Drake Hollow, the village-building action game, is kicking off a free open beta weekend tomorrow, Friday, June 19. Announced as part of IGN's Summer of Gaming, the open beta will run from June 19 until Monday June 22 at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK (that's 2am on June 23 AEST). You can access the beta by signing up to the Xbox Insider Program on either Xbox One or Windows 10 PC. The preview weekend will give players one biome to play within, and a "limited sandbox experience", all of which will allow developer The Molasses Flood to stress test the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/drake-hollow-exclusive-high-level-camp-gameplay"] Alongside the beta announcement, we can also show you some brand new gameplay of a high-level camp from the game, with a walkthrough from creative director Forrest Dowling (above). Dowling introduces how he uses a network of fast-travel waypoints, decoys, traps and mountable weaponry to help protect his village from raids, as well as creating different "districts" to his camp to help keep the resident Drakes healthy and happy. Drake Hollow tasks players with protecting the titular Drakes from attack by supernatural creatures by building them villages and helping to fight back. The game can be played along or in co-op. It launches on Xbox One and PC on July 17. There's much more to see from IGN's Summer of Gaming which runs throughout June – here's the Summer of Gaming full schedule. All month, we're supporting some incredibly important causes – the World Health Organisation and The Bail Project – if you are able, help us support them too at donate.ign.com. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Fantasy air combat game The Falconeer has got a new trailer, and revealed new story details. Revealed exclusively during today's IGN Summer of Gaming stream, the gorgeous trailer shows off a range of dogfighting gameplay against airborne and seaborne threats. Check it out below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/the-falconeer-exclusive-story-trailer"] The narrator of the trailer is the Seachantress, who will act as the player's guide throughout the game, and across The Maw, the canyon of water that crosses almost the entirety of the game's Ursee setting. Publisher Wired Productions also told us more about the game's three warring factions:

• "The Saladmount, a settlement devoted to harvesting wood-like material from the giant fungal seatrees, which is used as an ultra-light building material."
• "The Shard, home to one of the most important Noble houses in the game, House Borgia, which is a place of sharp, imposing rock features."
• "The Imperial Harbour, the largest city of the Ursee and the Royal seat atop Imperial Peak."

The Falconeer is coming to Xbox One and PC via Steam (which you can wishlist now) later in 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Fantasy air combat game The Falconeer has got a new trailer, and revealed new story details. Revealed exclusively during today's IGN Summer of Gaming stream, the gorgeous trailer shows off a range of dogfighting gameplay against airborne and seaborne threats. Check it out below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/the-falconeer-exclusive-story-trailer"] The narrator of the trailer is the Seachantress, who will act as the player's guide throughout the game, and across The Maw, the canyon of water that crosses almost the entirety of the game's Ursee setting. Publisher Wired Productions also told us more about the game's three warring factions:

• "The Saladmount, a settlement devoted to harvesting wood-like material from the giant fungal seatrees, which is used as an ultra-light building material."
• "The Shard, home to one of the most important Noble houses in the game, House Borgia, which is a place of sharp, imposing rock features."
• "The Imperial Harbour, the largest city of the Ursee and the Royal seat atop Imperial Peak."

