Sword Coast Legends Reviews
The combat and overall gameplay mechanics can prove a bit shallow at times, never offering the depth or tactical veracity of Pillars of Eternity, but as a hybrid of Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, Sword Coast Legends is a game that mostly excels in all that it tries to do. Post-release will be an interesting time, though, as the limited and sometimes restrictive options are opened up and iterated on by N-Space. Until that time comes, however, it's a good game with the capacity to be great.
A fun trip through the Forgotten Realms. Not the deepest RPG but there are enough classic elements to give that nostalgic feel. Not every feature is perfect but there's a lot to enjoy.
Multiplayer felt flat, primarily due to missing the charm of sharing in and adventure that either one of us (my buddy) or I made, which is what a big part of the allure of D&D is; living the games that your friends and you build. Picking up someone else's adventure and running through it can be enjoyable and Sword Coast Legends is certainly that. If you have recently finished Divinity: Original Sin or Wasteland 2 and are looking for some rock-solid console RPG goodness then Sword Coast Legends can certainly scratch that itch. Not quite on par with Neverwinter Nights 1 or 2 of old in terms of campaign creation or single-player story, but still an incredibly welcome trip through a classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure from the comfort of your couch. Sword Coast Legends on PlayStation 4 is a faithful adaptation of a solid D&D throwback.
With a proper DM, Sword Coast Legends feels every bit like the pen and paper game come to life. On the other hand, running modules or playing through the 40-hour single player game makes it feel like more of a standard fare dungeon crawler than a Dungeons & Dragons game. Multiplayer with a DM realizes the promise of Sword Coast Legends, conveying freedom of storytelling and imagination in real time. Come for the co-op and live-DM, but be patient with the tools as they evolve.
Sword Coast Legends is a comfortable return to the D&D rules and universe, but oversimplified combat and a repetitive feel to dungeons and quests keep this game from being great.
Sword Coast Legends is a solid game who's one saving grace is its infinitely customizable DM mode. Fans of isometric RPGs or players looking for a traditional D&D experience won't be disappointed with Sword Coast Legends. The Dungeon Master mode is especially great for groups looking to transition from pen-and-paper to something more streamlined yet still robust.
Will be remembered for its potential, if at all
It sounds good, it looks great, but you can get a more immersive experience out of Neverwinter Nights 2, and while it might take a little bit of work to get going, it's definitely worth it for the experience. Still, Sword Coast Legends might be a good one to have in your library, especially if you're curious.
Sword Coast Legends offers up a solid version of Dungeons & Dragons, with a campaign and setting that were immediately appealing to me and plenty of user content already filling the community. This sort of content will be enormously valuable in giving Sword Coast Legends life beyond its campaign. However, limited tools hold this title back from greatness on the editing front, while its clear Diablo and Dragon Age influences may rub D&D purists the wrong way. It is still a fun experience worth having, but there is certainly room to grow and improve as well.
Sword Coast Legends is a worthwhile top down RPG, but is let down by some aspects that would disappoint those it's appealing too. The rest is the confines of your typical RPG, but I think experienced players of the genre will have quite a good time with this. It's not the refreshing kick everybody needs, but it's good enough.
Fans of classic isometric RPGs and Dungeons and Dragons alike will enjoy the style of gameplay. Unfortunately performance issues, frustrating combat and the hidden requirement of needing party members can mar the experience.
A drab, clichéd campaign and lackluster multiplayer tools make this PC RPG pale in comparison to other recent offerings
Sword Coast Legends had the table set for it. The huddled masses had shown their willingness to gobble up isometric cRPGs with abandon. The problem is this holiday season in the consumer should probably stick to gobbling up Turkey instead.
There's so much missed potential here that it's a bit frustrating. Game updates are coming so maybe one day...but not today.
Sword Coast Legends is a decent CRPG let down by an overall lack of imagination and irritating difficulty spikes.
Sword Coast Legends features a reasonably strong campaign as it advances and is great to listen to and look at, however it can be terribly linear throughout. The shallow combat system, with lack of skill variety and shallow dungeon master mode detract just a little too much and stop the game being great.
Sword Coast Legends has most of the parts but struggles to integrate them into a seamless whole. Based on the fanatically popular pen-and-paper RPG, Dungeons and Dragons, it attempts to emulate some of the classic isometric titles from the past like Baldur's Gate and the legendary Planescape: Torment. In some regards, it certainly succeeds. Unfortunately, the fact that it is set in such a rich fantasy world like the Forgotten Realms ends up hindering its success in the end.
Sword Coast Legends promised a true multiplayer RPG. If it doesn't live up to that, does it still have something to offer?
That said, Sword Coast Legends works best as a co-operative multiplayer experience with a knowledgeable and patient dungeon master either in dungeon crawls, user-created modules, or the story campaign. Its overall graphics and presentation are rough around the corners, but it's an enjoyable experience if you can convince friends to join your party. But if you're a lifelong Dungeons & Dragons fan and expect Sword Coast Legends to be the classical D&D experience it claims to be, you'll need to look elsewhere. This is one skill check it does not pass.
In fact, in a few more months (or even years), Sword Coast Legends' creation tools might be a powerhouse. If n-Space remains steadfast and keeps working on them, this might eventually be the digital Dungeons & Dragons many were hoping for. People won't mind buying new adventures, classes, and races if they come out alongside new pen-and-paper releases! But don't blow all of your goodwill with sectioned-off content. As a Dungeon Master, I'm selfishly rooting for you. Just no more gods-damned 3x3 light grid puzzles.