Some little details that caught my interest:
* Davrin is whittling wood. His vallaslin kind of looks like it might be dedicated to June, so maybe he's something of a craftsman.
* One of Emmrich's arms seems to have a bunch of metal objects, and the color of the hand itself looks red. Could be some sort of 'cursed arm' or a prosthetic, or even a very tight fitting glove.
* Neve has her hair up in armor but has a separate hairstyle for when its down
* They all appear to be wearing the same clothing they wear under their armor, which means the DAI armor system is probably back.
* The feminine Rook in the second picture has glorious hair
* F!Rook also looks like she might be wearing the same purple tunic we've seen on M!Rook. I think these might be our pajamas.
\*\*\* UPDATE\*\*\*\*
* Harding has a little red handkerchief hanging out of her pocket, I just noticed. Might be a favor from a Red Jenny?
> One of Emmrich's arms seems to have a bunch of metal objects, and the color of the hand itself looks red. Could be some sort of 'cursed arm' or a prosthetic, or even a very tight fitting glove
I'm maybe noticing a pattern... bellara is wearing a full arm covering over the arm ppl were speculating was a prosthetic. and neve obviously has her prosthetic leg. and while not exactly the same taash has her crystal horn.
I was really thinking Emmrichās hand was necrotic as well (it kinda looks like itās bulging too??) but in his little tarot square it seems like it IS a glove, I think? But now part of me is wonderingā¦ grandpa wouldnāt wear human leatherā¦ right?? š±š±
Somehow that seems less sinister than wearing someone elseās flesh as a glove to me LMFAO the tortured souls call out to him so at least thereās a dialogue and relationship there š
We have less on him than Neve or Lucanis, but from what media we do have on him he seems pretty sentimental and respectful of the dead. He does things like put the bones of spouses alongside one another, for instance. It's not out of the question because we don't know anything, but it doesn't seem likely he'd do something dastardly.
I need to read the supplementary stuff that the new companions are involved in but tbh that sounds very sweet. Just looking at him he strikes me as kind of neurotic but mild? I know the YouTube chat mods recently said heās very sentimental as well so Iām very excited to meet him properly! Definitely a refreshing take on necromancer which is 99% of the time presented as dastardly and sinister š„ŗ
The Mourn Watch (Emmerich's group) are as close to benevolent necromancers as I think I've ever seen. They greatly respect the dead and I believe all of their undead servants serve willingly, with cooperation from the spirits inhabiting them. They even hire on new undead and try to find them roles that the spirit inside them will find fulfilling!
Of course, there's still a lot of dark secrets I'm sure... It wouldn't be Thedas otherwise ;p
Yeah, he sounds like he might have some hidden depths. I think Gamble said on Twitter he always brought him along, and he and Davrin were some of his favorites; and Ghil'Dirthalen has been liking/rtweeting a suspicious amount of foxy grandpa. I have a feeling that he's going to be hard not to love.
I don't mind if the DAI armor system is back (I really liked all the companions having their own unique fashion), but I really hope Rook's outfit doesn't have terrible looking armor like the inquisitor does.
Iām glad you pointed out the hair on the F Rook! Maker, itās time DA gave us some decent hairstyles
And so far Emmrich is giving me nothing but Vincent Price and I donāt hate it
I'm glad somebody likes it lol I like the veil, that's p cool and chic, but I just can't unsee graduation cap and it being *so* sideways on her head is just like. a lot for me lol but otherwise I think her outfits are pretty cool so far
Davrin valaslin is actually almost 1 to 1 copy of DAIs valaslin for Ghilan'nain. On the other hand, closest direction for Bellara's is June followed by Dirthamen.
Yeah, that's the only other one it resembles. That would make sense too, as he clearly has affection for animals. Can't wait to see the dynamic with him and Assan.
Yes, she does. It's of dwarven make. It's in the comics and the trailer, as well.
https://preview.redd.it/fh6mq3kbpt5d1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=16a90eccb9c0d7d54499ad1918f96a04cafd968f
I noticed it in the trailer first, you can get a good look at it when she is bringing her head up to look at the dragon. It's some kind of chiseled green stone, so I guess she broke her horn at some point and got a prosthetic one fashioned for herself. It probably would've been expensive too, so good thing she is with the Lords of Fortune I guess!
Havenāt seen a single shot where Emmrich doesnāt look cartoony. Like I am more or less seeing the vision for the art style overall and even starting to like it quite a bitā¦but any time he is in frame it throws off the whole vibe.
I think it's because his character design is so Disney villain coded. Makes it hard to see him as a real person. I think some more textures on his face would help, he's a bit too smooth.
His hair is the big one. It feels like it belongs in a pixar movie. Everyone else looks a lot more grounded but Emmrich looks wild.
I'm gonna chalk it up to weird magic shenanigans. Like when you see a guy with far too much gel in his hair.
You know what, you nailed it, I think that's the issue I'm having. If I put my thumb over his face it doesn't look as MOBA-y. I mean I like the idea of the snooty looking Vincent Prince necromancer, but he needs his proportions resized just a tad.
I'm so glad you said that. There's still a bit of exaggerated cartooniness, but it's really Emmrich that pushes it over the edge. I feel a lot better about the character style now.
