The Bard's Tale IV

55%
Game Brain Score Based on 921 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • graphics
The Bard's Tale IV Game Cover
The Bard's Tale 4: Barrows Deep is a rousing but technically rough adventure driven by great music, clever puzzles, and challenging turn-based combat
Starting at $2.13Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store

"The Bard's Tale IV" is a heroic adventure game with 40+ hours of gameplay and over 100 pieces of music. Customize your experience with various sliders, and create your party of characters from 4 distinct classes, each with unique skills. Explore a rich world filled with quests, enemies, and items as you face an evil that has waited patiently in the shadows.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Linux
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 921 reviews
music177 positive mentions
optimization53 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and music that enhances the experience.
  • Engaging combat system that requires strategic thinking.
  • Challenging puzzles that add depth to the gameplay.
  • Poor optimization leading to low frame rates and long loading times.
  • Limited character customization options and shallow skill trees.
  • Bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay and progress.
  • music309 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its hauntingly beautiful Gaelic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and immersion. While some found certain songs repetitive, the majority highlighted the music as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the best in recent RPGs, making it a memorable aspect of the gaming experience.

    • “The music becomes spectacular, particularly in the countryside/forest maps, which I would revisit for the singing alone.”
    • “The original Gaelic soundtrack is amazing and really adds to the experience.”
    • “The music is absolutely fantastic, and I love how the story reflected upon the previous Bard's Tale games.”
    • “One set is the epitome of torture as the sanctuary in the Inshriach insisted on playing its melody at an atrocious and arrogant, repetitive level of stupidity while you are trying to figure out what you are supposed to do next.”
    • “The bard singing upon loading the game and at other points has turned the game into a personal horror and there does not appear to be any apparent way to disable the singing music.”
    • “Mainly because each character that sings in the game seems to only have one song that has very repetitive verses; they sing it over and over and you can even hear them in some fights.”
  • story290 mentions

    The story of "Bard's Tale IV" is a nostalgic homage to the original series, featuring a Scottish-inspired setting and engaging lore, though it often feels linear and somewhat simplistic. While many players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and character interactions, some criticize the overabundance of puzzles that can detract from the narrative flow, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall storytelling experience. Despite its flaws, the game is generally seen as a solid RPG with a fun, if familiar, fantasy tale that appeals to fans of the genre.

    • “The story is a fun throwback to the original series.”
    • “The music is absolutely fantastic, and I love how the story reflected upon the previous Bard's Tale games.”
    • “It's a great narrative story with fun/interesting combat and so far puzzles that are fun to solve and not too hard.”
    • “The main reason I can't recommend this game is, despite its unique combat system and beauty and depth and storyline, after a while, it feels like you're playing a frustrating puzzle simulator.”
    • “For me, the story's end was meh - I'm fine with no happily ever after, but it was a let down and bummer and not in a 'got season 3' sort of way.”
    • “I found the story a bit meh, the 'go get these people and appease their problems in order to fight the big bad' a very ho-hum formula - they felt like MMO quests... the depth of a World of Warcraft side quest.”
  • graphics280 mentions

    The graphics of "Bard's Tale IV" receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique art style and beautiful environments, while others criticize the character models and overall visual quality as outdated and poorly optimized. Many users report performance issues, including crashes and low frame rates, particularly on mid-range systems, suggesting that while the game has its charm, it does not meet modern graphical standards. Overall, the visuals are seen as a blend of nostalgic elements and modern touches, but they fall short of being a standout feature in the game.

    • “The game itself is a lot more fun than I thought it would be; it's got just about everything you could ask for: beautiful graphics, very immersive gameplay, relatable characters, and an interesting divergent storyline.”
    • “Environments are beautifully visualized, and the graphics make them look pretty good.”
    • “The graphics are quite beautiful, the dungeons are spooky and pretty, and while they are based on grids like the old Bard's Tale, there is actually a lot of verticality to them as well.”
    • “Seriously, the graphics aren't that good.”
    • “The graphics are horrendous and unfinished and poorly optimized while running on a Ryzen 5 and 1080 Ti.”
    • “The movement felt clunky and confusing, the combat was dull, the humor was... okay, and I kept getting lag in fights and when traveling from area to area with several graphical glitches.”
  • gameplay186 mentions

    The gameplay of Bard's Tale 4 is characterized by a mix of innovative mechanics and nostalgic elements, offering a unique blend of turn-based combat and exploration. While many players appreciate the tactical depth and engaging puzzles, others criticize the poorly explained mechanics and performance issues that can detract from the experience. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy slower-paced RPGs with a focus on exploration and problem-solving, but may frustrate players seeking a more polished or traditional RPG experience.

    • “The game itself is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. As RPGs go, it's got just about everything you could ask for: beautiful graphics, very immersive gameplay, relatable characters, and an interesting divergent storyline.”
    • “What you get when you play Bard's Tale 4 is just sheer unadulterated gameplay.”
    • “The enormous amount of new, refreshing, interesting, and plain fun mechanics in this game completely make up for its flaws.”
    • “The gameplay isn't interesting.”
    • “Very badly optimized which has ruined the entire experience for me... I cannot comment on other aspects of the gameplay until they fix this.”
    • “Bad performance, very linear gameplay, no open-world.”
  • optimization181 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including lag, low frame rates, and long loading times, particularly at launch. While some patches have improved the situation, many still find the game poorly optimized, with calls for further fixes and enhancements. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires significant optimization work to meet player expectations.

