#a dragon age game that is not even considered for the best rpg of the year

[yali-the-sloth]

I think it speaks volumes that Veilguard did not get nominated for the best family game at GOTY 😔

[ohnoitstbskyen]

hello ! do you have any thoughts about the new dragon age game and the info that's come out for it?

Some. Based on the limited footage I've been looking at (and for context, I haven't kept up with the promotion beyond the 20 minute snippet of gameplay footage they showed after the disastrous first trailer), it looks like it's trying to follow the legacy of Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age 2 in terms of gameplay structure. Mission-based, fairly linear, constructed around setpieces and combat encounters with relatively minimal exploration and puzzles.

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing - Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age 2 are the best games in each franchise - but I also get a sense that the combat gameplay has been streamlined down the point that it's functionally indistinguishable from any other standard 3D action hack-and-slash (somewhat in the mold of FF16), which feels very much like a play for mainstream triple-A broad audience appeal.

In the context that BioWare is pretty commonly considered to be on the EA chopping block should their next games flop, that feels like they didn't choose that combat style because it's what they really wanted, or what their core audience is interested in, or even because it's what's best for the game and its narrative and feeling. It feels like they chose it because they need John Gamer™, who buys 2-3 big triple-A game titles a year and who's never touched an RPG before, to spend some money on their game by convincing him that it's a cool fantasy hack-and-slash all about doing badass backflip jump slashes with a tone like Guardians of the Galaxy, and not a big, cheesy, lore-heavy fantasy soap opera / horny dating sim with a combat system bolted onto the side.

It feels like a creative decision pushed by someone in a suit jacket and graphic tee citing the need to be "data informed" about design decisions, and who, up until the moment Baldur's Gate 3 came out, was convinced that hard systems-driven RPGs were a niche product for a tiny audience that could never make real money because they surveyed 6000 Call of Duty players who said fantasy is for queers and losers.

Perfectly happy to be wrong about all of this, mind you, and since it'll be on GamePass, I will obviously be playing it, because even when Dragon Age is not very good, it is still Dragon Age and that's my goddamn trash right there.

[pebsterino]

Im a fan of Da since 2019, I've cherished all 3 games, my favorite one is DA2. I will not be persuaded by anyone that DA4 is a good DA game.

They have damned everything I loved about Dragon Age for... this???

This is no longer the dark fantasy I fell in love with; it's a game that feels more like a Disney movie, complete with writing intended for children. The way they treat YOU as a player suggests that you aren't capable of solving the easiest riddle in this world. The direction of the writing is baffling. The constant explanations for everything make my blood boil because I'm not a child, and I can think for myself. They claim this is an RPG, yet it lacks any meaningful RPG elements. You have no choice whatsoever; your character is scripted the way the developers wanted them to be. (By the way, I had no idea that no matter which option you choose, your character will always try to be funny in an unfunny way.)

As for the gameplay, I've never cared for the gameplay in any Dragon Age games, so I won’t dwell on it, but I’ll share my opinion nonetheless. I think it’s still an improvement from Inquisition, but that’s not hard to achieve. The game was designed to be played online, which is another insane thing to consider. Is a Dragon Age game supposed to be online??? It’s so ridiculous, and I have no idea how BioWare thought it would work when nobody showed any interest in the multiplayer mode in Inquisition.

The lack of choice and the absence of consequences for your actions are glaring issues. Not a single companion cares if you try to be "rude" to them because you simply can’t be. The fact that you cannot make any of your companions leave your party is ridiculous. You are forced to harden one of your companions (which happens in almost every title), and the only consequences of them being hardened are that they will refuse to heal you and their approval rating is slightly lowered. You can literally romance both of them as if nothing happened.

I'm tired of my companions constantly reminding me that they have issues and need to work through their trauma with my character. As someone who goes to therapy every week, I find this portrayal insulting and ridiculous. Therapy is neither fun nor pleasant. It isn’t something you resolve by completing two quests and reassuring a character that “it’s fine, we have each other, and I care about you; your feelings are valid.” It’s the most absurd echo chamber I’ve ever been in. The fact that none of my companions can stop making everything about themselves and get their shit together while a blight is swallowing the world is beyond me. Therapy takes months, even years, and it’s a deeply personal journey that friends cannot, and shouldn't, interfere with. The whole idea that my protagonist can choose what’s best for the companions is equally absurd. My companions should be making choices based on how I treated them throughout the game; it shouldn't be up to me to decide that. And the best part is that, in the end, it doesn't matter, because no choice in this game has any real weight. Honestly, it’s narcissistic of anyone to expect others to fix their mental health issues. This was a reality check for me when I was younger; it hurts, but it is what it is.

The writing of the characters is something I never thought possible, but here we are. Most characters are written as if they're afraid to offend anyone. My wise friend once said, "If you live your life trying to avoid offending everyone, you might as well not live at all," and that’s true. It’s probably another reason why I can’t take anything seriously in this game—because nothing is serious. Nobody talks like this ever. So much of this is self-indulgent writing, which is fine and valid if you do it for yourself, not for the masses who will play this game.

This is easily illustrated by the Commander of the Grey Wardens, who tries so hard to be the bad guy. He won’t listen to logic or reason; he’s just a children’s movie villain who is evil for the sake of being evil. Honestly, the dialogue speaks for itself.

[lesabear]

Thoughts on Veilguard

TLDR: If empty calories were a video game it would be Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The game is a pleasant enough - if generic and unremarkable - action RPG that basically abandons the themes and feel of the previous games, resulting in a bland story that largely avoids dealing with anything that might remotely cause conflict in the party or force the player to consider anything other than surface level good-bad morality.