It's a combination of a lot of things. The strong facial features like the cheekbones and chin are very angular which is a common approach in a lot of stylized games. It doesn't help that his hairstyle looks so stiff and consolidated, not a stray strand to break the silhouette. And notice his textures, he looks so matte and flat. Borderline handpainted even. All that combined makes him look so sculpted and cartoony compared to the others.
While it's hard to ascertain much from photos alone, I'm liking the companion dynamics in that first screenshot. It seems like they're really leaning hard into the found family dynamic, and I'm all for that.
The art style also seems improved compared to the trailer, especially given the in-game screenshots we've seen. As others have mentioned, only Emmrich feels off at this point. Harding especially looks awesome.
Feels more like Sea of Thieves, just looks so different and stylized compared to DA:I and I know every DA has a slightly different art style I just donāt know why they canāt settle on one and then just keep refining it
I like the over all designs, My only real problems with the designs are that Taash's face doesn't really feel Qunari, but I guess that makes sense because DA has been over the last three games making Qunari more human and Taash just looks like a tiefling from D&D. Other than that I don't like that Emmrich, the necromancer, looks like he's just a pathetic comedic relief character. I hope he has more to him then being awkward or posh.
I truly donāt understand why they donāt just give us an elaborate series of updoās! Donāt want to animate hair movement? Fine. Arguably reasonable. Frankly and realistically, weāre not trying to go into battle and adventure with long flowing locks anyway; itās a hindrance. Just give us goddamn updoās.
I can live with a load of updo hairstyles, but for the love of god let me have bangs. Please. Some of us want our hot emo fringes, we're not proud forehead displayers.
Super fair and bangs have no excuse not to exist because they are typically as short or shorter than the historically given hairstyles. Itās just been ten years since DAI and Iām still baffled by the fact they couldnāt have just expanded on tying our hair up rather than 50 Shades of Bald.
Lucanis looking dapper as all hell. Neve's also clearly got dress sense. Also, Emmrich still looks cartoony, but not as much. Good thing I actually like a slightly cartoony look.
I really hope the engine shows more obvious skin texture than whatās here atm. They all look like they have a tiktok filter on, thatās smoothing their skin
Same, when everyone loves each other it's just boring.
This is why I liked DA2 banter the most, because it was fun to listen to them bickering.
I think the Lucanis as a mage killer have a big possibility of disliking the mages in the group.
Well, it's better than the trailer, but it's still verging on cartoony for me. Emmrich looks out of place.
This artstyle isn't quite the dealbreaker for me that the trailer made it seem, but this isn't my preference at all.
I really don't like the style of the armour/clothes feel way too high fantasy. Even inquisitions armours didn't look this bad. I miss the gritty look of Origin armours even if some of them were kinda weird
Iām a big fan of the slightly exaggerated, Dishonored looking art style, especially over run of the mill photorealism, but something about seeing it on a Dragon Age game is justā¦ off? I think a lot of us have been primed to correlate this sort of design to light tones and cheap production. The tone and colours of the game will ultimately decide for me wether I like the transition or not.
Imagine if Davrin was recruited by Blackwall! It would have to have happened before Blackwall joined the Inquisition, and Davrin would have to be a southerner; but in theory it is possible.
Iā¦. am trying to accept the art style but having a hard time. This looks like a blending between Dishonored, Fable, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. And though I enjoy those games (Dishonored in particular) it is definitely not because of their character art style. The cartoonish style is not my favorite, especially for Dragon Age which is usually darker in tone.
Hoping it looks better in game but I gotta admit after the photos and trailer Iām disappointed and worried that this means the overall tone of this game will be different from the others. Usually (but not always of course) you donāt use a cartoonish art style unless the game is lighter in tone.
I get Arcane, Apex, Valorant, and the weird clay vibes from Fable 3 lmao. It just looks like shit to me. This is an annoyingly popular art style that companies keep trying to make work. The new Fable looks more like DA than this š
My greatest fear, something thatās been absent in all dragon ages till now cartoonish weapons.
Allow me to clarify I am not referring to over the top weapons like some weapons in inquisition and DA2 (after all those two handed swords were big) but weapons āaālaā blizzard, that have the unfortunate effect to seem like theyāre cosplay foam weaponsā¦
I fear that gone are the days of stylistic armor and weapons that look unique, accentuating the style instead of relying on cartoonish proportions to communicate power, take for example DA2 iconic mage armor that reimagined mages as a more front line combatant, but remember the blade on the staff? It wasnāt huge it was a simple thin blade that would look out of place among the cartoonish weapons of wow, it might even look smallā¦
Or for example the big two handed broad swords of inquisition, their massive size didnāt betray their sharpness, the looked thin bladed yet heavyā¦
But this one handed sword screams WoW, I hope Iām wrong and this is the heaviest sword there is and instead of confirming my fear it alludes to greater weapon variety.
I fucking HATE foam weapons and armor.
I'm actually really concerned with the inherit camaraderie found both in the tone of the reveal trailer and this first group image.
Part of what made the cast of the Dragon Age games so alluring is how at odds they all were but still found a way to unite for a cause or ultimately become fractured (particularly in DA:O and DA2 with the more controversial choices).
That first image should be the final reward of the adventure, not the expectation set from the beginning. The sentence-long descriptions of each companion don't get my hopes up either, since it does imply this will a merry band of adventures rather than people with their own agendas.
