Rambling Review : Baldur’s Gate 3 Part II

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

The positives of this game cannot be overstated. It’s an amazing, beautiful, fully realized wonder of achievement, and it’s why it has become one of the best games I’ve ever played, if not the best.

I know. I know.

I’m into a second playthrough and am still discovering all sorts of new things, which is why my Pros List aka Part I was so long. As wonderful as this game is, it’s not for everyone – as previously mentioned it’s a graphic turn-based RPG, rated M due to the depictions of violence, the coarse language and bloodshed, in addition to nudity and sexual content – and it does have a few things that could be considered “cons”.

Story

There is a lot of story. Like more than you can even begin to imagine for a video game. Baldur’s Gate is based on a legacy that goes back some 50 years, so there are years of lore and land and creatures and history, so it’s understandable that one playthrough won’t give you everything in the way of story.

While the 3 Act structure will give you an overarching story with major plot points, if you don’t explore every nook and cranny, talk to every NPC or even your companions, return to camp often, or read all the letters, books, and plaques in the world, there’s quite a bit of content you’ll miss. The completionist in me found it frustrating to fail certain checks that may have led to finding secret rooms, treasure, or encouraging certain outcomes, which could also derail me from learning more.

There’s also the extra story content based on your character. If you play with a certain background or class, you’ll get specific dialogue options that will enhance your experience. If you play as an origin character, you’ll also get more of their back story, and then there’s the Dark Urge storyline which is its own thing entirely, so you have lots of options, which leads to con #2 –

Choice

If you are easily overwhelmed by a great deal of content, the choices available to you in BG3 could be considered a con. I struggled with this during my first playthrough. I wanted to know the reaction to each choice in dialogue. If I failed a check, I would reload in the hopes the dice would roll in my favor and I would catch whatever I missed. I would swap out party members hoping one of them had a higher characteristic like intelligence or survival that would lead to a better outcome. This can stall your experience because you may find yourself bogged down by trying to see every eventuality.

I soon realized I had to forego discovering everything the first time around because I was losing a sense of urgency due to the diminishing momentum. Besides I knew I was going to play the game again.

Starting with the character creator which at first seems limited, quickly devolves into chaos with the sheer volume of options for your character. There are a dozen races and a dozen backgrounds, and after a recent update, new subclasses with new skills to choose from. There’s skin tone, eye colors (that in other games seemed irrelevant because you never see your character that close), and hairstyles that allow for highlights, so choosing how dark you want those pink streaks woven through your green braid are all possible.

Am I going to match her tattoos? Uh, yeah.

And after all that, you get to create a second character, a Guardian. You may end up with a little creation fatigue.

Will you play as a do-gooder? Or are you out for yourself? Are you religious or political? Who do you want to romance? How will you sway your companions’ fates? This is just the tip of the iceberg. While I was only overwhelmed initially because I wanted to know everything immediately, The Sis pointed out that that’s the storyteller and gamer in me. When I play a game, I want the details clearly-ish laid out for me by the end of the first run. BG3 is not your typical game. It has layers, and you have to get comfortable in the unknowing…which leads to con #3 –

Mechanics

If you’ve played video games for any length of time, some things are innate. The same cannot be said for Baldur’s Gate. There are so many things you can do, many are things you wouldn’t even think of, and while that’s amazing, there’s no guide to really tell you what’s possible. You just have to try things and see if they work. It’s not just about strategy, it’s discovering you can kind of do whatever you want. There’s both a fear and a freedom in such knowledge. The fear is that a lot of the games you’ve played previously have just laid things out for you, nice and neat. They haven’t let you be imaginative, and now you feel a bit dense when it comes to playing this game.

The freedom is exactly that…anything is possible.

I’ll share a couple bonehead discoveries I made in my second playthrough, so far. One, if you use a character with a higher persuasion skill than your own, you can get better deals with merchants. Gale, yes, Gale, the wizard gets better prices than the charming, I feel almost too persuasive Astarion, and shockingly, way better than my own character. So change out who’s leading the party, and choose to interact with merchants or other plot driven characters to see the varying results.

Two, when trying to pass a certain check, either persuasion or a knowledge of history or religion, if your character has a bonus, such as guidance, you need to not only bring up the bonus, but also select it. It will become highlighted, but I did not know this. The screen will show “add bonus”, so I would add it, but you may have more than one choice, so you need to choose – I never did. This can change a lot of the outcomes of your choices. ((face palm))

There are a couple of other things, like using the Scroll of Revivify – was not made clear how it works, so it took a few tries – or the Fly skill – couldn’t figure it out the first time around.

I’m sure I’ll discover more. I also discovered that The Sis and I did different things, so talking with another player has led to learning more about the options available, or how to use certain skills, etc.