If this is the direction they're taking DA, then I think I'm done with the franchise. If I wanted a generic, thematically uninteresting, action RPG there are so many other games to play.

Spoilers in my detailed thoughts below

The good:

It looks very nice - I wish I could have spent even more time exploring the world areas.

Very few bugs or technical issues unlike Andromeda (or most new games in general). I had a few minor issues near the end but overall was very impressed.

Manfred and Assan are great secondary companions. If anyone knows where to find a skeleton and/or griffon friend please let me know.

I quite like Emmerich, Davrin and Bellara and romanced the latter two and (Generally) really liked both. Disclaimer: I tend to have different tastes than the majority of DA fandom when it comes to romances. I expected to have mixed feelings on Bellara because of my issues with Bioware and their cutesy awkward naive/inexperienced female characters but I thought they (mostly) got her right.

Some interesting lore stuff, though I quibble with how it was delivered at times. Still was fun to get a lot more info on the Evanuris, Solas, Mythal, the Titans, etc. And there's also some fun lore stuff in the codices, although again I question whether that's the best way to deliver them.

The final mission is a lot of fun and the clear standout quest other than Weisshaupt maybe. Both are a lot of fun and combine multiple story elements with good gameplay for a satisfying experience.

Combat is engaging although it does get repetitive once you "solve" it. I did a lot of grinding to complete content though so that might be my fault.

Solas is very Solas-y in the game and the highlight of the antagonists by far. I wish there had been more of him and I say that as someone who finds the Solas fandom somewhat exhausting at times. He was far more interesting and compelling than the "even-worse" gods and the fact he's a fuck up who keeps making things worse because he's an egotistical fuck-up who thinks he's the only one that can fix things was is both tragic and fun.

Neve-Lucanis and Taash-Harding are both very cute. I actually think they might be my favorite companion romances off the top of my head (Tali-Garrus does absolutely nothing for me, and I don't even romance either character with my Shepard).

The not good

Why is the Inquisitor wearing pajamas.

Bioware can fuck off for making me pop about a zillion blight pimples. It's really not that much fun after the first 1000

Extremely disappointed with how sanitized the narrative is. There's little attention paid to major facets of the DA universe that are directly relevant to the plot (religion, Tevinter slavery, racism toward elves etc.) and you also get stuff like the Crows now being far lighter of an organization than they were previously.

Just as an example - both Davrin and Bellara touch on what it means to have their gods be the villains but they're just topics for conversation and there's no meaningful impact (especially as the bad guys rely on Antaam and Venatori forces - oh and generic mercenaries). The Dalish are just there (or victims of the bad guys) for the most part. I've read comments from Bioware that confirm this but it seemed obvious Bioware wrote themselves into a corner with making Elven gods be the main antagonists, as you then run into the issue of having the elves not only already be a persecuted minority but also be worshipping evil gods - but instead of writing around it they just avoided dealing with it and acted like it's just the Dalish getting a big win by not joining them.

Speaking of enemies, lots of bland dialogue from the non-Solas big bads. And the Venatori/Antaam/mercenaries gave off major "Cerberus in ME3" vibes - nameless, faceless goons thrown at you in waves that got very boring very quickly.

The way a companion gets hardened because of a choice early in the game is mostly meaningless unless you wanted to romance them. People getting mad about that happening are being ridiculous - if anything the game is too afraid (as usual) to have it actual matter beyond them briefly being upset before moving on.

One of the big choices is to decide whether to protect Treviso or Minrathous when both are attacked by dragons, but it happens so early you might lock yourself out of quests without realizing it. Worse, the ensuing mission is incredibly short and boring (basically a couple of packs of generic enemies and then a very brief dragon fight)

Why is the Inqusitor wearing pajamas.

Why can't I be a mean/"bad" Rook? Even the jokey responses feel super tame compared to previous DAs (let alone the borderline assholish purple hawke). Basically you're only allowed to be slightly different variations of a heroic figure.

While the companions are all nice they all top out at "I like them", with none matching the story or emotional peaks of previous Bioware games. Emmerich comes closest (especially if you account for Manfred) but there's just enough meat to him.

Disappointing romances compared to previous Bioware games(especially but not limited to Lucanis.). Not a ton of depth dialogue wise and at times it feels like they put more time into the companion romance than the Rook version (this time I am definitely talking about Lucanis).

Speaking of which, Lucanis was the biggest disappointment of the companions. I didn't want a Zevran clone but you have a hardened assassin possessed by a demon who (if you choose not to save Treviso, which cuts off a lot of his content) just drinks coffee and likes Neve and uh....

Completely forgettable soundtrack which is a major bummer after previous installments. Also, while I didn't have many technical issues, the music not always playing was one of them (although maybe it doesn't really matter given the lack of quality!)

Bad to horrendous incorporation of previous DA story which was also incongruous with the general tone, especially with the handling of the Inquisitor and the treatment of southern Thedas (especially if you get the Emmerich and Harding picnic conversation at an awkward time like I did.)

Lots of disappointing cameos but especially from my Pirate Queen/Wife from DA2. Isabela's hat is indeed very nice but what is that outfit? And I get they didn't want to deal with too complex a world state but man was it a bummer to see her basically reset after everything her and Hawke went through in my main DA2 playthrough.

Why is the Inquisitor wearing pajamas.

What did they do with Harding? Why did she basically get Dagna's story, even if Titan lore is interesting? She's such a nothing character in this game which is such a weird choice given that she's clearly there because they know fans like her.

