Sword Coast Legends

 PC
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 247 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 100 out of 247
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 247
  3. Negative: 99 out of 247

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  1. jimbobslimbob
    Oct 20, 2015
    8
    Main Review
    I play PnP 3rd and 5th edition. I loved games like Neverwinter Nights, Baldurs Gate. The game itself is great fun - with a group of friends and a good DM. If you play with strangers or solo, maybe not so much. The current toolset is limiting at present, but with a bit of creativity on the part of the DM (and willing players) - you will find it actually is quite a good    Main Review
    I play PnP 3rd and 5th edition. I loved games like Neverwinter Nights, Baldurs Gate. The game itself is great fun - with a group of friends and a good DM. If you play with strangers or solo, maybe not so much. The current toolset is limiting at present, but with a bit of creativity on the part of the DM (and willing players) - you will find it actually is quite a good interpretation of PnP. The game gives you the option to play it in a hack-n-slash way, or with deeply involved RP - just make sure you are grouped with people that understand what you want out of the game and it will work for you.

    If we were to draw comparisons on games - it's like a mix between NWN and DA:O. If you liked either (or both) of those games, you may well like this. It's less "fully-featured" than NWN in terms of mechanics and toolset, but the similarities are there. Just beware of this going in.

    Graphically it is pretty good. Nothing to write home about, but it does what it does well enough. The music and sound is really good as well. Most main campaign quest dialogue is voiced, while other side-quests are not. There are no cutscenes for dialogue, the camera instead moved down nearer to the characters as speech takes place.

    The module creation toolset is okay. It is fairly limited at present (nowhere near the complexity of the NWN toolset, for instance). You can create/select areas based on pre-defined tilesets and place objects, creatures and the like in the area. Dungeons are randomly generated, based off several initial factors, such as difficulty, complexity, tileset, monster set etc. Once generated, you can then visit the area and further customise it to your liking, including adding bosses, quests, NPC,s and objects. The predefined quests are "kill boss", "kill monsters" and "collect materials" - which you can quickly assign and customise to your liking. There is also a custom quest generator to give you greater control over the quests. You can create monsters, NPC's and characters to add to your adventures - all with lots of customisation options such as appearance, abilities and attributes. You can even create custom creature sets. Modules can be uploaded to share with others in the world - and downloaded just as easy. This gives you instant access to a wealth of community content (with ratings), ensuring there is always something new to experience and will extend your play-time dramatically.

    The DM (Dungeon Master) mode is another important feature to the game. Here, you get to play as a "fifth character" (of sorts). In this mode, you don't control a party member or contribute to the game in a "normal" way, instead you take control of the other players experience - by customising it as they play. This can be in the form of adding or removing monsters, placing objects, setting up quests, possessing creatures and the like. This is where the game really opens up into much more of a roleplaying game. The way in which the players interact with the challenges the DM poses are key to the game - and as any D&D player will tell you, key to PnP (Pen and Paper) gaming as well. For example: you may have a locked door and a custom NPC guarding it. As the DM, you can talk to the players through this NPC - getting them to possibly roll a diplomacy check to appease the NPC. If the party fails, you could turn the NPC hostile and a fight will ensue. Another example: your party is crossing a bridge. As the DM, you can pause the game and ask the players to roll a spot check. If they fail you could spawn a hidden assassin to ambush them. The possibilities are endless - and the DM role is very important in this game. It's also quite a lot of fun to boot. DM's can be rated on three different categories (out of 5) - which players get to do at the end of a session. This means that you will hopefully know what you are in-for with a DM you do not know.

    The campaign has an interesting story and is generally quite enjoyable. Most of the things that are "missing" from module creation are present here - such as branching dialogue, skill checks and more "custom" areas. Companions are fully voiced, as is the main quest "path". Some of the voice acting is superb. It also features a novel addition whereby you are not forced to bring along certain party members if you don't want them, but they can still interact with you or talk to NPC's as if they were there. This means you are not forced to bring a party member along just for fear of missing something - and is a nice touch. You can play the campaign co-op with up to 3 friends as well, which is great fun.

    The game is brimming with potential, but it boils down to how you play it, to whether you will enjoy it or not. It's not NWN 3, but it is a solid D&D game that will keep you entertained for quite some time. The developers are very active and listen to suggestions - with any luck they will continue to improve the game post-release as well.

    Jimbo Rating: 8/10    … Expand
  2. 4verse
    Nov 19, 2015
    10
    "disclaimer": i got a refund just before release. i was a very stark critic of SCL and was disappointed. BUT then i saw that the devs really do listen to the community and what they have done/accomplished since my departure. so, i "re-bought" SCL and am SO GLAD i did. i am back and having a REALLY great time playing this game!
    so, i think i know, how many feel about SCL (positive and    "disclaimer": i got a refund just before release. i was a very stark critic of SCL and was disappointed. BUT then i saw that the devs really do listen to the community and what they have done/accomplished since my departure. so, i "re-bought" SCL and am SO GLAD i did. i am back and having a REALLY great time playing this game!
    so, i think i know, how many feel about SCL (positive and negative side).
    and after this "journey" I REALLY recommend this game. it may have issues, but again: the devs are listening, try to accommodate requests and are expanding the game as we speak for free (and as far as i know the coming DLC will be free for all owners! but dont quote me on that - it was said in the official forums)
    the main quest is AWESOME and as much D&D as can be. the ruleset is "based on 5e" - and even if some may not like "based on": there is already a community project to implement 5e ruleset as close as possible. oh, and thats right: modding support from the devs!
    give this game a (second) chance, maybe be a little bit patient and let the devs do their work and you will not be disappointed    … Expand
  3. Rearden7
    Oct 20, 2015
    8
    Swordcoast Legends delivers on many of its promises. The game is engrossing and pulls in D&D fans and RPG lovers alike. After playing the game for a little over 3 hours (as well as during the head start access) I have been thoroughly impressed.

