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Preview Blackguards Preview at PC Gamer - a tactical, turn-based RPG from Daedalic

Crooked Bee

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Tags: Blackguards; Daedalic Entertainment

PC Gamer offers a preview of Daedalic's Blackguards, a CRPG based on The Dark Eye system. It's pretty short so I'll quote it in full:

Daedalic is known for adventure games—the kind where you point at things and click on them—so the announcement of a tactical, turn-based RPG was a surprise. Blackguards does share a couple things with, say, the Deponia series: it also involves pointing and clicking on things, and like Daedalic’s classic approach to adventure games, it’s a classic approach to fantasy RPG combat. There are modern ideas, sure, but they all tweak a formula fit for tabletops.

There’s a story to Blackguards, and an absolutely gorgeous world map to explore, but the focus is party-based combat, with almost 200 unique battle maps. Movement is hexagonal, and I’m told that some of the maps are “very big.” The few I saw were a good size—not as big as XCOM’s, for instance, but big enough to tell the story they were designed for. One had the party free prisoners to distract guards while they escaped, and the other was a rescue mission with a turn limit.


(Click for full size)

Even the non-objective-based battle I saw had a twist. It took place in a crypt (a popular hangout spot for RPG characters), and nasties would keep popping out of holes in the floor. Characters in Blackguards can interact with objects on the map, and in this case, that meant covering holes with heavy slabs to block reinforcements. I’m told that’s just the tip of the iceberg: in other maps, we’ll destroy a bridge to cut off a flanking maneuver, or slash a rope to drop a chandelier. It sounds like whatever we expect to be interactive will be.

The skill system—and you’ll have control of every party member’s progression—is intricate. It’s the kind of thing that I’d have to personally mess with for at least a few hours (like, three or three hundred) before meaningfully appraising. For instance, adding points to weapon skills comes with a supplementary decision: a slider which lets you balance how much you contribute to the character’s offensive and defensive capabilities with that weapon. This is serious RPG business.

On that note, the story doesn’t involve much sunshine. You are a guy with problems: your girlfriend was killed by a wolf, and you tried to kill the wolf (at least, you’re pretty sure you didn’t kill her instead), but no one is having it. Not only are you accused of murder, the guy torturing you is your best friend. Crappy day.

Being an outcast, your party of up to seven will be assembled from a group of degenerates—a lecherous, drunk wizard, a rogue with a drug problem, a dwarf with anger management issues, and so on. The story escalates with a “dark menace” threatening the world, and there are three possible endings depending on the moral decisions you make along the way.

I didn’t get more than a cursory look at the story, so back to the combat—it’s the nightmarish meat of this depraved world, anyway. Based on the few battles I saw, it looks like something I want very much. Visually, the spell effects are beautiful (especially a bolt of fire which leaves a burning trail that damages enemies and allies alike), and mechanically, it looks like a test for experienced RPG tacticians. Arrows and spells fly clear across the map, and hit point allocation did not appear generous. Use of cover, positioning, and tactical spells—I saw a few buffs, as well as an evanescent, magic wall used to block in or divert enemies—appear to be crucial.

Daedalic tells me that Blackguards is about six months away from completion, and should release this summer.​

As the first comment to the article says, "What is with the wave of turn-based RPGs all of a sudden?" It's like the Codex's traditional preferences have suddenly become trendy!
 

Grunker

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Looks fucking sweet! :thumbsup:

Can't think of much bad to say except the token "why not Pathfinder." Beyond that, this looks like it will be a sure hit for me!
 

Haba

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As the first comment to the article says, "What is with the wave of turn-based RPGs all of a sudden?" It's like the Codex's traditional preferences have suddenly become trendy!

Rapture.

rapture.jpg
 

Monty

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Yes, it seems like every time I look in the news section there is another turn-based RPG to discuss. Would never have expected this a few years ago.
 

CrustyBot

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As the first comment to the article says, "What is with the wave of turn-based RPGs all of a sudden?" It's like the Codex's traditional preferences have suddenly become trendy!

Rapture.

rapture.jpg

Itz... itz... HEAVAN.

:thumbsup:


Even the non-objective-based battle I saw had a twist. It took place in a crypt (a popular hangout spot for RPG characters), and nasties would keep popping out of holes in the floor. Characters in Blackguards can interact with objects on the map, and in this case, that meant covering holes with heavy slabs to block reinforcements. I’m told that’s just the tip of the iceberg: in other maps, we’ll destroy a bridge to cut off a flanking maneuver, or slash a rope to drop a chandelier. It sounds like whatever we expect to be interactive will be.

