Game News The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut Released

[Infinitron]

Tags: inXile Entertainment; The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep

A busy two weeks for inXile end today with the release of The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut, the unlikely enhanced edition of the commercially unsuccessful Bard's Tale sequel originally released last September. There's not much to say about the Director's Cut that hasn't already been detailed in previous updates. In addition to upgrading all Kickstarter backers to the Deluxe Edition, inXile have decided to offer Krome's remastered Bard's Trilogy to everyone who already has the game or buys it within the next week, which is pretty nice. Here's the new version of the launch trailer, which includes a few scenes from the areas added in the Director's Cut.

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The Bard's Tale IV Director's Cut is available on Steam and GOG now for $35. Hopefully this version doesn't get review bombed too. That known issues list is a bit worrying...

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

So, since I lost track of this one entirely: how was it? I remember it got a lukewarm reception, but was it for issues that this Director's Cut could eventually fix or it simply was garbage with no possible redemption on sight?
How did it compare to, say, Might & Magic X (which is an extremely flawed title I still enjoyed a lot)?

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

So, since I lost track of this one entirely: how was it? I remember it got a lukewarm reception, but was it for issues that this Director's Cut could eventually fix or it simply was garbage with no possible redemption on sight?
How did it compare to, say, Might & Magic X (which is an extremely flawed title I still enjoyed a lot)?

The Bard's Tale IV seems to have been made for an audience of no-one, since it alienated fans of the original Bard's Tale trilogy and Wizardry-likes in general by departing from that formula in both combat and exploration while not particularly appealing to any other existing type of CRPG subgenre. For example, inXile wasted money on advertisements aimed at fans of Skyrim, but Skyrim fans would probably run screaming from the first gear puzzle, while fans of puzzle games or puzzle-heavy RPGs (e.g. Dungeon Master-likes) would find the ones in TBDIV unchallenging. Similarly, TBD IV featured semi-tactical turn-based combat, but it was fairly simplistic and it doesn't take long for the PCs to acquire the combat skills that are sufficient for (almost) the entire game, even at the harder difficulty setting. All that said, it is still a modestly entertaining and engaging game, provided one doesn't expect too much of it and doesn't expect it to be much like the earlier Bard's Tale games.

 

[AN4RCHID]

Didn't even know Bard's Tale IV was ever originally released. Front page news posts should be reserved for Tier 1 developers.

 

[Lady_Error]

How did it compare to, say, Might & Magic X (which is an extremely flawed title I still enjoyed a lot)?

I liked MMX a lot too, but could not get into BT4 so far. The combat is kind of repetitive with basically the same strategies - though the same could be said of most blobbers I guess. One thing that sucks is that the same attack always does the same amount of damage. So it's really like a card game.

It doesn't help that the character and skill systems are simplistic or that the game starts out with a "raycist" cliche.

The graphics in the DC version are a bit different - some things have definitely improved (NPC's), while other things are apparently worse looking now for performance reasons.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

So, are the physical copies ok with the extras? Is the OST worth a damn or just meh? Is Brian Fargo high and full of himself riding the delusional rollercoaster of grandeur?

 

[Lady_Error]

After two high-profile flops in a row, I doubt that Fargo has a high opinion of himself or his company.

 

[Urthor]

So, what's the alternative if you want an excellent and quality blobber with a modern UI? Because I know those things aren't going to be found here

After two high-profile flops in a row, I doubt that Fargo has a high opinion of himself or his company.

idk if he can fuck up Wasteland 3 though, the audience for that title seems to be pretty happy with it and it's not like he hasn't made a goodish one before.

It would take actually peak idiocy for him to make a worse title than Wasteland 2 after all these years building his business up

 

[Lady_Error]

Might & Magic X or Grimoire.

 

[Rpguy]

The puzzles are too repetitive and not related to the game at all , it like playing a puzzle app on your phone in between battles. The combat itself was too easy when I played it on release on the hardest difficulty - they might have changed it later, haven't checked.

The class design is pretty bad, you have 6 characters but only 4 classes so you have to take multiple of the same class and at the high levels they get pretty much the same. When I played there were tons of bugs and skills not working correctly.

 

[Space Satan]

A QUICK REMINDER

 

[Feyd Rautha]

That known issues list is a bit worrying...

guess I won't play until all of those are solved

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

So, what's the alternative if you want an excellent and quality blobber with a modern UI? Because I know those things aren't going to be found here

The Bard's Tale IV isn't actually a blobber; the only similarity is the first-person perspective outside of combat --- and an option for grid-based movement that was only added in a patch.

If you want a good blobber, not necessarily with a modern UI, you can try Legend of Grimrock for an homage to Dungeon Master, Legend of Grimrock II for an expansion beyond the formula, Paper Sorcerer for a Wizardry-like (but weak on exploration), Stranger of Sword City for a Japanese Wizardry-derivative, the remasters of The Bard's Tale trilogy that were an outgrowth of the kickstarter for The Bard's Tale, and of course the incomparable Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar by the Codex's own Cleveland Blakemore.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Still looks like crap. Still runs like crap. So much for the Director's Cut Penis edition.

