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Very funny game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: July 07, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Great voice acting all around, especially from Cary Elwes, who plays the bard. He's done a bit of voice-acting these days, and I hope he continues to do so, because he is very good.
He is very funny in this game, and it's worth the hack 'n' slash bits that can get a bit boring to get to the funny bits. OK, I've said bit way too many times there, but you get my meaning.
edit - It would be obscene not to mention Tony Jay as the narrator, who does an incredible job with that unique voice of his. I dare say he steals a couple scenes from the bard IMHO.

The gameplay itself is standard fair. If you played hack and slash RPG type games, you already know the drill. Funny thing is the game itself makes fun of the very genre it's in. I don't like the camera controls that much, and it doesn't give a chase camera option, so it gets a bit annoying after awhile. Also the top down angle does get some getting used to as well. Graphics are nice to look at, but nothing super special.

It's really the dialogue and funny scenes that happen that make this game worth getting. There are some fun movie references/homages I've noticed as well, like Spinal Tap and Willy Wonka. No Princess Bride yet, though I'm still in the beginning of the game! (Or I missed it already) :)

Great witty version of an RPG classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 121 / 127
Date: November 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I remember playing the original Bard's Tale game - it was a game I loved and played for months and months. This new version features the brilliant acting of Cary Elwes of Priness Bride frame!

You get to create your bard character with the standard attributes - strength, dexterity and so on. But once you get into the game, you'll quickly discover the comic timing that makes this game so unique. You wander into a tavern and are promptly told to go search for rats. Your character asides that this is a rather cliche quest, but you'll do it for the (ahem) ample barmaid who smiles at you.

You head down into the dusty cellar, where you find your rat and slay him. Then, as you get your little scene of the Bard's Victory, a HUGE rat sneaks up behind you and breathes on you with a massive fire breath! When you hobble up to the tavern, everyone is laughing their fool heads off.

It's that sort of twist that makes the entire game hilarious, especially for RPG buffs. Every normal twist and turn of RPG campaigning is made fun of here. You are given the option of the "nice" or "naughty" option at every turn - and it's not always the "nice" option that you want to try! The game is very replayable, as you see what happens with various combinations of answers.

There's plenty of combinations of fighting, spellcasting, healing and so on - in traditional RPG fashion. I particularly like the wiggly little magic spiders myself, as they remind me of the Spirited Away anime. But really the wit is the key feature of this game. You fight through scenarios to get to hear what the witty comments will be at the end :)

Highly recommended for RPG fans - especially those who are fans of the Princess Bride style of dry wit!

Old school gamer here...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 32
Date: July 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Ok, I dont know if this version will be an cloned updated version with enhanced graphics of the original game. But this game on my apple 2c back in the day made me the gamer that I am now.... I spent many a night and day playing this game non-stop. I had all these dungeons mapped out on hex paper. Im drooling at the thought of this new version of the game capturing the feeling I had when i was young playing the original.

Lets hope they get it right!

Very good game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 14
Date: November 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is wonderful! It is far different from typical RPGs. Although, I do wish it had a multiplayer mode, and I don't like how once you miss a chance to get a token, it's gone forevere.

what goes around...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 28
Date: October 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I too remember this game. but, sadly, I used to know the catacombs by heart. I can only hope they've done this game well.
it truly WAS one of the first and best. all sorts of abilities and huge maps.
of course, one of the things I remember most is.. near the very end.. the 4 groups of 99 berserkers. hehehe.
can't wait for thre new one!

-MockingBird

Loved It!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 8
Date: July 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've had it a week and cant stop playing it. Wonderful, funny RPG. I look forward to re-playing it to try out what I missed the first time around.

Fantastic! A wonderful game! Nicely done!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: May 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I confess that I prefer playing games sitting around a table. It is a social thing for me. I was more than pleasantly surprised by the Bard's Tale. This is not a re-release of a classic game; it is an entirely new game that is extremely well done. I had to battle my teenage son for computer time to complete the quests. He played the game as well. From the witty banter to the nice game play, reasonable puzzles, and "snarky" hints, this game is a classic.

Bard's Tale

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 24 / 29
Date: October 31, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I have been a fan of Bard's Tale from the beginning. And I also remember the catacombs. This game does not look or feel anything like the original, but I did expect that.

It has the same type of graphics as the latest Baldur's gate. It has cut animation in which you (the bard) will talk with other characters. You have little choices on the conversation. You may chose to be sarcastic or sincere.

Other choices are limited as well. When you kill the opponent, his objects go straight to you in the form of money. His armor, sword, pants, etc are all converted into money. Unless his armor or weapon is better than your current weapon, then you automatically receive it and your item is converted to money.

What I don't like about the game is that it limits your choices and tends to be very linear. Unlike a game like Morrowind where you are able to explore where and how you would like, you are stuck in a storyline in this game.

I gave it 4 stars because it is well made and is keeping my interest. The graphics are great and I like the music.

This also contains the old Bard's Tale games!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: March 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

As a bonus feature on the disk, this game contains the full version of Bard's Tale I through III. I used to play these games back in 1990s. They are three great classic RPGs in their own right. To me, for the price of [...] the classic games alone are worth it.

Hilarious!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User

In this game you are the Bard - a wise-cracking smartass on a quest to rescue the beautiful princess Caleigh. The game is jam-packed full of little quests & adventures while maintaining a good storyline. The cons of the game are that each scene does need to load & sometimes there is a bit of lag in certain places. I wouldn't like to play this on an older computer as mine being brand new there was still an amount of lag to be annoying, especially in the middle of a battle. It wasn't as bad as I expected (from reading other reviews) however. Overall, it is a great game, very funny all the way to the end.

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