Dungeon Defenders is a fun co-op action tower
defense game. Dungeon Defenders II, announced
today by Trendy
Entertainment, is that idea give or take everything that’s happened in PC
gaming over the past three years. It’s free-to-play with cross-platform
multiplayer (PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and Web), and it’s launching in two parts:
a new competitive MOBA mode that’s in closed beta now and will be playable at
PAX East this week in Boston, and an update to the cooperative defense mode of
the original, which is scheduled for beta late this year or early next. So, not much has
changed.
The competitive mode, which Trendy happily
labels a MOBA, is taking
beta signups right
now. It will initially feature just one 5v5 map, but on the hero side Trendy
anticipates it will have amassed 24 to choose from by launch. Some of those
will be paid heroes, but the rotating selection of free heroes is expected to
match “similar free-to-play games.” Meaning League of Legends, of course.
And, as is now standard practice when announcing F2P games, Trendy
already has an answer for the question: “Is the game pay-to-win?”
“Of course not!” reads the official
FAQ. “As of this moment in development, everything sold in the game
is obtainable through play. Furthermore, all stat giving items are awarded only
through play, not pay. Like many other games in the genre though, you will be
able to purchase boosts that will let you level faster or find better
cosmetics.”
But why make a cooperative game into a MOBA in the first place?
Answer us that, Trendy!
“During
the development of Dungeon Defenders we constantly tried different multiplayer
modes. Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, you name it. None of them really fit. When
planning the sequel, we couldn’t drop the idea that a MOBA in the Dungeon
Defenders universe would rock. Maybe it was all the after hour games of League
we played in the office. We don’t know. But it fit well into the storyline and
achieved a core goal of helping Dungeon Defenders players meet new players, so
we went all in.”
Oh, well that makes sense. But what makes it
different from League of Legends and Dota 2? Don’t have an answer for that, do you?
“Our
take on the MOBA genre is more rpg-esque, with more hero customization,
persistent hero leveling, loot and a town square where players can socialize,
manage their heroes, shop, trade, and queue for matches. We’ve drastically
simplified the item system, to reduce the learning curve for new players and
are aiming for shorter total match times. We’re also experimenting with some
other unique twists that you might find out about later (if they work!).”
Alright fine, announce your game with plenty
of details and jump straight into closed beta like some kind of indie game
studio that communicates frankly and only when it has something to show. See if thatworks. And while you’re at it, why not promise a gameplay reveal
in the announcement post? Schedule it for this Friday, maybe?
Yeah, I thought you would, and now I guess have to get real excited about it
with no need for sarcasm, because it actually is pretty exciting.
I’m not a big MOBA fan, so I’m more excited to see more of Dungeon
Defenders’ original co-op, but I’m willing to give the competitive mode a
chance while I wait. What say you?
