Dungeons and Dragonsfans are dying to know whenDungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliancewill make its full debut. Originally scheduled for late 2020, the action-RPG is now supposed to be out sometime this year, but it’s unclear when. The concept is likely to appeal to a lot of fans of similar games. It’s a game in a spirit very similar to last summer’sMarvel’s Avengers, asDungeons and Dragons: Dark Allianceis about adventurers and heroes banding together to stop an extraordinary threat.Marvel’s Avengersproved in September that heroic alliance never go out of vogue, and if fans liked the superhero angle of that game, thisDungeons and Dragonsgame will hold similar charm.
There’s a crucial way in which these games are different, though.Marvel’s Avengershas established itselfas a live service game, offering weekly missions and rolling out DLC characters to expand the game over time. Mysterious asDungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliancemay be, it doesn’t look like it’ll be presented as a service. Although a game set in the Forgotten Realms seems appropriate to expand with new adventures on the regular, the narrative structure makesDark Alliancelook much more like some other games of its kind.Marvel’sAvengersmay be going for longevity with its model, butDark Alliance’s origins and design mean it doesn’t need to lean on weekly content.
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Salvatore’s Saga
It’s well known now thatDark Allianceis based on the works of R.A. Salvatore, one of the most celebratedDungeons and Dragonsauthors in the game’s history. Salvatore himself is working on the game, which means it’s bound to be faithful to the plot, tone, and characterization of the books.Drizzt Do’urden and his Companions of the Hall, Salvatore’s original characters, all feature as the game’s playable characters. Based on theIcewind Dale Trilogyfeaturing these characters, odds are thatDark Alliancewill follow Salvatore’s writing very closely.
Sticking to the story would make ithard forDark Allianceto existas a service game. Although theoretically regular content could take inspiration from other books, it seems more likely that Tuque Games would want to save further books for aDark Alliancesequel. The game’s developers have already confirmed thatDark Alliancewon’t be free to play. Although that doesn’t make it impossible forDark Allianceto be a service game, it certainly makes it less likely. With the game so close to release and no word on weekly challenges or regular updates,Dark Allianceis probably much more like other superhero games that have yet to release.
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2020 included reveals forGotham KnightsandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.Both are DC superhero games in which players pick their team member and get to work. These games seem heavily story based, much likeDark Alliance,and aren’t likely to be live service games.Dark Alliancewill probably be healthier by being more like these two games thanMarvel’s Avengers.The risk of making a game a service is that its content becomes repetitive and grindy. Wizards of the Coast seems really interested ingettingDungeons and Dragonsgames backon the market, so it’s probably wise that it’s sticking to the traditional model of an all-in-one experience.
Part of the appeal ofDungeons and Dragonsis that it’s a story telling medium. Players like to share in a plot together, whether it’s a published adventure or a homebrew world. As a adaptation of a foundational set ofDungeons and Dragonsbooks,Dark Alliance’s greatest strength is the storyavailable to it. Tuque Games would be wise to let Salvatore lead the way and make a game built around a compelling world that gives the game all the replay value it needs, rather than releasing regular content. IfDark Alliancehas good multiplayer and a good campaign, it won’t need an endless slew of DLCs at all.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliancereleases for PC and consoles in 2021.
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