Skald: Against the Black Priory

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue Game Cover

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Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue is a single player role playing game. It was developed by High North Studios AS and was released on June 1, 2021. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

You drag yourself from the black tides, across the corpses of drowned men, and onto the unwelcoming, craggy shoreline. Gulls cry overhead and the stink of seaweed fills your nose. By some miracle you have made it to Idra. It will take all your skill to survive and unravel the eldritch mysteries of the Black Priory. Pray your sanity holds.About the Prologue ‘Skald: Against the Black Priory’ is an o…

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Single-Player

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue screenshot

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99%

Audience ScoreBased on 138 reviews

story27 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Skald: Against the Black Priory offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic RPGs like Ultima, with modern quality-of-life features that enhance gameplay.
The writing and storytelling are engaging, creating a captivating atmosphere that draws players into its dark fantasy world.
The game is polished with minimal bugs, and the ability to skip random encounters adds to the overall enjoyment and pacing.

Some mechanics are under-explained or unintuitive, leading to confusion about gameplay systems like health and inventory management.
The user interface can be cumbersome, with issues such as difficulty in accessing inventory during combat and awkward menu navigation.
While the retro aesthetic is appreciated, some players feel that the graphics could benefit from more detail and modern enhancements.

story
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The game's story is widely praised for its captivating writing, intriguing plot, and well-developed characters, creating an immersive dark-fantasy atmosphere. Players appreciate the balance of grim themes with engaging storytelling, reminiscent of classic RPGs, and express excitement for the full release. Overall, the narrative is seen as a strong foundation that encourages multiple playthroughs and exploration of different story paths.
- “The writing is really good and the story so far is intriguing.”
- “Superb writing, very captivating story.”
- “The story is wonderfully told in flashbacks, and I won't give away any details as to how it is done, but I really was drawn into the story of the game.”
- “The glimpse we get of the story here isn't exactly groundbreaking stuff - a missing maiden with latent supernatural ability, horrors from the deep, townspeople driven to bloody madness - but it doesn't need to, and everything strikes the right dark fantasy balance of grim theatrics.”
- “It's tough to balance that out with the doom and gloom world/story, but even if it's not something that improves in the full game, this will still be a massively impressive experience for those enticed by the RPG gameplay and storytelling.”
- “Also, the meat of the game - the story - seems dark and slowly unfolding at just the right pace.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The graphics of the game evoke a strong sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of early D&D DOS RPGs with a stylish blend of EGA and C64 aesthetics. While many players appreciate the retro art style and its atmospheric integration with gameplay, some feel that the visuals could benefit from more detail, especially on larger screens. Overall, the graphics successfully capture the essence of classic RPGs while incorporating modern elements, appealing particularly to fans of the genre's golden age.
- “The graphics are great, and quite nostalgic.”
- “The graphics are fantastic, and I love how most of the major characters get a special mural/portrait when you are talking to them, as it was in those old gold box games.”
- “Skald is a stunningly beautiful game, and a testament to how much a good lighting engine can do for the aesthetics.”
- “My only real complaint is that the world graphics need a lot of work.”
- “I was too young to play them when they were current, and in the present, the low-fidelity graphics are, I must admit, a stumbling block I had to overcome.”
- “Even the artwork is too retro - while I very much appreciate the aesthetic, it could just be a bit more detailed (especially when viewed on a large monitor).”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
58%
13%
The gameplay is praised for its interesting RPG mechanics and a blend of retro and modern elements, though some mechanics may feel under-explained or counter-intuitive. Players appreciate the quality of life improvements and the engaging writing, while noting that the complexity of stat-based mechanics is toned down in favor of choice-based gameplay. Overall, the demo has generated excitement for the full game, with many expressing confidence in its potential despite some initial learning curves.
- “It's well written, and the gameplay is great because there's good quality of life features.”
- “A wonderfully evocative world, lovely art/writing, and fun mechanics.”
- “It is obviously inspired by older games such as the first Wasteland, but has a lot of quality of life features that make gameplay smoother.”
