Summary
As serious and story-dense as BioWare games tend to be, they just can’t seem to resist adding a few cheeky nods here and there. The developer has a long history of games, and with it, a long history of devoted fans. So it only makes sense BioWare would want to show its appreciation to them.
Dragon Age: The Veilguardis no different, including plenty of callbacks and Easter eggs referencing past titles and other games entirely. This fantasy epic stands on its own. But like an episode of Family Guy, it can’t help itself with the references.
10Jenny’s Belt
The Friends Of Red Jenny Are Spreading North
Despite being one of themost underrated Dragon Age characters, the delightfully chaotic arrow lesbian Sera from Dragon Age: Inquisition still thankfully seems to get plenty of appreciation from BioWare. A couple of references in Mass Effect: Andromeda already proved that, and now Dragon Age: The Veilguard has followed suit.
One gear item you can find is Jenny’s Belt, whose name already calls back to Sera’s status as one of the Robin Hood-esque Friends of Red Jenny. But its description goes a bit further, almost seeming to be written by Sera herself, complete with plenty of mentions of bees. The Veilguard needs bees.
9Party Member Recipes
Binging With Bellara
While not a specific Easter egg or reference, this rather hidden detail is very much worth mentioning, especially for the more culinary-minded fans. During your time in your home base, the Lighthouse, you should eventually see scenes with Lucanis, Harding, and Emmrich involving food.
These unlock some codex entries that actually contain full recipes supposedly by several of the characters. These range from Harding’s simple but interesting offerings like the Ham and Jam Slam to Emmrich’s mother’s detailed instructions for a Nevarran Hazelnut Torte. Give them a try, or wait for your favorite food YouTuber to do it instead, because you know that’s going to happen.
8A Long-Buried Titan
The Abominable Snow Dwarf
Dragon Age fans got to learn some truly juicy new lore about the dwarven people in The Veilguard, thanks mostly to Scout Lace Harding’s personal quest. As she strives to understand her mysterious new powers, she discovers it involves a connection to the ancient and massive beings known as Titans.
During a late mission with Harding that takes you into the mountains of Isana Negat, you can look off into the distance and see what appears to be the corpse of an actual Titan, spanning a huge swath of the mountain range itself. These colossal creatures were seen from the inside in the Dragon Age: Inquisition DLC The Descent, so have fun with the implications of seeing something this big on the outside as well.
7Bellara Has Some Calibrations
No Word On Her Reach And Flexibility Stats
Of course BioWare would reference its beloved sci-fiMass Effect series in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The two series have included Easter eggs to each other for years now, and far be it from this entry to stop now. When Bellara is working on the Eluvian early on, you can get a number of responses if you interact with her.
At one point, she might say “Sorry Rook. I’m just in the middle of some calibrations,” directly referencing the line Garrus uses in Mass Effect 2 to signify he’s got no new dialog. Frankly, more people should say that in real life, so everyone else knows when they have nothing to talk about.
6Control Reference
Get Your Own Fade Sand
In quite possibly the most unexpected Easter egg you could find in The Veilguard, this note references the trippy and fantastic Remedy Entertainment game Control. Considering the reality-bending nature of Control, references to it should feel commonplace, frankly.
But this one is more obscure than just some artifact showing up. In a deep section of the Necropolis Halls reached later in the game, a note can be found that directly parodies Dr. Darling’s infamous Sand Memo from Control, complete with a plea of “TOUCH NOT MY SAND” to cap it off.
5The Joining Chalice
So That’s Where That Went
Even given all the controversy about the game disregarding previous decisions,Dragon Age: The Veilguard still manages to include a referenceto the very first game in the series. Unfortunately, it happens during one of the most dire parts of the story.
During the seige of Weisshaupt, you make your way through the Grey Wardens' legendary fortress. This includes a library storing some important artifacts, one of which appears to be the very same joining chalice your character drank from when they became a Warden in Dragon Age: Origins.
4Sera Was Never
Her Tongue Told Tales In Tevinter And Treviso
As you’re making your way around Dock Town and Treviso, you’ll undoubtedly find several bards doing what they do along the streets. Their songs probably all sound familiar to some extent, but there’s one in particular that really speaks to the more chaos-prone players out there.
The instrumental version of Sera Was Never, first appearing in Dragon Age: Inquisition throughout Fereldan and Orlais, can occasionally be heard from these friendly bards.Inquisition’s resident bee fan Seramused that it was the minstrel’s way of flirting with her, so if that tune has made it this far north, maybe Maryden’s crush has gone international.
3Please Don’t Touch That
Love Some Low-Key Anarchy
While some have been saying that BioWare has kind of lost its edge over the years, the developer’s love of disobeying rules remains strong. At least, it does when there’s a shiny thing nearby.
In the Veil Jumper vault in Arlathan forest, you can eventually go back after Bellara’s quest to see an artifact just sitting out in the open with a guard nearby. Interact with it, and they’ll get increasingly (and hilariously) frustrated each time you do. This has been a thing in Mass Effect 3 and Andromeda, happily inspiring insubordination among players everywhere.
2The Delicious In Dungeon Crew
Delicious In Thedas
Near the top of the Arlathan Forest map, you’ll find a bridge you can’t cross until a special mission with Bellara later on. But if you go down a bit from that position after that point toward one of the many interactable statues in the area, you’ll find an anime reference sure to make you hungry.
If you go there at the right time in the story, you’ll be greeted with three adventurers cooking some deepstalker meat around a fire. They’reclear references to the anime Delicious in Dungeon, where the premise involves the characters eating the monsters they kill along their journey. While Senshi’s pot lid shield is nowhere to be seen, the Wedge of Destiny cheese shield is a much-appreciated substitution.
1Souls Reference
The Dark Souls Of Easter Eggs
Perhaps one of the more chuckle-worthy Easter eggs in The Veilguard, this littlecheeky Elden Ring/Dark Souls referencegets the point across perfectly with just three words. While on your way to recruit Emmrich, you’ll see a note on a ledge that just says “Treasure… try down.”
The rather disjointed nature of it will feel right at home to fans of Elden Ring and the Souls games, which let players leave similar messages to each other using predetermined words. Luckily, if you follow this one off the ledge, you’ll actually find a treasure and not some… big lobster with an axe or something. Is that a Souls enemy? It sounds like a Souls enemy.