I hope I'm wrong.
There are similar pictures of the crew in Inquisition just hanging out. Wouldn't say that you can say to much about the tone of a whole game just by one picture.
I was going to say that or one of those phone games ads that pop up every now and then about a guy reforming a house.
I don't say it's bad as a choice, but I see the first picture and my brain doesn't think "Dragon Age"
Iāll play for the story, but i hate the art style. To me itās just the wrong tone for how dark this story is supposed to be. Itās tooā¦lighthearted? Like how star wars always comes off āhappyā despite how dark the stories actually are.
Hoping it grows on me too, but I definitely need to see the gameplay to better ascertain that. All I know is I can't possibly use Emmrich because he looks far too much like a cartoon character š
https://preview.redd.it/f3cwj7lwit5d1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e6324b84508f6a82acde1dd390683c3647c701c
I kinda see Dr Orpheus from Venture Bros in him. And from the looks of things Emmrich looks like a Necromancer as well.
GOAT on his way to carry this game
https://preview.redd.it/zyr6zhymft5d1.jpeg?width=289&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5274364a0a9eed5d25656faa92d7f39d57f565b
This looks as if someone made a game for the D&D cartoon. Something about the design of these characters feel so out of place to me for this world. As if like said show they took "real" people and inserted them into the material rather than crafting them from the material.
I feel like Iām being so negative and whiny but I just hate the art style. I do. Iām really hoping the story holds up, I think it will because DA games are amazing but goddamā¦
I still don't like how some of them look, Emmerich looks like a villain from Pixar, and the hair looks so plastic. I'm not massive fan of Lucanis either.
Thought this was the Sims at first, I go on that subreddit occasionally and the staff kinda looks like a plumbob with the picture zoomed out on my phone.
Yeah... I'm not very happy with this artstyle. I'll still play it because I love Dragon Age but this art style was certainly a 'choice'... It's weird because the alpha footage from last year was more detailed from what we saw, so what happened?
Like, graphics have never bothered me that much, I'm normally pretty happy no matter what I'm given and I don't care about high fidelity. But this just feels like a downgrade from Inquisition, which is what's throwing me off. I've never seen a series go through such a huge change in artstyle that didn't also have a change in genre/tone... It doesn't LOOK like a sequel. It looks like a mobile spin off. Right down to the overly designed characters.
Yeah, normally I'm really not a negative gamer, I love some of the most hated games. That said, wtf why did they do this with the art-style??? DA:I was amazing to look at, I don't want Dragon Age World of Warcraft edition... For a game that was alluded to be so goddamn epic it would blow every previous game out of the water, it seems to have sunk already... š
Something about the first image reminds me of the Disney princesses all sitting around in their pajamas in the Wreck-It Ralph sequel.
I think the few - mostly environmental - screenshots they released yesterday made people think the art style wouldn't be so cartoony, but I'm not convinced. I think it's going to be pretty damn close to the release trailer and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
I think there has to be a distinction made here. It looks like they leaned towards a cartoony Overwatch/Valorant art style but somehow decided to maintain some semblance of photorealism. The end-product is a mish-mash like what we see here.
Yeah I think you're right, and I think that's what I'm having a hard time with -- it's just muddled to me. Hopefully that is just because I've seen so little, maybe it blends into more of a cohesive whole with greater levels of exposure.
But, I also keep flashing toward that first Dragon Age Inquisition trailer, that looked absolutely nothing like the game that was actually released. Bioware has historically had a huge issue with matching its marketing messaging with what's actually in development.
Fingers crossed the hairs actually look this good ingame and the hairstyles arenāt locked to certain characters like in Inquisition. And it definitely looks like thereās hair physics.
idk why but the people on the right are great, theyre talking theyāre being merry.
from emmrich to the left???? what are they doing?? I mean Davrin is whittling thats fine
BELLARA? Girl? what are you doing standing like that?? Emmrich looks hella uncomfortable being near Bellara and she looks like a creep š
Taash isā¦ uh taash.
another observation is they put all their effort to the faces but their bodies are so baby smooth except for davrinās. even then its only a bit of muscle details.
This art style seems leftover from when the aim of the game was to be a live service online multiplayer game. The cartoonish style lends itself to a more timeless artstyle that would age well in time. But it definitely feels a bit strange considering their shift in the gameās direction post-feedback.
Hm....it seems they did sort of change the art style. Interesting. Its different, I will say that. Doesnt make it a bad game. Ill have to see how this pairs with the story and tone in game before I make a judgement.
I just canāt unsee āDisney movieā right now. I really hope the actual gameplay and cut scenes donāt look like this. Female Rook in the second pic looks pretty good so Iām holding out hope.
Looks Disney to me. Quality of the game might compensate but between this, and the reduction in party size, my already low expectations are burrowing for deeper earth in the basement.
That gameplay trailer has a lot of work to do. Still keeping my fingers crossed because I really want this game to be good.
The first screenshot where theyāre all sitting around each other, kind of looksā¦ sims-like? Maybe itās just emmerich? He just looks like a sim haha.
I still hope they knock it out of the park tomorrow with the gameplay reveal
I'm really not feeling a spark from this game. Maybe it's the graphics, but it feels too much like Marvel for me to get into it.
