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Dragon Age: Veilguard |OT| 'Oof': A non-buynary return to form

nikos

Member
GAF won’t like this but I’m about 20 hours in and loving this way more than BG3.

BG3 always felt like I had to force myself to play it.

This I just keep wanting to dive in more naturally.

It’s likely the combat. If BG3 could’ve been more action combat I would’ve been enthralled but I can’t be bothered with crpg random dice crap. It’s dull AF.

I've already posted this, but I hit ALT+F4 a few seconds into the first battle of BG3 and never played it again. Immediately knew the game wasn't for me.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
GAF won’t like this but I’m about 20 hours in and loving this way more than BG3.

BG3 always felt like I had to force myself to play it.

This I just keep wanting to dive in more naturally.

It’s likely the combat. If BG3 could’ve been more action combat I would’ve been enthralled but I can’t be bothered with crpg random dice crap. It’s dull AF.
BG3 didn’t feel like a console game at all. The split screen was awful to look at and the controls were a mess. I use to think Dragon Age Origins wasn’t any good on console because of that classic user interface. I’m enjoying this more than BG3 because I own the PS5 of BG3. Maybe because it feels modern. I had a better time with DA: Origins than I did with BG1 and BG2. I finished Origins, Awakening DLC, DA2, and Inquisition. I’ve never finished a BG game. I even tried Neverwinter 1 & 2 and all those well known CRPGs. I am more into JRPGs/ARPGs so the more action based it is the better. I also tried Pathfinder and Divinity. It’s not really my style after 15 or so hours.

It’s good, but it’s also surviving by the work that came before it. I remember meeting the darkspawn or even the werewolves in Origins. Some things were a lot more memorable in earlier games. It definitely feels less mature than I would have wanted in a western RPG. No real mention of sex, no real potty mouths, no huge betrayal, and the gore is not really there either. I’m at the half way mark.

It gets entertaining and then I start to fall asleep during the conversations. I don’t want to discourage anyone because the game is a lot of fun at times. I’ve noticed the weapons and armor feel so dry? I’ve swapped weapons a few times, but there doesn’t seem to be a huge advantage when it comes to finding a new weapon besides a little bit more damage output?

The writers seem to have read the lore of the older DA games and basically Pixar the entire experience. Half the budget could have gone to better writers IMO.
 

dmaul1114

Member
I’m continuing to have a great time with this so far. About 9 hours in, did the section to get Lucanis this morning and this evening spent some time messing around in the Crossroads, finding some health upgrade statue things, another memory section, did a sidequest and a companion quest for Harding and saved at the start of the Dock Town main story mission to call it a night.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
i stumbled upon a side quest that was level 24 and my god, everyone took forever to go down lol. i was only level 11. i wish the game told you this before you took on a quest. by the time i noticed the 24 next to their health bar, i was already like 5 minutes into the boss fight and had to see it through.

Lucanis has a potential to be a really great character, but I was kinda disappointed by how safe they played the dialogue options. I was really hoping for some juicy stuff here but maybe they are holding that for the loyalty questline.

i dont like any other characters so far but its early goings. mass effect andromeda was the same way. its characters truly came alive during exploration especially when you paired them up with contrasting personalities. Jal and Peebe were my favorite combo because they were polar opposites. hoping to see some similar banter here but everyone just seems to get along which is boring.
 
ok so I'll bite, I have seen a few videos and I kinda dig the combat and the world/art, I have no intention to listen to the story just want to play but before that a few questions:

- can the cutscenes be skipped?
- can I just select any option in dialogue? I don't care about the path I take, all I want is to have fun
- how is the enemy variety?

thanks

UPDATE:

This looks like an average action movie like Marvel stuff, a product for the masses, flashy combat but repetitive, gorgeous environments but shallow explorations, story who cares lol, 2024 Reddit writing, it's like junk food so I'm going to get this game when it drops to a price equivalent to a happy meal (~$7-$10 (you need to have extra nuggets and fries)).
 
