Dragon Age Dreadwolf just got a new trailer from Bioware in honor of Dragon Age Day.
To say Dragon Age 4 has had a troubling development would be downplaying the many ups and downs fans have has to endure. For many years the game was only a rumor until it was officially revealed at the Game Awards in 2018. Since then, we’ve gotten a small teaser in 2020, some concept art in 2021 and a bit of information.
On #DragonAgeDay Bioware has now shared an in-game cinematic with the following words:
We wanted to close out this year with a little treat to celebrate Dragon Age Day in our own way by sharing a key cinematic from the game. Enjoy!
Dragon Age Dreadwolf Trailer: Disappointment Yet Again?
When you read an in-game cinematic your imagination probably runs wild and gets you excited for something huge. In this case those expectations fell short.
The whole cutscene is made in the style of the opening and intersections of Dragon Age 2. That means it's artwork animated while Varric talks. Don't get us wrong it is beautifully made, but it just feels lacklustre. Essentially, it’s only a recap of who Solas is with small details to let theories of the lore build.
If you compare it to our first trailer from two years ago, the similarities are striking. Both have a narration by Varric and tease Solas. In the previous trailer we at least saw scenes which seemingly showed parts of the game and also gave us a better understanding of it's setting.
It is true that Solas and especially Varric are fan favorites. Most of us are always happy to see or hear them. But can Bioware only rely on the fans love for them? After all, not everyone is invested in them, and this repetitive content is getting a bit tiring.
Dragon Age Dreadwolf: A Disastrous Development
In 2014 the third game in the franchise released and won the first ever Game Awards. Since then, it has been 8 years with no game. Why is it taking so long?
Bioware had already started the development for the next title, when in 2016 the project was first put on hold in favor of helping Mass Effect Andromeda and later completely cancelled to move the team onto Anthem. Both games had a very mixed reception. A very small team started a completely new DA4 with a live service component as parent company EA wanted to move games into this direction for easier monetization.
When it was announced in 2018 that the long-awaited game would be a live-game in the style of Anthem, fans were not amused and made their frustration known. The original concept of Dragon Age 4 seemed far more entertaining and to their liking. Thankfully in 2021 we got the confirmation that the game would be an RPG experience like its predecessors and not the planned multiplayer style.
With all the information on hand one can even deduce that some of the elements of that original concept, like a visit to Minrathous, capital city of Tevinter, have found their way into this now third version of the game.
For now, we’ll have to wait for more news from Bioware. It doesn’t seem like Dragon Age Dreadwolf will be at the Game Awards, but hopefully a release will soon be in sight.