The "Actually Varric was dead all along" did nothing for me. He barely shows up in game anyway and the weird framing of every appearance and the fact no one other than Rook ever interacts with him gave it away (at least partially)

[kurczeno]

okay a quick question to dragon age fandom

why do we hate jennifer heppler?

i saw this few tumblr posts and everyone was like "but it was jennifer heppler, ew". I'll write my thoughts on her based on WHAT I KNOW and just keep in mind - I was 9 when DA2 came out, I played it but I might simply not know some things about her, some drammas or anything.

like first of all - i know there was a whole drama about her not liking playing games, but i hope we are not true gamers tm, bcs gross.

second of all - i know, she wrote anders in da2 and I hate him (I also like him, I just think hes super inconsistent + an asshole), I really do. He has a terrible char dev arc and is a kind of shitty romance, because no matter what you do, he never trusts you, which really sucks. Also the cannibal thing is weird and kinda makes no sense considering Justice is a spirit, so it's a valid argument. BUT!

a) anders in awakening was written by David. So, while as a writer she should be able to write a character, even if not from scratch, it wasn't the easiest job considering that I'm pretty sure the plan was to make him more tormented and depressed and all that jam. He turned out whiny and just... annoying at times, I'm not going to argue with that, but what I'm trying to say is that it wasn't the easiest job to go from "zevran but even more stupid" (i love daa anders btw) to what they PROBABLY had in mind, especially when you get an already established character. Still, could have been done waaaay better, true.

b) she did write branka, so one of the best characters in origins. The Orzammar plot is truly DA at it's peak, sorry.

c) back to Anders but I don't really think the whole "lack of trust" thing is her fault, because you know. DA2 was super rushed and they worked on tight schedule. So many of the game faults are because the game is barely an RPG tbh (still, a great fucking game though)

d) tbh the cannibalism short story, besides... well cannibalism, that makes a little sense is fine. Like, it's really interesting to see how Anders is slowly loosing his mind. And eating templars. (sorry I will never get over this, I just have all the memes in mind and theyre hilarious)

So is there something I don't know about or is it just "anders sucks, so Jennifer does too"?

sorry if it came out rude, i just wanted to lay down my arguments too and make it "as quick as possible".

[athreehundredthirtythree]

A Story About Veilguard & Me

I normally pop on here, at infrequent intervals, to mindlessly reblog DA memes and art from mutuals. I very, very rarely post at all, and almost never in my own words. This time, though, I have to. And you'll have to forgive me--what I'm going to say might sound unkind or like I'm not giving the game a fair shake. Also, there will be MAJOR spoilers, and I'm going to get very personal. It will be long.

All this to say, I don't expect anybody to actually read it. Or care, for that matter.

But sharing is a part of grief. And I need to tell you a story.

My parents divorced when I was a kid, and my father moved 1800 miles away (approx. 2900 km for people who live in sensible countries), so my uncle was a formative figure in my life. He was snarky, sarcastic, brilliant, and kind. He was the sort of person who all the neighborhood kids considered a father figure. He was my first DM in my first tabletop RPG, and my first video game was Baldur's Gate, played as I sat on his lap. I made the decisions and he moved the characters and clicked things to make them happen. He was my first Valentine, sending me a Vermont Teddy Bear on Valentine's Day when I was a little girl. I'm in my 30s. I still have that bear. His son, my cousin, had prom the same night as mine since we went to the same school. But my uncle made sure to come over to my house to see when I was ready and tell me I looked beautiful. He was my father in all but name. When I was little, he brushed my hair and tucked me into bed at night, telling me story after story, improvised on the spot just for me.

When I was in college, he got sick. I was the last to know. My entire family knew before I did. My uncle apologized, said he hadn't meant to tell me last. He'd assumed my mom told me. She hadn't because she "hadn't wanted to upset me during the semester." I was upset, but, hey, at least I knew now. And my uncle was doing well and responding to treatment.

Some years passed. I had a kid. Then the worst loss of my life, followed a few months later by another kid. All the while, my uncle's health was in decline. I had to watch him go from being a bright, vibrant presence in my life, a sun I could guide myself around, to a husk of the person he was. But I would talk to him a lot. I tried to get him into Critical Role when he got too sick to play D&D anymore, so he could still keep it in his life. But my aunt couldn't figure out how to make the podcast work, despite my written instructions, sadly. Instead, I told him about anything I was doing--now I was telling him the stories, for a change: about my life, about my kids, about how we were all doing fine.

Everyone told me he was doing okay, he was in a status quo. He'd never get better, but at least he wasn't getting worse. Cold comfort is still comfort.

I came home after the holiday party at my job a few years later when my mom pulled me aside for a chat. My uncle's health was failing, she said, and my entire extended family had kept that from me because they didn't want me to be upset at work. I had a job to do, Mom said, and she wanted me to be able to focus.

It was as she was telling me this that she got the phone call. My uncle was dead.

Her lies made it so I never got to say goodbye in a way he could hear.

I will never forgive her that.

And she knows it. I've told her. And all she can say is she's sorry, but she made the best decision she could at the time. For the sake of a job I don't even have anymore.

All this to say: I hate Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

In this game, the writers at Bioware have just made me relive one of the worst things that ever happened to me. For the sake of a fun little plot twist.

It's not a fun little plot twist. It's not an extra twist of the fictional knife for pathos points. It is a real thing that happened to me--a light in my life went out and I lost a chance to say goodbye when it would have mattered because of someone else's lies.

Dragon Age was, bar none, my favorite video game series, and I have an encyclopedic knowledge of its lines and lore. I have loved it since the moment I booted up Origins. And now I don't know if I'll be able to play any of the games again, knowing how it ends for a character who, by every metric but height and hair color, is a dead ringer for the uncle I lost. Who was a comfort when my uncle died--I don't have my uncle anymore, but Varric was always there, a click away, endlessly supportive, with a one-liner and a story, so reminiscent of the presence I will forever miss.

