Support NeoGAF

[iHaunter]

This is not a DND game. This is a janky action game with DND's name attached to to it.

 

[kiphalfton]

Graphics look awful, as does level design and character/NPC design. Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[CrustyBritches]

I have it pre-installed and ready to rock. Game Pass makes listening to other people's opinion optional. If it's no good, then on to SoT: Pirate's Life.

 

[Irobot82]

Bah I knew it. Game looked like trash from the get go. This wasn't a Dark Alliance game at all. Go ask some old snowblind guys how it's done.

 

[SF Kosmo]

I thought it looked pretty bad but this one s a bit worse than I imagined....

 

[Antwix]

That's a shame. Haven't looked at too much of this game, but it reminded me a bit of Gauntlet Legends from back in the day.

 

[bender]

Those old Diablo clones were shallow as hell, but the graphics for the time were phenomenal for that kind f game.

If those oldies had more content, randomized maps and way better monster/loot drops, it would be right up there with Diablo 2. They had the production values, but the meat and potatoes were bad. Diablo 2 was the reverse. Sprite based janky gameplay, but the best mouse clicking looter at the time.

The first game was really shallow but by the time they got to the Champions of Norrath games, they had improved on the formula a ton.

 

[RoboFu]

But are these people looking for a RPG or a dungeon hack n loot?

 

[II_JumPeR_I]

After playing the xbox Insider demo, i was surprised they still release it

 

[Banjo64]

Big oof. Pre-installed this yesterday. Deleting now.

 

[usctrojan]

Pcgamer seemingly liked it. Excited to test out for myself in coop.

 

[xray49er]

After playing the xbox Insider demo, i was surprised they still release it

This. I deleted it so quick and don't even plan on downloading the gamepass version.

 

[ssringo]

Not surprised. It looked jank from the first video.

 

[Zeeed]

.

 

[reinking]

I have it pre-installed and ready to rock. Game Pass makes listening to other people's opinion optional. If it's no good, then on to SoT: Pirate's Life.

I hope devs don't start putting the pass in Game Pass thinking it is okay to release buggy piles of poop since people will play it anyway.

 

[CrustyBritches]

I hope devs don't start putting the pass in Game Pass thinking it is okay to release buggy piles of poop since people will play it anyway.

Devs released enough buggy games before Game Pass, but your concern is duly noted.

Point stands: with Game Pass you don't need to take somebody's opinion, you can form your own opinion with pretty much zero financial risk.

 

[amigastar]

Honestly, wasn't expecting anything more.

 

[Isa]

I really, sincerely miss Snowblind. It greatly bothers me that they just nabbed the name for brand recognition when it has next to nothing in common with the originals. It just seems to be a low budget effort where most of the money went to the CG trailers. I will try it since its on gamepass, I know my best friend and his brothers will love it bugs and all, as they really only play mp stuff and prefer co-op. I don't like putting down devs for the most part, save for obvious greedy nickel and diming, so I wish them the best and perhaps a quick fix for the issues.

One of my main complaints though as someone who loves pouring over old D&D books, systems and art. Why can't they ever try anything other than the nasty ass 5th edition art style? I love the OSR scene, and there are a TON of potential worlds and styles they could have opted for that could have saved them a lot of cash on licensing. I wish developers and publishers were more willing to do some research before settling on known quantities.

During the PS4/One gen I was constantly wishing for a new Champions of Norrath game, even simple ports would suffice. Hell I remember playing Knack thinking the lighting from the crystals would look great in another hack'n'slasher. Diablo 3 was ok, I don't really like Path of Exile that much, and just want some simple couch co-op fun with my girl. For that though we have to replay the originals. I guess it just stuns me how much of a dearth in the market there is. The Ascent looks ace though, so there's that.

 

[AJUMP23]

Isn’t this game out today?

 

[CrustyBritches]

Isn’t this game out today?

Says about 8hrs to go on GP PC countdown, so about 10pm PT. I don't know if it's a simultaneous worldwide release or not.

 

[Dane]

Sounded janky from its first trailer on TGA i think, not even sure why it was picked up for Day One gamepass.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Reading this thread one could think this game is a complete disaster. It has a 70 on Opencritic and some reviewers genuinely liked it. I'ma try it tomorrow.

