Tales & Tactics

About

Tales & Tactics is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Table 9 Studio and was released on August 15, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

"Tales & Tactics" is a single-player roguelike strategy game with squad-based autobattler elements, offering a relaxed pace for players to learn the mechanics and strategize. The game features a complex unlock system that allows for depth and challenge at one's own pace, and follows the story of a hero on their journey to victory in the Grand Tournament.

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,424 reviews

gameplay108 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay that combines elements of autobattlers and roguelikes, providing a unique experience.
High replayability with a variety of units, traits, and strategies to explore, keeping each run fresh.
The game allows players to take their time with decisions, making it less stressful compared to traditional PvP autobattlers.

Some balance issues exist, with certain traits and units being significantly more powerful than others.
The UI can be clunky and overwhelming, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand all mechanics.
Runs can feel repetitive after a few playthroughs, and the game may lack long-term engagement without additional content.

gameplay
292 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The gameplay of "Tales & Tactics" is characterized by its engaging and addictive auto-battler mechanics, which blend strategic depth with roguelike elements, allowing for a variety of unit combinations and playstyles. While the core gameplay loop is straightforward and accessible, some players note that it can become repetitive after unlocking all features, and the reliance on RNG may detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, many reviewers appreciate the game's charm, solid mechanics, and potential for replayability, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of the genre.
- “The gameplay is sweet, the combos are incredibly fun, and the world and GM dialogue is quite charming.”
- “The myriad combinations and strategies available ensure that every single run feels like a unique adventure, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “With its engaging gameplay, rich content, and replayability, it stands out as a top choice for fans of both single-player and multiplayer auto-battlers.”
- “On the downside, after unlocking all the gameplay features, the events can start to feel a bit repetitive.”
- “What this results in is a lack of engagement with what is ostensibly the primary gameplay of an autobattler.”
- “The problem with this game is that it blindly copies the synergy system and implements it without understanding its strengths and weaknesses as a gameplay element.”
replayability
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
Overall, "Tales & Tactics" is praised for its exceptional replayability, driven by a rich variety of characters, customization options, and engaging gameplay that appeals to both single-player and asynchronous multiplayer fans. While many players report hundreds of hours of content and diverse strategies to explore, some express concerns about potential limitations in long-term replayability due to a finite selection of units and mechanics. Nevertheless, the game's depth and challenge modes significantly enhance its replay value, making it a standout choice in the auto-battler genre.
- “Overall, Tales & Tactics offers tons of content, customization options, and replayability.”
- “With its engaging gameplay, rich content, and replayability, it stands out as a top choice for fans of both single-player and multiplayer auto-battlers.”
- “The fact that the game has tons of replayability makes it a gem!”
- “There's a ton there to experiment with and learn to master right now, but it loses replayability after about 12 or so hours due to limited unit selection.”
- “I will say the gameplay loop isn't much longer than 5-15 hours, so beware if you care about replayability.”
- “It does lack long-term replayability right now.”
graphics
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are functional, they lack polish and can appear muddled or simplistic, reminiscent of mobile games. Some appreciate the cute and charming art style, particularly the focus on character faces, but others criticize it for being unappealing or overly political. Overall, while the visuals serve their purpose, they are not the game's strongest aspect and could benefit from significant improvements.
- “The gameplay and the visuals are quite pleasing and the devs seem to really care about the game (which is always a plus).”
- “The game has pleasing visuals too of a far higher quality than one often finds while sifting for gems.”
- “It has a fun meta-progression system, the theme and the writing are very well done, I love the way certain people 'butt in' to the story sometimes, graphics are cute, it's a big win.”
- “Graphically it’s all functional but not amazing.”
- “Confusing chaos can be fun but a few bad design decisions would have made the game almost unplayable with how muddy the visuals are.”
- “This has the graphics of a mobile game yet my PC hasn't gotten this hot in years...”
story
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
87%
6%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the engaging character backstories and dialogue, while others find it lacking depth and coherence. Many enjoy the roguelike elements that allow for varied runs and choices, but some criticize the overall narrative as simplistic or underwhelming. Overall, the storytelling enhances the gameplay experience for some, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more robust narrative.
- “The story is really engrossing; there are no typos, and each character has their own major backstory. Each interaction has a full set of dialogue, along with rivals and friends that you make during each run.”
- “The depth of gameplay is great; it's accessible for newer players, and the learning curve is shorter than most other autobattlers because the storytelling aspect frames everything so well.”
- “Wonderful unit combinations, plus fun storytelling; this is a good time.”
- “The art is terrible and so is the story.”
- “I did enjoy the little vignettes provided for NPCs, though calling that a 'story' is a bit of a stretch.”
- “The characters feel like quirky D&D characters that don't translate well to the general playerbase; the tactics are always the same, and the story is a bit of a nothing burger without much boss or enemy variation between games.”
optimization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
73%
18%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems. While some improvements have been noted since early access, the user interface remains clunky, and there are ongoing concerns about the game's ability to run smoothly, particularly in demanding scenarios. Players express a desire for further optimization and performance enhancements to improve the overall experience.
- “Would love to see more visual clarity and performance improvements.”
- “At the beginning of early access, the game had some performance problems (with some GPU), but these have long since been fixed.”
- “Game feels complete enough to enjoy with a lot of variety & gives you as much info as you could possibly want on your units/unit performance.”
- “The idea is amazing, but the UI is pretty clunky and the optimization is quite bad.”
