Ah, where to begin? Your post is a masterclass in contradiction, selective outrage, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what critique truly means.
You quote me saying, “My critique isn’t about attacking players,” and then claim otherwise. Let’s set the record straight: critiquing a product, pointing out flaws, or even questioning someone’s rationale for enjoying it is not an attack. Forums are spaces for debate, not applause chambers. If my pointing out flaws in The Veilguard feels like a personal affront, then perhaps the issue lies with how you process differing opinions rather than the substance of my posts.
Now, onto your claim that I’m "fuming because so many people love DAtV." Let me be abundantly clear: voicing disappointment in the direction of a game isn’t "fuming." It’s holding a product to the standard its own franchise set. If some players genuinely enjoy The Veilguard, good for them. However, conflating that enjoyment with immunity to critique is as absurd as suggesting that popularity equals quality. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
You also accuse me of "pretending to speak for true DA fans." Let’s dispel that misconception. I’m not claiming to speak for everyone. What I represent is a significant portion of fans who are vocal about the game’s lack of depth, deviation from the series’ core principles, and shallow mechanics. If that sentiment resonates with others, it’s not me claiming to be their voice; it’s shared experience speaking for itself.
Your argument devolves further with the tired "Steam reviews prove you wrong" trope. Let’s dismantle this with facts, not feelings. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
A "Slightly Positive" rating on Steam is the absolute minimum a game needs to avoid being labeled mediocre. For a franchise like Dragon Age, which previously delivered Origins and Inquisition—both critically acclaimed—this is a glaring underachievement. Celebrating this as a victory for The Veilguard is akin to cheering for a C grade from a student who once excelled with straight A’s. It’s not failure, but it’s far from success.
Steam reviews, especially post-launch, are a snapshot of surface impressions. Early positive reviews often reflect nostalgia for the franchise name or appreciation for graphics, rather than the depth or longevity of the gameplay. However, games like The Veilguard reveal their weaknesses over time. Uninspired mechanics, shallow puzzles, and meaningless choices don’t always show up in the initial hours.
Moreover, review systems are easily swayed by external factors: marketing campaigns, brand loyalty, and even coordinated efforts to "rescue" games from perceived negativity. These don’t erase a game’s flaws; they only mask them temporarily.
The real issue isn’t whether The Veilguard is "playable" or "enjoyable" to some. The issue is that this franchise once defined the RPG genre. This is a series that produced Origins and Inquisition, both celebrated as milestones in storytelling and gameplay. A "Slightly Positive" rating isn’t progress; it’s a clear regression.
If we’re bringing facts to the table, let’s talk about numbers. The Veilguard underperformed in sales compared to contemporaries like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, despite carrying far greater expectations. Combine this with a chaotic development process, filled with cancellations, restarts, and a pivot from multiplayer to single-player, and you get a game that feels directionless. For a project that took over a decade, the result is underwhelming at best.
The Veilguard is a product of compromises, not ambition. It tried to cater to everyone and ended up pleasing very few. The "Slightly Positive" reviews reflect a base of players happy to engage with anything bearing the Dragon Age name, regardless of quality. However, loyalty alone won’t sustain a franchise. Without meaningful change, Dragon Age risks becoming a relic of what could have been.
Fóruns like this exist for debate, not blind praise. If The Veilguard couldn’t capture the essence of what made Dragon Age great, no amount of "Slightly Positive" reviews will change that. If your defense rests solely on Steam ratings, it says more about the game’s inadequacy than my critique ever could.
Ultimately, this isn’t about tearing down a game or mocking its players. It’s about demanding that Dragon Age return to the greatness that earned it its place in RPG history. "Slightly Positive" might suffice for lesser titles, but for Dragon Age, it’s a glaring failure.
BioWare has not disclosed the production cost of The Veilguard, which, let’s be honest, is already telling in itself. If the cost wasn’t astronomical, or if the results were even remotely satisfactory, the company would be shouting from the rooftops about the "resounding success" of the game. However, the deafening silence speaks louder than any press release.
Let’s be realistic: The Veilguard isn’t even in contention for the year’s best games at the Game of the Year (GOTY) awards. That single fact alone is more damning than a thousand arguments. For a franchise that once stood at the pinnacle of RPG excellence, seeing a title like this barely scratch the surface of relevance is a glaring reflection of how far the series has fallen.
Let’s not forget, "Slightly Positive" reviews aren’t paying the bills, especially for a project that undoubtedly cost millions to develop. This is a loss in the making, both financially and in terms of credibility. The lack of transparency around the numbers is an implicit confession: The Veilguard didn’t meet expectations, not in sales, nor in prestige.
If Dragon Age wants to reclaim its former glory, it will take more than mediocre scores and lukewarm sales. It needs games that don’t just meet expectations but exceed them. And The Veilguard, without a doubt, is the antithesis of that.
