Gameplay: 7/10
An epic world-changing main story accompanied by a bunch of optional sidequests which as a whole reflect the outcome of how the story ends. Every companion has their own unique personal questlines. There are many choices you'll have to make that characters will remember or may effect the storyline in major or minor ways While overall I think the gameplay is familiar and well balanced in terms of storytelling elements, combat, etc. There were certain details I think could've been implemented better. For example, I wish characters could share equipment instead of having their own unique sets. Though I do like the new approach to upgrading equipment. So it doesn't feel like a waste when I upgrade a weapon and then find a better one shortly afterwards. I wasn't a fan of the puzzles which got repetitive fast. But they didn't ever make me feel stuck or want to stop playing the game entirely. They were annoying and tedious, but tolerable.

Combat: 7/10
Controls and camera didn't feel too clunky, difficult to control or manage. The mechanics are pretty easy to grasp. It does a good job of teaching you what to look out for and even reminds you every now and then if you haven't played in a while and forgotten how certain mechanics work. Some of the fights become tedious when drawn out during certain bosses (Champions are really annoying), but overall, I feel there's a good balance in terms of difficulty especially if you're just looking at the main story fights, not the optional ones. Timing a perfect block or interrupting an enemy's attack at just the right moment can feel really satisfying. The incorporation of potions (and plenty of them scattered throughout each stage) means I don't need a dedicated healer. I most enjoy the "takedown" animations and that the companions will tell me when I'm being flanked by an enemy. Not only covering my blindspot, but gives an impression of unity. The skill trees were okay, though I wish there was an auto-level button, at least for the companions.

Visual and Audio: 8/10
There's a lot of character customization and this is something I think Veilguard does better than it's predecessor. However this comes at a price. Rook's face isn't very expressive. It's a fair exchange imo. I'd rather have more customization than exaggerated expressions. I love that we can keep the stats of certain equipment and only change the appearance. Though I honestly don't like the look of the helmets. Can I please get a circlet that doesn't completely hide my pretty hair? At least there's an option to hide them. I like that each faction has it's own unique sets of equipment, but you can wear any of them regardless of Rook's background. I like the companions' designs overall. Each one feels unique and appropriate for their respective factions, class, and personalities. The audio didn't really stick out all that much to me, but to be honest, I tend to zone out when I'm getting immersed. My most favorite aspect in terms of visuals are the backgrounds. They're detailed, larger than life, epic, and really paint the image of the world's setting. Every single new region I find myself wanting to stop and admire the background, taking a screenshot, because they're truly breathtaking sights to behold.

Setting: 4/10
My only main disappointment with Veilguard is the exploration. While I think it's more detailed and immersive than DA2 or Origins, it pales in comparisons to Inquisition. Which makes me sad. I was hoping 'riding mounts across a vast and open world' was going to be DA's new direction (which seems to change with every new game let's be honest). So I was a little disappointed that it plays more linear with smaller confined routes sticking you on the same path, most reminiscent of DA2 which is my least favorite in the series. However, I do think it's superior than DA2. At least the set regions have more variety. It's not Kirkwall and a bunch of repeating backgrounds and dungeons. It's more than that. Though it feels like taking a step backward, at least there's plenty of detailed scenery to admire. I just wish the backgrounds were more than just backdrops. I want to go to those gorgeously grand places and explore, but unfortunately I can only look at them from a distance. Always on the horizon beyond my reach. I think the issue here is that the devs expanded their gaze too far across Thedas. I would've preferred they had focused on detailing the ins and outs of one specific region in full open world detail—such as Tevinter—rather than bits of lore stemming from different regions.

Story: 10/10
If you've played a DA game, you know the writers tell a damn good story. Good pacing, plenty of action-packed suspense with twists and turns. Plenty of mystery which they hint at just enough to make you question without spoonfeeding you answers. We get a front-row seat to the makings of history as we witness world-changing events. The main story in Veilguard is going to always be a part of Thedas' history going forward. My favorite aspect of Veilguard specifically is getting to see all the characters and factions coming together to face this world-threatening evil. It's so heartfelt and inspiring to see them rise up to face this daunting challenge together. Loved it from beginning to end.

