Game director Corinne Busche also indicates that companions could die based on players’ actions, similar to Mass Effect 2.

BioWare and EA recently premiered a 20-minute gameplay reveal for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and to go along with that, new details on the action RPG have also emerged courtesy of previews published by a number of outlets.

IGN’s preview, for instance, has offered new information on the game’s combat, confirming that weaknesses and resistances will be an important part of the loop. Players will be tasked with discovering and exploiting enemies’ weaknesses, which you’ll also be able to do by working in conjunction with companions.

Speaking of which, what abilities companions unlock and how they progress, won’t be determined only by the regular progression mechanics, but also be what kind of a bond they share with the protagonist, Rook. Each companion will, of course, also have their own backstories and questlines that players will be able to learn more about throughout the game.

“Each of the companions that you journey with has really complex backstories, problems of their own, deep motivations,” says game director Corinne Busche. “And these play out through some really well fleshed-out character arcs; missions that are unique to them, but ultimately tie into the larger story. And along the way we’ll make consequential decisions for each of them, sometimes affecting who they are, sometimes heart-wrenching – I’ve cried more than once – and sometimes pretty joyous.”

Oh, and characters that you don’t romance are going to go out into the world and find their own romances.

Interestingly, similar to Mass Effect 2, companions could also die based on players’ actions- though whether that element is going to be quite as emphasized as it was in the 2010 sci-fi RPG is unclear.

“I don’t want to get into spoilers but you just might [lose some characters],” Busche said. “Now in what we saw there, obviously no one died. In a situation like that they can get injured, they can influence how they think about you. If they’re ready to hit the field with you, it does get more dangerous. We might lose some people along the way.”

Coming back to combat, The Veilguard is going to be a more action-driven game where moment-to-moment proceedings are concerned, boasting “sophisticated animation canceling and branching” in order to encourage dodges, parries, and what have you.

It’s also been confirmed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is going to be a mission-based game. Between missions, meanwhile, players will be repeatedly returning to The Lighthouse, a hub location similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Skyhold or Mass Effect’s Normandy.

EA has also confirmed that the game will feature multiple graphics modes on consoles.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches this Fall for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.