Is that stupid? Sure. But who said grief has to be smart? I make no apologies.

The fact that Solas can be forgiven for this, can ride off into the sunset with a romanced Lavellan, and Varric's narration sounds approving of it... feels like a judgment. Varric's lines about it being "[his] decision, [his] sacrifice. And you [Rook/player] don't get to take that from me" feels like a very personal "fuck you." It feels like Varric, as an unromanceable character, despite fandom clamoring to smooch the dwarf since DA2, is more disposable than Solas. Fuck it, it's not like anyone loved him, right? It's not like he was integral to anyone's story.

I am aware that Bioware doesn't know I exist. I'm a random schlub on Tumblr, and people who've been callously lied to about a death in reality are a vanishingly small group of people, not an important bloc to consider. But if the entire company had set out to make a game to hurt me personally, if they'd had a vendetta against me and wanted to break my heart--and not in a fun, engaging fictional way like they usually manage, but in a way that reminds me of a very real grief and hurts in a very, very real way... this is the exact decision they would have made. To not just kill him, but to lie about it for the whole game. I could have been okay with a Varric death in this game. Hell, I intentionally bring him with me to do "In Hushed Whispers" in DAI so I can see the terror demon toss his corpse into the room for the extra pathos. Death in stories happens, particularly ones with stakes as high as this one.

But writing that affects you, that makes you feel, makes you think, makes you cry--it's only good as long as it's in good fun. And there's a vast gulf between "a story that made me cry" and "a story that made me fucking despair because I just realized I can't remember what my uncle's voice sounds like anymore and I'll never hear it again." Between "a story that gave my favorite character a send-off in a way I disliked" and "my uncle will never meet my son, and I just got a big, fuck-off reminder of that fact." And Veilguard is the latter.

I wish I could say I loved the game. I wish I could say the ending brought me the closure I never got. But closure is a lie; the wound doesn't close. You just learn to compensate. The story cracked my heart along fissures that will never heal. And it hurts as badly now as it did the day I lost him, when I found out how much my family, my own mother, lied to me and I lost out on the chance to say goodbye in any way that mattered.

A gentle reminder to any writers out there who've made it this far: remember your readers, your players, your audience all bring their own context to your story. A fun twist to you because you watched The Sixth Sense over the weekend can be deeply, heartbreakingly painful to a player, because they bring their own life to whatever tale you tell. Take care with how you treat your characters; they're fictional, sure, but that doesn't mean they're disposable--because what happens to them can matter more than you think to an audience member in grief.

Next month, it will have been five years since he died. A milestone and a tragedy. The son my uncle will never meet is sitting on my lap as I write this and try desperately to remember what his voice sounded like. And this time, there's no one, real or fictional, to offer that missing presence. Because knowing how the story ends changes how the beginning feels.

Thank you for reading.

[imagineamagicworld]

Dragon Age The Veilguard getting only one nomination at the Game Awards is an absolute joke, I can't even pretend that's fair... If not getting considered for GOTY (which is a joke by itself when an actual DLC got nominated in the first place), then it should at least have gotten a nomination for Best RPG and Best Art Direction

[rpgchoices]

Sometimes I really want to read a short summary of what to expect from a game… and thankfully people can also submit their summaries of games they played and help me (and others) find games that cater to their interests!

submitted by @lairofsentinel

(click here for other videogames)

what to expect from STRAY GODS

Graphic novel with musical songs  and a low linear rpg component. 

It’s a mystery-detective story which drags Greek mythology into the modern-day world.

I personally qualify this game as an experimental one, so if you are looking for something new and never done before, without big expectations but wanting to try something out of the common, this is a reasonable, enjoyable option.

This game was  written [among others] by Gaider, main lead writer of Dragon Age franchise up to DAI.

You control Grace, a woman singer looking for some sense and purpose in her life.

Along the story, you can pick two out of three traits for the protagonist: Clever [blue], Baddass [red] or Charismatic/Sympathetic [green]. Most dialogues present these three options, but some end up being unlocked only if you previously picked that trait. 

Very focused on Characters. The story works and develops through the characters' interactions and development. 

The mystery unfolded is fine, it’s not hard to connect dots, and if you do it, you are rewarded later with the resolution you expected. I personally appreciate this since, sometimes, these games force plot twist that taste like scams, deceiving the player all the time for the sake of shock value.  This game is not the case. 

Even if you are not into musicals, this game does a nice combination between story-telling and music. The way all songs blend according to your picked answer is a marvel in my opinion. However, there are a lot of people claiming that this feature causes non-cohesion in the songs. Again, I think this opinion depends on your expectations, and how much you embrace “experimental games”.  

There are 4 romances available for Grace: Freddie, Persephone, Apollo, and Pan. 

It brings with some warnings about the topics unfolded throughout the story: alcohol use, violence, PTSD, death, and themes of suicide. 

Short game of around 6 hours, but has some humble level of replayability seeing new songs and the fate of some characters. However, the main story is linear and that won’t change.  

——- Plot? ——-

In this world, gods exist hidden among the mortals. Their divinity is contained in something called eidolon which passes to the next mortal body when they die.One night, The Last Muse of the Greek Pantheon, Calliope,  just dies in Grace’s arms, passing her Divinity to her, reason why Grace will be accused of the murder later. The whole game is about to solve the mystery of who killed the Last Muse, and what this Muse was investigating that made her target of such murderer. 

——- Gameplay? ——- 

It works like any graphical novel, usually picking a reaction among three options. These options may occur along a song, changing the mood, rhythm, and even lyrics of it. 

——- Characters? ——- 

Many. Grace is central. There are many other who are related to the Greek Pantheon:  Apollo, Athenas, Persephone, Calliope, Afrodita, Pan, Eros, and dozen more of characters. 

