Wizards of the Coast invites players and fans around the world to join in celebrating an iconic piece of gaming history with Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY.

Launching June 13, 2024 the set represents a rich universe with iconic elements that fans have come to love over the franchise’s history. Fans will see characters from every mainline FINAL FANTASY game, each depicted through the lens of Magic: The Gathering.

This upcoming set features the largest collection of FINAL FANTASY artwork ever in a single game, drawing from across the franchise. Magic artists have brought moments from FINAL FANTASY to life in their own unique style while classic FINAL FANTASY art pieces make appearances on these epic cards.

Fans will see their favorite stories, characters and moments from FINAL FANTASY depicted across Magic cards, with these icons of the series captured on over 100 legendary creature cards across the entire release.

The FINAL FANTASY artwork truly shines in a series of Borderless Cards. Borderless Character Cards feature 55 legendary characters with eye-popping backgrounds, while Borderless Woodblock Cards are inspired by traditional Japanese woodblock paintings, and feature intricate artwork of the summons.

There are also Borderless FINAL FANTASY Artist cards, featuring fan-favorite artists from the history of the series.

Finally, as a celebration of this incredible collaboration, FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages showcases iconic Magic cards with FINAL FANTASY artwork. These cards form a Bonus Sheet for the set featuring existing artwork from the FINAL FANTASY series, which highlights artists such as  天野喜孝/YOSHITAKA AMANO and 野村哲也/TETSUYA NOMURA, names that FINAL FANTASY fans will surely recognize.

Each Commander deck for Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY tells the story of an individual game from the franchise, letting you relive playing FINAL FANTASY VI, FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY X, and FINAL FANTASY XIV in a brand-new way.

Wizards of the Coast will also be releasing three Secret Lair drops alongside this set to capture the worlds of FINAL FANTASY in Secret Lair‘s always iconic, always stunning style. More details will be available closer to the set’s release.

The set is available for preorder now at local game stores, online retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic products are sold.

The post First Look at Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Dungeons and Dragons Dark Alliance is the spiritual continuation of the legendary Balder’s Gate series based on the iconic fantasy tabletop role-playing game.

Balder’s Gate was one of the very first PC games that I played, shortly after building my first PC back in 1998.

The game used the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition rules to mimic the mechanics of the paper RPG in digital form. I invested hours in the isometric RPG journeying through the meticulously recreated Forgotten Realms.

Skipping forward 23 years and nine games later we have Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance.

The game fits into the canon of the tabletop game, going as far as to tiein with the 2020 Dungeons and Dragons module, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden.

Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is a third-person hack and slash RPG with some (very) light puzzle / exploration elements set in the D&D realm of Icewind Dale.

It’s designed to be played online with up to three other players, but can also be played as an offline single-player game.

The game is set across six three-act missions, with a tutorial mission and an extra dungeon.

Missions are unlocked once the conditions are met. Once each act has been completed once, they can be played again.

This allows for some replay values as at the beginning of each act the difficulty can be selected, higher difficulties yielding better rewards. Players can also complete missions again with each of the four available characters.

Players can choose from a dark elf ranger, human fighter, human barbarian, or dwarf fighter.

These are stock characters that allow for little in the way of customisation. It’s a complete mystery to me as to why they’ve omitted custom character creation.

Also, solo play is exactly that, with no AI companions to help.

The game does look pretty good, especially on Xbox Series X.

The lighting is nice and the character designs look really good. But the character movement animations are awkward and they tend to float a few inches from the ground. As fun as I found the game to play, Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance comes across as unfinished.

The essence is there, barring a few odd design choices, but generally, it’s an unrefined experience. I pity the CG artists that created the elaborate cut-scenes to a game that feels otherwise half-baked.

I found the game to play like an off-brand Warhammer: End Times- Vermintide. Vermintide games coming across as the winners.

This is pretty ironic as Games Workshop’s Warhammer tabletop RPG was inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. Dark Alliance has an onerous heritage to uphold, one that it doesn’t quite succeed in living up to.

Little niggles like not being able to change equipment during a mission spoil the experience. Any cool gear must wait until you get back to the hub to equip.

The trader, despite his suggestions, doesn’t seem to sell anything, he only upgrades the equipment that you already have.

The AI isn’t particularly good, either.

During missions, enemies will stand around happily taking artillery damage until they keel over and meet their maker unless you stand right in front of them.

I foolishly switched to online mode during play. This placed the game in a perpetual, desperate but fruitless, search for a session to connect me to. The only way out was to quit to the title screen.

I found none of these issues to be a showstopper. The rough edges suggest that the game was rushed out the door without that last bit of polish.

Game mechanics aside, the Levels are nicely designed making the exploration fun and the environments interesting enough to keep me engaged.

