While the Dragon Age: The Veilguard delivers on stunning landscapes, deep lore, and intense battles, there’s one crucial element that falls short—the protagonist, Rook. Unlike the unforgettable heroes of BioWare’s past, Rook struggles to make an impact, leaving players with a hero that feels surprisingly hollow.
If you were hoping for a protagonist as complex and memorable as Shepard or Hawke, Veilguard might leave you with mixed feelings.
Rook is A Hero with Hints of Brilliance, but Not Much Bite
One of the biggest shifts in Veilguard is the simplified morality system. Gone are the days of grappling with truly heavy, world-altering choices. Sure, you can still pick a tone—be it sarcastic, warm, or tough—but it feels more like choosing a shade of gray rather than a full-on paint palette.
In the past, our decisions had weight. Here, they’re more like choosing sides on a light-hearted debate—pickles or no pickles on your burger?
Then, there’s Rook. On paper, Rook seems like they’d be fun—a rebellious type, kicked out of a faction for stirring the pot. But when you get into the dialogue, something just doesn’t fit. Pick a “tough” response, and Rook’s line still sounds snarky. Try for “kind,” and you’ll still get something cold.
It’s like BioWare decided to give you a personality blender, but all you can make are varying degrees of stoic smoothies. Compared to past protagonists, Rook feels less like a hero and more like a stand-in.
It’s hard not to compare Rook with BioWare’s greatest hits.
Remember Commander Shepard from Mass Effect?
They had a defined personality, sure, but they still let players make choices that felt extreme, moral, and uniquely theirs.
Whether you leaned Paragon or Renegade, Shepard brought the weight to each decision.
Even Hawke from Dragon Age 2 had set backstory but enough flair to make your choices resonate.
But Rook is Not so much.
It’s like BioWare gave us a character shell without filling in the details.
They’re serviceable, but compared to a character like Shepard, who made you feel the weight of every choice, Rook just doesn’t have that oomph.
Where Veilguard’s Moral System Misses the mark
Remember those morally gray moments from DA Origins and Mass Effect? Veilguard’s choices just don’t have that same punch.
Then there’s the tone. Veilguard tries to blend humor with high-stakes drama, but it doesn’t always land.
In past games, party members would get into heated debates or have intense confrontations.
But here infighting has been reduced to petty disagreements that feel like squabbles over whose turn it is to cook dinner.
More often than not, Rook feels less like a leader and more like a babysitter trying to keep a group of quarrelsome kids in line.
In Coclusion
However, Rook isn’t a complete disaster. They serve their purpose in the story, they fit into Veilguard‘s plot, and there are moments where they really shine.
But they’re not the kind of character you’ll be reminiscing about years down the line. With Veilguard, It just feels like BioWare played it a bit safe.
There’s room for Rook to grow if future expansions offer more to this story but for now If you were hoping for a protagonist that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Shepard or Hawke or Grey warden you might be left wanting.
If you have played this game you already know that Dragon Age: The Veilguard does a lot right. But with Rook at the helm, it’s hard to shake the feeling that something’s missing.
