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Back in June, during Summer Games Fest, I was able to sit down for a behind-closed-doors preview. However, that session was strictly hands-off; we were only able to watch the presenter go through the character creator and play the game's opening prologue. My hands-on at publisher EA was significantly more eye-opening -- and exciting.

This isn't something lost on Corinne Busche, game director of The Veilguard, who said that despite all those considerations, the team has been laser-focused on making the most authentic, exciting, and honest Dragon Age game it can. And that's exactly what it felt like to me after playing for several hours.