 

[kyoji]

I hope devs don't start putting the pass in Game Pass thinking it is okay to release buggy piles of poop since people will play it anyway.

dont worry being a game pass subscriber automatically makes a crappy game + 10 better

 

[Lanrutcon]

Reading this thread one could think this game is a complete disaster. It has a 70 on Opencritic and some reviewers genuinely liked it. I'ma try it tomorrow.

Did you watch the video in the OP? Looks like a 70 if we're scoring out of 200. I especially like the part where the enemy AI isn't enabled.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I have better ways to spend my time than trying to find the good parts in some 70 Opencritic “maybe not a total disaster” disappointing game. Don’t care whether it’s on Game Pass or not.

 

[Kimahri]

It was a D&D game without an ounce of character creation, which is the core of the D&D experience. I was expecting mediocrity, so these reviews come as no surprise. At least Gamepass will give me the option to play 15 minutes of it without buyer's remorse.

Lol, you sound exactly like the people who hated the first Dark Alliance back in the day. For me the main reason for playing dnd was never character creation. That was secondary. I played for the fun of going on an adventure with friends.

Hardly any video game adaptations of dnd let me do that, but this one will. So in a sense this game is more dnd for me than a game like Baldur's gate 3 ever will. I remain optimistic. Some reviewersseem to really like it.

 

[shoplifter]

One of my main complaints though as someone who loves pouring over old D&D books, systems and art. Why can't they ever try anything other than the nasty ass 5th edition art style? I love the OSR scene, and there are a TON of potential worlds and styles they could have opted for that could have saved them a lot of cash on licensing. I wish developers and publishers were more willing to do some research before settling on known quantities.

Probably Hasbro directive, plus they're trying to sell 5e books. For all intents and purposes, FR is modern D&D and that art style goes with it now. I'm with you though, give me some Erol Otus or Jeff Dee.

 

[Punished Miku]

Finally got to watch the video. Gameplay reminds me of Enclave.

 

[sloppyjoe_gamer]

Big oof. Pre-installed this yesterday. Deleting now.

I don't own this game or know much about it at all, but are you seriously going to delete a game you paid for without even trying it first?

 

[Banjo64]

I don't own this game or know much about it at all, but are you seriously going to delete a game you paid for without even trying it first?

Game Pass.

 

[Buggy Loop]

That's a shame. It showed promise in the trailers.

Really??



Soon as I saw this video for the reveal, I knew this would review badly.

 

[mejin]

I wonder till when MS will sign blindly to any dev to get those games on GP.

 

[MvCSpiderman]

Is this supposed to be a sequel to baldurs gate dark alliance?

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance reviewed on Xbox and PC by Travis Northup. Also available on PlayStation.

I badly wanted Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance to be an awesome co-op version of the pencil-and-paper tabletop RPGs I've loved for decades, but it just isn't. It's a bland, boring trek through repetitive encounters that's filled with bugs and annoying design choices, and though it allows you to play alone you absolutely should not do that because it's an imbalanced nightmare. I can praise its faithful look and feel, which captures much of what makes Forgotten Realms a great setting, but there's very little else to recommend about this unpolished mess of a hack-and-slash RPG.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

I have better ways to spend my time than trying to find the good parts in some 70 Opencritic “maybe not a total disaster” disappointing game. Don’t care whether it’s on Game Pass or not.

Idk, that's the beauty of Gamepass to me. I can try games without spending additional money, and more often than not I end up liking the games. It really doesn't help with the length of my backlog though.

 

[ClanOfNone]

lol, the psn preorder page has a full five stars with 46 ratings.
I'm assuming the single player balance issues will be patched, I'll try it out then. I grew up with these characters and I have a morbid curiosity to see how badly they've been butchered.
I had fun with Demon Stone back in the day, I'm hoping it'll have the same vibe.

 

[dorkimoe]

This is exactly why game pass is heaven on earth. Wont be out anything if it sucks, still going to give it a try.

 

[Captain Toad]

Looks awful from that video. 59 metacritic with 12 reviews thus far.

