In Dungeon Defenders II, the land of Etheria has been invaded by the Old Ones and players must rally, alone or with friends, against the invasion. The game features brand new combat and defense placement systems that synchronize the roleplaying, action, and tower defense elements of the franchise for even more strategic gameplay. New defense and ability interactions make for exciting, emergent gameplay and new environmental traps increase variety and strategic planning throughout each level in the game.

The competitive mode is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena set in the Dungeon Defenders universe. Together, 5 players will take up arms to defend their towers against the opposing team. This fast-paced, streamlined MOBA aims for a shorter learning curve and more rpg-esque take on the genre.

There’s some other things like playverse, cross-platform play and all that jazz.

Open alpha arrives on PC on the heels of last week’s new “Ascension” patch, which plays with Dungeon Defenders II in some fun ways. Towers are now bigger and stronger, and enemies have been rebalanced to match the challenge. In addition, weapons are more powerful and feature new variations in attack patterns and speed to fit players’ individual tastes. Player choice is supported even further by the introduction of the Stat Allocation System, allowing players to choose where to place stat points as they level up. “Ascension” also includes a new Huntress build, costumes and more.

But that’s only Part One! Part Two of the “Ascension” update, expected for release on Oct. 27, will roll out two new holiday-themed maps and a fresh Incursion, as well as new minibosses, hero builds, and spooky costumes, among other improvements.

Dungeon Defenders II entered Steam Early Access late last year, and feedback from players has been instrumental in evolving the game since then. Today’s move to a free open alpha on Steam is the next step in Trendy Entertainment’s ultimate goal: officially launching Dungeon Defenders II as a free-to-play title supported by ethical in-game microtransactions.