- “Regarding performance, I have had trouble running the game mirrored between two screens set to 2560x1440 with a mix of low (AA/shadow) and high settings, on a rig running Windows 10 Home with a Ryzen 5650/GPU 3070, which should be able to handle a stable 60 FPS but has seen dips as low as single-digit frames in busy Act 3 fights.”
- “I can't recommend Tales & Tactics because it's an unbalanced mess. It's a restart game over and over again simulator if you get even slightly bad RNG on starting items and/or early Act 1 choices; otherwise, you won't be winning any games at the higher difficulties. There are also too many performance problems when playing (my PC has a SN850X SSD, 13700KF, and 3070Ti just for some basic information about it), which is far above what the system specs require, but I constantly get stuttering, mini freezes, and huge 144 to 20 FPS drops during/after battles, and the devs have shown they don't care about the game anymore.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
59%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it immersive and well-crafted, enhancing the overall experience, while others describe it as grating, annoying, and repetitive, leading them to mute the game or play their own music. Many agree that the soundtrack needs improvement, as its quick looping and generic quality detract from the gameplay. Overall, the music is seen as a weak point, overshadowed by the game's more engaging elements.
- “The music is fantastic, adding an immersive layer to the experience that enhances every battle and exploration.”
- “It’s clear that a lot of care went into the soundtrack, making it a standout feature of the game.”
- “The music is serviceable, but it loops way too quickly.”
- “The main music theme (when building your army) is so bad that I had to mute the game.”
- “The music needs an overhaul.”
- “If this doesn't change, I imagine most players will tire of it quickly, mute it, and play their own music instead.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience on devices like the Steam Deck and commend the lack of major bugs, others experience significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame rate drops, particularly on higher-end PCs. Many acknowledge the presence of bugs and clunky interface elements, but some are willing to overlook these issues given the game's early access status.
- “Tales & Tactics runs great, no bugs and the gameplay is a fantastic scaffolding to be built upon.”
- “Great job by the devs so far for a bug-free early access game as well.”
- “Edit: Day two and I'm on 15 hours (my girlfriend isn't happy), runs great on my crappy laptop and I'm beginning to get a good grasp of the tactics.”
- “I can't recommend Tales & Tactics because it's an unbalanced mess. It's a restart game over and over again simulator if you get even slightly bad RNG on starting items and/or early Act 1 choices; otherwise, you won't be winning any games at the higher difficulties. There are also too many performance problems when playing (my PC has a SN850X SSD, 13700KF, and 3070Ti just for some basic information about it), which is far above what the system specs require, but I constantly get stuttering, mini freezes, and huge 144 to 20 FPS drops during/after battles, and the devs have shown they don't care about the game anymore.”
- “The game interface does get a bit clunky and buggy, but considering the recent release of the game, I can forgive it.”
- “It still has a few bugs (freezes a few times) and still more content needs to be added, but overall for an early release, it's a good game.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
7%
86%
Reviews of "grinding" in Tales & Tactics highlight a mixed experience; while the game offers a variety of items and strategies that encourage players to engage in grinding for content, many find the process tedious and overly time-consuming. Players express frustration with the rapid maxing out of levels and the necessity of shuffling units, which can detract from enjoyment and lead to a sense of wasted time, particularly in the roguelike format where progress often feels gated by extensive grinding. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, providing depth but also leading to potential burnout.
- “After 6 hours, all the in-game level-ups and roguelike elements are maxed. I get that some people don't like grinding, but holy crap, that was fast and it's maxed!”
- “So you spend 20-30 minutes boringly grinding a run to the first boss, then get your butt handed to you (as will happen with a roguelike).”
- “I just don't care to play a roguelike that wastes my time that way with 90% of the game being boring grinding.”
- “Absolute garbage where progress is gated behind dozens of hours of grinding metaprogression.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong sense of humor, featuring witty writing and amusing naming conventions that consistently elicit laughter. Players appreciate the charm and depth of the humor, which enhances the overall experience, particularly in the context of its roguelike auto-battler mechanics.
- “A great roguelike auto-battler with that Yogs sense of humor.”
- “Unlocks such as extra scenarios occurring, and learning the ambitions of the character you were playing for 8 hours, which made me laugh.”
- “I found the writing to be very funny.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a charming and cozy ambiance that evokes classic fantasy party-building experiences, enhanced by engaging melodies and rhythms that create an immersive audio backdrop. Players appreciate the satisfying blend of art and gameplay elements, which together foster a captivating environment that is both enjoyable and adaptable to individual preferences. Overall, the atmosphere successfully balances nostalgia with modern gameplay mechanics, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The melodies and rhythms perfectly match the game's atmosphere, creating an engaging and enjoyable audio experience that keeps you hooked.”
- “The art, atmosphere, and little rogue-lite auto battler adventures are satisfying and engaging without being overwhelming.”
- “Team 9 created something special here, with elements of classic D&D encounters, TFT without a solved meta, constantly evolving gameplay that can be customized to your difficulty preferences, and a charming and cozy atmosphere that feels like sitting down for a classic fantasy party builder, with the enjoyable auto chess style that is adapted perfectly for solo play.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight the emotional depth of the game, noting a strong sense of community that is both heartwarming and poignant, creating a bittersweet experience.
- “That's the heartbreaking part.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is criticized for its poor execution, with users highlighting a lack of polish in the user interface and sound design, as well as a monotonous narrator. However, some players appreciate the fun character designs, suggesting that while the overall development may be lacking, there are redeeming qualities in the visual representation of characters.
- “The UI is lacking some major polish, the sound is lackluster, the narrator is just some guy and has no variation in his lines, and the character design is just horrible.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model of "Tales & Tactics" is viewed positively, as it allows players to enjoy the auto-battler genre in a single-player format without the typical pay-to-win pitfalls associated with many multiplayer games. This approach has garnered appreciation from users who typically dislike monetization strategies in similar games.