Chronicles of a Dark Lord: Episode 1 Tides of Fate Complete
- November 8, 2013
- Kisareth Studios
Get on SteamIn "Chronicles of a Dark Lord: Episode 1 Tides of Fate Complete," players experience an updated RPG with improved cut-scene dialogue, more detailed character sprites, and expanded resolution options. This revised edition aims to enhance gameplay and bridge the gap between episodes shipping with enhanced NPC dialogue and combat visuals.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features mature humor and a unique story that deviates from typical RPG tropes, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- The battle system is engaging, allowing players to avoid random encounters and providing a strategic element to combat.
- The game has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic JRPGs, with solid gameplay mechanics and a decent amount of content for its price.
- The characters lack depth and personality, making it difficult for players to connect with them or care about the story.
- The pacing can be awkward, with a reliance on grinding and simplistic dungeon design that may frustrate players.
- Technical issues, such as poor resolution support and repetitive enemy encounters, detract from the overall experience.
- story66 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally viewed as clichéd and lacking depth, with a typical "bad guy wants world domination" plot and flat character development. While some players appreciate the unique aspects and enjoy the writing, many find the narrative unengaging and repetitive, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story may appeal to RPG enthusiasts, but it fails to deliver a compelling experience for those seeking rich storytelling.
“The story, music, and gameplay are all superb.”
“I thoroughly enjoy the story.”
“I adore what this game has to offer story-wise, and the character personalities keep me interested.”
“The story is cliche, the characters have no personality or diversity, and the game's flow is extremely repetitive.”
“It's a typical 'bad guy wants world domination' thing, and there aren't any big plot twists or surprises in the bland story.”
“Most of the game is a fairly linear fantasy story, although I wish there was more depth to it, as the plot, characters, and lore are all a little flat.”
- music16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality, with memorable battle themes that players find catchy and enjoyable. However, some users note that the music can become repetitive and annoying during extended play sessions. The recent update has reportedly enhanced the audio experience, potentially adding new tracks and improving overall performance.
“The story, music, and gameplay are all superb.”
“The music for this game is actually really good (you will have the battle theme stuck in your head for weeks) and so is the art direction and spell effects.”
“Also, the song during the end credits is pretty good.”
“The music and sound effects are nothing special either.”
“If you turn off all three sound options (listening to music, at work, etc), there are two sounds during battle that are still heard.”
“The music for this game is actually also really good (you will have the battle theme stuck in your head for weeks) and so is the art direction and spell effects.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a classic turn-based battle system typical of JRPGs, featuring unique character abilities and a linear story that minimizes grinding. While the graphics may not meet the standards of modern titles, the overall experience is described as tight and enjoyable, appealing particularly to fans of old-school dungeon crawlers. However, those seeking high-quality visuals and extensive gameplay may find it lacking.
“The story, music, and gameplay are all superb.”
“Gameplay: 9/10 (classic, yet it's cool with unique things!)”
“Some might be turned off by the broody, almost gothy mood of the characters and story, or by the perhaps inconsistent graphics and fonts, but really, the gameplay is tight, and the writing is delightful.”
“The gameplay is very rote JRPG fare.”
“If nothing less than Skyrim quality graphics and infinite hours of gameplay are more your cup of tea, this may bore you quickly.”
“The world map is weird/fascinating at the same time, but the gameplay is typical battle-like system.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally considered standard for RPG Maker games, featuring typical stock assets that may feel outdated and repetitive over time. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and improved elements, others find the inconsistent visuals and overall aesthetic lacking compared to modern titles. Overall, the graphics serve the gameplay well for fans of classic JRPGs, but may not satisfy those seeking high-quality visuals.
“Graphics: 9/10 (typical and also improved or enhanced graphics!)”
“But that said, if you like the old style dungeon crawlers JRPG with the turn-based attacks and unique powers and abilities for each character... along with the linear story and surprisingly not as much grinding as I would have expected... this game will bring a satisfying sigh of 'at last'...”
“The outdated graphics, battle system, and overused stock items, character avatars, etc. get to be quite boring over time.”
“This goes double for RPG Maker games, because the graphics are pretty standard across the board (some will have nice character portraits, the portraits in this seem to be generated in RPG Maker) and the gameplay is very rote JRPG fare.”
“Some might be turned off by the broody, almost gothy mood of the characters and story, or by the perhaps inconsistent graphics and fonts, but really, the gameplay is tight, and the writing (with said update) is delightful.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is described as effective yet tedious, with some players finding it less frequent than anticipated. Fans of classic dungeon crawlers and turn-based JRPGs may appreciate the balance of character abilities and challenging boss fights, while those seeking high-quality graphics and extensive gameplay might find it lacking. Overall, the grinding aspect can be a mixed bag depending on player preferences.
“Grinding feels effective but very tedious after a while.”
“Characters' abilities are all useful, items are often essential, boss fights are common and tough, and occasional grinding is a must.”
“But that said, if you like the old style dungeon crawlers JRPG with the turn-based attacks and unique powers and abilities for each character... along with the linear story and surprisingly not as much grinding as I would have expected... this game will bring a satisfying sigh of 'at last'... but if nothing less than Skyrim quality graphics and infinite hours of gameplay are more your cup of tea... this may bore you quickly.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its mature humor, which resonates well with some players. However, others feel that it struggles to balance its darker themes with attempts at lightheartedness, leading to a sense of forced comedy.
“I love the game for its mature humor.”
“The game tries too hard to also be funny and light for it to be dark.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has improved significantly with the recent rebirth update, which has enhanced visuals and resolved previous performance issues, making gameplay smoother. However, some users still experience occasional lag during fast-paced actions, particularly when managing multiple characters. Performance ratings hover around 8/10, indicating a generally positive reception with minor hiccups.
“The rebirth update is actually quite a good enhancement to the game, adding better looking battle sprites, spell effects, resolution options, and I think, although I might be wrong, new music as well. Also, the performance of the game is now silky smooth when before it was quite choppy if you chose to play fullscreen.”
“Performance: 8/10 (sometimes it lags a bit when I want to make fast moves like getting 2 characters ready with skills; it lags due to the enhanced scripting they had made, I guess).”
