Dungeons & Dragons: Krynn Series
- March 29, 2022
- Strategic Simulations
Get on Steam"Dungeons & Dragons: Krynn Series" is a role-playing game set in the fantasy world of Krynn. The first game, "Champions of Krynn," follows a group of heroes defending the land from evil forces seeking to establish the Dark Queen's tyranny after their defeat in the War of the Lance. The sequel, "Death Knights of Krynn," challenges players to face the Lord of the Death Knights, Soth, who plans to unleash a wave of evil upon the world. These games offer strategic combat, character development, and intricate storylines for an immersive experience.
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Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of old-school D&D, bringing back memories of classic gameplay from the 80s and 90s.
- The inclusion of the Gold Box Companion enhances the experience with quality-of-life improvements, such as automapping and easy access to manuals and journals.
- The trilogy allows for character transfer between games, creating a cohesive campaign experience that fans of the genre will appreciate.
- The combat can become tedious and bogged down, especially with certain enemy types like Auraks, leading to frustrating gameplay moments.
- The graphics and sound are outdated, which may deter new players who are not accustomed to retro gaming aesthetics.
- The game can feel cumbersome and unbalanced, particularly for those unfamiliar with the mechanics of older RPGs, making it less accessible for modern audiences.
- story46 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story continues the Dragonlance narrative after the first six books, with reviews indicating it is generally average and at times vague, yet still engaging enough to maintain player interest. While "Champions of Krynn" is noted for its straightforward and compelling storytelling, "Death Knights of Krynn" offers a more disjointed plot with some intriguing twists, though it is criticized for being combat-heavy and less story-focused. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic storytelling and the blend of tactical gameplay, despite the dated graphics and sound.
“The storytelling is great.”
“The story clips along at a fair pace and you had to various locations and battle draconians, dragons, undead, humans, etc.”
“As I got older, I started to focus in on the storylines of games and I found myself taking notes, which I have never done at my TTRPGs before, sorry DMs.”
“The game's story is average.”
“Overall while everything looks nice in Death Knights of Krynn and functions better (and has nice features like not having to pay for temple healing), the story falls behind Champions of Krynn.”
“Tdqok suffers though in what a lot of high-end AD&D adventures do; you have to keep scaling everything up, and it is incredibly combat heavy and story light - which makes it the weakest game in the Krynn series in terms of story.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and subpar compared to modern standards, often described as "horrible" or reminiscent of 8-bit aesthetics. However, many players appreciate the nostalgic value and the focus on gameplay and storytelling over visual fidelity, expressing a desire for graphical enhancements in future updates. Overall, while the graphics may not compete with contemporary titles, they evoke a sense of nostalgia for fans of classic AD&D games.
“8-bit graphics never looked so good.”
“I would love to see an updated version (graphics and engine-wise, not version-wise).”
“Sure, the graphics suck compared to modern games, but the strategy and gameplay are still relevant.”
“This game will not compete graphically against any other current games, but will inject a huge dose of nostalgia if you loved these old AD&D games!”
“Just so you're aware, the graphics are horrible.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly due to excessive random encounters and overwhelming enemy numbers that can lead to prolonged and repetitive combat. While some enjoy the opportunity to farm experience and level up, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, making certain segments feel like a slog rather than fun.
“Dark Queen was a slog; the Auraks made some segments tedious.”
“It would be amazing to have far less random encounters in dungeons that become far more tedious than fun, especially when they can be a waste of time (far beneath your character level) or way too many (10-20 dragons or several arch-mages and high clerics with an army in tow, casting delay blast fireball sometimes several times before you can even react).”
“This is a min-max game, a grinding machine.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as compelling and nostalgic, particularly for fans of old-school D&D mechanics, blending tactical turn-based strategy with RPG elements. However, it suffers from balance issues, including frustrating enemy mechanics like instant death effects, and may pose challenges for younger players unfamiliar with its mechanics. Despite these drawbacks, many find the core gameplay engaging enough to overlook the average story.
“So even if the story is average, they managed to make the gameplay compelling enough to keep me playing.”
“Old school D&D gameplay, bringing me back to my Commodore 64 days!”
“If you love TBS and tactics gameplay with some story and RPG elements included, I do recommend.”
“Younger gamers born after 1995 may have issues with the mechanics of these games.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a significant shift in the music style of Dungeons & Dragons games since TSR's departure, moving from a darker, gothic sound to a more upbeat and whimsical tone. For instance, the music in Baldur's Gate 3 is criticized for its lightheartedness, contrasting sharply with the grim atmosphere of earlier titles like Eye of the Beholder. This change has left some fans feeling disconnected from the traditional D&D aesthetic.
“For example, Baldur's Gate 3 music vs. Eye of the Beholder 1, which both sit in Baldur's Gate in the same world. Eye of the Beholder 1 has a way darker and more grim and gothic art style than the brand new Baldur's Gate 3 game.”
“Since TSR left the world of D&D, it seems like the music and the art style changed a lot. The old style was way more dark, grim, and gothic, while the new stuff has a happy-go-lucky vibe to it.”
“The music in Baldur's Gate 3 has a very different feel compared to the classic D&D themes, which can be surprising for long-time fans.”
“Since TSR left the world of D&D, it seems like the music and the art style changed a lot. The old style had a much darker, grim, gothic music, while the new stuff feels more happy-go-lucky.”
“For example, Baldur's Gate 3 music compared to Eye of the Beholder 1, which both take place in Baldur's Gate. Eye of the Beholder 1 has a much darker and more grim gothic art style than the brand new Baldur's Gate 3 game.”
“What is with the music in Baldur's Gate 3? 'Come hang out down by the river, take a dip in my water'—what is that about, especially for a D&D theme song?”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users report issues with stability, particularly noting frustrating interruptions that freeze movement when approaching certain areas, such as inns. This recurring problem detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
“It's such a relief when he's gone, but in New Aurium, passing by areas interrupts the game to tell you it's an inn, freezing your movement and forcing you to hit return.”
“The game frequently freezes when transitioning between areas, making it frustrating to navigate.”
“I often experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the games is generally praised, with players appreciating the engaging environment and challenging puzzles, despite some noted drawbacks. The combination of immersive settings and tough combat contributes positively to the overall experience.
“All the games have some cons, but they're still good with their atmosphere, puzzly questions, and the occasional tough fight.”