The combat is a bit scrappy and imprecise, even for a game that’s really a button-masher, but enjoyable, enough. In the end, despite its faults, I had trouble putting the game down.

Without the weight of the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is a passable button-mashing RPG, it looks pretty good, with fun if uninspired gameplay and a few odd design choices.

As a Dungeons and Dragons game, it’s a huge missed opportunity and one that the publisher, Wizards of the Coast, should reflect upon.

With the game being free to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, it’s worth a go, especially with friends.

The post Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (Xbox Series X) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Soon there will be even more ways to explore the Multiverse.

Today during the Epic Games Spring Showcase, Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios revealed that Magic: Legends will launch Open Beta on the Epic Games Store on March 23, 2021.

The free-to-play, persistent world, action RPG pays loving tribute to Wizards of the Coast’s celebrated strategy card game, Magic: The Gathering, and is scheduled to launch on PC and consoles in 2021.

When Magic: Legends enters Open Beta at the end of March, players can take on the role of a Planeswalker by downloading the game on the Epic Games Store (which will connect to the same PC server as Arc Games users).

Magic: Legends is a free-to-play, persistent world, hack’n’cast online Action RPG based on Wizards of the Coast’s iconic trading card game, Magic: The Gathering.

Ancient forces move in the darkness, requiring players to assume the role of a Planeswalker, powerful spellcasters who can travel between worlds.

While exploring different planes, players will collect mana-based spells and strategically build out the perfect deck of balanced attacks to control the chaos of the battlefield and save the Multiverse from its greatest threat yet.

Developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Perfect World Entertainment, Magic: Legends will release on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in 2021.

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The post Magic: Legends Open Beta Announced for Epic Games appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Larian Studios has been on the road recently, showing off Baldur’s Gate 3 for the very first time.

Larian has been working alongside Wizards of the Coast to bring Baldur’s Gate to a new audience and today, they are ready to reveal their next generation turn-based RPG to the world.

Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that truly reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons in Larian’s biggest adventure yet.

Mysterious abilities are awakening inside you, drawn from a Mind Flayer parasite planted in your brain. Resist, and turn darkness against itself. Or embrace corruption and become ultimate evil.

Gather your party and return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power.

Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. That power may help you to survive, but there will be a price to pay. More than any ability, the bonds of trust that you build within your party could be your greatest strength. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms together.

Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone, and select your companions carefully, or as a party of up to four in multiplayer.

No two adventures will ever be the same. The Forgotten Realms are a vast, detailed and diverse world, and there are secrets to be discovered all around you – verticality is a vital part of exploration. Sneak, dip, shove, climb, and jump as you journey from the depths of the Underdark to the glittering rooftops of the Upper City. How you survive, and the mark you leave on the world, is up to you.

Baldur’s Gate 3 will be releasing to Early Access soon.

The post FIRST BALDUR’S GATE 3 GAMEPLAY Revealed appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Nacelle Company, the people behind The Toys That Made Us and The Movies That Made Us, have partnered with Cavegirl Productions and X-Ray Films to announce they are producing a documentary about the iconic collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. The movie, Igniting the Spark, The Story of Magic: The Gathering, will explore the game’s history, explosive growth, and enduring popularity.

Magic: The Gathering, the world’s most popular strategy card game, was created by mathematician Richard Garfield in 1993 and is published by Wizards of the Coast (Dungeons & Dragons), a subsidiary of Hasbro.

The Magic: The Gathering franchise has more than 38 million fans in over 70 countries. Over the years, Magic has evolved from a niche card game into a world-wide phenomenon boasting international tournaments, ever-expanding sets, and enthusiastic collectors.

In 2019, Netflix announced that the Russo Brothers (Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Winter Soldier) are producing an animated Magic: The Gathering series for the platform.

Igniting The Spark will be co-directed by Brian Stillman (Plastic Galaxy: The Story of The Star Wars Toys, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons, The Toys That Made Us) and Kelley Slagle (Of Dice and Men, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons). It will be produced by Slagle, Stillman, and Seth Polansky (Of Dice and Men, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons), and Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us, The Movies That Made Us, Behind The Attraction) and Cisco Henson for The Nacelle Company.

“We’re honored to be producing this documentary, which is sure to introduce the iconic game to a new audience while at the same time preserving its rich history,” said Brian Volk-Weiss, CEO of The Nacelle Company.

“Magic: The Gathering is a classic success story, a homegrown game that came from nowhere and achieved world-wide success. It’s brought joy to millions of people and along the way completely transformed the game industry. We can’t wait to tell this story,” said co-directors Brian Stillman and Kelley Slagle.
“I’ve played Magic: The Gathering since 1994. Now, 25 years later, I’m beyond thrilled to be able to give something back to the game and the community that has given me so much joy over the years” said co-producer Seth Polansky.