I guess have fun, all you enlightened free thinking “reviews are meaningless” people. I’m out.

I could gave told them game was going to be garbage a long time ago. I have to believe major publishers in the industry would have a better pulse on the situation than myself and others

 

[Captain Toad]

This is exactly why game pass is heaven on earth. Wont be out anything if it sucks, still going to give it a try.

Because it gets bad games?

No. Bad games aren't worth anyone's time.

I'm playing Like A Dragon on GamePass. Great game. THAT'S what GamePass needs to keep bringing. Not garbage like this.

 

[Lokaum D+]

 

[Zadom]

lol, the psn preorder page has a full five stars with 46 ratings.
I'm assuming the single player balance issues will be patched, I'll try it out then. I grew up with these characters and I have a morbid curiosity to see how badly they've been butchered.
I had fun with Demon Stone back in the day, I'm hoping it'll have the same vibe.

I enjoyed the books so I want to try it. Maybe the bad reviews will knock the price down fast and I will try it.

 

[Hendrick's]

This game always looked terrible.

 

[dorkimoe]

Because it gets bad games?

No. Bad games aren't worth anyone's time.

I'm playing Like A Dragon on GamePass. Great game. THAT'S what GamePass needs to keep bringing. Not garbage like this.

What? So you;d rather get jipped into paying full price for it? They dont do demos anymore, this is as close as we get. I didnt say "yay a shit game"....i said yay i dont have to pay full price just incase...i may still end up liking it, wont know until I play it..hence gamepass

 

[Inspector Q]

lol, the psn preorder page has a full five stars with 46 ratings.
I'm assuming the single player balance issues will be patched, I'll try it out then. I grew up with these characters and I have a morbid curiosity to see how badly they've been butchered.
I had fun with Demon Stone back in the day, I'm hoping it'll have the same vibe.

What the heck did they do to our boy, Wulfgar, though? lol

Dude looks like some generic bearded oaf wielding a giant 2-handed hammer. That is not Wulfgar. No idea what the hell they were thinking with that design. Why can't Drizzt and company get a decent game?

 

[Captain Toad]

What? So you;d rather get jipped into paying full price for it? They dont do demos anymore, this is as close as we get. I didnt say "yay a shit game"....i said yay i dont have to pay full price just incase...i may still end up liking it, wont know until I play it..hence gamepass

No. I wouldn't be dumb enough to buy a game that is obviously not good. I don't need to subscribe and pay to rent bad games to save myself money.

I want the rental service to let me play GOOD games. Games I would have bought anyway - games such as Yakuza Like A Dragon, which I'm enjoying on GP now. Give me more of that. Bad games are bad games whether they are full price, discounted or free. I don’t need them.

But if you need to subscribe to a rental service because you can't spot a bad game without it, I guess it works out for you.

 

[MagiusNecros]

This is not a DND game. This is a janky action game with DND's name attached to to it.

Shock and awe. Maybe noooooow people will understand why I had such a "hate boner" for it.

 

[hybrid_birth]

I ain't paying for this shit. Glad its on gamepass. Wait i am paying for gamepass, gosh dammit.

Fine. Enjoy my 5cents developers.

 

[PSYGN]

I laughed at the part where the arrows shot above the head of the enemies and having to be on a level field with the enemies for attacks to land. That's some elementary shit.

That said, some of the most fun I've had was with co-op games with rough edges like this.

 

[ClanOfNone]

What the heck did they do to our boy, Wulfgar, though? lol

Dude looks like some generic bearded oaf wielding a giant 2-handed hammer. That is not Wulfgar. No idea what the hell they were thinking with that design. Why can't Drizzt and company get a decent game?

Drizzt and company make appearances in the og Baldur's Gate rpgs. In BG2 you can enlist their aid to raid a den of vampires, it's fuckin awesome.
It's possible to kill Drizzt in the first game and take his gear. If you import it into BG2, Drizzt will mention it and then attack you.
I love them games so damn much.

 

[THE DUCK]

This is it boys, the future of gaming.

Ya right, like you expected this game to be 9.5/10 if not on gamepass? Please.