 

[Wulfric Pinewood]

Its for free from today on PC on MS Xbox Ultimate game pass [it connects pc and xbox one x games and xboxlive in one product] along with bards tale remastered trilogy, tyranny, numenora, vampyr, wasteland 2 dc, Kingdom come, and some other . I started to really like MS as PC/XboxoX owner , for around 10 euro /month i have constant access to over 200 games plus each 2 weeks new [often AAA and free releases ] are added. Since gamepass ultimate is for both PC and XOX its real ultimate gaming experience , i can honestly recommend. Not to mention Blair Witch since this friday, what's not to like, plus huge discounts every week. As im reserved for all that marketing shit i must admit that Microsoft rocks as fuck now , and Microsoft Flight Simulator early access soon [in special program] , im amazed.

 

[commie]

A QUICK REMINDER

Better comparison.... not even selling it for a pitiful (I will never sell it so low!(tm)) amount helped Cleve....

BT4>Grimoire

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I think the trilogy is ok and features are being added here and there. (OK, not absolutely stellar but ok enough to pass the time).

I doubt there will be a gfx patch to play any bardstale gfx from any platform it was on (c64, apple, mac, etc etc).

I highly doubt we'll see a superior BTCS strapped on (you might get s few people making their own visions in the bardstale world).

I doubt you'll see a online party server where you can be in a party with a caller who moves the party while each player controls their own player (seems annoying difficult to manage).

Better yet, i doubt you'll see a pvp online server of party vs party in a sort of Bardstale MMORPG world.

 

[Trojan_generic]

So, this is actually a Console Cut, not a Director's Cut:

Massive graphical downgrade... Why?

 

[Outlander]

So, this is actually a Console Cut, not a Director's Cut:

Massive graphical downgrade... Why?

 

[Wulfric Pinewood]

So, this is actually a Console Cut, not a Director's Cut:

Massive graphical downgrade... Why?

Have You seen graphics in AAA games on XBOX O X lately ? I can assure You that while playin RDR2 or W3 in 4k on 50" i m far from talking about downgraded or weak graphics , Today pc is the "downgrade" section in terms of graphics/economy value, while most players do not play pc games on something more than 40" and most in 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 . I have very good pc too and only way i can talk about difference between platforms are controls [ i prefer mouse&keyboard for cprgs] plus there is much more comfort in reading quests etc on smaller screens. Plus playing on PC is more "personal" . Of course i can say that PS4 gfx are shit but what can you expect from Japanese company [ much better subscription on MS , better pc oriented titles, less jrpg shit, etc. ]

 

[Trojan_generic]

So, this is actually a Console Cut, not a Director's Cut:

Massive graphical downgrade... Why?

Have You seen graphics in AAA games on XBOX O X lately ? I can assure You that while playin RDR2 or W3 in 4k on 50" i m far from talking about downgraded or weak graphics , Today pc is the "downgrade" section in terms of graphics/economy value, while most players do not play pc games on something more than 40" and most in 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 . I have very good pc too and only way i can talk about difference between platforms are controls [ i prefer mouse&keyboard for cprgs] plus there is much more comfort in reading quests etc on smaller screens. Plus playing on PC is more "personal" . Of course i can say that PS4 gfx are shit but what can you expect from Japanese company [ much better subscription on MS , better pc oriented titles, less jrpg shit, etc. ]

Honestly, although I'm normally playing in 4K, the graphics aspect is a minor problem when you start seriously dumbing things down for the console audience. But this topic has been beaten to death here already.

 

[Wulfric Pinewood]

Ahh no, there are titles not dumbed down , Witcher 3 for example, incoming Cyberpunk etc. , of course main target of console is to sit way from tv and press fire to relax , but there are many titles same as for pc. Point is console are not for hardcore gaming sessions and just for relax more. When i have to play crpgs or strategy i choose pc and when i want just gaming relax or mindfucking decimation of enemies or jumping i play games like GTA, platformers, beatemups , racing, sports, and tpp on xbox. There is no conflict between each other for me. There is lot of bad blood but it comes from wrong expectations. When you drive sport car you dont want to go offroad and you dont expect from boat to ride on the desert etc. Xbox or consoles in general are more for pure relaxed softcore playing and while having good cprgs too, good luck with reading lore/quests from 6 m .

 

[passerby]

Shorter loading times and 60fps alone make PC superior even for basic button mashers.

 

[Bohr]

Hopefully this version doesn't get review bombed too. That known issues list is a bit worrying...

 

[Diggfinger]

Might & Magic X or Grimoire.

Lady Error:
1) are you actually a *lady*?
2) What's your all-time favorite blobber?
3) Grimoire is wayy more awesome than M&MX, right?

- Digg