    The character creation was deep enough to make me feel a connection to my character (who is an extension of my tabletop character.) The story    Swordcoast Legends delivers on many of its promises. The game is engrossing and pulls in D&D fans and RPG lovers alike. After playing the game for a little over 3 hours (as well as during the head start access) I have been thoroughly impressed.

    The character creation was deep enough to make me feel a connection to my character (who is an extension of my tabletop character.) The story pulled me in with great voice work and lively characters. There are plenty of laughs even early in the game. Interwoven into the story are dark characters and some tragic events as well that make you want to keep playing.

    While this is not pure D&D on a computer, but it does one of the best jobs of making D&D accessible and faithful. The DM tools are not as expansive as those in Neverwinter Nights, but they are much easier to utilize and far less intimidating. Only time will tell if this will lead to more modules and stories by new comers.

    Overall the game does everything I want it to do and with the promise of constant support from the designers I think it will provide many hours of gameplay for years to come.    … Expand
  4. NGeo
    Oct 20, 2015
    9
    Nice to see another D&D theme game although the game is not exactly d&d but more like an arcade version of d&d, needs some polishing, bug fixes etc. Would be more interesting if the game followed the 6party members concept of the original D&D. The campaign is interesting. Lets hope the support team will release some expansions-patches and enrich the content.
  5. Ardes
    Oct 20, 2015
    9
    Personally, having a blast. This game has MASSIVE potential. This will soon turn out as new D&D Classic, I tell you. Didn't expect I could DM so easily. 5th Edition rules are very similar, the feel of real RPG is there. Just play with good players! And with good, roleplaying Dungeon Master - you'll be amazed.
    See ya in Forgotten Realms...
  6. Elliana2113
    Oct 20, 2015
    10
    I've played the campaign for around 10 hours and I am really enjoying it. I don't know much about D&D lore so I can't speak on whether it stays true to the story or whether it compares with previous D&D games but I don't think it really matters (not to me anyway). What I do know is that it's fun to play, the story is rich and it looks great. I am enjoying all of the quests and narrativeI've played the campaign for around 10 hours and I am really enjoying it. I don't know much about D&D lore so I can't speak on whether it stays true to the story or whether it compares with previous D&D games but I don't think it really matters (not to me anyway). What I do know is that it's fun to play, the story is rich and it looks great. I am enjoying all of the quests and narrative (VO and music are excellent). Also, I am playing on a less-than stellar non-gaming laptop. My settings are low but it’s certainly playable and so far I haven't encountered any "bugs" (or any that have been noticeable to me).

    I dabbled in the Dungeon creation and it was very easy to customize. I could see this portion of the game being a lot of fun for those who want to play as a DM or just anyone who likes to create! There are countless (but not endless, which is good imo) options to make whatever you would want out of a dungeon. Again, I only messed around in it for a short time but within minutes I had a super awesome dungeon with horses hiding around every corner lol.

    I gave SCL a 10/10 because the replay value is extremely high and I am honestly enjoying every minute of it. Plus, it’s priced under what a 40+ hour long campaign game should be selling at, especially with the replay value. As someone who likes to quest, find lots of trinkets and be a part of a rich story – this game is all of that and then some!    … Expand
  7. Zeev
    Oct 20, 2015
    10
    Excellent campaign with great voice atcing and fun gameplay.
    The multiplayer has less features as expected but it is still fun to play as a DM.
    For 27$ I payed in GMG.com, it is worth the price!
    I do hope the multiplayer community will stay active despite all the negative reviews this game gets.
  8. Freesoul
    Nov 14, 2015
    8
    I don"t understand how this game can be rated so low ??
    I played the story and it was ok then I started some dungeon crawler sessions in COOP and just loved it, best fun I had with an RPG in a while :)
  9. deathweeper
    Nov 13, 2016
    10
    This games is honestly more like a 7.8/10 but it has received so much unjustified hate that I had to put a 10 to help balance it. This game really is quite good, the story is enjoyable, the combat good, and the atmosphere and lore is almost gold standard. Did I mention their is a lot of voice acting, that's right you don't have to read a large novel in small font of your screen, insteadThis games is honestly more like a 7.8/10 but it has received so much unjustified hate that I had to put a 10 to help balance it. This game really is quite good, the story is enjoyable, the combat good, and the atmosphere and lore is almost gold standard. Did I mention their is a lot of voice acting, that's right you don't have to read a large novel in small font of your screen, instead you can enjoy the game. Some people don't like how the rules are not strict and archaic as the board game. But honestly this is much much much better because it IS a computer game and not a board game. Best of all the story is linear, not some garbage gimmick where you have to pick choices you don't like and miss out on story you need to replay to see. A good story is linear, just like any book or movie.… Expand
  10. charyou
    Sep 25, 2016
    10
    This is Neverwinter Nights 3.

    Its a tragedy this game got **** on in official reviews. The core game is solid. Great environments, voice acting, character models. AAA quality and storytelling.

    The editor was an addition, not the game.
  11. ZaPaAl
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    Played the single player campaign and quite liked it. Story and pacing, voice acting were good, nice scenes, skills, items and feeling of progression. It needed quite some strategy in the beginning, even had to lower from hard to normal, but against the end normal was to easy. The ending does seem a bit rushed.
    Performance should be more fluid and the UI tends to hurt the eyes. (Font Size    Played the single player campaign and quite liked it. Story and pacing, voice acting were good, nice scenes, skills, items and feeling of progression. It needed quite some strategy in the beginning, even had to lower from hard to normal, but against the end normal was to easy. The ending does seem a bit rushed.
    Performance should be more fluid and the UI tends to hurt the eyes. (Font Size is beeing worked on).

    The negative reviews in their hostility are unfair and out of bounds, many of them complain about auto scaling, not strictly sticking to DnD Rules, not beeing like Baldur's Gate ... maybe that could be better, but in the end playing is fun enough.

    It has some distinct multiplayer features, like Dungeon Master and Cooperative Play. The DM editor looks capable of building some interesting online scenarios. In time, and with modding, it could be great.
    I would recommend this game. It's not far behind Pillars or Divinity and has some potential.    … Expand
  12. vagner13_cl
    Oct 27, 2015
    8
    Nice Graphics and Amazing sound. The engine is nice too and makes me recall BG and Icewind Dale games. The main story is ok but nothing special.
    The multiplayer is amazing and with the DM it becomes amazing.

