The Media Shills For Dragon Age: The Veilguard, But Is It Good?

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the latest title that is shaping up to be a complete disaster. When the game was first announced, people immediately noted that it took a drastic turn in direction. It is worth noting that there is nothing wrong with reinventing a title. People always call for change, and if the game stays too similar to other iterations, that can also become an issue. However, the changes in Dragon Age: The Veilguard are questionable, to say the least. Firstly, in this title, you are not allowed to be evil. Granted, this feature has been removed for some years now.

Overall, the title’s undertone has shifted. The role-play elements and darker themes seem to be a thing of the past. For many, this is the heart and soul of the game. An example is when the developers consider blood magic dark and decide to remove it from the game. The art style is another interesting choice. It is very colorful and cartoonish. While I don’t think it looks terrible, many fans were hoping for something more Elder Scrolls than Fable. Now, there are also a few sillier complaints. In particular, some fans have criticized the name, stating that The in front of the Veilguard is unnecessary.

There is a lot to tear apart in this game, and the name might not be one of them. Character design is at the forefront of the criticism for The Veilguard. I worked through a few of them, and for the most part, things did look fine. There are plenty of options. However, political correctness is a priority. I guess another term will be diversity and inclusion.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Character Design

On a personal note, I do not have much of an issue with how they choose to handle these issues. I have always said that I do not mind more options for inclusion. As long as they don’t shove it in your face and make the entire identity of this game about social issues, I am fine with it. I can live with a character design option with more than two choices. What I do not like is the creators of the game holding 50 press conferences announcing how stunning and brave they are for their inclusion. Then, every interview should mention how awesome they are because of these extra choices.

What I am trying to say is I do not like when developers use trans or any LGBTQ issues as a shield for their bad games. They create a lazy game, including a gay or trans character. Shift the focus to only talk about how trans or gay the game is, and when you criticize the gameplay, they call you a phobe. I am fine with inclusion without the self-righteous nonsense. Dragon Age: The Veilguard will allow you to choose between male, female, or nonbinary. They will also allow for chest scars that simulate top surgery. However, you also have the option to avoid any of that and simply create the character that you want.

The Choice Is In Your Hands

One outlet, ironically enough called Them, points out “Trans representation isn’t a totally new concept in the Dragon Age universe, as players met the transmasc character Krem in 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition, voiced by Mass Effect’s Jennifer Hale. Veilguard is poised to put that representation in players’ hands, though, with a suite of character customization options that will persist into the game itself.

Players can independently choose main character Rook’s gender (male, female, or nonbinary) and pronouns (she/her, he/him, or they/them), as studio heads confirmed in a Discord Q&A earlier this year, also revealing that players can choose to come out as trans in dialogue choices later in the game. Rook is also portrayed by four different voice actors, which can be selected based on player preference — including genderfluid voice actor and comedian Erika Ishii, who previously voiced Valkyrie, the first confirmed lesbian character in the popular online shooter Apex Legends.”

As you can see, social issues like gender will be at the forefront of this title. If you are a person who might not like these types of social issues, Dragon Age might not be for you. Again, on a personal note, I do not mind these inclusions. The fact that they give a choice is more than what most developers are doing these days. If you don’t want to play as non-binary, simply don’t select it. However, there are those who feel that these things should not be included at all. I cannot tell you how you should feel about this. If you are not interested in social or political issues in your role-playing game, then I cannot tell you that you are wrong for feeling that way.

The Media Paradox

It goes without saying, but a title like The Veilguard is every mainstream media outlet’s wet dream. For some reason, they love social issues in video games, and there is plenty to be found in the latest Dragon Age. Feminine girls like what you see in titles like Stellar Blade is out. Boobs are out, and surgery scars are in.

PC Gamer states, “All the marketing for The Veilguard so far has been polarizing: my fellow Dragon Age nerds at PC Gamer have been going back and forth on whether each new video heralds doom or redemption for the series. Prior to playing it I was trending towards the disillusioned side. Now, in spite of all the choices BioWare’s made that I do still disagree with—the double-down on action combat, the shiny and poreless character designs, the cartoonish darkspawn—I believe The Veilguard is going to be a great return to the world I’ve loved for 15 years.”

Games Radar states, “I spent nearly 7 hours playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard and would like to spend 100 more in this RPG right now, thank you very much.” Gamespot stated, “Dragon Age: The Veilguard Feels Like BioWare At Its Most Confident.” Now, these guys are entitled to their opinions. I do hope that this will be a great game. With all the recent disappointments, gaming needs a win.

Conclusion

I do not think this title should be dismissed simply because of LGBTQ inclusions. Gaming is about choice, and the fact that you have a choice in how you want to play is a positive thing. While I still have concerns, only time will tell how this will play out.