Tales of Old: Dominus

Tales of Old Dmonius is an indie RPG, set in a kingdom fractured by corruption and civil war after the Battle of the Brides. You build your dominion by claiming settlements, managing resources, commanding forces, and pushing back against a collapsing political order, all within a large-scale sandbox-style structure. Pros ✔️ It is fully playable – For a project of this size, it does technically function from start to finish. ✔️ Impressive scope for a one-person project – What’s here is ambitious, and the amount achieved by a solo developer is genuinely notable. ✔️ The story has potential – The premise of rebellion and vengeance in a fractured kingdom is interesting and could go somewhere strong. Cons ❌ Extremely clunky right now – Movement, systems, and general flow feel rough, even when things are working as intended. ❌ Frequent technical issues – I ran into multiple bugs ranging from minor visual problems to full game-breaking issues. ❌ Inventory limitations feel punishing – Having both limited space and weight at the same time is frustrating rather than challenging. Conclusion This game feels like it’s trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with much larger titles before it’s ready. I kept wishing it had scaled back, tightened its focus, and then built outward from a stronger core. What made this harder to be lenient on was the use of AI-generated assets in the promotional material — not only were they poorly implemented, they didn’t match the game at all and hurt the overall presentation significantly. I don’t want to discourage the developer, because what’s been accomplished here is impressive on a technical level for one person, but at its current state and price, I can’t recommend it in good conscience. Score 3/10 Broken Banners — Big ambitions weighed down by rough execution.

This is where I am a bit upset with games that are released but broke. Look, this is not going to be a bashing review, but at it's current state, I would not buy this game. Even for the $15 the devel is asking for. Here's the deal, I like this game, I do. The plot is there, even though it's very lose. I eye candy is awesome. The music and all the audio is on par. It's the bugs. They are everywhere. The game stopper for me is loading up into the game to give it a go, and I'm falling through the floor. I am like WHAT THE ****! I have tried to reset the game, did not work. The only thing that does seems to work is the auto save way back to where I started the game. This is fine for me because I do not have many hours in the game, and just really started. but the saves have to be fixed! I came upon a horse, I was excited! Saved the game, came back in the horse was gone. Never seen it again. This is some stuff I have come across. I do see at the bottom of the of the load screen it says the game was mostly made by one person. i get it. Coding is tough and for one person to do it over the course of 3 years things happen. But if you really want people to buy and play your game, saves should work. I would be pissed if I got 20-30 hours in, saved the game, come back later and it's broke. I will have a go at it again, because I really do like this game and I want to see where it goes. At the end of the day, I do not recommend it at all. I will update this as time goes on and updates are released. Update: This Game Appears ABANDONED. Last notes posted was in Nov. STAY AWAY!

-Terrible Voice acting, terrible graphs and crap ton of bugs. Refunded. Not touching this again.

I bought it through the holidays checking out games, this one I would avoid. For a title that is 1.0, this game seems really empty, its buggy as hell/glitches, falling through the world all the time. Combat seems alright which is one of the only positives, I only got to play 120mins, before I logged out in a cave and every reload since Im falling through the world, cant be bothered to restart just yet probably to get the same result. Avoid buying until this developer actually fixes some of these problems otherwise it aint worth jack.

I want to like the game and I would have kept this game for sure. I joined the Discord though and all I see is silence. There are no staff listed no conversations nothing. This speaks volumes sadly, upon seeing that I quickly hit Refund in a hurry. If you want to take the chance on the game performance was good but there are many difficulties with the game. My most hated was the horse, steering it with the KB is horrible. It gets stuck too much. Combat I will warn everyone is not just hitting LMB you have a bunch of buttons doing different attack types. So far the AI enemy are stupid but I did not get all that far into it. I am not interested in having another game collecting dust in hopes that it will improve. This game feels like an Early Access game in about year 2 of development. Many rough spots that need help but the game is full release. Combined with a Dead Discord and Steam forum alike, I am out.