 ——- LGBT? ——-

The game features a lot of lgbt content: since gay couples, bisexual characters, and non-binary ones [Hermes]. Grace is presented as a bisexual woman considering there are 4 romances available for her: Freddie [her best friend since school], Persephone, Apollo, and Pan. 

——- Sadness level? ——- 

Depends on your choices, although the main story has a good amount of sadness since it treats many existencial concepts, death, and human fragility. 

——- Happy ending? Deaths? ——-

There are deaths that depend on your choices. In general is a good ending, or at least, a bittersweet one.

[bidotorg]

As a long-time fan of the Dragon Age video game series, I previously reviewed the first three entries — Origins (2009), Dragon Age II (2011), and Inquisition (2014) — for the Unicorn Scale at Bi.org. The series has consistently delivered rich storytelling, complex characters, and immersive worlds, making it one of my all-time favorites. Naturally, I eagerly anticipated the release of the latest installment, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), which was in development for nearly a decade.

One notable aspect of the Dragon Age series is that each game offers a distinct experience while maintaining a cohesive narrative thread. Origins introduced players to the fantasy world of Thedas with a traditional role-playing game (RPG) structure, Dragon Age II provided a more focused, character-driven story, and Inquisition expanded into a semi-open world with vast areas to explore. Veilguard returns to a more structured design reminiscent of Origins, which has sparked debate among fans; some appreciated Inquisition’s open-world approach, while others preferred the more contained environments of the earlier titles. Personally, I enjoy both, and was curious to see how Veilguard would balance the two.

Origins has always stood out to me as the best in terms of storytelling (though the entire series has excellent stories). Many critics have recognized Origins on “best of” RPG lists, with some even calling it the best RPG ever made. Part of what made it so compelling was the character development and the organic, high-stakes choices that led to multiple possible endings, each dramatic and satisfying in its own way. The two sequels continued this tradition, but Origins still holds a special place for the way it balanced epic storytelling with meaningful choices.

For the gameplay itself, I’d give the edge to Dragon Age II, which leaned more into action elements, offering a dynamic mix of action and RPG mechanics. Inquisition, on the other hand, excelled in world-building, thanks in part to its open-world sandbox design that made Thedas feel vast, lived-in, and interconnected — an entire universe to explore, rather than a series of isolated levels.

That said, they are all outstanding games. And, crucial to this review, each one set the bar for bi representation in gaming, consistently showcasing some of the best bi characters the industry has to offer. With these similarities and differences in mind, let’s dig into Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which brings its own approach to these core elements while building on the series’ foundation of inclusive representation.

While I was initially hoping for another sandbox experience like Inquisition, I ended up appreciating Veilguard’s return to a more classic approach. The designers took a clever route, creating expansive levels that open up as you progress, which combines the best of both worlds: a structured progression system that still manages to feel immersive and grand in scale.

Combat, too, is a major highlight. In fact, I’d say Veilguard surpasses Dragon Age II as the best combat in the series. By evolving the blended action-RPG mechanics from DA II and incorporating new features and advancements, the result is challenging — especially on higher difficulty settings — and delivers a high-energy thrill, whether you’re playing as a mage, rogue, or warrior.

As for storytelling, while Veilguard doesn’t necessarily surpass Origins (which I still consider the pinnacle of the series in that regard), it’s certainly up there. Like Origins, Veilguard gives each character a rich arc with meaningful development, where player choices shape fulfilling and varied outcomes for each character. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say that the range of possible fates runs from the tragic to the beautifully poignant. This narrative depth, combined with the choices players can make, gives the game exceptionally high replay value. And, like Origins, players can choose from a variety of characters, each with their own distinct backstory, which affects dialogue and narrative options throughout the game. This time, however, players don’t get to play out these backstories interactively. Instead, they provide rich context woven through the story as the action unfolds.

On balance, Veilguard feels like a thoughtful mix of what made each of the previous volumes unique. The designers seem to have carefully weighed the strengths and weaknesses of each installment, creating a balance that feels both fresh and true to the series’ roots.

The Dragon Age series has always excelled in art direction and soundtrack, with each game bringing the rich mythology of Thedas to life through detailed visuals and immersive music and soundscapes. Veilguard takes this legacy to new heights. While the art direction is on par with the previous games, it benefits immensely from the enhanced capabilities of modern technology, allowing for stunningly detailed textures and vibrant landscapes that make the world feel even more alive. The soundtrack, composed by the legendary Hans Zimmer — known for iconic scores like Gladiator (2000), The Dark Knight (2008), and Inception (2010) — is the most epic and compelling in the series to date. Zimmer’s orchestration beautifully fuses neoclassical stylings with modern genres like heavy metal and dubstep, creating a postmodern masterpiece that matches the grandeur of Veilguard’s storytelling. This score enhances every moment, making the experience all the more unforgettable.

Read the full review here:

[evajellion]

List of Compile Heart and Idea Factory grievances to look out for

Since my post on Madou Monogatari 4/Fia picked up more steam than I thought, I figured as a former fan of their games, I should just make a post about the work from this studio and what to keep an eye out for when the new Madou Monogatari game releases.

Hopefully the new Madou game will be free of these issues, but… even with the original staff, writers, and D4 involved, it's hard to tell. So this will be a mild PSA of sorts.

Extremely tedious grinding and gameplay: Some of the Neptunia games and other titles required RNG/save state nonsense just to get the best ending. Yes, these games often had multiple endings, and you could lock yourself out of them very easily.

Very poorly made dungeon mechanics: Explained in a video about Spectral Tower, known as the worst RPG ever made.

