I had high hopes for Dragon Age: Veilguard, especially as a dedicated fan who has replayed the original trilogy multiple times. Unfortunately, this latest installment falls short in almost every area, delivering a lackluster experience that feels both shallow and patronizing.

Character Design and Development: The characters are bland, nearly indistinguishable from each other, and lack any real individuality. Instead of the rich personalities and complex relationships we've come to love in Dragon Age games, the companions in Veilguard come off as part of a homogeneous clique where everyone just gets along with no real conflict or friction. The absence of a renegade path is particularly frustrating—there’s no room to shape your character’s morality, making the game feel like it’s forcing you down a single narrative path. This erodes the sense of player agency that was so strong in previous games.

Gameplay and Combat: Gameplay feels like a step back to the corridor-running days of Dragon Age: Origins, with an uninspired, linear level design. The combat system is oversimplified, offering only three skills per character, making every battle a monotonous button-mashing affair. The lack of strategic options and meaningful skills turns combat into a chore, devoid of the tactical depth that Inquisition introduced with its flexible skill sets and party commands.

Story and Lore: The story is weak, disjointed, and lacks the epic, branching narratives fans expect. Choices made in previous games seem pointless, and any attempts at world-building feel half-hearted. The lore feels retconned to the point of absurdity, with changes that make it feel more like a piece of fanfiction than a true addition to the Dragon Age universe. As a long-time fan, it’s disheartening to see the rich, cohesive history of the series treated so carelessly.

Character Creation and Visuals: While character creation has marginally improved, the aesthetics are still disappointing. No matter how hard I tried, my elf protagonist looked unnatural, with awkward facial features and disproportionate body shapes that felt cartoonish rather than realistic. This is especially frustrating given the advancements in character design in other recent RPGs.

Inclusion and Progressive Themes: The original games balanced real-world themes with nuanced storytelling. However, Veilguard feels overbearing and heavy-handed in its attempts at "progressiveness," often to the detriment of the story and immersion. As someone who values inclusive representation, it was disappointing to find that the execution here felt more like a checklist than an authentic, integrated part of the world.

Final Thoughts: Ultimately, Dragon Age: Veilguard is a lackluster, regressive addition to the franchise. It lacks the compelling story, character depth, and intricate gameplay that made previous installments memorable. As a die-hard fan, I wanted to love this game, but it misses the mark on nearly every front.