The Tale of Relm

Currently the game feels interesteing, even though I don't know where the story will go. Still I can't recommend the game as it feels very unbalanced. The boss fights usually mean using old equipment because the current one is that with a weakness the boss will exploit so you can't win.(That was true for all 5 or 6 bosses I fought so far if I remember correctly.) Also it seems there there are only a few tactics that work for beating a boss, or specific skills you need to have. You can look at the forums regarding the first boss for example. Getting new characters you need to use for the next boss fight with equipment that is weak against the boss attacks, leading the boss to one shot 2/3 of the team with pyhsical attacks while blinded seems just like punishment not strategic difficulty. Especially since the taunt ability of the fighter type didn't help at all. Taking a hour and several tries to randomly having the boss not use one-shot abilities right at the start isn't fun for me at all. And leads to me writing the review to prevent others to also feel frustrated. The game has good potential but right now it's mostly frustrating. So I can't recommend it. EDIT: I just finished the game, but it was a drag for me. THe maps are lifeless, paths always looking the same confusing you in their maze. And the directions you get are almost non-existing. Also I don't get why the story is hyped so much. It's not bad but mediocre in my opinion. More in how it's told than it's content. So I still can't recommend the game.

the combat system is genuinely thoughtful. it’s turn based, but the shield breaking mechanic against the 200 plus enemies makes every fight a unique tactical decision. i also appreciate that enemies are visible on the map. this simple choice gives you complete control over every encounter and vastly improves the flow of the entire journey. it's a strategic delight, highly recommended :)

really enjoying this one! Just a few hours in, and it captures that classic JRPG feeling really well. The combat has enough strategy to keep battles fun, exploration has been fun thanks to the interesting characters and lore, and I especially loved the intro and how it sets up the world and the beautiful character art. I'm already invested in the story and excited to see where it goes

i was completely drawn into the handcrafted world. the narrative is deeply engaging, and the atmosphere is spot on. talking to villagers actually matters, often revealing useful hints and tips. it’s the perfect title for a story rich journey that respects your intelligence. a charming and highly recommended experience.

this experience truly captures the feeling of a grand adventure. the story is deep, driven by a captivating cast of ten heroes brought to life with beautiful, hand drawn art. exploration feels rewarding you will find secrets and puzzles reminiscent of early zelda games. the combat is the real highlight, though. every fight requires strategy you must discover enemy weaknesses to break their shields before delivering the final blow. the boss battles are intense, tactical puzzles where figuring out the perfect strategy is satisfying. a must buy for any fan of story driven fantasy looking for a challenge.

UPDATE: Based on feedback and updates from the developer, I've altered my position to recommending people at least try out the game and see if the style and difficulty suit them. However, for full clarity I am leaving my original review up. ----------------- The combat has a lot of interesting potential, but it's held back by some poor design decisions. Firstly, the opening is long and lacks ability to fast forward or skip forward. I appreciate the artistry of the system, but read much faster than lines are read or narration is delivered, thus making things drag. This wouldn't be so bad but the game balance in the opening chapter is... designed in such a way as to quickly require mastery while also artificially creating difficulty. Combat is interesting, and uses some good ideas for strategic thought rather than encouraging people to simply spam their most powerful attacks. However, the first chapter has what amounts to back to back boss fights without saves between AND they designed those enemies to exploit basic RPG logic against the player in a way that inherently feels unfair and deceptive. Basically, the initial armor upgrades received make the characters vunerable to the elemental type used by these initial bosses, thus punishing the player for doing basic JRPG gear upgrades from loot and merchants... all while not having any forms of autosave at the start of boss fights or a save point without backtracking between the boss fights. In the end, in their effort to be "hardcore" they undercut their learning curve and instead of creating true difficulty they depended on gimmicks and punishing basic player habits.

A must play classic turn based RPG! The graphics are fresh and the artwork pulls u right into each scene and each battle stage! Every next day, the music still plays in my head after an evening with The Tale of Relm. A very good battle system pulled me in from the very start. As an rpg veteran u directly understand this is not without thought! There are a lot of skills to learn and more than expected are tactical! Also the equipment is not as it first seems: the latest, most chiny helmet is not always the one u want for the next boss! It is built up so that thanks to the fact that battles are serious business at times, u get a real feeling of becoming more powerful and skilled. And choosing the right skills can make a huge difference, although it would never break the game! A tip: Choose skills wisely, save up a bit of Job Points sometimes when entering a new zone until u understand the mobs weaknesses and the exact one u need to make your life easier and feel allpowerful! The fact that there are really a lot of playable characters keeps things exciting and new throughout the whole game. I cant wait for a sequel, the story and characters ask for it!

i spent so much time just wandering and enjoying the details of the world. the game rewards you for going off the path with great secrets and intricate puzzles that remind me of classic adventure games. the dialogue is also enhanced by the beautiful, expressive character art. a wonderful escape into a deep fantasy world ❤️

this title offers a great mix of classic adventure and modern flexibility. i truly appreciate the job point system being able to acquire skills in any order lets you create unique, tailored builds for your heroes. this customization keeps the tactical, turn based combat fresh. no random encounters is a massive quality of life win, too. control over your party's destiny makes this a gem.❤️

one of the best design choices is the visible enemies no random encounters means the pacing is fantastic. the strategic, turn based combat is excellent, forcing you to use your 10 hero roster wisely to exploit weaknesses. you constantly feel like you are learning and growing, thanks to the massive variety of 200 plus unique enemies. the flexible skill system also means you are never locked into a bad build. this adventure is highly recommended.