SKALD: Against the Black Priory

SKALD is one of those games that brings a smile to your face when you’re playing it despite the dark and mature content. The design evokes fond memories but also adds enough modern sensibilities and systems to make playing comfortable and approachable. The graphics and sound take root in your psyche and you are drawn to the title in much the same way the main character is drawn into the island’s mysteries. It’s not perfect; the frustrations with the combat and technical bugs preclude that, but it’s still a wonderful reminder that sometimes the old ways are best. Just like the Great Old Ones promise.

The old school style of Skald: Against the Black Priory is a tribute to classic RPGs. The game's narrative shines through and its retro design will trigger nostalgia. However, this lovecraftian darkness adventure may not be for everyone and I wonder to what extent it is just a look into the past while failing to deliver something special for players.

Anybody who has ever enjoyed a turn-based RPG and fancies a trip down memory lane will find themselves delighted with SKALD: Against the Black Priory.

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a lovely surprise of an RPG. After a bit of getting used to it and some visual tweaks, I enjoyed my time with the game on Steam Deck using touch controls. If you’ve wanted an old-school RPG experience that’s built for today without compromising on the vision but one with some accessibility options, SKALD: Against the Black Priory is for you.

Skald proved to be a great trip down memory lane, thanks to its visuals that are authentic to the Commodore 64 era. On top of that, it offers a well made cRPG experience that even though it doesn't offer anything new it will please fans of the genre.