Sword Coast Legends Review

Sword Coast Legends is a Dungeons and Dragons single and multiplayer co-op that tries to recreate old school table top magic. Also, the game was highly anticipated with the hopes that it could be a modern version of such Dungeon and Dragon classic CRPGs like the Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights series. I for one loved both, but GameOgre once had a dungeon full of NWN modules and other creative stuff. The first one, in particular, was a truly special game.

Does Sword Coast Legends succeed in any of that? Despite high production values and a valiant attempt, SCL falls well short of the mark on both cases unfortunately. Maybe it tries to be too many things at once with the innovative dungeon master feature. However, like the old saying goes that sums it up fairly well: “A jack of all trades but master of none”.

The very first thing that jumped out at me when playing this game was the combat unfortunately. It seems about as effective as a towel fight in a gym locker room. You start swinging and swinging and swinging some more. In other words, the action comes to a screeching halt before it can even get started. Yes, it follows a D&D rule set, but that does not translate to a computer game well at all. There also is a lack of strategies because of all the cool downs and auto attacks.  Do not expect anything like Diablo gameplay.

The brightest spot of the game by far is due to creative possibilities. Besides the highly touted dungeon master feature where players can try to capture the magic of D&D pen and paper modules where a player guides the action, players also have the power to make their own dungeons. In fact, this creation tool is very simple to learn and use. The simplicity comes at the price of making most dungeons created by players look alike instead of unique. Thus, it is more for players to make their own content, but there isn’t a great need to get dungeons from other players. Hopefully, this gets a major update because it could certainly use one as soon as possible. Overall, this is one game that could use its first update as soon as possible. The potential for a fantasy classic is still here if it can improve these shortcomings sooner rather than later.

Key Features:

• Launched on October 20th, 2015
• Forgotten Realms setting.
• Isometric viewpoint.
• Xbox One and PS 4 versions will come out next year.
• Dungeons and Dragons RPG.
• Dungeon master like in the pen and paper games.
• Music by the Prague Orchestra.
• Single player.
• Multiplayer co-op.
• Combat based on fifth rule set of Dungeons and Dragons.
• The ability for users to make dungeons.

Pros:

1. Forgotten Realms setting works well.
2. Tries to recreate old school D&D pen and paper play on computer screens.
3. High production values.
4. Heaping amount of D&D lore.
5. Very attractive environments.
6. Decent plot.
7. Long gameplay.
8. Users can create content.

Cons:

1. Hard to get into.
2. Hyped heavy.
3. Not cheap at $39.99.
4. Bad creation tools.
5. Unexciting combat.
6. Very linear gameplay.
7. User interface can be clunky at times.