If you played the last in the series Dragon Age: Inquisition, you do remember that it had the various interconnected open-world maps which allowed players to explore as their heart desired.
But when gameplay demos for Veilguard dropped, there was this gnawing feeling that something was missing, and that was Open-world exploration.
This time, Instead of complete open world maps, they’re shifting gears to a “mission-based” format.
Well while Some of us loved it, others weren’t so sure.
The initial gameplay footage didn’t help much either.
But don’t go packing your exploration boots away just yet—because the latest gameplay drop is here to change the narrative.
Thanks to 22 minutes of fresh gameplay footage, courtesy of IGN (shoutout to them for feeding our hype), we’re getting a much deeper look into a mission further into the game.
Also, There’s more to it than just linear combat.
Sure, you’re still not going to be aimlessly wandering off into the sunset wherever you please—this isn’t open-world territory anymore—but the good news? There’s actually a lot of room to explore.
According to The Veilguard’s game director, Corinne Busche, player freedom was a big focus when designing these areas.
“We’re a mission-based game, but we really emphasize player autonomy,” Busche explained while guiding players through the new footage.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the nearby village that connects to this mission.
It’s packed with NPCs ready to dish out side quests that are dripping with story. So if you’re the kind of player who loves taking a detour for some side adventure, you’re in for a treat.
These quests promise to be more than just fetch-this, kill-that—they’ll come with narrative depth and probably a few surprises.
I know what you’re thinking: “This still sounds like a mission-based game, so how’s it not linear?” Fair point.
But the cool thing here is that while it’s not open-world in the Inquisition sense, it’s not on-rails either.
There are hidden nooks to explore, secrets to uncover, and paths you might miss if you’re just barreling through the main quest.
So, while you won’t be roaming aimlessly in all directions, there’s still plenty to distract and pull you off the beaten path.
So while Veilguard is not complete open-world playground that some of us got used to, but it’s definitely not a one-way trip down a corridor either.
