I am a big fan ofBaldur’s Gate 3, but I can’t pretend it hasn’t made me a bit nervous about the future ofDungeons & Dragonsvideo games. Its monumental success feels like the type of thing that could lead to poor copycats or rushed sequels, and I was worried Wizards of the Coast might fall into that trap. Luckily, it seems like at least one upcomingD&Dvideo game is going to be very different fromBaldur’s Gate 3, and I’m very excited to see how it turns out.
Another reasonI’m looking forward to a different type ofD&Dgameis that I’ve sunk a lot of time intoBaldur’s Gate 3. I’ve startednewBG3games at least a dozen times, and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon, so I don’t really need another game exactly like it. I also DM a weekly game, so I get my fill of classicD&Dgameplay. That’s why I’m looking forward to a game set in the same world, but with a different style of play.
D&D’s Upcoming Game Is More Focused On Action
Giant Skull’s D&D Game Is Reportedly An Action Game
It was recently announced that asingle-playerD&Dgameis being developed through a collaboration between Wizards of the Coast and Giant Skull. The game will reportedly be more of an action game, which isa big change of pace fromBaldur’s Gate 3’s isometric CRPG gameplay. Not only will this help differentiate the new game fromBaldur’s Gate 3, it opens up a lot of interesting possibilities in terms of gameplay.
Dungeons & Dragonshas a lot of cool character classes with unique abilities.Translating even a few of these classes into an action game could create some unique ways to interact with the world ofD&D. The thought of playing a third-person action game where I can suddenly Wild Shape into an Owlbear or unleash an explosive Fireball sounds like a great time. It could also help players come up with some exciting new ideas for their tabletop games, once they get a feel for howD&D’s combat would play out in real time.
D&D Could Use A Good Action Game
Previous D&D Action Games Have Been Lackluster
It’s hard to imagine a video game doing a better job of capturing traditionalD&Dgameplay thanBaldur’s Gate 3, butthere is a lot of room for aD&Daction game to distinguish itself. There haven’t been many AAA action games set in the world ofD&D, and the ones in recent memory have not been great. The most recent one,Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance,got middling reviews, and was largely bland and repetitive from my memory. Although I never played 2011’sDaggerdale, its reception suggests that it was even worse thanDark Alliance.
Dungeons & Dragonshas a lot of untapped action game potential, so I’m surprised we haven’t gotten a good one sooner. Now thatHasbro seems more interested in video gamesfor their IPs, we will hopefully see this change. I also have high hopes that Giant Skull is the perfect studio to deliver a solidD&Daction game.
Giant Skull Seems Like A Good Developer For A D&D Game
Giant Skull’s Founder Has Developed Several Great Action Games
Although Giant Skull has not developed any games yet, its founder, Stig Asmussen, certainly has.Asmussen was the director ofGod of War 3,Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,andStar Wars Jedi: Survivor. All three are great action games, and theStar Warsgames in particular are the ones that have me excited about Giant Skull’sD&Dgame. Asmussen proved he knows how to effectively capture the appeal of the source material he’s adapting, so I’m sure he can do forD&Dwhat he did forStar Wars.
I’m sure at some point, a sequel or spiritual successor toBaldur’s Gate 3will come out, if it’s not already in development. However, for now, I’m happy that we’re getting a very different kind ofD&Dgame. I’m even happier that it’s coming from Giant Skull, as I have enjoyed Stig Asmussen’s previous games, and trust his company’s work on this new project will be just as exciting.