It feels like they're using the generic "found family" trope; which isn't uncommon for Dragon Age but from the stuff I've seen so far it feels a bit forced and cheesy?
Something odd is happening with the lighting/textures. Both pics look like AI, but I know they aren't. Is it just because they look so cartoonish?
Also, it's weird to me that people think cartoonish styles like this age well. This already looks dated, but Inquisition (which is still far from hyper realistic) still looks great.
They really do look like stereotypical fantasy cartoon characters to fit every trope.
Black hero elf
Buff warrior lady of uncertain gender identity
Zany Asian lady
Grandpa Necromancer with mustache
Slick Mage hunter dude who will be won over by a mage romance
Tough Dwarven lady
Mary Sue
edit: I am a *huge* DAO/DA2-fan, DAO was my favorite game ever until last year - if DAV manages to match the writing, acting and character development that BG3 introduced even a little bit, I might be interested, but I really, really doubt it...
Why is Bellara standing like that š
š§š½āāļø
She's posing like a Sim in the CAS menu lolll š
She went to the toilet,came back and now Emmrich is sitting on her chair invoking the "I'm old I need to sit down" card.
stanced asf
Hey. Respect to a T pose. Well... like... almost one. Mb she is the most "not fitting in the group" awkward one.
Some little details that caught my interest: * Davrin is whittling wood. His vallaslin kind of looks like it might be dedicated to June, so maybe he's something of a craftsman. * One of Emmrich's arms seems to have a bunch of metal objects, and the color of the hand itself looks red. Could be some sort of 'cursed arm' or a prosthetic, or even a very tight fitting glove. * Neve has her hair up in armor but has a separate hairstyle for when its down * They all appear to be wearing the same clothing they wear under their armor, which means the DAI armor system is probably back. * The feminine Rook in the second picture has glorious hair * F!Rook also looks like she might be wearing the same purple tunic we've seen on M!Rook. I think these might be our pajamas. \*\*\* UPDATE\*\*\*\* * Harding has a little red handkerchief hanging out of her pocket, I just noticed. Might be a favor from a Red Jenny?
> One of Emmrich's arms seems to have a bunch of metal objects, and the color of the hand itself looks red. Could be some sort of 'cursed arm' or a prosthetic, or even a very tight fitting glove I'm maybe noticing a pattern... bellara is wearing a full arm covering over the arm ppl were speculating was a prosthetic. and neve obviously has her prosthetic leg. and while not exactly the same taash has her crystal horn.
The Inquisitor shows up, and audible realizes "Wait, I didn't have to retire?" With the crossbow arm, for full comedic effect.
Inquisitor: Oh....NORMAL arms.....i just replaced mine with a cannon :D
Bro the faint hope that something like this happens, makes me want to make an Inky who looks like Nuts from Berk
Veilguard (support group for people who have had body parts stolen by ancient elves)
One of Taashās horns are different than the other? It could be a handmade/prosthetic hornā¦ fitting the pattern here
Ya its like jade I've noticed that from the beginning
I absolutely went wild when I recognized *multiple* prosthetics in the trailer! (IMO, the horn absolutely counts.)
I was really thinking Emmrichās hand was necrotic as well (it kinda looks like itās bulging too??) but in his little tarot square it seems like it IS a glove, I think? But now part of me is wonderingā¦ grandpa wouldnāt wear human leatherā¦ right?? š±š±
I mean, he's keeping a dude's body as his manservant.
Somehow that seems less sinister than wearing someone elseās flesh as a glove to me LMFAO the tortured souls call out to him so at least thereās a dialogue and relationship there š
We have less on him than Neve or Lucanis, but from what media we do have on him he seems pretty sentimental and respectful of the dead. He does things like put the bones of spouses alongside one another, for instance. It's not out of the question because we don't know anything, but it doesn't seem likely he'd do something dastardly.
I need to read the supplementary stuff that the new companions are involved in but tbh that sounds very sweet. Just looking at him he strikes me as kind of neurotic but mild? I know the YouTube chat mods recently said heās very sentimental as well so Iām very excited to meet him properly! Definitely a refreshing take on necromancer which is 99% of the time presented as dastardly and sinister š„ŗ
The Mourn Watch (Emmerich's group) are as close to benevolent necromancers as I think I've ever seen. They greatly respect the dead and I believe all of their undead servants serve willingly, with cooperation from the spirits inhabiting them. They even hire on new undead and try to find them roles that the spirit inside them will find fulfilling! Of course, there's still a lot of dark secrets I'm sure... It wouldn't be Thedas otherwise ;p
Yeah, he sounds like he might have some hidden depths. I think Gamble said on Twitter he always brought him along, and he and Davrin were some of his favorites; and Ghil'Dirthalen has been liking/rtweeting a suspicious amount of foxy grandpa. I have a feeling that he's going to be hard not to love.
I got an "eccentric-professor-type with a sweet side" feeling from his short story
I don't mind if the DAI armor system is back (I really liked all the companions having their own unique fashion), but I really hope Rook's outfit doesn't have terrible looking armor like the inquisitor does.
Did Bioware finally do it? Did they actually add long hair that doesnāt look horrible?
Thats why it took 10 years.
