One Big Dragon Age: The Veilguard Decision Makes Little Sense & Feels Forced

screenrant.com:

RPGs are all about choice and very early throws situations at Rook which force them into making difficult decisions. As Rook seeks to save Thedas it makes sense that they’ll have to make some tough choices and not all decisions are going to be received well by companions or factions. However, the first big story decision thrown at Rook doesn’t feel natural, forcing Rook to choose between two options that are seemingly alike but in reality anything but equal.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard.]

Decisions form the backbone of any RPG and put the protagonist at the center of shaping the world around them, dictating how the branching narrative will progress based on choices made along the way. Previous games have excelled at this, with past choices influencing Thedas and everything leading up to events in . Sometimes those choices can be clear cut, while others can have no clear right or wrong answer, and when done well, encourage repeated playthroughs to explore all paths not taken.

The first big decision Rook must make comes just after recruiting Davrin and traveling back to the Crossroads, as news arrives of two dragons terrorizing cities in Thedas. Rook is faced with the option to help Minrathous or Treviso, with whichever city isn't chosen suffering because of Rook's choice. However, although the choice is presented as balanced, simply between two cities or perhaps two companions, realistically they aren't equal and make little sense in the world of , which results in the decision feeling forced for the sake of dramatic narrative.

As companions rush to tell Rook about the dragons, Neve and Lucanis will both rush off to their respective homes to aid the Shadow Dragons or the Antivan Crows with the attacks. Rook is faced with what is presented as an impossible decision over which city they should go to while sending their remaining companions to aid the other. However, when looking at the choice from the perspective of the world