Okay, so it’s not entirely true. Bioware hasn't completely ruined all other games for me, but I have spent many waking and non-waking hours with Bioware on the brain. My journey began with Star Wars: The Old Republic. I spent many years and many hours with that MMO. I had max-leveled every class at the point I stopped playing. Every single class story was just so amazing. This is what I love about Bioware. Storytelling. 

I had put aside MMOs because life got busy. I have played some Bioware games here and there since then. I played through Mass Effect, but as I got into Mass Effect 2, I got distracted again. But recently, I played Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and you can see my thoughts here. Bioware had its hooks in me once again. Like the crazy person I am, I then played through Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age Inquisition because I had never previously finished them. I did multiple playthroughs of Dragon Age Inquisition and then returned to Dragon Age: The Veilguard for another playthrough but with my Inquisitor’s backstory. The interweaving of all of these stories made it so immersive. Things you do in Dragon Age Origins affect events in 2, and things you do in 2 affect Inquisition (you see where I am going with this). The storytelling in all of them is just so great that it’s hard not to be invested. I loved my character and my companions. I CRIED….yes CRIED so many times while playing through Veilguard. So seriously, everyone that said the story was weak, please explain how I FELT SO MUCH!

After finishing Dragon Age, I restarted Mass Effect. I plowed through all three Mass Effect games and am now in the middle of Mass Effect Andromeda. I admit I struggled for a little bit not having my Shepard, but Ryder has grown on me, and I am enjoying trying to relocate everyone who came from the Milky Way. Every one of these games leaves me thinking after I put my controller down. What if I had made THAT decision instead of that one? Well, I guess I need to play it again. Darn. 

And don’t even get me started on the music…HOLY SHIT. Every composer who has given a bit of their soul to Bioware games has a gift. They have all added something special. Seeing the Normandy and the music swelling at the perfect moment gives me goosebumps every time. 

EVERY SINGLE BIOWARE GAME that I have played has had the same effect on me. So here is my issue with how everything surrounding the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard went down. Buckle up because this article has another side to it.  

I had people telling me before I even booted the game up that it had NOTHING to do with any other Dragon Age game and that the areas from DA Origins through DA Inquisition had been completely wiped out. And I thought, “Wait. How could they do that? How could they get rid of EVERYTHING I fought so hard for in the previous three games?” Well, I logged in because I don’t typically let people tell me what I may or may not enjoy. I created my character…and WHAT IS THIS? I can enter the back story and make my INQUISITOR, too. But how can this be if everything was wiped out and Veilguard doesn’t tie into the previous game? Do I sound smug? I’m a little smug. The best part of all of this is that I found out that the person who initially gave me this information HAD NEVER PLAYED THE GAME!!! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! This is a problem! People handing out misinformation (people that have large followings - looking at you “influencers”) should be ashamed. But they aren’t. I’m glad I have a mind of my own and tried the game anyway. AND LOVED IT!

Now, EA has laid off some of the people who worked on Veilguard because it didn’t perform as expected. Lower your expectations, for God’s sake. There are so many other games being released that people could be playing, or take into account the people out there spreading misinformation before a game has even come out. It’s become a game for some of these keyboard warriors. Destroy something because you CAN. So, nothing amazing ever gets made again. Well done. I’m concerned about what EA is trying to do to Bioware because of what they assume the fans want. I read a report that an EA exec assumes that people want more live service games. Please don’t push this on Bioware. Let Bioware do what they do best…please.

If I never get another Dragon Age or if the next Mass Effect sucks because they force Bioware into live service…I can’t even think about that. It makes me too angry. 

All right, my blood pressure is up, and I need to log into a Bioware game to calm myself down. Developers…WE LOVE YOU! Keep doing excellent work because there are those of us who can’t wait to see what you come up with next, you talented, fantastic bunch! 

What are some of your favorite developers and game series to play?