The major problems with Dragon Age: The Veilguard

As of 2024, the title Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been a major point of contention for both fans and critics, following its highly anticipated yet problematic release. Announced as a new entry in the Dragon Age franchise, The Veilguard promised to take the series in an exciting new direction, introducing fresh gameplay mechanics, an expanded story, and a deeper exploration of the franchise’s lore. However, its release has been marred by a series of issues—ranging from technical problems, development struggles, narrative inconsistencies, and an overall failure to meet the high expectations set by both its predecessors and its promotional campaign. Here’s a detailed look at the major problems surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard and why it has been widely considered a problematic release.

1. Technical Issues and Glitches

The most immediate and glaring problem with Dragon Age: The Veilguard upon release was the sheer number of technical issues that plagued the game. Players across various platforms reported frequent crashes, long loading times, and persistent frame rate drops, even on high-end gaming systems. These issues made the game frustrating to play, and in many cases, rendered the experience almost unplayable for some users.

Glitches were rampant throughout the game, ranging from minor visual bugs (such as characters floating or objects disappearing) to more significant gameplay-affecting errors. One notorious bug involved the game’s quest system, where objectives would not update properly, preventing players from completing main story missions or side content. Some players even encountered game-breaking bugs that required restarting entire chapters or reloading old saves to progress.

Despite post-launch patches, which BioWare promised would address these issues, the technical state of The Veilguard remained underwhelming for many fans. The game’s lack of polish at launch left a bad first impression, especially given that BioWare had promoted The Veilguard as an ambitious continuation of the Dragon Age series, raising the stakes for technical quality. The release was compared unfavorably to other recent RPGs that had launched with fewer major technical problems.

2. Disappointing Graphics and Art Direction

While Dragon Age games have always been known for their impressive visual fidelity and art direction, The Veilguard struggled to live up to the series’ standards. Many fans noted that the game’s visuals appeared outdated, with character models, textures, and animations feeling flat and uninspired, especially in comparison to other modern RPGs like The Witcher 3 or Elden Ring.

The game’s environments, which were meant to showcase the diversity and beauty of Thedas, instead felt drab and uninspired. Landscapes that should have been awe-inspiring, like the lush forests or towering ruins, often looked generic and lacked the intricate details that made previous Dragon Age worlds so captivating. Characters’ facial expressions, once a hallmark of BioWare’s narrative-driven approach, felt stiff and lifeless, making it difficult for players to become emotionally invested in the game’s story or relationships.

Many critics pointed to the apparent budgetary constraints or resource allocation problems during development. Some suggested that BioWare’s focus on new gameplay features and engine upgrades led to a decline in the attention given to visual polish. As a result, The Veilguard felt less like the evolution of Dragon Age‘s aesthetic and more like a step backward, especially when compared to the more vibrant and varied visuals seen in Inquisition or even Origins.

3. Narrative and Storytelling Problems

One of the most significant issues with The Veilguard has been its narrative. While the Dragon Age series has always been known for its rich world-building, complex characters, and morally gray decisions, The Veilguard was widely criticized for its lackluster storytelling and incoherent plot. Players were introduced to a new protagonist—the titular Veilguard—a character tied to the mysterious and ancient forces of the Veil, which is central to the lore of the Dragon Age universe. However, the protagonist’s motivations and character development felt shallow and poorly defined.

The plot itself seemed disjointed, with the main story arc feeling like a collection of loosely connected quests rather than a coherent narrative. Players complained that the game failed to deliver the emotional weight that previous Dragon Age titles had achieved, especially in its handling of personal stakes and character arcs. Important characters, such as companions and key NPCs, were often underdeveloped, and their motivations felt flimsy or inconsistent.

Perhaps the most problematic aspect of the story was its reliance on convoluted lore and overly complex world-building. The Veilguard introduced several new factions, gods, and supernatural elements that felt more like filler than meaningful additions to the Dragon Age universe. This forced many players to spend more time deciphering the game’s complex lore than actually engaging with the story, resulting in an experience that was more frustrating than immersive.

Many fans felt that BioWare was trying to recapture the intricate political drama and world-shattering choices that made Dragon Age: Origins and Inquisition so compelling, but the results were mixed. The game felt bloated, with an over-reliance on heavy-handed exposition and a lack of character-driven moments that made earlier entries feel grounded and personal.

4. Lack of Player Choice and Agency

Another major issue with The Veilguard was its handling of player choice and agency. One of the core appeals of the Dragon Age series has always been the ability to make meaningful choices that shape the story and the world around you. However, in The Veilguard, many players felt that their decisions had little to no impact on the overall outcome of the game.

While the game touted its branching storylines, the vast majority of choices felt inconsequential. Side quests and character interactions often led to dead ends or failed to produce meaningful consequences, making players feel as though their actions were being disregarded by the game’s narrative structure. This lack of agency was a particularly sore point for fans who expected the kind of deep, immersive world that Dragon Age was known for.

Moreover, the game’s companion system, which was once a hallmark of BioWare’s RPGs, felt shallow and underdeveloped. Many fans lamented the lack of meaningful companion interactions or romances. Unlike previous Dragon Age games, where player choices could directly impact the fate of companions or even shift the political landscape, The Veilguard largely failed to deliver this level of depth.

5. Monetization and Microtransactions

While The Veilguard was primarily a single-player RPG, many players were concerned by the introduction of microtransactions in a game that was meant to be part of the traditional Dragon Age experience. While BioWare initially insisted that the game would be free of pay-to-win mechanics, reports surfaced soon after launch that the game featured a range of cosmetic items, such as skins, outfits, and weapons, available for purchase.

Many fans viewed this as an unwelcome departure from the series’ original design philosophy, feeling that it detracted from the immersive experience. There were also concerns that future downloadable content (DLC) could be locked behind a paywall, offering premium content for an additional fee, further fragmenting the experience.

Although BioWare did not explicitly advertise these features prior to release, their presence became clear once the game launched, and fans quickly voiced their displeasure. The use of microtransactions, particularly in a game that promised to be a deep, story-driven RPG, felt like a betrayal to long-time supporters of the series.

6. Lack of Innovation and Evolution

Finally, many critics and fans pointed out that The Veilguard felt like an uninspired rehash of previous Dragon Age titles, with few real innovations to justify its release. The core gameplay mechanics, while functional, felt dated. The combat system was criticized for being clunky and overly reliant on repetitive actions, with little new to offer for players who had already experienced similar gameplay in Inquisition.

Moreover, the game failed to take full advantage of next-gen hardware capabilities, leaving many fans disappointed in its technical execution. The game lacked the cutting-edge features and visual fidelity that were expected from a modern RPG, particularly in light of other recent RPG successes.

Conclusion

Dragon Age: The Veilguard was supposed to be a triumphant return to the beloved Dragon Age universe, yet it ended up being one of the most problematic releases in BioWare’s history. From technical issues and narrative shortcomings to a lack of player agency and the troubling inclusion of microtransactions, the game failed to meet the expectations set by both its developers and its dedicated fanbase.

While the potential for a great Dragon Age game still exists, The Veilguard shows that BioWare may have struggled to adapt to the changing landscape of modern game development. The series’ future remains uncertain, but if The Veilguard serves as a cautionary tale, it underscores the need for a return to the basics of storytelling, world-building, and player choice that made Dragon Age great in the first place. Only time will tell if BioWare can recover from this misstep and restore the Dragon Age franchise to its former glory.

Watch the release trailer of Dragon Age: The Veilguard below: