Dragonkin: The Banished just hit 1.0 on consoles and PC

Eko Software and Nacon have released the 1.0 version of Dragonkin: The Banished on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The isometric action RPG is leaving its year-long Steam Early Access period and making its console debut. The launch trailer focuses heavily on the PlayStation 5 release, but the game is fully multiplatform. The early access period gave the developers time to refine the combat mechanics and add a fourth playable character. Now, the final version is ready for a wider audience.

The core loop is exactly what you expect from the genre. You pick one of four mutant dragon-human hybrids, kill thousands of monsters, and loot their gear. The available classes include standard archetypes like the Tracker and the Barbarian, along with magic-focused options like the Oracle.

The game supports two-player local co-op and four-player online multiplayer. Local co-op is a welcome inclusion. Many modern action RPGs skip couch multiplayer entirely. Being able to play with two people on the same screen is a major selling point for console players. I think this game looks fantastic. I will gladly give any new ARPG a try, especially one that lets me drag friends into the chaos of a shared screen.

Spreadsheets with swords

The trailer highlights the Ancestral Grid. This is a hexagonal skill system where players place fragments on a board to modify their abilities. Building a character requires the kind of spreadsheet management usually reserved for tax season. This is either genius or madness. Possibly both. You have to balance raw stat upgrades against specific elemental modifiers to maximize damage output. Each of the four classes has a unique grid layout. Players will spend a lot of time rotating puzzle pieces to make their lightning attacks chain to more targets.

Every hero also gets a dragon companion. These pets provide passive bonuses and active skills during combat. You have to train your wyrmling alongside your main character. The system adds another layer of variables to the build process.

Eko Software has a solid track record with this style of combat. The French studio previously developed the How to Survive series and Warhammer: Chaosbane. They know how to make an isometric action game feel responsive. Warhammer: Chaosbane had excellent controller support, and that experience seems to have carried over to Dragonkin. The combat looks fast and fluid, with particle effects filling the screen during large monster encounters. The new footage shows a big jump in environmental variety compared to their older projects. Players will fight through dark underwater ruins, frozen wastelands, and volcanic craters.

The endgame grind

The developers promise over 100 hours of endgame activities. A major part of this progression involves rebuilding a central hub city called Montescail. Players upgrade merchants, unlock new services, and interact with NPCs to refine their builds. The city progression is shared among co-op party members. Anyone in your session can contribute resources to expand the town.

Once the main campaign is over, the War Room opens up. This interface lets players track down specific boss monsters across the map. The trailer shows hunt locations with names like Saur Saeviag and Fafnir. These hunts are designed to test the limits of your custom builds. If your Ancestral Grid is poorly optimized, the endgame bosses will expose those flaws immediately.

The Blood Scales edition is out now. This version includes early access to the full game. The standard edition unlocks for everyone else on March 19. The game is not on Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, so you will have to buy it outright.