    • “There were some launch-related problems, but there have been a number of patches that have greatly improved performance, bugs, and some rough quality of life issues.”
    • “Update: one of the patches they pushed fixed the optimization/framerate issues I was having.”
    • “This game is amazing; performance issues are easily solved by installing the game on a quick SSD drive (preferably M.2).”
    • “From laggy performance in actions, to ridiculously clumsy inventory (no stacking!), to a headache-inducing framerate in a certain forest, BT4's launch was unoptimized as all hell.”
    • “Very badly optimized which has ruined the entire experience for me... I cannot comment on other aspects of the gameplay until they fix this.”
    • “Performance is abysmal, nigh unto unplayable.”
  • atmosphere58 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive Scottish-inspired setting, complemented by a captivating soundtrack and exceptional voice acting. Players appreciate the blend of beautiful environments, dark themes, and engaging storytelling, which together create a rich and memorable experience. Despite some criticisms regarding graphics, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances exploration and gameplay.

    • “The atmosphere, the mesmerizing folk music in the background in the various worlds you enter while playing.”
    • “Seeing the towering stone buildings and smaller homes side by side with elegant beauty only to then come across someone being burned alive at the stake brings home the shocking dark brutal atmosphere of this beautiful world.”
    • “This game has something not a lot of other RPGs I played have, and that is a heart and soul; you can tell the devs really poured it all into the making of this, and it shows in the level design, the puzzles, the music, atmosphere, and overall feel of the game.”
    • “Character interaction, terrible lip syncing, lifeless atmosphere; my first reaction is that this was a forced game that does not have a soul on its own but tries to ride on the glory of its predecessors.”
    • “There are a lot of complaints about graphics being sub-par; I admit it is not a 2018 AAA graphics showcase, but it's good enough and the graphics also do have a certain charm and atmosphere to them.”
    • “The atmosphere seems reminiscent of grungy medieval Scotland.”
  • stability46 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, graphical glitches, crashes, and freezes, even after multiple patches. While some users found enjoyment in the game despite these issues, the overall consensus is that it remains significantly buggy and unfinished, detracting from the overall experience. Many players express hope for future updates to address these persistent technical problems.

    • “I really wanted to enjoy this game, but it's annoying how buggy it has been for me to play this.”
    • “The game was released buggy and quite unfinished, showing us all the wrongs of the gaming industry nowadays.”
    • “It is still extremely buggy; the fact that there are save points you have to find and use makes the matter worse. I got stuck in a battle where everyone is dead, but the battle continues for some reason, and I have to reset to the last save point that's 10 minutes back.”
  • humor46 mentions

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its epic and cheeky wit, engaging voiceovers, and entertaining NPC interactions, while others criticize it for lacking the clever jokes and references found in earlier titles. Many appreciate the blend of humor with gameplay elements like combat and puzzles, but some find the humor forced or lifeless, particularly in certain NPC dialogues. Overall, the game's comedic value seems to resonate well with fans of dark humor and dungeon exploration RPGs, though it may not appeal to everyone.

    • “This game is absolutely hilarious and amazing; I really do not get what people are complaining about.”
    • “The humor is epic, the sound is awesome, gameplay is a lot of fun, and I honestly never encountered any of the bugs you mentioned in the first 3 patch notes.”
    • “Fortunately, while doing all this thinking, you'll be immersed in a world filled with great music, beautiful and complex areas, characters and NPCs who provide humor, and a story that keeps you engaged.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development is engaging and well-designed in the early stages of the game, particularly within the first 10-15 hours, but it loses relevance as players progress beyond level 20, with limited new content and abilities to explore. While the initial character design and RPG systems are praised, many players feel that the lack of meaningful development options in later levels diminishes the overall experience.

    • “Character development is really interesting, for the first 10-15 hours anyway.”
    • “Fun and intricate combat, interesting character development, charming dialogue and stories, and more secrets and exploration than I expected.”
    • “I, personally, would have preferred full party generation right from the start - but character generation options are good, the RPG systems are good, the character development system is good, the combat is fun, the story is good, the characters are good.”
    • “My biggest criticism: there is no loot or character development content after level 19/20.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game suffers from low replayability due to its static storyline and a lack of depth in the skill tree, which limits player choices and variety in gameplay. Many users noted that once they reach higher levels, the game becomes too easy, further diminishing the incentive to replay. Overall, players recommend seeking alternative titles for a more engaging D&D experience.

    • “The skill tree appears 'light' when you look at it closely, and won't provide much depth and replayability.”
    • “- no replayability (static storyline)”
    • “Replayability???”
    • “- skill tree appears 'light' when you look at it closely, and won't provide much depth and replayability.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and poorly executed, with complaints about subpar performance, long loading times, and limited customization options. The experience is further marred by frustrating combat indicators, simplistic puzzles, and stingy loot drops, leading to a generally lackluster exploration experience. Overall, the grinding feels unnecessary and detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “This can get quite tedious.”
    • “Poorly optimized, bad frame rate issues (GTX 1060 6GB here, so it should be smooth as silk, but it's not), lackluster customization options, tediously long loading times, and the worst part: nausea-inducing movement, with no FOV slider to alleviate this issue.”
    • “[Subpar performance with copious stuttering is one thing, but subpar graphics don't really help either. Character customization feels simplistic and limiting. Combat indicators can be annoyingly misleading. Puzzles come off as simplistic, at times tedious. Stingy loot drops. Exploration is pretty ho-hum at best as well.]”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization aspect of the game is positively received, as players appreciate the absence of aggressive in-game purchases and cheating, which often detracts from the gaming experience. This suggests a focus on fair play and a more mature gaming environment.

  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by the restrictive save system, which forces players to rely on save towers, leading to frustration and a diminished sense of immersion. This limitation detracts from the overall emotional engagement, as players may feel anxious about losing progress.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

51% average critic score

Buy The Bard's Tale IV

Play time

32hMedian play time
27hAverage play time
21-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games