The Falconeer is coming to Xbox One and PC via Steam (which you can wishlist now) later in 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Tuque Games has revealed four new screenshots of its upcoming Dark Alliance video game. The four-player action-rpg was initially revealed during 2019's Game Awards, highlighting a focus on quick movement and visceral combat in its CG trailer. New concept art (below), released alongside the reveal of the next D&D tabletop adventure (also set in Icewind Dale), highlights enemies and areas that will be seen in the newest digital take on Dungeons and Dragons. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-dark-alliance-concept-art&captions=true"] "It's amazing to watch," says longtime D&D novelist Bob Salvatore (better known as "R. A. Salvatore" on his book covers), who's been consulting on the project with Tuque. "I love when other creative people jump in on what I've done, whether it's a book cover, or now video games. Y'know, I stood on shoulders to get to Icewind Dale, right? Ed Greenwood and Gary Gygax and the people who came before me. Watching other people build off my work and letting their own creativity fly is an amazing experience." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-official-reveal-trailer"] The studio also provided more details on the story elements and structure of Dark Alliance, which is set shortly after the events of Salvatore's 1988 novel The Crystal Shard. "Following the events of The Crystal Shard, this artifact is now known, so word spreads quickly,," says Jeff Hattem, studio head of Tuque Games. "Monsters from all around the realms descend upon Icewind Dale to claim the shard for themselves." Hattem also revealed that this story will unfold in a non-linear structure. "One of the key values we have for the game is player choice, and we want to keep the game as open-ended as possible. So we're not stuck in a linear progression of 'you play this mission, then the next mission and the next.' Very early on in the game, a lot of missions open up and you can choose which missions to play in a non-linear way." We'll be looking to see more of Dark Alliance as we approach it's scheduled Fall 2020 release. For more digital D&D goodness, check out how Larian is making Baldur's Gate 3 the most diligent recreation of the tabletop possible, or see everything else coming up at this year's D&D Live. [poilib element="accentDivider"] JR is a Senior Editor at IGN who loves some cool concept art and also urges you to donate to the ACLU or NAACPLDF if you're able.

Tuque Games has revealed four new screenshots of its upcoming Dark Alliance video game. The four-player action-rpg was initially revealed during 2019's Game Awards, highlighting a focus on quick movement and visceral combat in its CG trailer. New concept art (below), released alongside the reveal of the next D&D tabletop adventure (also set in Icewind Dale), highlights enemies and areas that will be seen in the newest digital take on Dungeons and Dragons. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-dark-alliance-concept-art&captions=true"] "It's amazing to watch," says longtime D&D novelist Bob Salvatore (better known as "R. A. Salvatore" on his book covers), who's been consulting on the project with Tuque. "I love when other creative people jump in on what I've done, whether it's a book cover, or now video games. Y'know, I stood on shoulders to get to Icewind Dale, right? Ed Greenwood and Gary Gygax and the people who came before me. Watching other people build off my work and letting their own creativity fly is an amazing experience." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-official-reveal-trailer"] The studio also provided more details on the story elements and structure of Dark Alliance, which is set shortly after the events of Salvatore's 1988 novel The Crystal Shard. "Following the events of The Crystal Shard, this artifact is now known, so word spreads quickly,," says Jeff Hattem, studio head of Tuque Games. "Monsters from all around the realms descend upon Icewind Dale to claim the shard for themselves." Hattem also revealed that this story will unfold in a non-linear structure. "One of the key values we have for the game is player choice, and we want to keep the game as open-ended as possible. So we're not stuck in a linear progression of 'you play this mission, then the next mission and the next.' Very early on in the game, a lot of missions open up and you can choose which missions to play in a non-linear way." We'll be looking to see more of Dark Alliance as we approach it's scheduled Fall 2020 release. For more digital D&D goodness, check out how Larian is making Baldur's Gate 3 the most diligent recreation of the tabletop possible, or see everything else coming up at this year's D&D Live. [poilib element="accentDivider"] JR is a Senior Editor at IGN who loves some cool concept art and also urges you to donate to the ACLU or NAACPLDF if you're able.

With so much of the entertainment industry seeking to draw attention to black creators and storytellers, Marvel Comics has responded by making a number of stories featuring black heroes and black creators free on its Marvel Unlimited digital comics service. These free comics span several decades of Marvel's library, from classic series like Marvel Knights: Black Panther, Deathlok, and Damage Control to more recent projects like Killmonger, Ironheart, and Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel. Scroll down to see the full list, along with links to the individual listings on Marvel Unlimited:

• MARVEL’S VOICES ONE-SHOT (2020)
• BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW: WE ARE THE STREETS
• BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW (2017) #1-6
• POWER MAN AND IRON FIST: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
• POWER MAN AND IRON FIST (2016) #1-5
• BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA
• BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA (2016) #1-6
• DEATHLOK: THE SOULS OF CYBER-FOLK
• DEATHLOK (1991) #1-5
• IRONHEART: THOSE WITH COURAGE
• IRONHEART (2018) #1-6
• BLACK PANTHER: THE CLIENT
• BLACK PANTHER (1998) #1-5
• ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL
• ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL (2008) #1-5
• BLACK PANTHER BOOK 6: THE INTERGALACTIC EMPIRE OF WAKANDA PART 1
• BLACK PANTHER (2018) #1-6
• SHURI: THE SEARCH FOR BLACK PANTHER
• SHURI (2018) #1-5
• MOSAIC: KING OF THE WORLD
• MOSAIC (2016) #1-5
• CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
• CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2010) #1-4
• BLACK PANTHER - LONG LIVE THE KING
• BLACK PANTHER - LONG LIVE THE KING (2017) #1-6
• BLACK PANTHER: KILLMONGER - BY ANY MEANS
• KILLMONGER (2018) #1-5
• FALCON: TAKE FLIGHT
• FALCON (2017) #1-8
• THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR
• FANTASTIC FOUR (1998) #544-550
• BLACK PANTHER EPIC COLLECTION: PANTHER'S RAGE (ISSUES #19-22)
• DAMAGE CONTROL
• DAMAGE CONTROL (1989A) #1-4
• MARVEL RISING: HEROES OF THE ROUND TABLE
• MARVEL RISING (2019) #1-5
• TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK
• TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK (2003) #1-7

While Marvel Unlimited normally requires a monthly subscription, these books are being made free to read for all users for the month of June. Most of these titles can also be acquired for free on ComiXology and Amazon. Given how long this list is, you may be wondering which free books are worth prioritizing. Read on for a few recommendations to get started.

Black Panther: The Client

This graphic novel reprints the opening story in writer Christopher Priest's lengthy Black Panther run, which is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential in the character's history. Priest drastically revamped the character and his place in the Marvel Universe, depicting him as a monarch torn between his loyalty to his fellow heroes and his duties to Wakanda. The series deals with complex political issues, yet the fact that it's narrated from the perspective of T'Challa's bumbling American ally, Everett K. Ross, helps inject an element of humor into the series.

Truth: Red, White and Black

While Captain America is recognized as one of the most morally righteous heroes in the Marvel Universe, this series from writer Robert Morales and artist Kyle Baker shows that Cap's legacy, much like the country he represents, is built on the exploitation of African Americans. Inspired by the real-life Tuskegee trials, Truth reveals the US military experimented on black soldiers in an effort to perfect the Super-Soldier Serum that later transforms Steve Rogers into an American hero. One by one, these soldiers meet unhappy fates until only one remains to remember the truth of Captain America's origin.

Ironheart: Those With Courage

Teen heroine Riri Williams made her debut in the pages of The Invincible Iron Man, temporarily taking up the mantle from a comatose Tony Stark. But once Tony reclaimed his Iron Man identity, Riri blazed a new trail as Ironheart. This series further cements Riri as one of Marvel's best teen heroes, one who comes from a tragic background yet embodies hope and a love of science and invention. This book is certainly a great starting point for teen readers getting into comics and looking for positive role models.

Black Panther: Killmonger - By Any Means

2018's Black Panther movie shone a spotlight on Erik Killmonger, transforming this long-standing Marvel villain into a figure of profound tragedy. This mini-series offers a new take on the character's origins, one still set within Marvel's traditional comic book universe but incorporating many elements from the movie. Bolstered by a stellar creative team in writer Bryan Edward Hill and artist Juan Ferreyra, this book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the would-be king of Wakanda.

