Dragon Age: The VeilguardandGrand Theft Auto 6are two of gaming’s most highly anticipated releases, both breathing new life into their respective, long-dormant franchises. Fundamentally, the games are extremely different, but bothGTA 6andVeilguardmake one similar narrative decision that could have a positive impact on both titles.
GTA 5is famous for its triple-protagonist structure, moving away from the traditional, solo hero formula that the series had been known for up until that point. But withGTA 6, it looks like Rockstar is taking a slight step back, with only two protagonists, who appear to be a couple. ForDragon Age: The Veilguard’s part, it is also scaling back its cast of primary characters, featuring only seven companions in comparison to the ten ofDragon Age: Originsand the nine ofDragon Age 2andInquisition. For both games, this truncation of the main cast may result in a more focused, well-tuned story.
GTA 6’s male protagonist, referred to as Jason by the fanbase, is assumed to be on equal narrative footing as Lucia, the primary protagonist, because of leaks, rumors, and other various clues. The full extent of his involvement in the story has not been touched on by Rockstar in an official capacity.
The Benefits of a Smaller Dragon Age Cast
Dragon Age: The Veilguardwill introduce new charactersalongside some familiar faces, as is the series' custom. With new, important characters joining the roster, it will be good for the game to give them extra breathing room, which would be harder to swing with a larger party. Many gaming companies seem to make an assumption that bigger is always better, often feeling the need to up the ante and provide more content, across every category, for a new entry in a given series. But this can sometimes lead to a loss of focus, making the overall experience less impactful.
A good example of thiswould be the controversialResident Evil 6.RE6has the most playable characters of any single-playerResident Evilgame, and the result is a story that is stretched far too thin to be properly impactful or entertaining. For a franchise likeResident Evil, which thrives on the backs of its charming, likable characters, this is a fatal flaw. TheDragon Ageseries is in a similar position, as its many side characters comprise the heart of the games' narratives. With a slightly smaller cast this time around,Veilguardhas a better chance of honing in on each character, rather than casting too wide a net.
GTA 6’s Dual-Protagonist Structure Could Make a More Intimate Story
It looks likeGTA 6will be heavily focused on Jason and Lucia’s relationship, which will lend a sense of romance and intimacy that is rarely seen in the series. In fact, relationship dynamics are almost never the main focus of any game, as they are usually relegated to side missions or sub-plots. By cutting down its protagonists to just two,GTA 6is positioned to tell a unique and emotionally resonant story by keying into subject matter that is underexplored in gaming.
This is an advantage that it has over its predecessors, mainlyGTA 5, whose trifecta of heroes made for an interesting story, but one that was slightly unfocused. A character like Trevor, for instance, is relegated to the position of an underdeveloped wildcard by virtue of the main group’s dynamics. But with just two main characters,GTA 6could separate itself fromGTA 5through a more intricate story of love and interpersonal relationships, free from the excess that can accompany games with larger casts.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
