Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale

Played an hour or 2 of Daggerdale thus far and I gotta say, it's been a lot of fun so far! I honestly cannot understand why people gave this game such low reviews. It's not THAT bad.

Its quite simple the game was a horrible mess on release that needed a few patches just to work. The studio called Bedlam Games is gone all because the game failed. Its not hard to understand when refunds weren't given either for a broken product.

Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale does a big thing bad. Bedlam Games has shown no lack of ambition in creating a $15 downloadable title with all the constituent elements of a traditional action-RPG.

Unfortunately, most of those elements are half-baked, and become even less baked as the game goes on, culminating in a completely uncooked, laughably ill-conceived final boss battle. You will laugh at the final boss battle.)

It's been patched a few times since release so maybe the game finally works on the pc. I don't know or care as I moved on from the game. That's all I'm going to say but I'm glad you enjoyed it Fluent.:)
 
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Lack of voice acting doesn't bother me, I don't really care what the NPC models look like, graphics are whatever, etc. So I should have fun with it :D

Buying it today.

Lack of voice acting imo is usually a good thing.

War in the North is something I've been interested in too, may have to check that one out.
 
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Just a comment on loot and DDO. Everyone gets equal share of loot, though you may be offered different items. You can also assign items to others in your party if they need something which you don't. It's fair all around. Being a ranged or caster most of the time myself I'd either be very annoyed or playing with PvP if all the loot was taken before I got there!! :)
 
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I played War In the North for a few hours myself. It was fun. Actually pretty challenging if I recall and the combat felt visceral.
 
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I bought daggerdale on release plus 2 copies for my sons for some co-op play. after about 2 hours they didn't want to play anymore. I fired it up again recently determined to finish it.

The main problem with the game is if you have played 1 hour you have seen 99% of what the game has to offer. 8 hrs in and im still running back and forth in the same caves ( the do change colors though mid way through, so there's something to look forward to.) fighting 95% goblins and a few other uninspiring monsters sprinkled in.

It's really too bad because the combat is kind of addicting but there are few quests, no exploration, no crafting, no duel wield, no….. well you get the point. You run through the caves and slash things until you get to the end of the game.

It's not the worst game I've ever played but i can't really say it's good either. If they would have just thrown in a bunch of monsters from the monster manuals I probably would have played the crap out of it. Addictive combat against all my monster manual favorite would have been enough for me, but as it is it's just too much of the same. So……….

I bought 3 copies of war in the north and me and my sons put over 30 hrs in. Didn't make to the end though. I think we will revisit it and finish though.

It's a very fun game in co-op or single player. It's not a deep Rpg it's good action combat with good character development. The story is decent and there are some NPC's that I really liked. (even if they weren't humans)

I would definitely recommend war in the north, it's heads and shoulders above Daggerdale. There really is no comparison and at $10 it's a steal imo.
 
War in the North is made by the folks who made the first Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. They make quality light co-op hack n slashy games.

In that similar co-op hack n slash vein, I have my eye on Hunted. Anyone play it? It's by inXile and everything.
 
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i played the Daggerdale demo, and kinda enjoyed it. I was playing 4th edition D&D at the time, and it was cool to see the stuff from tabletop game, that's one of the things I've always liked about D&D video games. Seeing skills, feats, whatever from the editions while I'm playing them.

I've been wanting to play something on the couch w/ my 360 and was thinking about this one, sadly it sounds like "the caves" are all the game has to offer. I'm all about exploration, if a game sucks otherwise but has a lot of exploring to do I can remain enthusiastic. Thanks for the warning
 
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Some more impressions from a night spent playing Daggerdale.

I find the combat to be very satisfying and fun. It's very fun to play as a Rogue and try to hit everything at distance with a bow, while my dad melee tanks everything.

So far the game has been pretty challenging too. We have consistently ran out of health potions and are dying at certain parts. I like that.

Enemy roll call has been okay so far. Goblins and undead mainly. A few of the higher level enemies have been cool, like Skeleton captains and undead that set you on fire.

Graphics look good to me. Yes, you're in a cave, so it's a little dreary, but it's not that big of a deal. I kind of like being in the Dwarven mines. It's a pretty cool location.

Quests have been okay too. Nothing mindblowing but solid. So far it's been, "you do something for me in order for me to do something for you". It keeps things moving.

The leveling up system is wonderful. I love putting points into things and Daggerdale has a nice assortment of skills and abilities to use and level up.

The loot is also fantastic. Picked up some nice pieces thus far and the merchants are carrying some unique purple loot that is pretty expensive. Trying to balance our current loadout while saving for the good stuff is pretty fun.

It's kind of tough to wrap my head around the D&D lingo, so a few times I had to look things up online. I really like how +1 is a big deal in D&D. So a fire resist +1 against undead that set you on fire is actually very useful in the early going. All the loot with these bonuses seem useful whichever way you want to equip your character.

I dunno, maybe I'm easily impressed and my bar for what makes a good game is set low. Maybe I just enjoy most games for what they are. Whatever the case, Daggerdale is huge fun for me and my dad. It's got a certain charm to it that will keep us coming back until we beat it, and probably have us beat it with a few characters to experience all the playstyles.