To be clear, I don’t classify any of these as a negative, personally. In fact, it only enhances the experience knowing that each playthough may lead to new discoveries, and that’s awesome. I work with someone who has attempted multiple playthroughs but found themselves overwhelmed by the choices, or even a lack of backstory for their character, but is now using the honor mode (only one save available) and playing as origin character, Wyll, yes, that Wyll, and finally making progress.

All of the choices, all of the story content is meant to enhance your gaming experience. The freedom to do so many things allows for the imagination to run wild, and while maybe not the right game for everyone, a spectacular game nonetheless.

Have you played Baldur’s Gate 3? Did I miss any pros or cons you found particularly interesting? Let’s chat!

Happy Gaming!

19Mar2025

Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part III – The Pros

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I apparently had a lot more to say about the negatives of this game than I initially thought. I apologize for the long Con post, and try as I might, I couldn’t make it shorter. I think I edited that post like 20 times.

Yeah.

Just a quick side note, I forgot to mention a character I was certain would be included in the new game. In the short story compilation, Tevinter Nights, there was a story about the Antivan Crows, and the house that one of the fans’ favorites comes from, Zevran. I looked everywhere, kept an ear open, and they only offered us a whisper of him because of his actions in game 1. ((sigh))

So let’s move on to the positives, of which I also found many. I’ll try to be more succinct this time around.**

Soundtrack

Ahead of the game’s release, the main theme was accessible for a listen, and I liked it upon the first play. I’ve enjoyed all the soundtracks for the Dragon Age series, and this one had the added benefit of being co-written by one of my favorite composers, Hans Zimmer. You can hear his influence on all the tracks, and it makes for an enjoyable listen.

Side note, I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Hans Zimmer live a few months ago. If you’re a fan of his music, I would definitely encourage going to his concert. It’s an amazing experience.

Character Creator

I like a good character creator. I enjoy making different characters and exploring all the options available, and The Veilguard’s is pretty good with the variety of choices – from hair to makeup, scars to tattoos, and vitiligo to heterochromia. This time around they included some looong hairstyles, and the movement in-game is quite a feat of technology. Hair moves like real hair, and I found myself in awe of it often. I also liked that in the creator they offered an environment/background adjustment to see how your character would look before you finalized the decision. This may not seem like a big deal, but when choosing certain colors, especially with makeup, stark light, or dimly lit areas may cause the colors to look quite different than you imagined.

Thankfully, they returned with the Mirror of Transformation that used to be only accessible at the Black Emporium. It is now at camp, so that should you wish to change anything, a hairstyle as time passes, or maybe your character’s eyes are a little too close or too far apart, you can make adjustments any time without having to leave home.

Different Factions

I was delighted to learn that the protagonist would come from one of six backgrounds – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, the Shadow Dragons, or the Veil Jumpers. I didn’t give it a second thought. I get to be a Warden again! As I mentioned in the Cons post, no matter which background you choose, you will be temporarily exiled from your group because of a noble action you took prior to the game’s start, but I like that interactions and specific dialogue options are available to you given your affiliation.

I liked playing as a Warden given the plot of the game and how much is relevant to that faction, in particular. The Sis is playing as a member of the Mourn Watch, a group we had only heard of previously. Also, each of our companions is from one of these factions, so interactions between them and with our protagonist offers more insight.

Spell Casting

Given a choice, I will always choose to play as a mage first. I like magic. Although, now thinking about it, my first ever Dragon Age character was a dual wielder…huh. Well, knowing what I do now of the Dragon Age world, and how it views mages, I have since chosen to play as one first with each new game.

The spell tree has a vast array of spells to choose from, many different from the previous games, and depending on your background choice, or the kind of mage you want to be, there are three different routes to take in order to grow your power. The graphics are beautifully designed and fun to see in action, and this time around combos with your companions are available to deal more damage.

New Companions

Since the first game, there are always companions you love, you sort of loathe, and some you kind of ignore. This time is no different. I ended up liking characters I didn’t expect, but the best addition was that some of our companions had their own companions. Assan (–> this adorable little nugget) can be played with, hugged, and booped, and you can play rock, paper, scissors with Manfred and they both must be defended at all costs.

Graphics

As I mentioned, the spell casting had lovely graphics, and without spoilers, Lucanis has an ability that allows him to sprout wings and they are beautiful. Locations and in-world items and features all look amazing and it made exploring quite enjoyable.

Gift Giving

In all of the Dragon Age games, finding meaningful gifts to give your companions is a sweet side quest to incur favor. This sometimes helps with the companions that generally don’t agree with your actions and choices, or it can hasten a potential love interest’s favor to advance the romance. What I appreciated this time is that the gifts you give are physically represented in each companion’s quarters, so when you visit, you can see the gift on display.