    The game is a Forgotten Realms game but not a DnD game stuck to the core rules. If you want a core DnD game then SCL is not this game. Still it is fun
  13. Beladan
    Nov 25, 2015
    10
    I spent 25 years working in IT and made a comfortable living do so. Three or four years back, I changed careers and moved into human services. I work supporting individuals with disabilities in a group home setting along with managing 6 staff. So what?

    The point is, that if you look at dollar for dollar - I lost out big time. But the intangible benefits of doing what I do now make this    I spent 25 years working in IT and made a comfortable living do so. Three or four years back, I changed careers and moved into human services. I work supporting individuals with disabilities in a group home setting along with managing 6 staff. So what?

    The point is, that if you look at dollar for dollar - I lost out big time. But the intangible benefits of doing what I do now make this perhaps the most rewarding job I've ever had. The idea of intangible reward undergirds my review of the game.

    Sword Coast Legends is a solid game. It presents a slightly above average story for the player to play through and warrants a reasonable 7/10 from me in this regard. The story is somewhat pedestrian and does fall back onto the usual fantasy tropes and cliches. It's fun, has several neat story aspects and scratches the D&D itch pretty well.

    The second aspect to the game is the DM tool set. Here, you get to play DM and can build anything from a random encounter, to a fleshed out campaign. The DM is constrained only by creativity and willingness to work.

    The tools are adequate. Some things really need some work. The ability to chain conversations is lacking at this stage making dialogue a rather stilted affair. This is on the list to improve in the near future and will hopefully allow for more dynamic interaction when telling the story through NPCs. Quests are a little simplistic as well, and I found no real way to trigger quests from other quest elements. Quests let you have multiple objectives in completing them, but it's not possible to force these to be completed in any set order. After the quest is given, and before it is handed in, all stages of the quest are available to the player and can be completed in any order. There are some sub-optimal ways to get around this, but a little polish here would bring a lot of power to DMs in telling their story. Sound-effects type placeables, and better object collision rules would also be welcome additions. Unlike, say, Neverwinter Nights, it lacks a script engine at this stage. Complex scripting is not possible at this point in the game. For me, the tools rate another solid 7. There are some great ideas here, and some hints of better things to come with tilesets and such. NSoft seem to be committed to making some of these happen in the near future. I'm optimistic.

    The developers have clearly communicated a timetable for change. Critics seem to decry their willingness to listen to players, but my experience is that they are enormously plugged into their community and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure players can do what they would really like to be able to do. My experience with the Devs has been amazingly positive. They are open, engaged, generous, and committed to their community. There's always business stuff that limits what they can say or do or promise, but my experience here has been interacting with folks that have a genuine desire to bring what they do to a group that is vested in the product. 10/10 here.

    The community is, naturally, split into the haters and the lovers of the game. The haters, however, seem genuinely concerned about pointing out weaknesses rather than just being the usual naysayers. People who want to play something like this have a passion for the game. That can bring out strong feelings and a variety of expectations - from the grognard to the artist and all the permutations in between. Those who have taken the game on board for what it is, see a toolbox to craft enduring stories for people who love to partake in them.. Sometimes our imagination exceeds the ability of the tools to present that idea, but creative re-imagining and a willingness to compromise on the details of how we tell a story without sacrificing the elements that make up that story will mean that anyone willing to put in the work can make their vision available to others. Check out what guys like IDJESTER & JOCOLLOMAN are doing on Twitch and YouTube. The creative guys are really inspiring, there is a general feeling of "We're all in it together - how can I help?" and a willingness, for the most part, to listen sympathetically to those who see more negative than positive. Community is another 10/10 for me.

    Which brings me back to the point of the opening anecdote. The game technically is a solid 7. Not amazing, not awful. But intangible aspects of community, Dev respect for their community and passion for the product, and the sense that we're hobbyists not just consumers all add up to push SCL up from a technical 7, to an 'all things considered' 9.5 for me. It's not 100% 5E D&D on the PC. It is an amazing community working together to bring a solid D&D experience to folks willing to be flexible in how they tell stories making the game, and reasonable in how they access mechanics playing the game. If they can bring about the changes they and the community seem committed to, this game has the potential to be a vibrant part of the D&D community for years to come.    … Expand
  14. colilla1972
    Oct 24, 2015
    8
    It has some bugs, yeah, but it is a great game and the story and characters are great too. It share the same spirit of Neverwinter and a little of the complexity of Baldurs. It is overall a good game specially for the RPG lovers
  15. madwolf81
    Nov 2, 2015
    9
    It' s not so bad guys, I don't know why are you so angry about this game. This is just a first release and they have to improve the game a lot but there are all the basics to create a good comunity of players and dungeon masters. I believe that with some improvement the game will be just fine, so we have to wait for a better release.
    It's not like Pillars of ethernity, Divinity or    It' s not so bad guys, I don't know why are you so angry about this game. This is just a first release and they have to improve the game a lot but there are all the basics to create a good comunity of players and dungeon masters. I believe that with some improvement the game will be just fine, so we have to wait for a better release.
    It's not like Pillars of ethernity, Divinity or Wasteland 2 but i played those games from the first release and they were full of bugs too.    … Expand
  16. daveguermonprez
    Nov 4, 2015
    9
    Solid single player campaign. Good mechanics - Not truly a D&D port but closer to dragon age having a baby with D&D. Player made modules are many and varied. Multiplayer is easy to connect. Dungeon crawl mode has left some to be desired as set ups for this are quite tedious.
  17. Smolder1505
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    It's an interesting new type of playing D&D... Don't buy it thinking that it's going to be like older titles (such as Baldur's Gate). An interesting story campaign and an alternative to long distance tabletop players... There is still much to be improved, but with time, the game may change into something brilliant.
  18. elth
    Oct 22, 2015
    8
    PROS
    - Fun single player campaign set in the Forgotten Realms.
    - Rules light compared to previous D&D RPGs - Great voice acting and quirky NPCs - DM Mode is fun and really shines with a group of friends - Endless replay with Dungeon Crawl mode CONS - Tool kit is very limited in scope in comparison to Neverwinter (MMO) and Neverwinter Nights games - Loot in multiplayer is "first    PROS
    - Fun single player campaign set in the Forgotten Realms.
    - Rules light compared to previous D&D RPGs
    - Great voice acting and quirky NPCs
    - DM Mode is fun and really shines with a group of friends
    - Endless replay with Dungeon Crawl mode

