Dragon Age: The Veilguard 4 Months Later

[Winter]

So, overall thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard. I will say that I did enjoy this game but I do think it's not as good as Inquisition and Origins though I did enjoy it more then DA2.

Looking at Stream (which requires you to own the game to make a review) the overall reception of the game is mixed, some like some don't and that pretty much sums up my feelings about this game they're mixed.

I don't hate this game and there's nothing in it I truly hate. There are a lot of story choices I don't care for, characters I feel were annoying or underdeveloped, obvious plot twists, needless character deaths and a lot of padding. But most of the characters were likable enough, the environments fun and creative, the gameplay is IMO the second best in the series (personally still prefer Mage Class in DAI) and the voicing acting is fun on the whole.

But it is flawed.

I can't help but be annoyed how this game doesn't include most of our choices which to some extent I was expecting as moving to the North of Thedas meant that many of our choices wouldn't impact that much but the fact that we can't import out choices from the last three games is annoying.

I will also say that Taash's wasn't as good as I was hoping. As you all know I'm all for diversity in stories, in stories I'm writing I always include a diverse cast of different genders, sexualities and race. For the most part I tend to write stories that don't really talk about bigotry, mainly because bigotry stupid and I want my heroes and villains to be smart. It's not ignored it does come up but only if it fits the story.

Taash being non-binary is, IMO, clumsily handled and in the world of Dragon Age the subject has never been approached. Contrary to popular belief homophobia and transphobia HAVE been talked about in this series. Krem being trans and being mistreated because he's trans is something that can be talked about, most player characters do have the option to ask if being gay is okay, Dorian being gay and this causing friction with his father is a major part of his character.

The thing of it is this just isn't much of an issue in the series as a whole because, like I said, it's an option. It's not really a talking point and the series suddenly making a big deal about it is just, odd.

The fact that the developers were being coy and refusing to just answer the question if Taash was non-binary is also weird. They did everything they could to keep this a secret like it was some major twist or something and this seems to have been a very last minute addition to the character.

I've read conflicting rumors about this but apparently Taash was going to be cisgender and the non-binary was going to be the demon Imshael, a minor antagonist from DAI who in this game would have been in the form of a woman instead of a man. Again, rumors and those are conflicting.

Personally, from what I've seen of them I prefer Taash as originally concived, a Rogue instead of a warrior who was a bit of a femme fatal and a lot more sassy. That's just me though.

I will say that I give no end of praise to those who did work on this game. They were given an impossible task. Take a game that had been in development for a decade, that was switched between several other developers, that had switched between a multiplayer game with live service to a single player game with no live service and get it all done in a little under a year.

The fact that this game is still a lot of fun is testament to the talent of those who worked on it.

[hammerofglass]

My opinion has held pretty steady. 8/10, good not great. I think a lot of it is just that it came out about six years two late; it's hard not to look at every aspect and say "2077 and BG3 both did it better, in completely different ways". Including the "frenemy in your head and/or dreams" part.

I'm actually wrapping up a third playthrough RN (lot of medical downtime lately), but I think after that I'm unlikely to ever pick it up again.

I will say for Taash that while a lot of it was rushed and important things happened off-screen there were a couple times when I sat up and said "oh shit I've been in Taash's side of this exact conversation IRL".

Lucanis' big decision quest at the crux of his character arc being just gone and his romance cut off entirely if you save Minrathus when there's no equivalent if you choose the other way is so baffling that I originally thought it was a mistake and would be patched out but apparently they're sticking with it.

If their is one thing I remember especially fondly from this looking back I suspect it will be Emmerich and his class story. The gentleman necromancer trying to be a good dad to his favorite skeleton versus Johanna the cackling mad scientist liche was just delightful.

[Winter]

My opinion has held pretty steady. 8/10, good not great. I think a lot of it is just that it came out about six years two late; it's hard not to look at every aspect and say "2077 and BG3 both did it better, in completely different ways". Including the "frenemy in your head and/or dreams" part.

I'm actually wrapping up a third playthrough RN (lot of medical downtime lately), but I think after that I'm unlikely to ever pick it up again.

I will say for Taash that while a lot of it was rushed and important things happened off-screen there were a couple times when I sat up and said "oh shit I've been in Taash's side of this exact conversation IRL".

Lucanis' big decision quest at the crux of his character arc being just gone and his romance cut off entirely if you save Minrathus when there's no equivalent if you choose the other way is so baffling that I originally thought it was a mistake and would be patched out but apparently they're sticking with it.

If their is one thing I remember especially fondly from this looking back I suspect it will be Emmerich and his class story. The gentleman necromancer trying to be a good dad to his favorite skeleton versus Johanna the cackling mad scientist liche was just delightful.

For me Taash's story just felt like a Star Trek Message Episode and again my real issue is that this has never really been THAT big of an issue in the series. I'm all for a character realizing they don't fit the gender they were assigned as (obviously I mean it's me we're talking about here) but I just felt that this wasn't the series to deal with that or at least not in this way.

