19 December

Devstream 2 and Dev Log 4

It's our last Devstream and Dev Log of the year! Watch the Devstream below, then read on to see what we worked on this week. Happy holidays, and we'll see you in January!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbgqEcP3X6k

Jay Twining, Senior Game Designer (@TrendyJayT)

We recently completed a huge initiative that addresses and changes the entire experience from level 1 through our new Incursions modes. Specifically I was addressing how frequently and what type of loot heroes get in every map. This week and through January is implementing the Daily Mission system and our next iteration of Matchmaking flow. Finally we’re iterating on our combat balance. Happy Holidays, Defenders! I’ll see you in the New Year!

Chris James, Lead Level Designer (@ceejeh)

I’ve been focusing on a few different areas of our production: Looking at current maps and how to improve them, providing feedback on the new maps that we have been making, and developing some of our internal level design documentation about how we can better approach building our spaces. Something I mentioned in the Devstream with Isom is that I am currently reviewing our Environment Traps and am planning on providing the community a design breakdown of them sometime early in the new year. Speaking of which, Happy Holidays!

Joshua Javaheri, Lead Technical Artist (@javahawk)

I just read that Hearthstone was released on Android tablets, so that’s a thing for me right now. Also making DD2 look awesome, with a focus on early 2015 content...

Chris Flores, QA Lead (@likethatwhenigothere)

In addition to continuing to research user reported bugs, we’re testing some potential changes to the game. Plus, we’ve started prepping the next update, which will come in January sometime after we get back from our break.

Abraham Abdala, Lead Technical Animator (@Broham)

Working on the traps and cores for a new spooky map.

Adam Stow, Associate Producer (@TE-Stow)

Creating a plan for a lot of progress on a set of new legendary weapons! We want to make loot more interesting per some of the design Dev Logs and videos you have seen, and that wouldn’t be possible unless we made some kick-ass visuals to go along with it, now would it?

Jesus Diaz, World Builder (@N3oDoc)

Working on the same level as the last Dev Log, but at this point I've already started elaborating on the level, placing small deco assets made by the art team.

Philip Asher, Marketing Director (@pmasher)

Playing Hearthstone at work in between meetings, wrapping up my last day before break. Have a call with the fantastic PlayStation team about our PS4 SKU, and then I’ll see all of you on our second Devstream!

Josh Isom, Community Manager (@iamisom)

Wrapping up the end to this beautiful, wonderful, exhausting year. I honestly don’t know how to spend two weeks off. I feel like a child who’s left home alone and can’t decide which forbidden rule to break first. Except my rules are related to spending my time wisely. Am I going to stay up all night playing video games? (Yes.) Am I going to lay in the sun and read all day? (Most likely.)

I’m really looking forward to playing the games I purchased this year but didn’t play -- Super Smash Bros. Wii U, Transistor, The Last of Us Remastered, Far Cry 4, Civilization V (I picked it up during the Summer Steam Sale and haven’t tried it!) -- and, of course, I’m still working on my lifesteal Squire build. By the way, if you haven’t played Shovel Knight, go out and get that game. It’s my personal Game of the Year.

I’ll be off the grid for the next two weeks, but I can’t wait to see everyone again in January. Happy Holidays! Stay safe, Defenders.

7 comments Read more

Reviews

“What Trendy seems to be developing is a guided missile aimed straight at every gamers pleasure centers. Four-player co-op? Check. Addictive tower defense gameplay? Check. Loot and leveling? Check. The potential for infinite replay value? Check.”
GameZone

“A bigger, better, more refined take on the original concept… from what I’ve seen, following their hearts is already paying dividends, and I can’t wait to play more Dungeon Defenders 2.”
IGN

“Other than The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, I can't think of a game that looks more like an honest-to-god cartoon.”
PC Gamer

Jahn

53 products in account

Recommended

10.7 hrs on record

Posted: 23 December

I do indeed reccomend this game, especially if you were a fan of DD1. The devs did a good job making this game similar enough to the first one, but also adding enough originality to call it a new game, this is NOT just a retexture of the first one, but so much more, there are now sub cores that if destryed open a new spawn point for enemies.