So! Also wer auch immer eine verwaschene komische Grafik hat -> bitte Augenarzt kontaktieren! Wer eine hakelige Steurung hat --> sowas hat Alkohol an sich! Das Game ist im EA!!!! Und die Bewertungen sind bei weitem nicht richtig! Ja es braucht noch Arbeit, aber solche unfairen Bewertungen schaden dem DEV nur. Es ist grafisch nicht auf dem neuesten Stand aber passend zum Titel! Das Kampsystem ist ähnlich wie damals Gothik 1 , was fehlt ist auf jeden Fall ein Ziel System also zum fixieren der Gegner, alles andere kann man nach und nach verbessern. Crafting simple und logisch bisher Story naja man sucht Hannah und hat halt einen Weg vor sich so genau weiß ich noch nicht aber der Start bringt dich schon sehr gut rein in das Ganze um die Gamemechaniken zu verstehen! Alles im allen hat man für 14 Euro einen guten EA Titel mit viel Luft nach oben sofern der DEV nicht aufgibt! Für die par Euro bekommt man schon einiges geboten und es macht auch Spaß für Leute die solche Games mögen... Ich hab 10.07 Euro bezahlt und bereue es nicht! Mehr als fair! ! ! Es benötigt viel Hardware Ressourcen noch aber ich zockte auf MAX alles sowie 5120x1440 aber ja mit einer Kartoffel wird das Game nicht so rund aussehen. Aber Leute dann kauft keine EA Titel von kleineren Devs die noch nicht soviel Erfahrung haben und unter anderem auch länger brauchen wenn Ihr keinen ordentlichen Rechner habt und ENDE! Denn wer von EA Preis profitieren möchte, der muss halt dann auch Abstriche machen! Aber ja man sieht die Low Grafikkarten Besitzer sind wie immer die größten raunzen ... nix investieren wollen überall einsparen wollen und dann auch noch unfair bewerten... SORRY GEHT GAR NICHT Jeder der ein vernünftiges System hat , solche Titel mag kann zugreiffen. Definitiv

i think this game needs so much work still.

I really want to like this game and support the developer, especially since it's just one guy building this. And I'm not asking or a refund because I want to support him. However, this game is not quite ready for play. Like others, I ran into numerous minor bugs and glitches and one MAJOR bug. Some of the minor issues are: The game is a bit "rail roaded" in the beginning. It directs you exactly where to go and what to do, step by step, with very little player choice. I can only hope this improves later in the game and gives you more freedom, but I haven't gotten there yet. A lot of the NPCs have no dialogue and just stand around. The combat system is a bit rough. The fact that this is 3rd person perspective makes the combat problems even worse. I, personally, would like to see 1st person perspective. Perhaps you can give us the choice between 1st and 3rd so that everyone is happy. Switching weapons and moving things around in the inventory is very rough. I routinely need 3 or 4 attempts just to switch a weapon or access something in inventory. It's incredibly clumsy. Please come up with a better system. The beds seem glitched. So far, I've only done the first bed in the cave, but like others have said, sleeping did not actually cure my fatigue. That first bed is definitely glitched. The MAJOR bug. This is the reason I stopped playing. After playing for several hours, resaving on slot 1 every time, I opened the game up the next day to find that it had not saved any of the saves in the last 3 hours or so. It starts me off at a much earlier point in the game. And every single other save slot starts me at the beginning of the game. So I have lost several hours of progress. There is no point in me continuing with this game if I cannot even save progress. So until this is fixed, I can't continue. Furthermore, the save slots have no identifying information at all. Timestamp or name or anything. It's impossible to tell one save slot from another. I really commend the developer on an amazing start. This game has a lot of potential and I really hope you fix these bugs, improve the controls and finish this game. I still really want to play it. But right now, it's too buggy for me to continue. I'll check in again from time to time to see if it's playable yet. I'm still going to list this review as positive because this looks like it could be a GREAT game and I encourage others to support the developer. Perhaps your experience won't have the save/load problem I did and you can play.

