Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance

 Xbox Series X
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 47
  3. Negative: 24 out of 47
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  1. ThatGuyWhoTypes
    Jun 23, 2021
    0
    This game is truly awful on any console. I’ve never really played a game that felt like it started as a mobile first and then went to console. This feels exactly like that. The combat is boring and filled with bugs. You direction notification of where you’re being attacked from is broken. Also, they thought it a good idea to put loot chest and gold all throughout the level, which is aThis game is truly awful on any console. I’ve never really played a game that felt like it started as a mobile first and then went to console. This feels exactly like that. The combat is boring and filled with bugs. You direction notification of where you’re being attacked from is broken. Also, they thought it a good idea to put loot chest and gold all throughout the level, which is a boring painstakingly tedious task to do, and are the same loot chests typically found in areas that have ice that will deplete your health in mere seconds. You also only have about 3 health vials along the way and those typically get used up and you have to rest to get them back while also offering up a bit of your reward for doing so. The AI is dumb and doesn’t engage you even when you’re standing directly in front of them. There are bosses that will just get you in a corner and stun lock you until you die. It is NOT recommended that you play this game solo. As a matter of fact, the game sort of discourages you from playing solo with the types of enemies you have to dodge and attack constantly in some areas. Truly an utter disappointment. They should stick to remastering Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance 2.… Expand
  2. LadyAux
    Jul 9, 2021
    4
    Finished the game. Played with random's and friends. Got the full experience playing slowly and explored everywhere. I just can't get into the D&D series anymore like I did with Baldurs Gate. Hardly any of the controls and mechanics work. The online is frustrating and unbearable at times. Animations and Graphics are sloppy. Boss and Enemy AI is hit and miss. I tuned out for most of theFinished the game. Played with random's and friends. Got the full experience playing slowly and explored everywhere. I just can't get into the D&D series anymore like I did with Baldurs Gate. Hardly any of the controls and mechanics work. The online is frustrating and unbearable at times. Animations and Graphics are sloppy. Boss and Enemy AI is hit and miss. I tuned out for most of the story, it felt like I was missing crucial info or context to it all. Something kept me playing though, hard to pinpoint what. Maybe cause it's on Game Pass. That's about all I would really pay to play this game. I know it's not what some people may have experienced but it was what I went through. Boring, Laggy, Buggy and Ugly. Agree or Disagree, go watch my review to get the full picture:https://youtu.be/nG7aCjLw88Y… Expand
  3. Borjatxo
    Jun 23, 2021
    6
    El juego tiene buenas ideas pero falta pulir mucho en cuanto a la fluidez y jugabilidad. Solventable con un buen parche
  4. RacconFX
    Jun 24, 2021
    0
    At certain times, it should be possible to rate the game with a score below what would be negative as “-1” talking about wasted time for this game is a compliment.
  5. Sante187
    Jun 28, 2021
    0
    Bad Combat system. Graphic ugly too. Any more words is just wasting my time.
  6. XEQU
    Jul 2, 2021
    1
    I mean comeon 0 is if you have a completely unplayable game. but with 1 it is in my opionon fact.
    * very bad controls
    * control steering input lag, the char is movin 1-2-sec along after last input which makes you hit the enemies or fall of the map (ground etc..) * very bad cam view * played drizz, because of control issues unplayable char * ki is super stupid, you can beat every bos    I mean comeon 0 is if you have a completely unplayable game. but with 1 it is in my opionon fact.
    * very bad controls
    * control steering input lag, the char is movin 1-2-sec along after last input which makes you hit the enemies or fall of the map (ground etc..)
    * very bad cam view
    * played drizz, because of control issues unplayable char
    * ki is super stupid, you can beat every bos while running in a corner and shoot et them, they dont act or if they just slowly following you
    * ki second, you can run through the instances without any harm... lol
    * no story at least i found none

