Dragon Age The Veilguard Criticism Thread (formerly Skepticism Thread) [Spoilers]

About a week ago, I decided to load up DAI-- to finish my video play-through.

Guess what happened?

The same thing that has always happens. Arrive at Skyhold, try to continue my game, but become so bored, I simply quit.

So, I decided to play DAO again.

And, dear sweet Maker, it's like night and day. I still get chills from the opening cinematic. I know what happens in this game, but there is this need to keep playing. Plus, this game actually starts me at the beginning of my character's story. I'm not dumped off at Flemeth's hut or Lothering and told what happened.

With DAI what bothered me the most was the story setup. It was just downright lazy.

You click start game and you see The Conclave destroyed, followed by creating your character in The Fade of all places. Good choice Bioware, the lighting is just superb, but I digress. Once you are done creating your character, a cut scene plays. Your character sees spiders and runs towards a staircase. He or she climbs some stairs to reach a woman standing at the top. The woman is clearly from The Chantry (the hat gives/gave it away), you touch hands, then the next scene shows your character being pushed out of a green glowing anus.

My first reaction to this was, “WTF just happened?!!?!” And not in a good way.

Then in Bethesda style you are a prisoner. You get scolded and then are forced to stop this Breech. You close The Breech. Then you wake up a few days later and suddenly people no longer hate you, but worship you. They believe you are a Holy Prophet who is going to save the world. But the worst offense is people’s reaction to The Conclave.

Lilly talks about The Divine, Cullen talks about people talking about the Kirkwall rebellion, you learn later that Cassandra’s lover died at The Conclave. And so many more comments and stories by people.

And here I am completely clueless about these events. I have no connection whatsoever to these people’s comments or stories. I just stand there with the dialogue box open, completely bewildered on how to respond. Eventually, it boils down to my character smiling and nodding their head in agreement.

The story expects me to seek justice or what-have-you on the Divine’s death and all those who died at The Conclave. But I have no feelings on the matter. Just an empty void. So, I am to what? Force my way through the story with no compass of personal feelings on the matter. Just go wherever the story takes me. Like an invisible dog on a leash with no direction.

This what DAO and even DA2 did so well –the story setup.

In DAO, you created your character and were placed in whatever origin you chose. I recall making my first character – a noble female – and having so many feels during the story and being completely clueless that the events which took place during this origin story would play a role later. It really changed my feelings for Arl Howe, opposed to playing a mage. Sure, as a mage, I was pissed at all the shit Arl Howe did, but with my rogue it was more personal. Then, you arrive at Ostagar and met all kinds of people from those at the top to those at the bottom. Eventually, shit goes south. I was pissed and sadden by events that happened and why it happened. I had an emotional connection and a clear reason to see the journey through.

As I said, DA2 even had this setup, not perfect, but at least the setup was present. You're running with your family to escape The Blight. I felt the need to keep my family safe. I was saddened to see one of my siblings not make it. I did not know Wesley, but I was saddened by his loss and how it was devastating to Avey. By the time, my character, my character’s family, and a survivor arrived in Kirkwall, the need to better my family’s life and keep them safe was still present.

With DAI I had no feelings, just a black void of WTF and bewilderment.

There was no setup. Your character was just dumped into the game and expected to materialize feelings of the events that you were told to take place. Therefore, during DAI, my thoughts were always, “Why am I doing this?” And coming to no reason at all.

Even the villain of the game held no interest. I was told Cory was a threat but nothing beyond. There was no point in the main story where I ever felt threatened by Cory.

Whereas with Loghain, I had no freaking clue what the hell he was going to do. And when he does something that just add more fuel to the fires of stopping this asshat. And his lackey, Howe, man that dude was a psycho.

Cory does what? Has a mage do time magic or a demon that can disguised as people, corrupts the Grey Wardens and meddles in politics.






And to make matters worse Cory only shows up when the story needs him to show up. And when he did show up, I could not help but laugh my ass off. He looked ridiculous—especially The Wizard of Oz shoes and stockings. His dialogue was the same diatribe cliché of any generic villain. And instead of using his intelligence to execute his plan, Cory uses an orb that looks like he pulled it from a Zen Garden. My head hurts.



At least this would set me up for having a connection to being at The Conclave and to those who were there, especially The Divine. It would not be a betterment for the rest of the piss poor story and execution of the game, but at least in this instance, I would have some semblance of feeling and not an empty void.






Um. <blinks> What?!? This would have changed the DAO game completely and how I felt about it.


DAI was about as much fun as having sex with Tranquil. And I do not expect DA4 to be any better. The days of Bioware giving a damn died after DAO. And once something is dead, you cannot bring back to life. You can try, but it will always be a shadow of its former self.

Well, at least, I will always have DAO and for that matter DA2. Speaking of which, time to go play some more DAO. I am currently in Ostagar and cannot wait to get my puppy-wuppy and Bohdan and Sandal. ENCHANMENT! Damn this game is freaking awesome sauce!