:incline:

Being an outcast, your party of up to seven will be assembled from a group of degenerates—a lecherous, drunk wizard, a rogue with a drug problem, a dwarf with anger management issues, and so on. The story escalates with a “dark menace” threatening the world, and there are three possible endings depending on the moral decisions you make along the way.

Tailor-made for the Codex.

I find it difficult to believe that so many turn-based RPGs are popping up out of nowhere. Kickstarter and even games like new-XCOM have really started to make the concept financially viable again.

It's a great time to be a cRPG grognard. No one would've seen this development happening even 18 months ago.
 

Brother None

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Hard for me not to get excited about this. I mean they're first-timers so it's always risky, but it's TDE!!! Turn-based TDE!!

I remember getting excited when Drakensang was first announced thinking "RoA is back!!!" but then they were all "yeah but we're just a kind lame RTwP Baldur's Gate clone". Fair enough, it did lead to River of Time which is a minor gem, but still, bleh.

But now for a real turn-based TDE title? Fuck yeah. It's just too bad it is set in post-Borbarad Returns "gritty grimdark" Aventuria. That's just so bland and overdone compared to the old setting.
 

Roguey

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nasties would keep popping out of holes in the floor. Characters in Blackguards can interact with objects on the map, and in this case, that meant covering holes with heavy slabs to block reinforcements.
Poppin' those moles.

The gimmicks make it sound like it might be fun-4-one playthrough.
 

evdk

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No more money. And I would actually feel bad about pirating this. THE INCLINE IS KILLING ME WITH CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES!
 

Grunker

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No more money. And I would actually feel bad about pirating this. THE INCLINE IS KILLING ME WITH CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES!

Robbing stores is perfectly legit as a measure to support the incline.
 

Cyberarmy

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No more money. And I would actually feel bad about pirating this. THE INCLINE IS KILLING ME WITH CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES!

Robbing stores is perfectly legit as a measure to support the incline.

One can always "borrow" monies from his/her friends.

Edit:
"Being an outcast, your party of up to seven will be assembled from a group of degenerates—a lecherous, drunk wizard, a rogue with a drug problem, a dwarf with anger management issues, and so on."

Party sounds nice :D
 

eric__s

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Cqnuqhp.png


Are blackguards an actual DSA thing or is it just a weird word they happened to use in both games?
 

Wizfall

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No more money. And I would actually feel bad about pirating this. THE INCLINE IS KILLING ME WITH CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES!
Yea, choices and consequences....
It was much easier before, this last ten years i averaged 1 max 2 games/year. Zero choice to do.
For the end of 2013 and all 2014 i will have hard choices to do and i'm not used anymore to that (damn i have turned popamole :D )
It remembers me my youth except the problem was money back then, now it's time.
Quite unbelievable.
 

commie

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I'm tired of all this turn based crap. Seems that every game nowadays is turn based. Yawn.

We need a Kickstarter by West and Zampella to bring back the corridor cover shooter to its rightful place!
 

Grunker

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I'm tired of all this turn based crap. Seems that every game nowadays is turn based. Yawn.

We need a Kickstarter by West and Zampella to bring back the corridor cover shooter to its rightful place!

This world.

I want to live in it.
 

jagged-jimmy

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I don't have time to play all these games, wtf. I guess the bar needs to be set higher soon. Hexagons and turn-based will be just a "start".
 

commie

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I don't have time to play all these games, wtf. I guess the bar needs to be set higher soon. Hexagons and turn-based will be just a "start".

Eh we still have to strike off quite a few classics needing sequels/updates before we can call it mission complete:

Anachronox
Azrael's Tear
Outcast
Tie Fighter
Midwinter
Darklands


These or games like these are just for starters.

Besides, most of the games being made aren't going to be out for ages, years even. It all looks like there's a huge cascade of them, but release will be staggered over a long time.
 

Saber-Scorpion

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Are blackguards an actual DSA thing or is it just a weird word they happened to use in both games?
It's just a word. A ye olde medieval insult for an immoral scoundrel, sometimes rendered "blaggard." Could have something to do with the game's story about a "group of degenerates." Then again, I know nothing about Dark Eye lore.

Anyway, game looks pretty sweet.
 

Minttunator

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This looks very interesting, I'm actually starting to get worried that I might not have time to play all these potentially great new RPGs that are coming out. Which is absolutely awesome - a few years ago I would have never imagined I'd be having this problem.

I hope they don't go to Kickstarter, though - after Torment, D:OS and all the other interesting new projects, I'm pretty broke. :P
 

JarlFrank

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This sounds ridiculously good, I was already positive about this when it was announced but those details make it sound even sweeter. :love:
 

Indranys

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My girlfriend was raped and killed by a beast and my best friend accused me as her killer.
Looks like a banal shit emotional anime story for me.
I'm in for a ride man! :cool:
 

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