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The Bard's Tale PC
User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 20
  3. Negative: 5 out of 20

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  1. DonnieBrasco
    Jun 15, 2005
    4
    Awesome, hilarious absurd humor a'la Monty Python paired with subpar graphics, no RPG elements and "dumbed-down-to-ground" playflow make this a very mixed game. With a nice skills/char development and much more depth concerning gameplay this could have been a classic. Does the name "Anachronox" ring a bell? Not far....
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  2. MitchellS.
    Aug 23, 2005
    1
    This thing sucks. Barely worthy of the name Bards Tale. Sorry I paid full price for it. It's a cheap, shoddy effort to cash in on the name by the original creator, who must have had a bad run of business luck or something, and got desperate. And it shows. The graphics are circa 1999. They're SERIOUSLY BAD, and if you told most gamers this came out in 2004/5 and they'd not heard about it prior, they would have no reason to believe you. Gameplay is basically non-existent; I'm tempted to say this game isn't even finished, and that they decided to throw in the towel and release it at the "walk-through demo" state, which is pretty much what it is. That said, some of the content is damn funny. So it gets a one, not z ero. It just isn't worth $40. Or even $20.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. Knief
    May 19, 2005
    4
    Judging by the demo, anywho, this is a game well after its time, bringing nothing new to the genre.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  4. Imachuemanch
    Aug 18, 2011
    7
    It's a one shot game. You launch it, you laugh, you delete it. Doesn't mean it's bad. It was meant to be like that and God, it did it well. Humour makes this game what it is.
  5. HarryR.
    Aug 4, 2005
    9
    Quite fun. Played the orignal games with my son when he was fairly young. This wouldn't be as much appreciated by a 10 year old. But the tongue in cheek version of an RPG is good fun. The character acting is great. The challenge isn't the insane RPG of a Dungeon Lords, where quests involve absolutely absurd soutions. (Wizardry was also an early favorite.) Rather this is a decent RPG with a really good sense of humor. Even the treasure recovered is worth a chuckle or three or ten. Not it's not the old Bard's Tale. But if you want to relive that all of the three originals are included. What it is is the closest thing to a comic Role Playing Novel yet released on a PC disc.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  6. LarryM.
    Sep 13, 2005
    9
    It was fun and if not for the bugs in the video/game play I would have given it a 10. I thoroughly enjoyed the satire and the overall trek.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  7. JackK.
    Jun 26, 2005
    9
    This game was better than a lot of the late generic RPGs, and had more of a catch to it than alot of other late PC RPGs. So this game deserves atleast a "9" because it hit the PC. PC doesn't have too many great games drop on us.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  8. G.Doane
    Jun 7, 2005
    9
    If it's Bard's Tale it has to be good. I'm ready for the character to swing three times and miss!
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  9. RobeerC.
    Jul 10, 2005
    10
    I've just walked through this game, and it was a great fun. I can only say, it's a must play game. Good songs for everyone ;)
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  10. Jok`RdeMo
    Jun 20, 2005
    10
    This game maybe brings nothing new, but it is SOOO FUN to play. Very, very good.
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  11. doyourealize
    Mar 21, 2012
    8
    This game is not a challenger to Diablo. You will not horde items and decide whether you would like the quicker sword with a less power, or the more powerful sword that's a bit slower. You won't have to make difficult decisions about whether to save a woman or save a town. The RPG mechanics are not innovative or thought-provoking. And the quest will not demand countless hours of your life. You will, however, enjoy every step in your (admittedly short) journey. It's funny, it's quirky, and you'll never have to worry about anything except moving forward. Everything you pick up is something you automatically equip or something that turns instantly to gold (you should still take a look at what these things are, though, as ofttimes, it's hilarious). Even new weapons, when you find one, will be automatically equipped and your old sword will turn to gold. These are not admirable designs in a deep, multiplayer adventure. In this game, though, which you play alone, they are godsends. It's $5 right now on Steam, and worth every penny. It won't change your life, but it will leave you happy.… Expand
  12. ghorahn
    Mar 23, 2012
    3
    Vapid, mediocre, pointless game. Makes me concerned about the $15 I pledged for Wasteland 2 on Kickstarter...if these people consider this Bard's Tale game to be a game worth playing, who knows how they'll butcher Wasteland. Here's my guess: Dull, pointless combat. (Face your target, click him. Rinse, repeat.) The lowest common denominator of character development. Uninspired, sometimes-obnoxious voice acting that plays right to tired gaming stereotypes. And an obsession with polygonal bosoms that only happens when you're a porn-obsessed teenager or a desparately lonely old man. What an embarassing piece of junk this game is. Glad I only spent $5 on it on Steam.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. PC Format
    45
    A victim of its own sneers, this is the world's first self-parodying game. [July 2005, p.90]
  2. Computer and Video Games
    68
    While The Bard's Tale is told amusingly enough, the disappointing combat fails to lift it from the upper end of mediocrity.
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  3. CPUGamer
    80
    The wit present in this game is second to none and I honestly think this is what would have happened had Mel Brooks gotten into game making.
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See all critic reviews »