New Locations

Since the beginning, we’ve heard reference to a number of other countries in the world of Thedas and now we finally get to see them. Most of our companions in each game are from other places, and through them, we learn a little of each country’s culture and history. This game allowed us to visit distant lands and people, and there was some lovely design, each with their own aesthetic.

*Downside, the locations are not fully open world. Oddly, as part of the hand holding of the story, you know, for the kid gamers, some places were closed off until the story progressed to a certain point, and then those restricted areas would become available to explore. Even near the end of the game, maybe given some choices I made, or a missed opportunity, some of those areas were still closed to me. Huh? While this happened in previous games too, sometimes, it was glaringly obvious in game 4.

Romance developments

I was a little torn between two characters to romance, and when the choice needed to be made, I found it interesting that the companion I didn’t choose found love with another character. I won’t spoil it. There are also other companions who find romance with each other, and this is a nice detail that I like that they added because it’s more true to life. People confined to a specific group for a length of time tend to like others in that circle.

*Teeny downside, they removed the racial or sexual orientation preferences they had enacted in Inquisition. Previously, some companions liked only female elves, or only men of any race, but now, everyone is bi and likes everyone. Not exactly a con, but feels like a step backwards.

Armor and Weapons

The addition of tons of choices for both armor and weapons based on the factions we have been introduced to is a great side quest as you keep an eye out for those items as you explore the world. You can buy pieces or find them in chests, and most of the designs are interesting and beautiful and they add an extra layer of detail to the game. A little side note, if you love an armor set or weapon, but another offers better stats, like “hide helmet” you can use the armor or weapon aesthetic you like visually while the better option hides beneath.

I wore the pictured armor set, a lot. Commander Shepard’s elite military status in the Mass Effect series represented in Dragon Age gear, uh yeah. I’ll take that. Side note, there was Dragon Age armor introduced way back in ME2, so this armor was overdue.

Story Decisions

There are some interesting choices to be made, so while you can’t make a character hate you, there is an opportunity to harden one companion and make them less trusting of you for some time. You can also influence many of your companions’ story arcs which does allow for some replayability to see how an alternative choice may affect them and the story. Even the Inquisitor, during a conversation, can be swayed in how they may handle Solas when the time comes. Many of the companions have pretty decent story arcs, and they have multiple steps, which continues to garner more favor, so basically, they all love you by the end.

But, near the end, there are a few decisions that have dramatic effect on the story, and after so much hand holding and fluff, it felt like a nod to the earlier dark themes of the previous games. And also, slightly out of place, but I was happy to see them.

Solas’s Character Arc

I am a Solas fan. I think of him as such a tragic figure, and I like how his character was highlighted – his struggles, his loyalty to an old fried, the burden of responsibility held for a thousand years – he’s a deeply rich character. Now, the story didn’t go at all as I expected, and I’m not sure when BioWare decided to change it all up, and despite the lack to wrap up to so many other story lines, thankfully, Solas’s arc got resolution. I was happy for that, at least.

There’s a lot to dislike about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, let’s be honest, but there’s also a bit to like (I didn’t even mention the voice acting and the familiar voices), and there’s more to talk about as well. It’s a divisive game, and considering the extremely long wait for it, it is, sadly, disappointing. I had high hopes, too high, I suppose, and that’s why I, and so many others were disappointed. I love the series. You all know. Tattoos, fan fiction, merch…I’m dedicated.

I will play the game again, as I mentioned, there are some choices you can make that may make alternative playthroughs more interesting, or at least different, but not at the same level of the previous games, which is just disappointing. I don’t have another word, sorry.

What are your thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard or the other DA games, in general? Let’s chat!

Happy Gaming!

*A bit more con even in the pros

**15 rewrites and still too long…thanks for sticking with me!

1Mar2025

Rambling Review – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part II – The Cons

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’ve wanted to work in video games for years. Actually, it’s because of DAO. I just loved it. But I have no idea how games are made, besides the behind the scenes footage I’ve seen. It takes dozens upon dozens of people working in teams to not only write all the amazing characters and dialogue and story, but there are a variety of artists, and voices actors, and engineers, among so many others. I’m in awe of what they do, and in spite of all the negativity The Veilguard received, it’s still an impressive feat of creativity.

But it has its problems. So let’s start with those.

The removal of The Keep.

With game 3, BioWare included an out-of-game device called The Keep. Decisions made in the past two games could be chosen and altered, which in turn would have an effect on world of the new game. I don’t know what it takes to create and implement such a tactic, so when it was revealed that all our previous decisions throughout the three games would no longer be relevant going forward, fans were understandably upset.

We had choice. We picked certain milestone moments, and now those were being retconned and BioWare was instead making the choice of what would be canon and what was important, which apparently, wasn’t much. So many of the previous decisions had little impact on the story and weren’t even referenced.

The introduction of The Protagonist.

