Bard's Tale - PS2 review (LIGHT early spoilers) ! MUST BUY !

[Raedon]

Bard's Tale for the PS2 is not what you would expect.

It's a game with humor and loads of it. It's like playing a Necro in Diablo II with a sarcastic narrator that taunts your character and your avatar taunts back even harder. It really is well written.

Voice acting: fantastic

There is more going on in the voice work just for laughs then any other game to date.. Top notch work.. I was soooo f#cking happy to hear the game, that they didn't skimp on an old favorite (aka Spy Hunter.)


Teh Funney: fantastic

The first time you open a chest you get a funny speech about how it helps the person.. clear out.. ya know.. old stuff.. I won't go into it because of spoilers but lets just say that Bard's Tale is one of the funniest RPG's I've ever played. If characters break into song then you get the bouncing ball over text! and nothing is sacred.. it's like a sitcom in places. This is a Bard's Tale universe where Ompa Lumpa like goblins come in and sing a song Lumpa style. Lets just leave it there..

Graphics: standard

The graphics are like a PS2 game.. Camera can't go out far enough etc.etc they are not the reason I'm going to score this high. The camera is good enough. It doesn't get stuck or hide objects.

Gameplay:

Action/RPG at the basic level

Well, I haven't finished the game yet but your Bard is like a Necro in Diablo II or Summoner more then anything. You play songs to summon a pet or healing spell.. hack hack open fake tree etc. The gameplay is downright 1999.. Yet the humor and little touches make this game so much more.
It's not a hard game to figure out. The system of menu's reminds me of lots of games. I haven't even really been into a deep dungeon yet. It has been all quests.. silly quests like Monty Python and the Holy Grail type stuff. It's not boring like "LSL:cum loud" where you sperm around for a quarters game.. I WAS LAUGHING OUT LOUD BY MYSELF TONIGHT!

I have no Fire Horn or death groups of 99 Bezerkers but this game didn't say, "Bard's Tale IV"

I REALLY don't want to say more because I will spoill more. The game is, without a doubt, the funniest PS2 game on the market for RPG lovers. It's like Summoner on LSD with a dash of Rodney Dangerfield and Sienfeld.

This REALLY does not need to go one farther as a review. GO GET THIS GAME.

After 6 hours I think this game is a strong candidate for best voice acting of all time. It kills the GTA3 games like they were two bit hookers in a parking garage.

I have to say this, it is my duty as a Bard's Tale fanatic. This game is far from the universe I remember in 1986 with serious monks singing you back to health and graph paper maps.

..

..but it's so much fun.. and they actually put in the work needed to make a great game! There really is not a RPG on the PS2 market right now that can hold "fun" like this game does!

BRAVO!!

[Raedon]

geez.. you know it's time to put the controller down when your eyes glaze over and you hear people mowing.

[Raedon]

18 hours in and still having a blast. There is good deal of strategy after about 10 hours (playing on normal) enemies have different abilities like Wolves can call out and create new wolves if you don't kill them fast enough so you need your healer or enemies a weak but can stun with gas so you need the shock spider to stun them first.

I've actually died 5 times or so in the game so far and it isn't frustrating the save points are well spaced.

If I had to start over for some reason I would have set my stats different.

As any RPG gamer knows, stats early on can really help you out! You don't give a Wizard STR you give a Wizard INT.

I was used to the world of Bard's Tale where your Songs helped the party but here your Songs summon and those "pets" are more powerful if you set your stats right. I went into this game thinking it would be a party based game and it isn't.

Think of the Bard as a melee character with magical abilities. like a pali or a shadow knight. He is a mix not a pure breed RPG character.so you have to go a little lighter on the melee.

just a little FYI.

[Raedon]

Well, thought I'd point out in this ongoing (it seems) review that voice work is top quality for a reason:

the Bard is played by Cary elwes, the hero from "The princess' Bride"



The Narrator is also a veteran voice artist and was the villian in Disney's Hunchback, Tony Jay. He does a perfect job of being seriously not so serious.



There is no text unless you have subtitles on but these two are the only big names. Which is fine as they are a good part of the voice acting.

--

at probably halfay threw the game I do have some minor complaints. At least one of the joke songs was not very funny at all. And at least one "quest complete" sequence was just dump. They were 2 in 100's though.