    For me unplayble , unfinished game.
    tested on xbox one x / Gamepass.
    luckily i haven´t payd for it.
    - no recommendation at all -
    sorry    … Expand
  7. SupahCasual
    Jul 5, 2021
    1
    I didnt got the chance to throw the dice... Fck this im going back to baldur's gate cause that is a D&D game done right...
  8. Steyraus
    Jun 23, 2021
    1
    I was excited when I first heard about a Dark Alliance hack and Slash. Then I learnt it was coming to GAME PASS and was being made by a completely unknown, untested studio.. How did these guys even get this license, because just as I feared this game was trash.
    Yet another game that has been released unfinished , unballanced and buggy.. Another studio takes the Game Pass pay out , dumps    I was excited when I first heard about a Dark Alliance hack and Slash. Then I learnt it was coming to GAME PASS and was being made by a completely unknown, untested studio.. How did these guys even get this license, because just as I feared this game was trash.
    Yet another game that has been released unfinished , unballanced and buggy.. Another studio takes the Game Pass pay out , dumps their unfinished work onto the market and walk away counting their profits..
    On the last gen consoles Dark Alliance is basicly unplayable, with extreme screen tearing. Horiblr frame drops between 12 to 30 fps , pop in , skipping.. Its an assault on you eyes and a chore to play.. On current gen and PC the game performs better. But there is still tons of jenk and pop in etc..
    Bigest issue it the game play. Its not fun, combat is awkward, you play from a strange over the shoukder view and cant even see most attacker , meaning you get hit from places you cant see.    … Expand
  9. katieelizabeth
    Jun 25, 2021
    0
    I can't recommend this game. I played it for a few hours on release with Game Pass, and as soon as I was taking frost damage and died in a few seconds even though there was no frost on the ground around me or anywhere near me, I uninstalled the game.

    The targeting also doesn't feel very good. The lock-on system zooms in way too much to the point where you can't see the other enemies.    I can't recommend this game. I played it for a few hours on release with Game Pass, and as soon as I was taking frost damage and died in a few seconds even though there was no frost on the ground around me or anywhere near me, I uninstalled the game.

    The targeting also doesn't feel very good. The lock-on system zooms in way too much to the point where you can't see the other enemies. Vision is a really important aspect for games like this as it's not an isometric view. And when you are not locked-on to a target, the game is very strict about how it decides which direction you attack in. If your camera is not directly center to the enemy you are attacking (the enemy is center-left or center-right), your character will start attacking the enemy and hit them 1-2 times, but will then start attacking in open-air as the enemy comes out of your attack view as your character moves forward.

    Dark Alliance really needed to soft-glue to targets when you are in the middle of an attack combo to make sure you don't just start attacking nothing. This is a huge problem because you're attacking stuff for the entire game. Other games in a similar genre prevent this from happening, and they've done so for years. It's absence was really felt.

    Also, it has to be said that the AI is pretty bad. Maybe the game is more fun with friends, but I only played it Solo and I can't say I had any fun. If not for taking damage unfairly and dying, I might have given the game a 4/10, but as is, it's just to buggy that I am forced to just give it a 0. I did not enjoy myself.    … Expand
  10. BadCaseLaw
    Jun 30, 2021
    3
    Being a fan of the RA Salvatore novels, and as a matter of fact being right in the middle of re-reading the Drizzt novels, I wanted to give this game a chance. Despite the bad reviews, and the fact that the game never looked good to me in any of the previews I still thought that playing Drizzt would prove fun enough. Sadly there is little that is fun about this game. I could go on aboutBeing a fan of the RA Salvatore novels, and as a matter of fact being right in the middle of re-reading the Drizzt novels, I wanted to give this game a chance. Despite the bad reviews, and the fact that the game never looked good to me in any of the previews I still thought that playing Drizzt would prove fun enough. Sadly there is little that is fun about this game. I could go on about clunky controls, terrible animations, and an overall unfinished feeling to the game, but honestly just go and watch SkillUp and ACG’s reviews; they do a much better job of detailing just how bad this game is than I could.

    The one thing I will add is that I tried quick play a few times. First, good luck getting into a group if you want to play as Drizzt. As well, when I did managed to get into a group I would disconnect more often than not and the few times I got into a group and didn't disconnect it was usually a group with a challenge rating that was too high for my gear – as such I kept getting one shot killed by the regular enemies. So not only does the game suck, but so does the match making. Anyway, I am happy that game pass allowed me to try this game without wasting money on it. I am rating this game a 3/10 – and that is not hyperbole, I literally think that this is what this game is worthy of. I don’t think patching can fix this game as it is fundamentally flawed. Why we didn’t get what most fans wanted, a true successor to the old Dark Alliance games, I will never know.

