The Necromancer's Tale

About The Necromancer's Tale

The Necromancer's Tale is a single player open world role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by Psychic Software and was released on July 17, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

The Necromancer's Tale is a narrative-driven top-down RPG where you play the role of a minor noble in the 18th Century, drawn into the Dark Necromantic Arts as you seek knowledge and revenge. Great power awaits... along with the weird, the morbid, and a gradual descent into madness.

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Reviews

92%Audience ScoreBased on 716 reviews

story228 positive mentions

grinding36 negative mentions

Engrossing, well-written, and atmospheric narrative focused on the gradual descent into necromancy and dark magic.
Innovative and immersive necromancy system where rituals require preparation, ingredients, and secrecy, making growth feel earned.
Multiple meaningful choices with consequences, a believable and reactive world with many branching dialogue options and roleplaying paths.

Combat is clunky, repetitive, and uninspired, often requiring tedious micromanagement of undead minions, with an option to auto-resolve recommended.
Navigation and quest objectives can be unclear and obtuse, with limited guidance requiring extensive exploration or external help; slow travel and limited fast travel outside town add to tedium.
Game's linear pacing especially late-game and rushed ending diminish some replayability and fail to fully pay off the story and choices made.

story
650 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions
The story of this game is widely praised for its compelling, dark, and atmospheric narrative centered on a necromancer’s slow descent into forbidden power, richly blending gothic horror with intricate character development and meaningful choices. While the main plot remains fairly linear, players appreciate the multiple quest solutions, deep role-playing elements, and strong writing that create an immersive experience reminiscent of classic narrative-driven RPGs. Some criticisms include occasional pacing issues, vague quest directions, and a rushed ending, but the overarching consensus is that the story and worldbuilding are its standout strengths.
- “A truly magnificent story, dark and full of necromantic intrigue, with a cast of NPCs you'll fall in love with.”
- “The writing in this game is enrapturing - although at times slightly clunky for the sake of being a viable game, it really pulled me into the world and everything from the characters to the story threads and the worldbuilding worked really well together, like a structured symphony.”
- “Right from the prologue, it’s clear that this product was created by people who really know their stuff when it comes to storytelling and worldbuilding, which allows the player to experience a narrative that rivals the masterpieces of the genre like Planescape: Torment and Disco Elysium.”
- “The storyline is frankly disappointing - the main character is a bit too stupid for my taste, behaving bone-headedly for plot reasons (yes, let's put a black magic trap in the front door of my house, where any visitor will trigger it, that sounds like a great idea) and seemingly incapable of putting one and one together even when the situation is obvious (the hospital 'fever').”
- “Also, the quest guide fails to indicate which quests are urgent and which aren't resolvable until much later, leading to lots of running around trying to figure out if person X is even available in this chapter (four chapters I've been waiting for someone to come along to the seance; will it be this chapter? No idea, but the guide insists I keep trying, frustratingly).”
- “Quests can be very unintuitive as well, with things that should work not working and the story will railroad you while pretending to give you a choice.”
gameplay
135 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18% positive mentions, 77% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions
Gameplay in "The Necromancer's Tale" is heavily narrative-driven, emphasizing investigation, dialogue, and ritualistic crafting over combat, which is simple and occasionally clunky. While the mechanics are serviceable and thematically fitting, many find them repetitive, obtuse, or underdeveloped, with gameplay often feeling like busywork or fetch quests that serve the story rather than offering depth or innovation. Overall, the gameplay supports the strong storytelling and atmospheric world-building but may disappoint players seeking sophisticated or rewarding combat systems.
- “It's a slow-burn experience with immersive mechanics that make you feel like you're genuinely progressing on the dark path to becoming a true necromancer.”
- “The story is fantastic and the simple-yet-deep mechanics really give you the feeling of mucking your way through as a self-taught novice necromancer.”
- “The necromancy mechanics are engaging, and the dialogue is well-written with solid voice acting that pulls you into its grim and magical world.”
- “This entire game, sadly, is a bundle of bad gameplay decisions that frame a well written story.”
- “The real problem is that a lot of the actual gameplay can be busywork or fetch quests that you endure in order to get to the good parts, which are common enough that I never lost interest but good lord some of it can be mind numbing.”
- “The combat in uninspired - relying on carrying as many guns as you can afford, avoiding having to reload before all enemies are dead - and the core gameplay is mostly fetch quests.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20% positive mentions, 66% neutral mentions, 14% negative mentions
The graphics in the game are clearly indie and modest, often described as outdated or rough with basic 3D models and a somewhat janky interface. However, many players appreciate the distinctive art style, expressive 2D portraits, and atmospheric design that complement the narrative and setting, with some noting the painterly effects enhance the visuals. Overall, while not technically impressive or high-budget, the graphics effectively support the game's strong story and mood for those who value old-school aesthetics.
- “It's the intended graphical style and makes the game look prettier.”
- “The graphics are a major plus for my tastes; they’re detailed where they need to be and simple elsewhere, playing to the strengths of an isometric perspective by making sure the big picture is generally appealing to look at.”
