5 Dragon Age: Origins Features Fans Want to See in The Veilguard

As excitement builds for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, fans are eagerly speculating about what beloved features from earlier titles will make a return. With its late-October release fast approaching, some aspects of the game’s mechanics have already shown impressive depth in character-building. However, there are still many unknowns, leaving players hopeful for the inclusion of fan-favorite elements from Dragon Age: Origins.

The iconic Dragon Age: Origins, a beloved entry in BioWare’s fantasy series, introduced numerous features that endeared it to fans. While later games moved away from some of these, bringing them back could elevate The Veilguard to even greater heights. Here are five features that would make a welcome return.

5. Multiple Ending Paths

Spoilers ahead for Dragon Age: Origins.

The Dragon Age series is known for its multiple endings, which reflect the player's choices throughout the game. However, Origins took this a step further by allowing even minor decisions to impact the story's conclusion. The results weren’t just different in the general storyline but offered deeply personalized variations.

Origins stood out by allowing players to experience multiple, meaningful outcomes. Would the Warden survive the Blight? Would Alistair sacrifice himself, or perhaps Loghain? Would the player accept Morrigan's offer? While Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition included nuances in their endings, the overall conclusions remained largely the same. In contrast, Origins gave players the freedom to craft dramatically different endings for both their protagonist and Thedas, making every choice feel consequential.

4. Playable Blood Magic

In Origins, blood magic was not just a powerful ability but a reflection of the world’s darker themes. This controversial magic was woven deeply into the worldbuilding, with mages in Ferelden living under constant scrutiny due to the danger their powers posed. The risks and consequences of unchecked magic were brought to life through the ability to become a Blood Mage.

Choosing to embrace blood magic in Origins required striking a dire deal with a demon, making it a major narrative moment as well as an exciting gameplay feature. In Dragon Age 2, blood magic was reduced to a mere skill tree selection, and by the time Inquisition arrived, the ability to play as a Blood Mage had been removed altogether. Bringing back this high-stakes form of magic in The Veilguard would restore the tension and depth that came with it.

3. Diverse Subclass Options

One of the most notable changes in later Dragon Age games was the reduction in class diversity. In Origins, players could choose from the classic trio of Warrior, Rogue, and Mage, but each class also offered four specialization options, with the freedom to select two. This system allowed for a high degree of customization.

In subsequent titles, the number of specializations was cut down to three, with only one allowed for selection. While The Veilguard appears to be continuing this trend, early glimpses suggest it may offer more modular customization, giving hope that it will strike a balance between the versatility of Origins and the more streamlined systems of later games.

2. Expanded Dialogue Choices

The dialogue system in Dragon Age 2 marked a departure from the broader options available in Origins. The introduction of a fully voiced protagonist in DA2 limited the dialogue to three primary archetypes—kind, sarcastic, or angry—diminishing the depth of the Gray Warden’s personality from Origins.

Although Inquisition restored some of that depth by allowing for more diverse character growth, fans are hopeful that The Veilguard will take it even further. With advancements in technology and budget, players might get a fully voiced protagonist who retains the complexity and nuance that made Origins so memorable.

1. Origin Stories

Perhaps the most celebrated feature of Origins was the six unique origin stories that defined the player’s journey from the very beginning. These personalized prologues not only set the tone for the rest of the game but also established the character’s background and relationships within the world of Ferelden.

These origin stories weren’t just a starting point—they influenced future quests, interactions with NPCs, and even the outcome of certain events. The replayability of Origins was greatly enhanced by these distinctive beginnings, and fans have been vocal in their desire to see this feature return in The Veilguard. By allowing players to choose from multiple origin stories, BioWare can ensure that each playthrough feels unique and deeply connected to the world of Thedas.

As Dragon Age: The Veilguard approaches its release, the return of these beloved features from Origins could be the key to capturing the hearts of both longtime fans and new players alike.