Dragon Age: The Veilguard vs The Outer Worlds 2

One trusts you to parry and detonate; the other trusts you to talk your way through corporate dystopia.

Updated 11d ago

Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover
Dragon Age: The Veilguard 8.0/10 Strong

Better than its 40 player score, weaker than its 80 from critics — the combat nails it, but no companion ever disagrees with you.

The Outer Worlds 2 cover
The Outer Worlds 2 8.3/10 Strong

Obsidian writing is back at full peak — Outer Worlds 2 sharpens what the first game whispered, with companions and corporate satire that finally feel essential.

By the numbers

Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.

Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.

Measure Dragon Age: The Veilguard The Outer Worlds 2
Value Dragon Age: The Veilguard wins on value
Price now $20.99 −65% · Steam $69.99 Steam
All-time low $17.99 $34.99
Cost / hour $0.74/hr $20.99 · 28 h main story $3.78/hr $69.99 · 18 h main story
Off its low +17% low was Jun 2026 +100% low was Jun 2026
Main story 28 h 18 h
Health The Outer Worlds 2 wins on player health
Steam reviews 68% 45k reviews 74% 9k reviews
Recent reviews 62% 244 votes · vs 68% lifetime · souring 64% 235 votes · vs 74% lifetime · souring
Peak players 1,235 Jul 2026 · ↑ 10% MoM 1,268 Jul 2026 · ↑ 20% MoM
All-time peak 60,656 Nov 2024 · now at 2% 18,187 Nov 2025 · now at 7%
Support
Last patch 19 months ago 3 weeks ago
Patch cadence 0 in last 90 days 2 in last 90 days
Steam Deck Gold Gold

Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Nov 2024 – Jul 2026
The Outer Worlds 2
Nov 2025 – Jul 2026

What players say

Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Love

Players who stuck with it credit the prime-and-detonate combat and the romances, and several say they enjoyed it far more than they expected to.

Struggle with

Series veterans say the writing lost its moral weight and that Thedas here feels generic next to Origins.

from our July 2026 verdict

The Outer Worlds 2

Love

The witty satire, memorable characters, and goofy tone keep players engaged for hundreds of hours.

Struggle with

Frequent fatal crashes and unstable saves after patches plague long-term playthroughs.

from our May 2026 verdict

Key differences

Combat style
Action combat focuses on parrying and detonating instead of pausing to issue commands.
FPS combat is serviceable but a notch behind dedicated shooters of 2025.
Companion depth
No companion ever disagrees with you; there is no disapproval system at all.
Companion banter, quest reactivity, and romance are load-bearing systems that drive the narrative.
World design
A polished 40-hour fantasy campaign with linear progression and no save import.
Zone-based maps, not a seamless open world; less freedom than Bethesda-scale RPGs.

Which one is for you?

Pick Dragon Age: The Veilguard if

  • You prefer action combat over tactical pause-and-order.
  • You are new to Dragon Age and want a self-contained 40-hour story.
  • You want a polished fantasy RPG at a discount without needing prior save imports.

Pick The Outer Worlds 2 if

  • You loved Fallout New Vegas and want Obsidian's sharp writing again.
  • You prioritize deep companion interactions, reactivity, and romance.
  • You enjoy satirical corporate dystopia that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Bottom line

Choose Dragon Age: The Veilguard for fluid action and a standalone story; choose The Outer Worlds 2 if you crave Obsidian's companion-driven satire.

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