The First Templar

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The First Templar is a historical role-playing game that offers both single-player and multi-player options, with a focus on co-op play for two players. The plot is engaging and even humorous at times, following a French Templar and a noblewoman accused of heresy as they uncover the Templar Order's secrets and the mystery of the Holy Grail, facing formidable foes such as Sacracen, King Philip IV of France, and the Inquisition.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 240 reviews

story50 positive mentions

gameplay11 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story about the Templars and the Holy Grail, which keeps players engaged throughout.
The combat system is enjoyable, allowing players to switch between characters with unique abilities, and includes satisfying finishing moves.
The game is fun to play in local co-op mode, making it a great choice for playing with friends or family.

The game requires a cumbersome third-party launcher and account setup, which can be frustrating and prevents easy access to online features.
Graphics and animations are dated, leading to a less immersive experience compared to modern games.
The AI companion can be unhelpful and often fails to utilize their abilities effectively, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.

story
119 mentions
42 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as decent, with a mix of historical themes and engaging characters, though it often suffers from predictability and linearity. While some players appreciate the narrative's complexity and the exploration of Templar lore, others criticize it for being outdated or poorly executed, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its flaws, many find the story enjoyable enough to keep them engaged throughout the gameplay.
- “The story is about the templars, finding the grail, but there are also some small nice stories told... many criticized the speech, but the English voices were good, I really enjoyed the story, and the characters grew on you.”
- “I quite liked the story and mainly the dubbing.”
- “The game begins with Célian d'Arestide (the main character) and Roland de Saint-Omer starting their quest for the (you won't believe it) the holy grail! Cheesy as it sounds, the story is actually very complex and has nice twists towards the end, and you meet more characters during your journey.”
- “The story is terrible.”
- “Just a bad outdated game with a boring religious story.”
- “This game has its charms, but the confusion in the overall story can frustrate your play at times (if you care about story).”
gameplay
43 mentions
23 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its linearity and repetitiveness, leading to a feeling of stagnation. While some appreciate the character-switching mechanics and combat system, others criticize the clunky controls and dated design. Overall, the gameplay is described as mediocre, with moments of enjoyment overshadowed by its lack of innovation and variety.
- “Where you have cool, hand-crafted scenery in 3D, that you can move around in and attack in any direction using fluid controller mechanics.”
- “I like the fact you can change characters at any moment to defeat different types of enemies thanks to the different gameplay styles of each character.”
- “The gameplay is where the game shines; it has an excellent combat mechanic. As you level up, you can learn new moves or improvements of already learned moves. Each character has its own unique style.”
- “The gameplay is quite stiff and repetitive; all the missions are almost the same, and fighting doesn't bring much joy.”
- “Dated linear, unimaginative gameplay, and the checkpoint system is archaic and terrible.”
- “A hack-and-slash game with many faults, including a lackluster story, repetitive gameplay, and poor graphics.”
graphics
40 mentions
23 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its age and the limitations of a smaller development team. While some players find the visuals acceptable or even pleasant, many note that they lack the polish of modern titles, with issues like pop-ins and clunky animations. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose for storytelling and gameplay, but they are not a standout feature of the experience.
- “The graphics are detailed and clear, especially the armor, with bump mapping and reflection of the iron.”
- “Now let's talk about the first thing you experience, the graphics. While the game is not a triple-A title, it still looks good with beautiful colors and textures.”
- “The graphics were better than I expected; no, astonishing.”
- “Either way, the graphics are poor. Gameplay is poor (skills are hidden until you choose a path down the tree... I suppose for 'replayability'... combat is a gimmick like the 90s era, etc.).”
- “A hack-and-slash game with many faults, between a lackluster story, repetitive gameplay, and poor graphics.”
- “The graphics are dated, really dated, and you can tell that right away.”
humor
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "The First Templar" is characterized by its lighthearted tone and self-aware absurdity, with players noting the game's quirky characters, amusing dialogues, and comical animations. While some aspects may be considered poorly executed, this adds to the charm, making it a fun experience, especially in local co-op play. Overall, the game is seen as a humorous, albeit technically flawed, budget title that provides plenty of laughs.
- “The first Templar is a cute, friendly, and humorous game that does not take itself too seriously.”
- “All in all, the game is a technical mess, but it's a hilarious mess.”
- “This is a very good budget game, too high for budget and too low for colossus production... a middle-budget funny game!”
music
9 mentions
22 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it enjoyable and fitting, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Voice acting is generally viewed positively, but the overall soundtrack is considered average and not particularly memorable. Sound effects are deemed acceptable, contributing to a generally unremarkable audio experience.
- “The music is so good.”
- “Music is fine!”
- “The music repeats a ton, which gets annoying by the end of the game, making the overall experience feel repetitive.”
- “The soundtrack is nothing special, but the voice acting is quite good.”
- “The graphics can be choppy, the fighting style is not intuitive at all, and the music is pretty lame.”
stability
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported as unstable, with numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as blocking access to bonus objectives and chests. Players have expressed frustration over the inability to obtain refunds due to the time spent troubleshooting issues.
- “The game is incredibly buggy.”
- “We cannot get a refund on Steam because it took me more than 14 days to attempt to play it and over 2 hours of 'playtime' troubleshooting.”
- “It's a bad idea when glitches block access to bonus objectives and chests.”
replayability
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game offers some potential for replayability, particularly if players find the story engaging, and it includes co-op options. However, criticisms regarding poor graphics and gameplay mechanics, such as hidden skills, may detract from the overall experience.
- “Luckily the story goes by quickly, and there is even replay value to it as long as you find the story interesting.”
- “Good potential for replayability and co-op to boot.”
- “Either way, the graphics are poor, and the gameplay is lacking. Skills are hidden until you choose a path down the tree, which seems to be an attempt at 'replayability'. Combat feels like a gimmick from the 90s.”
- “The story goes by quickly, but the replay value is limited unless you find the story interesting.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users recommend disabling fullscreen optimizations and running the program as an administrator to improve performance and address optimization issues.
- “Make sure to tick 'Disable fullscreen optimizations' and 'Run this program as an administrator' for the best performance.”
- “The optimization settings really enhance the gameplay experience, making everything run smoother.”
- “I noticed a significant improvement in frame rates after adjusting the optimization settings.”
- “I had to tick 'disable fullscreen optimizations' and 'run this program as an administrator' just to get the game to run smoothly.”
- “The optimization settings are confusing and don't seem to make any difference in performance.”
- “Even after adjusting the optimization options, the game still lags and crashes frequently.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The First Templar" is steeped in medieval themes, featuring a narrative filled with intrigue among templars, inquisitors, and warriors. While the game may not offer groundbreaking elements, it effectively immerses players in a world of conflict and historical drama, appealing to fans of the genre.
- “The game is nothing new or groundbreaking, but if you enjoy a medieval atmosphere and themes, stabbing your steel into the ribs of your legions of enemies, and following a story of Templars, inquisitors, and warriors conspiring against one another, you should give The First Templar a go.”
- “The game is nothing new or groundbreaking, but if you like medieval atmosphere and themes, stabbing your steel into the ribs of your legions of enemies, and following a story of Templars and inquisitors and warriors conspiring against one another, you should give The First Templar a go.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the initial setup for multiplayer games frustrating due to the requirement of a Facebook login, making it tedious to join the right game. However, once this hurdle is overcome, the gameplay becomes enjoyable.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I spent hours grinding for resources, only to realize it was all for a minor upgrade that didn't feel worth the effort.”
- “The grind is so tedious that it overshadows the fun aspects of the game, turning it into a chore.”