Dragon Age: The Veilguard has received an M18 rating due to its mature content, featuring nudity, sexual references, and intense scenes of violence. Developed by BioWare, this action-roleplaying game is set in the fantasy world of Thedas. Players assume the role of Rook, a hero tasked with assembling a team of powerful companions to prevent the return of corrupt ancient gods.
The game’s rating is primarily attributed to its depiction of nudity and sexual content. As players progress through the narrative, they can engage in relationships with various companions, including same-sex and fantasy characters. These romantic storylines may lead to scenes of intimacy where characters are shown kissing and embracing, with the screen fading to black, implying further sexual activity. The M18 rating reflects the game’s treatment of same-sex intimacy following established guidelines, ensuring that such content is portrayed discreetly and not gratuitously. Additionally, some female characters may appear topless during character customization or certain romantic scenes, contributing to the game’s mature rating.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers a third-person gameplay perspective, providing players with the opportunity to explore diverse landscapes and engage with a variety of characters while embarking on numerous quests. The game’s combat mechanics are highly immersive and true to life, as Rook and their companions face off against a wide array of adversaries, including creatures, demons, and humanoid foes from different fantasy races such as humans and elves. Players can personalize their protagonist’s race, gender, faction, and combat class, each of which impacts the available weapons, abilities, and powers during battles.
The game does not shy away from depicting violence, which is evident in both gameplay and cutscenes. Characters can be slashed, stabbed, or shot with arrows and magic projectiles, often resulting in blood splatter that stains the environment. Players may also encounter bloodstained settings, carcasses, and corpses, some of which are hung or impaled. A particularly graphic scene involves the ritualistic sacrifice of an animal, which explodes in a burst of blood, further contributing to the game’s mature rating.
Moreover, Dragon Age: The Veilguard includes strong language, with characters using expletives such as “f**k” and its variations, alongside crude terms like “asshole,” “bastard,” “damn,” and “shit.” This language is interwoven into the game’s dialogue, adding to the gritty and realistic tone of the narrative.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be out on October 31, 2024, for PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.
