Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 vs Dragon Age The Veilguard: Similarities and differences explored

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is nearly here, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard has had enough time to be played and harshly criticized by the gaming community. BioWare took a massive step backward rather than forward with the Dragon Age franchise after the fans didn't appreciate the lighter approach. Meanwhile, Warhorse Studios is betting all its chips on making a worthy sequel.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. The Kingdom Come Deliverance sequel will be available on all of them on February 4, 2025. Although it is still a few days away, the developers have shared enough content for us to break down and identify the similarities and differences between the two titles.

Disclaimer: This comparison piece reflects the writer's subjective views of both games featured.

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The similarities between Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard

1) Both are ambitious RPGs

Both games are extremely appealing to the RPG fan base (Image via Steam || Warhorse Studios)

As players explore both the world of Thedas and the Kingdom of Bohemia, they can find various merchants selling items and take on a few odd jobs like side quests to build their reputation. They can purchase rare and exclusive items from different faction vendors in the latest Dragon Age entry to give them an edge in battle.

Rook and Henry have different skills to unlock from their skill trees in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, respectively. BioWare and Warhorse Studios wanted to allow the player base to treat each playable character as an extension of themself in the game and select which skills would best suit them during their playthrough.

Henry can do the same and even trade in some of his old items to clear up space from his inventory in the original game, and it will likely return in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios wanted to immerse the players and took it a step further by adding a mechanic where the weight of his cargo can affect his movement.

Other mechanics include alternative dialogue options. This feature is common in most RPGs and allows the player to feel they have their hands on the wheel and dictate how the story goes. Depending on the selected dialogue, NPCs will react positively or negatively.

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2) A compelling narrative

Dragon Age: The Veilguard had a lackluster reception, but the developers made an effort to tell a good story (Image via Steam || BioWare)

The story of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 follows Henry's quest to avenge the death of his parents by rallying like-minded folks to unite. While most fans were upset about the original game's ending for not fully completing his mission to find his family's killer, this will be the catalyst for the sequel as Henry gets caught in a web of political turmoil between two factions.

As for Rook, players embark on a noble quest to save the people from Solas, a member of the ancient pantheon of Elven Gods who means to wreak havoc on Thedas. Along the way, they will meet new allies to aid them in the fight ahead, similar to Henry's goal of stopping a powerful force.

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3) Character creation and customization

Players can give Henry and Rook a stylish makeover with an extensive character creator feature (Image via Steam || Warhorse Studios)

While the main protagonists remain the same, players can do their best to stand out by customizing their characters' appearance. BioWare has implemented an impressive character creation feature that affects not only Rook's appearance, but also the lore, background, and class. This is a clever way for players to tailor their experience however they want.

Character creation is a breath of fresh air for modern games. It allows the players to feel they are thrown into the adventure rather than going on for the ride as a fixed character with a linear path. Players love to mess with new cosmetics to show their sense of style, and this reflects more of their personality.

In Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, the developers have added new customization features, such as different hairstyles and facial hair. Warhorse Studios confirmed that they can visit a barbershop as soon as the spring update goes live.

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4) Reputation system

The civilians of each game will react differently depending on how a player acts and behaves (Image via Steam || Warhorse Studios)

Players can do whatever they want in Bohemia, meaning they can respect their fellow men by acting civilized or tormenting them by robbing innocent vendors. Guards and other NPCs will remember Henry's crimes and act aggressively when he is around.

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Rook can improve the rapport with their companions by going on side quests and constantly checking in on them.

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Differences between Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard

1) The world design and structure

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has more options than Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Image via Steam || BioWare)

Unlike Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, which is meant to be a massive open-world experience similar to the first game but bigger and better in every way, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not open-world and is more focused on story missions. Thedas is large and detailed. However, players can't freely explore wherever they want until they reach a certain point in the story.

While The Veilguard is not a massive open-world experience, the regions are filled with diverse activities and side quests. Rook can spend a few hours combing each open area to find new secrets and helpful items, whereas Henry can explore the Kingdom of Bohemia early in the story.

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2) Setting

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is much more grounded in reality and historically accurate (Image via Steam || Warhorse Studios)

The developers of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 wanted to give the gaming community a glimpse into the medieval times. The locations and scenery amplified that experience and convinced players they were caught in the crossfire of the war in Bohemia.

On the other hand, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a work of fiction set in a reality with magic, elves, and the like.

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3) Combat

The different settings also lead to players having to learn different combat mechanics (Image via Steam || BioWare)

Players can use magical abilities in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and mash the same buttons to win a fight. However, Henry must proceed with caution during a fight, and one wrong move can lead to deadly consequences.

In Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, the combat is much more grounded in reality and gritty, meaning players use swords and other weapons from that era. BioWare wanted to let players feel powerful in a fight and get the adrenaline pumping with fast-paced action set pieces, which is a massive contrast to the realism in Henry's fighting style.