Performance issues or crashing that will make you lose your progress: Most notable in their PS3 era of games, which may have been the fault of NIS America, but their Switch games do still lag quite prominently. I have had the unfortunate, repeated experience of losing progress due to these games being held together with duct tape.

Recycled assets: While it's normal for games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest to use recolored enemy assets or maybe pixel tile sets, CH/IF take it to a whole other level by recycling… entire dungeon layouts with very little differences in color. If you've seen a few areas in one game, then that's the most you are getting for the rest of it. A game that's a sequel to another in a franchise will even use the same assets as its predecessor despite it looking terribly jarring.

Now uh, the rest of this I have to put a content warning for. None of these are gameplay related, but are strictly about the objectification of minors and LGBT+. I know a lot of the bottom half of this list is subjective and some people won't be bothered by it, but some other people are going to be bothered by the extremely outdated humor.

Sexual assault: CH/IF are totally okay with making jokes about SA or using it for shock. It's considered funny when Plutia or CFW Trick harass girls, or when accidental pervert moments happen. Assault also happens in the game Fairy Fencer F, and while the character responsible is a villain he's also just… forgiven by the end.

Predatory depictions of LGBT+: Quite a few characters are the stereotypical, predatory, yandere or gropey lesbian types and one Neptunia game is outright transphobic to a character that is depicted as a stalker of sorts, with the character wanting to be referred to as she/her but the game never does so.

Loli and underage: CH/IF have no issue sexualizing their blatantly implied underage characters in both Neptunia and Mugen Souls. No, being immortal doesn't make these any less creepy and weird. Especially when Nepgear is called a teen before being assaulted. Even Pupuru from Sorcery Saga, who is only 16-17, is lusted after by the ambiguously aged counterpart to Satan, who wants her to "step on him" and frequently nosebleeds.

Erasure of LGBT+: Despite blatantly fetishizing yuri and yaoi, their Otomate division adaptation of HameFura, well-known for its accidental bisexual reverse harem, removed all wlw-related interactions present from the anime. This is something that fans were rightly unhappy about.

Again, I hope that Madou 4 will be free of ALL of these known issues, since a handful of these games are almost over a decade old, it would be wise if CH/IF didn't do anything of their usual shenanigans. In fact, I would be more than elated if Madou 4 doesn't have any of their usual issues.

We'll just have to see.

Sexual assault: CH/IF are totally okay with making jokes about SA or using it for shock. It’s considered funny when Plutia or CFW Trick harass girls, or when accident pervert moments happen. Assault also happens in the game Fairy Fencer F, and while the character responsible is a villain he’s also just… forgiven by the end.

Predatory depictions of LGBT+: Quite a few characters are the stereotypical, predatory, yandere or gropey lesbian types and one Neptunia game is outright transphobic to a character that is depicted as a stalker of sorts, with the character wanting to be referred to as she/her but the game never does so.

Loli and underage: CH/IF have no issue sexualizing their blatantly implied underage characters in both Neptunia and Mugen Souls. No, being immortal doesn’t make these any less creepy and weird. Especially when Nepgear is called a teen before being assaulted. Even Pupuru from Sorcery Saga, who is only 16-17, is lusted after by the ambiguously aged counterpart to Satan, who wants her to “step on him” and frequently nosebleeds.

Erasure of LGBT+: Despite blatantly fetishizing yuri and yaoi, their Otomate division adaptation of HameFura, well-known for its accidental bisexual reverse harem, removed all wlw-related interactions present from the anime. This is something that fans were rightly unhappy about.

[abuddyforeveryseason]

This is the Buddy for March 10th. There's a lot of smoke there. At first I was toying with making the image even taller, like ten times the size, so that most of it was covered in smoke, but decided to go with this one. A real coin toss, really.

On an unrelated point, I heard about Akira Toriyama's death yesterday. Pretty sad, considering he was still comparatively young (68) and active. I was a huge Chrono Trigger fan when I was young, and I've played that game through the end several times. Best RPG of its generation.

I also liked Dragon Ball, although not as much, and that love kind of diminshed with age. Still, I've got a lot of nostalgia for the Z era sagas, with Freeza and Cell. And I read the manga, the early years with kid Goku were pretty interesting, too.

Unfortunately, after the Boo saga the franchise kind of went off-rails. Wasn't into the anime-only GT series, not to mention the games or the disastrous movie. The Super series wasn't as bad, but still doesn't compare to the original.

Still, I have real fond memories of the story. It's an interesting and unique story - or at least it would be if it wasn't so incredibly popular it became ingrained into everyone's mind and imitated to such an extent. I'm reading Osamu Tezuka's Boku no Son Goku, which was also inspired by Journey to the West, and this time I can say Tezuka's work wasn't the superior adaptation. Of course, you have to consider the context...

It's hard to explain a lot about Dragon Ball, especially to people who aren't fans. It started out as a comedic parody of a XVIth century novel, but then it turned into a martial arts story, and then it became serious? And the main character grew up, dozens of minor characters piled up in the background... and all of that before the twist that started the story I'm familiar with - Goku's an alien?

Toriyama's art made the story a lot more pleasant, too. The design of vehicles, aliens, monsters and robots was top notch, and what made me enjoy the story much more than the fight scenes and associated cliches. Another interesting thing was Toriyama's use of twists which led the stories into a different direction when compared to other shonen manga, which often adhered religiously to the build-up to stronger enemies in sucession.

But that's also where the story issues lie. The first is the bloated cast of characters being humiliated so Goku could steal the spotlight. The biggest victim there is Yamcha, but, really, everyone who was beaten by Goku then turned good was kind of cannon fodder. That started as a twist, too - so this evil guy Goku had so much trouble with got beaten so easily by the new villain? Damn. And since new villains kept being introduced, each one being so much stronger than the last, it was hard to make sense of how strong the characters were (and any realism was already out the window thanks to all the plot devices keeping the characters alive and strong enough to fight).