- “Zooming in reveals very basic character models, but their overall shape is well done, the clothing you can access is appropriate yet fetching, and the litany of character portraits shore up any weaknesses in the graphics themselves.”
- “I was hoping for something even remotely similar to Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (Lich path), but instead it feels more like a well-voiced audiobook paired with janky visuals.”
- “The 3D graphic is, sadly, extremely underwhelming, more so when compared to the portraits and rich character voicing through the different accents.”
- “Ignoring the rough visuals and god awful painterly effect, that you can luckily turn off, the game felt interesting initially but soon gave way to frustration and tedium.”
atmosphere
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68% positive mentions, 27% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive, dark, and gothic storytelling that deeply engages players with a richly crafted world full of intrigue and occult themes. Despite some rough visuals, janky mechanics, and occasional pacing issues, the strong writing, detailed environments, and evocative sound design create a compelling, haunting experience that stands out as the game's defining strength.
- “On one level the atmosphere is enchanting; exploring tombs is appropriately unsettling, entering a tavern is disarming, walking the streets feels like being a part of a world: the music, lighting, models and storytelling go a long way in setting chills up your spine or relaxing you.”
- “I've spent my first ten hours immersed in it, and the overall atmosphere is incredible.”
- “The sound design is masterful and the atmosphere is so wonderful in its depictions of necromancy you can truly feel it.”
- “The atmosphere, while feeling ever so slightly janky for some reason, is something I can't seem to get tired of.”
- “There are a few times, however, where it feels disconnected from the world and atmosphere; exploring the farmland feels unnaturally drear and oppressive for some reason, which kind of matches the opening narration but not the subtle depression and fatigue of the city.”
- “All this to say that the actual atmosphere and adventures into the occult hold up really well and I did ultimately care for the town and the characters, so I would recommend with the caveat of needing to save often and be able to tolerate and work around jank.”
music
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for fitting the atmosphere, tone, and setting, with an excellent and memorable soundtrack that enhances storytelling and immersion. However, some find it repetitive and occasionally abrupt in transitions, while voice acting and audio quality receive mixed feedback, sometimes detracting from the experience. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's mood, complementing its strong writing and character-driven narrative.
- “The music elegantly captures the insecurity, distance, anxiety, and dread of the situation you're in.”
- “The fact that your character portrait changes subtly during the game, as does the music - becoming discreetly more ominous as you become discreetly more ominous.”
- “The music is really good, a little jarring and unexpected at times, but very well crafted.”
- “While the soundtrack is pretty decent, voice acting, too, lacks quality, especially when some of the actors insist on mimicking regional accents that can at times sound so outlandish, it borders on parody.”
- “Music tracks will just start and stop on a dime moving from one area to the next.”
- “The music cues are also a bit abrupt, as you'll go from walking with an adventurous beat playing, then step on a stairway to the graveyard and immediately cut to a bleak and dour track.”
grinding
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding in the game often feels tedious and repetitive, particularly in combat and managing large numbers of minions, which can slow pacing and impact enjoyment. While progression and story elements help maintain some engagement, frequent running around without early fast travel and clunky mechanics contribute to a sense of monotony for many players.
- “The only significant drawback is the combat, which felt tedious and repetitive after a while.”
- “I'm going to be a little bit generic to avoid spoilers, but it gets really tedious when you need to actively use an ability and spend mana to control every single one of your companions (which, by the way, you'll have around 50 in the late game).”
- “Aside from that as mentioned earlier this is a very narrative-heavy game and as such combat plays a very minimal role in it which is a blessing as it is by far the worst aspect of the game and I would at best describe it as clunky, tedious and boring.”
replayability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21% positive mentions, 68% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through its branching narrative, multiple character backgrounds, and varied endings, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different choices and outcomes. While combat is less praised, the rich storytelling and open-ended missions provide meaningful variation that enhances replay value. Overall, players appreciate the game's design as one intended for replay, with plenty of reasons to revisit and discover new paths.
- “If you are going into this looking for deep combat then look elsewhere but if you want an in-depth ritualistic necromancy game with lots of branching narrative choices and replayability then give this game a shot.”
- “Lots of replayability for sure; your background choices seem to make a significant difference.”
- “Replayability-wise, I plan to do at least 3 runs, as that is obviously the intent of the designer to see the various quest-lines and general character builds.”
- “There are some elements of choice and consequence but they're quite limited in general, so it might be best to temper your expectations if you want something with a lot of replay value.”
- “Combat ranges from outright bad to mediocre and I think it's definitely the most disappointing area, especially since it undermines what would otherwise be an admirable degree of replayability.”
- “Again, this does add to replayability but it also threatens to get the player bogged down as they may not realize that they are missing something that could make their game much easier.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's humor shines through its sharp contrast between a grounded, serious setting and chaotic, quirky character roles like a necromancer, creating genuinely funny and memorable moments. Subtle jokes, clever world-building, and humorous social interactions add depth and laughter, blending dark themes with lightheartedness in a way that enriches the RPG experience.
