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The Bard's Tale |
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Many, many,
many years ago, a game came out that I really enjoyed playing - The
Bard's Tale. There were sequels too, if I remember correctly. Now, I
don't really recall what the game was all about or anything, but I DO
recall having a good time playing it.
So, as I look out in the Electronic Gaming area to see what's new, I see that a NEW Bard's Tale is available, and for my favorite console gaming platform - the Xbox! I had to check it out.
I have to admit - I was a little apprehensive going into this venture - was this going to enhance my fond memories of playing the old computer game, or was it going to crap all over them? Well, I found out that I was in for a treat.
The Bard's Tale, in it's new incarnation, is one of the best console role-playing games that I have ever played. At first, I was surprised at the "adult" or "mature" nature of the game. Well, I guess "adult" is a little strong of a work - let's use "mature." It starts out with laughs and much tongue-in-cheek humor, and carries that on throughout the game. That was one of the hooks, right out of the gate.
After playing the game for a while, I was surprised to see that there wasn't a lot in the way of character maintenance and full-blown options, as I was used to in the Dungeons & Dragons RPG's that I had been playing on the Playstation 2 - ah - Baldur's Gate. Now, don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed the Baldur's Gate line, but I do find it refreshing that the micro-management element was not included in the Bard's Tale. I'm still shocked that I feel that way.
Another "shocking" feature that I found
refreshing - you don't have to worry about your friends, their gear,
their needs, etc. See, all of your allies, or friends, are summoned by
your music! Summon them at will, give them simple orders if necessary,
and that's it! Again - I was very surprised to see how much I enjoyed
not having to micro-manage a party of adventurers.
Story
The story of the Bard's Tale is one that's been used a million times
over - save the princess, queen, or whomever needs your assistance.
Nothing groundbreaking here. However, it's the way you go about the
story that makes you interested in participating in it. The
back-and-forth jabs from the Bard and the Narrator keep you listening,
and the interaction with the characters that you meet make interacting
with characters very entertaining.
One thing I need to point out is that when you do head into a shop to purchase weapons, armor, etc. the designers (InXile) have painstakingly added a great amount of detail to the limited supply of weapons and armor in the game. There's usually a history to each piece, and if you want to get into the whole role-playing aspect of the game, or the immersion into the game world, then this is a great feature. Personally, I enjoyed it.
During gameplay, you will find that all encounters are not completely scripted. You see, you have the option to react differently to many of the encounters in the game. While talking to someone, you get an option on how you want to reply - either in a nice manner, or in a particularly not-so-nice manner. Your choices will affect the encounters, and make for some interesting choices. Heck - sometimes being Mr. Nice Guy gets you nowhere, so you have to put some attitude out there just to get what you need. It's not as in-depth as Knights of the Old Republic and their "Dark Side" and "Light Side" choices, mind you, but sufficient enough to make the game even more interesting and keeping things on the simple side.
If you find that your a fan of the game, it's probably not going to be for the in-depth options of game play and character management - it's going to be for the entertaining story and character (or Narrator) interaction.
Graphics
The graphics of the Bard's Tale are very nicely done, but there's
nothing groundbreaking here - and that's ok, since that's not the point
of this title. The game is driven by the next generation of Snowblind's
Everquest: Champions of Norrath engine, so no one was out to create the
next best gaming engine out there. I know some console gamers are into
that sort of thing, and if that's what you are looking for in this game,
you may be disappointed. This game is all about the entertainment
factor, not the geek factor.
Sounds
Ah, the sounds. Remember, you are working with a musically gifted Bard,
here! Of course there's going to be some interesting sounds coming from
this game!
The sound effects are nicely done, and don't make you want to turn the volume down on the television (or stereo if you have your XBbox running through it). Just the usual RPG (role-playing game) stuff here, kiddies.
One thing, regarding sounds, that I'd like to mention is the songs in the game. You use different instruments throughout the game, and each one has it's own sound - or even voice - that makes you interested in using them right after receiving a new one during the game. My favorite is the Shadow Axe (I hope I remembered that name correctly). It's the coolest sounding one to get your hands on. Throughout the game there are chances to hear full-blown songs that are part of the story. These are all a valuable asset to the game. Not only was I listening and laughing, but so were my family members who had just happened to be passing by or watching me play. My youngest son - 9 year old - loved these 3 little characters that would come out every so often and sing to you about how it was "bad luck to be you." It's amazing to note how these elements made this game that much more fun to play.
Overall, this game is not for you power-hungry RPG'ers out there. Mind you, I love a good RPG that gets in deep with the character development, the management of supplies, weapons and armor upgrades, etc. And this game has some of that, but to a far lesser degree - but that's ok! I actually found it to be VERY refreshing! I guess I tend to like those types of games more on my PC than one of the consoles that we own, even though I really enjoyed the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance titles on the PS2. The focus here is to have fun and participate in the story- not micro-manage your party!
If you are looking to be entertained more than you are being challenged, Bard's Tale is a perfect game. Well, I can't say that it wasn't challenging, there were points where it definitely was - especially at the end (there's a surprise for you at the ending, too - kind of a choose your own ending type of thing. I checked 'em all out...) But to me, the focus was more on having fun, and it hit the bulls-eye in that regard. I had to give the game a 5 out of 5. I was hooked until the end, and loved nearly every minute of play - minor glitches and sub-standard A.I. included.
Oh, and if you check this game out and peruse the credits, you may find a nice surprise when you see the voice talent used for this tile. Man - you have to at LEAST rent this game to see if it's right up your alley. I am VERY glad that I took the time to check it out.
Written by Gene Vogel
(Posted 12-11-2004)
PS - ok, I just checked out the official website, and had another laugh. Please, even if the game doesn't sound like your cup o' tea, check out the site and use your mouse on the characters - particularly the waitress... but don't click on anything 'till you are done exploring... and maybe put your mouse where you shouldn't be... oh no - I've said too much! http://www.thebardstale.com/
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