Dungeons & Dragons-inspired games are not a new phenomenon, but Larian Studios` Baldur`s Gate 3 significantly boosted the popularity of dice-rolling video games. Following its success, Wizards of the Coast invested $1 billion into its gaming ecosystem, partnering with various developers. This collaboration aims to create diverse D&D experiences, including Tactical Adventures` very D&D Fifth Edition-focused Solasta II and an unannounced single-player D&D title from Star Wars Jedi director Stig Asmussen`s new studio. Barring major cancellations (like the five D&D games scrapped before Baldur`s Gate 3`s release), we anticipate numerous D&D games in the coming years.
The next anticipated title, launching this year, is Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. This co-op game for four players, despite its lengthy title, offers an engaging experience. While Baldur`s Gate 3 caters to players seeking the intricate mechanical depth of D&D Fifth Edition, Battlemarked is designed to be more approachable. It`s an ideal choice for families with younger children or adults who lack the extensive time required for a traditional D&D hobby.
GameSpot received an exclusive first look at Battlemarked, playing through two early levels with game director Gustav Stenmark and PR director Jamie Camargo. I took on the role of a Tiefling Rogue, Camargo played an Elf Ranger, and Stenmark commanded two characters: a Dragonborn Paladin and a Gnome Wizard. Our first mission involved a straightforward skirmish against a goblin ambush, while the second was the initial floor of a multi-level dungeon crawl.
Battlemarked is set in the familiar Forgotten Realms, sharing its universe with Baldur`s Gate 3 and the recent Honor Among Thieves movie. This choice allows players to revisit beloved locations and characters, preventing repetition from becoming stale. The developers appear committed to expanding this established setting rather than exploring alternatives like Eberron or Krynn. While I still hope for a future game in Eberron, I appreciated the ease with which I grasped Battlemarked`s narrative, identified antagonists, and understood NPC reactions to dialogue choices. The recognizable setting significantly contributes to Battlemarked`s accessibility, aligning with the most popular framework for D&D stories.
The gameplay, more than the narrative, captivated me, making me wish to extend my preview session. In Battlemarked, combat is central to most missions. It`s a turn-based system where players take individual turns, followed by all enemy creatures acting simultaneously. Each class possesses a 10-card deck for battles, from which players draw each turn, receiving two Actions per turn. Cards have an Action cost ranging from zero to two, while movement, melee attacks, and environmental interactions each consume one Action.
I find this structure highly appealing. I`ve always found D&D`s combat system—which categorizes everything into Actions, Bonus Actions, Free Actions, and Movement—to be unnecessarily complex for new players. The arbitrary distinction between a spell being an Action versus a Bonus Action, or a class-specific ability functioning as a Free Action, often boils down to balance but lacks intuitive logic. There`s no straightforward rule; players simply have to memorize these distinctions, which is time-consuming.
Many other tabletop systems, notably Pathfinder, have adopted a simplified action economy similar to Battlemarked, where every action counts as a singular “Action,” and all players receive an equal number of actions per turn. This approach is much easier to grasp. Battlemarked skillfully preserves D&D`s strategic depth and teamwork through its card-based system. With a 10-card deck, players quickly learn their class abilities, but with only five or six cards in hand at any given time (plus occasional environmental potions), planning becomes dynamic. Players must make tactical decisions based on their current hand while anticipating future draws.
For instance, the Rogue possesses a card enabling three turns of invisibility, allowing for potent melee attacks from any position, not just traditional backstabs. Attacking prematurely ends invisibility. While excellent for escaping perilous situations, I often saved this card. If I drew “Knock Out,” I could perform the Rogue`s unique stun-inducing melee strike, leaving an enemy vulnerable to the Paladin`s devastating Smite or the Wizard`s explosive Fireball. Notably, “Knock Out” uniquely does not break invisibility, allowing for powerful combo plays.
Other cards demonstrate similar synergistic potential. The Dragonborn`s poison breath could blanket enemies and the ground in lethal fumes, which the Wizard`s fiery spells could ignite for amplified damage. The Ranger`s varied trick arrows could group enemies, making them susceptible to the Rogue`s assortment of bombs. This was merely a demo, with players using fixed 10-card decks. The full game promises unlockable abilities and deck customization, allowing players to tailor their ideal class playstyle. Battlemarked`s combat offers a surprising depth despite its user-friendly nature.
My main reservation concerns the narrative depth, as the demo offered limited story content. Similar to D&D, characters possess ability scores that enhance skills like Persuasion and Arcana. During conversations with NPCs, players can attempt skill checks to gather more information or influence outcomes. In the demo, Stenmark successfully convinced a noble of our friendly intentions. In contrast, I failed to identify a peculiar mushroom, consuming it with poisonous results (a memorable lesson!), and we both failed to persuade a group of deadly myconids of our peaceful intentions, leading to an amusing battle.
Initially, Battlemarked`s narrative depth doesn`t appear to rival other dice-based RPGs like Baldur`s Gate 3 or Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. However, the outcomes of our choices during the demo were consistently engaging. Whether successful or not, failures were crafted to be humorous or at least non-catastrophic, avoiding the need for restarts. While dialogue and story elements offer enjoyable moments, the game`s standout feature is clearly its D&D-inspired, card-based combat.
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked is scheduled for release on PC, PS5, and Meta Quest on November 20.