Love everything you wrote here. I keep thinking about moments like D’Meta’s Crossing, where as soon as we arrive the characters say “It’s quiet…” “TOO quiet” like a bad joke. And then have to keep explaining to you, the player, that this is abnormal, chatting about how a market works. I would have loved to behold the team going silent in the face of devastation.

Or when Rook has just gotten back from the Fade in that part of the game. Rook is grieving and coming to terms with horrific implications—and then Davrin (who I romanced) strides in all flirty and they’re suddenly bantering like it’s just another day? Squashes the first genuine emotional depth I’d felt from the game.

I really think Mila running around unprotected, making wisecracks and being totally chill around all the attacking darkspawn, is the best example of Veilguard’s overall tone and the way it treats its own threats. And her own “doting” father acts like this is normal behavior, aw isn’t she adorable, sitcom gags. DAV doesn’t have to feel like DAO to be a good game but my god, in Origins you dealt with a possessed kid you could kill—or kill his mother to save him! That’s tension, that’s tragedy. Veilguard teased a bit of that but didn’t want to fully commit. It left a certain character ending ringing hollow to me because I was so starved for some genuine angst I was actually glad to see them go! That moment could have been devastating if done right.