The Veilguard turns a lot of common franchise elements on its head, but the way it keeps one franchise tradition alive is quite funny.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard has restored a surprising feature to the games that hasn't been seen since the very first entry in the series. The Hardened condition is a unique and permanent status applied to characters that can lead to several changes.

The Veilguard is awkwardly in conflict with itself, torn into pieces that reflect a sequel to a decade-old RPG and a fresh beginning with no ties to what came before.