I like the system used for items in the game. the system is basically this. anything you pick up that you can't use.. swords, armor, etc. is turned to cash right there. You find a weapon with better stats and your current weapon is cashed and replaced without you doing a thing. This is the first RPG I've ever played where there was no micromanaging of inventory or SELL option at the store.

My biggest compaint so far: There is no "fast heal" option. You only have two ways to heal and they both take time to pull off. In battle you die because the quickest option takes almost a second to pull off.

The game even pokes fun at you. I didn't notice but on the game DVD it says, "For a really disturbing image, flip disc over" which you do without thinking..

[Daria]

the Bard is played by Cary elwes, the hero from "The princess' Bride"

Well crap.

I read your first post earlier and was debating whether or not the game sounded like something I'd like. I never really cared for the original Bard's Tale and that was weighing against it. But I think you just clinched the descion for me.

Hell even Saw was watchable with Elwes in it.

[Keir]

Thanks for the review! I'm still going to wait until I can get it cheap, but at least now I'm looking forward to it.

[ianoid]

I've been fondling the game in shops since it came out, knowing it will be hard to give it the time it deserves if I spend the full fifty on it. I still can't say 'I can't wait' but I am REALLY into the snowblind engine and I do like BT/retro-RPG stuff, so I will get it.

Oddly, Game Crazy has the xbox version for $40 new/$35 used, whereas the PS2 version starts at $50 new... I would buy the Xbox one, but my Xbox is in storage.

[Raedon]

Just finished.

I'm missing several charms and special items and I did rush threw the game on the medium setting so I missed at least 40% of something.

So my final thoughts...

Great game. The level quality never dropped but the quality of humor dropped toward the last of the game but it was still there. The anti-RPG just became an RPG and there was less time for funny moments. The graphics were varied and full of fun, triggered landscapes and weather types. Though it is a game that pokes fun at the RPG it does a good job of calling the kettle black. It's the best game using the Bauldor's GateE engine period. Which is amazing because I LOVED BGE 1-2! I still can't get over the voice acting from the main characters.. Amazing..

If I had any problems with the game it would be lack of equipment. I ended the game with some really horrible armor. The treasure chests/drops seem to cater to items you don't have the skills for. Master of the Bow? get a 2 handed axe! 20 times a level. Useless jump button. I used it 3 times in the game and only really needed for two events. You can't jump on tables or chairs just a few things needed for story. That button would have made a great "heal" button.

The Bard creates pets threw songs.. great! But while you play you can't fight or block and often times the 'spell' and song are done before you can melee again. Later in the game you become the running man waiting for a summoned creature to pop out. Same thing with the insta-heal, 3 buttons must be hit, and while not paused. Waiting for the slow menus to flow around you; your party will die more then a few times later on where in most RPG's of this type would have you hit a 'potion' button.

Small gripes really, the game is a breathe of fresh air in this FF X-2 world.

I'll play again because I missed so many special items that are needed to remove a menu of "?" marks.


My final say on this game is that I was upset to hear a Bard's Tale licensed game was coming out that was NOT the world I wanted. I forgot about that thought literly in the first 5 minutes.

Must play RPG - bottom line.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I don't even like modern RPGs, and Raedon just about has me talked into this one.

[Ed Oscuro]

Same. Great review, Raedon! And keep the eyes from glazing over and the ears clear of lawnmower noise!

[XxMe2NiKxX]

Great review, I'll buy the PC version when it comes out, got no PS2.

[E Nice]

I want to try out this game but not sure about spending $50 on it. But if the Game Crazy around here has the Xbox version for $40 then I may be tempted to get it much sooner than aniticpated.

[digitalpress]

I love reading reviews like this: like a journal. First thoughts, deep into the game, then finally after it's over. Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I have Bard's Tale on my "wish list" now thanks to your review, it's very sincere.

Game ON.

[Griking]

Here's a link to an ebay auction for a copy of this game for the Xbox. It seems to be a reasonable price for a new game including shipping.

Oh, and its not my auction.

[DaBargainHunta]

Count me as one of the people who wants this game now. This wasn't even on my radar before, but this review - along with Cary Elwes as the main voice - has me very interested.