Summary
Dragon Age: The Veilguardis highlighting the beauty of Northern Thedas while offering a detailed look at how players can interact and explore the game’s world in BioWare’s latest blog post. Though initially sold as a dark fantasy, the setting of the series has always had high fantasy elements. As the franchise began to move away from the Darkspawn as a main focus, some players felt thatDragon Agelost its identity. Ten years after the launch of its predecessor,Dragon Age: The Veilguardseems to lean into a bit of both, as Northern Thedas is shaping up to be diverse in biomes and themes.
Darkspawn, Qunari, and the Evanuris all converge in the latest installment of theDragon Agefranchise, in a setting that now spans the width of several nations across Northern Thedas. With six major factions andseven companions inDragon Age: The Veilguard, the developers seem determined to deliver a standard BioWare adventure, but the scope seems much more vast than meets the eye.
In arecent blog post aboutDragon Age: The Veilguard, the team at BioWare showcased the diverse locations that will encompass the player’s journey in Northern Thedas. Both Treviso andMinrathous will feature inThe Veilguardas major cities, and Rook will even be able to stumble upon their companions while out and about. Whereas Arlathan Forest leans fully into the setting’s high fantasy aspects, the Hossberg Wetlands hearken back to the origins of the franchise.
Hossberg Wetlands
Rivain Coast
These aforementioned locations aren’t the only places that Rook will be able to visit during their adventure, as earliergameplay footage ofDragon Age: The Veilguardalso featured Weisshaupt Fortress. However, to justify a campaign that takes place across half of the continent,The Veilguardthrusts players into The Crossroads, a corner of the Fade that houses a network of Eluvians, each connected to the featured locations of Northern Thedas.
The Crossroads is connected to The Lighthouse, the base of operations for Rook and their merry band of misfits.
Not only will players use The Crossroads to access the many zones inThe Veilguard, but BioWare explains that the area itself will also feature puzzles and other side content. Most notably, The Crossroads is connected to The Lighthouse, the base of operations for Rook and their merry band of misfits. Much like Skyhold,The Lighthouse inDragon Age: The Veilguardwill serve as a way for players to unwind, engage with their companions, adjust their build, or enchant their weapons and armor.
Though it remains to be seen how these concepts will fit together in practice,Dragon Age: The Veilguardappears to have taken feedback from players who dislikedAndromedaandInquisition’s open world, a choice that was met with praise from the BioWare community.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
