Abilities in Dungeon & Dragons: Dark Alliance are unique to each character, which every character having four basic abilities and one ultimate. Ultimate abilities are more powerful than the basics, and can only be used once your Ultimate Meter has been filled up by landing combos in combat.

There are four playable characters in the game, each with its own set of abilities. These abilities can be attained by spending Feat Points, which are earned through gameplay, and abilities can be either offensive or defensive. This guide will both list and describe the abilities of each character.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance Character Abilities

Bruenor

• Taunt: Taunt increases the anger of enemies and also provides some protection, reducing damage dealt to you. Additionally, it will give you Stalwart, an effect that increases your strength, as well as Thorns, which will damage any nearby enemies.
  
  
• Anvil of Clangeddin: A magic anvil drops in front of you and deals both physical and fire damage to opponents. It also gives an Elemental Fire buff to any friends within the area of effect.
  
  
• Battlehammer Brew: This one is purely defensive, cleansing and regenerating all nearby allies.
  
  
• Whirlwind: Whirlwind applies Slowed and Sapped to all enemies you hit, hindering their movement greatly. 
  
  
• Ultimate — Clan Battlehammer: A large circular area of effect is summoned, which provides Elemental and Physical Resistance to all allies inside.

Catti-Brie

• Healing Spirit: A healing field is summoned, and any ally (yourself included) who is within the area of effect will have their health replenished.
  
  
• Ensnaring Strike: Ensnaring Strike will generate roots that come up from the ground and ensnare enemies, preventing them from moving and allowing you to land easy attacks.
  
  
• Heartseeker Volley: A shower of arrows fall from the sky. Any ally who is hit will receive Precision and Improved Critical, increasing the odds of landing hits and critting. Enemies who are hit will be damaged.
  
  
• Resurrection: This ability revives all allies within the radius of effect.
  
  
• Ultimate — Arcane Arrows: The damage, radius, and ability of arrows are improved, allowing them to destroy breakable objects and pierce monsters.

Drizzt

• Blink: Drizzt turns invisible for a short while, then once the invisibility runs out, you are given Precision Strikes, which increases the likelihood of a crit for melee attacks. Invisibility ends early if you deal damage to an enemy.
  
  
• Cloud of Daggers: Cloud of Daggers is exactly what it sounds like. A cloud of daggers forms around yourself and does damage to nearby enemies. It also inflicts Bleed, which does additional damage over time.
  
  
• Faerie Fire: Any goblins within range will immediately flee. All other enemies will have Curse and Fright inflicted on them, meaning they take extra damage from attacks and will be frozen in space.
  
  
• Battle Trance: This ability grants Vampiric and Frenzy to Drizzt, giving you a damage boost and making you restore health when you inflict damage.
  
  
• Ultimate — Astral Companion: Guenhwyvar, a black panther companion from the Astral Plane, will attack random enemies with 20 meters. He is immune to all damage.

Wulfgar

• Hammer Throw: A hammer is thrown in the direction that Wulgar is facing, damaging opponents in his path.
  
  
• Primal Instinct: You are given Damage and Armor. The amount you get is dependent on the amount of health you are missing.
  
  
• Shockwave: Shockwave will inflict Slow on all enemies within the area of effect, reducing their movement speed. It will also damage all enemies it hits.
  
  
• Endurance of the Elk: All allies within a nearby radius, Wulgar included, are granted Powerful Strikes and Frenzy. Critical hits become more powerful and inflict more damage, and general damage is boosted as well.
  
  
• Ultimate — Wrath of Tempus: This spinning attack deals an incredible amount of damage to all enemies within the area of effect.

That's it for all the character abilities in Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. If you found this guide helpful, check out our other D&D: Dark Alliance guides here on GameSkinny.

D&D: Dark Alliance can be played solo, but it's meant to be played with others. Instead of fighting the goblins and orcs of Icewind Dale alone, you can (and should) team up with two or three other companions. It makes combat easier and exploration more fun. But does D&D: Dark Alliance have local split screen co op?  

Unfortunately, D&D: Dark Alliance local co op and split screen aren't available on any platform at launch. You can't toss a controller to your pal, plop on a couch, and bandy about Icewind Dale slaying clueless vermin. 

Well, not yet, anyway. 

Developer Tuque games said back in May that local split screen co op would be coming to D&D: Dark Alliance after launch. There's no release date set for the addition of split screen, but Tuque said it hopes to implement the feature "this summer." That would put its ETA sometime between the game's June 22 launch and the end of summer on September 22. 

Until then, D&D: Dark Alliance does support online co op multiplayer. Of course, you and your friends will each need to own a copy of Dark Alliance to play together, but it's possible. You can create a custom game, and your friends can join in janky co op. 

The game also features matchmaking, so you can search for players currently online and hop into a lobby with your current character that way, as well. You'll be matched with random players in a random session. It's not the same as local co op or playing with friends, but it's an alternative. 

