Introduction

How many games have tried to rise to the levels of titles like Diablo? Probably more than anyone can realistically count. When Blizzard developers made Diablo, they cemented the series in the world of RPG gaming as a staple of the genre — large-scale worlds to traverse, characters to gear up and mold into godlike beings, and visuals that show what a developer at their best is truly capable of. The list of praise I could give that franchise could go on for pages. Still, I find it admirable that when a developer goes up against the titan that is Blizzard, they don’t fret and still try. Eko Software — who are no beginners to gaming, having made How to Survive 1 & 2 as well as several Warhammer games — have recently released Dragonkin: The Banished, and from the tutorial alone I realized…they might have something here. Is Dragonkin: The Banished a Diablo killer, or is this another title that scales the mountain of greatness and falls just short of the top? I’m about to find out in our review of Dragonkin: The Banished for PC! Big thanks to Nacon and Eko Software for the review copy!

Gameplay

I’m someone who always does a tutorial level when given the option — not because I need it, but because it sometimes reveals story details you’d otherwise miss or offers tips to help you improve. Let me start this review by saying I loved the tutorial for Dragonkin: The Banished. What it essentially lets you do is take all four playable classes at their peak levels and abilities and let loose on hundreds of enemies. This approach needs to be adopted by more RPGs, as feeling like a fully leveled champion right from the start is a refreshing change of pace. It can sting being knocked back down to a weaker level one character afterward, but at least by then you’ll know which class to choose and what to expect once you start climbing back up.

Dragonkin: The Banished is a Diablo-like RPG where you step into the role of an apprentice hero tasked with taking down the Dragon scourge. You choose from one of four classes — Knight, Barbarian, Archer, or Oracle — and must undertake the challenge of killing a race of powerful Dragons threatening all life. Here’s the good and the not-so-good of what to expect once you don your class and set off on your adventure.

Assuming you have some familiarity with Diablo, gameplay in Dragonkin: The Banished works like this: your character starts with one basic attack and a handful of special ones. As you level up, you’ll unlock more abilities and find gear to grow stronger. What I loved most about Dragonkin: The Banished is that the leveling system breaks away from the usual RPG formula. Instead, it features the Ancestral Grid — a hex-based system that lets you equip powers and stat increases via interlocking pieces. As you level up, your grid expands, and what initially feels like a modest collection of slots eventually becomes a sprawling grid that lets you feel the full weight of becoming overpowered. More traditional leveling systems are still present, such as the ability to pump points into categories like intelligence and courage, but these too have a satisfying twist. The more skill points you invest in a specific category, the more bonus effects you unlock that influence health, attack, and more. Dragonkin: The Banished gives you a solid amount of freedom in building your ultimate warrior, and I’m all for it.

Also like Diablo, Dragonkin: The Banished is packed with loot drops. Enemies drop loot, chests contain loot, quests reward loot — and the cycle never ends. Every piece of loot visibly changes how your character looks, and the game clearly tells you which equipment is an upgrade. As a fan of looting in RPGs, I love Dragonkin: The Banished‘s unapologetic loot system.

When you aren’t leveling up and rising to become a true powerhouse, you’ll be undertaking quests and missions throughout the world. The quests are fairly simple — kill this enemy, reach that location — but it’s nothing I haven’t seen in an RPG before, and it works well enough to keep you moving forward. I did appreciate that you can expand your town later in the game, building settlements and homes that transform your hub city from a place barely holding on into something that feels like a thriving settlement. There’s plenty of incentive to keep playing Dragonkin: The Banished, which is a must for any good RPG.

Now, here’s where things shift from good to not entirely bad but not quite as strong. Combat is fun, and you’ll regularly unlock enough moves and abilities to avoid growing bored — but all classes in Dragonkin: The Banished play pretty similarly. The Oracle is a mild exception, given its use of magic and varied powers, but there’s very little difference between the remaining three classes. Press attack, occasionally use a special, and repeat for hours. Fans of Diablo know this comes with the territory, but I do wish there were a bit more distinction between playstyles. Shooting a volley of arrows raining from the sky looks cool, but it feels fundamentally the same as playing a Knight and torching everything with a flamethrower-like ability. The visuals differ, but the execution is essentially the same. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is noticeable.

To end the gameplay section on a strong note, Dragonkin: The Banished does offer two-to-four player co-op, meaning friends can drop in online or locally and join your adventure. I’m always happy to have company on an RPG journey while slaying monsters together.

Graphics

I have mostly positive things to say about Dragonkin: The Banished‘s visuals. I adored the graphics across the various settings you’ll explore — from large-scale battlefields to murky swamps, no two areas disappointed. I equally loved the panoramic camera. While it could be considered a gameplay feature, I felt it did more to highlight the visuals than serve as a tactical tool. Zooming out and scoping the various areas was always a treat for the eyes, reminding me of the viewpoint sequences in the Assassin’s Creed games. Where Dragonkin: The Banished falls slightly short is in its character models when stripped of armor. Fully geared up, they look fantastic. Without equipment, they’re noticeably less impressive. It’s not a major issue, but it’s worth mentioning.

Sound

Like the gameplay, the sound department has its highs and lows. The music in Dragonkin: The Banished is great, even if it isn’t particularly original — large-scale fantasy tunes and big epic scores that feel familiar for the genre. They work, and I found myself enjoying them more often than not. Where Dragonkin: The Banished genuinely stumbles, however, is the voice acting. To be fair, not every voice performance is bad. Some actors are clearly giving it their all and representing their roles with conviction. Unfortunately, others sound like someone pulled the first available person from down the hall to read lines off a cue card. One character early on delivers a plea about a village in desperate need with all the urgency of someone ordering lunch — and that is genuinely distracting. I understand that hiring quality voice actors comes at a cost, but even a modest investment would have gone a long way here. Frankly, I’d rather have silence — aside from the narrator — than sit through some of the weaker performances in Dragonkin: The Banished.

Story

Maybe I’m growing a little jaded when it comes to traditional fantasy tales, but the story of Dragonkin: The Banished didn’t do much to draw me in. A long-standing Dragon threat, humanity on the brink of extinction, new heroes rising to fight back — it works and it’s functional, but nothing about it feels particularly groundbreaking. I won’t call the story bad, because I’ve seen far worse, and Eko Software have crafted genuinely intriguing narratives in their past work. The story of Dragonkin: The Banished is fine and gives you enough reason to care about the world and its NPCs, but don’t come in expecting elevated fantasy writing.

Overall Impression

Dragonkin: The Banished is a solid entry in the Diablo-like RPG genre. Its innovative Ancestral Grid leveling system, satisfying loot loop, and stunning environments give it a strong foundation. The co-op support and one of the best tutorial levels in recent memory are welcome additions. However, the near-identical class playstyles, weak voice acting from some performers, and a slow early game do hold it back from reaching the top of the mountain. For fans of the genre looking for something to sink hours into — especially at its accessible price point — Dragonkin: The Banished is well worth considering.

Conclusion

Dragonkin: The Banished is a pretty solid Diablo-like game. I can see myself returning to it — solo or with friends — long after this review, grinding away to become a true powerhouse of a hero. I do hope more content arrives down the line, perhaps additional classes, but as it stands, Dragonkin: The Banished is absolutely worth trying for fans of the RPG genre. At roughly half the price of a standard retail game, it offers a surprising amount of gameplay and fun that holds its own against some triple-A titles.