Blackguards 2: Turn-based and tactical

There is a long history of roleplaying video games drawing from their older pen and paper brethren, and while the spectre of Dungeons and Dragons tends to loom large over the genre, there have been a fair few adaptions which have been inspired by lesser known systems. Of these The Dark Eye , the German system which still remains hugely popular in the land of its birth, has seen a fair few attempts to bring it to life, and now once again German developer and publisher Daedalic Entertainment are set to plunge gamers back into the gritty fantasy world of Aventuria with Blackguards 2.

The direct sequel to last year’s generally acclaimed released, Blackguard 2 will see players take the role of Cassia, a somewhat morally dubious noblewoman who is intent on securing the throne, mainly through force. While the plot was never the main focus of the original, Daedalic Entertainment are promising a narrative filled “brutal decisions”, and again your party will be filled by members who’s moral compass tends toward the skewed.

It was the combat that the so enthralled gamers with the first title, and Blackguard 2 appears to serving up more of the same absorbing tactical battles. The game will still revolve around turn-based hex grid maps, though the developers have promised that they have listened to the feedback from the first game, and this instalment will feature an improved ruleset with line-of-sight implementation, better performance and stamina-based attacks. The actual RPG system, which was criticised as being confusing and muddled, has likewise received attention, and overall fans of the original can expect a more polished and honed game this time around.