It's unfortunate that D&D: Dark Alliance doesn't support local split screen co op at launch, but it's good news that it's coming in a future patch. Hopefully, they'll also allow more than one class in a group at a time. Fingers crossed. 

All four of D&D Dark Alliance classes have their strengths and weaknesses, but some are objectively more effective than others and of course every player has their preferences in archetypes and playstyles. 

Each of the four characters in Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance fits within a typical RPG archetype pigeonhole. If you know what you generally like in action RPGs, you may won't have all that tough of a time deciding which class you want to go with your first time around.

However, considering the third person point of view and how the combat system works, you may need a little guidance in choosing a Dark Alliance class that suits your playstyle.

Bruenor Battlehammer

• Class: Fighter
• Role: Tank

Strengths

This sturdy dwarf is a true tank carrying a huge shield and large axe, thanks to his naturally high strength stat.

His best ability is Anvil of Clangeddin, which allows him to drop an anvil that both defends him from enemies and deals damage to them.

Bruenor's main utility skills are Taunt that lures enemies and reduces damage dealt by them, and Whirlwind that makes him spin dealing damage to all enemies within the reach of his axe.

The latter one is similar to his Rising Axe move, while another fantastic move is Frostwave Grind that summons an unblockable ice vortex.

Weaknesses

Although Bruenor is a very physically strong character, his movement speed is rather slow and he will need support of other characters to be fully effective.

You should also invest some points in his Intelligence stat, making his cooldown tick by faster.

Feats and Builds

Bruenor is a typical tank with a lot of damage potential, so for the main solo damage build it is advisable to focus on his Hammer feat tree with the following main feats:

• Dungeon Delver
• Battle Master
• Inspiring Leader

For co-op gameplay, it would be best to use a pure tank build that can consume a lot of damage. In this regard his Anvil feats are where you need to invest your points in:

• Shield Master
• Heavy Armor Master
• Indomitable

Both of these builds can be further improved using his Forge feats that mainly increase stamina:

• Athletic
• Endurance
• Keen Mind

The following abilities are best with the two proposed builds:

• Solo Damage: Whirlwind and Anvil of Clangeddin
• Co-Op Tank: Taunt and Battlehammer Brew

Drizzt Do'Urden

• Class: Ranger
• Role: Dualist/Assassin

Strengths

This drow elf is primarily a dexterity-based class with fast movement and attacks.

Drizzt's keynote ability is Blink, which allows him to enter stealth for a time. This skill can be well used in dangerous situations that will give you time to heal and fight back, and get some extra damage in once you come out of stealth.

His two offensive abilities are Cloud of Daggers that serves as an AoE, and Faerie Fire that inflicts cursed and frightened status effects on all enemies within range, rendering them defenseless for some time.

Drizzt's two best moves are Well of Darkness and Dark Hands that both work as powerful AoE attacks. But his ultimate move is Astral Companion, which summons a tiger that fights on your side.

Weaknesses

While Drizzt's attacks are really strong, he does lack in terms of self defense, which makes him weak to just a few precise hits.

His specific problem is the starting low Constitution stat that makes him generally vulnerable, but this is less of a factor as he gains levels.

Feats and Builds

Since Drizzt's biggest plus is his naturally high Dexterity, it would be best to go for the Ranger build with the following best feats:

• Defensive Duelist
• Tough
• Uncanny

In case your personal playstyle is focused on dealing a lot of damage and developing critical hits, then go for the Hunter build:

• Dual Wielder
• Lightning Reflexes
• Second Wind

Finally, if you want to be able to use his stamina to the max and develop his resilience during fights in both of Hunter and Ranger focused builds, then go primarily for the following Expertise feats:

• Athletic
• Endurance
• Keen Mind

The following abilities are best with the two proposed builds:

• Solo Damage (Hunter): Cloud of Daggers and Battle Trance
• Co-Op Support (Ranger): Blink and Faerie Fire

Cattie-Brie

• Class: Fighter
• Role: Archer/Sniper

Strengths

Just like Drizzt, this character is also Dexterity-based. Cattie-Brie's weapon of choice is a bow for long-range assaults.

Her best ability is Heartseeker Volley that sends a volley of arrows at the unsuspecting monsters dealing damage in an AoE fashion. Everyone affected by these arrows gets the slowed status effect.

Cattie-Brie's other two abilities are focused on healing allies in the form of Healing Spirit and reviving them using the Resurrection skill.

Her two best moves are Piercing Shot and Lobbed Arrow that deal damage to mutliple enemies with a single arrow shot. If you manage to execute her ultimate move Arcane Arrows, then the piercing effect will apply to all your shots.

If you want to be able to not only kill enemies effectively but also heal yourself and others, then Cattie-Brie would be a great choice.

Weaknesses

Since Cattie-Brie is first and foremost a ranged character, she can be penalized for trying to use her bow in a close combat situation. In this case she loses quite some damage.

This means that you need to constantly keep her at a certain distance to enemies, which does require developing a certain type of playstyle.

