Since I didn’t own a PC at the time, I completely missed out on the original Bard’s Tale entries. The last mainline entry hit the market in 1988 — that’s thirty years ago. That’s a hell of a long time for a franchise to lay dormant, but InXile have become known for resurrecting classic games and imbuing them with just enough of a modern twist. Now, following their successful Kickstarter campaign in 2015, that’s exactly what they’re aiming for with The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep.
HIGH Precise, rewarding combat that feels great.
LOW The final boss initially feels like a brick wall.
WTF The main character’s pretty charming despite being a decapitated corpse.
HIGH It’s a slightly updated Dark Souls!
LOW It’s a slightly updated Dark Souls being sold at a premium price point!
WTF Shouldn’t this just be a free patch for the PC version?
HIGH Those backgrounds are absolutely lovely.
LOW Pick berries, unexpectedly suffer 60% increase in fatigue, die immediately.
WTF I’m pretty sure the entire aging process for a sheep should take longer than a week.
HIGH The art style is gorgeous.
LOW Once the repetition kicks in, it kicks in hard.
WTF Why is the online multiplayer locked away for so long?
HIGH Baiken!
LOW It may be a fine update, but it is just an update.
WTF A ninja Vice-President battling enemies whilst taking phone calls.
HIGH The first time decapitating a Ravenii’s neat, I guess.
LOW Anything requiring any sort of precision movement.
WTF What part of this game remotely suggests that it’s worth sixty dollars?
HIGH Tons of quality side content, including fully playable Virtua Fighter 5 FS.
LOW There’s a serious lack of Goro Majima this time around.
WTF That Hangman enemy was… unexpected.
HIGH Blowing enemies away with super attacks, then seeing the result from outer space.
LOW That’s one insufferably drawn-out story mode.
WTF Android 21 has one hell of an eating disorder.
HIGH Absolute tons of content to indulge in.
LOW I’ve suffered from a few hard crashes, including system lock-ups.
WTF Batman using a blameless bar patron as a weapon isn’t canon, surely?
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