Dragon Age 4 Trailer

[owlmoose]

Okay, I am 100% aware that I'm going to be in the minority on this but...

Varric, AGAIN???

I have nothing against Varric. In fact, I adore Varric. He's a great character and I enjoy having him around. But one of the things I like about Dragon Age as a series is that we get introduced to new characters and new places in the world. And I like how the stories build on what came before, which is difficult when you have a character who could have been involved in the backstory in numerous different ways, and you need to move the story forward in a way that 1. is comprehensible to new players and 2. doesn't break the universe for anyone who played a previous game.

Also, I am dreading the inevitable fandom drama when Varric is unromanceable yet again -- and I would be deeply, deeply shocked if the devs changed their minds on this one.

Now maybe he's just narrating the trailer. If so, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Time will tell I suppose.

Comments

[singedsun]

Yeah, I'm with you. I do love him, but I was hoping maybe we were getting Zevran by the kind of character we got on screen. Still, I'm very excited to see Tevinter.

[owlmoose]

Super excited to see Tevinter! And have been ever since the end of Trespasser.

Zevran would be great. Dorian would probably make the most sense (and would also be great!).

[alias_sqbr]

I'm with you, and suspect this may not be all that unpopular an opinion. I wouldn't mind him being in the game, but preferably to the extent that like...Leliana was in DA2. Offering a little continuity via a scene or two but not otherwise hugely significant.

[owlmoose]

Yep, I'd totally welcome that, too.

I admit, since I'm not really active in DA fandom these days, I don't have the pulse on what opinions are and are not popular. :) This post was mostly in reaction to the general tone in a chat community where I hang out, in which the instant and apparently universal comment was "omg yay Varric he had better be a romance option", which I remembered so well from the early days of DAI trailers, and feeling very out of step with everyone.

[lassarina]

I feel you. I love Varric, he can have a voice-over or two, but a little cameo would be the best.

[owlmoose]

Yeah. And not just Varric, really -- I generally prefer it when major characters from earlier games show up as cameos or otherwise in smaller roles. Or when side characters become companions, like Isabela and Cassandra. Having the same characters as companions game after game would start wearing a little thin for me.

[lassarina]

I also feel like it gets....hard to have compelling arcs for characters over and over again.

[owlmoose]

Yes! Especially when the character's well-being and emotional state can change quite drastically depending on player choices.

[jaininae]

I had the same reaction haha. Tho I feel my opinions of Varric might be even more unpopular than yours. I loved him in DA2, but didn't think he was really necessary in DA:I. Like, I understand why he was there, but i dunno I just wasn't a big fan of him being apart of the story. Tho part of my feelings may have to do with DA:I's story as I wasn't a big fan of that either.

That said, I do kinda like what this may signify in terms of him coming back. This post speculates that he might come back as the new protag's employer, which I like the idea of because I've always been curious about Varric's connections in Kirkwall (idk if he was a spymaster exactly but some of my favorite dialogue with him kinda revolved around him possibly being one).

I wouldn't hold my breath on him being a romanceable option in DA4, but tbh, if given the option, I'd totally take it. I never really understood why people wanted to romance him so badly so I kinda wanna see what it'd be like, yanno.

[owlmoose]

I was quite vocal at the time about not wanting Varric (or Cullen, for similar reasons) to be a companion in DA:I. Given that it happened, I think it worked out all right, but I have SERIOUS doubts that they could pull it off a third time without it feeling like pure fanservice. Same thing about writing a romance, especially now that we've met his It's Complicated.

That post brings up a very interesting thought, and I would probably mind Varric less in that kind of role.