In Origins, you’re the Warden, in DA2, you’re Hawke, and DA:I you become the Inquisitor. In all three games, you could befriend or antagonize your companions, and in Inquisition, you could play evil. Offering the player these different choices and outcomes to the world and its inhabitants deepened the experience, and let you choose how you felt like playing. This offered replayability.

With The Veilguard, our new protagonist is “Rook”. BioWare returned to the idea of origin stories and varying races where your character will come from one of the larger factions in this world – the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Shadow Dragons, the Mourn Watch, the Lords of Fortune, or a Veiljumper. Their past actions, which are all honorable, btw, lead them to be temporarily dismissed from their order, where Varric, the all ’round fan favorite non-romanceable dwarf, recruits you to help track down the Dread Wolf.

They are only likable. You will only befriend your companions. You can choose different dialogue options between nice, sarcastic-ish, or brave, but none are evil. None are truly confrontational. And that limits the replayability. I chose to play as an elf mage from the Grey Wardens. That’s her, Peri, above. She was sarcastic most of the time.

Then there’s The Story.

At the end of Inquisition, we learn our companion Solas, is an ancient elf, a virtual god, aka The Dread Wolf, who wants to pull down the Veil that separates the mortal world from the magical one beyond. He erected it, to stop his fellow gods during a civil war, but it sapped the elves of their immortality and left them vulnerable to being overthrown, the loss of their culture, and eventual enslavement. They are among the lowliest of citizens in this world.

Solas wants to save his people, but at the expense of the rest of the world. Before the end of game three, he disappears, and it is up to the Inquisitor and their allies to save or destroy Solas and his plans. So in game 4, we open ten years later on his trail. He is making his move (finally), and we interrupt it, unleashing chaos as the gods he was keeping contained are now released. Wah wah.

The problem is, all the threads that were developed prior to game 4 no longer seem relevant. Elves were leaving in droves at the end of game 3 to join the Dread Wolf’s cause. There is no mention of them in the new game unless they are among the elves now living in their old home of Arlathan Forest, but that’s not clear. Also, the plan seemed more grandiose than just a relocation program.

Finally, there were comics and short stories that introduced new and familiar characters and story ideas, and for the most part, they are all absent from the game. Where are the talking darkspawn? My problem with the story is that they flipped the script and changed the focus on everything we had been building toward.

Where are our old Friends?

Where is Merrill the elven mage who was trying to unlock the secrets of the mirrors known as eluvians from game 2. The mirrors have played a role across all the games, but more predominantly in 3 and 4. Given her race and experience, where is she?

Our first encounter with the Qunari race is a character named Sten in game 1. Within one of the first comic series, he becomes the Arishok, a leader of the Qunari people. Given that the Qunari have now invaded a number of countries beyond their own, I was hoping he’d make an appearance again.

Game 3, Inquisition is a big game with a number of world shaping decisions, including the ability to influence who will be the next head of the church, The Divine. Three of your companions are being considered for this important role. This was a character that absolutely should have made an appearance since the world is pretty much going to sh*t. There has been cause in the past, and it’s been threatened, to call something referred to as Exalted March to quell uprisings and the like, and there’s no time like the present for their intervention.

Your protagonist from game 3, the Inquisitor does make a few appearances, which was absolutely necessary given their relationship with Solas. For my first game 4 PT, my Inky had romanced Solas so I could see what would happen if and when they were reunited. It’s through them we learn that southern Thedas, where we spent the last three games, is falling to all the chaos. There’s too much to get into with the Warden-turned-Hero of Ferelden and the sitting monarch of Ferelden from game 1 because of the choices and the post game title cards that hint at the future to some degree. Whoever you helped make the King or Queen will make a brief appearance in game 3, but with so much happening, and the regions we helped now under threat once again, where are they?

Then there are those like Fenris, an escaped elven slave from Tevinter imbued with lyrium tattoos due to a magister’s experimentation. He got his own comic series, and because he’s an elf, from a country we’re exploring, I expected to see him again. Where are any of the characters from game 3 that offer to help you track Solas down, like Cassandra? The Iron Bull – your own personal Qunari spy? Sera and her network of Red Jennies? Where is Briala, the once-lover and confidante of the Empress of Orlais, who was part of an underground movement to help the elves? So many missed opportunities.

And side note, I would have paid double if I knew I was getting my cinnamon roll, Alistair and my lion, Cullen back for any length of time.

The Dialogue is Weak.

As an inspiring professional writer, this is where I took the most offense. I wish I had some examples, but I remember often thinking, “Really?” They would over explain things, or reiterate a concept too many times, as if we didn’t remember, and this is why I believe it was written for a younger audience.

Where is the Love?

