The highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance has been steadily ramping up to release, with new trailers releasing and positive impressions coming from those that have been able to get their hands on an early demo. Dark Alliance is a third-person action RPG closer to a hack n' slash than the quite tactical Baldur's Gate 3. Solo gameplay sees players swapping between characters, while online multiplayer allows for up to four players for a complete party. No word, however, on couch co-op support.

The game's developer recently released an abilities reel for the game's party barbarian Wulfgar, highlighting the barbarian's different moves such as melee attacks, area of effect attacks, even some ranged attacks. It also showcased the moves in combo with each other as he strings his attacks together. As expected of a barbarian, Wulfgar seems perfect for getting in the thick of it while your ranged and support comrades pick creatures off from the flanks.

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Trailer

The original trailer for Dark Alliance set the tone with high-tempo rock music, fast and furious squad-based combat and the bold use of a mounted action camera. This isn't the typical TTRPG-based video game; action lies at the very core of D&D: Dark Alliance. Recently, the Dark Alliance team has released more trailers to build hype for the game's upcoming launch. The official gameplay trailer showcased the game's baddies; frost giants, wraiths and beholders to begin with, along with some verbeegs rocking out to Ozzy Osbourne around a bonfire.

Another trailer focuses on the classic D&D monster, the beholder. Hagedorn, Tuque Games' take on the infamous monster, sports a chitinous exterior, with eyestalks that look like eyeballs mounted on the ends of crab legs. Its toothy maw horrifically opens up much wider as well, thanks to multiple segments. Judging from the trailer, Hagedorn does not seem to hold back on the party, unleashing a variety of powers and special attacks.

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Plot

Set in the frozen north of Faerun in the isolated wastes of Icewind Dale, Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will feature characters from the beloved series of novels The Legend of Drizzt by the fantastic R.A. Salvatore. Taking control of the infamous drow Drizzt Do’Urden and his party of Catti-brie, Wulfgar and Bruenor Battlehammer, players fend off monsters set to overwhelm Icewind Dale in search of a powerful artifact, The Crystal Shard.

While set in the same region, the game occurs before the events in the recently released Dungeons & Dragons adventure module Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. D&D senior writer and designer Chris Perkins had even mentioned that players who are familiar with Rime of the Frostmaiden might be able to recognize or see some similarities to some settings and characters in Dark Alliance. However, from the look of things, that's as far as the overlap goes.

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Release Date

D&D: Dark Alliance is currently up for preorder on the Wizards website and Steam, with the expected in-game preorder bonuses as well as various editions to appeal to hobbyists and collectors alike. The beholder-themed weapon set comes as a preorder bonus, while the deluxe edition adds a Lich-themed set for the party, as well as the Echoes of the Blood War expansion. Folks willing to shell out extra for the Steelbook Edition also receive a mini artbook and the official soundtrack, all neatly packaged in a Steelbook Case.

Developed by Tuque Games and published by Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance releases for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC June 22, 2021. 

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