Feats and Builds

By going with her natural inclination towards ranged attacks, it would be wise to develop her ranged damage as much as possible. In such a case the Archer build will allow you to both increase her piercing shots and mitigate some of the close combat damage loss:

• Martial Adept
• Piercing Arrow
• Horde Breaker

For playing in co-op mode, Cattie-Brie can be a great support character in her Cunning role:

• Healer
• Endurance
• Keen Mind

If you feel that she lacks defensive abilities, unlock some of her Longstrider feats that will help her gain more resilience using:

• Tough
• Light Armor Master
• Mobile

The following abilities are best with the two proposed builds:

• Solo Damage (Archer): Heartseeker Volley and Ensnaring Strike
• Co-Op Support (Cunning): Healing Spirit and Resurrection

Wulfgar

• Class: Barbarian
• Role: Assault/Shock Troop

Strengths

Wulfgar is another Strength-based character, but his defenses are not as good as those of Bruenor. His attacks, on the other hand, are quite powerful.

His best ability is Shockwave, which is an AoE attack that sends all enemies into a state of slowed status effect.

Wulfgar's Primal Instinct ability allows him to gain damage and armor bonus depending on the missing hit points. The Endurance of the Elk is a nice support skill that provides him and his allies with powerful strikes.

Wulfgar's Rage Spin move is similar to Bruenor's Rising Axe, and his ultimate Spin of Fury attack also deals a similar type of damage with his rotating hammer.

Weaknesses

Wulfgar has little to no protection and defensive mechanisms, which makes him struggle with the survival aspect.

This means that you need to find really strong armor and distribute most of your stat points to Strength and Constitution.

Feats and Builds

If you're maining Wulfgar in solo mode, then focus on the damage feat tree, such as the Wolf:

• Great Weapon Master
• Brutal Strikes
• Fury of Tempus

In co-op Wulfgar can be a serious debuffer if you focus for his Elk tree:

• Hardy
• Medium Master Armor
• Blessing of Tempus

As usual, you can improve both of these builds with some stamina and cooldown reduction:

• Endurance
• Keen Mind
• Pack Rat

The following abilities are best with the two proposed builds:

• Solo Damage: Hammer Throw and Shockwave
• Co-Op Debuffer: Primal Instinct and Endurance of the Elk

Hopefully, our guide help you make the decision which class to choose in D&D Dark Alliance. Check out our other Dark Alliance guides here on GameSkinny.

During the height of 90s-era PC role-playing, Interplay with developers like Bioware made some of the best RPGs out there. Eventually, thanks to the all-consuming juggernaut that was Diablo, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance branched out to become a more multiplayer action-focused gaming experience, and it did so with mixed results.

Years later, the Dark Alliance name has returned, much like a pesky evil wizard, to bring D&D back into the video gaming fold.

Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance Review: Going for the Gauntlet

Dark Alliance isn’t a role-playing game, though it certainly has RPG-like elements. You pick from one of four pre-set characters, and long-time fans of D&D lore might recognize the cast.

Drizzt Do’Urden, a Drow rogue with a variety of quick strikes and backstabbing, is certainly the most famous D&D character here. Catti-brie is a human archer and plays a more support-focused role. Wulfgar and Bruenor Battlehammer are both heavy fighters best at rushing enemies and smashing them to bits.

So, in class terms, there's a fighter, rogue, barbarian, and ranger. It’s not an ideal line-up for variety. Magic spells aren’t a focus and the combat system is very combo-base, definitely making Dark Alliance feel much more arcade-like than RPG-like.

That’s not necessarily bad, of course. As your character builds up and gains ranks, they get more advanced combos and moves, totaling about 50 distinct moves for each. 

Their character sheets and stats have been adjusted for the action progression of Dark Alliance as well. The usual D&D stats like strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, etc. are all here, but all of them start incredibly low (such as around 5 or 6, for example) and each level earned gives you a point or two to increase an individual stat of your choosing. 

Overall, the combat and skill trees are workable if not outstanding. The pacing of combat is a little jerky, and you can’t interrupt your moves to block. There are team combo moves and team boosts, but the action feels fairly basic overall. This is especially compounded by a weird lack of precision aiming and overall questionable hit detection.

In our hours playing, there was no indication of anything as basic as headshots (or any other body part). You either hit the thing in question or not, and damage is calculated in the background (presumably in some D&D stat-fashion) that seems more concerned with range than if it was a critical hit. It never seemed to matter where on an enemy you aimed, which is especially noticeable when playing as an archer. 

Catti-brie’s shots consist of a lighter attack and heavy attack, both of which can be charged up. Her heavy attack will hit multiple enemies at once and generally do more damage, but even when using the targeting lock-on mechanic, it seemed mostly random which enemies (and how many) would get hit.