Characters: 8/10
I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Even my least favorite character (Neve) I found myself warming up to the more I got to know her. I enjoy listening to the companions interacting with one another. Their banter often made for good comic relief in-between the drama and suspense of the main story. I constantly found myself wanting to teleport back to the lighthouse to make sure I didn't miss any of the character cutscenes or personal side quest missions. In terms of story, I thought all their personal quests were unique and fitting for their personalities. Though some impressed me more than others. For example, I wished Lucanis' story had focused more on his relationship to Spite as opposed to the family drama. I think having a demon living inside him is the more interesting story between the two. Emmrich's was my favorite by far both in terms of questline and personality. I love him and I love Manfred. I found their story so wholesome and touching especially for a necromancer. It's just not what you expect and I love to see it. I've only played through Lucanis' romance route and while the ending was heartfelt, the pacing of it felt off. They were barely flirting one moment and then having sex the next. I would've liked to see more romance gradually throughout the entire story instead of saved up until the very end. I think that would've felt more natural and less forced intimacy.

Overall: 8 / 10
Every single Dragon Age game has been somewhat inconsistent in terms of gameplay, specifically in terms of exploration and structure. Which makes it difficult to compare them to each other. It all comes down to what you look for in an RPG. For me personally, I think Veilguard is inferior to Inquisition, because it lacks that open world aspect that I enjoy. However, I think it's more because DAI is top tier. It set the bar and my expectations a little too high to where Veilguard just missed the mark. Regardless, I still enjoyed it as a whole.

I recommend playing Inquisition first, given that Veilguard's story is a direct continuation of DAI's storyline. Otherwise you might miss out on a lot of the main story's context. Origins and DA2 aren't as relevant in terms of storytelling, though there were some minor references to those as well. While I don't think Veilguard lives up to the high expectations set by its predecessor, I found it fun and addicting enough to want to immediately make another character and play through all over again. Which to me, says I enjoyed this game so much I didn't want it to end. Even after playing 60+ hours in the span of one week. So I can easily recommend it.