- “One of my favorite things is the contrast in tone: the setting is surprisingly grounded, with court intrigue and class conflict between nobles and workers… and then you can roleplay someone whose main goal is basically, 'I just want to make zombies.' That chaotic character concept crashing into a serious world can be hilarious in the best way.”
- “It made me laugh out loud with a bunch of very subtle jokes, with the in-game author's clear prejudices coloring the description and providing a great deal of insight into the world.”
- “Living a double life as a noble by day and necromancer by night is hilarious and makes you put thought into every social interaction.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game exhibits several bugs and glitches, including pathfinding issues, disappearing companions, and story inconsistencies, though none appear to be game-breaking for most players. While stability can be problematic at times, especially with quest vagueness and occasional glitches, the overall experience remains relatively solid for those who can tolerate these flaws.
- “Glitches and oddities are common, and though I didn't encounter anything game-breaking during my playthrough, there were multiple story and choice oddities—for example, characters that were killed showing up alive later.”
- “Sorry, but if the game glitches out into a straight up unplayable state 5 minutes into the actual gameplay and bricks the save, that's a refund.”
- “There are a few glitches; I've had several of my undead just stop following me and disappear randomly in the forest.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38% positive mentions, 24% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for being immersive, emotionally impactful, and well-integrated with the story, despite some linearity and unconventional RPG elements. Players feel deeply invested in the protagonist's journey and appreciate the nuanced portrayal of choices and relationships that shape the narrative.
- “At this point, the second I reach the game's main menu I get actual chills, partially because I'm so excited to see where the game goes next, partially because I love how the game treats the protagonist's own character development - I immerse myself deep in games like this, and they managed to make me frightened of my own character even though it's entirely the player's choice whether they try to be a decent human or... something else.”
- “The character development is satisfying, immersive and I felt very invested in Mandel and his descent into necromancy and black magic.”
- “They crafted a beautiful world, full of great characters and some really nice romance and character development.”
- “Actually, even the RPG status of this game is slightly questionable, as there is no character development: you don't gain XP, or levels, and you don't even find that much new equipment (there are a few weapons, but no armor at all).”
- “You're playing this for the story, choices, and character development.”
- “The clever charm of a point-and-click adventure with the character development and storytelling of an RPG.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions
The game offers significant depth in gear and character optimization, enhancing the gameplay experience, though it shows performance issues, especially on devices like the Steam Deck. Initial graphics and combat performance may be disappointing, but overall optimization mechanics are engaging despite some technical shortcomings.
- “I personally enjoyed playing on the highest difficulty, engaging with gear optimization, trying to gain most power or most minions. The game provides quite a lot of opportunity for all of these, often with certain consequences.”
- “Game runs on Steam Deck, but performance is not that great.”
- “Now, truth be told, I very nearly gave up on the game upon seeing the in-game graphics and then the performance of the first combat, which happens immediately after character creation.”
- “The game does take some shortcuts to quicken the rituals as you become more accustomed to the performance, but it’s never going to be as easy as ‘wave hand; skeleton rises.’”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game delivers a dark, emotionally charged narrative centered on madness, betrayal, and the descent into necromancy, with richly written characters and resonant choices. While the story is impactful and heartfelt, some players feel the main character's transformation could have been more convincingly developed. Overall, it combines emotional depth with moments of humor and engaging storytelling.
- “Prepare for a heart-wrenching dark fantasy tale of falling into madness, dark magic, and betrayal.”
- “An RPG with rich, emotionally resonant choices (finally).”
- “Well-written descent into the macabre filled with twists and lots of heartfelt character.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game's monetization is praised for being thoughtful and genuine, reflecting a labor of love rather than a hastily designed cash grab, which is uncommon in the current market.

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Play Times

8h Median play time

13h Average play time

3-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Necromancer's Tale is a open world role playing game with historical theme. Common tags for The Necromancer's Tale include turn-based, gothic, magic, narrative, crpg and others.

The Necromancer's Tale is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing The Necromancer's Tale.

The Necromancer's Tale was released on July 17, 2025.

The Necromancer's Tale was developed by Psychic Software.

The Necromancer's Tale has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked The Necromancer's Tale for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

The Necromancer's Tale is a single player game.

Similar games include Drova: Forsaken Kin, Roadwarden, The Thaumaturge, SKALD: Against the Black Priory, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and others.

The Necromancer's Tale

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About The Necromancer's Tale

Games Like The Necromancer's Tale

Drova: Forsaken Kin

Roadwarden

The Thaumaturge

SKALD: Against the Black Priory

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Gamedec

Tower of Time

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The Age of Decadence

Cabernet

Reviews

story

gameplay

graphics

atmosphere

music

grinding

replayability

humor

stability

character development

optimization

emotional

monetization

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