    CONS

    - Tool kit is very limited in scope in comparison to Neverwinter (MMO) and Neverwinter Nights games
    - Loot in multiplayer is "first in gets it"
    - User Interface could use some optimisation and customisation options
    - Another D&D game with real time combat... Turn Based fans waiting yet again.    … Expand
  19. caudis
    Oct 21, 2015
    9
    This has been a lot of fun. I hadn't played D&D in years and it's great to get back at it!! A little buggy, but I am sure they will work it out. Looking forward to getting a steady group to play DM mode
  20. Stevensan
    Oct 23, 2015
    9
    I don't understand the QQ here. IT is actually a computer game, and NOT a tabletop game emulator. I am a palyer who played BG, IWD, and NWN a lot at the time and loved them. But this game is fortunately not like them. That was then, and it is now. This game is a Dragon Age: Origins copy in isometric view. And DA:O is very good. Sure not waited for some newly crafted hardcore dndI don't understand the QQ here. IT is actually a computer game, and NOT a tabletop game emulator. I am a palyer who played BG, IWD, and NWN a lot at the time and loved them. But this game is fortunately not like them. That was then, and it is now. This game is a Dragon Age: Origins copy in isometric view. And DA:O is very good. Sure not waited for some newly crafted hardcore dnd tribulation.

    The story and characters are very good, the combat requieres some tactic, and the game just let you to play it. Better, than Original Sin? Of corse not. Wasteland 2: that was an 55 point game, it is not.

    If you liked DA:O combat system and Neverwinter Nights core questing mechanics (without constantly resting) then this is your game, and you can buy it, you will not be dissapointed. Don't let the 0.8 hour playtime negatives foul you.

    Not the best game on earth, but still a very-very good RPG if you want to play real RPG. Not HC DnD, but not Diablo-shooter even. Lot of people skipping it because these reviews, and will recognise it as a very good game years later, when it is in humble or something... but then will be way late for the game or the team to bring us new installation.

    Not to mention, how heartwarming the DnD setting and skills are in a nowadays playable game, where you dont need to know 5 editions of rulesets to play a simple game.

    If this game is 55 points then Batman AK is 10 and Dragon Age Inquisition is 15. Trust me. Sadly we are in a world where money and hype talks. Not every game developer can pay hundreds of millions of dollars in every game and the following hype. But still... this game easily outplays the most of nowadays console focused aRPG-s in every single aspect. If you not count Witcher 3 as that is not a party based CRPG, then this is the best RPG released in 2015.

    9 point easily    … Expand
  21. toroks
    Oct 25, 2015
    9
    This is a great game, in my opinion one of the best D&D-computer games ever made

    It plays like a mix between Dragon Age: Origins and Neverwinter Nights 2, where you control a party of 4 character (main + 3 companions). The story campaign is intriguing and very well written, with tactical combat and interesting companions with great voice-acting that speak with each other and with you    This is a great game, in my opinion one of the best D&D-computer games ever made

    It plays like a mix between Dragon Age: Origins and Neverwinter Nights 2, where you control a party of 4 character (main + 3 companions). The story campaign is intriguing and very well written, with tactical combat and interesting companions with great voice-acting that speak with each other and with you along the way.

    The spell and ability system is not surprisingly a lot like Dragon Age: Origins, as several of the developers was involved in that game, so thankfully (imo) there's no clunky memorization/ limited number of spells per rest etc. But the dice rolls from D&D are still there, and if you wish you can read the rolls in the combat log. How the player distributes his attribute points (strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma) is important here,not only in combat, pick locks, search traps/hidden doors etc., but also in conversations throughout the game.

    It's a great thing that some of the people from the Dragon Age series looked away from the more arcade/action-oriented gameplay of Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition to go back to the tactical overview combat-style seen in Origins, as well as Neverwinter Nights 2 etc.

    The graphics are neat and detailed, somewhat similar to Dragon Age:Origins. The atmosphere and sound is excellent with beautiful and powerful soundtracks from the one and only Inon Zur, who made music for Icewind Dale 2, Baldurs Gate:Throne of Bhaal, the Dragon Age games, Fallout 3 and New Vegas etc. etc.

    I'm mostly interested in the single player experience with official campaigns (now looking forward to the "Rage of Demons"-campaign with Drizzt Do'Urden), but there's also a dungeon master mode where people can design their own dungeons for coop. Some people had very high expectations for this DM mode letting them create advanced projects, and has so far been disappointed because it's designed to be fast, simple fun. The developers have hinted that they will expand the DM-mode post release, though.    … Expand
  22. Alcarin
    Nov 15, 2015
    8
    Great solo campaign, great atmosphere with solid graphics. Half of the NPC's are gorgeous, half of them are simply replaceable. The Main Menue GUI is ugly, the ingame GUI is ok. I had a lot of fun playing through known locals of the forgotten realms.
  23. VitaminK
    Oct 5, 2016
    10
    Most of the negative reviews for this game come from fanboys of the old games. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them but this is a entirely different game and shouldnt be slammed just because it is different than other D&D titles. I for one loved the story, player development, and while the graphics aren't great the are definitely on the higher end for this genre in general.Most of the negative reviews for this game come from fanboys of the old games. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them but this is a entirely different game and shouldnt be slammed just because it is different than other D&D titles. I for one loved the story, player development, and while the graphics aren't great the are definitely on the higher end for this genre in general.