For $15 I am very happy. To anyone who was on the fence about trying it, hopefully I can convince you to at least give it a shot. It's really not a bad game.

I'll post more as I play more.
 
I've thought of purchasing it over PSN, but its spendy at 15$. A Review over PSN claims its only good for six hours of play, I'll be waiting longer than that for the demo of Grimoire, so I guess I'd rather donate to the cause. I did buy Duke Nukem Forever at 13$. Oh well, nostalgia, a bit of fun,..and me off topic..
 
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The main problem with the game is if you have played 1 hour you have seen 99% of what the game has to offer.

Hmm. My experience has been a bit different so far. It seems to me that the game keeps introducing new elements the further I advance.

It's the small things that I like. Goblins pushing a boulder down a hill at you and you have to dodge it. Helping a blacksmith in need and having him forge an item for you. A little twist in the story that keeps things interesting. Attacking a goblin camp and having to fight hordes of goblins and then finally the goblin chief as well. Talking to someone and triggering a cut-scene which gives you more exposition on the story. Little things.

It's got enough of those little moments that keep things from getting stale.

And I'm actually surprised at how decent the story is turning out. I expected less but it's really quite addictive and immersive. The story is good enough to keep the game interesting and keep you going on to the next task.

I dunno. Like I said, I just enjoy the games for what they are. I try not to be too cynical or whatever and just have fun. Thus far, the game is fun, so I'm a happy guy :).

Highly recommended for any fans of loot-fest, hack n' slash RPGs!
 
Great, now I'm thinking about getting it's just so it's something me and my wife can play together! Even if its not great, its something.
Theres like zero games we can play together. If your Dad can dig it, maybe my wife will tolerate it too. She likes d&d lore.
 
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There are some really nice bits of lore in the game, too. If she's a fan of D&D or action RPGs like Diablo, she'll like it.

But dude, don't let the reviews fool you. This game IS great. It really is.

The production values are very nice for an indie title. I like the little quest cut-scenes that play when you enter the destination of a quest. When you reach your target a little cut-scene will usually play and show what's happening in that area. It's a cool, small touch that goes a long way.

I'm honestly just baffled by the negative reviews. I know I said that already, but I truly am. This game is just as good as any major release action RPG. Just as good! Don't believe me, go play it.

If you're a fan of those Diablo-type games, as I said before, you really can't miss this one. It's Diablo meets Dungeons and Dragons.

And it's so damn easy to play. I love that. No long, drawn out menus, no extra, unnecessary button presses. Everything is ergonomic and exactly where it should be. I know a lot of people overlook that stuff in games but to me it's very apparent that this game was meant to be a user friendly experience. Which, when playing games with a co-op partner, is huge.

Just an example, but it's so easy to compare your current equipment to what the shopkeepers have. A little detail, sure, but it's just a joy to use. It's also very easy to navigate the map and determine where you need to go. You're never lost. Objectives are clearly defined. Simple, straight-forward, no BS.

The dialog gets the same treatment here as well. No, it's not "War and Peace", but it's solid, to the point, no beating around the bush. It comes in one or two sentences at a time. No long paragraphs to mull over, just simple dialog. It works extremely well. It gets you into the experience without ever being "too much".

It's just a very well put together game. Again, totally baffled that Gamespot actually gave it a 4/10. Unbelievable.

Were they playing the same game???

I just wish these guys got a crack to make another one of these. A sequel would be amazing. Anything. I need more games like this in my life, that's for sure.
 
Just finished it. Took about 10 hours.

While I don't share Fluent's love for the game, it is decent and much better than the reviews imo. I'd say a 7 out of 10. (in today's inflated rating system)

After opening the red seal the game does get more varied and has more cut scenes, which is nice.

Other than some missing textures I had zero bugs. I don't remember any when I briefly played it at release either, so i'm not sure why that was such an issue.

The difficulty is way to easy. I died once in the entire game if I don't count the 2 times I died in the final battle because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do and they totally change the game mechanics for the final boss. I won't go in to it too much as not to spoil anything.

There are things like the boulder scene Fluent references but really it's in a cave you explored numerous times, you get a 5 second cut scene of goblins pushing a boulder then you need to move about 5 feet to dodge then your back to fighting the same goblins you fought for the first 3 hours plus 1 goblin chief. (which is still a goblin, sadly)

As someone who grew up playing D&D the feats they decided to include are rather uninspiring and as I said before given that they have countless numbers of monsters to pick from the monster manuals the lack of different monster types is disappointing.

The ending was obviously set up for a sequel and as Fluent said I wish they had the chance to make one. A little more variety would make it a very nice hack n slash.

If you go in to it with the right mind set and are only looking for a hack n slash there is fun to be had. Just don't expect too much it was only $15 at release and for that some I think it's a good effort.

If anyone is up to the challenge I saw on steam that no one has ever gotten the achievement for getting all classes to level 10. I don't think I will be the first.

Come on Fluent, you can do it.:)
 
Very nice write-up, Sakichop.