    Platform: X Series X    … Expand
  11. xDelphos
    Jun 23, 2021
    9
    Dark Alliance is a simple game with no great ambitions, but a really fun and addictive hack n slash if you accept it for the game it wanna be and not that crazy idea about a Skyrim like game that was never in question! I totally recommend Fark Alliance!
  12. ThiagoMarques
    Jun 24, 2021
    9
    Jogo bem divertido e viciante, só acho que poderia melhorar um pouco na variedade de combos.
  13. Johcker
    Jun 27, 2021
    9
    Hack And Slash bacaninha pra quem curte o D&D de mesa, destaque para o sistema de loot. Ponto negativo para alguns bugs de conexão do online.
  14. Zelldincht90
    Jun 24, 2021
    10
    Non merita la pioggia di 0 che sta ricevendo. Sicuramente il combat system è migliorabile, ma l'avventura è intrigrante, le missioni bilanciate e sfidanti. La migliore esperienza si ottiene in cooperativo. A tal proposito, ottima la gestione online/offline in caso di gioco cooperativo o singolo.
  15. Nitaro
    Jun 24, 2021
    5
    Absolutely mediocre in every department. **** graphics, **** story and copy paste gameplay of every other mmo. Just play vermintide games instead
  16. kubakol
    Jun 27, 2021
    8
    Yeah I know there are some bugs etc. but after all it's pretty good fun. Killing goblins with crew can be very satisfying and I personaly have a lot of fun playing this game. Also cinematics are awsome, dialogs are prety good, climate is legit and after all it's pretty good game.
  17. Sundaez
    Jun 29, 2021
    8
    I wasnt going to play it because of the poor reviews but I gave it a try and 14 hours in, the game is a lot of fun. For a small studio, the graphics look pretty good, some of the environment textures are very high quality. The melee combat has a lot of depth to it with how you can trigger various moves and abilities by comboing dodge, light and heavy attacks. The game is crossplay betweenI wasnt going to play it because of the poor reviews but I gave it a try and 14 hours in, the game is a lot of fun. For a small studio, the graphics look pretty good, some of the environment textures are very high quality. The melee combat has a lot of depth to it with how you can trigger various moves and abilities by comboing dodge, light and heavy attacks. The game is crossplay between xbox and pc, and the community is welcoming and helpful. Even playing with randoms, it can be quite a fun experience as a decent amount of players have mics and actually use them.

    You level up quite fast especially if carried by higher level players, maybe a little too fast as it seems like the game scales up the power level of level 1 players so that even they can take on higher level mobs when playing with others. At first the combat is quite challenging as large enemies can be quite tanky, but your power level quickly scales up after you complete the first level and get lots of loot.

    This is definitely a game that is meant to be played coop, as it is quite tough solo but even just having 1 partner changes the game. The quickplay matchmaking works but it doesnt try to match you with people of similar power level, so new players can easily be paired with a max level player and end up playing something much harder than they expect. If they make it through though, they end up jumping up 8 whole levels rather than working their way up one at a time, kind of a good and bad thing as max level is only 20 and you can hit it within just an hour or two if carried.

    Looting in the game is quite fun on the first playthrough as theres tons of side areas and side quests you can stumble onto and explore. It's a lot of fun hopping around with a party of new friends you just met and searching every corner for new loot and gear. Like other dungeon crawler games there are various qualities and sets you can collect and they offer a small bit of customization to choose the look of most gear, some are locked.

    The stamina mechanic is quite annoying at first as it feels like youre always running low, and the degrsding stamina bar when using special abilities is a questionable choice. I see how it forces you to make smarter decisions of what situations to use the abilities rsther than being able to spam them. Once you level up a bit though, and have better gear, you're stamina can regenerate fast enough that it isnt a problem anymore. The game has some jank here and there, the issue with disconnects from the party after each level that was there on day 1 mostly dont occur anymore. I havent experience any game breaking bugs and have only encountered a few small glitches but quite rare compared to what others have been saying.

