Dragon Agehas never had consistent combat over its three installments.Dragon Age Originshad the most traditional combat in that players could set the tactics for different characters on a separate tactics screen, then allow the battles to play out as predetermined.Dragon Age 2was a step away from this style of gameplayand a step towards action, where the game could still be paused and orders issued, but the combat was also just as viable if played live.Dragon Age: Inquisitionchanged combat yet again by reducing ability and spell slots to just eight, even on PC, while further streamlining the combat and tactical modes.
BioWare has only showcased gameplay forDragon Age: The Veilguardwith a Level 1 character, but it’s clear that its combat has been streamlined further to the point that it’s the closest to an action RPG in the series. Mark Darrah claimed in an interview thatDragon Age: The Veilguardis the firstDragon Agegame where the combat is fun, a comment that has drawn mixed reactions fromDragon Ageplayers.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Combat’s Mixed Reaction
Some of the ire comes from players who want the series to return to the combat system inDragon Age Origins, with a more slow and methodical view of tactics that is more akin toBaldur’s Gate 3’s combat.Mark Darrah’s combat comment dismissesDragon Age Origins' combat, which some view as the standard thatDragon Ageshould be striving towards rather than away from.
Other fans may be open to the change in combat, but still feel loyalty to the previousDragon Agegames with dozens or even hundreds of hours logged into the game. Many have enjoyed the different combat systems and feel as though that joy is dismissed in favor ofDragon Age: The Veilguard’s new system.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s combat system is more action-orientedthan its predecessors with some fundamental changes. Players will only be able to choose three abilities or spells when embarking on quests, with those chosen three occupying the only available ability slots. Rather than choosing three companions to accompany Rook on quests, players will only be able to choose two companions, and won’t be able to control them beyond giving them orders in battle, as inMass Effect.
The Combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Tactics and strategy inDragon Age: The Veilguardwill come more from setting up combination attacks betweenRook and their companions, rather than pausing gameplay and controlling individual party members. Much of the combat inDragon Age: The Veilguardis a realization of what BioWare wanted to achieve inDragon Age: Inquisition, but were unable to do so because of its inexperience with the Frostbite engine. With a decade of experience under their belt, Mark Darrah’s comments were made within the context thatDragon Age: The Veilguard"bridges the gap".
These comments will likely never go over well with those who want a return toDragon Age Origins' combat, but the series has been moving away from that direction sinceDragon Age 2’s development and is unlikely to return. WhileBaldur’s Gate 3has proven that there is still a market for turn-based games, its combat system was still criticized by some for being too slow, with some waiting minutes between turns in combat. If BioWare has found a middle ground of entertaining gameplay where players can make a variety of interestingbuilds and different synergies with companions inDragon Age: The Veilguard, hopefully it’ll be the end ofDragon Age’s reinventing its combat system with every game.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