I endured a disappointing, poorly developed romance with the adorable Antivan Crow, Lucanis. He really got short changed. I met the voice actor at SD Comic Con, so cute, and Lucanis’s appearance in one of the short stories included in the book, Tevinter Nights is a highlight, which is why I was initially drawn to him. If you appreciate a slow burn, then this is for you, but compared to the previous games – the conversations that could be had, the butterflies when your love interest looked at your character a certain way…swoon – that didn’t really happen, except like once.

I’ve only pursued the one romance option so far, so I can only speak to how this one was written. I just wish they would have given him a little more attention.

And a side tangent to this, you could always speak to your companions in the previous games whether you were in camp or walking about. In this game, you could only have a conversation, and sometimes, I wouldn’t even call it that, when the companion has an exclamation point over their head to instigate the convo. Why are we taking steps backward?

That’s it? No DLCs?

Given the culmination of four games, I felt this installment ended rather abruptly. So much had happened, so many countries were affected by the events, and once the main threat was neutralized, the game just sort of ended. There was a little indication of how the world was moving on, but it felt shallow. Then it was announced that there wouldn’t be any more. No DLCs, nothing to wrap up loose ends. A BioWare writer “reassured” fans that Dragon Age isn’t dead, because it stays alive through their own work, and continued by saying that Dragon Age belongs to the fans now.

I’m sure that was meant to sound positive, but it left fans with sort of mixed feelings. Years ago, for the third game in the Mass Effect series, BioWare created a DLC specifically as fan service, and now we can’t get some sort of tie-in/wrap up/love letter? It just leaves me feeling slighted by a franchise that I have devoted a lot of time to, in addition to the emotional and financial investment.

Not topic related, but I had to share this.

Okay, and finally, just a few random annoyances: What happened to building our own gear and weapons? What happened to being able to color change not only our, but our companions’ gear? Why don’t our companions take damage? Why don’t we have to use lyrium vials or injury kits? Why do the dragons nose dive at you?

Oh my. That’s a little more “con” than I wanted to share. I usually like to end my posts on a positive note, but this is just to long at this point, so I hope you’ll stay tuned for the final part of this now series, The Pros.

21Feb2025

Rambling (Not Quite A) Review (Yet) – Dragon Age: The Veilguard Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

When the release of the new Dragon Age game was announced, after a long ten year wait, I was both relieved, that it was going to happen in my lifetime, and excited that I might get resolution on some of the story threads that had been woven through the previous three games.

Then, last summer, at San Diego Comic Con, a Dragon Age panel with voice actors from the games was scheduled. The Sis and I made it, met the actors, and got their autographs on an oversized print (see above). They were charming, and kind, and oh so positive about their experience and excited for us to play, that we left feeling hopeful for what was to come.

Fast forward a few months, and nearly everyone with an advance copy unleashed their negativity. I ignored all of it because I really didn’t care what anyone thought, I was always going to play it, and I would have my own opinion without being influenced by people who’s thoughts on it didn’t truly matter to me.

I didn’t buy it right away, which I sort of felt bad about, but I was deep into Baldur’s Gate 3, and I knew, regardless of how BG3 had me smitten, which was completely, I would turn away and play Dragon Age without a second thought. The Sis surprised me with it for Christmas, and after staring at it for a week, I succumbed. I finished my first play through, and I have some thoughts.

Strike that, I have a lot of thoughts. So many in fact, that I think I’m going to have to write this in (at least) two parts.

Sorry.

For those of you who have been with me for a while, you’re well aware of my relationship with the Dragon Age universe. I love it. I love the characters, the story, the lore, and the fandom because they create the most wonderful things. Not only do I have a bit of merch and write fan fiction, I also have a tattoo, and I don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface in any of those areas. I always want more.

When the first game, Dragon Age: Origins was released back in 2009, I hadn’t played a video game in years. I had had a lot on my plate for a while, but I saw a commercial for it and I knew.

I had to play it. And I loved it.

It was everything I liked – medieval setting with fantasy elements, dragons, magic, overwhelming odds, an eclectic band of heroes, while also being an RPG (role playing game), where your actions have actual in-world consequences – all the hours spent in this universe…it’s a decision I have never come to regret.

So let’s do a little overview of this world prior to the new game.

In DAO you choose one of six “origin” (human, elf, or dwarf) stories to play as, but no matter which route you chose, you end up being recruited to be part of an old world order known as the Grey Wardens. They are a fabled group, known for their sacrifice in the face of great evil, and in game one, the greatest threat, a Blight, is on the horizon. Hordes of darkspawn, LOTR-like orcs, are lead by an old god-turned dragon known as an archdemon. Only a Warden can kill an archdemon, and by game’s end, there are only a few of you left.

This was the introduction to this world and its people. It was dark and gritty. There were interesting characters, many of whom could be either recruited to your cause, or surprisingly, left for dead at the hands of fate, or your own. There were difficult decisions, and the story left a lasting impression.