Founded by Brian Volk Weiss, The Nacelle Company develops, produces, and distributes feature and documentary films as well as TV shows – both scripted and unscripted. Nacelle’s vast array of partnerships include: Netflix, Amazon, Disney +, HBO, Discovery, BET+, A&E Networks, Hulu, Viacom, and many more. The Nacelle Company has produced the hit Netflix docu-series, The Toys That Made Us, and it’s upcoming spin-off, The Movies That Made Us, Sony’s Mad About You reboot, CW’s Discontinued, Netflix’s Kevin Hart’s Guide To Black History, and Behind The Attraction for Disney +.

Cavegirl Productions, headed by founders Kelley Slagle and Seth Polansky, began producing independent films in 2004. Among their award-winning projects are the fantasy web series The Broken Continent (2013), the dramedy feature film Of Dice and Men (2014), and the documentary Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons (2019).

Founded in 2006 by Brian Stillman, X-Ray Films is a documentary production company celebrating pop-history and culture. Recent features include Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys (2014) and the award-winning Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons (2019).

The post Magic: The Gathering To Get the Full Documentary Treatment appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Larian Studios is proud to announce that they are developing and publishing Baldur’s Gate III on PC and Google Stadia.

Created in close collaboration with the Dungeons & Dragons team at Wizards of the Coast, Baldur’s Gate III is based off current D&D mechanics and spells and is the official new chapter in the legendary series.

Baldur’s Gate III will push the boundaries of the RPG genre and offer a rich narrative with unparalleled player freedom, high-stakes decisions, unique companion characters and memorable combat. It is Larian Studios’ biggest production ever and will be playable together with friends or as a single-player adventure.

The teaser trailer shows a return of a malevolent presence to Baldur’s Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out, corrupting everything that remains in the Forgotten Realms.

Alone you may resist, but together you can overcome. Gather your party.

“Baldur’s Gate means so much to so many people. It’s a great responsibility but I think we’re ready for it,” said Swen Vincke, Creative Director at Larian Studios. “We’re all about creating reactive, systemic worlds that respect player agency and having a chance to apply our team’s skillset in a universe as rich as Dungeons & Dragons is a lot of fun. We’re working very closely with Wizards to bring an unprecedented level of immersion to the realm of Faerun and I can’t wait to show the world what our team cooked up.”

“Partnering with Larian, a studio that combines a remarkable history of critically-acclaimed titles with a genuine passion for one of the most iconic locations in Dungeons & Dragons, has been a terrific experience,” said Chris Cocks, President of Wizards of the Coast. “We believe fans of the Baldur’s Gate saga – and even those new to the series – will be thrilled to step into this epic story.”

Larian Studios plans to work closely with the global community to bring the coveted series to life, with more news to follow over the course of the year.

The post Larian Studios Announces Baldur’s Gate III appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast announced a brand new esports program coming in 2019 for Magic: The Gathering, which boasts a $10 million prize pool across digital and tabletop Magic.

“Today is an extremely important day for Magic: The Gathering as we announce our commitment to esports and our Magic players by evolving our tournament structure to include a $10 Million prize pool.” said Chris Cocks, President of Wizards of the Coast. “We are fully embracing esports and affirming Magic as a leader in the collectible card game category while providing lucrative opportunities for pros, players, sponsors, and esports partners.”

With over 35 Million Magic players to date in over 70 countries around the world, Magic’s new esports structure is designed to appeal to a wide audience of card game players and offers an open platform to allow all Magic players the opportunity to compete.

The Magic Pro League (MPL) establishes a new level of professional play and features 32 of the top ranked Magic players from around the world. Players in the MPL are offered play and streaming contracts worth $75,000. Members of the MPL will play in weekly match-ups on Magic: The Gathering Arena that will lead to newly introduced Mythic Championship events.

Mythic Championships are the new flagship competitions for Magic: The Gathering Arena esports and tabletop Magic competitive play. Mythic Championships will feature MPL players battling against challengers from the Magic community. The Magic: The Gathering Arena esports program kicks off with a $1 Million Mythic Invitational at PAX East 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. More details on how to climb the ranks and battle the pros will be revealed in early 2019.

“The past 25 years of Magic competition has led us to design this comprehensive esports program that would support Magic: The Gathering Arena, while increasing our investment in tabletop Magic,” said Elaine Chase, Vice President of Esports at Wizards of the Coast. “Our investment in esports will catapult the game to new heights while providing support to the players by giving them the platform to build their brand and bring Magic to a broader audience.”

To download Magic: The Gathering Arena and stay up-to-date on the game’s recent developments, go HERE.

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