    There campaign is decent, I usually don't pay attention to the story but I did for this. Along with the free expansion that comes with it. There are also a handful of good mods made by the player community you can access and play together with friends. I also likes solo campaign where I got to develop AND use all the characters classes instead of having to play through multiple times.

    Sadly the dev company went under about a year ago but the remaining bugs are pretty minimal, none that I've found are gamebreaking anyway. For the price you can now get it at it's worth picking up for sure if you are an group rpg fan!    … Expand
  24. Neravarine
    Jul 2, 2016
    8
    First of all I have to tell that it is not a bad game, but it is not what it should have been, and it does not live up to some other forgotten realms games.
    It has an average gameplay, but it would have been a way better if they made it as it should have been, like Neverwinter Nights 2, still someone somewhere thought it would be a good idea to implement a new gameplay, and its not bad,    First of all I have to tell that it is not a bad game, but it is not what it should have been, and it does not live up to some other forgotten realms games.
    It has an average gameplay, but it would have been a way better if they made it as it should have been, like Neverwinter Nights 2, still someone somewhere thought it would be a good idea to implement a new gameplay, and its not bad, but its not good.
    World looks good, but characters are . . . ugly . . . you cant make a pretty character, you cant even make a descant looking character, and whatever you make, it looks like its related to every other character in the game.
    Game is not working all that well... but its far from unplayable.
    Official storylines are good, and there is the multiplayer part.

    The worst problem with this game for me is that it DOES NOT have a soul, nor that attention to detail, no npc in the game will comment on your race or class, its like All of my party, including myself are saying a bad things about a drow as a race to a drow npc . . . and I am playing a Drow . . . rly . . . no1 notices . . . black skinned evil elf . . .    … Expand
  25. Lotian
    Oct 20, 2015
    10
    Really good game for a mature cRPG player. Not perfect, but will be polished for certain. Thousands of players and guaranteed longevity. This is going to be interesting.
  26. Nightstryker
    Oct 20, 2015
    8
    Campaign is alot of fun, great story, good voice acting, a fun D and D romp. Multiplayer is great if with a group a friends. If with strangers Ninja looting abounds. Needs alot more monsters and there are people wanting tile by tile map building and branching dialog. There is stuff missing from the multiplayer that is in the campaign. Hopefully they will fix that soon. Hope they give DM'sCampaign is alot of fun, great story, good voice acting, a fun D and D romp. Multiplayer is great if with a group a friends. If with strangers Ninja looting abounds. Needs alot more monsters and there are people wanting tile by tile map building and branching dialog. There is stuff missing from the multiplayer that is in the campaign. Hopefully they will fix that soon. Hope they give DM's more control in multiplayer.… Expand
  27. skibb
    Oct 20, 2015
    9
    Story mode is great and allows 4 player co-op. DM tools have limitations, but can be utilized easily for a simple kick door. More robust adventure creation takes quite a bit of work-arounds. The game shines with a group of friends and live DM controlling and voicing enemy encounters as well as NPCs.

    The story alone is worth the price, but some of the things holding it back from a    Story mode is great and allows 4 player co-op. DM tools have limitations, but can be utilized easily for a simple kick door. More robust adventure creation takes quite a bit of work-arounds. The game shines with a group of friends and live DM controlling and voicing enemy encounters as well as NPCs.

    The story alone is worth the price, but some of the things holding it back from a better score are lack of options in the tools. DMs are limited with no control over loot, no branching dialog, no tile-by-tile, and the inability to have full control over monster CR levels or gameplay options like permadeath.

    All around, a great story and great campaign platform for DMs to run modules with long-distant d&ders that cant make it to the table every week.    … Expand
  28. geoffconklin
    Oct 24, 2015
    10
    Great story campaign and the best coop i have seen in a while. This is a great crpg to play with friends hands down. I highly recommend picking this up, and the content will only continue to get better as more player created modules become available.
  29. Rauster
    Oct 20, 2015
    9
    I think this game just isn't for whiney children. It's very big undertake, something like 4 games in 1. It takes time to develop, and this time will be after the launch which happened today.
    Maybe I had some problems with optimization and general server overload (not surprising), maybe GM creation toolset isn't fully developed yet, but once it it, it's going to surpise all of you.    I think this game just isn't for whiney children. It's very big undertake, something like 4 games in 1. It takes time to develop, and this time will be after the launch which happened today.
    Maybe I had some problems with optimization and general server overload (not surprising), maybe GM creation toolset isn't fully developed yet, but once it it, it's going to surpise all of you.
    Besides, I hoped Neverwinter Nights looked like that. Better tahn Pillars of Eternity in terms of graphics and of course, possibilites are endless if NSpace is going to work on it like it should. RECOMMENDED    … Expand
  30. Smackumz
    Oct 21, 2015
    8
    So let's take a step back from being a D&D fanboy and really looks at this game. Divide this review up into a few categories, graphics and sound/stability/story/gameplay and features/potential.

    First stability: 2 pts. It's way more stable than some games I've seen. No major game stopping bugs. All in all a good piece of software. Graphics and sound: 1 pt. graphics are not top    So let's take a step back from being a D&D fanboy and really looks at this game. Divide this review up into a few categories, graphics and sound/stability/story/gameplay and features/potential.

    First stability: 2 pts. It's way more stable than some games I've seen. No major game stopping bugs. All in all a good piece of software.

    Graphics and sound: 1 pt. graphics are not top notch but they are decent. Some clipping issues that are prevalent in many games is present but that's par for the course nowadays. The soundtrack is good and there isn't much that really stands out as awesome.

    Story: 2 pts. So far the story is very engaging. Its dark and satisfying if you can ignore some of the beginning character personalities. I'm happy with it so far.

