Demeo’s New D&D Game Is a Solid DM-Free Virtual Tabletop Experience With a Lot of Promise (Review)

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For many Dungeons & Dragons players, there’s nothing like playing in person with friends. However, it can be tough to get everyone together when life gets busy or people move. That’s where virtual tabletops and cooperative RPG video games come in, and the new Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked game aims to provide that experience. It lets players control customized character miniatures in a virtual setting, allowing them to play through complete campaigns or shorter, standalone adventures.

I got to try a demo of Battlemarked a while ago and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to play the full game with some friends to test out the multiplayer. Battlemarked launches with two complete campaigns and four additional, unlockable adventures. You can play solo or with up to four players, and it even has crossplay and in-game voice chat, which makes it feel like a virtual D&D session with friends. We had a few minor issues, but overall, we had a great time playing Battlemarked and I’m already considering replacing some of our in-person D&D games with virtual nights playing this instead.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Pros Cons
Includes 6 playable classes, 2 full campaigns, and 4 one-shots for just $30 Some clunky UI choices make for a steep learning curve
The game is the DM, so everyone gets to play Could use better in-game prompts to clarify options at times
Engaging, fully voiced player characters, narrator, and PCs A handful of pre-launch glitches impact crossplay/co-op performance
Beautifully detailed virtual tabletop environment
Multiplayer crossplay lets you adventure with friends on all platforms

Battlemarked Is a DM-Free D&D Experience That Lets Everyone Be a Player Character

If you usually run the game as Dungeon Master, you likely sometimes wish you could just relax and play alongside your friends. Battlemarked offers that chance with official Dungeons & Dragons adventures based on well-known stories, but without any of the work of preparing the game. Instead of you being the DM, the game itself guides the story, and everyone gets to play as a character.

As a huge fan, I have to say the voice acting in Battlemarked really blew me away! It’s fully voiced, and it feels like having a Dungeon Master guide you through the game, just like a great tabletop D&D session. Seriously, it captures that feeling of everyone really getting into their roles. Every character, from the NPCs to the classes you can play, feels so alive and unique. But the best part? The voice lines during spells, critical hits, and even when things go hilariously wrong! My friends and I are completely obsessed with the Dragonborn Paladin’s voice – it’s fantastic!

When it comes to making your character, we’ve got a bunch of classes you’ll recognize right away. At the start, you can pick from six: Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Bard, and Fighter – and each one has minis you can customize. It’s not quite as open as something like Baldur’s Gate 3, where you build everything from the ground up, but you still get to make important decisions when you create and level up your character. Honestly, it’s a good balance – it lets you jump into Battlemarked quickly without losing that tabletop RPG feel.

In Battlemarked, your character gets stronger as you play through the campaign. Leveling up improves your abilities and unlocks cool new cosmetic items. You can customize your character and their miniature with different dice colors and other perks, letting you personalize your experience even though the game uses pre-made models.

This Virtual Tabletop Replicates A Top-Tier In-Person Play Experience

At its core, Battlemarked feels like a virtual version of a detailed tabletop game setup. Each level is designed to look like an impressive, handcrafted map a Dungeon Master might build. However, it’s still clearly a table within a room, which really captures the feeling of playing D&D in person – something my group hasn’t always been able to afford with physical maps. These virtual tables are beautifully made and full of detail, creating the environment for each adventure in the game.

When you open the game maps, you’ll see 3D versions of your characters and the environment. Gameplay happens turn by turn, with each player and computer-controlled character moving around on the map. To make attacks or take other actions, you roll special dice – large Demeo attack dice and a standard 20-sided die. Surprisingly, rolling these oversized dice is really satisfying! They physically interact with the 3D world, sometimes in funny ways – I even laughed when a die rolled off a bridge during a successful roll. The game always knows the result, even if you temporarily lose sight of the die.

Battlemarked blends the world and rules of Dungeons & Dragons with the core gameplay of Demeo. As I observed in the demo, instead of traditional D&D rules, turns are managed using cards. Once you learn this system, it keeps the game moving at a good pace. Having your choices laid out as cards makes turns faster than in a game like D&D, where the possibilities feel endless.

The dice in Demeo work a little differently than traditional ones. Instead of numbers, they use symbols to show whether you hit, score a critical hit, or fumble. Because of this, critical hits and fumbles happen more frequently. While this might feel strange at first if you’re used to rolling a 20-sided die, it ultimately makes combat in Battlemarked more exciting. Every roll feels more impactful because the chance of a critical hit or fumble is higher than in many other games.

If The Snags Get Ironed Out, Battlemarked Could Be the Go-To Way to Play Long-Distance D&D

Battlemarked is a fun and interesting mix of a virtual tabletop game and a video game. It looks good, and I appreciate how it incorporates official Dungeons & Dragons stories while making gameplay simpler for an online experience. However, I encountered a few issues during my time with the game, which prevents me from giving it a perfect score right now.

The user interface isn’t always smooth, especially when playing on consoles. I often found myself needing to use different controls than expected – I’d try the joystick to scroll, but had to use the shoulder buttons instead. This makes it a little tricky to learn how everything works. Sometimes the on-screen prompts for selecting options didn’t work correctly, and it wasn’t always obvious why.

Some maps have camera angles and controls that make it difficult to accurately target enemies. The game requires you to drag a card or unit to where you want to attack, and I often accidentally hit teammates because it wasn’t clear where my selection would land. Adding a confirmation step or improving the camera options would help prevent these mistakes and friendly fire.

Even with a few small issues, Demeo x D&D: Battlemarked is genuinely enjoyable. It’s a well-made virtual tabletop game that simplifies the traditional tabletop RPG experience while still capturing the spirit of playing in person. If the user interface is improved and any bugs are fixed, I think this could become my group’s preferred option when we can’t play D&D face-to-face.

Demeo x D&D: Battlemarked launches on November 20th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Meta Quest. The game costs $29.99 and includes two full campaigns, six characters to play as, and four shorter adventures. You can play on PCVR or with a PS VR2 headset, but it’s not necessary.

A PlayStation 5 code for Battlemarked was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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2025-11-20 21:16