Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked Review (PS5/PSVR2, PC/PCVR, & Meta Quest)

Dungeon crawling on a virtual tabletop was a game-changing idea for Demeo, garnering a massive following and scooping up revered game awards. And now, a sequel is upon us that merges with the popular Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition tabletop RPG. 

For anyone who’s played games merged with D&D, you already will have a rough idea of what you’re in for—a thrilling adventure set on the spectacular Forgotten Realms. But it’s not always that these adaptations nail the benefits of crossing over two influential games.

Neverwinter Nights, Baldur’s Gate, and Solasta are but a few of the best D&D adaptations. And Honor Among Thieves for the big screen. But will Demeo reach these heights as well? Will it sit well with both Demeo and D&D fans alike? Let’s find out in our Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked review below.

Not So Forgotten Realms

Trouble is brewing in the Forgotten Realms once again, and it’s up to you and your friends to don your hero masks and save the day. Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked very much adopts the regions and characters of the D&D franchise. From Neverwinter Wood to Cragmaw Castle and beyond, the D&D universe is at full display here. 

It’s all deeply nostalgic for gamers who’ve been ride or die D&D fans. Especially with the characters, classes like paladins, sorcerers, rangers, and more, will have fans swimming in nostalgia. In that sense, D&D feels like the set dressing, bundling Demeo up in the stunning environments and compelling classes we’ve come to love. 

And these fuel the two campaigns featured in the full game, with potential future DLC to come. But probably have your expectations realistic, as Demeo still doesn’t quite match up to the profound, branching adventures of D&D adaptations like Baldur’s Gate 3. Instead, you explore the Forgotten Realms much like you do in the first Demeo game, dungeon-crawling your way around fantasy spots.

Dungeons Are Calling

But this isn’t your typical basement dungeon crawling either. Rather, multi-storeyed exploration. You practically have three floors, which grow in scale the higher up you ascend. And with each climb, enemies grow in number and strength. Finally, you go up against a nasty boss fight. It won’t be a “Tower of Hell” gig, though, as in between floors, you can stop at shops to trade your deck with an NPC.

Further, not every mission will be the same, depending on the quests and side quests you choose. Some areas you pick will have gruesome enemies. Others, no enemies at all, only exploration, talking to NPCs, opening treasure chests, and more. And therein lies your Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked tabletop experience, having fun with friends in randomized ventures, you never know where they might lead.

Four’s the Crowd

Up to four players can team up to save the Forgotten Realms through investigating sinister plots and forging beneficial alliances. But even if you can’t sync up your schedules, you can always pick up from generous save slots with other buddies. Or use hirelings to fill up the remaining spots. In any case, cross-play should help speed things along. Plus, the gameplay is easy enough for even newbies to jump right in.

Level Ground

Demeo thrived mostly because of its seamless and intuitive gameplay system. And this has trotted right on into Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. With turn-based gameplay for movement, attacks, and drawing cards, every player is given two action points to make a move. And the action points are balanced. Movements and attacks cost one AP, while cards vary.

Cards are especially game-changing, where some can even cost zero AP. And their use cases vary from healing potions to special abilities. As such, Battlemarked has a pretty good depth to its battle system. Though, as you’ll notice, your social interactions will mostly be tactical, rather than D&D’s hangouts. You need to coordinate your actions to beat enemies, planning your moves, and synergizing your team’s abilities. 

Synergy is actually pretty fun to discover among the classes. You have classes with unique abilities that can be combined for more impactful damage and support. The most effective is setting up environmental hazards or piling up enemies for another character to execute a devastating AoE attack on them. 

Dragonborn Paladin, for example, enters the battlefield with his poison breath. And when Halfling Sorcerer casts her fire spell, it ignites the poison cloud, causing a massive AoE attack. Human Ranger’s arrows can group enemies together, for Tiefling Rogue to unleash explosive bombs. Do have fun discovering potentially potent synergies with friends, and you’ll definitely appreciate the satisfaction that comes with pulling them off.

Digging Deeper

A total of eight playable classes is a good enough breadth of options to spice up your game. And their unique abilities can be upgraded for better outcomes in battle, traps, or even NPC dialogue. With progression through the campaign, earning XP and leveling up, you unlock new and permanent skills, abilities, and gear. 

These are spread out across categories you have to choose from, though. So, careful consideration of your play style is needed. Do you want your character to resist damage more or gain more health for every kill? It’ll depend on your character’s unique strengths as well, all providing deep RPG mechanics. 

While at it, don’t ignore the side quests that are great for XP farming. Plus, they enrich your journey by meeting different NPCs and solving diverse challenges. 

Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked definitely offers a richer and more expansive campaign than Demeo. And while its story might not be as deep or compelling as other RPGs, it has its moments of intrigue. And the chaotic and accessible gameplay makes up for any moments when you’re beginning to lose interest.

Into the D&Dverse

Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked offers the option of playing it on a TV or a monitor. But it’s so much better via a VR headset. And with a controller, if you’re looking to enjoy more precise hand tracking and movement. Since you’ll be literally picking up the dice, cards, and miniatures and placing them on the board, you want the most precise movement so as not to break immersion.

But there are far more features added to ensure you enjoy a deeply immersive experience. You can zoom the board in and out, but even more so, maximize the miniatures so that their detail and impeccable designs are extra impressive up close. Your hands will be pretty busy while playing Battlemarked, moving and rotating the board for a better view and to progress through the campaign. 

There really is no difference between sitting around a physical board and hopping into the Battlemarked VR experience. Grabbing the dice and throwing them on the board feels surreal, and you can even see the hand outlines of your friends as they make their play. Sure, there might be some technical issues that might come up with the hand tracking or moving the board. Other players have reported some bugs in their campaigns. But many are being fixed.

At the very least, Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked looks stunning. The art style from Demeo holds up, meshed with the vibrant and charming environments of the D&D universe. And technically, next to no framerate drops or glitches come up.

Verdict

Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked has proven yet again why Demeo is so beloved among tabletop dungeon-crawling fans. And why merging it with the fantastic D&D universe is the best route Resolution Games could have taken. It feels satisfying and rewarding to play through the campaigns of Battlemarked, with the randomized encounters that often surprise you. 

Teamplay is held in high regard, especially in the tactics battles and overall gameplay, where you really do need to plan your strategies and lock in with your friends’ decisions. But on the story campaign, it can feel lighter than it could have been. There’s less focus on crafting a compelling story with branching narratives than there is on an accessible and balanced combat system.

Meanwhile, the VR headsets and controllers serve you seamlessly. And they provide user-friendly and intuitive features that anyone will easily dive into. These come with a stunning visual style that really puts you in the moment and speed of the fantasy Neverwinter Wood and beyond. 

But a word of caution: Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked plays much like Demeo. It only looks and adopts the D&D universe, but not the in-depth roleplaying and character development sectors, nor the 5th edition rules. And I’m not mad at it, given how cumbersome the 5th edition rules can get, especially for newbies. 

The accessibility and balance of the turn-based battle system of Battlemarked actually make it worthwhile, whether for newcomers or veterans. It’s exactly what the marketing has promised: a Demeo experience set in the Forgotten Realms. And that alone has proven to be a fun tabletop experience with friends.