I just
broke out of the Arena
, and that little twist was quite surprising and interesting. That's the type of thing that's been happening all game, which is why I disagreed with you when you said you've seen everything there is in the game in the first hour.

The game is pretty easy, no question, although my dad died a few times and I've come close a few times, but it's not as challenging as the first run-in with undead would make it seem.

However, this game won major points with me when I went through
the undead gauntlet.
That was fantastic!! I loved it.

Playing as a rogue is a visceral experience. You get to dodge out of the way of attacks and pick off enemies with your bow. I really like the rogue's playstyle.

Still, it would have been nice to be able to play on a harder difficulty level, or just have the normal setting be harder. I am having that same issue with Sacred 2, although Sacred 2 at least has 5 difficulty levels, and we're only playing on the 2nd lowest until we unlock the others.

I doubt we will get all classes to level 10, simply because when we're done with this play-through, chances are we will be going back to Sacred 2, or possibly on to Dungeon Siege 3. We probably won't replay Daggerdale for awhile. That's just because we usually play a game once and then it's on to something else, only to come back much later and play through it again with a fresh mind.

But the game is wonderful. I never expected it to be this solid. It actually feels like a full-fledged $60 game to me. Of course, it might be a bit short overall, but there's some replay value for sure. Well worth the $15.
 
Very nice write-up, Sakichop.

I just
broke out of the Arena
, and that little twist was quite surprising and interesting. That's the type of thing that's been happening all game, which is why I disagreed with you when you said you've seen everything there is in the game in the first hour.

The game is pretty easy, no question, although my dad died a few times and I've come close a few times, but it's not as challenging as the first run-in with undead would make it seem.

However, this game won major points with me when I went through
the undead gauntlet.
That was fantastic!! I loved it.

Yeah, I was a little premature with that statement the game does get more variety after the red seal.

Playing as a rogue is a visceral experience. You get to dodge out of the way of attacks and pick off enemies with your bow. I really like the rogue's playstyle.

Still, it would have been nice to be able to play on a harder difficulty level, or just have the normal setting be harder. I am having that same issue with Sacred 2, although Sacred 2 at least has 5 difficulty levels, and we're only playing on the 2nd lowest until we unlock the others.

I doubt we will get all classes to level 10, simply because when we're done with this play-through, chances are we will be going back to Sacred 2, or possibly on to Dungeon Siege 3. We probably won't replay Daggerdale for awhile. That's just because we usually play a game once and then it's on to something else, only to come back much later and play through it again with a fresh mind.

But the game is wonderful. I never expected it to be this solid. It actually feels like a full-fledged $60 game to me. Of course, it might be a bit short overall, but there's some replay value for sure. Well worth the $15.

It surprised me also for $15. You will have to let me know what you think about the end boss. It seemed like a strange decision to me, considering the combat mechanics of the rest of the game.

Don't forget about lotr:war in the north. The combat is very similar to Daggerdale but everything else is improved imo. It's worth checking out.
 
I'll second LoTR: War in the North. There aren't enough decent (single player) LoTR games, and this one was pretty good. Wasn't sure about the way in which the

Barrow-downs and places like Mount Gundabad

were portrayed, but the rest of the game was great fun, playing as the dwarf I found the combat enjoyable and quite visceral.

I'll check out Daggerdale, I think I bought it in a Steam sale some time ago. Maybe once I've finished with New Vegas (170 hours and counting...)
 
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Since everybody is recommending LoTR: War in the North, I think that is going to be the next game we play. These are our options so far (remember we're playing on an Xbox 360 so the choices for couch co-op might be limited).

Games we can play next are,

LoTR: War in the North
Dungeon Siege 3
Realms of Ancient War
Crimson Alliance
Too Human (but we can only play that via Xbox Live with headsets to communicate. Definitely not optimal for us.)

So there's our choices. I think we'll start with LoTR: War in the North but I was also really interested in Realms of Ancient War. Judging by the demo of that game it looks like co-op could be fun.

What's with all these games not having full-featured co-op though? In Dungeon Siege 3 the 2nd player pops in and out and his progress isn't saved (right?). In R.A.W. the 2nd player's progress isn't saved at all. We can work around these issues I guess, but I'd much rather the game actually save both of our characters' progress.

Does LoTR: War in the North save the 2nd player's progress?
 
Just beat Daggerdale.

Really liked the entire end sequence. They certainly tried something different with the ending, and it worked pretty well. Loved it.

I liked the end boss and the mechanics used. It came from nowhere and was a surprise to see what unfolded. The mechanics were something different, for sure. I do like that the game employed a bunch of different mechanics at different parts of the game. It wasn't all just "slay massive hordes of enemies", there was some other stuff sprinkled in along the way. The end sequence was no different. I enjoyed it.

Sad to see Bedlam Games has effectively went under. After the final credits rolled they showed a quick concept art of "Gamma World" which was a game they were working on. I did a little research on Gamma World and it sounded extremely promising. Very sad to see that they weren't able to finish it.

Well, on to the next one. War in the North it is (probably).

My official Daggerdale review on Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/dungeons-and-dragons-daggerdale/user-reviews/805548/
 
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