The Best Games To Play After Dragon Age: Veilguard

With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare’s foray into the often snarky and occasionally muddy world of Thedas has finally arrived. Between their sighs of relief at its impressive quality, players have been excitedly delving into this delightful fantasy sequel. But what happens after?

If you’ve completed Dragon Age: The Veilguard, there’s a chance you’re suffering from an acute lack of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. But playing it again so soon just wouldn’t hit the same. So how about a few suggestions of games that might scratch some of those same mystical itches?

1

Dragon Age: Inquisition

For The Lore

It might be cheating to suggest Dragon Age: Inquisition as a salve for that Veilguard-shaped hole in your life. After all, it’s the game that came before in the series, so a huge chunk of players are already likely familiar with it.

But the developers tout The Veilguard as a perfect jumping-in point for the Dragon Age series, just as Inquisition was before it. So if this is your first outing, why not give the predecessor a go to see what sorts of stories brought us here? The combat is different, and the maps are vast, but don’t worry. There’s still plenty of smooching.

2

Mass Effect 2

For The Structure

Aside from a few notable differences, Dragon Age: The Veilguard plays out remarkably like a fantasy Mass Effect. You’ve got a home base you return to between missions, those missions are largely linear, and there are a few other hubs to check out in both games, too. That’s not to mention the romance options because no BioWare game is complete without falling in love with a nerdy tech whiz or very violent person.

Of course, there have always been big differences between the Dragon Age and Mass Effect games. Aside from the gameplay and fantasy vs. sci-fi settings, the original Mass Effect trilogy kind of begs to be played from the beginning, while each Dragon Age starts fresh in many ways. So maybe start at the top, but it’s ok if you want to jump right into Mass Effect 2.

3

Baldur’s Gate 3

For The Fantasy (And Smooches)

On the surface, Larian’s fantasy masterpiece Baldur’s Gate 3 looks like a perfect chaser after playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard. But just be warned, the gameplay is vastly different, playing out more like a virtual Dungeons & Dragons session than the straightforward action of BioWare. But don’t let that discourage you.

It’s definitely doable on lower difficulties, and the non-combat elements will feel far more familiar to you. When you’re not fighting, you’re wandering around the world, talking to some people and kissing others. The romance progression in The Veilguard frankly feels very similar to that of Baldur’s Gate 3, and not just because both games involve one option that involves a concerning amount of fire.

4

Divinity: Original Sin 2

For The Vibe

Larian’s previous triumph before Baldur’s Gate 3 was Divinity: Original Sin 2, and it really does feel like a precursor. Pretty much everything the next game did, this one did first, just with a few more bumps along the way. So if Baldur’s Gate 3 can satisfy that Veilguard craving, so can this.

That same tactical gameplay is here, and while it does include romance, it’s far more basic (though the intimate scenes are remarkably graphic for two people standing in a room talking). But the fantasy vibe is in full swing, and the varied locales will keep you coming back for more. That and the fact that you can play as a skeleton.

5

God Of War: Ragnarok

For The Combat

Even long before Dragon Age: The Veilguard came out, insider reports and leaks suggested it would have a combat system that feels distinctly like the 2018 God of War and its sequel, God of War: Ragnarok. Considering how satisfying and crunchy it is, those reports seem well-researched.

True, you probably feel just a bit more nimble in The Veilguard compared to playing as beefy dad Kratos in God of War, but the core is still there. Plus, there are plenty of more subdued moments between dismemberments. Like Mass Effect, it’s best to start from the first one, but we won’t tell if you decide to go with the absolutely incredible Ragnarok right away.

6

Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

For The Palate Cleanser

If you take Fable, add some much more dynamic and exciting combat, and shift it from medieval cottagecore to glowy fantasy, you get Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. This sadly ill-fated title did manage to earn a remaster in the form of Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, but it remains a bit of a lost puppy when the top fantasy games are discussed.

But you should absolutely give this one a shot if you liked the rich world of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Lush forests and cozy towns feel like a familiar yet more comfortable extension of what the latter game offers. That’s not to say it’s a completely pleasant world, but there are no blight boils here, and that might be exactly what you need.

7

Mass Effect: Andromeda

For The Exploration

Mass Effect 2 offers a gameplay experience much like Dragon Age: The Veilguard. But in some ways, Mass Effect: Andromeda is to the original trilogy what The Veilguard is to the previous Dragon Age games. That goes for gameplay, romance, and especially scope.

Much less linear than its predecessors, Andromeda offers vast regions to explore in your land vehicle, the Nomad. Plus, it evolved the cover-based shooter gameplay of the Mass Effect series to be far more dynamic and even vertical. If you missed The Veilguard’s exploration and flowing movement while playing Mass Effect 2, this one’s for you.

8

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

For The Side Quests

It’s hard to recommend The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s combat after playing through Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Its responsiveness can be lacking, which admittedly helps sell the frantic panic of such a dark fantasy world. But the fact that it manages to still be such an iconic game despite those arguably clunky fight controls is truly a testament to its quality.

One way The Witcher 3 shines is with its side quests, which never just boil down to a simple fetch quest. The Veilguard seems to have taken some cues there, doing away with the tedium of Inquisition’s various minor tasks and tying its side quests into the larger story of each given region. Add some great characters and similarly deep dialog, and baby, you’ve got a shockingly dark stew going.