A New MOBA Challenger Appears
If you are burned out on the same old multiplayer online battle arenas and want something that feels fresh but still familiar, Spellcasters Chronicles is worth putting on your radar. This new 3v3 free to play MOBA has just kicked off its first closed beta on Steam, bringing a very different vibe to a genre usually dominated by a strict top down view and long established metas.
Developed by Quantic Dream, the studio better known for narrative driven games like Beyond Two Souls, Spellcasters Chronicles takes classic MOBA basics and gives them a stylish twist. You still have lanes, towers and an enemy objective to destroy, but the way you play and experience the battlefield looks and feels very different.
The game is available as a limited time closed beta on Steam, with a single map and a handful of heroes so players can get a taste of its combat, visuals and systems before full release.
Over The Shoulder Action And Deckbuilding Spells
The most immediate change long time MOBA players will notice is the camera. Instead of the traditional top down or isometric view, Spellcasters Chronicles uses an over the shoulder perspective. This places your hero right in the center of the action and makes the combat feel closer to an action game than a distant strategy board.
This viewpoint shifts how you read the battlefield. You will be tracking enemy heroes, incoming projectiles and map objectives from ground level, which should appeal to players who like more direct control and a sense of being inside the fight rather than looking at it from above.
On top of that, Spellcasters Chronicles mixes in deckbuilding mechanics. Rather than relying purely on static ability kits, you build and expand a deck of incantations and summons that define your playstyle. These cards let you cast powerful spells, summon units and shape your overall strategy during a match.
For players who enjoy collectible card games or deckbuilders, this adds a layer of planning and experimentation you do not normally see in a traditional MOBA. Tuning your deck to match your favorite hero, your team composition and the current meta could be a big part of the long term appeal.
The core objective will still feel familiar to anyone who has spent time in games like League of Legends or Dota. You push down lanes, fight for control of key points and work with your team to destroy the opponent’s life stone. Along the way you will capture altars and use your expanding army of summoned units to gain map control and pressure enemy defenses.
Epic Visuals, Titans And Closed Beta Details
Even with the interesting mechanics, the art direction is what really makes Spellcasters Chronicles stand out at first glance. The character designs are expressive and bold, with a style that would not look out of place next to the gods of Hades or the champions seen in Arcane. Heroes are built to look larger than life, which fits the huge scale of the battles they participate in.
In the closed beta trailer you can see spellcasters dueling above the battlefield in dramatic aerial fights, while the ground below fills with summoned mobs. Your forces range from human sized soldiers right up to massive Titans, towering creatures around forty meters tall that require your entire team to focus them down.
This helps sell the fantasy of commanding armies and wielding powerful magic, instead of just trading single abilities in a lane. The combination of aerial combat, ground clashes and massive summons gives the arena a sense of verticality and chaos that should keep fights visually interesting.
The current closed beta is the first real public test for Spellcasters Chronicles. It is a weekend limited playtest with the following setup:
- Platform: Steam on PC
- Mode: 3v3 action strategy matches
- Heroes: Six playable heroes available
- Map: One map called Alaya's Mausoleum
- Timing: Runs through the weekend and ends on December 8 at 9 am GMT, 1 am PST and 4 am EST
To join, players can simply head to the game’s Steam page and sign up for the beta. Access is limited to the playtest window and there is no guarantee all content shown now will be in the final game in the same form, but it is an early chance to see how Quantic Dream’s take on a MOBA feels in practice.
For PC gamers who follow events like the PC Gaming Show, Spellcasters Chronicles is one of the titles highlighted as part of the Most Wanted lineup, giving it some extra visibility among upcoming releases. That attention combined with Quantic Dream’s reputation for strong presentation means this is a project many players will be watching as it develops.
If you enjoy team based games, card mechanics or just want a MOBA that looks and plays a little differently from the usual top down giants, keeping an eye on Spellcasters Chronicles and its future tests could pay off. This closed beta is only a small slice of what the full game might become, but it already offers a taste of fast paced 3v3 battles, flashy spellcasting and some of the most striking hero art in the genre.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/events-conferences/spellcasters-chronicles-is-a-new-moba-that-swaps-item-shops-for-deckbuilding-and-its-beta-starts-right-now/
