Dragon Age: The Veilguard – The Thrill of Kicking Foes

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a sprawling, epic RPG that delves into themes of world-ending destruction and personal reckoning. The storyline pulls together a diverse cast of flawed characters working against a misguided antagonist whose plans threaten countless lives. But let’s be honest, that’s not what I want to dive into right now. Instead, I’m here to gush about the sheer joy of hurling enemies off cliffs time and time again.

Released just last month, Dragon Age: The Veilguard marks BioWare’s return to its RPG roots. Following the studio’s ventures into different styles with Anthem and the open-world offerings like Mass Effect Andromeda and Dragon Age Inquisition, Veilguard feels like a welcome shift back to a more intimate, character-driven narrative. It’s arguably BioWare’s best effort since Mass Effect 3, thanks in part, to the wonderful ability the game gives you: the power to kick foes, both large and small, straight off cliffs and into the abyss.

Not long into the game, my character unlocked the ability to perform a devastating drop kick capable of sending enemies airborne. Even after more than 40 hours, kicking adversaries and watching them soar remains endlessly amusing. Sure, the game provides a plethora of skills to experiment with, and I’ve played around with many of them. Still, that drop-kick ability has never left my hot bar; it’s simply too entertaining to abandon.

Encounter a heavily armored foe with heaps of health? No problem—off the cliff he goes with a single kick! Is a pesky ranged enemy making life difficult? Into the nearby lava pit, they fly! Even the smallest, easily beatable monsters aren’t safe. It’s far more satisfying to see them sail off a mountain’s edge into the void below.

Veilguard delivers a fantastic mix of story, combat, character development, and immersive worlds. I’m thoroughly enjoying every aspect. Yet, I can’t deny that the drop-kick mechanic plays a significant role in why this RPG is a strong contender for my game of the year list.

I’ve penned similar sentiments before on Kotaku, particularly about Deathloop, but any game that hands me the power to instantly dispatch foes with a well-placed kick is a winner in my book. There was even a boss fight I ended in a heartbeat by sending the opponent off a ledge—it was glorious.

It seems clear to me: more games should take a leaf out of Veilguard’s book. If you want to ramp up the fun factor, just toss in a “kick the bad guys off cliffs” button.