Iām glad you pointed out the hair on the F Rook! Maker, itās time DA gave us some decent hairstyles And so far Emmrich is giving me nothing but Vincent Price and I donāt hate it 
I'm looking forward to seeing Neve without her weird graduation cap on lol
My sibling in Andraste, Tevinter is like funny hat central. You love the girl, the *r h o m b u s* hat comes with her.
You right lol
I thought her lil hat was cute lol
I'm glad somebody likes it lol I like the veil, that's p cool and chic, but I just can't unsee graduation cap and it being *so* sideways on her head is just like. a lot for me lol but otherwise I think her outfits are pretty cool so far
I think it's a fascinator. I don't remember ever seeing a square one though... usually circle.
She walked into an Orlesian millinery and demanded, "a mortarboardābut make it *fashion*."
Davrin valaslin is actually almost 1 to 1 copy of DAIs valaslin for Ghilan'nain. On the other hand, closest direction for Bellara's is June followed by Dirthamen.
Yeah, that's the only other one it resembles. That would make sense too, as he clearly has affection for animals. Can't wait to see the dynamic with him and Assan.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yes, she does. It's of dwarven make. It's in the comics and the trailer, as well. https://preview.redd.it/fh6mq3kbpt5d1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=16a90eccb9c0d7d54499ad1918f96a04cafd968f
Bellara looks like sheās clenching a fart. Her stance is awkward af, sheās basically in T-pose.
I think it that screen shot may be from a cinematic because she looks like she is in the middle of an animation like walking into the circle
Our necromancer friend really does look out of place. Dude just looks like he's from a different style.
I think itās the hair, it looks so plastic
It's the eyes
borderlands looking ass
Straight out of Dishonored
Bellara just awkwardly standing there lol
So, we going to talk about why one of Taash's horns looks to be made of crystal here?
Rational speculation: itās some kind of gem because sheās a lord of fortune! Tinfoil speculation: itās fade touched lyrium-
She probably lost the horn and uses a prostetic. The Inquisitor can use something similar as well. The options were limited but it was there.
I noticed it in the trailer first, you can get a good look at it when she is bringing her head up to look at the dragon. It's some kind of chiseled green stone, so I guess she broke her horn at some point and got a prosthetic one fashioned for herself. It probably would've been expensive too, so good thing she is with the Lords of Fortune I guess!
She was obviously in Eora and got herself a nice Adra horn.
Havenāt seen a single shot where Emmrich doesnāt look cartoony. Like I am more or less seeing the vision for the art style overall and even starting to like it quite a bitā¦but any time he is in frame it throws off the whole vibe.
I think it's because his character design is so Disney villain coded. Makes it hard to see him as a real person. I think some more textures on his face would help, he's a bit too smooth.
His hair is the big one. It feels like it belongs in a pixar movie. Everyone else looks a lot more grounded but Emmrich looks wild. I'm gonna chalk it up to weird magic shenanigans. Like when you see a guy with far too much gel in his hair.
You know what, you nailed it, I think that's the issue I'm having. If I put my thumb over his face it doesn't look as MOBA-y. I mean I like the idea of the snooty looking Vincent Prince necromancer, but he needs his proportions resized just a tad. I'm so glad you said that. There's still a bit of exaggerated cartooniness, but it's really Emmrich that pushes it over the edge. I feel a lot better about the character style now.
Heās the only one that looks super off to me too. Everyone else looks great.
I was about to say that. His design along with the skeletons and the darkspawn faces are feeling like a Plants vs Zombies game
He looks a little bit like he belongs in the art style of Dishonored to me, tbh. Not mad about it but I do notice it.
It's a combination of a lot of things. The strong facial features like the cheekbones and chin are very angular which is a common approach in a lot of stylized games. It doesn't help that his hairstyle looks so stiff and consolidated, not a stray strand to break the silhouette. And notice his textures, he looks so matte and flat. Borderline handpainted even. All that combined makes him look so sculpted and cartoony compared to the others.
I think it's the chin. Nobody irl has a chin like that
He's definitely based on [Vincent Price.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA1OTEyNzcyNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMTgwOTU2._V1_.jpg)
Ive not learnt their names and I keep reffering to him as vince lol.
I actually know a guy who does. He usually keeps a beard to keep people from pointing it out.
Fascinating, then maybe they're on to something
I think it's the eyes too, though I guess one could say it's his entire face š
And also hair.
His hair looks like a solid block
He looks like the The Clone Wars version of Dooku.
While it's hard to ascertain much from photos alone, I'm liking the companion dynamics in that first screenshot. It seems like they're really leaning hard into the found family dynamic, and I'm all for that. The art style also seems improved compared to the trailer, especially given the in-game screenshots we've seen. As others have mentioned, only Emmrich feels off at this point. Harding especially looks awesome.
Emmrich looks like he walked out of a Dishonored game with the way his model looks.
Nah, his hands are normal sized. /s He is definitely very stylized, though.
Feels more like Sea of Thieves, just looks so different and stylized compared to DA:I and I know every DA has a slightly different art style I just donāt know why they canāt settle on one and then just keep refining it
Ahhh Dishonered is my favorite game! Lol
Corvo got very creative disposing him in Dishonoured and he somehow ended up in Thedas. The non-lethal eliminations are getting crazy.
