The combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard has a lot of depth for fans looking to play the game in their own unique way. BioWare expanded on this crucial aspect of the game saying it will give them a lot of freedom on how to defeat any type of foe via a bunch of new features.
In an exclusive interview with Game Informer, game director Corinne Busch says every entry in the series reimagines combat in its own way and The Veilguard is no different. ''I would say our goal was to make sure we had a system that allowed players to feel like they actually were able to step into the world of Thedas," says Busch. ''Being this authentic world that's brought to life, the combat system needs to support that, so you are in control of every single action, every block, every dodge, every swing of your sword.''
Busch also mentioned that they focused particularly on animation swing-through and canceling. While each character class plays the same way in terms of button mapping, it's how they uniquely react to each situation. For example, a Warrior will throw a shield with one button while the same button can be used by a Mage to cast ranged magical attacks.
Teamwork is also essential to Dragon Age: The Veilguard with companions having their own skill tree with a lot of abilities to unlock. While not as expansive as the player's, it still provides some crucial features to make it more immersive like changing weapon loadouts and builds, and customizing abilities and traits. And if you're not interested in controlling your companions, then don't worry, they are said to be their "own people," who will carefully plan attacks and combos as they see fit. The more time passes in the game the more they learn. "They have their own behaviors, they have their own autonomy on the battlefield, they'll pick their own targets. As their plots progress, they'll learn how to use their abilities more competently, and it really feels like you're fighting alongside these realized characters in battle," said Busch.
The Veilguard will also have a customizable ability wheel where players can pause any action, issue their follower commands, and use abilities and combos. This gives you more control over how you approach any type of encounter on your adventure. Timing your attacks is key so having a wheel to quickly select your next action can make the experience more immersive.
As we get closer to release, we're bound to have much more details on how the combat plays out in the various encounters in the game.
For more on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, check out how the game's factions pay homage to Dragon Age: Origins, here on Pro Game Guides.
Samam Hasan is a freelance writer with a strong love for video games. He enjoys playing sim racing and RPG games in his free time along with the occasional FPS. When he’s not writing about or playing video games, you’ll find him watching classic Japanese and European movies or learning about medieval history.