The future ofDungeons and Dragonsgames has never looked brighter than it does right now. With the in-developmentBaldur’s Gate 3available for early adoptersand an open-worldD&Dgame in the works, fans have more to look forward to now than they’ve had for nearly an entire decade prior.Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance, one of the games coming soon, has been something of a question mark since its reveal in December 2019, but it’s now just a bit less mysterious.
Game Rant recently got the chance to play 45 minutes ofDark Alliancealongside Lead Game Designer Kevin Neibert, tackling one of the campaign missions and spending some time at the game’s hub, which is dressed up as the player’s camp. Opting to play through as Bruenor, a key character alongside Drizzt and the rest of the characters found inRA Salvatore’s novels, we got a solid idea of how the game plays, from the combat mechanics right down to the loot system.
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During our session, we worked through the entirety of a level called Verbeeg Jamboree. Those familiar withDungeons and Dragonswill likely recognize the Verbeeg from the Monster Manual, withDark Alliance’s depiction successfully replicating the creature on-screen. The mission is set up in a similar way to a standardDungeons and Dragonscampaign, just with the focus being on combat rather than any sort of roleplaying. Interestingly, though, the opening to Verbeeg Jamboree almost feels like an homage toThe Hobbit’s Troll scene, with the Verbeeg discussing the best way to prepare Dwarf meat in a cutscene leading into the mission.
As the cutscene plays, Neibert tells the player that the team wants to capture the culture of each of the game’s enemies. The Verbeeg are a good example of this, but we spend most of our time in the level duking it out with Goblins, one ofDungeons and Dragons’classic fodder enemies. These came in a few variations, from ranged to melee, and tanky to squishy. They manage to make combat a bit more dynamic, but it’s too early to tell if that feeling will last beyond a few missions.
What’s immediately striking aboutDungeons and Dragons: Dark Allianceis how fluid the combat feels. Chaining together attacks in different directions has an incredible flow to it, creating a graceful but impactful combat system that changes based on input direction and attack type. This system is supported by interesting abilities that can be used to create meaningful synergy. Each character has four abilities total, though only two can be slotted at once, along with a third ultimate ability.
In Bruenor’s case, our selected abilities allowed him to taunt other creatures to him, drawing heat from his squishier allies. Another called down a giant anvil from the sky that dealt AOE damage, pairing nicely with the taunt move. Neibert played as Cattie-Brae, a nimble, bow-and-arrow-wielding fighter that complemented Bruenor’s beefy weapons and abilities, especially with a move that allowed her to pin enemies in place. Even team compositions that seem less workable should be fine when the game launches, though, asDark Allianceis designed to be completed with whatever combination of characters that players choose.
According to Neibert,Dark Allianceis “about what happens after you roll for initiative,” and from the slice that we got our hands on, that’s an accurate assessment. Not everyone is afterDungeons and Dragons’combat experiences, at least in the tabletop game proper, butDark Allianceisn’t offering up the turn-based system found there. Instead, it’s all the flash and flair that one would reasonably expect from aDungeons and Dragonsmovie. It’s a tight blend of working as a team and executing high-octane individual movements to brag about once the mission is done.
The level structure is something similar toWarhammer: Vermintide,at least as far as the objectives and layout are concerned. Outside of that, however, the game is a third-person hack-and-slash, with the camera angeled tightly over the shoulder. A key thing to keep in mind here is thatDark Allianceis a new game, and isn’t a remake or soft reboot of the originalDark Alliancetitles, a point that Neibert emphasized while playing.
After tough encounters, players will have the option to take a short rest, which will restore health and act as a checkpoint. If players choose to forgo these breaks, though, they will earn better rewards. It’s something of a gamble, and while we opted to take the short rests during our playthrough, it will be interesting to see how the challenge moves the needle when it comes to gearing up characters.
That’s largely because the loot system is what will inevitably keep players coming back for more. Essentially, each item earned inDark Allianceis part of a larger set, and each hero has 12 sets of gear to acquire. These sets will function like quasi-subclasses, offering a bit finer control over individual characters. There are also Feats and a character sheet for players to tinker around with, giving even better control where progression is concerned.
Part of the goal is to haveDark Alliancefunction as a “gateway” for those that have neverdipped their toes intoDungeons and Dragons,Neibert tells us. Neibert is an avidDungeons and Dragonsplayer, just like many of others at Tuque Games. The game’s merchant character and some in-game elites are even inspired by some of the studio’s campaigns. The influence the tabletop game has had onDark Alliance,despite being nearly as far removed from the core tabletop experience as one could get, shines through. Each campaign mission not only has an overarching story, but there are also smaller subplots for players to unearth as players explore the level.
The biggest takeaway from our session is, quite simply, that the game oozes the iconic style ofDungeons and Dragons.How that translates to the rest of the game is still quite a big question mark, but if Tuque Games can stick the landing,Dark Alliancecould well be the first major hit inD&D’s massive lineupof upcoming games.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliancerelease June 18, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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