When a game designer takes one intriguing element from a complex genre and transforms it into a standalone experience, it’s always an exciting moment. Think of how the MOBA genre evolved by focusing solely on heroes from real-time strategy games. Now, we have Fellowship, a fresh take called a Multiplayer Online Dungeon Adventure. This game zeros in on what makes team-based dungeon raids so captivating in MMOs, stripping away the tedious grind and letting you dive right into the action.
Having tried a development version of Fellowship, I can confidently say it lives up to its promise. It offers straightforward, endlessly escalating dungeon runs with a team of four players: a tank, a healer, and two damage dealers from a pool of unique classes. Whether you assemble your team or use the group’s matchmaking feature, you can leap into the fray. Choose between short adventures focused on a single boss or longer dungeons with multiple big bads, tailoring the experience to fit the time you have—be it a quick ten-minute session or a more dedicated hour.
After each run, you collect loot, adjust your talents, increase the challenge level, and start again.
Initially, I doubted whether you could capture the true essence of an MMO dungeon run outside of the MMO context, but Fellowship nails it. You navigate the game world, tackling enemy minions to reach the bosses. The classic teamwork elements are intact: managing the tank’s threat level, easing the healer’s burden, interrupting key enemy abilities, and mastering your character’s skills.
As an elemental mage, even at the outset, I had plenty to juggle. I could harness energy to unleash powerful freezing meteors or channel icy blasts. Our healer had the ability to summon plants that could either heal us or damage foes. Each class is clearly defined in what it can and cannot do. For example, my fragile mage had no chance if I accidentally drew the boss’s ire—apologies to the tanker.
During my playthrough, I encountered four engaging boss battles, each offering something different. In one dungeon with ghost pirates, we faced a skeletal shipmaster who challenged our ability to handle being tossed between our ghostly forms and solid selves. Another fight involved a treasure construct that was untankable, requiring our tank to gather scattered treasures. We also took on a giant zombie summoning tides, compelling us to tether ourselves to an anchor while dodging sharks.
Not every encounter relied on gimmicks. Developers were keen to balance reflex-based and strategic fights with those that tested our class mastery to its limits. One example was a relentless warlock boss demanding constant skill and summon interruptions amid chaotic zones that forced group cohesion or quick dispersal.
Fellowship’s structure is another highlight. Dungeon difficulty levels up from one to six, incrementally introducing new enemy abilities and mechanics, progressing from basics to the game’s intended challenge. Beyond this, the difficulty scales indefinitely, each level bringing its unique set of curses—bonuses and penalties—to keep things interesting. Imagine battling Empowered minions scattered among regular foes, where defeating them grants a temporary buff to clear more enemies quickly, or makes upcoming bosses a little easier.
The idea of endlessly evolving dungeons that feel both familiar and threatening in fresh ways is brilliant. Pair that with the ambitious plans for competitive seasons, where players race to conquer leaderboards and claim firsts on boss kills, and I find myself eagerly anticipating gearing up and tackling these trials when Fellowship launches.
