“Tyranny” game review // A CRPG of old

For the last couple years i haven’t really played much games. From time to time i would boot up my PC and play a game of League of Legends or do a Europa Universalis 4 run, but that was hardly a regular thing.
That was the case even more so this last year, finding STEEM and crypto. Just didn’t have the will or the time.

I have a somewhat specific taste in games which is why i never really jumped from one to the next. Lets say i stay loyal to a small number of them.
How strategic is the game? Does it have a good story? Will i feel stupid playing it?…
My favorite game being the one i put in hundreds of hours of gameplay over the last 6 years. A game i go back to when ever i feel like relaxing a bit. And that game is almost pure strategy that takes hours to master. EU4…

Since i played that game almost to death with every imaginable nation, i decided to install something different that is similar to the games i played when i was kid.
Those over 25 will remember Baldurs gate, Neverwinter nights, Fallout, Icewind dale…

So i picked Tyranny.

Tyranny:

As i said in the title, the game is a CRPG which basically means it has a isometric view, you control more then one character, the game mechanics resemble that of “classic” (table top) RPGs, and you have a ton of reading to do. (And i do mean a ton).

PLOT:
When i was picking a CRPG to try out, there were a few newer games i was choosing between but ultimately went for Tyranny because it had a unique storyline that offered numerous options as to how you will play your character.
While many games throw you into the story as some kind of promised savior, Tyranny makes you a villain off the bat.

And when i say villain, i mean that youve done some pretty awful things. You are essentially a puppet for the “big bad overlord dude/gal” (no one knows if its a man or a woman which is often a point of discussion in-game) that conquered most of the know world.
You have a special job of a “Fatebinder” which means that the overlord “Kyros” sends you around the world to activate some super special magic spells called “Edicts”.
When they are activated it more or less destroys the whole region in one way or another.

So you start of as a baddie and you are given numerous options through dialog as to how you will act moving forward in the game.
Out of the options i know of:

you can choose to remain a faithful servant of Kyros and continue being a bad guy, doing the overlords will by joining either “Scarlet Chorus” or “Disfavored” factions. You can join the rebels and try being good or you can say screw everything and rule everyone yourself.

I of course picked the best path. (Not saying which one) :p.

The story itself is serviceable and there are some quests that are more impressive then others. Im not going to go into depth about the story since spoiling the storyline in games like this, really takes away from the enjoyment of learning about the world. Another reason is because you are actually the one that makes the decision as to how the story will unfold. Picking one path over the other makes for a completely different outcome.

Companions:
The game allows for you to take 3 companions with you and each of them can be developed to your liking.
The interactions with your companions are varied and you clearly see the distinctions in personality which makes each companion unique.
There is no romance option although you can have sexual intercourse with some of the companions during a few triggered events. For you horndogs. hehe.

GRAPHICS:
There isnt really much to say about the graphics since the background uses drawn elements for most part.
The aesthetics and the look of the game is as expected for a game going for the 90s CRPG feel. I personally would like a more modern look (maybe something similar to Divinity original sin) but i can appreciate the artistic choices here.
The game is a throwback and is not trying to amaze you with the graphics.

COMBAT:

Reviewing combat is a bit tough. For someone that is more into Diablo type action rpgs the combat will feel slow and awkward.
But in the context of the CRPG genre i can say its ok, but not amazing.
It gets a bit repetitive and boring when dealing with world mobs, the encounters being a bit too easy. Only the occasional boss fights that happen every 2-3 hours of gameplay require strategy and even a few retries. The skills themselves are varied and for most part interesting. There are a few really nice skill animations, some that can actually drop your frame rate a bit when activated. (Something that surprised me)

CONCLUSION:

PROS:

• Atmosphere
• Detail
• World-building
• Writing for most part

CONS:

• Slightly boring combat
• Long loading screens
• A number of unimpressive quests

I would definitely recommend this game to folks that arent really what you call “gamers”, nowadays. If you are one of those that like to just click “next” during dialog you will miss a large part of the game and this isnt for you…
Completing this game feels as if you have read a book. The question is if you find that enjoyable.
It does well to immerse you into the world and there are more then a few satisfactory moments that make it worth the price.
Just remember that you can easily put in 30-40 hours into the game and not finish it.

Hope you enjoy this little review and ill see you guys around.. 😉