How ‘Dragon Age: The Veilguard’ Reviews Stack Up Against BioWare’s Other Games
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Reviews for Dragon Age: The Veilguard have started pouring in before its release this week. While the feedback has mostly been favorable, it’s worth considering these opinions in relation to BioWare’s past, its recent trajectory, and its future aspirations.
Forbes Review of 'Dragon Age: The Veilguard': A Timeless Classic by Paul Tassi
How do the majority of reviews for Dragon Age: The Veilguard stack up against other games in the Dragon Age series and BioWare's other major titles? I'll consider the score that has the highest number of reviews, or if the scores are fairly similar, I'll calculate the average.
What strikes me the most isn't the ratings, but the fact that BioWare used to release major titles every one to two years. Now, it's been a solid five years since Anthem, seven years since Andromeda, and a whole decade since the last Dragon Age installment. That's quite surprising!
In general, Dragon Age has received lower ratings as a franchise compared to Mass Effect. However, the latest installment, The Veilguard, is performing considerably better than Mass Effect Andromeda, which is often seen as a major disappointment. And let’s not forget Anthem, which got a score of 53—definitely not fair. Overall, The Veilguard represents a significant improvement from the last decade of releases, even if those were just two titles. It’s a positive move forward.
It’s interesting to point out that the reviews for this game are almost on par with those for Dragon Age: Inquisition, which took home the Game of the Year award in 2014—an interesting year, to say the least. While I don’t anticipate that The Veilguard will receive any nominations this time around, the similarity in scores is definitely noteworthy.
In 2024, it’s crucial to remember how much influence YouTubers have on the public, often more than traditional media outlets. Well-known figures like MattyPlays and SkillUp have voiced their disapproval, and this carries a lot of weight today—much more so than it might have ten years ago. As a print journalist, I can certainly see the impact this has.
In the end, although BioWare is aiming for high ratings—which they seem to be achieving—they are primarily focused on sales. The game hasn't been released yet, but initial signs are promising, with Veilguard currently leading the PS5 pre-order charts and trailing just behind the latest Call of Duty on Steam. However, it's still unclear what the final figures will look like or what EA hopes to achieve. More updates will follow soon.
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Check out my science fiction books, the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
