On Steam, there is a new competitor for Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4 with Dragonkin: The Banished. You can try its demo for free before the release.
What kind of game is this? Dragonkin: The Banished is a hack-and-slash that is reminiscent of Path of Exile or Diablo 4. You take on the role of a hero who fights against evil dragons. You can choose from various hero classes, each having unique abilities and combat styles.
Graphically, the game looks clearer and more saturated than Path of Exile 2 and resembles Diablo 4 more. The animations of the abilities surpass even the Blizzard hack-and-slash.
There can also be weather changes on individual maps. You will encounter rain, fog, snow, and storms, which are said to impact the game world as well. The maps themselves offer a colorful mix of environments. From ruins reminiscent of ancient Greece to dense jungles with toxic plants, everything is included.
What makes the game special? In Dragonkin: The Banished, you unlock your own town, which you can upgrade. This results in both visual growth and bonuses for your character, as each new building adds benefits.
The growth of your town also unlocks NPCs with whom you can trade or who can craft items for you. Additionally, there are buildings like an arsenal that allows you to quickly switch between skill configurations.
Here you can watch the trailer for the demo of Dragonkin: The Banished:
Skilltree: Easy to Understand, Hard to Master
How does progress work? In ARPGs like Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, it’s all about making your character stronger and unlocking better items, upgrades, and skills. The developers of Dragonkin: The Banished have come up with something unique here.
Instead of a skill tree, you will find a hexagonal grid where you can place found active skills and supportive abilities. All supportive abilities enhance the active skills surrounding them.
Additionally, each character has a dragonling as a companion. The pet’s abilities are only triggered by your own and must also be placed on the hexagonal skill grid accordingly. For those who want to fully excel in Dragonkin: The Banished, the developers have already uploaded an in-depth explanation of the system on YouTube.
Throughout the game, you will constantly collect new skills and supportive abilities that you must cleverly combine on the hexagonal grid to enhance your character’s abilities. Otherwise, you can expect the typical item system that you know from other genre representatives.
When can you get started? Dragonkin: The Banished will start in Early Access on Steam on March 6, 2025. For those who can’t wait until then, you can already try out the hack-and-slash. On Steam, there is a demo where you can choose from three characters at level 35, which you can then level up to level 50.
You have access to 6 levels and one endgame activity, plus you can take an early look at your own town and trade with initial NPCs like the apothecary or the jeweler. However, progress made will not be transferred to the main game later. In Path of Exile 2, there is now a website that everyone should know: New website for Path of Exile 2 reveals the tricks of top players