Damage Control

With the Marvel Universe seemingly facing alien invasions and terrorist attacks every week, you have to wonder how all the collateral damage gets cleaned up. That's the premise fueling Damage Control, a comedic series centered around the organization whose job it is to clean up New York City after every superhuman disaster. As if that job isn't difficult enough, the company is co-owned by Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk. If you're curious about these characters following their brief appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming, this book is a perfect chance to dive into their corner of the Marvel Universe. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-comics-of-the-decade-2010-2019&captions=true"] For more reading recommendations, check out IGN's Top 25 Batman graphic novels and our picks for the best comics to read on ComiXology Unlimited. HBO is also making Watchmen Season 1 available to watch free for Juneteenth through June 21, while a number of movie studios and TV networks have made a selection of films, TV shows, and documentaries that address racial inequality free to watch for the month of June, including Selma and Just Mercy. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

With so much of the entertainment industry seeking to draw attention to black creators and storytellers, Marvel Comics has responded by making a number of stories featuring black heroes and black creators free on its Marvel Unlimited digital comics service. These free comics span several decades of Marvel's library, from classic series like Marvel Knights: Black Panther, Deathlok, and Damage Control to more recent projects like Killmonger, Ironheart, and Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel. Scroll down to see the full list, along with links to the individual listings on Marvel Unlimited:

• MARVEL’S VOICES ONE-SHOT (2020)
• BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW: WE ARE THE STREETS
• BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW (2017) #1-6
• POWER MAN AND IRON FIST: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
• POWER MAN AND IRON FIST (2016) #1-5
• BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA
• BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA (2016) #1-6
• DEATHLOK: THE SOULS OF CYBER-FOLK
• DEATHLOK (1991) #1-5
• IRONHEART: THOSE WITH COURAGE
• IRONHEART (2018) #1-6
• BLACK PANTHER: THE CLIENT
• BLACK PANTHER (1998) #1-5
• ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL
• ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL (2008) #1-5
• BLACK PANTHER BOOK 6: THE INTERGALACTIC EMPIRE OF WAKANDA PART 1
• BLACK PANTHER (2018) #1-6
• SHURI: THE SEARCH FOR BLACK PANTHER
• SHURI (2018) #1-5
• MOSAIC: KING OF THE WORLD
• MOSAIC (2016) #1-5
• CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
• CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2010) #1-4
• BLACK PANTHER - LONG LIVE THE KING
• BLACK PANTHER - LONG LIVE THE KING (2017) #1-6
• BLACK PANTHER: KILLMONGER - BY ANY MEANS
• KILLMONGER (2018) #1-5
• FALCON: TAKE FLIGHT
• FALCON (2017) #1-8
• THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR
• FANTASTIC FOUR (1998) #544-550
• BLACK PANTHER EPIC COLLECTION: PANTHER'S RAGE (ISSUES #19-22)
• DAMAGE CONTROL
• DAMAGE CONTROL (1989A) #1-4
• MARVEL RISING: HEROES OF THE ROUND TABLE
• MARVEL RISING (2019) #1-5
• TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK
• TRUTH: RED, WHITE AND BLACK (2003) #1-7

While Marvel Unlimited normally requires a monthly subscription, these books are being made free to read for all users for the month of June. Most of these titles can also be acquired for free on ComiXology and Amazon. Given how long this list is, you may be wondering which free books are worth prioritizing. Read on for a few recommendations to get started.

Black Panther: The Client

This graphic novel reprints the opening story in writer Christopher Priest's lengthy Black Panther run, which is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential in the character's history. Priest drastically revamped the character and his place in the Marvel Universe, depicting him as a monarch torn between his loyalty to his fellow heroes and his duties to Wakanda. The series deals with complex political issues, yet the fact that it's narrated from the perspective of T'Challa's bumbling American ally, Everett K. Ross, helps inject an element of humor into the series.