Pro's:
- Better looking (Graphics, animations, enemys, tavern)
- Tons more levels and items
- New type of equiptable items
- New enemies and boss fights
- Item leveling requires other items to be enchanted into it, instead of just paying with gems.
- Seperate tower gems and charecter ability gems

Con's:
- All of the common Pre-Alpha problems
- ONLINE ONLY; This is one thing that i really dislike about the game, you can only play online, there's no offline mode, although I am not sure if this will be in an update the forums on the DD website say that you can play offline BUT the charecters will remain seperate, meaning you can't level your online charecters, offline, which i understand prevents hacking, but i feel is compleatly bogus.

I was a huge fan of DD1 and I am really really exited for the release of DD2 when everything is polished up.

ALSO FOR THOSE WHO GET THE COMPLEATE EDITION - You only get extra skins and stuff, its to help support the devs AND you don't have acess to the content yet for its not in game.

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●mayroS-小幡-天●

462 products in account

102.4 hrs on record

Posted: 22 December

-This review may get some future edits-

Apparently there is few bad reviews for this game, and I notice the reason for that probably is because they don't find the game similar to first DD1 and to have different aspects. As far as I can see those folks didn't even play the game enough to make such harsh reviews of the game, they simply give up after having to do some grind, which is sad cuz the game is very promising and fun.

To begin with I must say that I never did any review about an early-access or beta/alpha games, but well ... like they say : there is always a first time.

So here we go. The first Dungeon Defenders games come out a couple of years ago, and I never had a chance or time to try them out on that time. Just this year I had a chance to play it and without any surprises I immediately loved it.

After getting all the collection I decided to also buy the upcoming Dungeon Defenders II, which is currently on alpha (I probably will update this review later), but for now the game is running really GOOD, So good that doesn't even feel like an early-access, As you can notice I got tons of hours already, that's all because the game hook you in, lots of fun playing solo or online, and will be even better when this goes F2P, cuz all your friends will be able to play it without spend a cent. Though I really reccomend this game as it is right now because it worth every penny.

DarkLordGod

43 products in account

6.0 hrs on record

Posted: 28 December

Amazing rpg tower defense game!, build towers, level up, play with friends, kill all those god dam' monsters together!
got killed because my team mates pushed me from the bridge. 14/10

Moose Overlord

15 products in account

1.7 hrs on record

Posted: 25 December

Just to sum up for those of you skimming Reviews: This is a good game, and you should get this game either before it's Early Access ends (which gives you some neat stuff), or at least when the Free to Play model is released. Tiny hint though, try and get Early Access on sale, my advice to you, take it or leave it.

This next section is long, but I really suggest that you give it a chance, it can't be all that bad.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't have very much playtime so far (unless this is the future when you read this, in which case that point is most likely moot), but I really feel that the word needs to get out right now. Keep in mind that this is coming from the mind of a Squire player, both in DD1 and now, in DD2, so now you know the perspective. You should also know that I did not choose to play DD Eternity, since it's basically a DD1 remake. Alright, time for me to shut up about my experience and get to the good stuff.
In the very beginning of the game, the game's tavern is far more diverse before, which creates two things. A necessity for the player to look around, and a better organization of stores and customization hubs. This necessity allows the player to take in the visuals of the tavern itself, and get a feel for movement dynamics, as from experience I was interestingly inclined to hop around and see which stuff took me closer to the ceiling.
In the first level, you're immediately given a simple and straightforward three direction pathway for enemies. As a veteran player of Dungeon Defenders on Xbox 360 (and again for future readers, Steam), I have learned that you need walls to defend the ranged towers and that they need upgrades and repairs. However, the start of Dungeon Defenders 2 gives you Ranged weapons first to show their weakness, and THEN gives you walls the very next round to defend them. In my mind, anyone could figure that out within a small amount of time without playing DD1. Where I find the improvement is when I look back on DD1. In the first installment, you recieved the walls first, and then it gives you ranged towers, which on the first go through you put at the front and accidentally sentence to a tragic death of goblin clubbing. The beginning of DD2 teaches you how not to get your towers killed from the get-go. Advantage: DD2
In DD1, you gain very finite amounts of mana from enemies, which you would typically have to save at first for repairs, and then create more towers with leftovers over time. Frankly, the whole system reminded me of saving for the Mustang of your dreams while paying off student loans. It's really not efficient if your goal is the Mustang (everybody's hand should be raised here).
In DD2, this is a different story. From the beginning, you immeidately get enough mana where you can keep your towers alive and managed, while building an extra tower or two for each path each round. Basic gist, DD2 is better at getting you to the Mustang.
From my experience so far in DD2 (hello again future readers), I believe that it's beginnings are more beneficial to learning players than the beginnings found in DD1. Thank you for making it thus far, I hope this has been at least slightly helpful to you, but I'll sum up real quick incase you got lost in the mountain of text.
In my opinion, DD2 is more forgiving to new players than DD1, and that puts it a cut above it's predecessor.