    If you have gamepass and are looking for a simple and fun coop dungeon crawler, I highly recommended this.    … Expand
  18. SuperkenGaming
    Jun 30, 2021
    7
    Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance
    a Mind of its own
    Dark Alliance is an 8 hour long 3rdperson dungeon crawler that can be layed both solo as well as online with up to 4 players, hre you choose one of 4 classes that can be changed in between every mission… youll be running through thse dungeons, taking down enmies, and every once in a while you will gt the coice, set up camp here and    Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance
    a Mind of its own
    Dark Alliance is an 8 hour long 3rdperson dungeon crawler that can be layed both solo as well as online with up to 4 players, hre you choose one of 4 classes that can be changed in between every mission… youll be running through thse dungeons, taking down enmies, and every once in a while you will gt the coice, set up camp here and regain all ehalth and consumables… and if you die this will be your spawn point, butif you decline to set up camp, the rarity of the loot in this dungeon increases… really having you carfully test your skill and confidence… I played with the more quick bladed assassin as well as the archer, going back and forth each mission so that I didn’t get bred of this game, and I feel this is the best way to play through dark alliance because pof how repettitve it ultimately is, from start to finish its all the same, do this 15- 20 minute long mission, finding chests, defeating enemies if you so choose, to get tp that levels boss and take it down… I was havig an absolte blast most of the time… there are definitely some challenging momnts here, especially from a ouple of its bosses.. and by I couple, I literally mean a couple as for the most part, the ai in dark alliance is awful, they aren’t alive ready foraction, they stand there, waiting to be triggered, which can lead to tons of lack luster fights.. even some bosses will just stand there to die, putting up no fight playing solo… gameplay wise though the combat can be thrilling with each charater feeling vastly different, but my biggest announce with the gameplay is that at least on the playstation 5, the game seemed to have a mind of its own, input combat commands by itself when id try to run or even mid battle… at the nd of each mission youll be given your loot and this is another issue I have with this game.. the loot is just awful here.. ypou don’t get a feeling of what cool item did I escape with, all of it is lack luster and lame, really killing incentive to explore, I was just rushing through these dungeons slaying these brain dead bosses, with only 2 or 3 really fighting back and giving me a challenge…
    Overall, I enjoyed Dark alliance, is it game of the year contender? Not even close, but its nowhere near as bad as most are making it seem, its worth running through and playing by yourself or with friends, but there sadly is no life, in the form of content or loot to keep you playing beyond the final boss…
    I give Dungeons and Dragons Dark alliance
    a 6.5/10    … Expand
  19. notifycritic
    Jun 22, 2023
    4
    Joguei no lançamento com alguns amigos porém depois de 1 semana não tive mais vontade de jogar.
  20. arthasmenethil8
    Mar 18, 2022
    4
    unfinished, unpolished, sporadic fps drop, the actual hit registers with a delay, broken unreactive IA, dull boss fights. In the current state the game is almost unplayable and I suggest not to buy it at all.
    I give this disappointment of a game a 4/10 only because it's on the xbox pass and because they ask you 40 € if you intend to purchase it otherwise I'd given a score of 2/10.
  21. Joaotmdj
    Jul 9, 2021
    7
    First of all, this game isn't as horrible as people are saying, and I really think there's an exaggeration on their part. So let's comment by topic:

    Gameplay: Initially I had thought of robotic gameplay but as I played I changed my mind, the gameplay is quite fun if you play correctly, the objective is to try to make as many combos as possible and with varied moves, if you just keep    First of all, this game isn't as horrible as people are saying, and I really think there's an exaggeration on their part. So let's comment by topic:

    Gameplay: Initially I had thought of robotic gameplay but as I played I changed my mind, the gameplay is quite fun if you play correctly, the objective is to try to make as many combos as possible and with varied moves, if you just keep pressing them buttons the game will obviously be boring

    Graphics: Initially I found the graphics mediocre (my problem is more with Kelvin's camp that the first time I saw him I thought it was bad but now I think it's ok) but as I went looking at the scenarios I started to find them even beautiful.

    Soundtrack:
    It's not a big highlight but the music that plays in the camp is good and so is the mission ending menu.

    History:
    It's fun, nothing grand, and you could say she's good.

