Dragon Age: The Veilguard Highlights Its Diverse Locations and Exploration System (2024)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is highlighting the beauty of Northern Thedas while offering a detailed look at how players can interact and explore the game's world in BioWare's latest blog post. Though initially sold as a dark fantasy, the setting of the series has always had high fantasy elements. As the franchise began to move away from the Darkspawn as a main focus, some players felt that Dragon Age lost its identity. Ten years after the launch of its predecessor, Dragon Age: The Veilguard seems to lean into a bit of both, as Northern Thedas is shaping up to be diverse in biomes and themes.

Darkspawn, Qunari, and the Evanuris all converge in the latest installment of the Dragon Age franchise, in a setting that now spans the width of several nations across Northern Thedas. With six major factions and seven companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the developers seem determined to deliver a standard BioWare adventure, but the scope seems much more vast than meets the eye.

In a recent blog post about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the team at BioWare showcased the diverse locations that will encompass the player's journey in Northern Thedas. Both Treviso and Minrathous will feature in The Veilguard as major cities, and Rook will even be able to stumble upon their companions while out and about. Whereas Arlathan Forest leans fully into the setting's high fantasy aspects, the Hossberg Wetlands hearken back to the origins of the franchise.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Major Locations

Minrathous

• Capital of the Tevinter Imperium, the Venatori wield corruption as they try to turn the Empire’s heart to their own dark purposes. Yet the people resist, with the rebel Shadow Dragons leading the charge.

Treviso

• A merchant city known for the beauty of its canals – and the deadliness of its assassins – Treviso is under Antaam occupation, a state of affairs that sits poorly with the Antivan Crows.

Arlathan Forest

• Ancient magic and powerful artifacts re-awaken and reality thins across the woodlands that once held the heart of the Elvhen empire. The Veil Jumpers, masters of ancient elven magic, seek to stabilize the region and keep reality from crumbling.

Hossberg Wetlands

• Much of this once-peaceful marshland has been consumed by the Blight. Darkspawn roam the swamps with impunity, but the Grey Wardens mount a valiant defense of the last safe haven – Lavendel.

Rivain Coast

• An ancient Grey Warden fortress sits among sparkling waters and lush greenery of the Rivain Coast; the Lords of Fortune call this paradise home. The servants of the gods have their own plans, however, and threaten to turn this sanctuary into a battlefield.

These aforementioned locations aren't the only places that Rook will be able to visit during their adventure, as earlier gameplay footage of Dragon Age: The Veilguard also featured Weisshaupt Fortress. However, in order to justify a campaign that takes place across half of the continent, The Veilguard thrusts players into The Crossroads, a corner of the Fade that houses a network of Eluvians, each connected to the featured locations of Northern Thedas.

Not only will players use The Crossroads to access the many zones in The Veilguard, but BioWare explains that the area itself will also feature puzzles and other side content. Most notably, The Crossroads is connected to The Lighthouse, the base of operations for Rook and their merry band of misfits. Much like Skyhold, The Lighthouse in Dragon Age: The Veilguard will serve as a way for players to unwind, engage with their companions, adjust their build, or enchant their weapons and armor.

Though it remains to be seen how these concepts will fit together in practice, Dragon Age: The Veilguard appears to have taken feedback from players who disliked Andromeda and Inquisition's open world, a choice that was met with praise from the BioWare community.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.

Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.

RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Franchise

Dragon Age

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X

Released

October 31, 2024

Developer(s)

BioWare

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

Frostbite

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