[b]Note:[/b] A copy of this game was gifted to me by a friend. ^^
[i]Northern Tales 6: Oath to the Gods Collector's Edition[/i] is a time management game developed by ALPHANOVA and published by Qumaron. As the name states, it is the sixth game in the [i]Northern Tale[/i] series. You take on the role of Ragnar, the Viking king who was brought back to life by Odin, one of the great Viking gods, and even has his youth restored. After Ragnar closes a rift under orders from Odin, sealing away all the evil spirits, the underground dwarfs celebrate this victory by honoring Ragnar and his warriors with a feast. The next day, Ragnar and his men continue on their journey, only to learn that there's an even greater threat out there in which failing to stop it will bring about Ragnarok. Of course, it's up to Ragnar to stop this threat, but will he be able to do so? I'll stop my synopsis here to avoid spoilers and all that.
As for the gameplay, it's pretty much the same as in previous installments with a few new additions. When you start up the game, you can choose from among three difficulty modes: regular (normal), legend (hard), or relaxed (self-explanatory lol). (For review purposes, I chose to play on regular mode.) There are a total of 40 story levels, along with 5 bonus levels that are unlocked afterwards. In each level, you're given a number of tasks to complete, which can range from moving boulders to defeating enemies. To assist you in completing these tasks, you can construct resource buildings, such as a farm for food production, and use random power-ups, such as run faster. Also, there are 3 hidden objects in each level, and a few levels may contain mini puzzles that you must solve in order to progress. Depending on how quickly you complete all of these tasks and whatnot, you can earn up to 3 stars per level. Although there are no Steam achievements, there are plenty of in-game achievements.
Now that I've gone over the story and gameplay, I'll move onto my thoughts. I've enjoyed this series ever since the first game came out way back, and although I was a bit skeptical after having played the fifth game (since it essentially brought Ragnar, the main character, back from the dead), I was still interested in trying out this latest installment, and thanks to a friend, I was able to do so. First, I enjoyed the story although it isn't anything too original. For anyone who's familiar with Viking lore or mythology, Ragnarok isn't a new concept. However, it feels fitting to introduce this impending catastrophic event in this series, and it's no surprise that Odin, who brought Ragnar back, wants Ragnar to put a stop to it. I liked getting to follow the Viking king and his warriors as they travel through various lands and see how messed up they are, as creatures from different worlds and whatnot converge. As for the ending, [spoiler]it'll probably be no surprise that Ragnar comes out victorious although it does leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger[/spoiler].
In regards to the gameplay, I had no trouble earning 3 stars in each level even though a couple of levels provided a bit of a slight challenge. The hidden objects are easy to find, compared to previous installments. As for the mini puzzles, this is where I have reservations. The previous games didn't have such puzzles, and although I don't mind them (since I do play puzzle games, too), this might annoy those who want to play these games purely for the time management aspect. I wish there was a way to skip these puzzles since they can be quite punishing for someone who may not be good at them. Also, the timer doesn't freeze when you play these puzzles. In addition, I believe that a few of the in-game achievements are bugged. At least, four of them are to my knowledge. Although there are no Steam achievements tied to them (which I think is a good thing since if they were, this review might have ended up being a negative one), I found it unacceptable that a few of the in-game achievements are bugged since I know that I met the conditions for them but they wouldn't unlock. It's obvious that the developers didn't thoroughly test this game to work out all the bugs, which is unfortunate. While I don't mind achievements that require some grinding (and they are present in this game), bugged achievements are just a no-go for me.
However, I did like the art in this game. Despite that others (from other sites) have criticized the change in art style, I didn't mind it so much. It gives the series a fresh new look. The style still fits well with the Viking theme, and the backgrounds are drawn and colored well. Regarding the music, there are new tracks present. They still fit with that adventurous Viking theme well, so I'm glad that new music is finally present.
Overall, would I recommend [i]Northern Tales 6: Oath to the Gods Collector's Edition[/i]? I would give this game a neutral review, mainly because of those bugged in-game achievements that I mentioned, but since Steam still doesn't allow for it (which really needs to change), I'm giving this a slightly positive review. I enjoyed the game a lot and liked the story and such. I just wish the achievements unlocked properly. For the asking price, I'd say this is worth it for those who enjoy time management games and don't mind the lack of Steam achievements (and are also ok with buggy in-game achievements). I completed the game in less than 10.5 hours, but of course, you can wait to get it on sale. ^^
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