Tales of Old: Dominus is a medieval open-world action RPG developed by Hvmana Industries MMD and published by indie.io, aiming to merge survival mechanics, brutal combat, stealth systems, and kingdom-building into a single cohesive experience. Set in a harsh and politically fractured land, the game follows Eric of Woldham, a survivor of a devastating conflict that left his village destroyed and his family slain. From this tragic beginning, the narrative unfolds as a tale of revenge, ambition, and gradual ascension from lone wanderer to a leader capable of reshaping the balance of power. The world of Dominus is intentionally unforgiving. From the outset, survival is as critical as swordplay. Players must manage hunger, thirst, warmth, and fatigue while navigating forests, villages, and contested territories. These mechanics ground the experience in a form of medieval realism, forcing preparation before embarking on quests or battles. Hunting wildlife, gathering materials, crafting tools, and maintaining basic supplies are constant concerns. This survival layer adds tension and immersion, reinforcing the idea that Eric is not yet a legendary hero but a vulnerable man struggling to endure. Combat plays a central role and is designed to feel heavy and consequential. Melee engagements rely on timing, positioning, and weapon choice, with each strike carrying visible impact. Enemies do not behave uniformly; some may flee, others surrender, and some fight to the death. This variability adds unpredictability to encounters. Ranged weapons and stealth tactics offer alternative approaches, encouraging players to assess each situation rather than relying solely on brute force. The stealth system incorporates light levels, sound generation, and enemy awareness, allowing for infiltration strategies that reward patience and careful movement. Beyond individual survival and skirmishes, the game gradually expands into territory control and settlement management. As Eric gains influence, he can recruit followers and establish settlements that function as economic and military hubs. Constructing defenses, maintaining loyalty, and managing resources become vital responsibilities. This leadership layer transforms the experience from personal revenge narrative into a broader strategic campaign. Settlements generate income and manpower but require protection from rival factions and bandit attacks. Balancing expansion with sustainability becomes a strategic challenge in itself. Crafting and progression systems tie these elements together. Equipment can be forged and upgraded, improving combat effectiveness while reflecting the player’s growing status. Crafting extends to settlement infrastructure, enabling the construction of workshops, defenses, and essential facilities. Progression is not solely based on leveling up but on expanding influence and resources. This approach reinforces the game’s central theme of building power through resilience and strategy rather than linear quest completion. Visually, Tales of Old: Dominus strives for a grounded medieval atmosphere. The environments are detailed enough to convey the bleakness of war-torn villages and rugged wilderness landscapes. Lighting and weather effects contribute to immersion, particularly during night infiltrations or stormy battlefield encounters. Character models and armor designs reflect historical inspiration rather than exaggerated fantasy aesthetics, supporting the game’s somber tone. While the presentation may not reach the polish of large-budget productions, it effectively conveys the gritty realism the narrative seeks to establish. The ambition of Dominus is evident in its attempt to integrate multiple systems into a unified sandbox. However, this scope can lead to uneven execution. Combat mechanics, while satisfying in concept, may feel inconsistent at times due to AI behavior or animation transitions. The layering of survival, stealth, and settlement management can occasionally overwhelm players unfamiliar with such hybrid systems. Yet for those willing to invest time in learning its intricacies, the combination of mechanics offers a depth rarely attempted in smaller-scale projects. Ultimately, Tales of Old: Dominus presents a sprawling medieval sandbox where survival, vengeance, and governance intersect. It offers players freedom in how they approach challenges—whether through stealthy infiltration, direct confrontation, or strategic leadership. Though rough edges and mechanical inconsistencies may temper its impact, the game’s ambition and thematic cohesion create a compelling framework. For players drawn to open-ended medieval experiences that combine personal combat with broader territorial control, Dominus provides a layered and immersive journey through a world defined by conflict and resilience. Rating: 5/10

Я конечно и раньше покупал говно, но это топ-1. Камера вообще не поворачивается и если честно я до сих пор не понимаю как я смог убить кого-то, перевод написали есть русский, но это тупо чтоб хоть кто-то купил по факту тут частичный перевод на русский. камера не регулируется персонаж на пол монитора, бред полнейший да и я так понимаю после пары патчей на игру хер положили. Ну тут можно ещё много чего написать по факту не хорошего, но закончим на том, что лучше её не покупать)))