Blackguards - Review Roundup

Couchpotato

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I have two more reviews for or Daedalic Entertainment's Blackguards. I consider both to be a mixed bag as one praised the game, and the other is way to negative.

RPG Codex - No Score

Blackguards is, in my opinion, a perfect first RPG for a company new to the genre. It doesn’t try to bite off more than it can chew, but delivers much more than you would expect, and it learns from the games that came before it, while also adding something new of its own. Not to mention the bravery of releasing a PC-exclusive turn-based tactical RPG nowadays. Personally, I would love to see Daedalic develop even more creative and unorthodox approaches in a sequel or future game. Instead of wasting time and money on a fully explorable 3D world like everybody else, they should keep the FFT/Arkania map and focus on making dungeons explorable in a Dungeon Master/Legend of Grimrock style, using their adventure game expertise for puzzles. In an age of sequels and reboots, Daedalic have entered the RPG world with a great first step, and I hope they keep striding far, not afraid to walk off the beaten path.​
Next is PC Gamer who gives the game a very low score of 58/100.

Much of my time in Blackguards was spent waiting. I waited for my turn, as enemies slowly plodded around hex-grid maps. I waited for tactical diversity, yearning to unlock the more interesting attack options. Mostly, I waited for earnest fantasy stereotypes to finish performing their questionably accented dialogue and unlock the next fight.

Based on The Dark Eye pen-and-paper rule-set, Blackguards is a turn-based RPG so focused on combat that it’s more fantasy XCOM than fantasy Fallout. At the start the character you’ve created is convicted of murder. Escaping from prison, he or she must team up with a band of roguish misfits to figure out who – or what – was really responsible. Yet that mystery isn’t much more than a flimsy tool to link each battle.

Masochistic stat-chasers will find much to enjoy, but Blackguards’ varied combat is no substitute for a fully-formed RPG.
More information.
 
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In my opinion, the PC Gamer review is quite bad - seems the reviewer is the impatient gratification-every-second sort of gamer AKA the wrong sort to review a turnbased game.

And the equally dissenting comments on that review page.... Ouch, very brutal :) Good to see people defending the game.
 
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@PC gamer
If you have no clue about CRPGs you should not review one.

@felipepepe & Darth Roxor
Thanks - well-rounded review.
 
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@PC gamer
If you have no clue about CRPGs you should not review one.

@felipepepe & Darth Roxor
Thanks - well-rounded review.

I agree with you.;)

The game is not perfect but it doesn't deserve that low score. I wonder if this is the same writer that gave DA II a 94 on release. I know what type of RPGs he loves.^^
 
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Its a very decent little game (keeping all its limitations in mind) and great for the people that are mainly interested in Tactical combat from an RPG. 7-7.5/10 would be a fair score I believe (for me), so a very commendable first attempt. Definitely buying their next one in this vein.

I did think the developers quote (from a couple of days ago) that an RPG is about as difficult to develop as a point and click adventure funny though. Please come back to us after you try your hand on a full scope one :) (Or be more specific and say "the kind of strictly limited SRPG we are developing" which I am cool with obviously).

Still having quite a bit of fun (deep in chapter 4) but I do wish the forthcoming patch fixes some of the bugs and glitches (none gamebreaking but a bit annoying nonetheless)…

P.S. Anyone giving DAII anything above 7 should be grading this at around 11… If we are talking RPGs that is ;)
 
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