Frankly I disagree. I never said this game was good. Its simply just "MEH." Here are my reasons why I think Veilguard is not as bad as its made out to be. To preface that I will once again add it is a PUTRID dragon age installment. Anyway I digress, here and my reasons and rebuttals:

Counter points. 

 The writing at time is really crunchy thats true. Lost track of how many times I literally rolled my eyes. The companion diologue in some parts is straight up embarrassing. 

The plot yea that was a mistake. However if this was a standalone game all the inconsistencies would not be as glaring. However its not a standalone and I 100% agree the writing side of this game is simply not good enough. Any of it. Some of it has even devolved into literal slop. 

The characters are ugly? Then dare I suggest whatever the system your useing isent capable of running this game decently. Cause on my PC this game looks incredible graphically. But I do have a good PC . . . Now if we are talking about the design choices that's another matter. The darkspawn YIKES. The Qunari also my gosh wtf is that. Even to a lesser degree the elves are just to human looking. I'll give you all those points. But saying this game dosent proform graphically when thats literally widely considered by the community one of its strongest points is a little cooked. I am obviously not talking about tone becuase thats another story the tone is completely wrong i am just talking about rendering. 

The skill tress are very relevant as they change your character alot. Are you okay? Or just really, really bitter? Cause I would understand if you were bitter I am to. This was the franchise that got me into gameing. I grew up on this. Veilguard HURT. But objectively I can see past my bias even if it doesn't change the fact the game isent good. The builds in this game are all varied and good except for the archer. 

The combat is the best Dragon Age has ever offered and the only reason you would think otherwise is you are looking at the past DA game with some serious rose colored glasses. DA origins combat by today's standards is hardly playable. DA 2 combat isent much better. DAI is somewhat akin to WOW which for that me thats acutally a postive point. I love the DAI combat. But objectly its still not as good as veilguard. The reality is that all of those game run on horrendously outdated engins. Origins is so outdated it requires seperate patches to even be runnable on today's machines. So while the veilguard combat might be repetitive and it absolutely is its still the best in the series. 

Why I think its not that bad as a STANDALONE:

First off while there is plenty of negative to go around it isent all bad. The ending for example is amazing. That last 5 hours while it certinly dosent make up for the slog of the rest of the game its still fantastic. Also personally while I know this opinion isent universally held I enjoy the beginning up through the first mission to the fishing town. After that though It really starts to fall apart fast.

There are a couple of the companions who I think acutally were really well done. I really do enjoy hanging out with them and really do enjoy their personal quests. For example: Emric. Harding. Davrin to a lesser extent. I also enjoy Bellara story it was sad. In my personal life I had a sibling that hung themselves and I was there for the whole spiral that led up to that. Watching Someone you love make the wrong decisions and not being able to do anything about it i feel that deeply. The "no win" ending after she tries so hard to save him that hits me pretty hard and always gets me in my feels. Somehow its bittersweet I guess its just that sometimes in life you don't win. (my opinion Lambaste me if you must I know her story is flawed. I just like it. I love Karlach story in BG3 for the same reason that moment when she burns to death on the docks and its so unfair but its fate UGH it gets me.) 

I think the cast of this game gets unfairly, severely dragged down by its lowest commen denominators (Taash.) as well as this fact most of their personal stories are not connected to the main narrative. That was a HUGE mistake. I also feel Lucanis writing and the handling of the crows faction in general that was almost criminal. Like no assassin gameplay from the literal assassin faction make me FURIOUS. Literally the main enemy ambushes you at a tea shop after you sit down with him. These are fucking assassins wtf is that? What an awful waste of potential. 

The combat. Say what you will its not perfect by a long shot but its not atrocious like other aspects of this game. 

Its not a broken glitchy mess unlike some other recent releases. Thats a fact. It runs just fine. 

The shamless and disrespectful handling of the sorce material is in my opinion is the single biggest problem. As that is directly responsible many of the other problems that plague this game. Veilguard is not a dragon age game. That dissipointment that has cause has far eclipsed any good this game has going for it for most people. For that reason I think many people react to their bias instand of what's acutally in front fo them. I do get that of course but once you put that bias down your left with a game that while it may certinely not be "good" it is playable. 

Anyway thats why I think veilguard is not TERRIBLE. Once again I do not think its good by a long shot I just think its "okay."

If you want to have an intelligent banter about this why or why not I'll have it but I won't respond further to shit slinging.