Dark Quest 3 reminds me of my “super-nerd” youth. This tabletop fantasy experience has the potential to be a Dungeons and Dragons masterpiece. However, in reality, it fails to hit the mark. Unfortunately, repetitive gameplay and a lack of new features hold it back. Luckily, though, it is still enjoyable in short bursts.
Developed and published by Brain Seal Ltd, this is a fantasy tactical title. Moreover, it has rogue-lite elements. On top of this, you need the luck of the Irish if you wish to complete each run. Consequently, it can be a frustrating experience, especially when things don’t go your way.
Dark Quest 3 tells a dastardly plot.
The plot epitomises the fantasy genre. As such, I adored its dramatic tones, unbelievable subplots, and dark characters. Furthermore, I cherished the presence of the Game Master and this was reminiscent of tabletop gaming. Yet, if you’ve never experienced a tabletop fantasy game, this level of detail may be lost on you.
Dark Quest 3 focuses on an all-powerful wizard. This evil mage is power-hungry and wishes to rule the kingdom. Thankfully, the elder “GM” has called upon you to help. By gathering a band of heroes, you will cross several realms and fight dark forces. Your mission is simple. Get to the wizard, smite him where he stands, and save the kingdom.
The plot creates a sense of false hope.
The opening scenes create a false dawn. Disappointingly, once the scene is set, the action goes rapidly downhill. You soon realise that the drama is nowhere to be seen and the slow-paced gameplay meanders like a sloth. As such, you’ll tire of what you see in record timing.
The exploration elements of the game focus on a random card system. Here you’ll endure special events, ambushes, healing, and so forth. On top of this, in classic tabletop gaming style, there is a reliance on a 10-sided die. By rolling the die, you’ll explore multiple outcomes of any given situation. For example, your dwarf may find a trap and the outcome is decided by the score you roll. With 4 possible results, you could hurt yourself, a party member or everyone, or evade the trap altogether. This core mechanic haunts the action and becomes tedious very quickly.
Combat and upgrades.
The other side of the game is the combat experience. Here, the developers have focused on a stripped-back turn-based endeavour. Effectively, you can move as much as you wish and chose whether to attack or defend. Once your turn is over, your enemy goes and that’s about it. Unfortunately, there is no cover to defend yourself, and zero tactical nuance. Accordingly, it becomes tiresome quickly, and this was a shame.
Not every element was this dire, however. The upgrade system, though random, was an interesting idea. The aforementioned card system is used to upgrade your fighters. Whether you improve their health or power up their attacks, the choice is yours. Furthermore, your band of heroes has no health limit. Subsequently, if you are lucky, you can have a burly team of fighters to take on the evil mage.
Dark Quest 3 looks fantastic.
Dark Quest 3 disappointed me, but visually, I was impressed. The brilliant take on tabletop gaming will be familiar to many gaming nerds. I adored the fantasy setting and the excellent character models. Alongside this, the roll of the die and the ye olde text was equally fantastic. Consequently, the developers have done an awesome job with this D&D-influenced title.
The audio brought a smile to my face. The booming GM and the folksy soundtrack were ever-present. Moreover, the loud sound effects worked wonderfully with the fantasy theme. My only complaint is that the sound bites were somewhat repetitive. As such, the rogue-lite approach was increasingly frustrating as you heard the same noises every playthrough.
A better tutorial was needed.
Dark Quest 3 isn’t that tough to play. Yet, a better tutorial would have improved the experience. With little guidance, you are thrown in at the deep end and left to fend for yourself. This was disappointing, as it puts your back up almost immediately. However, once you get past this learning curve, you’ll enjoy a simple-to-play and easy-to-understand game. Alongside this, the UI is intuitive and the controls are reasonably responsive.
As this is a rogue-lite title, it does have replay value and longevity. Yet, the repetitive nature of the action and the simple combat are off-putting. Therefore, after a couple of hours, you’ll become bored and put it down. As such, this is best enjoyed as a casual experience between other games.
Dark Quest 3 didn’t do it for me.
Other than its presentation, Dark Quest 3 disappointed me. Unfortunately, it failed to match its potential, and this annoyed me. On paper, it should have been fantastic. In reality, it missed the mark repeatedly. Accordingly, I don’t recommend that you buy it. However, more information can be found here! Can you stop the evil wizard? Grab your heroes, roll the die, and hope for luck.
