Fans of the table-top game can discover a treasure trove of features in Dark Quest 3 – a cute indie game with a unique graphic style, a concept that’s easy to grasp, but difficult to master. All of it neatly encased in unpredictable, deep and challenging mechanics.
The story in DQ3 feels like an afterthought, and you might find it difficult to be impressed by the generic plot where a team of four heroes, out of twelve, must put an end to an evil sorcerer. The path is a thorny one, though, and you will be met with numerous challenges. The first trial is introduced via the unique graphic style and mechanics that will make you crave more.
In the spirit of table-top games, the team behind DQ3 has tried to offer as authentic an experience as possible, both in terms of the design and visual presentation of the maps, and also in terms of the movement and abilities of the heroes. As a result, the gamer is faced with a deeper level of immersion hidden under layers and layers of a complex and unpredictable rogue-lite fantasy world where anything is possible.
Throughout the world, you will often find yourself in numerous situations and hostile encounters for which the outcome is anything but predictable. Because your decisions are influenced by the roll of the dice, you will never have the final word and each and every given situation will either bless you with luck or curse you with an unfortunate turn of events. So, sometimes a high number will tell you that luck is on your side, and you will be victorious. On other occasions, though, you will roll a 1 and all a lot of the things you have accomplished will effectively go down the drain.
Considering that the battles are turn-based if you want to emerge as the ultimate winner, you need to keep track of how you use your heroes, as well as how you use your equipment and your upgrades. This kind of strategic organization contributes to a special uniqueness to battles that are always different and unpredictable, especially when numerous bosses come out to play. It is safe to note that bosses appear randomly, but their encounter is always met with joy as the rewards are great! Each of the runes that you get from the bosses will grant you passive upgrades that are crucial for your further advancement.
Each of the 12 unique heroes that you will get to control has a basic attack, but also four cards for abilities and four levels of attributes, such as strength, intelligence, perception and agility. In addition, you will often be able to upgrade basic attacks and abilities. For a temporary increase in ability prowess, i.e. attributes, the equipment you wear can also help you greatly, which creates fluid possibilities for improvisation and tactics. Although you can find console versions out there, Dark Quest 3 is a game best played with a mouse; we were under the opinion that the controller brings things to an unsatisfying crawl.
Since there are many heroes with unique abilities and attributes, Dark Quest 3 rises up as a game that radiates with diverse combinations and an impressive arsenal for strategizing like there’s no tomorrow. What starts out as a simple little game slowly but surely, layer by layer, reveals deep tactical mechanics with a high replay value. Even if you are not a fan of table-top, turn-based games, the title of Brain Seal Ltd has adapted the formula for a wider audience, and you will most assuredly not regret your stay, provided you roll the dice and give DQ3 a chance!