It's funny by the end of the story - or even, by the end of the kid Goku era already - the dragon balls were also relegated to the background. I don't like a lot of the cliches of the series, the plot devices used to make characters stronger with no interesting consequences, the convoluted use of elements of past stories, annoying character behaviors... but, still, you have to respect a guy who managed to start out with such a weird little comedy with its goofy looking vehicles and talking dinosaurs, and turn it into a behemoth so popular, people can have such strong feelings about it.

RIP, Akira Toriyama.

[thejediexile]

Dead dove do not eat

Bg3 isnt a bad game

But i just gonna say baldurs gate 3 fucking sucks

Like as someone who loves crpgs it hurts me that a game thats a below average rpg with 10/10 presentation (just like dragon age origins) is considered the best rpg ever?

They dont even understand how to do an inventory!

Or encounter design!

Or parry controls

I gave up around act 2 because i was told act 1 was amazing and it felt like i was still waiting for the good parts. The game isnt balanced, the story makes weird railroady decisions

Sven lying about the dark urges impact reminded me of david cage which is never good.

I wanted to like it. A game where i can play a paladin who has baalspawn urges fucking with him sounds amazing. Except...that isnt the game...its about the cthulhus with and optional baalspawn subplot.

So its only a baldurs gate game optionally. As a secret. That does make the game more interesting but not like the internet seems to think.

Also wtf is going on with shadowharts mcguffun? The game is inconsistent with what it is and how it works. OR WHO HAS IT

I knew this waa going to happen but having twink wonka announce bg3 as goty feels specifically designed to annoy me

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Mega Drive - Devil Crash MD (Dragon's Fury)

Title: Devil Crash MD / デビルクラッシュＭＤ

Developer/Publisher: Technosoft / Naxat Soft / RED

Release date: 10 October 1991

Catalogue No.: T-18053

Genre: Pinball

Technosoft has always been known for quality software, especially on the Mega Drive so it comes as no surprise that Technosoft have taken Naxat's Devil Crash from the PC Engine (secretly developed by Compile for Naxat) and made it into something better. Now PC Engine fanboys will argue until they're blue in the face that the PC Engine version is superior. This is incorrect in all areas. I've played both versions extensively and can say for sure that graphically, sonically, and playability-wise, the Mega Drive version wins hands down.

Technosoft has revamped the original PC Engine graphics adding more color and detail although PC Engine fans say that they are less detailed. As with all Technosoft games Devil Crash is also home to some of the best music you'll ever hear on the Mega Drive. They've even gone to the extra trouble of adding in special hidden remixed tunes from Thunder Force 2, Thunder Force 3, Elemental Master, Herzog Zwei, and an unknown track which I believe to be from an early PC88 RPG by Technosoft.

Devil Crash's main table stretches 2 screens in length jam packed full of bonus targets and bonus stages. There are a total of 6 different bonus stages as well as the final boss stage. All of these stages must be completed before entering the final boss stage to complete the game. The ball movement on Devil Crash can only be described as impressive. The fluency of the ball is extremely nice especially when you consider the age of this game (1991). Of course, lovely ball movement means nothing when the game physics are bad - thankfully Devil Crash doesn't suffer from any crazy gravity ball physics at all making the game a pure delight.

One of the best if not THE best Pinball sims ever! By the way don't bother with the western release Dragon's Fury, released by Tengen because it just doesn't play as well. Tengen (the home console division of Atari Games notorious for releasing NES games without Nintendo's license) did something to the program while bringing it over. Also don't even consider the western developed so-called "sequel", Dragon's Revenge. Technosoft had absolutely nothing to do with this game and it shows. Bloody awful.

[pridewishes]

yay rec time!! i could ramble abt these games forever but i’ll list some favs and give a general description!

mass effect: sci fi rpg set in the future where aliens and humans co exist. very good story, very good characters and romance, i suggest the remaster just cause better graphics and controls. there’s the og trilogy and a sorta spin off game set in the same universe after the events of the trilogy. not as good tho lol

dragon age: fantasy rpg by the same company who did mass effect. very similar to it, the first game is probably the best, but the second is rlly good too. not rlly a trilogy in terms of a linear story but they do all connect and are chronological so they do affect how each game is! (there’s a way u can transfer ur world state between games)

life is strange: recent video game series all abt player choices. main character (at least in the first and third games, the second it’s the main characters little brother) has superpowers but is also like a normal person in a small town so. very twin peaks. also so gay <3 first game is the best even tho it’s cringe at times. remaster is not that good tho they did my girls so dirty. second game isn’t as good but the third game rlly is a lot like the first which i love!!! set in the same universe too

these r just a few i rlly like, i also have a general list of games to try

oxenfree

spiritfarer

the wolf among us

firewatch

road 96

what remains of edith finch

ok this got super long i will stop here i’m sorry but i hope u like some of these games!!!

Thank you. I've personally never considered Mass Effect but I have a friend who enjoys it. Same with LiS, ik it's well enjoyed I'm unsure of how id feel but it's definitely a possibility. As for Dragon Age it's something I've wanted to get into but I get overwhelmed by very... large extensive games. It's one im most likely to try though. I actually own Oxenfree but haven't gotten around to playing. I've heard of the last one and wanted to watch a playrhough at some point. Spiritfarer isn't really my speed and I've never heard of Firewatch but I just looked it up and maybe I could check it out. I also vaguely know of Road 96 and should give it a look. I have played TWAU though and enjoy it. Tysm for the reccs

[euphoniusowl]

I wrote about Dragon Age Origins, which I first played 10 years ago, and how the game was and still is important to who I am and how I play games.

