Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are varied. Some critics, such as GameStar and The Games Machine, appreciate the originality of the story and its connection to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. They mention that the game revolves around a dark alliance of monsters in Icewind Dale and a group of adventurers trying to stop them. Screen Rant also mentions that players can choose from classic D&D characters to protect a magical shard from monsters. These positive aspects of the story provide a sense of familiarity and immersion for fans of the franchise. However, many critics express negative sentiments towards the story. CGMagazine, Gaming Age, NME, and Windows Central criticize the lack of depth and immersion in the narrative. They mention that the story lacks compelling stakes, character development, and distinguishable motivations or personalities. Shacknews also points out the lack of focus on character development, which could have enhanced the overall storytelling experience. Impulsegamer and Metro GameCentral describe the story as disappearing or banal, respectively, indicating a lack of engagement and complexity. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is lacking in various aspects. While some appreciate the connection to the franchise and the originality of the plot, many criticize the lack of depth, character development, and engaging storytelling. The absence of meaningful role-playing, interesting dialogue, and impactful mission outcomes are also mentioned as drawbacks. The general sentiment suggests that the story fails to fully immerse players and falls short of their expectations. Critics such as Game Informer and Player 2 express disappointment with the generic and unengaging nature of the plot. Despite a few positive aspects, the overall sentiment leans towards a negative assessment of the story in Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are varied, with some positive aspects highlighted. Critics such as GAMINGbible, GameStar, and Pure Xbox appreciate the fluidity and variety of the combat, with seamless transitions between moves and the ability to openly attack as you choose. They also mention the different combat styles and skills of the characters, providing a sense of uniqueness and depth to the gameplay. The combat system is described as robust, with light and heavy attacks, directional inputs, dodging, parrying, special moves, and ultimate attacks, according to Player 2. The combat is also praised for being fast-paced, energetic, and offering a mix of fighting styles, as mentioned by Shacknews. The inclusion of online multiplayer and cooperative action gameplay is seen as a positive aspect by The Games Machine and Windows Central, allowing for both solo and multiplayer play. However, there are several criticisms regarding the gameplay of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. Critics such as CGMagazine, Gaming Age, God is a Geek, NME, PCGamesN, Screen Rant, GameCritics, GameSpew, Impulsegamer, Metro GameCentral, AusGamers, But Why Tho?, Game Informer, and TheSixthAxis express concerns about various aspects of the combat. The combat is described as repetitive, mindless, shallow, lacking depth, and becoming boring, especially when playing solo. The controls are criticized for being sluggish, unresponsive, imprecise, and frustrating. Issues with hit detection, character movement, glitches, bugs, camera problems, sub-par enemy AI, and broken lock-on systems are also mentioned. The combat is said to lack weight, impact, and polish, with attacks often not landing and movesets feeling unwieldy. The combat system is criticized for lacking polish, flair, and creativity, restricting player choice, and having balance issues. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that while Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance offers some positive aspects in its combat gameplay, such as fluidity, variety, and cooperative action, it falls short in several areas. The combat is often described as repetitive, mindless, and lacking depth, with issues in controls, hit detection, character movement, and AI behavior. The combat system is criticized for lacking polish, responsiveness, and creativity. However, there are mixed opinions, with some critics appreciating the combat system's robustness and the ability to unlock different moves as characters level up. It is important to note that the negative aspects mentioned by multiple critics outweigh the positive aspects, indicating a general sentiment of disappointment and frustration with the gameplay of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are varied. Some critics, such as GAMINGbible and Screen Rant, praise the game's visual design, with mentions of magnificent environments, detailed character models, expansive level design, and vibrant colors. The environments and backdrops are described as cool and impressive by AusGamers, while COGconnected commends the well-rendered and iconic character designs. Additionally, Hey Poor Player mentions that the world is well-designed with vibrant colors and style. However, there are also several negative opinions regarding the game's graphics and visual design. Critics like TheGamer and GameCritics express disappointment with the low-quality character models, unpolished animations, inconsistent hit box sizes, and technical issues such as gaps in the ground and characters sliding. Game Informer further criticizes the lackluster visual fidelity of characters, environments, and monsters, suggesting that the game lacks the polish needed to compete with other titles. TheSixthAxis also mentions frame rate drops, pop-in glitches, and issues with loading into menus. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While there are positive aspects to the game's visual design, such as the magnificent environments and detailed character models, there are also significant flaws and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. The visuals of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are praised by some critics for achieving immersion and top-notch monster designs, but criticized by others for being unpolished, lacking in visual fidelity, and suffering from technical shortcomings. It is clear that the game's graphics and visual design have both strengths and weaknesses, leaving room for improvement in future iterations.

