After around 35 hours, I can confidently say Tyranny is one of the most unique CRPGs I’ve ever played. Instead of the usual "you’re the chosen one, now go save the world" narrative, you play as a Fatebinder—essentially a magical lawyer—in service of an empire that’s already conquered most of the known world. You’re not here to stop evil. You are the evil. Or at least, you're working for it. And that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.
Ever wanted to pit two allied factions against each other just to make your own position more secure? You can totally do that.
Want to torch a massive ancient library with the scholars still inside? The game hands you the matches.
Feel like tossing a smug NPC off a cliff and turning them into red paste? You can, and if you're feeling extra efficient, you can even strap a letter to their body for your allies to pick up down below.
What about infanticide? Would you kill a baby so that order may be instilled in the land? because Yes, the game even gives you the option to kill a baby for the sake of “law and order.”
The writing is easily the best part. The world is dark, politically messy, and full of genuinely great characters. And your choices actually matter. I don’t mean just a few different dialogues. I mean entire quests, zones, and even companions can change depending on what you do. It’s the kind of game that makes you want to start a second playthrough right away to see how else things could play out.
There’s also a reputation system. You build loyalty and fear with your companions, and favor or wrath with factions. These affect not just how people talk to you, but also unlock special dialogue options, interactions, and even abilities.
But one of the most unique things in the game is the magic system. You don’t just learn preset spells. Instead, you collect sigils (like fire, illusion, lightning, etc.) and expressions (like AoE, single target, chain). Then you mix and match to build your own spells.
Want a lightning spell that jumps between enemies, causes bleeding, and lowers their lightning resistance? Done.
A fireball that also freezes people? Weird, but yes.
You're only limited by your Lore stat, and it’s honestly one of the most fun systems I’ve seen in an RPG.
That said, Tyranny isn't without its flaws.
The ending is kind of a let down. After all the great writing and build-up, the last act feels super rushed. Plot threads just get tied up in minutes, and instead of a real finale, you get a basic slideshow wrap-up which I’d be fine with but even those feel more like placeholder slides. Not terrible, but definitely underwhelming.
The combat is okay. It’s real-time with pause, and it works, but it gets repetitive pretty quickly. The build variety is kind of limited, so once you settle into your strategy, fights start to feel samey. and enemy variety isn’t great either—you’ll fight the same few types of enemies over and over, with only minor variations. After a while, battles start to blend together. It’s definitely not the game’s strong point.
And lastly, it’s a bit short. I played pretty thoroughly and still hit the end credits at 35 hours. It felt like the story was just ramping up when it suddenly stopped.
Still, even with those flaws, Tyranny is absolutely worth playing—especially if you love story-driven RPGs and want something different from the usual hero’s journey. The whole “servant of a tyrant” setup is pleasantly refreshing, and the game really lets you lean into being a clever manipulator, a brutal enforcer, or a defiant rebel. Your choices matter, and the world reacts to them.
Highly recommended if you’re into CRPGs and looking for something a little darker and more original.