    Gameplay and features: 1 pt. This is the elephant in the room. The D&D name is slapped on this product and it was described as a close representation of a pen and paper d&d clone. It's not. It was decided to make the game an action oriented game and the d&d ruleset doesn't work well in this way. That being said there were modifications in the form of skill trees and cooldowns. This causes the game to be more of a diablo clone or dragon age inquisition clone. This doesn't mean the gameplay is bad, just not what was expected. Those that can't get over this will be harsh toward a decent game. The DM toolset seems amazing but its in its infancy and doesn't offer everything you could dream up in a pen and paper game. In the end the game plays well for an action rpg. Its not the greatest and brute force can accomplish way more than feasible.

    Lastly, potential: 2 pts. I can see what this game is attempting to do. Is it there today, no. Could it get there? Yes. With additional modules, tilesets, tools, and character options added in this game could be a great addition to the d&d lineup. Will it replace pnp games? Never.

    All in all, the game is enjoyable if you don't have expectations of an exact replica of a pnp game. The graphics, stability, and story are good and the potential is great. The gameplay and features and a bit off from what the marketing jargon eluded to, but it plays well for what it is. In total I would say this is on the higher end of average with potential to be really good.    … Expand
  31. benw50
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Man, honestly, I have LOVED playing this game. It fills me with the same feelings of adventure and grand storytelling that I had when playing the Baldur's Gate's and Neverwinter Nights as a kid/awry teen. The gameplay kind of feels like a mix between those two games I mentioned and also BG Dark Alliance and Diablo - if that makes sense.

    Now as far as the combat goes, I really don’t know    Man, honestly, I have LOVED playing this game. It fills me with the same feelings of adventure and grand storytelling that I had when playing the Baldur's Gate's and Neverwinter Nights as a kid/awry teen. The gameplay kind of feels like a mix between those two games I mentioned and also BG Dark Alliance and Diablo - if that makes sense.

    Now as far as the combat goes, I really don’t know where some of these negative reviews are coming from. Bump the difficulty up to hard and believe me – it’s INTENSE. I am constantly pausing my game, figuring out if I have a potion or scroll that will help me with the battle, repositioning my troops, and hoping to high Helm that the enemy doesn’t reach my backline. In my opinion, the combat is very similar to style of Baldur’s Gate (more so than Neverwinter Nights) and that is a GOOD thing.

    Furthermore, while I am a HUGE Forgotten Realms fan, I was never a desktop player. So frankly, I enjoy the simplicity of the cool downs and skill trees. If they literally translated everything from the desktop game, it would be a mess. So again, I think it’s right on for this kind of game.

    While I have not dabbled into the multiplayer much, I can tell you the story mode is superb. Now, I LOVE the Forgotten Realms, and I can see it being more difficult getting sucked in if you’re not a fan. However, I believe this game was designed as homage to fans and the spirit of BG and NWN –and likely many fans are playing it. Graphics are really nice (they won't blow you away. but I am certianly diggin' it). They also have such a keen knowledge of the lore of the Realms and really put it to use in the story mode. Oh and before I forget, I have actually read several reviews of people complaining about the voice acting – REALLY? You think THIS is bad? It seems great to me. The dwarves sound exactly what you would think a dwarf would sound like, Bellamy sounds exactly what I would expect a Halfling to sound like. It’s seriously some of the best voice acting I’ve heard in a long time.

    One more thing: Helm, God of Guardians, and the BEST God in the Realms is BACK and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Realms fans know, the D&D fourth edition killed off so many things we loved about the Realms, and now everything seems is back to where it should be. So after WoTC massacred my favorite god and then brought him back, n-Space promptly threw him back into the forefront with this game where belongs as one of the most iconic figures in the Realms – and I can’t get enough. Though, naturally, I would prefer to see his followers behaving a little more humanitarian – that’s the beauty of Helm, he not one-dimensional like some of the other goodly/paladin gods out there (*cough Torm, *cough Tyr) and can also be used by antiheros and torn, complicated villains. So, again, thanks for using the lore of the Realms to make its fans very satisfied.

    So basically, if you like great storytelling, the Forgotten Realms, and partaking in an epic adventure you will love this game. It’s gripping, and as I continue to delve deeper into the story, my appetite to find out what’s going on only grows more and more.    … Expand
  32. Bluddwolf
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    With over 100 hours in the game, and the recent expansion (and more to come) I can't say that I have any regrets in upgrading my purchase to the Collector's Edition.

    What truly caught me by surprise was the nostalgic feeling I got, taking me back to my PnP days of D&D 1st edition, while playing with a live DM in Sword Coast Legends. I've tried playing D&D / Pathfinder RPGs using    With over 100 hours in the game, and the recent expansion (and more to come) I can't say that I have any regrets in upgrading my purchase to the Collector's Edition.

    What truly caught me by surprise was the nostalgic feeling I got, taking me back to my PnP days of D&D 1st edition, while playing with a live DM in Sword Coast Legends. I've tried playing D&D / Pathfinder RPGs using virtual table tops (RollD20) and those experiences just did not capture that same feel.

    Is Sword Coast Legends a perfect game or a perfect translation of D&D 5th Edition rules, "No". But, I had no expectation that Sword Coast legends would do that and understood that something always gets lost in translation.

    So why the 10 out of 10, for me? Because Sword Coast Legends exceeded my expectations, and I honestly could not see any major issues that can not be fixed or aspects of the game that can't be enhanced with future patches or content expansions.    … Expand
  33. Daemonnnn
    Oct 23, 2015
    10
    TL;DR: Campaign is awesome, tools are excellent for live DMing

    The game expands itself in the FR universe of D&D and keeps a solid job on keeping you interested on the main campaign for hours on end, and the modules that some people of the community have done are full of detail and amazing original creations that also give a ton of extra hours. Has it stands right now the Module    TL;DR: Campaign is awesome, tools are excellent for live DMing

    The game expands itself in the FR universe of D&D and keeps a solid job on keeping you interested on the main campaign for hours on end, and the modules that some people of the community have done are full of detail and amazing original creations that also give a ton of extra hours.