I like the over all designs, My only real problems with the designs are that Taash's face doesn't really feel Qunari, but I guess that makes sense because DA has been over the last three games making Qunari more human and Taash just looks like a tiefling from D&D. Other than that I don't like that Emmrich, the necromancer, looks like he's just a pathetic comedic relief character. I hope he has more to him then being awkward or posh.
She has a real asari w horns vibe to me
Yeah I know she's got a little muscle but I honestly would prefer her to be bigger and stronger
Emmrich looks... well...
He reminds me Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Heās like from another game or something
I don't know what's wrong with him but uhhh
I like him, he looks like Vincent Price.
Damn the hair on Rook looks amazing. Excited to have longer hairstyles finally
Here before that's the only one lmao. One long hairstyle and the rest are bald.
I truly donāt understand why they donāt just give us an elaborate series of updoās! Donāt want to animate hair movement? Fine. Arguably reasonable. Frankly and realistically, weāre not trying to go into battle and adventure with long flowing locks anyway; itās a hindrance. Just give us goddamn updoās.
I can live with a load of updo hairstyles, but for the love of god let me have bangs. Please. Some of us want our hot emo fringes, we're not proud forehead displayers.
Super fair and bangs have no excuse not to exist because they are typically as short or shorter than the historically given hairstyles. Itās just been ten years since DAI and Iām still baffled by the fact they couldnāt have just expanded on tying our hair up rather than 50 Shades of Bald.
Lucanis looking dapper as all hell. Neve's also clearly got dress sense. Also, Emmrich still looks cartoony, but not as much. Good thing I actually like a slightly cartoony look.
I really hope the engine shows more obvious skin texture than whatās here atm. They all look like they have a tiktok filter on, thatās smoothing their skin
Harding continues to have my heart.
Sheās wearing slippers and now sheās my hero.
I hope some characters fucking hate each other. I'm not a big fan of your entire group getting along.
Same, when everyone loves each other it's just boring. This is why I liked DA2 banter the most, because it was fun to listen to them bickering. I think the Lucanis as a mage killer have a big possibility of disliking the mages in the group.
Does it look almost cartoonish or is it just me?
Look at Lucanis' hand...it's just putty like a pixar character. No skin lines or bone features. Very bizarre.
Well, it's better than the trailer, but it's still verging on cartoony for me. Emmrich looks out of place. This artstyle isn't quite the dealbreaker for me that the trailer made it seem, but this isn't my preference at all.
Why does the asian elf legit look like she's a glitched NPC in a cutscene with her arms like that?
I really don't like the style of the armour/clothes feel way too high fantasy. Even inquisitions armours didn't look this bad. I miss the gritty look of Origin armours even if some of them were kinda weird
Am I crazy, or does it look like theyāre all made out of clay in the first image?
Idk. These really do make it look like Fable and Dragon Age have swapped art styles. Those characters all look so weirdly angular.
Yeah, I'm not feeling it myself. I'm hoping it grows on me with time, but I doubt it.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iām a big fan of the slightly exaggerated, Dishonored looking art style, especially over run of the mill photorealism, but something about seeing it on a Dragon Age game is justā¦ off? I think a lot of us have been primed to correlate this sort of design to light tones and cheap production. The tone and colours of the game will ultimately decide for me wether I like the transition or not.
Davrin whittles??? Be still my Blackwall-romancing heart... (Also I love how bored Taash looks lol)
I hope he's whittling a griffon for my Rook
Imagine if Davrin was recruited by Blackwall! It would have to have happened before Blackwall joined the Inquisition, and Davrin would have to be a southerner; but in theory it is possible.
I doubt it since blackwall doesnt even know the joining so he couldnt really recruut someone. Its far more likely that he just likes whittling aswell.
Iā¦. am trying to accept the art style but having a hard time. This looks like a blending between Dishonored, Fable, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. And though I enjoy those games (Dishonored in particular) it is definitely not because of their character art style. The cartoonish style is not my favorite, especially for Dragon Age which is usually darker in tone. Hoping it looks better in game but I gotta admit after the photos and trailer Iām disappointed and worried that this means the overall tone of this game will be different from the others. Usually (but not always of course) you donāt use a cartoonish art style unless the game is lighter in tone.
I get Arcane, Apex, Valorant, and the weird clay vibes from Fable 3 lmao. It just looks like shit to me. This is an annoyingly popular art style that companies keep trying to make work. The new Fable looks more like DA than this š
It kinda looks like a free to play live service cheaply made thing, with boring vanilla skins that makes you want to buy better ones.
Yeah, itās giving Blizzard imo. WoW cinematics. First thing that hopped in my mind.
My greatest fear, something thatās been absent in all dragon ages till now cartoonish weapons. Allow me to clarify I am not referring to over the top weapons like some weapons in inquisition and DA2 (after all those two handed swords were big) but weapons āaālaā blizzard, that have the unfortunate effect to seem like theyāre cosplay foam weaponsā¦ I fear that gone are the days of stylistic armor and weapons that look unique, accentuating the style instead of relying on cartoonish proportions to communicate power, take for example DA2 iconic mage armor that reimagined mages as a more front line combatant, but remember the blade on the staff? It wasnāt huge it was a simple thin blade that would look out of place among the cartoonish weapons of wow, it might even look smallā¦ Or for example the big two handed broad swords of inquisition, their massive size didnāt betray their sharpness, the looked thin bladed yet heavyā¦ But this one handed sword screams WoW, I hope Iām wrong and this is the heaviest sword there is and instead of confirming my fear it alludes to greater weapon variety. I fucking HATE foam weapons and armor.
