I am very much in my Dungeons and Dragons era (insert sparkle emojis on either side). I’m still on my first real playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, I’ve got an IRL campaign running, and I lull myself to sleep to the absolute chaos of Brian Murphy’s Not Another DnD Podcast. When I first caught wind of Sunderfolk, a new turn-based fantasy RPG from ex-Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime’s Dreamhaven, I knew for a fact that it was an absolute must-play. I’ve been keeping track of it ever since, and during this evening’s Dreamhaven showcase, it’s finally got a release date – and we won’t be waiting long.
If you haven’t heard of Sunderfolk, allow me to gush. Designed as a couch co-op experience, you’ll venture forth into the Sunderlands to take down foes and excavate dungeons in true DnD style. What sets it apart from games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Solasta, however, is the fact that you use your mobile phone as the controller. It doubles as your inventory, rule book, and, of course, your action bank.
As you’ve likely guessed, given that Sunderfolk is a co-op game at its core, you’ll be able to invite up to four players to join your adventuring party. There, you’ll be able to choose from one of six classes: Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger, or Rogue. I’d say I’m choosing Ranger, but given I’ve just swapped off of it in my actual DnD campaign, maybe Rogue’s the call.
Your home base is a vibrant underground citadel called Arden, which is under siege from the mysterious corruption that’s overtaking the Sunderlands. As your influence grows, Arden will expand around you, adding new vendors who can provide various provisions and – most importantly – upgrade your gear.
Swords sharpened and spells restocked, your adventure begins. Combat plays out like a real-life tabletop RPG: each character – friend or foe – takes their turn, which are used to attack, defend, move, or buff allies. Each of these is represented by a Skill Card on your phone, but there’s also the luck-based Fate Cards that can turn the tide of any encounter. As your character earns experience and rises through the levels, they’ll be able to customize their deck to further hone their strategy.
It’s obviously worth noting that you’ll need a mobile device to play the game, as well as its associated app. Dreamhaven has confirmed that this is free, however, so you’ll just be paying for the game itself. While the focus is couch co-op, you can also stream the game to your friends so that you can run remotely.
If all of that sounds perfect to you, then I’ve got some good news. Dreamhaven has confirmed that the Sunderfolk release date is set for Wednesday April 23. If you can’t wait until then, there’s a new First Look demo available via the free tier of Nvidia GeForce Now, accessible from Tuesday March 25 through to Monday April 7. You can sign up here.
While I doubt that it’ll have the same level of depth as Baldur’s Gate 3 (I’m unsure if anything ever will), Sunderfolk encapsulates what’s so special about DnD: go on adventures with your friends, and do dumb things. I really can’t wait to try it.
In the meantime, however, if you’re looking something similar to BG3, we have a full list of all the best DnD games, as well as a rundown of the best turn-based RPGs if you thrive on strategizing.
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