Damage also appears to be based on her range. In one spot she might only do 31 points of damage a shot, but move her a few yards forward and that same shot might inflict 300 points. She’s also incapable of shooting through any kind of gap or obstacle while standing near them, like large gaps between boarded-up walls or, perplexingly, over waist-high rope barriers on a bridge.

These idiosyncrasies are less noticeable with the other three close-combat characters, but there are other issues as well.

The movement physics feel a little off, so jumping and dodging come off as floaty and unresponsive. Worse is the overall camera and targeting. Locking on to an enemy is simply unreliable. When used, the third-person viewpoint zooms in much closer to your character than in games like Diablo or even the original Dark Alliance, and the camera simply has trouble not getting in the way. 

This leads to mishaps like getting stuck on invisible level architecture in the thick of battle, falling off ledges, and just generally not being to get a decent view of the action. There are times when the game zooms in so close to your character that they actually block your view entirely. Not ideal for action-based combat.

The level design also tends to include quite a bit of platformer-style jumping, which frequently feels at odds with the rest of gameplay and clumsy physics.

There are a variety of other smaller issues. At times, the levels have sections where not much happens, which is especially problematic for multiplayer, and there are minor bugs here and there.

The biggest and most glaring issue is the enemy AI. Or lack thereof. It’s hard to say if the enemies are outfight broken or they just used the absolute barebones basic enemy behavior possible in the Unreal engine, but wow, these monsters are absurdly dumb.

Monsters only notice and attack you within a very short range inside their very specific room or area. Attacking them outside that range (particularly from above) causes no reaction whatsoever. You can decimate a whole group of goblins from afar (usually with the archer), for instance, and they’ll never once bother to notice they’re being killed. It doesn’t even stop their canned conversations. 

Rush your enemies and they’ll charge back, but just move slightly out of their designated area and the whole group will just turn around and give up like nothing happened. Sure, this is cheap, lame, and really poorly done, but on the other hand, it’s hilarious to watch and exploit. The humor also amps up thanks to some surprisingly funny dialogue (we get to hear a lot about the preparation and robust taste of dwarves, the finer points of collecting toes, and all kinds of bitching about the various other kinds of monsters). 

These flaws might not seem quite so obvious in a full online game as when playing solo, but it still makes the action feel universally mindless. 

There are bright points in Dark Alliance. This hack and slash trip through Icewind Dale to stop a sentient crystal shard hilariously named "Crenshinibon," (which sounds like it goes great with your morning coffee) looks excellent.

The monsters are detailed and animated (complete with some questionably funny physical taunts), even if they tend to look like they wandered straight off the set of a Lord of the Rings movie. The levels are sharp, detailed, and frequently lovely to behold with atmospheric lighting and effects.

While the overall graphic quality is excellent (and there really is some impressive-looking architecture here), frame rate issues popped up regularly during our time with it. On the PS5, the game hates flags moving at more than a few frames a second, and, at times, in-game animations would stumble for a second or two.

The soundtrack is quite good, especially the dramatic scoring. The voice acting got old fast, since you end up hearing the same sound bites a lot. Also, based on the vigorously athletic groans and moans she makes while unleashing arrow-laden hell on her enemies, one can only assume that Catti-brie is really enthusiastically (and weirdly) into archery.

The actual map design is quite good on the whole. The game has a noteworthy focus on giving players treasure-filled incentives to comb an entire level. Secret bits of treasure and lore abound, making it entertaining to just explore every potential path. 

Currently, multiplayer is limited to online-only, but an update later this year should add split-screen. Players can either host a public or private game to take on the seven or so three-act chapters of the story. There’s somewhere between 15 to 30 hours of playtime, depending on if you're just blasting through the story or trying to max your characters out and find every secret.

Finding and collecting tons of loot is a big part of the game. Aside from treasure and various (and confusingly rated crystals that also act as currency for upgrades), there's armor, weapons, and other items up for grabs in chests and from fallen enemies.

Strangely, all that loot can only be equipped between levels. There’s a shop in the adventurer’s hub to sell unwanted gear and upgrade items and a loot chest that gives you bonus gear after a mission. 

Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance Review — The Bottom Line

Pros

• Looks great with some really good level architecture and well-detailed characters
• Four-player adventuring helps lessen some of the other flaws
• Lots of loot to gather and monsters to kill
• Solid story and cinematic sequences

Cons

• Terrible enemy AI 
• Glitchy
• Limited character selection
• Very questionable camera and targeting mechanics

Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance is not, by any means, a good game in the traditional sense, but still proves that multiplayer and great visuals can go a long way to making something fun anyway.

In the same way that a bad B-movie is still entertaining, Dark Alliance somehow feels a bit more charming because of some of its glaringly bad AI and design issues.

[Note: Tuque Games provided the copy of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance used for this review.]

Just about every Dungeons & Dragons player knows of the characters Wulfgar, Bruenor, Cattie-brie, and Drizzt — and knows there haven't been any opportunities to take on the roles of these characters in a video game. That changes with Dark Alliance.