To look at Dorian him being gay and that affected his relationship with his father is handled in such a way that it matches the lore of the series. His father wasn't angry that he was gay because he was homophobic he was angry because Dorian wouldn't marry the girl chosen for him and produce and heir. It fits with Tevinter values and shows the failing of the empire when they will hurt someone for not acting the way they want. Not out of bigotry but out of twisted desire to help the country.

I feel that Taash should have been raised as part of the Qun and that they and her mother left it because of the culture's rigged believes in who someone is and how they should act. We know from Iron Bull that the Qunari are open minded when it comes to transwoman and transmen, they treat them as such but of someone who doesn't identify as either, someone who refuses to act the way they want and can't fit in the box they want them to.

Taash's mom was part of the Qun but left when it was learned that Taash could breath fire which I think is a wasted idea. I prefer the idea that Taash was in the Qun and is hated by their people for not conforming to any assigned role.

It fits with the series' lore and like with Dorian and Krem exposes to the flaws of this society but this time with the Qunari instead of Tevinter while maintaining the focus on Taash being non-binary. The whole point of the Qun, why it's doomed to fail is because there is no free will, no one can be who they choose to be. Both Sten and Bull were part of the Qun and thought it was great because it made them what they are but Taash hates it because it tried to force them to be something they aren't.

Side note my brain is weird and stupid, when I'm introduced to someone who is non-binary it's easy for me to remember to use the proper pronouns. But if I'm not told or someone comes out later it will take a stupidly long time for me to use the correct pronouns. So if I refer to Taash and she/her that's just me being an idiot. PLEASE point out when I screw up or I'm never going to get better. You're the ones in the right, I'm the idiot who messes up and feels like shit afterwords.

But yeah, not against the story I just feel it wasn't well handled here and again felt more like a Star Trek Message Episode. To me, feel free to role your eyes at my stupidity, I will be right there alongside you being annoyed at the idiot typing this right now.

[clearspira]

It is free to download on PSN next month.

[hammerofglass]

My opinion has held pretty steady. 8/10, good not great. I think a lot of it is just that it came out about six years two late; it's hard not to look at every aspect and say "2077 and BG3 both did it better, in completely different ways". Including the "frenemy in your head and/or dreams" part.

I'm actually wrapping up a third playthrough RN (lot of medical downtime lately), but I think after that I'm unlikely to ever pick it up again.

I will say for Taash that while a lot of it was rushed and important things happened off-screen there were a couple times when I sat up and said "oh shit I've been in Taash's side of this exact conversation IRL".

Lucanis' big decision quest at the crux of his character arc being just gone and his romance cut off entirely if you save Minrathus when there's no equivalent if you choose the other way is so baffling that I originally thought it was a mistake and would be patched out but apparently they're sticking with it.

If their is one thing I remember especially fondly from this looking back I suspect it will be Emmerich and his class story. The gentleman necromancer trying to be a good dad to his favorite skeleton versus Johanna the cackling mad scientist liche was just delightful.

For me Taash's story just felt like a Star Trek Message Episode and again my real issue is that this has never really been THAT big of an issue in the series. I'm all for a character realizing they don't fit the gender they were assigned as (obviously I mean it's me we're talking about here) but I just felt that this wasn't the series to deal with that or at least not in this way.

To look at Dorian him being gay and that affected his relationship with his father is handled in such a way that it matches the lore of the series. His father wasn't angry that he was gay because he was homophobic he was angry because Dorian wouldn't marry the girl chosen for him and produce and heir. It fits with Tevinter values and shows the failing of the empire when they will hurt someone for not acting the way they want. Not out of bigotry but out of twisted desire to help the country.

I feel that Taash should have been raised as part of the Qun and that they and her mother left it because of the culture's rigged believes in who someone is and how they should act. We know from Iron Bull that the Qunari are open minded when it comes to transwoman and transmen, they treat them as such but of someone who doesn't identify as either, someone who refuses to act the way they want and can't fit in the box they want them to.

Taash's mom was part of the Qun but left when it was learned that Taash could breath fire which I think is a wasted idea. I prefer the idea that Taash was in the Qun and is hated by their people for not conforming to any assigned role.

It fits with the series' lore and like with Dorian and Krem exposes to the flaws of this society but this time with the Qunari instead of Tevinter while maintaining the focus on Taash being non-binary. The whole point of the Qun, why it's doomed to fail is because there is no free will, no one can be who they choose to be. Both Sten and Bull were part of the Qun and thought it was great because it made them what they are but Taash hates it because it tried to force them to be something they aren't.

