Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance

Dark Alliance is not a perfectly executed game but the fun to be had when everything works is worth enduring the little issues. It delivers a fun D&D adventure with some epic combat moments. Even with the issues that I experienced I think this is a solid game and with a bit more polish via patches will fit quite nicely among its dungeon crawler brethren.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance doesn't ever feel like it is doing anything particularly new and the whole setting, concept, and world just seems a bit tired at times. But that said you’ll have some decent fun here, particularly with the story, the hack and slash gameplay, and solid mechanics. If you find yourself playing alone, it might get a bit stale, but with friends behind you, you’ll have a great time.

If you are a long time D&D player or have played any fantasy action brawlers in the past, you’ll likely enjoy this game – either with friends, or even if you go for the more challenging route of playing alone. It certainly doesn't revolutionise the genre, but considering it’s available on Game Pass at launch, there’s no reason not to give it a go. There’s also some free DLC and a paid expansion on the way, giving Dark Alliance a chance to level up in the future.

Dear Dark Alliance: those of us that were fans of the original PS2 game and the Dungeons and Dragons franchise came ready to enjoy you. You waved your fancy pedigree and showed us your impressive environments, only to disappoint us once we paid the price of admission. So, fix the AI. Balance the single player game or ditch it entirely. Let the players create real characters that express themselves. Above all, kill the bugs. Do those things, and maybe we’ll come back, because it could be a nice little house to live in for a while.

Good ideas that are clouded by serious failures in essential aspects.

Dark Alliance can lean on an enormous amount of lore. Many locations, friends, and enemies make an appearance. the level design is pretty good and challenges to explore. However, the game is held back by bugs and battles that just do not work. The game has huge potential but sadly falls short in execution.

With multiple collectible gear sets, magic-infused combat, and characters with distinct powers, building up a fun rhythm of play is possible, especially if you choose to tackle the entire game with a consistent group of players who stay in pace with each other’s progress. But even then, the cracks in the core experience are apparent. I wanted to have fun with Dark Alliance’s breezy adventures through a familiar fantasy world, but too many elements left me disappointed, and even the flashing weapons wielded by the Companions of the Hall weren’t enough to blind me to what was missing.

The game is seldom fun, but there is potential for a a great Dungeon’s & Dragons game here. It just needs some more work.

With its frustrating controls, and questionable AI the enjoyment that can be gained from Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is severely limited. If a player is looking to romp through a strongly realized D&D world, and a classic story of heroes scrambling to stop the legions of evil, it may be worth keeping the game on easy just to enjoy the setting and story. However, if you are looking for a full-fledged action RPG experience there are far better offering out there.

Hopefully the team in charge of the project will improve this perfectible recipe, but full of potential, over the updates.