A co-op-focused action RPG set in the Icewind Dale universe, Dark Alliance will allow players to step into the shoes of the four R.A. Salvatore characters for the first time and lay to waste hordes of monsters encroaching on Icewind Dale trying to find the Crystal Shard.

Keeping in line with what fans would want from these notorious Dungeons & Dragons characters, Dark Alliance will offer over 50 combat abilities each so players can find a playstyle they enjoy no matter which of the four characters they've chosen.

Fifty abilities per character may seem overwhelming, but developer Tuque Games' studio head revealed in a post on the PlayStation blog that the game will feature something called "Emergent Combat," which will adjust the difficulty and presumably the complexity of enemy actions to give just about any playstyle a chance to shine.

The trailer and developer reveal give the sense Dark Alliance is closer to a horde shooter (RPG?) than anything else, but fans of Drizzt and co. or even fans of frantic action RPGs seem to have a lot to look forward to with the game's June 22 release on PC, PS4 and PS5, and Xbox One and Series X later this year. Pre orders are currently live, and the game will retail for $39.99.

Magic: Legends

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
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• Release Date: TBD 2021
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Finally, we have Magic: Legends. In this three-player co-op ARPG, you'll become a Planeswalker in the Magic Multiverse. You'll choose a class, journey out into various locales, and build decks full of spells to use in fast-paced combat.

The deck-building mechanic leads to plenty of loadout combinations in battle, no matter whether you choose to be a Geomancer, Necromancer, Sanctifier, Beast Caller, or Mind Mage. The game's difficulty modifiers and challenges were recently outlined, and there's sure to be more news in the lead-up to the game's release later this year. 

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That's it for our list on the ARPGs to keep an eye on in 2021. There's bound to be something in this list for almost every action RPG fan out there, whether you want to play alone or with friends. Be sure to make note of each game that catches your eye, and let us know if we missed any other releases that you're looking forward to!

Atomic Heart

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
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• Release Date: TBD 2021
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Atomic Heart looks like it's set in a post-apocalypse, but it isn't. Instead, it's an ARPG set in an alternate timeline that explores what could have happened in the USSR following World War 2.

Set in 1955, there are plenty of surprising technological advancements, all centered on communism and aggression towards the Western world. You play as a KGB officer who finds himself in the middle of a huge robotic malfunction at "The Facility." Inside, you'll be faced with hostile machines that were originally made to be used in wartime combat.

So much of the game is still shrouded in mystery, and it's been rumored that the game has undergone significant changes since it was first announced in 2018. 

Horizon Forbidden West

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• Platforms: PS4, PS5
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• Release Date: TBD 2021
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Circling back around to post-apocalyptic settings, Horizon Forbidden West is one of the most anticipated RPGs of the year. Period. 

Aloy is back, and this time around, she's exploring unseen lands as she attempts to stop a mysterious blight that's ravaging the world. This blight may bring on another extinction, so it's up to her to find out the truth behind it while going up against new machines and hidden foes.

While we don't have a definitive release date other than "sometime in late 2021," a recent Sony Instagram advertisement (courtesy of VGC), points to the game still hitting that vague release window. At least for now. 

Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
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• Release Date: Fall 2021
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If you thought that NEO: The World Ends With You was lacking in info, you might not be too pleased here — especially if you're a D&D fan. Unfortunately, not too much is known about Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance at this point.

The good news is that it's confirmed to be a four-player co-op action RPG that supports both online and local multiplayer in the lands of Icewind Dale. The bad news is that the information more or less ends there. Regardless, this is still an exciting concept for D&D fans who are looking for their next adventure.

NEO: The World Ends with You

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• Platforms: PS4, Switch
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• Release Date: Summer 2021
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The World Ends With You released all the way back in 2007 for the DS and mobile iOS and Android devices. The game was re-released in 2018 for the Nintendo Switch, but now, 14 years after the cult hit first released, a true sequel is finally on its way.

NEO: The World Ends With You follows four new protagonists stuck in a city playing a deadly game. Longtime fans will recognize the premise, visuals, and even the gameplay shown off in the trailer above.

Square Enix hasn't revealed any more details beyond what's in the trailer but is sure to share more soon if the summer release window holds strong.

Rune Factory 5

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• Platforms: Switch
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• Release Date: 2021
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In a slight change of pace from Dying Light, Rune Factory 5 is a vibrant RPG sim with a bit of action thrown in for good measure. After suffering from memory loss (because no farm-sim game with action elements would be complete without it), you end up in a small town where your story begins.

Since Rune Factory is first and foremost a simulation game, a lot of your time will be spent farming, fishing, taming creatures, building relationships, and more.

But outside of the town, there's plenty of action to be had as you become a member of a band of peacekeeping rangers. There's plenty to do, whether you choose to live a domestic life, a dangerous one, or both in this upcoming Switch exclusive. 

