Drakensang Online: Rise of Balor Expansion Launched

Rise of Balor, a large free expansion for Drakensang Online, has gone live. This expansion adds 16 maps, a redesigned skill system, a raised level cap, new quests, new AI behaviors, and new item sets and loot among other things. If you played the title in the past, I suppose it’s a good excuse to check it out again. Here’s the full press release:

Bigpoint Releases Rise of Balor, the Biggest Update for Drakensang Online yet, and Announces 30 Million Registered Players

Largest expansion in the history of the game adds continent Lor’Tac, new maps, quests, monsters, and item sets // Improved game design increases replay value // Now more than 30 million registered users

Hamburg, Germany, 27th August 2015 | The greatest adventure in the history of Drakensang Online has begun! Bigpoint, one of the world’s leading developers and publishers of online games, has launched the largest expansion for their successful hack’n’slash MMORPG since the original release of the game. The add-on (Rise of Balor) brings many exciting quests to the world of Dracania. Travelling the dark jungles of the continent Lor’Tac, players explore 16 brand-new maps and battle one of the most powerful bosses, Balor himself. Bigpoint also announced that the game’s community now consists of more than 30 Million registered users, which makes Drakensang Online one of the most successful hack’n’slash titles in the world.

Bigpoint raised the level cap in order to provide experienced players with new challenges. The heart of Drakensang Online the character skill system has been completely revised and converted to a skill and talent mastery system for all four character classes. Players can choose freely how to distribute talent points, which can also be reorganized to try out different builds and play styles.

Another new feature of the game enables certain types of monsters and bosses to use powers determined randomly from a list of possibilities. These powers range from poison, cold attacks, fire attacks, and casting buffs on other monsters nearby. Because high-level players often visit maps multiple times, these random enchantments allow monsters to behave in new and unpredictable ways. This leads to an increased replay value and more long-term motivation for advanced heroes.

Features:

• New continent Lor’Tac with 16 maps, some of which evolve as players proceed on their journey (Map overview)
• Completely redesigned skill system that brings brand-new high-level skills and allows players to freely distribute and reorganize talent points (details about the new skill system)
• Raised level cap to 50 (previously 45)
• New challenging quests, monsters and bosses, among them a living, breathing dragon! Great improvements in game design: new A.I. behavior, new character lighting system ((hero light)), map local events to create a more immersive feeling, better item creation tools for faster implementation of new items and weapons
• New item sets and loot for advanced players
• Adjustments to existing content, including improved zone graphics, balancing, and much more …

(We are thrilled to finally open the doors to Lor’Tac for all players. We started working on this expansion ten months ago and are now happy to bring ‘˜Rise of Balor’ to the servers. This marks the first of several important milestones which will greatly improve and change Drakensang,) says Jason Durall, Lead Game Designer at Bigpoint Berlin. (In the past few years, the game has been constantly evolving, not only in regards to new content but also in terms of graphics, fair monetization, and improved gameplay and we have much more in store for players in the near future.)

The release of the (Rise of Balor) add-on marks the beginning of a series of new features coming to Drakensang Online through the end of the year. Details about upcoming updates will follow soon.

About Drakensang Online

Drakensang Online is a highly immersive and compelling online action RPG set in the fantasy world Dracania. As a Ranger, Steam Mechanicus, Dragonknight or Spellweaver, the player becomes a hero, participating in a high fantasy battle between the forces of good and evil.

Every player can choose to play single-player or experience the story with a group of friends. More than 1,000 quests guide the player through more than 100 maps, and a complex story line that leads from Duria to the Dark Dwarves’ kingdom and into the dark forests of Lor’Tac. With regular events, community specials and updates, Drakensang Online offers endless entertainment for all player levels.

There are currently 4 PvP modes, in which over 800,000 battles are fought every month in Europe alone. Duels, Group vs Group, Capture the Flag and Storm the Fortress all contribute to the huge total of PvP battles per month.

Developed and maintained in Europe, Drakensang Online has a global audience and entertains more than 30 million registered players.