Shockingly, on the heels of the success of Origins, Dragon Age 2 was released only two years later to mixed reviews. You play as Hawke, a refugee fleeing the Blight with their family, who becomes a champion to the city of Kirkwall and its people. For most fans, the two big negatives for this game were the lack of choice of race for Hawke, you could only be human, and the reuse of floorplans. Every dungeon was the same design, but honestly, with only two years to create a whole game from scratch, I don’t have much of a problem with it.

We are, again, introduced to some of the best characters, many who continue into game three, and beyond, including Hawke who ended up as the fan favorite protagonist of the DAU. In Act 2, an object is discovered that creates one of the biggest plot points for this world, and a war between the mages and their overseers, the Templars, ensues which, in turn, sparks the events of game three. In one of the DLCs, we are introduced to a creature who is thought of as one of the first ever darkspawn. He plays a major role in game three.

Dragon Age Inquisition was then released just three years later and was an instant hit. It won Game of the Year. It was pretty to look at, it was a fairly large open-ish world, and there was a huge story. The characters continued to be amazing, and the romance aspect was so well done, you actually felt butterflies when you interacted with your love interest. There were political and religious implications, the Grey Wardens were being manipulated and thus had become a threat, and Hawke made an appearance to help.

One of your companions is an elf named Solas. He’s wise and a bit sad, and if you play as a female elf, he’s a romance option. No matter how you play, you learn that Solas is, in fact, an ancient elf, more like a god, known to all from history as The Dread Wolf, who’s responsible for creating a magical barrier that separates the mortal world from a magical one. It’s referred to as the Veil and it plays a part in each game in some manner. Solas is the puppet master of game three, playing out his grand plan from the shadows with the creature from DA2 taking the lead. By the end of Inquisition, a choice is laid out before you, save or destroy your friend, Solas.

So, with ten years in development, expectations for game four, previously known as Dragon Age: The Dread Wolf renamed Dragon Age: The Veilguard were high. Behind the scenes, for years, there was a lot of concern as people who had been with the developer, BioWare for a long time left the company. There seemed to be quite a bit of upheaval, and anyone associated with any of the previous games were no longer present. Updates were few and far between, there were large gaps of silence, and delays continued, bringing expectations down.

And then there was Baldur’s Gate 3.

I feel like it changed the landscape on the whole. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played, and its release the year before probably had an effect on gamers. We saw what was possible, and now we wanted it, from every game we were going to play going forward, to some degree.

I haven’t read all the details of the behind the scenes drama, but as a long time fan of the series, I can say, without any bias from outside sources, that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a disappointment.

I know. I’m sad about it.

There are a number of things to like, but they are slightly overshadowed by the negatives. The one that immediately stood out to me is that the game feels like it was designed for a younger audience. There was also a feeling of hand holding, if that a makes sense.

Since there were 15 years between the first and last game, you would think that the developers would have considered their fanbase and their advancing age. Yes, you want to make a game accessible to new fans, and old alike, but by game 4, with a continuing story line, maybe they should have kept that at the forefront of the process.

Okay, so that’s a lot of background, and I barely hinted at an actual review….oh my. I’m changing the name of this post, since it’s not that, not yet.

I hope you’ll stick around for Part Two.

18Oct2020

My Dragon Age 4 Wish List

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Dragon Age 4 “behind-the-scenes” snippet shows off concept art and works-in-progress - VideoGamer.com

For those of you who have been with me for a while now, you know of my long love affair with the series Dragon Age. I have taken part in nearly every aspect of the fandom – the love runs deep. Very few details have been released in the last couple of years in regards to the next installment since it was teased at the 2018 Game Awards. And when any little hint does come to light, fans analyze every minute detail for clues and concoct wild theories based on the scarce evidence.

The Art Of Dragon Age 4 - Concept Art and Making Of

December tends to be DA news month but Christmas came early this year when a number of images of concept art were recently released. You can imagine the subsequent frenzy that ensued. With the release of the latest novel, Tevinter Nights, characters both new and familiar were revealed along with story details that we could weave together in the hopes of understanding where the next game would lead us.

Dragon Age 4' Gamescom reveal highlights wild new landscapes and characters

In the FB group I’m a part of, people regularly prompt the members by asking what they want to see in the next game. Besides better hairstyles, which is a major pet peeve among us (I even wrote about it a while back), there are a lot of ideas floating around. With all this in mind, I’ve decided to share my own take on what I’d like to see in the next game. Here are my top 7. I tried to stop at 5 but that was difficult, so I’ll do my best to be concise.

*This will include spoilers if you have not read the comics and books, and with the understanding that the reader has played the games.