Dying Light 2

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
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• Release Date: 2021
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Dying Light 2 is another post-apocalyptic action RPG that should be on everyone's radars this year. Like so many other titles, this is another game that was delayed indefinitely in early 2020. Since that announcement, we've heard very little about how development's going, but hopefully, it will be ready for release before 2021 comes to a close.

Combining survival and role-playing elements, Dying Light 2 is much like its predecessor and is played from the first-person perspective. Set in a new setting, but one that's still post-apocalyptic, Dying Light 2 follows a new protagonist 15 years after the outbreak of the virus. Your agility and talent will help you survive, but it's your decisions that will determine the outcome of your story.

Biomutant

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
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• Release Date: May 25, 2021
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Jumping from vampires to varmints, the next game you should keep an eye on in 2021 is Biomutant, a post-apocalyptic open-world RPG that somehow manages to mix shooting, kung fu, and tiny creatures into what looks to be a unique ARPG experience.

You'll dive deep into systems involving crafting, customization, and mutant powers as you're tasked with uniting the game's many divided Tribes. Of course, you're also tasked with saving the New World from a plague that is slowly killing the Tree of Life, a task no good RPG would leave out. 

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
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• Release Date: Beyond 2022
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If you're not one for linear tales and want a bit more choice in your action RPGs, Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 is one of the games that you should be looking forward to the most. 

You begin the game as a human, before getting attacked during a vampiric Mass Embrace in the city of Seattle. From then on, the discipline you choose, faction you align with, and clan you join will shape your narrative as a newly born vampire. 

As the sequel to the longstanding cult-classic Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines, there's a lot to live up to. Though it's disappointing for fans, Bloodlines 2 has been indefinitely delayed as publisher Paradox Interactive looks for a new developer. Hopefully, we'll learn more before the end of the year. 

SCARLET NEXUS

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
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• Release Date: Summer 2021
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In SCARLET NEXUS, players will jump into a world where humans have gained extra-sensory powers. And of course, with more powers comes more problems. As if right on cue, aggressive mutants with a thirst for human brains start falling from the sky. These mutants, known as Others, are the main threats in the world of SCARLET NEXUS.

To piece together the game's whole story, players will take on two paths from two different characters. One is the tale of new recruit Yuito Sumeragi, and the other is the tale of the prestigious Kasane Randall. How their stories intertwine remains unknown, but there will be plenty of action along the way. 

Gotham Knights

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
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• Release Date: 2021
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If shooting and looting don't scratch your co-op action RPG itch, then maybe taking down criminals in Gotham City will. Gotham Knights is basically what you get when Batman is nowhere to be found and crime runs amok in DC's darkest city. Batgirl, Knightwing, Robin, and Red Hood are filling in for him, and from the looks of it, their plates are full.

However, despite having four playable characters to choose from, Gotham Knights only allows for two-player co-op, as seen in the first gameplay reveal for the game. That being said, a co-op game set in DC's famous city should still be an experience that you won't want to miss out on, and like Outriders, it's drop-in/drop-out, allowing players to team up anywhere, anytime. 

Outriders

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Stadia
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• Release Date: April 1, 2021
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Outriders is a third-person story-driven co-op RPG looter-shooter (a lot of qualifiers, I know) that takes place on the dangerous planet of Enoch. It's post-apocalyptic through and through, underpinned by a dark, sometimes morbid narrative. 

Leading up to release, one of the game's most appealing features is crossplay between all platforms and drop-in/drop-out co-op throughout its entire story. You can journey across this dangerous alien world with friends, regardless of their respective setups or in-game progression.

It's similar in nature to other looter-shooters like Destiny and The Division, but it's been made clear that Outriders won't follow the games-as-a-service model. Developer People Can Fly and publisher Square Enix have said the entire Outriders experience will be in a single package at launch. 

There is beta/demo out now on all platforms, and it will remain live even after the game launches on April 1. That gives those interested in checking it out plenty of time to do so. 

Monster Hunter Rise

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• Platforms: Switch, PC
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• Release Date: March 26, 2021 (Switch), TBD 2022 (PC)
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Monster Hunter Rise is Capcom's first follow-up to the ultra-successful Monster Hunter: World. This is another storied RPG series that can easily fill the action RPG void in your life with hundreds of hours of gameplay. Launching in just over a month on March 26 for the Nintendo Switch, Monster Hunter Rise takes its name literally, featuring more verticality than previous installments. 

According to recent reports, it will release on PC sometime in 2022. There's no firm release date just yet, but producer Ryozo Tsujimoto said it's definitely happening. 

If you didn't get a chance to try the game's demo earlier this year, you should know that Rise a new adventure that features four-player co-op, new locations, improved traversal, and of course, new monsters. You can read more about it over here on our game page. 

Tales of Arise

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• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
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• Release Date: TBD 2021
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More than a few games set for release in 2020 were delayed to 2021 (or further) due to working conditions in the COVID-19 pandemic. Tales of Arise is one of those games. It was originally set for an "early 2020" release window, but now, it's slated for launch sometime this year. 

