The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
Release Date: September 18, 2018
RPG, FPP, fantasy, turn-based, dungeon crawler, crowdfunding, classic RPG, Game Pass, singleplayer
Steam
The fourth installment in the legendary RPG series launched back in the mid-80s. The title was developed by inXile entertainment thanks to the funds raised at Kickstarter, and its production was overseen by Brian Fargo, the creator of the initial entry of the franchise. The action takes place in the fantasy world known from previous installments of the series. The city of Skara Brae is its center.
The Bard’s Tale IV for PC is the fourth major installment of the famous dungeon crawlers series that began with the release of The Bard’s Tale in 1985. The title was developed by inXile entertainment, the creators of Torment: Tides of Numenera, Hunted: The Demon’s Forge, and Wasteland 2. The Bard’s Tale IV goes back to the roots of the series which date back to the mid-80s. The project, which came to existence thanks to the fundraiser at Kickstarter, was overseen by Brian Fargo. The developer started his career at Interplay and worked on such titles as The Bard’s Tale, Neuromancer, Dragon Wars, Fallout, Fallout 2, Stonekeep, Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment.
Plot
In The Bard’s Tale IV, the players are taken to the original fantasy world, which is clearly inspired by Scottish and Celtic culture and mythology, known from the previous installments of the series. We start the adventure in the vast city of Skara Brae and thence set out to numerous and dangerous ruins and dungeons. The players create their own party of adventurers, choosing from many available races—such as elves, humans, or half-orcs—and classes. The composition of our company is not meaningless and influences NPC’s attitude as well as the quest and dialogue line availability. The list of plot surprises goes on, though. Many decisions we will make in the course of the game may significantly change the image of the world and Skara Brae.
Mechanics
The gameplay is similar to many classical dungeon crawlers. The players traverse non-linear labyrinths, dungeons, and ruins, all of which are full of various traps as well as logic puzzles. Some of the latter also use the complex physics engine. The available locations are grid-based in design—every character and opponents moves through its boxes. inXile entertainment decided to implement a phase turn-based combat system. What it means is that the party members perform all activities simultaneously. Thanks to this, we can make use of the synergic skills because some attacks and abilities affect one another. The magical music of our bards is also of great import for it can rapidly change the situation on the battlefield. What’s interesting, the developers value authenticity and therefore the ballads we hear were recorded in the actual Gaelic accent of the Scottish language, solely for the purposes of the game.
Technical aspects
The Bard’s Tale IV for PC is powered by Unreal Engine 4 which gave the developers significantly bigger technical possibilities than when they worked on their previous games. What’s interesting, the photogrammetry technique, which allows to scan real object and turn them into photorealistic 3D models, was used to design levels and scenography elements.
Last updated on April 2, 2016
Last Update: September 18, 2018
The Bard's Tale 4 Game Guide
The Bard's Tale IV Barrows Deep Game Guide is a set of guidelines for all players which deal with character classes, skills, and spells available in the game. Our walkthrough describes every quest and puzzle of this role-playing fantasy adventure.
November 22, 2016
15 RPGs we can’t wait to play – top upcoming role-playing games
„The Golden Age of RPG is upon us”, said Brian Fargo and got busy working on three separate projects. There are, however, many more RPGs worthy of attention out there, so we’ve cooked up a list of the best titles yet to come.
June 1, 2015
"Bethesda Did A Great Job With Fallout" – Interview With Brian Fargo, Creator Of Cult RPGs
During the latest edition of Digital Dragons gaming conference that took place in Kraków, Poland, we had an opportunity to chat with Brian Fargo. The legendary developer talked about his current and future endeavors.
Videos and Screens
[2:03] The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut launch trailer
[3:36] The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut combat overview
The main pros of the game
- Challenging Puzzles: Many players appreciate the complex and rewarding puzzles that provide a sense of accomplishment.
- Unique Turn-Based Combat: The combat system is praised for its originality and depth, requiring strategic thinking and planning.