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Neolombax

Member
Possible reasons - either your save game is got issues or the game data has.

Perhaps try uninstalling and re-installing the game (it shouldn't affect your save).

You could also try rebuilding the PS5 database?


(by the way, I've never done this..!)
I've tried restoring licenses, deleting and re-installing, and rebuilding the PS5 database, its still happening. Oh well. Hopefully there's going to be a patch to address this but this doesn't seem to be a widespread issue though.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I think I figured out what this reminds me the most of.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.

Playing this is giving me massive Amalur vibes.


Ba8hR7F.jpeg
 

UnrealEck

Member
Is there good armor sets/ clothes customization or is it pretty bare bones?
Another of the bad parts is the loot.

You have weapons, a chest piece, a ring (or two maybe I forgot), a trinket and a headpiece.
These upgrade a tier when you find the same item again and you can also upgrade them at a vendor. It's so freakin' basic and bland. There's no gloves, no boots, no legpieces.
There's a feature where you can change armour and weapons to have another appearance though if that's your thing.

The sense of accomplishment and exploration is diminished when the loot is this bland.

Another thing that is lost in the sense of adventure and exploration is the lack of potions or consumables. You get healing potions from jars you break in the environment and you hold a set amount. They aren't bought and put in your inventory. Companions also don't even have health bars.

Essentially the RPG elements of the game are extremely watered down or just stripped out completely.

  • Dialogue choices are pretty meaningless and they don't say what you chose on screen.
  • Loot is very bland
  • No preparation for adventure. No consumables etc
  • No health bars on companions and you can't control companions other than telling them to use an ability (which are also badly done)
  • No stat choices or stat leveling
 

Joel Was Right

Gold Member
One thing I truly appreciate about this game are the waypoints. I don't want to think too much about the direction, or travel between large open spaces to reach a waypoint. It's easy to follow and keeps me playing non-stop for at least an hour. I've never once had to look on YouTube etc. I hate puzzles. I can understand, however, how frustrating that must be for those who prefer the opposite.
 

buenoblue

Member
Any way to see the level of side missions? I keep doing a side mission only to find the boss double my level. Surly there has to be a way of seeing the level before starting mission.
 

Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
I’m curious once I get the trans character can I just purposefully not do any of his side quests without penalty? Like sure he won’t max out companion wise etc but if it doesn’t lock me out of endings… then I’m all for it.

The cut scenes that have been posted on here I don’t even want to engage with. And if avoidable would make this game likely be a 8.5/10 for me.

I’m 20 hours in on hard mode and loving it.
 

tommib

Gold Member
GAF won’t like this but I’m about 20 hours in and loving this way more than BG3.

BG3 always felt like I had to force myself to play it.

This I just keep wanting to dive in more naturally.

It’s likely the combat. If BG3 could’ve been more action combat I would’ve been enthralled but I can’t be bothered with crpg random dice crap. It’s dull AF.
Art Loop GIF
 

Krathoon

Gold Member
Well, this game is more approachable than BG3. There is a lot of strategy to BG3.

This game is more of an action game, so you can jump in.
 

rm082e

Member
I think I figured out what this reminds me the most of.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.

Playing this is giving me massive Amalur vibes.

That's the first game that came to mind when I started watching the critical reviews. I did play through that game, but after about an hour, I turned the sound off and listened to podcasts while playing it. I have no idea what the story was about. I just went to the next spot on the map marker and spammed the buttons through the mashy combat. It was basically a fidget toy for my hands while I was listening to people talk in my ear about politics (or whatever it was at the time). I did the same thing with side content in the Borderlands games.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Based on what I've read it seems like this game is basically Mass Effect 2 (style of gameplay, home base, basic story outline and structure) + fantasy + lots of woke messaging.

Not surprised it got good reviews but I can see why it is turning off people.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Yes it does. I think part 5 or 6 (you'll get achievements for finishing parts, no idea how else you check which part you're on) it opens up.


I was gonna ask the same question, so far it has been fairly linear with some blocked off paths which the game is nice enough to tell me that will become open as the journey continues.

