Is Dragon Age: The Veilguard Open-World?

screenrant.com:

Though its incredible beauty in the environments and large game size can lead some to believe that is open-world, the question doesn't have that straightforward of an answer. Exploring the land of Thedas during this adventure gives players a variety of biomes to visit and factions to befriend. Some NPCs may need a little more persuading than others to even believe that the dangers are real, and players will need to be ready to handle missions for all different types of personalities on this journey through Thedas.

While playing through , exploration can be key to finding hidden secrets, new and unique quests, as well as simply clearing the fog off the local maps to better see where things are for future missions. Magical statues that can grant helpful boons can be found, and side missions tucked away in a forgotten corner. Therefore, exploring the land is not only a good idea, but can be necessary in many situations. Yet, the game still keeps things mission-focused and true exploration needs to be unlocked to be worthwhile in the areas.

does not follow all the requirements for a traditional open-world game, yet it also is not a linear experience of guiding players on a specific path. The game falls somewhere in between on the spectrum, with several local maps of areas open for players to wander at their leisure to uncover secrets. In order to access the side missions in these areas, and even get access to certain portions, players must complete a certain number of main campaign quests for the region first.

The emotional connections formed with NPCs in games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard can significantly enhance the immersion and depth of the game.

There is plenty of content spread over the local maps of each area to keep players busy for many hours, with an average playthrough taking anywhere from 40 to 90 hours, or even more. Part of the variance in that timeframe comes from how much players can choose to explore and find all the extra things in the zones and