Helium

64 products in account

8.3 hrs on record

This is quite an amazing execution for a pre-alapha. I've encountered almost no bugs whatsoever (you might though, since its a pre-alpha), but playing this game is a very enjoyable experience espcially when you play among friends. Its pretty much fighting waves of enemies and defending your base, but its a lot of fun! My rating for this pre-alpha is 8/10 for now. I would highly recommend this to anyone!

Carl-wilhelm

49 products in account

17.3 hrs on record

Posted: 26 December

This game is so fun to play if you have people to play with, you need strategi and you need to grind wich i loce to do. this game isnt as good if you dont have anyone to play with so that isnt as good... But you can still make it fun and it is good to meet other people who know how to play. the devs are awesome on listening to the community and is always asking us what we want. they give us choices on their website on the top two things we wanted and this is AWESOME i love devs like this cause they makes this game for us from us. great people making a great game. 10/10
PS. i love the cartoon grafiks on this game and inparicular the first level... so we need more maps with that scenerie

Reid99

54 products in account

1.1 hrs on record

Don't worry it is not buggy. It is super good for Early Access. It is doing very well to start. I like it so far. The monk was too OP in the first game with auras so this is improved majorly

hetsygai

6 products in account

53.5 hrs on record

Posted: 24 December

Really fun

Tommy

72 products in account

0.4 hrs on record

Epic.

「Jargoh」

85 products in account

10.4 hrs on record

Erittäin hyvä ja koukuttava peli, vaikka onkin vasta Pre-Alpha

EliteNog

65 products in account

9.5 hrs on record

i reccomend this game but i have a question about the apprentice if anyone can answer is. Does the apprentice have more then 1 ball when you shoot your staff? because so far and im not in the game that much but i havent seen one person yet have more then 1ball as an apprentice to shoot balls out of your staff

Meggsy

154 products in account

9.2 hrs on record

Looks promising.

Muboshi

129 products in account

3.1 hrs on record

Being a huge fan of the first Dungeon Defenders I have been enjoying the second one. Towers don't seem as strong as they were with the apprentice, but that is oaky. I do like the addition of map specific towers, traps, and dangers that you can unleash on the mobs.

likeice88

13 products in account

0.5 hrs on record

Very cool game. thought it would be even better if they put a leauge spin on it and full controller support.

SuperNerfGun

76 products in account

0.9 hrs on record

the got rid or upgradeing your abiltes this game is meh

noob

48 products in account

4.2 hrs on record

Dragon-Nest like tower defence game. A game with huge potentials. Would like to see more skilltrees though. Worth to buy it at this current price.

8.7/10

Miro995

28 products in account

3.6 hrs on record

I know my play time is short, but just from that time I am addicted. There is loads of fun to have with your friends in this game.

ProPengu1nz

14 products in account

6.8 hrs on record

I cannot explain how much this game means to me especially after playing DD1 for so long. This game is just stunning and I recommend you get it. Get your friends to play it, get your family to play it, get everyone you know to play this because they are missing out!

Gob

287 products in account

18.6 hrs on record

Loving it so far

69 products in account

25.2 hrs on record

This is a very good game i would recomend it but for the Pre-Alpha there are some glitches that teleports the team back but overall its still a fun game and i cant wait for the offical release