully embrace the story’s fresh faces.

The overall result is that Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn’t the golden era BioWare game that I had hoped it would be. Torn between continuing its traditional role-playing legacy and starting afresh as a modern action RPG, the end result is an awkward sequel trapped in a cage made of reboot ideas. After years and years of faltered steps I understand why BioWare landed on this particular, very mainstream AAA formula, but I wish it had been inspired by the undying mass popularity of The Witcher 3 – a full-on nerdy RPG – rather than veer closer to Sony’s palatable RPG-ish approach for modern God of War. But that ill-defined shape is often what uneasy development cycles get you. Thankfully The Veilguard’s launch has seemingly gone well for EA and BioWare, which hopefully means Dragon Age will continue. Let’s just hope next time it’s not just the name that’s got a bit of Baldur’s Gate in it.

 
Loomy

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
LectureMaster said:
Thankfully The Veilguard’s launch has seemingly gone well for EA and BioWare, which hopefully means Dragon Age will continue. Let’s just hope next time it’s not just the name that’s got a bit of Baldur’s Gate in it.
Click to expand...
I really hope there's more and that they set it far from this particular storyline. One of the things I liked about DA:2 was that it was its own thing. Solas continuing on from Inquisition was a mistake. They should treat this like Final Fantasy. Have some things that make it thematically Dragon Age, but tell a wholly original story in an original world every time.
 
phant0m

phant0m

Member
LectureMaster said:
The Veilguard crew all appear to be likeable people, but it feels as if I’m being blocked from forging true bonds with them. That especially goes for Varric. What is arguably Dragon Age’s best-ever character has been imprisoned in his bedroom, consigned to spouting incidental dialogue that you can’t engage with.

Click to expand...

"Every conversation feels like HR is in the room"

Also, this game has just about all the hallmarks of design-by-committee. Instead of executing on a vision (usually lead by a small-ish group of the creative director, lead writer and lead gameplay designer) and staying consistent to it they bring in whole groups of people that get to exert their influence and it results in the product being the safe, non-offensive, risk-averse generic RPG that this turned out to be.

I can only imagine the hours spent on zoom calls or in a conference room with 15 people arguing over specific wording in some pithy dialogue.
 
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SlimySnake

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I like the game but man he’s so on point about the characters. They are so basic and simple they are legit bidding to be around. I fast forward through most conversations because i know it will be all kumbaya with these people.

And yes they did both varric and solas dirty. Two great characters both relegated to cameos. Lame.
 
LectureMaster

LectureMaster

Gold Member
phant0m said:
"Every conversation feels like HR is in the room"

Also, this game has just about all the hallmarks of design-by-committee. Instead of executing on a vision (usually lead by a small-ish group of the creative director, lead writer and lead gameplay designer) and staying consistent to it they bring in whole groups of people that get to exert their influence and it results in the product being the safe, non-offensive, risk-averse generic RPG that this turned out to be.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I was having some hope for the game because despite being woke, the lead writer Patrick Weekes had a good track record for previous games, he wrote the trespasser DLC for inquisition for instance, which was unequivocally the best part of the game. His writing was not this blatantly cringy and weird.
It was just sad that the studio culture has poisoned the talent.
 
Kacho

Kacho

Gold Member
This article highlights why mainstream sites are losing influence.

IGN couldn’t keep BioWares dick out of their mouth before launch, but now they want to (sorta) call out the game’s problems after giving it a 9/10 while also ignoring the elephant in the room because it’s inconvenient.

The fact that the game was renamed to Veilguard is so irrelevant to overall discussion about the game I’m not sure why they thought it was worth bringing up.
 
C

CityHunter1981

Member
I don’t know how people can defend certain aspects of the game.

I am a huge supporter of LGBT and think everyone should love whoever they want and live the way they feel.
But if a geese try to teach you about acceptance and think you are stupid and ignorant, that ist just complete cringe.
LGBT should be also represented, but if it’s taking unrealistical proportions, that is another story.
 
IFireflyl

IFireflyl

Gold Member
66f3cc76b905d.jpeg
 
LectureMaster

LectureMaster

Gold Member
CityHunter1981 said:
LGBT should be also represented, but if it’s taking unrealistical proportions, that is another story.
Click to expand...
That's why I miss David Gaider, the OG Dragon Age writer's work.

He's openly gay, but he kept his sexuality out of professional work. When he created LGBT+ characters, they were normal people, even with charisma. Liked Dorian in inquisition, and I was even able to relate the Ironbull's trans sidekick.

Those days were long gone, nowadays, all those queer characters are just fucking stereotypically cringy and weird.
 
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a'la mode

a'la mode

Neo Member
While he does mention not finishing the game, he should, because these will make sense by the end.

The ending implies it more of a title of the legend that follows the events. You are not the Veilguard during the game, it's not an actual organization like the Inquisition was, but stories and legends after you name you the Veilguard.

He's not actually there - he has been dead since the beginning of the game.
 
kiphalfton

kiphalfton

Member
Kacho said:
Here is a trans person ripping the game to shreds



Skip to 20:10 for the part that focuses on modernism in gaming
Click to expand...