Truth: Red, White and Black

While Captain America is recognized as one of the most morally righteous heroes in the Marvel Universe, this series from writer Robert Morales and artist Kyle Baker shows that Cap's legacy, much like the country he represents, is built on the exploitation of African Americans. Inspired by the real-life Tuskegee trials, Truth reveals the US military experimented on black soldiers in an effort to perfect the Super-Soldier Serum that later transforms Steve Rogers into an American hero. One by one, these soldiers meet unhappy fates until only one remains to remember the truth of Captain America's origin.

Ironheart: Those With Courage

Teen heroine Riri Williams made her debut in the pages of The Invincible Iron Man, temporarily taking up the mantle from a comatose Tony Stark. But once Tony reclaimed his Iron Man identity, Riri blazed a new trail as Ironheart. This series further cements Riri as one of Marvel's best teen heroes, one who comes from a tragic background yet embodies hope and a love of science and invention. This book is certainly a great starting point for teen readers getting into comics and looking for positive role models.

Black Panther: Killmonger - By Any Means

2018's Black Panther movie shone a spotlight on Erik Killmonger, transforming this long-standing Marvel villain into a figure of profound tragedy. This mini-series offers a new take on the character's origins, one still set within Marvel's traditional comic book universe but incorporating many elements from the movie. Bolstered by a stellar creative team in writer Bryan Edward Hill and artist Juan Ferreyra, this book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the would-be king of Wakanda.

Damage Control

With the Marvel Universe seemingly facing alien invasions and terrorist attacks every week, you have to wonder how all the collateral damage gets cleaned up. That's the premise fueling Damage Control, a comedic series centered around the organization whose job it is to clean up New York City after every superhuman disaster. As if that job isn't difficult enough, the company is co-owned by Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk. If you're curious about these characters following their brief appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming, this book is a perfect chance to dive into their corner of the Marvel Universe. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-comics-of-the-decade-2010-2019&captions=true"] For more reading recommendations, check out IGN's Top 25 Batman graphic novels and our picks for the best comics to read on ComiXology Unlimited. HBO is also making Watchmen Season 1 available to watch free for Juneteenth through June 21, while a number of movie studios and TV networks have made a selection of films, TV shows, and documentaries that address racial inequality free to watch for the month of June, including Selma and Just Mercy. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Last of Us Part 2 will officially be released at midnight tonight eastern time, and PlayStation has updated its official merchandise store with new Last of Us 2 gear, including a $2,300 guitar. It’s almost release day for The Last of Us Part 2 and there’s new merch directly from PlayStation for you collector’s out there looking for some swag to round out your Last of Us collection. PlayStation has always released stuff like t-shirts and mugs for its first-party games, but it looks like PlayStation has gone a little further to commemorate the new Naughty Dog game. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-merchandise&captions=true"] The most expensive item on the PlayStation Gear store is a Replica Taylor 314ce Guitar designed to look exactly like the guitar Ellie uses in the game. If you think the $2,000 price tag is steep, you should be aware that non-collectors Taylor guitars actually do cost almost that much. Other new offerings include a Last of Us Part 2 Sherpa Jacket, a faux leather journal, and figures from Nendoroid, Funko, and Tubbz. You can check out the full list of items on PlayStation’s Gear store. The Last of Us Part 2 is a sequel to Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed post-apocalyptic action game. Set five years after the events of the first Last of Us game, players will take control of Ellie who sets out on a mission for revenge. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] IGN awarded The Last of Us Part 2 a perfect score calling it a “masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way.” You can check out IGN all weekend for guides, walkthroughs, and more for The Last of Us Part 2. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The Last of Us Part 2 will officially be released at midnight tonight eastern time, and PlayStation has updated its official merchandise store with new Last of Us 2 gear, including a $2,300 guitar. It’s almost release day for The Last of Us Part 2 and there’s new merch directly from PlayStation for you collector’s out there looking for some swag to round out your Last of Us collection. PlayStation has always released stuff like t-shirts and mugs for its first-party games, but it looks like PlayStation has gone a little further to commemorate the new Naughty Dog game. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-merchandise&captions=true"] The most expensive item on the PlayStation Gear store is a Replica Taylor 314ce Guitar designed to look exactly like the guitar Ellie uses in the game. If you think the $2,000 price tag is steep, you should be aware that non-collectors Taylor guitars actually do cost almost that much. Other new offerings include a Last of Us Part 2 Sherpa Jacket, a faux leather journal, and figures from Nendoroid, Funko, and Tubbz. You can check out the full list of items on PlayStation’s Gear store. The Last of Us Part 2 is a sequel to Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed post-apocalyptic action game. Set five years after the events of the first Last of Us game, players will take control of Ellie who sets out on a mission for revenge. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] IGN awarded The Last of Us Part 2 a perfect score calling it a “masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way.” You can check out IGN all weekend for guides, walkthroughs, and more for The Last of Us Part 2. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

More Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay was shown today as part of Dungeons & Dragons Live and IGN’s Summer of Gaming. Founder of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, streamed himself playing the game for 90 minutes, and the journey revealed many interesting new features, changes, and improvements from when we last saw Baldur’s Gate 3 in action in February.

For the important highlights from the stream, keep reading to discover 12 new things we learned about Baldur’s Gate 3.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/baldurs-gate-3-is-more-like-dungeons-dragons-the-more-its-developed"]

A re-written narrator

One of the most controversial features of the original gameplay reveal was that the narrator spoke in past tense, as if retelling the story of Baldur’s Gate 3 around a campfire long after the events of the game had passed. Many fans found this an odd approach, and so Larian has re-written the narrator with a more traditional present-tense voice. Now, the narration and your dialogue options make it feel as if it is you making the decisions.

A new initiative order

The Initiative system has been adjusted a little since we last saw it in February, and it is now a hybrid of two Dungeons and Dragons systems: traditional and side initiative. Originally, Baldur’s Gate 3 planned to use side initiative, in which an entire party - yours or the enemy’s - takes their turn, and then the action swaps to the other party. This allows for more intricate combinations of attacks, as multiple friendly characters can attack together. The new system, however, opts for a traditional initiative order based on individuals. An example of this may be an order of two of your party members followed by three enemies and then another party member. But elements of side initiative do remain. Should you have two or more of your party members clustered together in the initiative order, you can activate them in whichever order you’d like. You can even bounce back and forth between them should they have actions remaining. This allows for combining character abilities, but also maintains a speedy back-and-forth between sides. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=baldurs-gate-3-early-access-announcement-screenshots&captions=true"]

Reactions

In tabletop Dungeons and Dragons, characters can make reaction moves to interrupt an enemy attack. These are represented in Baldur’s Gate 3 by a condition you set on each character. When that condition is triggered, your character automatically makes the reaction move. We saw this early in the stream when a party member had Opportunity Attack set as their reaction, which was triggered by an enemy coming too close. Feather Fall was also shown as a reaction; when activated, it will kick in if you fall from a great height, ensuring that you gracefully land without taking damage. The stream showed this being used to survive a jump into the subterranean Underdark, which would usually be a fatal fall. The maps in Baldur’s Gate 3 are significantly more vertical than most RPGs, and so Feather Fall looks like it will come in pretty useful.

Inspiration

The Dungeons and Dragons mechanic Inspiration is in Baldur’s Gate 3, which allows you to re-roll a skill check if you’d like to take a stab at rolling a higher number. How Inspiration is earned has not yet been fully revealed, but Inspiration points can be held onto and used when you feel they’re most useful.

