The Vale: Shadow of the Crown

The Princess of Glades, Alexandra (Alex), is sent away from the crown capital to rule over the Borderlands from Bolt Castle. Blind from birth, Alex is being escorted by a caravan of soldiers when a band of barbarian warriors, the Odedan horde, ambushes them. Awakening to learn that her caravan and company were slaughtered by the Odedans, she is determined to travel 500 miles back to Glades to warn her newly crowned brother about this invading force. The Vale: Shadow of the Crown is a compelling hero's journey, following Alex on her quest to warn Nobell about the threat of the Odedan horde. As Alex is completely blind, fortune smiles upon her when she's found near the caravan by a wandering shepherd, Abdul-Rasheed, who allows Alex to refer to him by his occupation instead. With shepherd as her sighted companion, the two begin traveling south along the main road towards Glades. As Alex and Shepherd visit each town along their journey, their progress is typically hindered by a local custom that prevents easy travel from one location to another. For example, a river is beset by pirates, and the pair must figure out how to charter safe passage downstream. There are around four or five towns like this, and each serves as a small hub for side quests as the player progresses through the main story. The side quests serve an important purpose by building out the world and strengthening Alex on her quest. While I felt the side quests slowed down the pacing a bit, I was impressed enough by how they tied that feeling into the late narrative of the game that I am willing to overlook it as a point of criticism. The most impressive aspects of The Vale: Shadow of the Crown are the voice acting performances and the sound design. As the game is largely devoid of visual stimuli, the sound direction really pulls its weight to set up each scene. I found the best experience was achieved by simply closing my eyes for the entire adventure and letting myself be immersed in the story. Contrary to what one might expect from a game that can be played entirely sightless, The Vale: Shadow of the Crown is an action-adventure game with some RPG elements. In anticipation of Alex being assigned to rule the Borderlands, she has received combat training since an early age. Alex's skills are immediately put to the test, as she is beset by wolves and other foes along the journey. When combat begins, Alex listens for audio cues from three potential directions. The rustle of armor or the growl of a wolf signals that an attack is incoming. After identifying where her opponent is coming from, Alex can either preemptively strike her opponent to disrupt them or block the attack with her shield and follow up with a counter. The combat system grows in complexity as enemies begin charging at Alex with heavy attacks that deal damage through blocks or by attacking in rapid succession. Alex will also often be fighting against the odds, with several opponents attacking her from multiple directions at once. As Alex travels between towns, she can typically purchase armor and weapons from local blacksmiths. These allow the player a bit of customization for their playstyle, with some weapons excelling at breaking enemy guards while others are better for quick, successive attacks. Eventually, the narrative takes on a supernatural twist, and Alex is blessed with a mastery of magic, which she can use to turn the tide of combat in her favor. Not all quests require combat to solve; some focus on seeking out a hidden item by sound. There is even a series of hunting quests in which Alex listens for game in the forest and shoots them with a bow. Late-game quests are often a mix of all three styles, as Alex can choose to pick off a few enemies with her bow or simply sneak past an encounter entirely. My blind playthrough of The Vale: Shadow of the Crown was enjoyable, and it is a game I would recommend. However, due to its lack of visual stimulation, I anticipate this game struggling to capture the attention of most players. It is also a game that demands patience, as the player is signing up for what is effectively a 3 to 4-hour audio novel, albeit one with excellent voice-acting performances. The combat encounters are a bit tricky sometimes on maximum difficulty, but I beat the final boss with my eyes closed. In summary, The Vale: Shadow of the Crown is a refreshingly unique game—one that even a blind man could see