Summary
- Minrathous in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is said to be massive, marking the most intricate city that BioWare has ever created.
- The dev team was largely inspired by a quote from Dorian Pavus in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
- While The Veilguard doesn't yet have a concrete release date, more news is expected by the end of August.
A recent interview with Corinne Busche and Matthew Rhodes reveals BioWare's ambitious vision for Minrathous, the primary city in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the capital of the Tevinter Imperium. When it comes to fictional cities, BioWare excelled with classics such as Baldur's Gate and Athkatla, but never quite hit its mark in the world of Thedas. While Kirkwall was arguably BioWare's best attempt at creating a living, breathing city in the Dragon Age universe, the rushed production of the second title in the franchise never allowed it to reach its full potential. By contrast, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has had the luxury of time to depict Minrathous as the sprawling metropolis it's said to be.
Built upon a rocky island off the shores of Tevinter, Minrathous is one of the oldest human settlements in the Dragon Age world, and a symbol of power for the Tevinter Imperium. Ever since Origins, Dragon Age fans have been hoping to see Minrathous firsthand, and the gameplay preview of The Veilguard has revealed that not only is the city as vast as it's been described in the past, but it also marks the beginning of a journey across Northern Thedas.
Corinne Busche and Matthew Rhodes sat down with Edge Magazine, a sister publication to GamesRadar+, to discuss how one line from a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition dictated their direction for Minrathous. Banter between Dorian and Blackwall sees the two characters comparing cities in Thedas, and though Val Royeaux and Denerim have their charms, Dorian makes a bold claim: "Visit Tevinter one day. Minrathous will put your southern cities in perspective."
BioWare Is Shooting For The Moon With Minrathous In Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Busche explains that Dorian's comment inspired the team's design for Minrathous in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Compared to Val Royeaux in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Minrathous is meant to evoke a far grander sense of scale and majesty. As befits an ancient metropolis, Minrathous will have plenty of verticality to its design, and Rhodes points out that it was one of the challenges that BioWare faced during development. When walking through its sprawling streets, Minrathous will guide Rook using architectural landmarks and unique props, both as a way to orient the player, and to also remind them of how packed the city is.
"Visit Tevinter one day. Minrathous will put your southern cities in perspective." – Dorian Pavus
Some companions, such as Neve Gallus, operate within Minrathous, and one of the playable origins in Dragon Age: The Veilguard envisions Rook as a citizen of Tevinter's capital. Though the Lighthouse is meant to be the base of operations for the player character, Minrathous will almost certainly play a big role in The Veilguard, both from a gameplay and story perspective. Compared to the Citadel and Kirkwall, Minrathous could very well be BioWare's biggest city to date. Players can expect to explore it on their own in Fall 2024.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 71%
- Released
- October 31, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- BioWare
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Franchise
- Dragon Age
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- RPG