Right now I have done
the underwater prison mission where I got a new party member, Lucanis.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?

Honestly, it's been a pretty fine game so far.

Haven't reached that character who seems the questionable stuff. Even the Forbes guy said that besides that, it's an A-OK game. That's been my experience with it the first few hours.
 

bender

What time is it?
Honestly, it's been a pretty fine game so far.

Haven't reached that character who seems the questionable stuff. Even the Forbes guy said that besides that, it's an A-OK game. That's been my experience with it the first few hours.

Amular bored me to tears, never understood the love for that game.
 
Amular bored me to tears, never understood the love for that game.
Adventure with something better waiting around the corner on top of well-implemented combat skills, pretty scenery, and interesting quests with great voice acting. Only thing that sucked was the basic sword combat. Everything else was fun.

Playing this is giving me massive Amalur vibes.
I would be curious to know whether you still feel that way after 20 hours as a big fan of the Kingdoms of Amalur.
 
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UnrealEck

Member
I was gonna ask the same question, so far it has been fairly linear with some blocked off paths which the game is nice enough to tell me that will become open as the journey continues.

Right now I have done
the underwater prison mission where I got a new party member, Lucanis.
Yeah I remember a little ahead of where you're at the areas became a bit more expansive. Just don't expect Inquisition sized areas.
 

Krathoon

Gold Member
I made my character a Void Jumper. I hope to see some special Fade quest with my character.

Do you get special quests depending on your backstory?
 
I'm primarily in it to finish the Solas story.

Though reading some previews that he kinda takes a back seat is a real bummer. They set him up as the main antagonist in the last one, would be a weird design choice not to follow up on that.

It's a weird choice to use cartoon graphics, child level diologue and give a 2.5 minute lecture on misgendering but they are doing that. I am desperatley trying to like this game but i agree with you in the fact that i just want to see what happens with Solas.
 

Mossybrew

Member
Once you get to that 15-20 hour zone of of progression there are a fuckton of sidequests, its kinda hard to know what to focus on.

I do like the necromancer guy, he's fun.
 

Mossybrew

Member
Based on what I've read

lots of woke messaging.
Theres your problem first off, you are forming an opinion on "what youve read" instead of actually, you know, playing the game and thinking for yourself. 90% of what can "be read" online is reactionary hot takes and clickbait. In 20 hours of playtime Ive encountered *one* woke theme where a hand mirror in your room can let you identify as trans or something? I ignored it and moved on and that was literally like five seconds of my time, wasnt for me so I ignored it and moved on instead of fixating on it to score internet points.
 
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manlisten

Member
Haven't noticed much "woke" messaging in the game aside from the couple of bits that were leaked on socials. And even then the game moves on from it pretty quickly. Cringe and juvenile writing, though? Absolutely.

Edit: Oh nvm, there’s more. It seems to be largely centered around Taash, who is quite honestly just a very poorly written character
 
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diffusionx

Gold Member
Theres your problem first off, you are forming an opinion on "what youve read" instead of actually, you know, playing the game and thinking for yourself. 90% of what can "be read" online is reactionary hot takes and clickbait. In 20 hours of playtime Ive encountered *one* woke theme where a hand mirror in your room can let you identify as trans or something? I ignored it and moved on and that was literally like five seconds of my time, wasnt for me so I ignored it and moved on instead of fixating on it to score internet points.
Ok I suppose the article in Forbes that was posted above was lying, and he faked the footage.
 

Ivory Samoan

Gold Member
OK to those who know about Frostbyte and the tech side of it: how hard is it to mod a face on Neve so she doesn't look like Abed from Community, and more like her voice and motion actress from True Blood? (aka hot).

Like, I dig Neve's personality, but shit son: that's a grim grill if ever I seen one: save me Lovers Lab, you're my only hope 😂😂 (Nexus won't allow anything on this game apparently, weird stance when Skyrim and Fallout have snuff porn factories with hucow milking facilities built in 👍🏻 ).
 
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