Blackguards

Blackguards PC is a turn-based tactical RPG set in The Dark Eye universe, where a disgraced adventurer and a party of dangerous outcasts fight across hex-based battlefields. Steam lists the game simply as Blackguards, while GOG currently presents the same PC game as Blackguards Special Edition; this is an edition distinction rather than a full rebrand.

A party RPG built around tactical battles

Blackguards is structured around a story campaign that moves between town scenes, travel decisions, character management, and carefully designed encounters. Combat is the central activity, not a side feature. Battles use a hex grid, turn order, action points, attack ranges, line of sight, and a probability-driven ruleset adapted from The Dark Eye tabletop RPG.

You control a party of up to five characters rather than a large army. The main character can develop as a warrior, hunter, or mage, but progression is flexible enough to support unusual builds. Ability points can be directed into attributes, weapon proficiencies, talents, spells, and special abilities, so the practical role of a character depends on how you invest rather than only on the starting archetype.

The result is a game about managing imperfect odds. A missed attack, failed spell, or poorly judged movement can change an encounter quickly, especially when several enemies can reach the same target. Blackguards rewards players who study the battlefield before committing to a plan.

Environmental tactics and encounter design

Many maps are designed as tactical puzzles with more going on than simply reducing enemy health bars. Interactive battlefield objects can create hazards, open routes, block movement, or change the position of enemies. Barrels, hives, traps, flammable surfaces, gates, and other map elements can turn a losing fight into a manageable one when used at the correct moment.

Positioning is especially important because movement, attack range, obstacles, and hazards interact with one another. A narrow passage can protect a fragile character, while a misplaced ally can block a more useful attack. Some encounters ask you to defend a location, survive unusual threats, or solve a battlefield problem before normal damage dealing becomes effective.

This emphasis gives Blackguards a different rhythm from open-ended party RPGs. The campaign presents a sequence of authored scenarios, so the most memorable decisions usually happen inside individual battles rather than during free exploration. Players who enjoy finding tactical solutions will get more from the game than players looking for a broad sandbox.

Character development and The Dark Eye rules

Blackguards translates recognizable tabletop concepts into a computer RPG without requiring prior knowledge of The Dark Eye. Combat outcomes are influenced by character attributes, equipment, weapon skills, spell selection, and chance-based tests. The game exposes enough of these systems to make build planning meaningful, but it does not always explain every consequence clearly at first.

Your group can include distinct companions such as Naurim, Takate, and Zurbaran, each contributing different combat options and story context. Equipment choices matter because defensive gear, weapons, ranged attacks, and spellcasting all compete for a place in the party's tactical plan.

Magic is broader than a simple damage tool. The game includes offensive spells, defensive effects, battlefield control, and utility options, while physical characters can specialize in weapon types and combat abilities. The strongest builds are often those that complement the party instead of duplicating one role.

Story, choices, and campaign structure

The campaign follows a condemned protagonist accused of killing a princess and forced to rely on criminals, mercenaries, and other outsiders. Its tone is darker than conventional heroic fantasy, with themes involving crime, treason, drugs, violence, and political pressure across Aventuria.

Branching decisions appear at important points in the narrative and can influence the direction of the campaign. These choices do not turn Blackguards into a fully open-ended role-playing simulator, but they give the story enough variation to make dialogue decisions and quest outcomes worth considering.

Outside combat, exploration is comparatively limited. Towns and travel locations provide access to merchants, conversations, quests, and campaign decisions, while the main mechanical depth remains concentrated in the battle maps. That balance suits players who want a story-driven tactical RPG rather than an exploration-heavy fantasy world.

Content, editions, and DLC

The standard game contains the complete main campaign and its core party-building systems. Steam currently sells the base game and also offers a Deluxe Edition with bonus material such as an artbook, soundtrack, world map, developer interviews, and wallpapers. GOG's current listing is named Blackguards Special Edition and includes bonus digital extras.