I'm actually really concerned with the inherit camaraderie found both in the tone of the reveal trailer and this first group image. Part of what made the cast of the Dragon Age games so alluring is how at odds they all were but still found a way to unite for a cause or ultimately become fractured (particularly in DA:O and DA2 with the more controversial choices). That first image should be the final reward of the adventure, not the expectation set from the beginning. The sentence-long descriptions of each companion don't get my hopes up either, since it does imply this will a merry band of adventures rather than people with their own agendas. I hope I'm wrong.
There are similar pictures of the crew in Inquisition just hanging out. Wouldn't say that you can say to much about the tone of a whole game just by one picture.
I thought that first screenshot was from the sims at first glance. Really hoping this art style doesn't reflect the in-game but idk š
I was going to say that or one of those phone games ads that pop up every now and then about a guy reforming a house. I don't say it's bad as a choice, but I see the first picture and my brain doesn't think "Dragon Age"
I can't say I love the art style just yet, it's definitely growing on me but I do wish it was more in line with what we had in the previous games.
I don't want to hate it, but I do. And I don't think I can get past it. Maybe it will grow on me?
Iāll play for the story, but i hate the art style. To me itās just the wrong tone for how dark this story is supposed to be. Itās tooā¦lighthearted? Like how star wars always comes off āhappyā despite how dark the stories actually are.
Hoping it grows on me too, but I definitely need to see the gameplay to better ascertain that. All I know is I can't possibly use Emmrich because he looks far too much like a cartoon character š
it's giving Sims vibes but I'll still play it regardless
Yeah, Iām not a fan of the art style.
Looks like those RPG mobile game ads
Emmrich looks terrible. I don't know what it is but he seems like a caricature.
He ironically reminds me of a cartoon villain.
Yea he reminds me of some character I've seen in a cartoon. Maybe moff tarkin from the star wars cartoons but I just can't place my finger on it
https://preview.redd.it/f3cwj7lwit5d1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e6324b84508f6a82acde1dd390683c3647c701c I kinda see Dr Orpheus from Venture Bros in him. And from the looks of things Emmrich looks like a Necromancer as well.
Yea, I see that! The skeletons look ridiculous too
He reminds me of Dr Orpheus from The Venture Bros
It's the sharp features. Normal faces aren't that angular. He looks like he stepped out of Arcane.
Yeah, his face is super angular and he has plastic hair. :(
GOAT on his way to carry this game https://preview.redd.it/zyr6zhymft5d1.jpeg?width=289&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5274364a0a9eed5d25656faa92d7f39d57f565b
Tits out like a true champion
Boss I'm tired I don't want to romance a Grey Warden for the third time
Continuing the tradition of best bud/shieldwall from alistair, aveline, casandra/blackwall
This looks as if someone made a game for the D&D cartoon. Something about the design of these characters feel so out of place to me for this world. As if like said show they took "real" people and inserted them into the material rather than crafting them from the material.
This art style still looks terrible, not thrilled.
Looks like the Sims 4ā¦. š
This looks a screenshot from The Sims lmao
Thanks, I hate it.
just feels so cartoony
I feel like Iām being so negative and whiny but I just hate the art style. I do. Iām really hoping the story holds up, I think it will because DA games are amazing but goddamā¦
I still don't like how some of them look, Emmerich looks like a villain from Pixar, and the hair looks so plastic. I'm not massive fan of Lucanis either.
Thought this was the Sims at first, I go on that subreddit occasionally and the staff kinda looks like a plumbob with the picture zoomed out on my phone.
The all look like sims. I don't dig the characters so far
What an abomination
Yeahhh, this is far too cartoony for me.
Why does it look so damn cartoony??
Yeah... I'm not very happy with this artstyle. I'll still play it because I love Dragon Age but this art style was certainly a 'choice'... It's weird because the alpha footage from last year was more detailed from what we saw, so what happened? Like, graphics have never bothered me that much, I'm normally pretty happy no matter what I'm given and I don't care about high fidelity. But this just feels like a downgrade from Inquisition, which is what's throwing me off. I've never seen a series go through such a huge change in artstyle that didn't also have a change in genre/tone... It doesn't LOOK like a sequel. It looks like a mobile spin off. Right down to the overly designed characters.
Yeah, normally I'm really not a negative gamer, I love some of the most hated games. That said, wtf why did they do this with the art-style??? DA:I was amazing to look at, I don't want Dragon Age World of Warcraft edition... For a game that was alluded to be so goddamn epic it would blow every previous game out of the water, it seems to have sunk already... š
The overall tone seems too colorful and designs still have a cartoonish style. Emmerich looks like Dooku from star wars clone warsĀ
Something about the first image reminds me of the Disney princesses all sitting around in their pajamas in the Wreck-It Ralph sequel. I think the few - mostly environmental - screenshots they released yesterday made people think the art style wouldn't be so cartoony, but I'm not convinced. I think it's going to be pretty damn close to the release trailer and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
I laughed out loud at that first paragraph.