Every Dragon Age 4 Screenshot or Piece of Concept Art Revealed So Far

The return of the Hero of Ferelden. The protagonist of Origins, the tainted hero who saves the world from The Blight we learn, years later in Inquisition, is in search of a cure for what will eventually kill them. My hope is that we are given closure to this storyline and the character that brought us into the series in the first place.
The trouble with the Grey Wardens and the return of griffons. In the closing credits of Inquisition we learn that something is happening within Warden ranks and Weisshaupt has gone quiet. In the novel, Last Flight, we learn the fate of the griffons during the 4th Blight and the possibility of their return. I’m a fan of the Wardens, one of their symbols is part of my tattoo (I told you, the love runs deep, skin deep 😉 ), so I’d like to revisit the order and learn what’s going on.
The return of beloved characters. Dragon Age needs to follow Mass Effect’s format of reintroducing characters and bringing us closure, especially in light of the position many of our favorite companions have or may have found themselves in since we last saw them.
- Sten is now Arishok, as revealed in the comic series, The Silent Grove, and with the Qunari threat revealed in Inquisition and the war in Tevinter, he should make an appearance as the commander of the military.
- Zevran and the Antivan Crows. There is a chapter in Tevinter Nights that deals with the leaders of the houses of the assassin’s guild, one of them being the house of Aranai. Zevran has made an appearance, in some form, in all three games so with this history, and the disarray that the Crows may find themselves in since the enlightening chapter, he should reappear. There is concept art that shows a Crow, and he’s also an elf. ((wink wink))
- Fenris received his own comic recently, Blue Wraith, although there wasn’t enough of him in it for my liking. The story involves the Qunari and Tevinter so he should make an appearance. And fans would be thrilled. We love Broody!
- Merrill, I think, is a shoe-in for a reappearance. In DA2 she was working at restoring an eluvian, and after Inquisition, we’re all aware of their importance. As an elf with strong ideas of keeping elven traditions alive, she’d make a great recruit for the Dread Wolf’s army.
- Dorian & Isabela also appear in the concept art, and given Tevinter as a most likely location for the bulk of DA4, it’s only natural to presume Dorian would be a major player. Isabela has also made an appearance in all three games, in some way, and with her history with the Qunari I think it’s time to get reacquainted with the admiral.
The return of “The One” sacrificed to be left in the Fade. Depending on the world state you imported into Inquisition, you will be faced with a potentially difficult decision at the end of Here Lies the Abyss, a mission in which you choose between leaving Hawke, the much loved protagonist from DA2 or a Grey Warden, one of whom could be the adorkable Alistair, behind. If Solas succeeds in his mission to tear down the veil, it is my hope this character will be revealed escaping or strutting out of the Fade, given who it might be.
The Architect and the strange experiments with the darkspawn. The Architect was an intelligent darkspawn introduced to us in the Origin’s DLC, Awakening. He was attempting to free the darkspawn from their compulsion to awaken the Old Gods hence starting another Blight and actually started the 5th. He can just disappear at the end of the DLC and then we learned in Tevinter Nights that the darkspawn are experimenting on each other creating even more terrifying abominations. There’s something weird going on there, and I’m not sure I truly want to know why. But I do.
Learning the true purpose of the ancient Elven Artifacts that we turn on as we run about in Inquisition. Solas tells us that these globe-like items will help to strengthen the veil, but since it’s his intention to tear it down, what purpose do they really serve?
I hope we return to being able to use the Ability Wheel from Origins and DA2; the option to open the wheel of all those abilities you have acquired so you can actually use everything in your arsenal instead of having to pick and choose.

I Rank the Dragon Age 4 Concept Art on How Much I Want to Date Everyone - Gayming Magazine

With all I have to say on this subject, I couldn’t share all the artwork too, so here is a link to see all the beautiful designs.

Are you as excited as I am for the next installment? What are your hopes for Dragon Age 4? It’s still a ways off but hopefully there will be another book, or comic, or more hopeful news, like a release date in December (or all of the above) to tide us over. ((sob)) Want to commiserate with me? Let’s talk Dragon Age!

27Dec2018

Breaking Down the Dragon Age 4 Teaser Trailer

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

With the announcement, finally, that there would, in fact, be a Dragon Age 4, fans everywhere sighed with relief. At least there was confirmation, despite the few years’ wait for its release, and it gave fans hope. Some have wondered how it was that I had nothing to say about it. Believe me, I was ecstatic at the news. As you may have noticed with my limited posts this year, I’ve continued to be busy.

By the way, hi! Happy Holidays!

So about two weeks ago at the 2018 Game Awards, Bioware treated fans to the following teaser:

To the casual observer, or non-DA fan, it doesn’t seem like much, but for the devoted, myself included, there are plenty of small details to analyze and get excited about. Fan theories soon followed as each frame of the video was scrutinized, and I have done my best to avoid it all. After all, I have my own theories.

