Summary

  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard's character reveal trailer didn't go down well, with fans worried that the game wouldn't be dark enough.
  • However, creative director John Epler compares The Veilguard's tone to Origins, which is often seen as the darkest game in the series.
  • He also says that Origins had plenty of levity between the darkness, something the team wanted to "lean into" in The Veilguard.

This summer, Dragon Age: The Veilguard was finally revealed to the world. However, the response from fans has been mixed, with some concerned that the tone is a lot lighter compared to previous games, especially Dragon Age: Origins.

In response to this, The Veilguard's creative director, John Epler, argues that it actually borrows a lot from Origins' tone. He highlights that while Origins had plenty of dark moments, it also had a lot of levity and comedic relief, something that the team wanted to "lean into" with The Veilguard.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Director Reminds Fans That Origins Got A Little Silly Sometimes

"Something that I think we occasionally lose sight of is Dragon Age: Origins also had moments of levity," says Epler. "You have Alistair [who] kind of comes across as a goofball. There's a lot of funny moments with Dog."

He continues, explaining how this influenced the new game. "I think it's that contrast that Origins did that we really lean into in the Veilguard. There are characters who are a little bit lighter. But even they have tragedy. They have moments of personal despair."

He also explains why the levity is there in the first place, arguing that it would be "fatiguing" if everything was miserable all the time. "You need that contrast between the higher moments, the lighter moments, and dark moments. Because that’s life," he says. "Life is not just a series of unending tragedies or a series of unending triumphs. It's a contrast of both and that's how the despair, how the tragedies hit harder.”

Much of the debate surrounding The Veilguard's tone stemmed from its character reveal trailer, which was met with a lot of backlash in June. Since then, gameplay previews have gone down much better, and the cinematic trailer that confirmed Morrigan is back landed well with fans too.

TheGamer Report

Level up your gaming knowledge with TheGamer, your passport to the world of gaming. Subscribe

TheGamer Report

Level up your gaming knowledge with TheGamer, your passport to the world of gaming. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It remains to be seen if the full game can match the tone of Origins and the other games in the series. We don't have much longer to wait to find out though, as Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to launch on October 31.

4.0/5 Dragon Age: The Veilguard Like Follow Followed RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 80/100 Critics Rec: 71% Released October 31, 2024 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) BioWare Publisher(s) Electronic Arts 8 Images Dark Squall, a special ability in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.Close
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the long-awaited fourth game in the fantasy RPG series from BioWare formerly known as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. A direct sequel to Inquisition, it focuses on red lyrium and Solas, the aforementioned Dread Wolf. 

Genre(s) RPG Powered by Expand Collapse