    Loot:
    I found the loots ugly (but I was even able to create some visually beautiful sets for Catti-Brie), but the stats are interesting.

    IA:
    Here is one of the main problems of the game, the IA ​​is very bad and makes some bosses very easy to defeat (the way I found to "get around" the problem is to throw myself in the middle of enemies, like I played with Catti -Brie so if I wanted I could kill all the enemies from afar and they wouldn't react but as for the bosses there's nothing to do, I think the worst of them are the "ice giants" who are very dumb lol

    Besides the IA ​​there is also the issue of FPS drop, in the beginning they occurred more often, I don't know if they were specific phases or if they fixed it a little but these drops improve although still had some phases at the end with considerable drops. That said my verdict is that it's a fun game, I played it via the gamepass so maybe that will influence my grade but I would give it a 7~7.5, maybe even 8 and yes if you have the gamepass it's worth at least trying.    … Expand
  22. Queruba
    Jun 23, 2021
    3
    A única coisa boa é que saiu day one na game pass. Bem fraco graficamente, jogabilidade horrenda, resumindo, jogo tosco.
  23. Awanka
    Sep 9, 2021
    3
    What a mess. There's the kernel for a really fun game here conceptually, but it's bogged down by clumsy and repetitive combat, bugs, and some of the worst AI I've ever seen in a game. Enemies and bosses will often stand still while you kill them. The controls for special moves are terrible, and you often find your character executing crazy moves you had no intention of that get youWhat a mess. There's the kernel for a really fun game here conceptually, but it's bogged down by clumsy and repetitive combat, bugs, and some of the worst AI I've ever seen in a game. Enemies and bosses will often stand still while you kill them. The controls for special moves are terrible, and you often find your character executing crazy moves you had no intention of that get you killed. Even executing basic moves like charged shots doesn't register by the game half the time. Worst control responsiveness I've experienced in a game that I can remember, which is just a complete non-starter for a action game.

    There are many indications that this game was rushed or the developers were lazy. Slow contextual actions, like you can't click on ladders in combat for a few seconds, sometimes characters get stuck in animations, levels end with no indication that you're about to come across a boss fight. Multiplayer is a bit better, and that's obviously what the game was designed around. The mechanics are there to create a great synergistic combat system that requires teamwork, but it feels inept. I would give the multiplayer 4/10.

    Story is standard DnD fare, and was a bit juvenile.    … Expand
  24. PenisPickles69
    Jul 10, 2021
    0
    Wow... You know how everybody used to say Balan Wonderworld was the worst game of 2021 so far? Well I can honestly say this game is even worse than Balan Wonderworld in literally every way!
    The only positive thing about this game, is the good-looking cinematic cutscenes filled with weird but amusing dances, but Balan Wonderworld does even that better than this sorry pathetic excuse for a    Wow... You know how everybody used to say Balan Wonderworld was the worst game of 2021 so far? Well I can honestly say this game is even worse than Balan Wonderworld in literally every way!
    The only positive thing about this game, is the good-looking cinematic cutscenes filled with weird but amusing dances, but Balan Wonderworld does even that better than this sorry pathetic excuse for a D&D game!

    Back in the day, before video games were a thing, everybody used to play Dungeons & Dragons passionately the same way gamers do with video games today, and back then all you had was a set of dice, a few plastic figures and a piece of cardboard. Video games were meant to be the future of fantasy role playing games, but in this case, D&D Dark Alliance was a STEP BACK in evolution! You're far better off playing real D&D with dice, plastic and cardboard! If there ever existed a D&D Tiger handheld game, I bet even that would be better than D&D Dark Alliance.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2021
32
#32 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17
  1. XGN
    Jul 29, 2021
    60
    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.
    Read full review
  2. Generación Xbox
    Jul 6, 2021
    63
    Good ideas that are clouded by serious failures in essential aspects.
    Read full review
  3. XboxAddict
    Jul 6, 2021
    72
    I can’t give a full recommendation if you plan on playing solo, but with a few friends Dark Alliance is a much richer and better experience, even with its current shortcomings. D&D fans should have enough here that will appease while casuals can still enjoy an entertaining dungeon crawler with some buddies, a perfect fit to try out with Game Pass as long as your group can agree which characters to play as beforehand.
    Read full review
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