The Dragon Age games have been amazing at connecting events and characters, history and lore to create an immense, immersive world, and this trailer I believe does that as well. And while there are easter eggs galore, to explore each one would cause me to write a treatise, I’ll pick 3 topics to break down.

Let the wild speculation begin.

The Opening Image: It looks like a sunrise/sunset over mountains, which is a familiar landscape from Inquisition. Since the events of the third game were left open ended (which is why fans always believed there would have to be a fourth installment, I mean we just got around to who Solas actually was), this image could be interpreted a couple of ways. It could be symbolic – a sunrise is often considered a new beginning while a sunset is referred to as an ending. With the fate of the world dependent on the success of Solas’ plan to return the elves to their former glory by tearing down the veil, a new beginning for some results in an ending for pretty much everyone else. It could also be representative of a location of the next game. Skyhold, the Inquisition’s base of operations, is located within the Frostbacks, and regardless of your choice at the end of Trespasser about what to do with the Inquisition, it’s unlikely the keep would have been abandoned, and therefore still an element to consider in the next installment.

The Idol: The camera continues to move across a number of connected pieces – a skull, the pained face of, what looks like, Andraste – evident by the crown upon her head – and then red veins creeping upward. As the camera pulls back to take in the whole of the twisted idol, fans are offered an “ah-ha” moment that harkens us back to the days of Dragon Age 2. The red lyrium idol found in a primeval thaig that caused people to go insane is the same idol shown here. In DA2 just a shard from the idol caused Bartrand, Varric’s brother to do unspeakable things. What remained of the idol was repurposed into Commander Meredith’s sword, so we know that idol no longer exists, so why show us the idol at all?

Red lyrium was a major factor in Inquisition; the source of it and its effects were explored at length (finding it growing out of people was horrifying), so it’s a good guess that red lyrium, and the images represented within the idol will play a role in DA4. Andraste is the founder of the Chantry, and one of your companions from Inquisition is now Divine. Red lyrium in small, measured doses offers superhuman abilities, and is considered an anti-magic substance, and with the tenuous peace between mages and templars, perhaps by using red lyrium, those against mages will try to finally rid Thedas of magic.

The red veins also reminded me of blood magic, a much frowned upon use of magic in Thedas, with exception in the Tevinter Imperium. With the Inquisitor thrusting a dagger into the mapped region of Tevinter at the end of Trespasser, it’s also possible that the story of DA4 will finally take us there, to not only explore this other world and the magical freedoms and politics associated, but also to see our old friend, Dorian again. If you remember, he was part of a group looking to reform Tevinter, and we can be sure there are many opposed to the idea. And powerful mages going head to head definitely sounds like at least a side quest with perhaps another excuse to use red lyrium?

The Mural: The camera draws back further and a painting appears behind the idol; one that resembles artwork Solas once painted upon the walls in his space within Skyhold. The Dread Wolf appears on one side, the idol remains in the middle, and an elf stands in opposition. At first glance, I thought it might be Solas warring with himself, but upon closer inspection, the elf is white haired surrounded by fire. What we learned about Solas aka Fen’Harel during Trespasser was that he’s considered a god, and not just any god but the one that created the veil and tricked the other gods, trapping them behind it.

My guess? It’s another Evanuris, the god-like Elgar’nan finally released from his captivity. Known as the all-father and god of vengeance, whose symbol is associated with fire, wouldn’t he be the most logical choice to seek revenge upon Solas? With the idol between them, the theory that red lyrium could play a major part in DA4, possibly swaying the outcome, feels like an understatement.

I lied. I can’t end this without talking about…

The Words: And then finally, Solas speaks. “So, you found me at last. I suppose you have questions.” Each game in Dragon Age has a new protagonist, and because of the spoken words in the trailer, words that echo those already spoken to the Inquisitor during Trespasser, I believe we’ll be playing as yet another new protagonist in search of Fen’Harel…among other things. My reasoning, while I’d love to see my Warden again, that’s a dissertation for another day, is because Solas’ words feel as if he’s speaking to someone he doesn’t personally know. While Solas will most likely be aware of this new protagonist, they will be searching for him after all, they probably won’t meet until these fateful words are spoken.

And then the teaser ends with #TheDreadWolfRises. ((chills)) Boom! It’s all about Solas. I may have squealed a bit. Many fans have a love/hate relationship with Solas, but I find him interesting and the possibilities are so exciting!

A new Dragon Age is on the way! Eek! Sorry. I can’t help it.

Oh, there’s so much more to talk about, and this is already much longer than intended because you know I can talk Dragon Age all day long, but I’d like to hear your thoughts. Are you excited about what DA4 has in store? Do you agree or disagree with any of my theories? What did you see in the teaser? Let’s chat!