In the genre of action RPG (ARPG), Dragonkin: The Banished recently released in competition with Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2. Currently, it's available for free in demo mode on steam which gives a sneak-peak of the mechanics, graphics and overall gameplay of the powerful features the game promises to deliver.

• What is Dragonkin: The Banished?
• Key Features That Set It Apart
• Self Explanatory Skill System
• Demo and Early Access Information
• Conclusion

↖ What is Dragonkin: The Banished?

Step into the world of hack-and-slash ARPGs with Dragonkin: The Banished, where monstrous dragons are no match for the valiant heroes you can play - each hero class comes with it's own set of skills and fighting techniques. While the game is based on the Plot of the Great War which has a similar gameplay structure to Path of Exile and Diablo, it's different from its predecessors in several ways.

Dragonkin: The Banished has its own distinctive saturated style of graphics that resembles that of Diablo 4, but more vivid. The game also adds in new gameplay features such as rain, fog, snow, and storms, which make the gameplay experience more exciting. The maps are also very diverse and include everything from ancient Greek ruins to toxic jungles, which makes exploration more enjoyable.

↖ Key Features That Set It Apart

Among those features, the standout one is the city-building mechanism in Dragonkin: The Banished, where players unlock and upgrade their cities. The visual appearance changes dynamically, and the players can reap more benefits from the upgraded city. Every building grants numerous character bonuses, and the hubs allow for interfaces with non-playable characters (NPC) like merchants and crafters.

Players can also adjust their skill builds using the available functional structures, such as an arsenal in the city, which enables switching between builds instantly. This increases the level of customization and strategy in the game, making it more enjoyable.

↖ Self Explanatory Skill System

While Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 feature traditional skill trees, Dragonkin: The Banished has a hexagonal skill grid. Here, players earn active and support skills, which they try to strategically place on the grid. Support abilities, which aid adjacent active skills, do promote planning and experimentation.

Also, a dragonling companion follows every character and his skills are activated by the player's skills. These companion skills also need to be placed on the hexagonal grid which makes character development even more complex.

↖ Demo and Early Access Information

The complete Early Access for Dragonkin: The Banished comes out March 6, 2025, but the eager player can jump into the game's demo currently available for free on Steam.

The demo includes the following features:

• Three pre-leveled characters at level 35 and able to level up to level 50.
• Six levels open to exploration plus one endgame activity.
• A portion of the city building feature where players interact with NPCs such as an apothecary and jeweler.
• Keep in mind that any progress made in the demo will not transfer to the main game when it is released.

↖ Conclusion

Dragonkin: The Banished is a strong new contender in the ARPG panorama due to its unique colorful graphics, distinctive mechanics, and emphasis on customization. The integration of hack-and-slash mechanics with city-building and a novel take on skill advancement is guaranteed to make this game appealing for fans of the genre.

If you're an experienced player of games such as Diablo and Path of Exile, or are seeking fresh ARPGs, Dragonkin: The Banished will not disappoint. As the demo is free on Steam, there is no better time then now to explore what this game has to offer.