Tales of Arise is the 17th mainline entry in the long-running series, and the last game, Tales of Berseria, came out in early 2017 for the PS4 and PC in the West (it released in 2016 in Japan). 

For the first time in ages, a Tales game is being made without using the series' usual in-house engine used for previous releases, such as Berseria and Zestria. Sporting a brand-new Unreal Engine 4 makeover and a tweaked battle system, Arise looks to shake things up for Tales fans in more ways than one. 

We just recently worked up a list focused on the upcoming turn-based RPGs that you should be on the lookout for in 2021, including games like the just-released Bravely Default 2, Loop Hero, and Darkest Dungeon 2. It's only right that we do the same for action RPGs as well.

2020 gave us memorable action-oriented titles such as Nioh 2, Genshin Impact, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This year is looking like it will provide more than a few notable releases too.

If you prefer more fast-paced combat in your RPGs, this is the list for you. Here are 14 action RPGs that you should definitely have on your radar in 2021.

Ever since the dark days of 4th Edition, D&D hasn't been very prolific on the video game front. Decidedly, it dropped the mantle carried in decades past that saw multiple games saw release every year. Consequently, we're long overdue for a D&D video game resurgence — that's finally about to happen.

There's no question that the Baldur's Gate 3 announcement in June 2019 started the hype train, but that long-awaited sequel has no release window at this time. Barring any sudden surprise developments, the next game fans will most likely see is Dark Alliance, due to arrive in Fall 2020.

The Dark Alliance announcement at The Game Awards in mid-December garnered a mixed reaction to be sure. The teaser has an odd Go Pro camera style applied to it and the slightly off-kilter character models have left more than a few long-time Forgotten Realms enthusiasts scratching their heads.

Considering we underwent the monumental task of ranking every single D&D game from best to worst awhile back, it should be clear we've been fans of the system through its various incarnations over the decades. Whether it's "garbage" or not, we're going to play Dark Alliance. But only a few days after the title reveal, there's already a nagging feeling that this isn't the direction in which the franchise should go. 

Why Action Hack 'n Slash isn't the Way to Go

       We've been here before, and it wasn't pretty.

Frankly, the latest D&D game reveal felt a bit like if Bethesda decided the next Fallout game should be Brotherhood of Steel 2 (ugh, hopefully, I didn't just give them any ideas for the follow-up to Fallout 76).

While the Dark Alliance entries on the PS2 obviously had fans, they weren't really D&D games. They were a pale shadow of the classic Infinity Engine RPG titles like Baldur's Gate. We haven't seen any actual Dark Alliance gameplay yet, but the cinematic trailer makes it look like we're getting Vermintide with Drizzt, Wulfgar, Catti-Brie, and Bruenor. 

The issue isn't that there's no room for new 4-player co-op vs enemy wave games. Fans have been champing at the bit for a legitimate Left 4 Dead 3 for years now, after all (and the recent GTFO doesn't do a bad job of scratching that it). The problem is that it seems unlikely to work well in the Forgotten Realms using D&D mechanics as a springboard.

The first tip-off that a catastrophe may be brewing popped up when the president of Wizards Of The Coast wasn't willing to answer if Dark Alliance will be a AAA game or somewhat of an indie, stating it's all "in the eye of the beholder."

        We are less amused by this joke than you think we are. That guy in the upper right? That's the face I'm making right now.

Awesome beholder pun aside, if Dark Alliance is going to be a highly polished, top tier, AAA game, it would have been very easy to say so. The coy notion that some people will think it's AAA and others won't makes it clear we should temper our expectations.

There are strong reasons to be concerned about a mid-tier action game set in the Forgotten Realms. The D&D franchise ditching its core RPG elements to go an action route has a long and illustrious history of being truly, horrendously awful.

In 1988, the Commodore 64 title Heroes Of The Lance seriously gave the infamous E.T. a run for its money in the "worst PC game adaptation" category. The more recent Daggerdale and Demon Stone are some of the most lackluster hack 'n slash titles to ever hit consoles.

Can We Forget the Forgotten Realms Already?

       Ugh, you again?

Quality and game mechanics aside, the biggest issue surrounding the Forgotten Realms is that it is laughably over-saturated. Wizards Of The Coast has relied on its wide appeal as the basic fantasy setting — nearly everyone knows names like Drizzt — for far too long. It's absolutely time for a change.

While he still has his die-hard groupies, I was pretty burned out on cheesy, unkillable Drizzt as the face of the Forgotten Realms by the time I was 19. Fast forward another 14 years and he's somehow still the go-to fantasy D&D character — despite having remained just as obnoxiously uninteresting over that time period.

There are dozens of other locations in the Forgotten Realms besides Icewind Dale and the Sword Coast that are consistently ignored in any given D&D video game adaptation. If you go even further and move beyond Faerun altogether, there's simply a staggering amount of material to dive into across any of the other campaign settings from D&D history.

