Master the art of alchemy and old-school strategy in this dark fantasy world directly inspired by folklore and stories from 17th-century Belgium and the Netherlands.

Lead a band of mercenaries into the cursed city of Grant, a metropolis shrouded in a deadly fog that inflicts madness upon anyone in its path. Use steel, alchemy, and close-quarter tactics to battle a deadly cult of fanatics and devout followers of the great alchemist Mephisto, who have taken control of the city. 

Featuring strategy-focused gameplay, combat in Black Legend requires a tactical focus where unit placement, ability combos, and well-chosen attacks are key to survival. Alchemy adds variety to both ranged and melee attacks with four different ways to injure, poison, and debilitate your foes. Combine these alchemic attacks for devastating effects.

Alongside explosive combat, free-exploration lets you investigate the many alleys and streets in the city of Grant. Different districts host a wide variety of architecture and environments — you never know where you’ll discover a hidden path, a treasure trove of new items, hidden quest, or recruitable character.

Warcave has revealed details on some of the game’s most intriguing foes. Get a first-look at some of the enemies players will face while traversing the cursed city of Grant, and dig into the history behind some of these brutal beasts.

For fans of rich historic storytelling, one of the most exciting aspects of Black Legend are the creatures inspired by centuries-old stories, respun in a unique way. Based on Belgian and Dutch folklore, these stories and the monsters that emerge from them have ancient roots, predating the Early Middle Ages. 

“These stories have survived for centuries because they speak to something within us and resonate with human experience, and we’re excited to put a spotlight on Belgian and Dutch folk stories in Black Legend,” said Menno van der Heijden, Black Legend Creative Director. “The creatures we’ve chosen are a perfect fit for the world we’ve built, and really add to the immersive, story-based experience we want players to have with the game.” 

While these monsters are familiar to fans in Europe, Black Legend may be the first encounter players around the world have with characters like ‘Old Red Eyes’, providing the opportunity to explore and experience new legends for the first time. 

Whether fans are familiar with these folktales or not, the stories behind these monsters serve the same purposes—sometimes they are meant to teach moral lessons, encourage children to behave or to appeal to the internal fears of people, providing thrilling entertainment.

Old Red Eyes: 

Traditionally, this cannibalistic shapeshifter appears as both a large 7 foot / 2.1-meter tall man and as a large black dog with fiery red eyes. This beast is best known for stealing children from their beds and then eating them. During the 20th century, a new monster grew from the legend of Old Red Eyes. Stories of the Nekker, discussed further below, are believed to have roots in the legend of Old Red Eyes.

Nekker: 

The Nekker has many names, including Nyx, Williger, Icker and more, and is most commonly described as a large, shape-shifting water demon. This beast preys on children who get too close to water, or on adults who are lured to water by the demon disguised as a drowning child in need of help. Once captured, the Nekker sucks its victim’s blood using a hook and then captures the soul in an upside-down urn.

Witte Wieven:

These White Women or Wise Women appear in stories from various parts of western Europe, dating back to at least the 7th century, pre-Christian era. Appearing in white garments, often in groups of three, who could help or hinder people who encounter them. If aggravated, Witte Wieven are known to roast and eat cats, make people disappear by spiriting them away, and are known to steal babies from their cradles, never to be returned.

Lord Halewijn:

Elements of this ancient, terrifying tale date back to the 7th century AD, and is one of the oldest Dutch folk songs recorded. Several versions of this story exist, but the common theme is Lord Halewijn, an evil being referred to as a demon, faery lord or magician who sings a magical, luring song. Anyone drawn to him by this song is murdered, either by beheading or by being turned to stone.

Blood Carriage:

Possibly derived from Germanic god Wodan’s army of the dead, the Blood Carriage is a terrifying tale of three masked men who prowl the night looking for children to abduct in their blood-dripping carriage. Any children found outside after dark were abducted and brought to the demons or ‘Toecutters’ who stay hidden in the cart. Depending on the version of the tale, the children were killed and their bodies sent away, or the demon would cut off their toes and feast on their blood.

Key Features:

• Strategy-Focused Gameplay: Approach each combat with a tactical focus, where unit placement, ability combos, and well-chosen attacks are key to survival. Black Legend focuses on old school strategy vibes, but without the 95% percent chance misses. 
• Explosive Combos:  Mix up your ranged and melee combat by using alchemy for a wide array of explosive effects. Combine stacks of four different alchemic attacks to injure, poison, and debilitate your foes, but be warned, they will do the same to you.
• Extensive Character Customization: Build your mercenary band with a wide array of classes, each with unique abilities. Improve each of your mercenaries with new weapons, armor, and trinkets, and create your own ability sets by equipping cross-class abilities. 
• Choose Your Difficulty: For those who wish to see the story, the path can be gentle. For those who wish for difficulty, even the slightest mistake will be greatly punished.
• Historic Enemies: Black Legend fills the city of Grant with creatures from Belgian, Dutch, and German folklore like nekkers, Halewijn, Witte Wieven and Old Red Eyes. 
• An Engaging Story: Dive into the narrative through environmental storytelling, colorful NPCs, and rich set pieces.
• An Entire City to Explore: Free-exploration lets you investigate the many alleys and streets in the city of Grant. Different districts host a wide variety of architecture and environments — you never know where you’ll discover a hidden path, a treasure trove of new items, hidden quest, or recruitable character.

Black Legend is coming to PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Switch in Q1 2021.