Environmental skill checks

We’ve already seen how skill checks are part of conversations, and that they require you to actively roll dice to discover the outcomes. However, it appears that passive skill checks are also a thing that are activated while exploring the world. During the section of the stream spent exploring the Underdark, player character Lae’zel is seen automatically making a passive Nature check upon discovering a Torchstalk plant. The player doesn’t have to manually roll for the check, but because it succeeds Lae’zel then speaks dialogue explaining that the Torchstalk will explode if approached. A failed check would not reveal that information, and so players could accidentally blow themselves up. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/baldurs-gate-3-aims-to-take-the-best-of-divinity-and-make-it-better"]

Destructible environments

Another form of passive skill check is Investigation, which again is automatically rolled when exploring the world. An example was seen in the stream when one party member, Gale, was exploring a dungeon and discovered a crack in the wall thanks to a successful Investigation check. This indicates a weak wall that can be broken down. Destructible elements of the environment - which can also include bridges - will require the right kind of equipment; a sword won’t break bricks, but a warhammer can. Alternatively, spells or explosives can be used, too, such as barrels of explosive powder.

UI changes

The UI has received an overhaul since we last saw it, making it more distinct from the style used for Larian’s previous game, Divinity: Original Sin 2. The actions hotbar has been redesigned, with a more distinct split between your character’s natural actions - such as jumping and pushing - and their class skills such as spells. The tool tip cards for each also have new artwork and presentation. We also saw some neat quality of life adjustments, too, such as the line drawn to show your characters movement being highlighted in red if it takes them through dangerous terrain.

Multi-level spell casting

Within that UI we also saw that spellcasting, like in the tabletop rules for Dungeons & Dragons, is based on level tiers. For example, the player character knew the spell Thunderwave, but was able to choose to cast it at level one or the more powerful level two. It appears that our choices in regards to abilities will be deep.

Stealth

Characters are able to sneak, and a visual indicator on the cursor shows how well you can be seen by enemies. A full sun icon indicates you are fully visible, a half-sun denotes partial visibility, and an empty sun means you are completely concealed. For particularly tricky sections, it was shown that you can manually enter turn-based mode at any time to complete moves one by one. This was demonstrated for use in a difficult exploration area, but you can see how this helps you see where enemies are looking and plan ahead one step at a time while in stealth. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=baldurs-gate-3-gameplay-screenshots&captions=true"]

The best of the Monster Manual

The stream showed off some iconic D&D enemies, including goblins, giant spiders, and Hook Horrors lurking in the Underdark. Also briefly noted was a Spectator, a form of the widely recognised Beholder monsters. Simply put, alongside the Mindflayers we’ll be going toe-to-toe with some of D&D’s best monsters. Sometimes even literally; one segment of the stream provided the option of kissing a goblin’s toe rather than fighting them.

Volothamp Geddarm is back

Volothamp Geddarm - better known to D&D fans as Volo - is in Baldur’s Gate 3. One of the longest serving characters in the Forgotten Realms lore, we got a short look at Volo bumbling around with some drunken goblins. Larian promises that you will be given the opportunity to recruit him as a camp follower should you wish. The term ‘camp follower’ suggests that you can have more people at your camp than just your main party members, too.

Choice and consequence

As ever with Larian, choice and consequence is at the heart of the game. Almost everything done in the stream was based on a choice from a collection of options. Early on we saw a gnome strapped to a windmill by goblins, and it was the player’s choice how to approach the situation. Later, a goblin leader demanded that Lae’zel kiss his foot, with a plethora of options provided with how to get out of the situation (viewers of the stream opted to force him to kiss Lae’zel’s foot, which ended… badly at first, but better after some violent coercion.) It appears that every story beat, regardless of if they seem small or huge, has elements of choice and consequence. On the heavier side, the stream properly introduced us to Raphael the Cambion, a devil looking to take your soul in exchange for removing the Mindflayer tadpole from your head. Your approach to him can range from obedient to careless, and the suggestion is your attitude with him could have longstanding consequences. For more from Baldur’s Gate 3, check out the news that it’s releasing in early access really soon, and that its story is confirmed to connect to the first two games. And if you missed it, be sure to see the original gameplay demo from February to see some more features in action. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer, and resident Larian obsessive. Follow him and the occasional adventures of his D&D character, Ranghar, on Twitter.