The Sound Design and Music of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance has received mixed reviews from the critics. Several critics, such as Digital Chumps and COGconnected, praised the game for its immersive sound design, soundtrack, and voiceovers. They felt that these elements effectively enhanced the D&D atmosphere and contributed to the overall immersion of the game. Xbox Achievements also commended the music for its fittingly epic orchestral style and choral singing, while noting that the character voice performances were decent. These positive opinions highlight the successful execution of the sound design and music, which helped create a captivating experience for players. However, not all critics were as impressed with the Sound Design and Music of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. RPGamer and TheSixthAxis expressed some reservations about the game's music. RPGamer mentioned that while the high-fantasy dungeon music was acceptable, there was a lack of variety and prominence in its usage throughout the game. TheSixthAxis went further, describing the music as forgettable and generic fantasy music that failed to leave a lasting impression on the player. These criticisms suggest that the music may have missed the mark in terms of creating a memorable and distinctive audio experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is somewhat divided. While some critics praised the game for its effective sound design, immersive soundtrack, and fitting music, others felt that the music was forgettable and lacked impact. Despite the mixed opinions, it is evident that the sound design and music played a significant role in creating an immersive D&D atmosphere, with the positive aspects outweighing the negative ones. Players can expect to be transported into the epic fantasy world of the game through the well-executed sound design and music, although they may not find the music particularly memorable in the long run.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are quite varied. Some critics, such as Digital Chumps and COGconnected, praise the voice acting for achieving immersion and enhancing the D&D atmosphere. They believe that the voiceovers effectively bring the characters to life and contribute to the overall experience of the game. Additionally, Game Rant mentions that the over-the-top voice acting adds to the game's charm, which suggests that it may be enjoyable for players who appreciate a more exaggerated style of performance. However, there are also critics who have negative opinions about the voice acting in the game. Destructoid specifically mentions the annoying voice of the character Catti-brie, indicating that there may be some instances where the voice acting falls short or becomes grating to certain players. TheGamer criticizes the under-utilization of beloved characters from Forgotten Realms lore, stating that their minimal presence in cutscenes detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is somewhat mixed. While some critics, such as Digital Chumps and COGconnected, appreciate the voice acting for its effectiveness and contribution to the D&D atmosphere, others, like Destructoid and TheGamer, have more negative opinions about certain aspects of the voice acting. However, it is worth noting that Hey Poor Player mentions that the voice acting is mostly strong and allows for small moments of connection among the party members. This suggests that despite some shortcomings, the voice acting in Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance generally succeeds in creating a cohesive and engaging experience for players.

In terms of the technical performance of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, there are both positive and negative aspects to consider across different gaming platforms. Starting with the positives, some critics mentioned that the game ran well on certain platforms. Push Square, for example, played the game on PS5 and reported no noticeable bugs or technical issues. Windows Central also played on PC and acknowledged that while there were visual stutters and a lack of enemy banter in multiplayer games, the developer was actively working on addressing these issues. These positive experiences indicate that the game's technical performance was relatively stable on these platforms. However, there were numerous negative aspects highlighted by several critics. Bugs and glitches were a common complaint across different platforms. CGMagazine encountered a bug on PS4 where a key object floated in mid-air and was unreachable for a minute. Gaming Age and NME, both playing on PC, mentioned instances of elevators shooting the player into space, enemies floating into the sky, and glitchy combat. Digital Chumps on PS5 reported braindead AI, broken graphical elements, and flaky enemy lock-on. These technical issues significantly impacted the gameplay experience for players. Other critics also mentioned various technical problems. Destructoid described the game as "extremely janky" on PC, while TheGamer reported poor netcode that made online multiplayer unplayable. Shacknews experienced crashes, animation bugs, and lost progress on PC. Game Informer on Xbox Series X encountered matchmaking problems and frequent technical failures to make a connection, which negatively affected progression. These issues further highlight the overall negative sentiment towards the game's technical performance. Considering the overall consensus of the critics, it is clear that Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance suffered from significant technical issues across multiple gaming platforms. Glitches, bugs, and performance problems were prevalent, impacting the gameplay experience for players. While there were positive experiences on certain platforms, such as the smooth performance on PS5 mentioned by Push Square, the overall sentiment leans towards a negative assessment of the game's technical performance. Critics like Metro GameCentral described the game as unfinished and riddled with bugs, further supporting the consensus that the technical performance of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance fell short of expectations.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Replay Value of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance are mixed. Some critics highlight certain aspects that provide replay value. CGMagazine mentions the Challenge Rating system and multiplayer aspect as factors that contribute to the game's replayability. The Games Machine and GameSpew also mention the cooperative gameplay and the ability to play with friends as elements that make replaying dungeons worthwhile. Pure Xbox points out the option to adjust the difficulty, with harder runs resulting in more rewards and XP, which adds to the potential for future replayability. However, there are several negative aspects that critics point out, which may deter players from replaying the game. Destructoid mentions that the game could be reasonably fun with friends for a little while, implying that the enjoyment may not be sustained in the long term. God is a Geek states that playing on your own is dull and that the game is best-suited as a co-op experience. NME criticizes the dull progression and lack of build diversity for characters, while PCGamesN mentions the necessity of grinding for better gear and the lack of engaging narrative. Windows Central criticizes the lack of depth in terms of plot and combat mechanics, as well as the unfinished experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance has some replay value, particularly when played in cooperative multiplayer mode. The cooperative gameplay, the ability to play with friends, and the option to adjust difficulty levels are seen as positive aspects that contribute to the game's replayability. However, the game is also criticized for its lack of polish, repetitive quest design, unbalanced solo play, and underwhelming loot system. These negative aspects, along with the lack of depth in gameplay and broken single-player experience, may discourage players from replaying the game. Some critics suggest that future updates and expansions may improve the replay value.