Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Concept Art Reveals a More Vengeful Solas
Early concept sketches by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas's character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. These sketches, showcased on Thornborrow's website, reveal a more overtly vengeful and god-like Solas than the advisor role he ultimately plays in the final game.
Thornborrow, who contributed to The Veilguard's development by creating a visual novel prototype to explore plotlines, shared over 100 sketches. While many scenes closely resemble their in-game counterparts, Solas's portrayal differs significantly in some instances. The concept art depicts him as a colossal, shadowy figure, far removed from his primarily dream-based appearances in the released game.
The contrast between the concept art and the final product highlights potential narrative shifts during development. While the initial Veil-rending scene seems largely unchanged, other depictions suggest a more direct, sinister involvement from Solas in the real world, rather than solely within Rook's dreams. This raises questions about the extent of Solas's actions and the overall narrative streamlining that occurred during The Veilguard's development.
The discrepancy is particularly intriguing given the significant time gap between Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, as well as the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's contribution provides valuable context, bridging the gap between initial creative visions and the final game experience. The sketches hint at a potentially darker, more powerful Solas that was ultimately toned down, leaving players to speculate about the discarded narrative threads.
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