- “Some of the mechanics are under-explained or might seem a bit weird (or probably not fully thought through).”
- “Suffice to say there's a lot of stuff that's not intuitive, and even counter-intuitive to the way retro games used to present such mechanics.”
- “Retro-ness at the expense of gameplay.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
42%
10%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its epic quality and nostalgic feel reminiscent of early D&D DOS RPGs and 90s synth music. It enhances the Lovecraftian atmosphere and complements the game's narrative and visuals, contributing significantly to the overall experience. While some minor audio adjustments were suggested, the soundtrack is generally considered a standout feature that elevates the gameplay.
- “The music is epic, and I really like the weird Lovecraftian-fantasy setting.”
- “Demo was awesome, and I love the dialog options and writing, the gameplay was nice and the soundtrack is fantastic and not one song over and over.”
- “The great pixel art, evocative music, and fantastic writing brought together a great sense of foreboding dread.”
- “Some works on the audio, like the music cutting off hard / some more specific sound adjustments to form it to my liking.”
- “(music up/down effects up/down instead of muting them whole)”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
9%
18%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, effectively blending modernized pixel graphics with a dark-fantasy narrative that evokes nostalgia for early RPGs. Reviewers highlight the seamless grid movement, engaging music, and art design, all contributing to a thick, foreboding ambiance that enhances the overall experience. The combination of these elements creates a captivating environment that keeps players hooked throughout their journey.
- “The music, art design, and general atmosphere of this game have been amazing.”
- “If you choose to try this game, you get an engaging dark-fantasy story, nice-looking modernized pixel graphics, a turn-based combat system, and controls that are easy to learn. All this makes for an immersive atmosphere that will get you instantly hooked until you finish it.”
- “Great atmosphere, style, and story.”
- “The grid movement is seamless and fast, which makes getting around a breeze. Combat is turn-based and takes place on the map. The atmosphere is thick and foreboding, and the writing is a whole lot better than I expected it to be.”
- “Because visuals work hand-in-hand with the atmosphere to sell you on this down-to-earth aesthetic the game is aiming for.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect enjoyable and not tedious, with the process of obtaining better gear providing a sense of purpose. However, some users noted that managing weight can be cumbersome until they unlock additional characters, which alleviates the issue quickly. Overall, grinding is seen as a rewarding activity that enhances gameplay.
- “The only nitpick would be that managing weight was pretty tedious until I got a second character, but that happened pretty fast.”
- “Grinding out a few kills to get the best armor gives me something to do.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is generally solid, but some users feel that the cast could be more endearing to enhance emotional engagement.
- “The character development is rich and engaging, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, with their backstories and motivations being explored in depth.”
- “The growth of the characters is one of the highlights of the game, as their journeys are both compelling and emotionally resonant.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express uncertainty about the game's replayability, suggesting that it may improve with potential quality of life updates and gameplay enhancements in the final version.
- “That said, I will hold my opinion of the final version to see if any quality of life UI or gameplay updates make the game more playable.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is noted for its smooth performance, reminiscent of classic SSI titles, while also delivering an engaging storyline.
- “This reminds me of the old SSI classics, but it runs smoothly and has an exciting story so far.”
- “The optimization in this game is impressive; everything runs seamlessly, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it allows for a fluid gameplay experience without any noticeable lag.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The prologue of the game is reported to be quite buggy, leading some players to abandon it shortly after starting. Stability issues appear to significantly impact the initial experience.
- “That being said, this prologue is really buggy, and I gave up shortly after waking up on the shore.”

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5h Median play time

5h Average play time

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*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue is a role playing game.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue was released on June 1, 2021.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue was developed by High North Studios AS.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue is a single player game.

Similar games include SKALD: Against the Black Priory, Death Trash, Caves of Lore, Moonring, Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness and others.

Skald: Against the Black Priory - the Prologue

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