Do not play Dragon Age on Game Pass

A storm hit England at the weekend and my garden is in chaos. My daughter’s cozy Little Tikes coupe (you know the one, the red and yellow model we all had as kids) is practically written off, my driveway is covered in leaves and broken glass, and a brick has somehow appeared in the middle of my lawn.

Of course, I spent the weekend playing Dragon Age instead of cleaning it all up. I needed to get comfortable, I needed to huddle in front of the TV and play a calming game rather than brave the elements to clean up a mess that will inevitably get worse as the weather worsens. I’ll refresh it another time, but for now it’s time to slay some dragons.

However, I am running into some problems. I usually play RPGs on my Xbox Series X for ultimate gaming convenience. I like my Noble gaming chair as much as the next guy, but it pales in comparison to curling up in a soft corner of my sofa. So I played the entire Dragon Age trilogy on Xbox Game Pass and I’m here to tell you that you shouldn’t do that.

Dragon Age: Origins isn’t the same on console

My first experience with Dragon Age: Origins was on Xbox and I really enjoyed it. From the characters, stories and difficult decisions to the clever reuse of resources and innovative fast travel that made Ferelden feel much bigger than it really was, I had a blast. It remains my favorite Dragon Age game and one of the best fantasy RPGs I’ve ever played.

I often feel the urge to replay Dragon Age: Origins. I give in to this urge regularly. Whether I’m creating a new character and making different choices or revising my canon steps, I’ve played the game many times. However, on one of these replays, I decided to try playing the game on my PC.

This wasn’t because I could log a few hours during work hours, it was just because I wanted to see how the game performed with a mouse and keyboard. Reader, it was a revelation.

Before this point, I had never really understood why people praised Origins’ tactical combat so much. I liked the combat system and it was always satisfying to see Sten bash someone’s head in, but I never realized how tactical the combat was. It sounds silly, but combat is completely different on console.

Dragon Age 2 is irrelevant to this discussion

Dragon Age 2 runs well on the console. Thanks to the immersive action combat, no tactical innovations are lost on the console, and the game also works flawlessly on Game Pass. Here is a picture of Isabella.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is incomplete on Game Pass

Imagine my surprise when Solas doesn’t identify himself as the Dread Wolf in the end credits of Dragon Age: Inquisition. As a real person, I know that he is the incarnation of an ancient god who wants to destroy the world so that he can restore the elves to their former glory. What can I say, I saw the marketing for The Veilguard and the spoiler embargo on that game lifted about nine years ago.

After a post-credits scene revealing Solas, I was ready for more. But nothing more ever came. Was that it? Had I fought my way through the Inquisition only to end up wanting more? I thought this was the game that marked Solas’ monumental turnaround before Dragon Age Volume 4, which was originally named after him (and would sound cooler if it were still that way).

While you’re probably already screaming at your phone screen, that exposure happens in the Trespasser DLC. What is not included in the Game Pass package. Sure, you get a ten percent discount on your purchase thanks to the EA Play subscription included with your Game Pass subscription, but you’ll have to pay the money for DLC for a game you don’t technically own. I just bought the whole package, Inquisition and everything, in case I ever cancel Game Pass in the future. But I’m a little annoyed that I had to do it.

Invader is everything I wanted from Dragon Age: Inquisition

Trespasser contributes a lot to Inquisition, particularly the major plot points that lead directly to The Veilguard. It’s a great DLC that recontextualizes your entire journey up to this point and also adds some fantastic new locations, great puzzles and difficult battles. I flew through Corypheus, but a big Qunari guy?

You’ll be betrayed by not one, but two of your closest allies (the latter after just giving him a damn birthday present), who will take away all the high-level gear you’ve equipped with them. But best of all, there’s no card table, no collectibles, and no energy system to slow things down as the story picks up.

But none of this is included in Game Pass. When I say that Dragon Age: Inquisition on Game Pass is incomplete, what I mean is that some of the best things it has to offer are kept under wraps and never shown to humble subscribers.

Will Dragon Age: The Veilguard be included on Xbox Game Pass?

There is no news yet on whether Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be available on Xbox Game Pass or not. The fact that Xbox hasn’t marketed it as such probably means it won’t be included in the ecosystem on day one with the first-party launch titles, but I think it will get there eventually.

And I think The Veilguard will work well on Game Pass. First of all, it’s the first Dragon Age game developed while Game Pass actually exists, but its simplified combat translates well to console (and could have even been developed with console players in mind) since you can’t control your party Members means that no tactical nuances are lost when playing with a pad.

If Xbox’s service is ever up for grabs, I think The Veilguard will hold up well. I just hope that any subsequent DLC is added so that players who don’t spend the full price can play the full experience from the comfort of their couch. That’s not asking much.