The allure of a challenging, dark fantasy world is undeniable, especially when it comes without a price tag. Shards of the Banished is an upcoming free-to-play Soulslike action RPG that promises brutal combat, intricate world design, and deep character progression. With its impending release, let's delve into what makes this game a potentially exciting addition to the genre and why you should keep an eye on it.
A Grim World Awaits: Exploring the Core of Shards of the Banished
Shards of the Banished places you in a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy realm consumed by darkness. As an exiled heir, your mission is to reclaim what's rightfully yours by facing powerful foes and uncovering the truth behind your banishment. The game boasts a deep combat system, encouraging players to master stamina-based melee combat, dodge rolls, parries, and powerful finishers. With interconnected areas filled with secrets, traps, and hidden lore, the world design aims to reward exploration and repeated playthroughs. This game targets players who enjoy challenging combat, character customization, and exploring lore-rich environments.
Free-to-Play and Promising: Assessing the Value Proposition
As a free-to-play title, Shards of the Banished already holds significant appeal. The Steam page lists minimum requirements of an i5 9th gen processor and an RTX 2060, suggesting that it aims to deliver detailed graphics. Assuming optimization is well-handled, the game should provide good value for players with mid-range PCs and above. While direct performance comparisons are impossible pre-release, the feature set suggests a game aiming to compete with other indie Soulslikes in terms of depth and visual fidelity, but without the initial cost barrier.
Beyond the Initial Release: Potential for Longevity
While the initial release promises a complete experience, the Early Access tag raises questions about its future. The developers at GreenBeamStudio have included features that promote replayability, such as multiple builds and distinct weapon types. Community engagement through their Discord server suggests that they're open to feedback and potential updates. Whether this translates to future content updates, DLC, or expansions remains to be seen, but the foundation is set for Shards of the Banished to evolve beyond its initial offering.
A Promising, Free Soulslike on the Horizon
Shards of the Banished presents itself as a compelling free-to-play Soulslike experience. With its deep combat system, detailed world design, and character progression, it has the potential to capture the attention of fans of the genre. Keep an eye on its release and give it a try if you're looking for a challenging, free adventure.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Completely free-to-play, removing the initial cost barrier
- Deep combat system with various mechanics to master
- Intricate world design with secrets and hidden lore
- Detailed character progression with a skill tree
- Promising graphics and atmospheric world
❌ Cons
- Minimum PC requirements may be high for some players
- Only 3 boss fights may limit end-game content
- Early Access status means potential for bugs and unfinished content
- Lack of multiplayer or co-op modes
- Long wait until the July 2025 release date