Dragon Age: Veil GuardThe game's expanded reveal is finally here, giving fans their first look at its next big adventure.
BioWare released the long-awaited demo of the game today (June 11), where we were treated to a 20-minute walkthrough that takes place at the beginning of the game.
We begin in a sprawling city, filled with NPCs, such as playable character Rook along with returning character Varric Tethras, in search of one of many new companions, Neve Gallus, an ice mage.
In this demo, Rook is a level one rogue, equipped with twin swords and a bow. It is notable that during the combat sequence, the HUD is very sleek and minimalist and also features an auto-loot mechanic when enemies die.
There is also a lock on the ability, and attacks appear to be fast and fluid, with no apparent cooldown function on basic attacks.
Throughout the demo, we also got a look at the skill wheel, which allows the player to pause the action and choose between Rook's skills, including one called Static Strike.
As you progress and level up, you will be able to access more skills on the skill wheel. The feature will also allow you to control your teammates' attacks and unleash powerful abilities. Companions will also apparently act independently during battles, in addition to when you choose to use the skill wheel.
Naturally, the choice system returns, with multiple dialogue options that can alter your gameplay. We don't necessarily see consequences happening, but like others dragon age titles, the player can choose what type of personality Rook will have.
There are several enemy types throughout the demo, including several different demons, along with a boss encounter, called the Pride Demon, who has a variety of area-of-effect (AOE) attacks.
When you're not in active combat, the game looks impressive. Environments look lush and expansive, and companions look incredibly detailed during cutscenes and gameplay.
At the end of the demo, the fans were…finally! – given his first in-game look at the game's main antagonist, Solas.
During this encounter, the dialogue system asks Rook to choose which companion to take with him during a short mission to disrupt Solas's ritual. In this case, it doesn't seem like the feature will have major consequences on the story, but other decisions throughout the game will likely have more impact.
Dragon Age: Veil Guard It doesn't have a release date yet, but we can expect the game to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC in “late 2024.”