    Has it stands right now the Module creation tools are quite limited, but not without reason. The DM tools are meant so that ANYONE can make a quick module and just LIVE RP with friends. It isn't the Aurora toolset and some people do miss that possibility the NWN toolset had, but it's easy to roleplay with a live DM just as you would do on the tabletop (which is the actual intent of the DM tools in this game). I repeat: These are not Dev tools like the aurora toolset but DM tools so understand that you are meant to use them as you'd use your modules on the tabletop! You can pause the game to give lengthy explanations, add your own NPCs both friendly to fight by your side, or neutral to stick around idle and just give you quests or even hostile with spawning hordes of enemies to have your friends fight them! As for playing modules without a DM buddy, they are really well made, playable and full of detail, but need work and expanding the tools will in fact make it an even better experience!

    N-Space has promised many times on the forums to expand the content of the game and the tools available but as of right now, the game stands perfectly on their own!

    As for the campaign, I have to say it's a really solid cohesive experience that lasts about 40-60 hours depending on how much time you spend doing all the puzzles and side-quests (it has great RPG puzzles!). I played the campaign on hard and had a blast just playing through it. Some people prefer some NPCs to others and that's a good thing! The companions are so detailed that you immediatly make favourites out of them! It lacks some secondary quests, which I wouldn't mind having, being as that would expand the main campaign even further in longevity, but as it stands it's SUPER solid and excellent for cooping with friends (yeah, you can coop the whole campaign with up to 3 more friends!)

    I absolutely love cRPGs and this game is definetly between the BIG ones!    … Expand
  34. tarorn
    Oct 24, 2015
    9
    If your an old school D&D gamer who just wants that feel & spirit of D&D this is the game for you. Graphics are decent, story campaign is really great, voice acting & party banter is great. This is the most fun I've had playing a D&D game in a decade or more. With DLC & future updates this will become one of the best.
  35. Khelben
    Oct 21, 2015
    9
    I think it is a nice cross between NwN and Baldur's Gate / Dragon Age. Great voice acting, very promising tools for campaing creators (although limited at this point). Plus, don't mind the cooldowns - this game plays like a REAL cRPG D&D. I can tell you this as a real DM in Dungeons & Dragons since 1st Edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, which, in fact, prefers Ravenloft. But honestly,I think it is a nice cross between NwN and Baldur's Gate / Dragon Age. Great voice acting, very promising tools for campaing creators (although limited at this point). Plus, don't mind the cooldowns - this game plays like a REAL cRPG D&D. I can tell you this as a real DM in Dungeons & Dragons since 1st Edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, which, in fact, prefers Ravenloft. But honestly, this is a great foundation for years of development to come, just like it was with Neverwinter Nights. Heads up, don't bother with negative reviews - those people would just troll this game anyway. Let them go.
    Rome wasn't built in a day and Neverwinter Nights wasn't too. It was almost unplayable at the start, which most folks didn't know or they pretend they, nomen omen, have forgotten...    … Expand
  36. genukz
    Oct 23, 2015
    10
    Absolutely awesome experience of total immersing into the sophisticated role-play under the latest D&D settings, for me this is simply new a handcrafted masterpiece logically coming after Balder's Gate and Neverwinter Nights franchise. Yet it feels different combining the very spirit of hard core gameplay still to be rooting into the pen'n'paper indelible experience but has it very ownAbsolutely awesome experience of total immersing into the sophisticated role-play under the latest D&D settings, for me this is simply new a handcrafted masterpiece logically coming after Balder's Gate and Neverwinter Nights franchise. Yet it feels different combining the very spirit of hard core gameplay still to be rooting into the pen'n'paper indelible experience but has it very own fresh spirit. Long and happy journeys upon the Forgotten realms!… Expand
  37. Stormbow
    Nov 25, 2015
    9
    Sword Coast Legends is one of the best RPGs that I've seen in recent years. With a wide variety of voice actors (or at least a wide enough range of voices and accents to make me believe no one's playing multiple characters like some immensely popular dragon character game that I needn't name), it feels like the game has actually been well planned and staffed.

    The graphics are on par    Sword Coast Legends is one of the best RPGs that I've seen in recent years. With a wide variety of voice actors (or at least a wide enough range of voices and accents to make me believe no one's playing multiple characters like some immensely popular dragon character game that I needn't name), it feels like the game has actually been well planned and staffed.

    The graphics are on par with the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, and the gameplay is very similar, with the option to run the game in real time or have it pause automatically under any number of conditions that you define so you can control your (up to) 4 characters (1 PC, 3 NPCs).

    I'm not going to go into any details at all about the storyline, but I will say that I was very impressed and I didn't see any "plot holes" or anything that was forgotten about along the way of completing the main story quests. There are --plenty-- of additional side quests to keep you busy too.

    The game uses the "5E" D&D rules, though it really just feels like every MMO I've ever played online, with skill trees and required skill levels or required character levels being acquired before new skills can be obtained. On the topic of abilities, the "search", "lockpicking", and "remove traps" abilities seem to be heavily weighted in favor of players being successful, and in my personal playtime in the game-- I have never failed a single attempt at any of these abilities. (These abilities are also open to all classes; no more "only a rogue can find and remove traps" stuff, which I am somewhat biased against.) The "sneak" / "hide in shadows" ability seems to be fairly well implemented, and my rogue has been discovered on a handful of occasions-- enough to make me wary while sneaking, as I should be!

    One of the best features of the game is the ability to make adventures/modules/campaigns for friends (and the general public), with your created content being hosted at Sword Coast Legends so people can access it and play through it anytime. Unfortunately, this is also where the game takes a downfall as the settings, monsters, loot, and more can't fully be controlled or customized to a potential DM's heart's content. You can pick a number of monsters. You can place them wherever you like. You can even directly control ("possess") them during combats. You can even customize a few abilities for each monster you place. However, you can't set up specific triggers for events, you can't force a bad guy to survive (very easily) so they can torment the party further along in the campaign. And you are fairly limited in scenery and decorations. Sword Coast Legends comes with a fairly decent amount of customization for traps-- aAnd what DM doesn't like a good trap? --but certain "cliche" and favorite traps like spiked pits, falling boulders/ceilings, and crushing walls don't exist (yet?).

