Summary

• Release Year: 1985
• Genres: Adventure, Role-playing game (RPG)
• Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Atari ST/STE, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS, Mac, ZX Spectrum
• Developers: Interplay Productions
• Publishers: Electronic Arts

Tales of the Unknown: Volume I – The Bard’s Tale (1985)

Introduction

Tales of the Unknown: Volume I – The Bard’s Tale, more commonly known as simply “The Bard’s Tale”, is a groundbreaking role-playing game (RPG) that was originally released in 1985 for the Apple II. Developed by Interplay Productions, The Bard’s Tale quickly became a critical and commercial success, and was ported to numerous other platforms, including the Commodore 64, IBM PC, and Atari ST.

The Bard’s Tale is notable for its innovative use of 3D graphics, which was a rarity at the time. The game’s dungeons are rendered in a first-person perspective, and feature detailed character portraits and animations. This gave the game a much more immersive feel than other RPGs of the era.

The Bard’s Tale also features a deep and engaging story, with a cast of memorable characters and a complex plot. The game’s world is rich and detailed, and there is a lot of freedom to explore and interact with the environment.

Gameplay

The Bard’s Tale is a dungeon-crawling RPG in which the player controls a party of up to six adventurers. The game is played from a first-person perspective, and the player navigates the dungeons by moving through a series of interconnected rooms.

Each room in the dungeon is filled with monsters, traps, and treasure. The player must battle the monsters in order to progress through the dungeon, and can use a variety of weapons and spells to do so. The player can also find treasure chests that contain items that can be used to improve the party’s stats or abilities.

The Bard’s Tale features a turn-based combat system. During combat, the player can choose to attack, cast a spell, or use an item. The player’s characters and the monsters take turns attacking each other, and the battle continues until one side is defeated.

Classes

The player can choose from six different character classes in The Bard’s Tale:

• Bard: The bard is a support class that can cast spells to heal and buff the party.
• Cleric: The cleric is a healing class that can cast spells to heal and resurrect the party.
• Fighter: The fighter is a melee damage class that can use a variety of weapons to attack enemies.
• Mage: The mage is a spellcasting class that can cast a variety of spells to attack enemies and support the party.
• Ranger: The ranger is a ranged damage class that can use bows and arrows to attack enemies.
• Thief: The thief is a utility class that can pick locks, disarm traps, and steal items from enemies.

Each class has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, and the player must carefully consider which classes to include in their party.

Plot

The Bard’s Tale takes place in the fictional town of Skara Brae. The town is being terrorized by a group of evil monsters, and the player’s party is tasked with defeating them.

The player’s party must travel through a series of dungeons in order to reach the monsters’ lair. Along the way, they will encounter a variety of challenges, including traps, puzzles, and monsters.

The Bard’s Tale features a complex and engaging story, with a cast of memorable characters and a surprising number of twists and turns.

Legacy

The Bard’s Tale was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the most important RPGs of all time. The game’s innovative use of 3D graphics and engaging gameplay helped to define the genre, and it has inspired countless other RPGs.

The Bard’s Tale has been ported to numerous platforms over the years, and it remains popular with RPG fans today. The game has also been the subject of several sequels and spin-offs, including The Bard’s Tale II: The Destiny Knight (1986), The Bard’s Tale III: Thief of Fate (1988), and The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep (2018).

Conclusion

The Bard’s Tale is a classic RPG that helped to define the genre. With its innovative use of 3D graphics, engaging gameplay, and deep story, The Bard’s Tale is a must-play for fans of RPGs.

Review Score

9/10

Art

Cover Art

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