Games like Bard's Tale

[VoidEngineer]

I've kept a good handle on RPGs since the 80s, but does anyone care to suggest other titles that have a similar feel to this game? I recently started Wizardry 6 for the first time, but I'd be open to other games (especially modern ones) that capture the feel and style in BT. Give me your lists!

[Themadcow]

There haven't been loads of good ones on PC really, but Wiz 6-8 for sure and more recently games like Elminage Gothic and Starcrawlers. Outside of PC then the Etrian Odyssey series on 3DS and SMT Strange Journey have a similar vibe.

[astrosha]

Might and Magic games are step based dungeon crawlers.

Silversword on apple phones/tablets was directly inspired by the BT games. (Don't know if its also on nadroid)

[S-P]

I have to agree with Wizardry 6-7 for me, especially Wizardry 6 Bane of the cosmic forge.

[dannyaic]

Wizardry 6-8 for sure

Also if you have a iPhone Silversword is a great game and very much like bards tale.

[slatingsangan]

Demise Acension that's the best one in my personal opinion not realy modern but other games just seem to try I've played Elminage and Starcrawlers hundreds of hours less. Wizardry 7&8 I've played a lot but their old too. Besides Wizards&Warriors was much better if you ask me to bad it got lost in Win98 Incompatiblity.

[flux_c]

Wizardry series - 4 is often considered one of the hardest (if not the hardest) game ever made. 8 is a bit different, but very good. Get the combat speed fix; its practically required
Might and Magic series - 6-8 are mostly real-time. Don't bother with 9. 10 came out fairly recently
Swords and Sorcery: Underworld - an indie game that's newish. Most like earlier Might and Magic
Paper Sorcerer - another indie. Movement is freeform, but the combat is similar
Warrior's Tale - an indie game mimicking Bard's Tale
Devil's Whiskey - a bit hard to find. Its sort of a newish Bard's Tale
Dragon Wars - the 'original' Bard's Tale 4. Great game

And, how could I forget, Grimoire. This had a most interesting development cycle. I haven't played the released version, but its like Wizardry 7.

[VoidEngineer]

I've seen or played a lot of these, especially the older stuff like M&M, Dragon Wars, and W&W. Bane looks like it will be fun, but the interface is REALLY bad with no hotkeys. Someone coded a 3rd party automapper which is great, but having to mouse click everything is turning into a drag. Also, I don't have any Apple hardware so Silversword is right out. After reading the responses that the lead developer of Grimoire has made in his game forum, I'll never support that guy with my money. My to check list will include:

1. Warrior's Tale
2. Paper Sorcerer
3. Swords & Sorcer: Underworld

I am also looking at Balrum and Witcher 1-3. Just been feeling a severe itch for a really character-development driven RPG for a while that nothing's managed to scratch except for this BT remake. I've even been considering playing the PC versions of BT1-3 now rather than wait for months on these remakes.

[joekucera2002]

Devil's Whiskey is available for purchase:

https://www.gamersgate.com/DD-DEWH/devil-whiskey

[VoidEngineer]

I appreciate the response, but these games are all more Dungeon Master than Bard's Tale. I already own all of them except for Vaporum in any case. They are great, but not exactly what I am targeting.

[Trojanski]

Unfortunately this style of game ( I cant remember how it was described. Something like ‘all fields displayed on screen at once’) died out after Dragon Wars. Killed off by Dungeon Master clones I guess. I’ve only ever found Devil Whiskey(pc) and Silversword(iOS) since. The game mentioned above Warriors Tale, looks similar too but is new to me.

I have heard people are calling out for remasters of other old games and I get it. I also understand the Devs may want The Bards Tale franchise to move in a different direction with BT4. Personally I hope Inexile find enough of an audience with this remaster to justify building on the hard work they have done here. Hopefully we will get to more content in this style. They could be sequels, prequels, expansions. I’d even go for a totally new IP. The possibilities of which are almost endless. High fantasy, low fantasy, historical (feudal England, feudal Japan, Vikings anyone?), a space setting, steampunk, cyberpunk, post apocalyptic. Ok, I also put my hand up for a Wasteland remaster. I just hope we get to see more games like this and I hope they come fro Inexiles capable hands.

[flux_c]

Here's a few more I remembered:

- Centauri Alliance - Bard's Tale, in space! Combat is clunky, as I recall
- Stranger of Sword City - graphics are anime-ish, but its got kind of a cool character development system
- Elminage Original and Elminage Gothic- I've only played Gothic, but its solid. Very Wizardry-like

[Tyler Durden]

I have to recommend Grimoire (ignore the drama and trolls. The game is fantastic), Realms of Arkania (the remakes are fun, but I love the classics so much), The Fall of the Dungeon Guardians, and of course, Wizardry.

The first Wizardry is my favourite in the series. It can be very unforgiving, but it's a lot of fun. Play the SNES version that comes with the first 3, called the Llylgamyn saga. You can import your party through all three games successively. 6, 7, and 8 are good, don't get me wrong, but as someone who grew up with these games, Wizardry 1 is still the best.

[VoidEngineer]

Yeah I guess it is more fair to call all of these games Wizardry-like rather than BT-like. I actually beat the SNES version of Wiz 1 (and the PC version years later) already and they were both fantastic. If you're not currently reading it, there is a blog called the CRPG Addict[crpgaddict.blogspot.com] wherein he plays every RPG ever. He's covered all the Wizardry games up to 7 (which is the current one he's actually playing right now) in addition to many others.

My aversion to Grimoire is all about how the author presented himself and the words that came out of his own mouth, not the yard trash drama I saw from players. There's always stupid drama from players no matter how good a game is.

[SaschaGoto]

What about Knights of Pen and Paper? https://store.steampowered.com/app/231740/Knights_of_Pen_and_Paper_1_Edition/

[VoidEngineer]

I wound up buying:

Elminage Gothic
Swords and Sorcery - Underworld - Definitive Edition
Heroes of the Monkey Tavern

Those should keep me busy for a while. KoP&P never looked deep enough for me to pick up. Am I wrong?