Side note my brain is weird and stupid, when I'm introduced to someone who is non-binary it's easy for me to remember to use the proper pronouns. But if I'm not told or someone comes out later it will take a stupidly long time for me to use the correct pronouns. So if I refer to Taash and she/her that's just me being an idiot. PLEASE point out when I screw up or I'm never going to get better. You're the ones in the right, I'm the idiot who messes up and feels like shit afterwords.

But yeah, not against the story I just feel it wasn't well handled here and again felt more like a Star Trek Message Episode. To me, feel free to role your eyes at my stupidity, I will be right there alongside you being annoyed at the idiot typing this right now.

She took her kid and left the Qun because being a Firebreather meant Taash would have been put into the Antaam, trained to be a disposable berserker, and forcibly transitioned into a man.

And this isn't new, that's basically how Iron Bull explained Aqun-athloc. It just came off better when the person in question is a trans man anyway.

[Winter]

My opinion has held pretty steady. 8/10, good not great. I think a lot of it is just that it came out about six years two late; it's hard not to look at every aspect and say "2077 and BG3 both did it better, in completely different ways". Including the "frenemy in your head and/or dreams" part.

I'm actually wrapping up a third playthrough RN (lot of medical downtime lately), but I think after that I'm unlikely to ever pick it up again.

I will say for Taash that while a lot of it was rushed and important things happened off-screen there were a couple times when I sat up and said "oh shit I've been in Taash's side of this exact conversation IRL".

Lucanis' big decision quest at the crux of his character arc being just gone and his romance cut off entirely if you save Minrathus when there's no equivalent if you choose the other way is so baffling that I originally thought it was a mistake and would be patched out but apparently they're sticking with it.

If their is one thing I remember especially fondly from this looking back I suspect it will be Emmerich and his class story. The gentleman necromancer trying to be a good dad to his favorite skeleton versus Johanna the cackling mad scientist liche was just delightful.

For me Taash's story just felt like a Star Trek Message Episode and again my real issue is that this has never really been THAT big of an issue in the series. I'm all for a character realizing they don't fit the gender they were assigned as (obviously I mean it's me we're talking about here) but I just felt that this wasn't the series to deal with that or at least not in this way.

To look at Dorian him being gay and that affected his relationship with his father is handled in such a way that it matches the lore of the series. His father wasn't angry that he was gay because he was homophobic he was angry because Dorian wouldn't marry the girl chosen for him and produce and heir. It fits with Tevinter values and shows the failing of the empire when they will hurt someone for not acting the way they want. Not out of bigotry but out of twisted desire to help the country.

I feel that Taash should have been raised as part of the Qun and that they and her mother left it because of the culture's rigged believes in who someone is and how they should act. We know from Iron Bull that the Qunari are open minded when it comes to transwoman and transmen, they treat them as such but of someone who doesn't identify as either, someone who refuses to act the way they want and can't fit in the box they want them to.

Taash's mom was part of the Qun but left when it was learned that Taash could breath fire which I think is a wasted idea. I prefer the idea that Taash was in the Qun and is hated by their people for not conforming to any assigned role.

It fits with the series' lore and like with Dorian and Krem exposes to the flaws of this society but this time with the Qunari instead of Tevinter while maintaining the focus on Taash being non-binary. The whole point of the Qun, why it's doomed to fail is because there is no free will, no one can be who they choose to be. Both Sten and Bull were part of the Qun and thought it was great because it made them what they are but Taash hates it because it tried to force them to be something they aren't.

Side note my brain is weird and stupid, when I'm introduced to someone who is non-binary it's easy for me to remember to use the proper pronouns. But if I'm not told or someone comes out later it will take a stupidly long time for me to use the correct pronouns. So if I refer to Taash and she/her that's just me being an idiot. PLEASE point out when I screw up or I'm never going to get better. You're the ones in the right, I'm the idiot who messes up and feels like shit afterwords.

But yeah, not against the story I just feel it wasn't well handled here and again felt more like a Star Trek Message Episode. To me, feel free to role your eyes at my stupidity, I will be right there alongside you being annoyed at the idiot typing this right now.

She took her kid and left the Qun because being a Firebreather meant Taash would have been put into the Antaam, trained to be a disposable berserker, and forcibly transitioned into a man.

And this isn't new, that's basically how Iron Bull explained Aqun-athloc. It just came off better when the person in question is a trans man anyway.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Taash come out to their mother later in the game and Taash got angry at their mother for not understanding and not being enough for her. I remember one of my friends who is non-binary getting annoyed at Taash for needlessly lashing out when their mom was making an active effort to understand her child which was hard for her to do because of her time raised in the Qun.

It's been a while since I played the game (still want to but just haven't had the time between the possibility of moving, setting a reaction channel for my mom and... other things) so correct me if I'm wrong on this. You've played it more than I have so I kneel to your superior knowledge.

[hammerofglass]

Yeah that's also true. That's a separate thing that happened. My sympathies were with Mom as well, she'd never even heard the term or concept before that conversation and Taash knew that.