BioWare's Dragon Age franchise has had its ups and downs, but it remains a popular RPG series among gamers. After Dragon Age 2 received some criticism for its slightly convoluted story compared to its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition was the developer's chance to revitalize the series and set a strong foundation for future installments like the upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. As Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be the first direct sequel in the franchise so far, it will have strong narrative ties to Dragon Age: Inquisition, but there are also some other elements it should carry forward.
Fans already know some of the aspects that will be making a return in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, like the traitorous elf Solas who is shaping up to be the next game's main antagonist. Fan-favorite companion Varric is also set to make a return, although it's not clear in what capacity given his responsibilities in Kirkwall following the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition. There will also be some new elements, like the chance to explore the Tevinter Imperium for the first time, but there are a few features from the previous game that would be good to see in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.
Dragon Age: Inquisition Features For Dreadwolf
Players weren't unanimous in their praise for Dragon Age: Inquisition after its release, but for the most part, it was seen as a vast improvement on Dragon Age 2. Features that Dragon Age: Inquisition definitely got right was the inclusion of more options when it comes to playable races, like the addition of the qunari for the first time in the series. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf should continue to expand on this, offering more choices and a wider range of character customization. When it comes to companions, the equal class split between rogues, mages, and warriors helped keep things balanced and also provided lots of options for combat, which Dragon Age: Dreadwolf should maintain.
Dragon Age: Inquisition also gave players the chance to affect the world state without importing saves with a simple browser game called Dragon Age Keep. This allowed them to have a hand in shaping the Thedas that they would encounter without a massive investment of time, and with Dragon Age: Dreadwolf being a direct follow-on to the story of Dragon Age: Inquisition, this could be key for the next game as well. This would also not exclude gamers that are new to the series and would let them get more involved with the in-game world prior to playing.
How Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Could Elevate These Features
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has a lot of expectations riding on it, and it's the perfect chance for BioWare to keep expanding and improving the beloved franchise. Players have been waiting a long time for the next entry in the Dragon Age series, so innovation is to be expected, but keeping a few familiar features from the previous game would be a good idea as well. The introduction of mounts in Dragon Age: Inquisition was a welcome aid when traversing the game's semi-open-world structure, but Dragon Age: Dreadwolf could kick this up a notch. Ridable griffins would not only be an awesome addition to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, but they also fit in with the wider established lore.
With plenty of choices when it comes to dialogue options and how players interact with other characters, previous Dragon Age games have also presented gamers with some hefty decisions to make regarding the fate of Thedas. This was especially true in Dragon Age: Inquisition as the protagonist led an organization that gained a lot of influence and prominence as the game progressed. Things will be a little different in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, as early promotional material claimed the new hero is "one they'll never see coming," suggesting a potential outsider role. Having a hand in major world events and making decisions that have visible impacts is one of the integral parts of Dragon Age, and seeing how Dragon Age: Dreadwolf accomplishes that will certainly be interesting.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.