After 69 hours, I'm finally done!

After 69 hours in my first playthrough, I’m ready to share my thoughts on Veilguard.

So, I get why some folks think it feels more like a spin-off than a main game, but for me, it actually delivered a really solid and satisfying story experience.

I went with a non-binary Shadow Dragon elf mage and decided to romance Davrin. This combo unlocked some cool extra layers to the narrative for me. The extra dialogue about being an elf, non-binary, and a Shadow Dragon—especially concerning the gods, Taash, and my character’s connection to Minrathous—added a richness to the story that others might miss out on.

Now, for some endgame spoilers:

>! In my playthrough, I recruited Mythal, had Harding lead the scouts, and got Neve to take down the wards. This really added a lot of narrative weight to the climax, especially since I managed to get all my companions to Hero of Veilguard status. !<

That said, Veilguard is definitely one of those games where you really need to push for near-completionist status—or even nab a platinum trophy—to catch the full narrative experience. That design choice kind of holds it back. My other characters, who are from factions or races with less direct links to the main plot, felt kind of disconnected. I totally see why some people describe the experience as dry or uneven.

From a gameplay point of view, though, it’s easily become one of my favorite Action RPGs in years. I understand why people compare it to Baldur’s Gate 3. While BG3 is great in its own right, it felt a bit too slow at times for me. Veilguard finds a different rhythm that just works better for me.

I get the criticisms, for sure—like the limited choices, the repetitive enemies, and how some parts seem rushed. Those points are valid. Still, I’d give it a solid 8/10. DLC could fix some of these issues, but the devs have said they aren’t planning any.

Here’s hoping that by the time Dragon Age 5 and the next Mass Effect come out, BioWare will have learned from this. Despite its flaws, Veilguard makes me feel hopeful that they’ve still got it in them to create something great.