- Strong Character Development: The game features a well-executed character development system that allows for diverse skill sets and abilities.
- Immersive Soundtrack: The music and voice acting are highlighted as exceptional, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Artistic Design: While some criticize the graphics, many acknowledge the artistic quality and attention to detail in the game world.
- Engaging Side Quests: Players enjoy the side quests and optional dungeons that add depth to the gameplay and encourage exploration.
- Nostalgic Appeal: Fans of old-school RPGs feel a connection to classic titles, appreciating the homage to the genre's roots.
The main cons of the game
- Technical Issues: Numerous users report bugs, crashes, and performance problems, particularly at launch, which have affected gameplay experience.
- Graphics Quality: The graphics have been criticized as outdated and inconsistent, failing to meet modern standards.
- Linear Gameplay: Some players feel the game lacks the open-world feel, describing it as too linear and restrictive.
- Save System Frustrations: The limited save options (only at specific points) have frustrated players, making it difficult to save progress conveniently.
- Poor Localization: Several users mention issues with translation, with inconsistent language use (e.g., mixing English and German) and poorly executed subtitles.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Open World Exploration: Many players express a desire for a more open-world experience rather than the linear progression currently offered.
- Improved Inventory Management: Users find the inventory system cumbersome and unorganized, calling for enhancements in usability.
- More Customization Options: There are requests for greater character customization beyond initial creation, including more diverse appearances and classes.
- Difficulty Settings: Some players mention the need for adjustable difficulty levels to cater to different skill levels, as the game can be quite challenging for newcomers.
- Multiplayer Options: A few users suggest that adding multiplayer features could enhance the gameplay experience, especially for dungeon crawling.
Summary
- Overall, "The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep" has garnered a mixed reception, with strong praise for its nostalgic elements, challenging gameplay, and engaging puzzles, but significant criticism for technical issues, graphical fidelity, and a lack of modern RPG features.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 111 votes. 85 players anticipated the game.
The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut Summary
Game Series: The Bard's Tale
Platforms:
PC / Windows September 18, 2018
PlayStation 4 August 27, 2019
Xbox One August 27, 2019
Developer: inXile entertainment
Publisher: inXile entertainment
The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 760 / 3 GB Radeon HD 7970 or better, 29 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/8.1/10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 970 / Radeon R9 290 or better, 29 GB HDD, Windows 7/8/8.1/10 64-bit
Director's Cut Update for The Bard's Tale 4 Gets New Release Date
We've learned the new release date for the large 2.0 update (also known as Director's Cut) for The Bard's Tale IV. According to inXile Entertainment, the patch will debut on August 27, in a little over a month.
video games
Milosz Szubert
July 12, 2019
The Bard's Tale 4 Gets Director's Cut Update
inXile Entertainment announced that the planned 2.0 update for The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep has grown in size so much, that with its release the game's title will be changed to The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut.
video games
Adrian Werner
February 19, 2019
The Bard's Tale original trilogy remaster unlikely to happen [Update: "It will" says dev]
Until now The Bard's Tale IV Kickstarter backers hoped to get the remastered versions of the original trilogy. Unfortunately, there may be a problem with that, as the publisher believes the works on the project have stopped.
video games
February 14, 2017
The Bard's Tale IV combat featured in this new video
So far, we haven't seen any actual combat from The Bard's Tale IV. Until now, as inXile Entertainment has just published this new gameplay video.
video games
February 8, 2017
The Bard's Tale IV new trailer features a three-headed dragon
In case you're wondering how is The Bard's Tale IV doing, inXile Entertainment has shared a new game trailer, which shows off its fantasy world and some unique creatures.
video games
September 29, 2016
The Bard’s Tale IV – See The Game Environment Generated By Unreal Engine 4
A video was published online showing off the capabilities of the engine utilized in The Bard’s Tale IV, the sequel to the legendary cRPG parody series for which a Kickstarter campaign was launched several days ago.
video games
June 5, 2015