So I'm not one who used to play DnD as a kid at a table, and earlier this year I had for better or worse never heard of this game before. This game is a gem. It might be "older", but this game provides you with in my opinion some of the absolute best turn-based fighting RPG you can get. The game plays in real-time all of the time except in battles, or if you enable turn-based-mode outside of combat. I play it with something called Circle of 8 mod, or co8 mod which takes away bugs that might exist without it, and adds a whole lot of content post end-game. The game is based on DnD 3.5 ruleset, which I was only vaguely familiar with before, but I had no real issue making my own characters after a quick refresher online regarding attributes and such. You get to choose from a nice selection of races, classes, feats, height even, skin colour and much more. The items are varied and you can develop your character in many different ways, picking up say alchemy, craft wand, craft rod, craft wondrous item, craft magic arms & armor - I had never heard of these before but man they are great! Attacks of opportunity, trip attack, damage reductions, different elements, summoning creatures, multi-classing - it's all here! Tons and tons of fun. I will say this - 1st level can be a pain in the ass. You are very weak, but if you know your partys limits and strengths, getting level 2 isn't too hard. Also with Circle of 8 mod you have options of some new beginners quest of killing some stuff that will give you level 2 fast and easy. The other two options are basically doing either the normal beginners quest in Hommlet, which may not be very fun, or do like I do and rest in some select locations and fight what you come across resting. After level 2 or the initial starting up as characters the game really takes off and becomes an intense, great fun adventure that really puts your pulse up! It feels a lot like DnD Jagged Alliance 2 in battle, or something like that. Great stakes and very great possibility of death, in many ways. I highly recommend this game, for new and old gamers alike! It runs very well and looks beautiful, the biggest drawback I really give it is the occasional terrible pathing (most of the time it's fine).
