Warlock Dungeons and Dragons explores the struggles of D&D's most sinister class, and you won't be rolling any dice

Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons is deeply wrapped up in the lore of one of the most fascinating corners of the D&D universe, but its creators at Invoke Studios don't want you to feel the need to be a systems expert to enjoy the story it's telling. Many of the best DnD games, from Neverwinter Nights, to Planescape Torment, to Baldur's Gate 3, are quick to embrace the tabletop origins. Warlock, as studio lead Dominic Guay and VP of creative Jeff Hattem explain during a preview event attended by PCGamesN, is more about using that world to tell a focused story "with momentum and stakes."

Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons is very faithful to the universe, characters, and lore of the iconic fantasy setting, Guay says, but there's no dice rolling to be found here. In its place is a "hand-crafted, third-person action-adventure game built around immersive and expressive magic." There's no custom character creation either; instead you play as Kaatri, performance-captured by Battlestar Galactica's Number Six, Tricia Helfer. She's a former warrior who became a warlock by entering into a pact with a magical being. This makes her something of an outcast, with many considering her powers 'unearned' despite the sacrifice she made to get them.

Invoke is being coy when it comes to the game's narrative, although it certainly sounds like coming to terms with the nature of that pact and sacrifice will be core to the experience. With the backing of publisher Wizards of the Coast, Guay says the team is able to take full advantage of the pre-existing D&D lore, and also "add our own brick to the legendary brand." Hattem notes that you can expect "some characters and settings that may or may not be familiar, depending on which parts of D&D you're familiar with."

Gameplay-wise, we can look forward to plenty of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat. Kaatri's powers can be used both in combat and to solve environmental and platforming challenges, and she's also adept with melee weapons thanks to her warrior upbringing. While Invoke wants to embrace the "creative thinking" aspect of D&D in its various forms, Hattem tells us the narrative is set in stone, so you won't be making choices that impact its overall tone or direction. Guay adds that because Kaatri is a written character whose story you're unraveling, "it wouldn't make sense to play her as 'evil' or 'good.'"

Invoke's team of roughly 200 includes many developers with backgrounds in action-adventure games and immersive sims, ranging from Far Cry to Deus Ex. Guay also highlights that it includes writers who worked on the narrative for Marvel's 2021 Guardians of the Galaxy game, which certainly ended up punching above its weight thanks to some strong storytelling and character work. Hattem says the tale falls somewhere in the middle of the 'seriousness spectrum' - it's not fully grimdark, exploring elements of light and beauty, but it is "urgent, immediate, and has personal stakes."

The Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons release date is currently set for 2027. There aren't many more details for now, but it's certainly a setting that I can imagine having a lot of potential, so I'll be watching it with close interest.