10 years ago today I played Dragon Age Origins for the first time. I only got a PS3 a month earlier and had played Brothers, Uncharted 3 (it came with the system), and Skyrim. Before that my gaming was limited to Wii games, Kingdom Hearts, the LEGO games, and whatever I could get to run on my white Macbook (Assassin’s Creed 2 with a terrible framerate). I don’t know how I heard about Dragon Age. I vaguely remember knowing that Mass Effect was good and this was like that, but fantasy!

My first playthrough was a disaster. This was my first RPG of this type and I didn’t know the conventions. I played a Dalish elf because hey elves are cool and these ones live in the forest! I missed recruiting Leliana because I didn’t go into the tavern in Lothering. I never really talked to anyone, so eventually Zevran betrayed me and I had to kill him. Alistair was the lone exception. I got him to like me (mostly by giving him every gift in the game) and I romanced him. Then I got to the Archdemon fight and… the game froze. I reloaded, and it froze again. And again, but in different places each time. Eventually I gave up. I’d basically made it to the end, right? Close enough.

I put it aside and played Mass Effect 1. I enjoyed it (it’s still my favourite Mass Effect game), but the whole time I felt an itch. I was reading about Origins online and learning about everything I’d missed. As soon as I finished ME1, I started Origins again, with the same character, the DLC downloaded, and the wiki open. It was so much better. I became friends with everyone, did their personal quests, did a bunch of side stuff, and the world opened up.

I’m one of those people who play games over and over again and make the same exact choices with the same character. Origins has six distinct character backgrounds and openings. I’ve played all six. I’ve finished a complete playthrough with two characters: Dalish elf and human noble (which I only did to get the “marry Alistair” ending. It was… fine). However, there are two big changes I’ve made since that first playthrough, and they’re related. The first is the Landsmeet. My first few times I kept Alistair as a Warden because that’s what he wanted. Then I grew to dislike Anora and made Alistair King with me as his mistress. Finally, I came back around on Anora (she’s great) and I’ve settled on having Alistair and Anora married. Once I was still Alistair’s mistress while they were married, but that changed when I made another big decision: I started romancing Leliana.

I’d always liked her, and as I began to question my sexuality, this was the natural place to try it out. Lo and behold, I adore her. I loved Alistair when I first played, but eventually his romance became grating. Now I am all in on my precious bard. Her comments about the Warden in Inquisition are so sweet and I’m so sorry that I have to make Divine so the two of you don’t get to retire together but you’re the Divine Thedas needs.

It’s hard to estimate the impact Dragon Age as a franchise has had on my life. This was the first thing I ever wrote fanfic for (although I haven’t posted any of it). Although I had been obsessed with the franchise-that-must-not-be-named when I was younger, this was my first adult iteration of it. I read the novels, the comics, watched the web series, combed the wiki, and absorbed anything and everything I could about the world. Even now, waiting for Dreadwolf, I consume everything Bioware releases and over-analyze it for clues. Dragon Age has shaped my life and who I am over the past decade and will continue to do so.

Dragon Age Origins is a great game. I know many people consider it the best Dragon Age game, and I can understand why. For me, however, it was Dragon Age 2 that cemented my obsession with this series and which vies with Persona 5 Royal for my favourite game of all time. But that’s a post for January 5.

[drowsyspace128]

Well I guess as with any new account I should make an introduction post,

*warning my posts in here will probably end up being on the “mature” side so if you are a minor, do not interact with those posts, they will be flagged at the top, my non mature posts will be co-posted on another blog if I remember to but this one specifically will be a no minor area.*

Hello all, My irl name is Hayden (but if I ever hear you call me that on here I will find you) for now ill go by Drowsy on this page, a good gender neutral name(?). Im 19 as of June 10th but due to….issues… I definitely act older than i am at some points so dont be alarmed if i suddenly start talking about 70s-80s era stuff like old tech, i fucking love old computers.

I mention gender neutral because I am currently questioning, but I am most likely either genderfluid and/or nonbinary. I am admittedly male by birth so if you want to use what would be most familiar towards me then he/him is fine for my pronouns, but really anything is fine, I’ll never hate on someone for misgendering me as I don’t even know what my gender is.

My sexuality would best be described to my current knowledge as somewhere between pansexual and omnisexual as I will love someone no matter what their genitals happen to be, but I will still like them for it, it just wont be one of the things I consider for whether or not I like someone in the first place.

As for romantic affiliation, I would like to consider myself as polyamorous as I am completely fine with having multiple partners, and my partners having others as well. However if I were to date someone monogamous I would respect that and stay with just them, polyamory is only fine if all partners are consenting to all other partners in my opinion

(I am currently single tho so sadge)

Now that the identity situation is explained, I would like to describe myself as a person beyond my gender or sexuality, I am a very obvious nerd, I like video games, model kits, and tabletop rpgs. I’ve been in love with fantasy and sci-fi for as long as I can remember.I used to do bad in elementary because i would spend all my day drawing dragons and armor and weapons and anything else that could possibly be considered fantasy. Even now, I am constantly writing down new ideas for home-brewed rpg creatures and monsters. This page even will eventually be used to post about my upcoming worldbuilding project “the forged world”(WIP title liable to change).

I like planes, and birds, and really anything that flys through the air, it’s honestly starting to become a problem with how much I’m distracted by a random bird flying by. Im currently going to college for aircraft maintenance so that one day i will be able to work on them with my own hands, i cant wait.

Ummmm so….. Name(:/), age, gender, sexuality, nerd, planes….. i dont think i missed anything. I probably did but this is geting long so ill end it here. Thanks for reading all the way down here if you did, love ya💜🤍