By my count, there have been a whopping 50 video game entries in the Forgotten Realms if you include mobile titles and major expansions to games like Neverwinter Nights 2. By contrast, there have been a paltry 19 D&D video games across every other campaign setting combined.

Considering that Planescape: Torment is still one of the most lauded RPGs in the history of video games, it's absolute insanity that Wizards never took another crack at that setting in a digital format. Granted, many developers might not want to follow that critically acclaimed gem and face backlash if they don't absolutely knock it out of the park, but Planescape isn't the only campaign setting out there either.

With the right promotion, a return to Krynn and the Dragonlance setting could easily send the hype machine go into overdrive. That universe hasn't seen a proper video game since the gold box SSI days in the early '90s.

If Wizards is absolutely dead set on changing the formula from an RPG to another style like it appears they are with Dark Alliance, why not go with Birthright instead? 

Realm management and large scale combat are baked right into the setting, making it ripe for a 4X or turn-based strategy game with RPG elements. Why let major series like Civilization and Age of Wonders — or tabletop crossovers like Gladius — get all the glory? 

Flip the genre spectrum and it's somehow been more than 20 years since a game launched in the Ravenloft campaign setting. There's more than enough room there to either offer a straightforward horror game with D&D characters or inject more horror and undead creatures into an RPG.

The options don't remotely end there either, as there's still more game styles to mine from the earlier days of D&D, like a sci-fi mashup with Spelljammer.

Why are we still fighting orcs and goblins on the Sword Coast when we could be battling illithids and neogi in space?

Mass Effect and KOTOR were both beloved by RPG fans, and there's no reason Spelljammer couldn't get thrown into that list of names.

If there's one setting that is most ready for a return to PC gaming, though, it has to be Dark Sun.

The current entertainment, social, and political climate is wildly ripe for a gritty Dark Sun game.

A developer could easily dive into the political- and social-commentary pool, making a title that would be well received right now. Dark Sun is a setting about the working class toiling under tyrants amid rampant racism. Did I mention that a global environmental catastrophe has struck?

Even if Wizards of the Coast wants to avoid that sort of on-the-nose commentary — and of course they do; this is the company that forced Neverwinter Nights 2 to get rid of a brothel — there's still plenty of reason to go with Dark Sun. Grim and dark are very much "in" right now.

Watchmen and Game Of Thrones were huge successes that took the fantasy and sci-fi worlds by storm. The Boys might have put a comedic spin on things, but the success of that series further makes it clear that comic book fans will show up in droves for a story full of hard choices and no good guys. 

Dark Sun is also one of the least saturated settings in D&D history. There's been a grand total of three games in the series: Shattered Lands in '93, Wake of the Ravager in '94, and an early attempt at an MMORPG called Crimson Sands that lasted from '96 to '98. 

D&D Steps Up To Bat

        Seems like a perfectly good time for a new slave uprising

With news arriving that multiple games besides Dark Alliance and Baldur's Gate 3 have been greenlit for the coming years, it's clear that D&D will get the chance to swing seven or eight times and (hopefully) hit something.

Based on the last decade of output, I'm not personally expecting any of them to be home runs, but with a little luck, maybe we'll at least get something memorable.

What did you think of the Dark Alliance announcement trailer, and what style of D&D game would you like to see come out next? Sound off in the comments below!

Although the tabletop giant has been notably absent from PC and console in recent years, there's much more digital D&D in store for RPG fans coming very soon.

We already know about the Stadia-exclusive Baldur's Gate 3 coming from none other than Divinity: Original Sin crew Larian Studios. We also know a new Dark Alliance title developed by Tuque Games was just revealed at The Game Awards. A trailer for that newly-revealed title can be seen below.

That's just the tip of the iceberg, though, as we can expect multiple other titles to be revealed shortly.

According to an interview with Wizards Of The Coast President Chris Cocks conducted by Gamesindustry.biz, Wizards is greenlighting between seven to eight total Dungeons & Dragons games over the next few years.

While Cocks specifically mentioned the large amount of lore across each campaign setting, the exact settings and gameplay styles of those titles aren't clear yet. According to the interview, all of the D&D games will have some level of single-player experience. Cocks added:

We always think that our co-operative perspective, that forming a party with your friends and doing great things together — the party is bigger than individual components — will always be an important part of our secret sauce.

Aside from a smaller number of digital games, D&D hasn't been nearly as prolific on the hardcover book release schedule in 5th edition as in past versions of the game. 3rd edition, for instance, had a two book a month schedule that saw players struggling to keep up with new releases.

In light of fewer licensed D&D games releasing lately — with the poorly received Sword Coast Legends entirely yanked from the Steam store — rival system Pathfinder has picked up the slack with PC versions of full tabletop adventure paths.

That trend kicked off with Kingmaker last year, while developer Owlcat Games just revealed that the Wrath Of The Righteous campaign path is now in development as a full standalone game.

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more news and info on these upcoming D&D titles as it drops.