Good for them.

Sick of seeing other dumbasses defending SBI/etc. and honestly it's kind of sad, as they're too stupid to see they're being played. SBI is obviously in it for a quick buck, and doesn't care about the LGBTQIA+ cause.

However, I wouldn't doubt it if those same people who defend SBI have the same fucked up perception of "what it means to be LGBTQIA+" as SBI does. Or are as mentally ill as some of the people at SBI are.

I refuse to believe any self respecting person in the LGBTQIA+ community would lap up the garbage SBI puts out, and accept it as an accurate representation. Like the person in the video said, the writing in these type of games is always so hamfisted and on the nose it's not even funny. If anything I would assume it's extremely offensive.
 
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FunkMiller

FunkMiller

Member
Everything about this game screams that it was made by a group of people terrified of doing anything that might offend/upset/anger/confront players on any level whatsoever.

It's a project that appears utterly hamstrung by storytelling cowardice, where the banal replaces the exciting, because we don't want anybody feeling triggered by something, now do we?
 
K

krumble

Member
So I've been playing the game (thank god I didn't pay for it as my wallet is not going to fund this)
It's like a role play light for kids where all the writers were shit scared of the trans director having a freak out at their writing.

So I avoided any gender issue in my character creator, and got about 5 hours in before the first push came up

The idea of being a hero. Where you look in a mirror and if you don't accept yourself then it leads you down gender choices (and labels it clearly) - I obviously selected that I'm very happy with what I see in the mirror

Next it goes into something to do for race where again you either accept your heritage (in my case elf) or you decide to play victim and wallow in all the discrimination you face.. again I avoided all that crap, but it pretty well spells out the mental health and victimhood that is involved in a lot of the freaky element of the trans community

The biggest problem with this being in the game is the younger people and kids that will be subjected to this and perhaps re-enforce seeing themselves through these ideological far left goggles

Unfortunately I am enjoying the game as it is as a role play light with engaging graphics and fairly likeable characters so far

EA and BioWare deserve to feel this hard on the bottom line of their finances and all involved face the music to the shareholders

Unfortunately it all traces back to the banks, as there are a lot of strings to larger business having good financial support which is how this is spreading further, where company's are only extended credit and services if they comply with the DEI and Sustainability goals set..

I'm a gay man who doesn't consider himself part of the alphabet nonsense they have labelled that community now

I hate all this pushing of subversive ideas and all the stuff around as it's really caused more division and rejection in society or us "normal" guys

There used to be the LBG community and a very tiny percentage of T's who were generally vetted before any transition steps were taken. Known some real transsexuals that are feminine and do everything they can to look like females

Then you had the Transvestites - as one of my transexual friends used to call them "cross dressing men in ill-fitting dresses" - the "ladies" from Little Britain perfectly depicted this - and these perverts have expanded their reach and taken over with the blue haired freak brigade to be the loud and activist side of things we see being forced by our throats now, they need to get it out of our games!

Hopefully people here aren't as sensitive as era and I won't be banned for this post (as I was for something similar many many years ago)
 
Bitmap Frogs

Bitmap Frogs

Mr. Community
LectureMaster said:
That's why I miss David Gaider, the OG Dragon Age writer's work.

He's openly gay, but he kept his sexuality out of professional work. When he created LGBT+ characters, they were normal people, even with charisma. Liked Dorian in inquisition, and I was even able to relate the Ironbull's trans sidekick.

Those days were long gone, nowadays, all those queer characters are just fucking stereotypically cringy and weird.
Click to expand...

Ironbull was a great character and had killer lines.
 
Cyberpunkd

Cyberpunkd

Member
LectureMaster said:
Honestly, I was having some hope for the game because despite being woke, the lead writer Patrick Weekes had a good track record for previous games, he wrote the trespasser DLC for inquisition for instance, which was unequivocally the best part of the game. His writing was not this blatantly cringy and weird.
It was just sad that the studio culture has poisoned the talent.
Click to expand...
Trick Weekes lives in Edmonton, Canada with their wife Karin Weekes and their two sons. Trick Weekes uses they/them pronouns and identifies as pansexual and non-binary.
Click to expand...
Season 3 What GIF by Paramount+
 
Rush2112

Rush2112

Member
Oh hes wondering why the famous male dwarf NPC was ignored. Well, I don’t want to get banned so I can’t answer that question, unfortunately.
 
U

ungalo

Member
That's some great tiptoeing right there, some great euphemism.

Damn they're so full of shit, incapable of speaking their minds
 
buenoblue

buenoblue

Member
I'm loving the game but I do agree. It's a great looking and playing "game".

but if they had stuck more to the old dragon age writing and character art style it could of been fantastic game of the generation stuff.
 