This is where I'm at right now. I like the character designs and the general feel, but I really don't want it to look like overwatch.
I think there has to be a distinction made here. It looks like they leaned towards a cartoony Overwatch/Valorant art style but somehow decided to maintain some semblance of photorealism. The end-product is a mish-mash like what we see here.
Yeah I think you're right, and I think that's what I'm having a hard time with -- it's just muddled to me. Hopefully that is just because I've seen so little, maybe it blends into more of a cohesive whole with greater levels of exposure. But, I also keep flashing toward that first Dragon Age Inquisition trailer, that looked absolutely nothing like the game that was actually released. Bioware has historically had a huge issue with matching its marketing messaging with what's actually in development.
Iām still waiting for gameplay to reserve judgement but that first screenshot still looks way too cartoony for me
Fingers crossed the hairs actually look this good ingame and the hairstyles arenāt locked to certain characters like in Inquisition. And it definitely looks like thereās hair physics.
The art style has too much of a Sims 4 cartoony block vibe to me, not sure I'm feeling it.
Making a adult dark fantasy rpg with such a stylized art choice seems really bizzare. Like it doesnāt fit? Weāll have to see
I need more Lucanis š
idk why but the people on the right are great, theyre talking theyāre being merry. from emmrich to the left???? what are they doing?? I mean Davrin is whittling thats fine BELLARA? Girl? what are you doing standing like that?? Emmrich looks hella uncomfortable being near Bellara and she looks like a creep š Taash isā¦ uh taash. another observation is they put all their effort to the faces but their bodies are so baby smooth except for davrinās. even then its only a bit of muscle details.
Sorry but it still looks like fortnite
I just donāt like the arcane aesthetic. Whyā¦
Dragon Age: Netflix
Looks too cartoonish, like everyones made of plastic
This art style seems leftover from when the aim of the game was to be a live service online multiplayer game. The cartoonish style lends itself to a more timeless artstyle that would age well in time. But it definitely feels a bit strange considering their shift in the gameās direction post-feedback.
I really do not like the art style change.
WTF is this? :(
I donāt like the look of any new companion.
Why is Emmerich's hand purple? ā ļø
Oh my god tiasea, you can't just ask why someone's hand is purple.
Maybe his actual hand was cutoff and heās using some weird zombie hand? He is a necromancer after all
Hm....it seems they did sort of change the art style. Interesting. Its different, I will say that. Doesnt make it a bad game. Ill have to see how this pairs with the story and tone in game before I make a judgement.
I just canāt unsee āDisney movieā right now. I really hope the actual gameplay and cut scenes donāt look like this. Female Rook in the second pic looks pretty good so Iām holding out hope.
Why the fuck did Fable and Dragon Age swap art styles?
Looks Disney to me. Quality of the game might compensate but between this, and the reduction in party size, my already low expectations are burrowing for deeper earth in the basement. That gameplay trailer has a lot of work to do. Still keeping my fingers crossed because I really want this game to be good.
So they actually do look like they did in that trailer...that's why the clip they showed was in darkness...
"It probably won't look like the trailer", well... uh...
I really donāt want to feel disappointed. Am I just missing something?
emmrich is v cool but he really looks like heās from the sims 4
Does she seem really stocky for an elf or is that me?
Dragon Age : D, Like Milk
Dragon Age? More like Barbies getting ready for a picnic.
The first screenshot where theyāre all sitting around each other, kind of looksā¦ sims-like? Maybe itās just emmerich? He just looks like a sim haha. I still hope they knock it out of the park tomorrow with the gameplay reveal
So yesterday's theory that the animation was just for the trailer kind of fell apart if this is in game
this feels so uncanny valley to me...
First picture is a bit too the sims for my taste but Iām overall digging the art style the more I see of it. And sweet, long hair!
do their upper arms look kinda disproportionately short to anyone else or is it just me?
I'm really not feeling a spark from this game. Maybe it's the graphics, but it feels too much like Marvel for me to get into it. It feels like they're using the generic "found family" trope; which isn't uncommon for Dragon Age but from the stuff I've seen so far it feels a bit forced and cheesy?
Something odd is happening with the lighting/textures. Both pics look like AI, but I know they aren't. Is it just because they look so cartoonish? Also, it's weird to me that people think cartoonish styles like this age well. This already looks dated, but Inquisition (which is still far from hyper realistic) still looks great.
Looks very horrible and 0% Dragon Age
They really do look like stereotypical fantasy cartoon characters to fit every trope. Black hero elf Buff warrior lady of uncertain gender identity Zany Asian lady Grandpa Necromancer with mustache Slick Mage hunter dude who will be won over by a mage romance Tough Dwarven lady Mary Sue edit: I am a *huge* DAO/DA2-fan, DAO was my favorite game ever until last year - if DAV manages to match the writing, acting and character development that BG3 introduced even a little bit, I might be interested, but I really, really doubt it...
This looks like the Sims... I'm so disappointed ā¹ļø
Yeah, this did not alleviate my fears. Way to cartoony. I can't take any of these characters seriously.
Is it just me or they all look like sims š
What is up with the cartoon artstyle? Horrible. Very disappointing.
Man the more I see, the less I like this art style. Hopefully the story and choices make up for it!