    Sword Coast Legends has an enormous amount of potential for improvement without being a "buggy piece of garbage" at the same time, and this fact alone has redeemed the failings of the DM Mode aspect of the game. I expect that-- in time --even the DM Mode will be as amazing as the rest of the game.

    My favorite pen-n-paper D&D character of all time came from the Forgotten Realms, which is the setting for Sword Coast Legends, so I'm also heavily biased in favor of the game on this regard. It's a great setting with an enormous amount of canon lore, history, and character (not to mention actual NPC characters) that every RPG gamer should have the privilege of experiencing.

    If anyone were to tell me this game was anything short of amazing, I'd have to say they need their head examined.    … Expand
  38. tomhaider1234
    Nov 13, 2015
    8
    Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete Delete
  39. Bouncer34
    Oct 21, 2015
    10
    It's Dungeon Master's paradise. Waited a loooooong time for such game. Improvement will be welcome, BUT in DM Mode I am already 99% satisfied. DMing 8h/day... roll d20 for your INT!
  40. Augus1000
    Oct 21, 2015
    10
    It is fun the main history is awesome so good for a 40$us game n-space did a good job i hope they continue to release more content. the itemization is excellent.
  41. deniswind
    Nov 25, 2015
    8
    Из минусов - это безусловно не D&D, это даже не РПГ. Разницы в прохождении за Эльфа или за гнома в общем и целом нет. Если вы фан РПГ и ДиД это не для вас.
    Это просто офигенский командный тактик, не идеал конечно, но очень хорош. А если вы как я предпочитаете создавать свои компании, как я, то это для вас на все 100%.    Из минусов - это безусловно не D&D, это даже не РПГ. Разницы в прохождении за Эльфа или за гнома в общем и целом нет. Если вы фан РПГ и ДиД это не для вас.
    Это просто офигенский командный тактик, не идеал конечно, но очень хорош. А если вы как я предпочитаете создавать свои компании, как я, то это для вас на все 100%.
  42. Telamoont
    Jan 9, 2016
    10
    The quests are very interesting. So far I'm loving the campagn.
    The game have a old school aura and its amazing. Graphics are good, sounds, ambient and music are awesome. Optimization is ok. This is a gem being polished after every patch, going to be a masterpiece jewel.
  43. Shallowfoot
    Jan 10, 2016
    10
    This game gets a bad shake. Solid throwback RPG. Only gonna get better with time.
    Unlimited Story telling,
    Endless Emersion, Modding, Co-op Campaign Story a 5 player Co-op Experience. with features like auto-pause, dice /rolling Campaign creation, Character creation and more. This is a solid RPG / Dungeon Crawl adventuring kind. Don't let the haters fool you. This game has unlimited    This game gets a bad shake. Solid throwback RPG. Only gonna get better with time.
    Unlimited Story telling,
    Endless Emersion,
    Modding,
    Co-op Campaign Story a 5 player Co-op Experience. with features like auto-pause, dice /rolling Campaign creation, Character creation and more. This is a solid RPG / Dungeon Crawl adventuring kind. Don't let the haters fool you. This game has unlimited amount playable hours share your adventure.
    9/10 could use some work but still grand gaming experience.
    signed
    Shallowfoot    … Expand
  44. Lordbat
    May 19, 2016
    9
    Good graphics, good history, good toolset. Definitively is a very good game.
    Bad reviews from people that does not understand what is a D&D computer game did the development of this game to go to the trash. They never promised go fast and launch a perfect D&D ruleset computer game, but to improve it with the critics and community suggestions, and they did.
    Now they left the development    Good graphics, good history, good toolset. Definitively is a very good game.
    Bad reviews from people that does not understand what is a D&D computer game did the development of this game to go to the trash. They never promised go fast and launch a perfect D&D ruleset computer game, but to improve it with the critics and community suggestions, and they did.
    Now they left the development of the game, but at least they launch the free DLC Rage of demons.
    If you want to do a D&D adventure online to play with your friends, this is your game. You can achieve very good results and fun with an easy toolset.    … Expand
  45. ynvoltador
    Feb 13, 2016
    10
    just it is chef des oeuvres actually. even if its too plain tos ee that graphic part of game is pretty obsolete the rest remains intraditionalspirit of DnD (slightly modified due to 5th edition of rules and former DaO crew to create the game code)
  46. skdursh
    Jun 28, 2020
    8
    Honestly, this game is an underrated gem that got devastated by critics and fanboys who were expecting the game to play exactly like Baldur's Gate. On release the DM mode was kind of underpowered and wonky, but the core story and gameplay have always been frankly excellent. This game deserved a much better fate than it got and hopefully one day the fanboys will actually give it a chanceHonestly, this game is an underrated gem that got devastated by critics and fanboys who were expecting the game to play exactly like Baldur's Gate. On release the DM mode was kind of underpowered and wonky, but the core story and gameplay have always been frankly excellent. This game deserved a much better fate than it got and hopefully one day the fanboys will actually give it a chance and realize what they missed out on.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

38
#38 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
38
#38 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 39
  3. Negative: 3 out of 39
  1. RPGamer
    Jan 27, 2017
    30
    Sword Coast Legends has overreached far beyond its abilities. What might have been a fine successor to Neverwinter Nights is instead a playable, but dull experience for every playstyle it offers. Dungeons & Dragons brand name represents a long lineage of CRPGs. Some excellent, some considerably less so. I, personally, had hoped that this entry could have been the former, given its ambitions to the Neverwinter Nights lineage, but ultimately this game fails to interest for any length of time.
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  2. Brash Games
    Jun 7, 2016
    70
    Sword Coast Legend is a game that combines great story-telling with character development. The gameplay provides a good experience by customization but does not manage to keep the experience entirely fluid with consistent bugs and glitches which riddle the game.
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  3. Everyeye.it
    Jan 22, 2016
    58
    In the noble attempt to resuscitate the original Dungeons and Dragons brand in a videogame, the developers really messed things up, as the gameplay is a mixed bag, and not all mechanics work as they should.
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