All Dragon Age games with the Veilguard, Ranked
The Dragon Age series has stood as a leading RPG franchise since the first installation was released back in 2009. With 2024 seeing a new entry, "The Veilguard" now makes for the ideal moment to revisit every Dragon Age game that has come before it and critically rank their creative strengths.
Throughout the years, each core DA title has brought unique strengths and weaknesses to the table. These fantasy epics define the genre with journeys spanning recurring characters and locales, as well as creating tactical combat systems.
Lets explore each game, focusing on their gameplay, story and characters.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer.
The top Dragon Age games ranked
4) Dragon Age II (2011)
Dragon Age II is quite different from the first game. Released in 2011, it focuses on Hawke's rise to power in the city of Kirkwall. While the game tried hard to create a more personal story centered on Hawke, it failed to contain the epic scope that made Origins exciting. In comparison to Origins' expansive world-building or Inquisition's extensive exploration, DA II feels like being enclosed in a compact, looping city (recycling the same maps over and over).
The saving grace of the game? Character interactions. Varric and Merrill are absolute gems that almost make up for the game's massive shortcomings. The story about mage templar tensions was compelling, but the execution seemed overly constrained.
3) Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024)
The Veilguard by BioWare is one of the latest installments that just came out on October 31, 2024. In Veilguard, you play as Rook "The Protagonist," navigating a world of political intrigue and magical threats. You can choose various classes, such as mage, rogue or warrior, which will influence decisions about the story and other characters.
The game does try hard to innovate but feels essentially different from the Origins that everyone loves. The tone and the style are completely alien to what fans have grown to cherish, and it leaves many feeling disconnected from the DA they once knew and loved. It's not an outright bad game, but it certainly cannot measure up to its predecessors.
Also read: 5 Best tips and tricks for Dragon Age The Veilguard
2) Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)
The 2015 D.I.C.E. Game of the Year Award winner, "Inquisition," is mentioned all the time when people talk about one of the best games in the series. In this title, you can take the role of the Inquisitor, who is seeking to eliminate an apocalyptic worldwide threat, "the Breach."
Even if the game feels a solid step above in visual design and world exploration, it doesn't even come close to drawing the same level of narrative depth. However, its character customization is wide, and the vast open world is thoroughly beautiful, making this title second on the list.
1) Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
The VGX Best RPG Game award winner, Origins holds a special place in the hearts of fans. Released in 2009, this title introduced players to the dark fantasy world of Thedas—a continent in the southern hemisphere where all of the Dragon Age games are set.
Compared to the constrained narration of DA II or a superficial exploration/strategic gameplay, such as Inquisition, this title provides an epic quest, and the combat system is more tactical, making one pause and strategize battles. You can choose an origin story for the characters, like Human Noble, City Elf, Dalish Elf, Dwarf Commoner and Mage. You won't find the best-in-class visuals like Veilguard or Inquisition, but it has all the elements that make other RPGs look like amateur-hour.