#The bards tale review xbox how to#
#The bards tale review xbox manual#
#The bards tale review xbox Pc#
#The bards tale review xbox series#
#The bards tale review xbox windows#

This inability to see how youвЂ™re progressing makes the fights seem even more off balance than the battle system the game institutes. Sometimes you will learn that your team is far outclassed, but youвЂ™ll make quick work of your opponents. The вЂњchallenge ratingвЂќ system is a disaster вЂ“ the game will inform you that youвЂ™re on par with the foes you are bout to engage with, only to see your team get absolutely stomped. Turn-based combat can be extremely exciting, but the battles here just never click.

#The bards tale review xbox how to#

ThereвЂ™re fairly traditional RPG classes (the only real deviation is the Bard character, who chugs booze to recharge ability points in the heat of the fight), and they step side to side to puzzle out how to defeat foes while taking as little damage as possible. Now, IвЂ™ve sunk a lot of time into turn-based RPG combat in my time, but I could not get over just how boring fights were in this game. ItвЂ™s a first person experience as well, and combat is entirely turn-based. That just isnвЂ™t the case in The BardвЂ™s Tale IV, however вЂ“ even after putting quite a bit of time in, the game could never quite escape its own design flaws and come into its own.ДЄt its heart, The BardвЂ™s Tale IVВ is a dungeon-crawling, party based RPG. ThatвЂ™s forgivable, especially for a classic RPG, if the story is strong and the gameplay can back it up. So вЂ“ weak graphics and a strong soundtrack. Overall, the look of the game is seriously off putting. There are noticeable seams in the textures, however, and characters are pretty easy to spot вЂ“ their hair generally glows a really bizarre neon shade. The blank faces of Elder Scrolls: OblivionВ came to mind as I watched glassy eyed portraits stare into my soul.

#The bards tale review xbox manual#

Even after some manual adjustments, I was still stunned by the appearance of the game. Upon loading, The BardвЂ™s Tale IV automatically detected my graphics settings and loaded some seriously ugly textures.

Unfortunately, much of the rest of the game is kind of a mess. ItвЂ™s really lovely to listen to, and was easily my favorite aspect of the game. A distinct Scottish brogue decorates much of the language in the game, including the music. There is some really fascinating work on display here, with a strong variety of bardic performances to enjoy as you trek through the world. The first thing you notice in The BardвЂ™s Tale IV is the awesome music вЂ“ fitting, considering the title. A direct sequel to the third game meant that this fourth iteration had big shoes to fill вЂ“ would it be up to the challenge? The title screen of the game is a decent representation of what you can expect from the The BardвЂ™s Tale IV: a picture that doesnвЂ™t look quite right with some excellent music playing alongside it. That changed with the release of The BardвЂ™s Tale IV: Barrows Deep.

#The bards tale review xbox series#

Since the third gameвЂ™s release in 1988, however, the series has remained relatively dormant, other than a few spinoff titles. The first game came out in 1985, and two sequels followed not long after.

#The bards tale review xbox Pc#

The BardвЂ™s Tale series is one of those PC classics, revered as a legendary evolution for the roleplaying genre. Where to Buy it: PlayStation Store, Steam,В Microsoft Store

#The bards tale review xbox windows#

Many of the early quests have to do with learning new magic to improve these conjuration skills.Available On: Windows PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One You will occasionally pick up an NPC follower, but most of your backup comes in the form of conjured beings.

This can affect how the NPCs deal with you, and what they tell you. When the Bard is engaging in conversation, you can choose if you want to make polite or snide responses. This is a real honest-to-goodness RPG.ДЄs you encounter the mass of quirky NPCs you will accumulate quests, which can always be reviewed in your quest log. As you gain experience from slaying monsters and completing quests, you will level up and get more talents and skill points. There is also a talent system that lets you add various perks, like dual wielding or critical hit multipliers. You can crank up strength to be a melee brawler, or dump points into dexterity to master the bow. You get to customize the skill points the Bard has. Before The Bard's Tale even got underway, I was impressed with the serious RPG aspects of the game.