The Bard's Tale II - Remake released

The Destiny Knight is back:

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight Released

InXile Entertainment and Krome Studios are pleased to announce that Volume II - The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight - has been released for The Bard's Tale Trilogy.

To ensure that you have the latest update to the game with Volume II unlocked, please close and relaunch Steam, to add the download to your queue.

To try to cover some of the questions that people may have, on changes that have been made to The Destiny Knight for the remaster, we've compiled a short list of the major items below, along with general fix notes for across both games. We have blacked out some very heavy spoilers, so if you want to go into the game spoiler-free, please do not highlight the blacked out text.

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More information.

Great news! The reminds me, I still need to finish the first remaster… Too many games, too little time.

Its not arrived on GOG yet but hopefully soon.

Oh my this is one of my Trinity games from my childhood days. Ultima 3, Wasteland, Bards Tale 2.

Now I wish I had time to play it!

There has already been a hotfix 2.0.1. Note: They are going to do another fix for Garth's equipment Shoppe related to "inferior items" as that change hasn't gone down well.

I really need to get back and finish the first game. Too many games, not enough of me these days!

Wow those outdoor areas look really good; are these games long?

Sounds good, I will probably replay at some point, I got bored and stopped playing previously.

I'd got to Harkyn's castle with every spell etc from grinding and it became a cakewalk. (my own fault to be fair, no one forced me to grind. )

Daniel.

I don't disagree with you. Did they make this game easier?

Part of the problem with the balance is the darn automap - the game was not made for one in mind and it prevents a lot of mistakes you'd make otherwise with teleports and spinners, etc. Your compass would work but you could easily get lost in repetitive looking areas unless you wasted some magic power on a scrye which you were supposed to do.

I don't mind the automap... I'm older with less time to burn on mistakes than the last time I played this. Excited to play this (and III when it arrives). Still haven't bothered to pick up IV (and probably won't).

Lucky Day said:

I don't disagree with you. Did they make this game easier?

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Yeah much. They halved the XP requirements then made it the same for every class after level 13, a flat amount each time.

I was able to grind up to have everything way too easily then the game lost any interest. I'll reply using the Legacy options to make it harder, when it releases.

Daniel.

Oh I think I remember why I was holding off on the first game, I'm waiting for that Legacy mode to be enabled!

I can't hold off. I am having too much fun. I do like the idea that the Legacy option isn't an all or none deal. But darn it -I wish this game was harder. I distinctly remember getting my rear handed to me in the streets and houses along.

It is not easier than the original. The original is just longer due to the increased xp requirements. In the Original you just roll a bard with high dex, give him the firehorn and go straight to the catacombs and grind out a bunch of quick levels. Making it take longer to level does not make it "harder".

The fights (as of 2.0) are now actually more difficult than the originals. Mobs more intelligently cast spells (no more multiple buffs of the same type) and so you will get offensive spells cast on the party. The new Mangar fight is significantly more challenging than the original.

Perhaps not but I am surprised at how weak the enemies can be, especially at high levels. They are more of an annoyance than anything. They make up for it with Drain and Stone spells and (very) slow spell point regeneration when even have that ability.

Funny, I don't think I've ever played Destiny Knight.

I'd also like to point out again that back in its day the BT games were bleeding edge in terms of media. This kind of art, animation, sound, and complex design were simply not found - let alone in one package. Static levels in general, were memory hogs.

Nature and cities look amazing!! Those animations however are disastrous, along with the creature-hit effects.

Lucky Day said:

Part of the problem with the balance is the darn automap - the game was not made for one in mind and it prevents a lot of mistakes you'd make otherwise with teleports and spinners, etc. Your compass would work but you could easily get lost in repetitive looking areas unless you wasted some magic power on a scrye which you were supposed to do.

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Exploring is one thing but getting lost is more frustrating than anything else. I've hated spinners since EOTB1. It's not the spinner itself, it's the fact there could be more and I have to watch just my compass because of limitations in the graphics quality making it impossible to notice in a more natural way. In a real catacomb every brick will be unique. It might make sense that me as a player gets lost from the technically limited representation of the world but I don't see why a Dwarf would get lost in dark tunnels or an elf couldn't notice small details like how well laid each brick is and use that to keep his bearings.

I sort of wish it was ONLY auto-map or that you could make it a solid colour to see more easily. But if you don't want to use it at all you can hide it pressing M, I think.

I'd love an original graphics mode too. Not a fan of the smoothed out artwork. It's easy to appreciate the quality of old pixel art.

darklord said:

Yeah much. They halved the XP requirements then made it the same for every class after level 13, a flat amount each time.

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I didn't know this! So, I suppose the casters should all end up on Wizard last so they can use shields and stuff?

I'm still playing BT1 and have 3 casters and one of them is conj/mag/wiz already so I might have gimped my party not noticing this change.

Lucky Day said:

I distinctly remember getting my rear handed to me in the streets and houses along.

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BT was my first RPG and I had no manual. Getting my rear handed to me is ALL I remember. xD

I was so close, though! It's been making me wish I could go back and help myself play as a kid. I would have loved it if I just made it to the catacombs! Instead I moved on to D&D games like Pool of Radiance where I could actually get somewhere.

SirJames said:

I didn't know this! So, I suppose the casters should all end up on Wizard last so they can use shields and stuff?

I'm still playing BT1 and have 3 casters and one of them is conj/mag/wiz already so I might have gimped my party not noticing this change.

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Yes, but it probably isn't a huge deal, I believe they all become Archmages eventually. In BT2 I think?

Daniel.

SirJames said:

I sort of wish it was ONLY auto-map or that you could make it a solid colour to see more easily. But if you don't want to use it at all you can hide it pressing M, I think.

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You can make it solid, there's an opacity option.

Daniel.

I am very impressed on how strongly this is updated. Kind of makes sense when they are still working on the third part, but nevertheless I'd which that BT4 had such an update frequency.