Gameplay: 7/10 An epic world-changing main story accompanied by a bunch of optional sidequests which as a whole reflect the outcome of how the story ends. Every companion has their own unique personal questlines. There are many choices you'll have to make that characters will remember or may effect the storyline in major or minor ways While overall I think the gameplay is familiar and well balanced in terms of storytelling elements, combat, etc. There were certain details I think could've been implemented better. For example, I wish characters could share equipment instead of having their own unique sets. Though I do like the new approach to upgrading equipment. So it doesn't feel like a waste when I upgrade a weapon and then find a better one shortly afterwards. I wasn't a fan of the puzzles which got repetitive fast. But they didn't ever make me feel stuck or want to stop playing the game entirely. They were annoying and tedious, but tolerable. Combat: 7/10 Controls and camera didn't feel too clunky, difficult to control or manage. The mechanics are pretty easy to grasp. It does a good job of teaching you what to look out for and even reminds you every now and then if you haven't played in a while and forgotten how certain mechanics work. Some of the fights become tedious when drawn out during certain bosses (Champions are really annoying), but overall, I feel there's a good balance in terms of difficulty especially if you're just looking at the main story fights, not the optional ones. Timing a perfect block or interrupting an enemy's attack at just the right moment can feel really satisfying. The incorporation of potions (and plenty of them scattered throughout each stage) means I don't need a dedicated healer. I most enjoy the "takedown" animations and that the companions will tell me when I'm being flanked by an enemy. Not only covering my blindspot, but gives an impression of unity. The skill trees were okay, though I wish there was an auto-level button, at least for the companions. Visual and Audio: 8/10 There's a lot of character customization and this is something I think Veilguard does better than it's predecessor. However this comes at a price. Rook's face isn't very expressive. It's a fair exchange imo. I'd rather have more customization than exaggerated expressions. I love that we can keep the stats of certain equipment and only change the appearance. Though I honestly don't like the look of the helmets. Can I please get a circlet that doesn't completely hide my pretty hair? At least there's an option to hide them. I like that each faction has it's own unique sets of equipment, but you can wear any of them regardless of Rook's background. I like the companions' designs overall. Each one feels unique and appropriate for their respective factions, class, and personalities. The audio didn't really stick out all that much to me, but to be honest, I tend to zone out when I'm getting immersed. My most favorite aspect in terms of visuals are the backgrounds. They're detailed, larger than life, epic, and really paint the image of the world's setting. Every single new region I find myself wanting to stop and admire the background, taking a screenshot, because they're truly breathtaking sights to behold. Setting: 4/10 My only main disappointment with Veilguard is the exploration. While I think it's more detailed and immersive than DA2 or Origins, it pales in comparisons to Inquisition. Which makes me sad. I was hoping 'riding mounts across a vast and open world' was going to be DA's new direction (which seems to change with every new game let's be honest). So I was a little disappointed that it plays more linear with smaller confined routes sticking you on the same path, most reminiscent of DA2 which is my least favorite in the series. However, I do think it's superior than DA2. At least the set regions have more variety. It's not Kirkwall and a bunch of repeating backgrounds and dungeons. It's more than that. Though it feels like taking a step backward, at least there's plenty of detailed scenery to admire. I just wish the backgrounds were more than just backdrops. I want to go to those gorgeously grand places and explore, but unfortunately I can only look at them from a distance. Always on the horizon beyond my reach. I think the issue here is that the devs expanded their gaze too far across Thedas. I would've preferred they had focused on detailing the ins and outs of one specific region in full open world detail—such as Tevinter—rather than bits of lore stemming from different regions. Story: 10/10 If you've played a DA game, you know the writers tell a damn good story. Good pacing, plenty of action-packed suspense with twists and turns. Plenty of mystery which they hint at just enough to make you question without spoonfeeding you answers. We get a front-row seat to the makings of history as we witness world-changing events. The main story in Veilguard is going to always be a part of Thedas' history going forward. My favorite aspect of Veilguard specifically is getting to see all the characters and factions coming together to face this world-threatening evil. It's so heartfelt and inspiring to see them rise up to face this daunting challenge together. Loved it from beginning to end. Characters: 8/10 I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Even my least favorite character (Neve) I found myself warming up to the more I got to know her. I enjoy listening to the companions interacting with one another. Their banter often made for good comic relief in-between the drama and suspense of the main story. I constantly found myself wanting to teleport back to the lighthouse to make sure I didn't miss any of the character cutscenes or personal side quest missions. In terms of story, I thought all their personal quests were unique and fitting for their personalities. Though some impressed me more than others. For example, I wished Lucanis' story had focused more on his relationship to Spite as opposed to the family drama. I think having a demon living inside him is the more interesting story between the two. Emmrich's was my favorite by far both in terms of questline and personality. I love him and I love Manfred. I found their story so wholesome and touching especially for a necromancer. It's just not what you expect and I love to see it. I've only played through Lucanis' romance route and while the ending was heartfelt, the pacing of it felt off. They were barely flirting one moment and then having sex the next. I would've liked to see more romance gradually throughout the entire story instead of saved up until the very end. I think that would've felt more natural and less forced intimacy. Overall: 8 / 10 Every single Dragon Age game has been somewhat inconsistent in terms of gameplay, specifically in terms of exploration and structure. Which makes it difficult to compare them to each other. It all comes down to what you look for in an RPG. For me personally, I think Veilguard is inferior to Inquisition, because it lacks that open world aspect that I enjoy. However, I think it's more because DAI is top tier. It set the bar and my expectations a little too high to where Veilguard just missed the mark. Regardless, I still enjoyed it as a whole. I recommend playing Inquisition first, given that Veilguard's story is a direct continuation of DAI's storyline. Otherwise you might miss out on a lot of the main story's context. Origins and DA2 aren't as relevant in terms of storytelling, though there were some minor references to those as well. While I don't think Veilguard lives up to the high expectations set by its predecessor, I found it fun and addicting enough to want to immediately make another character and play through all over again. Which to me, says I enjoyed this game so much I didn't want it to end. Even after playing 60+ hours in the span of one week. So I can easily recommend it.