D&D: DARK ALLIANCE
Gut goblins galore in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: DARK ALLIANCE
Drizzt and friends return for an action-RPG that stabs first and picks dialogue options never.
If you’re looking for Dungeons & Dragons without the dice rolls then Dark Alliance is for you. It’s an intense, combat-focused action-RPG where you slay monsters, collect loot, and fight alongside a party of powerful heroes—but without the usual trappings of a traditional RPG. There are no walls of dialogue or deep, lengthy quests to be found here. Just a lot of goblins and other foul beasts to kill, and some very impressive looking locations to do it in.
In Dark Alliance we follow the Companions of the Hall, a legendary band of adventurers led by D&D favorite Drizzt Do’urden, as they search for a magical MacGuffin called the Shard. Armies of villains and monsters from all corners of Faerûn—the titular ‘dark alliance’—are lusting after the Shard and the power it holds, and you have to stop them. It’s a pretty standard fantasy plot, but given weight and authenticity by the involvement of veteran D&D scribe, and teller of some of Icewind Dale’s most memorable tales, RA Salvatore. The story takes place just after The Crystal Shard, the first novel in the author’s Icewind Dale trilogy, meaning there’s plenty of crossover with the books.
Icewind Dale is a chilly, frozen tundra, and one of the most storied and evocative regions of Faerûn. Fans of Black Isle’s classic Infinity Engine RPG of the same name will get an extra kick out of returning to this frosty realm of ice dragons, snowbound mountain passes, and deep dwarven halls. It’s Dungeons & Dragons at its best, and an enjoyably dramatic backdrop for an actionRPG. The world is immense in scale and layered with history, and it’s one of the most vibrant, vivid depictions of the Forgotten Realms I’ve seen in a game. Dark Alliance is a linear action game, so you don’t get to explore the world as thoroughly as you would in an RPG. But what’s there is stunning to look at.
The art is magnificent throughout—particularly the cavernous, atmospheric environments, which are like the covers of vintage fantasy novels come to life. A particular standout is a crystal fortress hidden in the mountains, crawling with creepy Shardworshipping cultists and glowing eerily in the pale moonlight.
You also visit the shattered remains of an ancient city, a massive dwarven forge that is criss-crossed with rivers of molten metal, and a twisting valley that’s become a ramshackle, makeshift city for a horde of bickering goblins. Everything here is exaggerated, colorful, and much larger than life, which is incredibly refreshing to see in this era of darker, more muted medieval fantasy.
FROSTY RECEPTION
The monsters look superb too. By the time you reach the end of Dark Alliance’s story you’ll have slain an entire bestiary of classic D&D monsters, including dragons, beholders, duergar, giants, trolls, wraiths, and thousands upon thousands of stinky, butt-slapping goblins. These familiar creatures have all been brought vividly to life, with expressive animation, amusing voice acting, and a spread of unique abilities that make them a joy to fight. They’re wonderfully hateful too, which makes running a sword through their guts extra delicious. This is the most I’ve enjoyed battling a bunch of monsters since Shadow of Mordor’s similarly characterful orcs.
The giant, flesh-eating verbeeg grab you with their chains and yank you towards them. Trolls are thick-skinned and have regenerating health. Duergar mages knock you off your feet with blasts of ice magic. Cultists teleport around the battlefield and shoot beams of arcane energy at you. It’s a really fun, varied selection of enemies—and you frequently fight several types at once, forcing you to mix your tactics up on the fly. It’s a relentlessly fast-paced game, rarely giving you more than a few seconds to catch your breath before the next scrap, which is exhilarating and, occasionally, slightly exhausting.
ELF INSPECTOR
The world is immense in scale and layered with history
There are four playable characters, each bringing a unique flavor to the combat. Drow ranger Drizzt is fast and athletic, carving enemies up with twin scimitars and siccing his spirit panther Guenhwyvar on them. Axe-swinging dwarf king Bruenor is the tank of the party, able to soak up huge amounts of damage, and draw aggro by taunting. Wulfgar is a barbarian who can whip himself up into a berserker rage and deal extra damage with a giant hammer. And Catti-brie is a bouncy, nimble archer