AfterDragon Age: The Veilguard’s mixed response, BioWare has a decision to make regarding the future of theDragon Agefranchise. It’s time to consider if it would be wise to try and make another open-world game in the same vein asDragon Age: Inquisitionor if a more focused approach similar to the previousDragon Agegames is the right call.
Regardless of what BioWare chooses, it’s clear the nextDragon Agegame needs tolearn from the mistakes ofVeilguardandInquisition, cater to the original fans first before trying to rope in a fresh audience, and, most importantly, pick a lane and stick to it.
The Case For An Open-World Dragon Age 5
TheDragon Ageseries has long been overdue for a proper open-world game that does the franchise’s lore justice.Games likeSkyrimandOblivionprove that fans of high fantasy love to explore a rich, open world filled with things to do and stuff to find. And whileDragon Agedid try its hand at semi-open-world withInquisition, it was a half-hearted attempt, if that. It felt like the game was meant to be a test run to watch and see ifDragon Agefans would want an open-world game, but one that wasn’t executed properly. From its lukewarm response, BioWare made open-world the culprit and called it a day. The lack of love surroundingInquisitionisn’t because the open-world formula doesn’t work withDragon Age; it’s because BioWare didn’t do it right.
Exploring Thedas in All its Glory Would be a Dream
ADragon Agegame in an honest-to-goodnessopen-world likeSkyrim’s, with caves and cities and NPCs roaming all about, would be a major feat. Riding a horse to roam the world would be a treat, one that wouldn’t feel the same if the game were linear or semi-open-world. It’s the promise of “See that mountain? you’re able to climb it” that’s really the reason why open-world games are so successful. Anything short of that would just result in disappointment and feeling cheated.
An Open-World Dragon Age Could Expand Lore in a Unique Way
For the story,Dragon Ageloreoffers abundant options. The game could take place at the end of the Ancient Era, right at the moment when humans first arrived at Thedas. Exploring a world that’s not only unfamiliar to the player but to the characters as well would work wonders. The story could steal a page fromDragon Age 2’s book and go for a story spanning multiple years, giving players a chance to see with their own eyes how Thedas changes and cities take shape. If BioWare is feeling especially experimental, it could even introduce survival mechanics like hunger and thirst to slow down the game’s pace and make it more immersive, but that’s unlikely.
The Case For a Linear Dragon Age 5
Open-world games are great, but not every game needs to be cut from the exact same cloth and follow the same cookie-cutter formula to succeed. There are plenty oflinear, story-heavy gamesthat railroad the player along a set path and still manage to deliver an unforgettable experience,God of WarandThe Last of Usbeing prime examples.
Linear Level Design was Not Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Issue
Dragon Age: The Veilguard’srough receptionand bad optics have very little to do with it not being open-world and everything to do with players not liking how theVeilguardcharacters were written. While it is true thatDragon Age: TheVeilguardwas expected to follow theInquisition’s open-world format, it didn’t end up mattering all that much in the long run. In fact, the level design and atmosphere were one of the strongest points inDragon Age: The Veilguard’s favor, proving that, if done right, linear world design is somethingDragon Agefans can appreciate.
Open-Worlds Can Easily Feel Empty and Lifeless
Dragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare’s previous attempt at an open-world game, received quite a few complaints from fans for being a little bit too MMO-like, but without the other players. While the world didn’t necessarily feel empty inInquisition, there was very little to do in it other than kill some monsters and spam the ping button hunting for ore. In comparison,Inquisition’s hub area felt much more interesting, and if the entire game was structured like that, it might’ve been an improvement.
A Linear Dragon Age Would Have an Easier Time Making Lore Impactful
Linear games have the benefit of being tailored experiences, almost film-like in their delivery, with lore pieces hitting harder than they typically do in open-world games. Despite the controversy surroundingVeilguard, if it did one thing right, it wasexpanding upon the existing Dragon Age lore. The sheer amount of answers about the history of Thedas, the elves, Solas, and how everything connects together was enough to satiate even the most avidDragon Agefan. The fact that most of this went overlooked because ofVeilguard’s other issues is beside the point. IfDragon Age 5wants to continue the focus on lore and exposition, treating the game almost like an interactive movie, a linear world design would serve it better than an open-world one.