The optional Untold Legends content expands the campaign with a storyline focused on Takate. It adds seven quests, eleven battle maps, four weapons, and additional music. It is separate DLC rather than a multiplayer pack or a standalone replacement for the main game.

Blackguards is a single-player experience. There is no campaign co-op, competitive mode, or split-screen layer to consider when choosing an edition. The related sequel, Blackguards 2, is a separate game with its own campaign and larger party-command focus.

Who should play Blackguards?

Blackguards suits players who prefer challenging turn-based combat, character specialization, authored battle scenarios, and fantasy stories with morally compromised protagonists. It is a good fit for fans of tabletop-inspired RPG systems who enjoy comparing probabilities, testing party compositions, and replaying difficult encounters.

It is less suitable for players who want real-time combat, a large explorable world, generous tutorials, or a cleanly streamlined interface. The game can be demanding because random outcomes sometimes undermine a sound plan, and several systems require experimentation before their value becomes obvious.

For a different kind of party-focused tactical RPG, story-heavy hex-grid adventures like The Banner Saga offer a stronger emphasis on travel decisions and narrative consequences, while Blackguards places more weight on character builds and battlefield interaction.

PC features, storefronts, and localization

The Steam version is a single-player PC release with Steam Achievements, Steam Trading Cards, Steam Cloud, and Family Sharing. The storefront lists English and German full audio, with interface and subtitle support across a wider language selection including French, Spanish, Portuguese-Brazil, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Czech, Turkish, Polish, and Simplified Chinese.

GOG offers a different ownership model through DRM-free installation. Its listing states that GOG Galaxy is optional and that the game can be installed and played offline. GOG presents English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Czech, Russian, Japanese, and Korean language support in the product information.

Neither storefront advertises a dedicated cabinet mode, split-screen play, workshop integration, or a specialized flight-stick setup. The documented PC feature set is centered on keyboard-and-mouse RPG controls, storefront achievements or cloud functions, and single-player campaign play. Controller support should not be assumed as a defining feature.

Similar tactical RPGs on PC

Blackguards is closest to other party-based, turn-driven RPGs that make positioning and character development central. Its authored maps and environmental interactions distinguish it from games that rely mainly on procedural encounters or broad exploration.

Players who want a more systems-heavy squad RPG with skill checks, dialogue consequences, and isometric exploration can compare it with choice-driven tactical role-playing games such as Wasteland 2 Director's Cut. The setting is different, but both games ask players to build a specialized team and accept the consequences of imperfect decisions.

Blackguards also has a closer tabletop flavor than many modern tactical RPGs. The combination of attribute tests, equipment choices, spells, and uncertain combat results makes it a better match for players who enjoy rules-driven campaigns than for players seeking a purely cinematic fantasy adventure.

Blackguards FAQ

Is Blackguards turn-based?

Yes. Combat is turn-based and takes place on hex-based battlefields. Characters act in sequence, using movement, attacks, spells, abilities, and environmental objects to solve each encounter.

Is Blackguards multiplayer or co-op?

No. Blackguards is a single-player campaign with no co-op, online competitive mode, or split-screen feature.

What is Blackguards Special Edition?

Blackguards Special Edition is the current GOG storefront name for the original Blackguards PC game with bonus digital materials. Steam continues to list the game as Blackguards, so the two names describe storefront editions rather than separate main games.

What does Untold Legends add?

Untold Legends is optional story DLC centered on Takate. It adds seven quests, eleven battle maps, four weapons, and new music, and it requires the base game.

Does Blackguards support controllers?

Controller support is not presented as a headline PC feature on the current storefront listings. The game's documented design is based on traditional PC controls, so keyboard and mouse should be treated as the expected input method.

Is Blackguards connected to The Dark Eye?

Yes. Blackguards is set in The Dark Eye universe and adapts elements of its tabletop rules into a computer RPG. Familiarity with the setting is optional because the campaign establishes its own characters, conflicts, and terminology.