Dungeons and Dragons first came into this world in the form of a set of three adventure books, way back in 1974. Since its primitive infancy, D&D has snowballed over the decades and has long since been followed by tabletop roleplay enthusiasts the globe over. In 1998, the highly regarded franchise took the brave step into the world of video games and Baldur’s Gate was born.
Fast forward to over twenty years later, and they have a plethora of video game titles, laying true testament to their popularity amongst the gaming community.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance will be the First of Many
Developers Wizards of the Coast have confirmed that Dungeons and Dragons: Alliance is to be the first instalment of a string of seven or eight games to come (woohoo). In an interview, the long-standing team said they were working on so many games with a view to attracting more gamers across a wide range of tastes. Dungeons and Dragons: Alliance is announced to be an action RPG, and to be honest, I can’t see many other angles they could take; certainly not seven or eight. I guess time will reveal all in the coming months.
The Four Playable Characters are Well-Known in the Franchise
Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, Bruenor and Wulfgar will be the familiar band of heroes that you will be able to play when the game lands this summer. Sadly – and somewhat unbelievably -, couch co-op will not be a feature from launch. Given the very premise of the D&D gameplay, this is a strange decision from Wizards of the Coast. Why this is so, I cannot ascertain.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance Gameplay
While we sadly won’t see local co-op at the game’s launch, we are confident enough to say that network play will at least be available. The actual combat looks to be running on a very similar path to many RPG-brawlers, with light and heavy attacks along with blocking bound to the more accessible buttons and specific special abilities linked to others.
Going by the trailer above, the game looks to be one that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Showing a giant sinking into some lava while giving flipping the bird (à la an obscene Terminator 2) and backing the whole video with a heavy track from the great Ozzy Osbourne; it does, however, look to be full of the promise of a true, fast-paced, action-filled, honest-to-good brawler (and yes, it did deserve all of those adjectives).
Furthermore, the short video available shows just what you have come to expect from a Dungeon’s and Dragons game; giants, orcs and ogres with a generous dash of dragons. Of course, axes, bows, swords and magic will also play a heavy part.
Release Date
Wizards of the Coast have announced a release date of June the 22nd of this year (2021). They also set many minds at ease by announcing it will be available on all current consoles. So, if you have a PS4, a PS5, an Xbox One, an Xbox Series X/S or a PC, you will be able to play this game from launch.
Conclusion
Despite not having played a D&D title since Baldur’s Gate 3, I am oddly excited for Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance. The world of Icewind looks enticing to a gamer, and my love of the fantasy genre is calling me to D&D:DA like few other games have done before. However, it could just be the Ozzy trailer track.
If you’re a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, this will be like a distant mirage, but will the improved visuals (and Ozzy) pull in a new crowd?