The Tavern
- August 4, 2017
- Moral Anxiety Studio
Get on Steam"The Tavern" is a dark fantasy adventure game that combines elements of visual novels and RPGs. As a mercenary named Nalia, you must navigate a cruel and rotten world to earn enough coins to survive the winter and return to your children. The game features immersive dialogues, narrative battles, multiple endings, and a unique, personalized story with a non-linear plot. With branching hidden parts, the estimated playtime is between 1.5 and 3 hours.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a gripping storyline with a relatable female lead and well-developed characters, offering emotional depth and moral complexity.
- The atmosphere is enhanced by a great soundtrack and engaging visuals, creating a mysterious and immersive experience.
- There is significant replay value with multiple endings and choices that impact the narrative, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate story-driven gameplay.
- The game is quite short, with some players feeling that it leaves many plot points and character arcs underdeveloped.
- Some choices feel superficial, leading to the same outcomes regardless of player decisions, which diminishes the impact of the narrative choices.
- There are numerous grammatical errors and typos throughout the game, which can detract from the overall experience and immersion.
- story23 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and set in a dark fantasy world filled with mature themes, but it suffers from underdevelopment and a rushed conclusion, leaving players feeling like only part of a larger narrative is told. While the choices and moral dilemmas add depth, the overall experience is brief and may feel shallow due to limited character development and plotlines. Despite these shortcomings, many players appreciate the intriguing premise and the story-driven focus, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy narrative-rich games.
“I enjoyed the pacing, the story, and the characters.”
“The storyline gripped me immediately.”
“But the game has a very interesting story, full of mysteries, hard choices, and a setting in a dark fantasy world with a lot of mature themes.”
“On the downside, you're teased with content, locations, and choices that never materialize - other villages you can't actually go to, missions you can't join, characters you can't reconnect with.”
“It's brief; the third act is very hurried, and the story is very convergent after the middle.”
“However, the entire game is really just a short story that was animated.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, oppressive tone, effectively creating a sense of burden and anxiety, particularly during moments of horror. The combination of lighting, music, and character interactions enhances the mysterious ambiance, although some players feel that the plot twists do not fully capitalize on the atmospheric potential established early on. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“The first part of the game had a very good atmosphere - I bought it right after playing the demo.”
“I'd say the atmosphere of the game was its strongest point... a heavy sense of burden and anxiety from a setting bleak and weighty, with a good oppressive horror vibe in the moments where unknown evil is afoot.”
“Some of the choices were really tough to make; the atmosphere with the lighting and music was very mysterious, and I loved interacting with the characters who were staying at the tavern.”
“I found the worldbuilding to be very promising; I was immediately fond of Nalia. The atmosphere suggested a murder mystery; finding out that the rest of the game is going to be this thing™ again was very disappointing.”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its emotional depth and atmospheric quality, particularly enhancing the experience during key moments and interactions. Reviewers appreciate the mysterious ambiance created by the soundtrack, which complements the game's setting and character interactions effectively.
“The soundtrack is great, too, with a depth of feeling - especially in the endings.”
“Some of the choices were really tough to make; the atmosphere with the lighting and music was very mysterious, and I loved interacting with the characters who were staying at the tavern.”
“Good atmospheric soundtrack.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Roadwarden" is praised for its engaging worldbuilding and unique blend of game styles, though it follows a standard RPG Maker format involving exploration, interaction, and decision-making. However, some players experienced issues with the game shutting down unexpectedly after prolonged play. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a compelling backdrop to the narrative.
“Recently, I played a very interesting demo: 'Roadwarden' and I liked its gameplay, the worldbuilding, and the original mix of game styles so much that I thought, 'I'll look for more about this developer.' That's how I learned about Moral Anxiety Studio and the world of Viaticum.”
“Every other part or mechanic in this game is just beautiful filler for this little story.”
“For me, the gameplay runtime got racked up by accident (I fell asleep with the game on), and therefore my game reached a point where it just won't let me play or continue and shuts itself down.”
“Gameplay-wise, it seems to be a standard RPG Maker game: walking, interacting with people and items, and choosing actions.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics in "the tavern" showcase a mix of effort and inconsistency, with some users noting that while the visuals reflect a commitment to the game's narrative style, they can be hit or miss, and there is a lack of dedicated artwork. Overall, the game's visual presentation aligns more with a visual novel aesthetic rather than traditional RPG graphics.
“Honestly, the game will be entertaining for a little bit, and it is clear the developers put effort into the graphics and script, with a callback to games driven by text-only choices instead of a fully interactive combat system.”
“The tavern is visually appealing, showcasing the developers' attention to detail in the graphics.”
“While the graphics are a bit hit and miss at times, there are moments that truly stand out.”
“Honestly, the game will be entertaining for a little bit, and it is clear the developers put effort into the graphics and script (with a few grammar errors) with a callback to games driven by text-only choices instead of a fully interactive combat system.”
“Graphics are a bit hit and miss at times.”
“Little dedicated artwork.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability through multiple endings, appealing to players who enjoy exploring different narrative outcomes. However, for those who prefer to experience a single storyline without revisiting the game, the replay value may feel limited.
“It seems like it has quite a bit of replay value for different endings, but if you're like me and don't like to replay narrative-focused games (I'd rather enjoy the ending I got!), it's still worthwhile.”
“It also makes the replay value low for me, because I'm not interested in aiding the other side.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively captures emotional depth through relatable struggles of the lead character and well-developed supporting characters, presenting complex moral dilemmas that enhance the overall emotional experience.
“The lead's struggles are relatable and human, and the characters throughout the game offer opportunities for quick, well-written emotional development as well as complexity and plenty of moral gray areas.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its impressive design and facial expressions, highlighting the noticeable effort invested in creating relatable and visually appealing characters.
“The character design and facial expressions are well done, showcasing the effort that has been put into them.”
“The depth of character development is impressive, allowing players to form genuine connections with the characters.”
“Each character evolves throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