Madflavor

Madflavor

Member
If I were a betting man, I would place serious bets that Mass Effect 5 is going to bring Shepard back. Not as a cameo, but actually have you play as him again. They obviously need Mass Effect 5 to be a success, and I think if they show that first trailer and reveal you're playing as Commander Shepard again, that's going to get A LOT of people interesting in the game. Maybe I'm wrong, but after how Andromeda, Anthem and Veilguard has performed, I'm surprised Bioware is still operating. It's making me think despite what EA is feeling, they have hope ME5 will do well, but that Bioware has to do something that's going to bring in as much interest as possible.
 
Last edited:
LectureMaster

LectureMaster

Gold Member
Madflavor said:
If I were a betting man, I would place serious bets that Mass Effect 5 is going to bring Shepard back. Not as a cameo, but actually have you play as him again. They obviously need Mass Effect 5 to be a success, and I think if they show that first trailer and reveal you're playing as Commander Shepard again, that's going to get A LOT of people interesting in the game. Maybe I'm wrong, but after how Andromeda, Anthem and Veilguard has performed, I'm surprised Bioware is still operating. It's making me think despite what EA is feeling, they have hope ME5 will do well, but that Bioware has to do something that's going to bring in as much interest as possible.
Click to expand...
There would be no M/F Shepard. Only a gender fluid they/them one that has both dick and boobs during the character creation section.
 
The Saint

The Saint

Member
Danjin44 said:
The thing here is this character being overly aggressive for no good reason and they expect people like the character.
Watch this...


You dont see her suddenly lashing out at Porco and calling him "sexist", instead she calmly and with logic will convince him to give her a chance, now thats a good fucking writing
Click to expand...

Video not available in my country. USA.
 
M

Mayar

Member
I'm just wondering, does anyone in the IGN management understand that publishing such things after the oral sex they did to the game before the release and after they gave the game a 9 out of 10 and EDITORS' CHOICE badge. It looks extremely stupid and ugly, or is it that important to cover your ass when everything came to light? And then they will be outraged that they are not taken seriously and that in general the players do not evaluate the work of the press fairly.
 
Gojiira

Gojiira

Member
LectureMaster said:
www.ign.com

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is at War With Itself - IGN

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is awkwardly in conflict with itself, torn into pieces that reflect a sequel to a decade-old RPG and a fresh beginning with no ties to what came before.
www.ign.com www.ign.com

Actually a rather lengthy article criticizing the game. This guy Matt Purslow sounds more like a OG fan of the series rather a progressive agent. Here are some snippets:

While I’m nowhere near the 100-hour mark myself, that line is so far proving true – not a single character has mentioned The Veilguard. My team of D&D archetype oddballs may collectively be known as such in all the marketing, online articles, and the physical box itself, but within the world of Thedas they’re none the wiser. Imagine Tony Stark and Steve Rogers having no idea the world called them Avengers… that’s how odd it is.

Many aspects of The Veilguard point to it being something of a soft reset or even spin-off from the main Dragon Age series. Set in the northern Tevinter region, it leaves behind the saga’s original southern home of Ferelden, along with all its characters and politics. Dragon Age has always started afresh with each new game as, unlike Mass Effect, there’s no persistent protagonist across the series as each instalment tells a brand new story. The shift to Tevinter is perfectly in keeping with Dragon Age’s history, then, but The Veilguard isn’t a typical Dragon Age game. It is its first direct sequel – a continuation of Dragon Age: Inquisition, which dedicated its post-credits and Trespasser DLC to setting up Solas as the villainous Dread Wolf. And this is where it all starts to feel a little messy.

So much of The Veilguard is dedicated to Solas. Its opening sees him performing a dangerous god-unleashing ritual, and the world is littered with quests that explore his history and relationship with those dark deities. There may be no mention of the word “Veilguard” anywhere, but everyone is talking about the Dread Wolf. Why isn’t that the name of the game again?

The Veilguard crew all appear to be likeable people, but it feels as if I’m being blocked from forging true bonds with them. That especially goes for Varric. What is arguably Dragon Age’s best-ever character has been imprisoned in his bedroom, consigned to spouting incidental dialogue that you can’t engage with. His sidelining is yet another example of The Veilguard’s uneasy relationship with its predecessor, but unfortunately the frustrating treatment of its new cast means it’s also difficult to fully embrace the story’s fresh faces.

The overall result is that Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn’t the golden era BioWare game that I had hoped it would be. Torn between continuing its traditional role-playing legacy and starting afresh as a modern action RPG, the end result is an awkward sequel trapped in a cage made of reboot ideas. After years and years of faltered steps I understand why BioWare landed on this particular, very mainstream AAA formula, but I wish it had been inspired by the undying mass popularity of The Witcher 3 – a full-on nerdy RPG – rather than veer closer to Sony’s palatable RPG-ish approach for modern God of War. But that ill-defined shape is often what uneasy development cycles get you. Thankfully The Veilguard’s launch has seemingly gone well for EA and BioWare, which hopefully means Dragon Age will continue. Let’s just hope next time it’s not just the name that’s got a bit of Baldur’s Gate in it.

Click to expand...
Yeah nah, no mention of the CRINGE gender politics nonsense and millenial dialogue. Kinda just glossing over rather than actually criticising
 
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