The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
A continuation of the classic 1980s dungeon crawler trilogy.
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep is a 2018 dungeon crawler video game developed by inXile Entertainment. It serves as a continuation to The Bard's Tale trilogy from the 1980s.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- inXile Entertainment
- Series
- The Bard's Tale
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Designer
- David Rogers
- Composer
- Ged Grimes
- Julie Fowlis
- Mark Morgan
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
- Genre
- Dungeon crawler
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The game is set some two centuries after the original trilogy. The Church of the Swordfather, now the predominant religion in Caith, has adopted a radically xenophobic outlook, persecuting magic-users and non-humans such as dwarves, elves, and trow. The game begins with the execution of six people in Skara Brae, witnessed by the initial player character, Melody the bard. She meets another bard, Rabbie, who escorts her to the Adventurer's Guild, which is soon stormed by paladins. The player may build another character and continue with that character instead of Melody. Rabbie leads the player through an escape tunnel to Skara Brae Below, the ruins of the old Skara Brae in a giant cave beneath the new town. There, persecuted non-humans and adventurers have set up refugee camps around the old Adventurer's Guild building while paladins scour the ruins. The initial mission involves checking on friends and allies in Skara Brae and elsewhere. Over time, it is discovered that an unknown agency is committing crimes and blaming them on non-humans to discredit them and sow civil unrest. Other religions have similarly been subverted by malevolent militant sub-cults. The party gradually grows to six members; some characters must join temporarily to achieve short-term goals, and can be exchanged afterward. It is possible to create a party entirely of custom characters.
Development and release
The Bard's Tale series was established by Interplay Productions in 1985. After two sequels in the 1980s, the series went dormant. In 2004, inXile Entertainment released a spin-off. In January 2015, CEO Brian Fargo announced plans for The Bard's Tale IV, aiming to create a true successor to the original trilogy. A Kickstarter campaign launched on June 2, 2015, with a $1.5 million target, and surpassed it on June 15, 2015, after 12 days. The game uses Unreal Engine 4 and photogrammetry for textures. Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis contributed to the music. The game was released on September 18, 2018, for Windows. A Director's Cut with new dungeons and quality of life features was released on August 27, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, and Linux; existing Windows owners could upgrade for free. The game was nominated for Best Original Song and Best Sound Design for an Indie Game at the 2019 G.A.N.G. Awards, and for Best Audio Design at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards.
Reception
The PC version received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. OpenCritic assessed weak approval, recommended by 31% of critics. IGN noted technical issues but called it an RPG with enjoyable fights, elaborate puzzles, and visual and musical flair. Game Informer praised combat as a joy but criticized the combat system's lack of flexibility and said long puzzle mazes detracted from it. PC Gamer called some systems unforgivingly old-fashioned and others rough or unfinished, while praising combat, exploration, and the world. Eurogamer likened the game to a B movie that revels in being different, criticizing technical issues and lack of polish but praising the score and puzzle design. Destructoid reviewed it negatively, citing framerate issues, bugs, unimpressive NPC models, and stilted conversations, while praising environments, tactical gameplay, and puzzles. GameSpot praised the soundtrack but heavily criticized repetitive mechanics, linear map, dated visuals, shallow puzzles, and technical issues. Shacknews noted good character customization and an immersive world but took issue with convoluted combat and a lackluster story.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep available on?
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep was released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Who designed The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep?
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep was designed by David Rogers.
Who composed the music for The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep?
The music for The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep was composed by Ged Grimes, Julie Fowlis and Mark Morgan.
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