The fourth main entry in BioWare's beloved RPG series has been a long time coming, and fans are beyond excited for the upcoming release of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. There are lots of changes coming to the franchise with the next installment, but many players hope that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will still be another chance to explore the world of Thedas further and meet old faces and new ones in a title that retains the spirit of its predecessors. From what gamers know about Dragon Age: Dreadwolf so far, it seems as if the next installment will be bringing back some familiar favorites like the roguish dwarf Varric, but other older elements could be reintroduced as well.
For the first time in the franchise, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be a direct sequel. The game will follow a new protagonist as they bring together a cohort of different characters and attempt to stop Solas before the elven mage is able to tear down the Veil and unleash chaos. Plenty of fans have theories for how the next game will play out, but BioWare has been fairly tight-lipped about details. What many are looking for in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is a celebration of the series so far combined with newer elements that herald a fresh chapter for the franchise, and bringing back a mabari companion could be the perfect embodiment of this.
Mabari Companions In Dragon Age Games
The Dragon Age games are full of mythical creatures like the titular winged beasts, as well as original ones like the Darkspawn. These usually take the form of enemies to defeat or threats to vanquish, but one of the friendlier creatures that players can meet along their adventures are the mabari. These muscled dogs are a respected and noble breed and are much more intelligent than the average mutt, which makes them not only loyal companions but useful allies in battle as well. The Warden in Dragon Age: Origins could have a mabari companion either from the start of the game or after they reach Ostagar, depending on their chosen origin, but their appearance in the later games became more and more infrequent.
Dragon Age 2's The Black Emporium DLC allowed gamers to summon a mabari war hound, but Dragon Age: Inquisition only featured the beloved dogs in passing. Of course, there was the adorable scene in the third game's monumental Trespasser DLC where the Inquisitor's adviser Cullen could be found playing around with a mabari in the courtyard during the Exalted Council, but the dogs were otherwise mostly absent. There are potentially some interesting companions already being introduced in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf if rumors are to be believed, but resurrecting a mabari ally would be a great nod to the origins of the franchise.
A Mabari Companion In Dragon Age: Dreadwolf
It's no secret that dogs and other furry friends can be popular additions to any game. Stray made a whole award-winning experience based around a cat, and there's a Twitter account called @CanYouPetTheDog with over five hundred thousand followers that is just dedicated to cataloging "pettable animals in video games". Titles that include dogs as potential companions ensure that they have a surefire ingredient that endears them to players, in addition to offering an alternative to the standard humanoid NPC partner. From Dogmeat in Fallout 4 to the faithful dog in Fable 2, canines can undoubtedly make the best companions.
The Dragon Age series may have already featured a mabari companion in Dragon Age: Origins, but the war hound breed has been mostly relegated to the sidelines ever since. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is the perfect opportunity to bring back a mabari companion and add them to the roster of NPCs that players will team up with to take down Solas. Considering that one of the origin stories of the highly intelligent breed is that they were the creation of magisters from the Tevinter Imperium, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf's setting also serves as a suitable stage for the mabari's return.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.