Tales of the Unknown: Volume I - The Bard's Tale

The Good
I throughly enjoyed the First Person View. I also like the night & day cycles, how the town felt large enough to feel like a town, and of course the many, many entertaining puzzels. Some easy, most insanely hard but fun LOL! The way the player's group or party was handled was done very well. And I very much liked how the player could get almost any monster to join the player's group - either through mindwashing, or from monsters asking to join. Customer service was also the most best ever for any game I have ever played. Including all of today's games. There was a knowledgeable guy always available a phone call away. He also played the game heheh. And knew it inside out.

The Bad
Some of the puzzies took a heck of a long time to figure out. The dungeon traps and barriers that would spin you around. And how some dungeons were magically pitch dark not allowing light to be seen or used. I didn't like any of this stuff.... but it added to the fun.

The Bottom Line
One of the earliest, and successful, dungeons & dragons, sword and sorcery, might and magic, type of world RPGs. Up there with Ultima, and Phantasie. Full of many original ideas. It has many game features that were revolutionary in its day - and that modern games can still learn from!

The Good
Excellent graphics on the Amiga hardward, and incredible use of sound that was unprecedented at the time. The gameplay loop is addictive and fun. Challenge is incredible. You will get your money's worth.

The Bad
There is a steep learning curve, and a lot of randomness when it comes to combat and encounters.

The Bottom Line
A fantasic computer role-playing game that has stood the test of time.

The Good
I was a Wizardry fan and was excited about the new RPG opportunities home computers opened up. I admired Wizardry, but was blown away by Bard's Tale and it's pioneering use of animation and artwork. From the original version for the Apple II, I'd never seen such competent graphics or elegant programming. For the first time, I actually felt like I was exploring the world, not just viewing it. The immersive gameplay and striking graphics made it a standout for years to come.

I even bought the Amiga version when it came out, even though I had played-through the Apple II version (of course it blew away the Apple II version; it included even more groundbreaking effects). A very important game in the history of computer role-playing games.

The Bad
The only thing I didn't like about the game were really just the limitations of the Apple II, but they did the most with what the Apple II could do. These limitations were overcome with the Amiga version.

The Bottom Line
A groundbreaking game in the history of computer role-playing games. Not a standout by today's standards, but incomparable for its time.