The Dark Eye is Europe's most successful pen-and-paper system and has constantly expanded since its first appearance 30 years ago. For Blackguards, the world not only provides the continent of Aventuria and an environment with depth to it; Daedalic's developers also faced challenges in form of a complex set of rules that needed to be implemented as true to the original as possible, yet still kept simple enough to be welcoming for players completely new to the Dark Eye's world.
The Dark Eye's rules are particularly recognizable when it comes to Blackguards' level-up system and character development. Instead of classic level-ups, each battle rewards Adventure Points that can be spent to increase attributes like agility or courage, but also various spells or skills at any time. This way, developing a custom character from the base-classes becomes a very dynamic process. As Daedalic Entertainment recently announced, free character customization right from the beginning will also be implemented upon the game's release, due to the feedback during the Early Access phase.
Who wants to take on Aventuria right away can have a taste by playing the first four chapters of Blackguards on Steam's Early Access program.
Blackguards' will be released on January 24th, 2014 for PC and Mac via Steam. The Standard Edition will be available for US$39.99/ €39.99/ RUR699/ £29.99 and the Blackguards Collector's Edition for US$ 59.99/ €59.99/ RUR999/ £44.99.
Blackguards is probably one of the bleakest stories ever told in the universe of 'The Dark Eye': what if the only remaining hope of a world is not a company of virtuous heroes, but instead a bunch of outcasts and criminals?
Blackguards will answer this very question. The player takes on the role of a convicted murderer, accompanied by a group of no less dubious characters. They may spare the world its grim fate, but their good deeds are neither acts of kindness nor heroism, but according to their roguish nature rather a result of their attempts to save their own hides.
Staying alive is a feat of its own, since not only the long arm of the law wants their heads, but there are also other, mysterious powers with much more sinister intentions on their trail. As if all this wasn't enough, Aventuria's south is crawling with dangerous beasts and monsters...
Blackguards is a turn-based RPG with strategic combat and combines the studio's high standards of storytelling and unique characters with thrilling action and an elaborate 3D environment.
Challenging quests lead the player through a dark story of doubt, treachery and loss.
