Schmooples' Den! The DA News Discussion Thread

I don't really I'm enjoying it it's enough for me, but sometimes I wonder if I am missing something.

I have likes and dislikes about the game, but I'll save it for when I've at least done a majority of the game (it's still very early days for me). It for sure won't dethrone DAO as my favorite DA game, and because I have a pretty strong love for DA2 I think it will be tough to surpass that one as well, but we'll see if I end up preferring DAV over DAI.

For those curious, my new PC is running the game pretty good considering it's all in ultra and with all the bells and whistles on. Been mostly bug free, except for a controller issue I managed to trace back to my Steam settings and a weird one where I suddenly couldn't pull out my bow until I reloaded lol.

Yeah m ynew PC handled the opening level well enough though I'v eno tdon e an ymo erye tsa I'm ytuin gt ofinis hm yXbox run and building up m ygaming librar yo nm yPC. I plan to star tplayin gproperl yonc e I'm done m yXbox run o fVeilguard. I don't think I hav efa rt og othough.

It is fascinating how with big games like Veilguard, where we're talking 100+ hours for a completionist run - especially when it's your first run and you need time to figure things out - that even 2+ weeks post-release most people are either refusing to discuss anything spoilery, or straight up haven't finished yet. It creates this weird quietness as a slow trickle of people finally finish and return to social media.

I do feel for the devs in that regard, given most agree the game gets better as it goes on and the finale is the best part - and also the part they can't just openly discuss and post about yet. I've seen multiple people lamenting that all they want to do is scream and shout about some of the big moments and revelations we get and yet it's still too early to do so.

So this game is sitting at 4/5 stars on Xbox, 4.2/5 on the Playstation Store, 71% on Steam, and ~82 on both OpenCritic/MetaCritic.

What I'm curious of is what specific things someone who isn't tuned into Dragon Age, or online gaming, would say about this game.

So this game is sitting at 4/5 stars on Xbox, 4.2/5 on the Playstation Store, 71% on Steam, and ~82 on both OpenCritic/MetaCritic.

What I'm curious of is what specific things someone who isn't tuned into Dragon Age, or online gaming, would say about this game.

Edit: Also, am I the only one having issues with the mobile version of these web pages. I tap my screen and it alwats pools up the radio box asking if I want to block or a create a new post.

To be fair though this isn't something BioWare has done a very good job at. As a matter of structural design I only really think, to this moment, that the other game which has had a strong final act in a BioWare game has been ME 2...and well probably MEA as well. And ME 1. Ugh hate it when I do this don't mind me.

But yeah my point is that DAO and DA 2 and Inquisition at least have had really weak final acts for one reason or another. Origins has probably been the closest that we have gotten to a 'traditional' third act break but even then how they butchered the threat of the darkspawn and we didn't really have any interesting villains to face really undercut it, though it was cool seeing our armies reflected. 

Then to expand on the above to, because I want to, its also funny that, for me, Inquisition and 2 had the exact opposite problems. 2 had a really weak final act but a kick ass final mission and Inquisition What Pride Had Wrought is up there as the best sequences in the series...and Doom Upon the World is a pretty bog standard boss fight. I mean it did what it did but it also could have been *more*.

Hey, we did get Trespasser as a consolation

Granted, it's unlikely we'll ever get a DLC like that, although I DO wonder about the extent of little goodies we'll get - AND, if we do get some DLC, what it could be?

Finished my first playthrough even though I love it, I feel pessimistic about the future.

I'm not sure what's EA expectation, I just wish DAV met it.

In theory the game will offer me some replayability value so I am quite satisfied.

What made me pessimistic is how writing soured the entire experience. The Codex are fine, but I don't think many people will point to that as an example of good writing, it's the dialogue.

Out of 7 companion Neve and Lucanis are the best written, Taash and Bellara are the worst and the rest are somewhere in between.

My problem with Taash quest is that they're too relatable, predictable and worse: stereotypical. Also the use of word "non-binary" in my opinion is unfit with the setting, surely there are Rivaini/Qun term for that (or am I missing something as to why they didn't use it). Their demeanor also isn't helping either, we are not talking about real life where people have their own mind and we can't control it - but it's a game, give player reasons to sympathize. More than that I think it's endangered LGBTQIA+ movement in general because I think they know this kind of presentation will be only received well by people that already are supporting the cause, but this will not gain the movement any new supporter, that I think I almost sure of it. 

What if instead Taash identity is being questioned by their Tama, but instead by the Qun? The Qun are rigid people we all know this, and Taash is trying to be something else that the Qun disagree with, and our job is to give them the opportunity to do so. So it becomes not only about Taash identity but also their freedom to choose. In my opinion, This would've made players more willing to empathize with their plight. -- think about that quest in DA2 where you "helping" the Qunari Mage to "freedom", but instead, the Qunari truly is wanted that Freedom. 

Bellara in the other hand is just childish, at the beginning. Also notices at the beginning that jarring dialogue transition where she randomly broke down about Gods coming back? like what? read the room? - it's disappointing because I think she is the most developed companion throughout the game (imo) and I think this initial interaction probably irked a lot of people to not pursue friendship/romance with her.

On top of my mind, apart from some of the companion, the tone, some of the quest feels... bland. No bite. Fangless. It touches a lot of socio-political topic of Thedas but do not explore it, it's disappointing to see Minrathous are not as horrible as Dorian would describe it (specifically about Elf Slavery, Highblood v. Soporati), we barely know anything about Anderfels culture (I mean what is their culture apart from being the home of Weisshaupt?), even Deep Roads becomes less scary (disappointed I didn't meet certain Dwarven Enchanter!) - weird, especially considering according to your Inquisitior Orzammar (and presumably Deep Roads) are currently swarming with Darkspawn.

So much potential, squandered. Also, I would be very mad if any of this issues caused by the "Community Council", because they're supposed to give advices to them and surely Inquisition is not the only game they point they finger to. 

Still love the game, will play for ~200 hours more after I upgraded my rig.

What do you think?

With those scores, you would think the game would good. But with the way the Dragon Age subreddit and some people here are talking about it, you'd be forgiven if you got the impression that Veilguard is the worst game ever made.