The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep

 PC
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 42
  3. Negative: 4 out of 42
  1. Destructoid
    Oct 1, 2018
    45
    A lot of the issues are tech-related: crashes, geometry bugs, load times, and framerate can all be fixed with patches. As of now? The interesting puzzles and fantastic music are not worth suffering through the bugs, lackluster models, and mediocre combat and skills. If your interest is piqued here, wishlist it and come back at a later time; I have no doubt that this game will reach its potential, but it's just not even close right now.
  2. Cubed3
    Oct 10, 2018
    40
    Without the problems that stem from the, evidently, rushed production, The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep is a mediocre-to-good dungeon crawling RPG that's reminiscent of the genre's humble beginnings. With those problems added, however, this is downright annoying, and even unplayable.
  3. GameSpot
    Sep 30, 2018
    40
    While the game re-creates what we played in the 1990s, misty water-colored memories of hours spent with Eye of the Beholder are not enough to fix numerous design miscues, performance problems, and bugs. This is a tough sell to all but the most dedicated and patient retro fan.
  5. Trusted Reviews
    Sep 19, 2018
    40
    Without the bugs, The Bard’s Tale IV is okay at best. With them, it’s perhaps best to preserve your nostalgia and play the HD remaster of The Bard’s Tale I to III instead.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
  1. Eurogamer
    Oct 4, 2018
    An eccentric and charismatic B-movie of a game. The Bard's Tale 4 is an ideal place to puzzle in. [Eurogamer Recommended]
  2. The A.V. Club
    Sep 21, 2018
    A bit like Dark Souls, except the first huge difficulty spike happens not at the hands of some glowering minotaur, but during the graphics options page, as you battle to get the damn thing to run at all.

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
32
#32 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 101
  3. Negative: 31 out of 101
  1. RolandofYew
    Sep 18, 2018
    10
    Bards Tale IV has all the elements of previous games as well as introducing elements we take for granted in the 21st century. I say go aheadBards Tale IV has all the elements of previous games as well as introducing elements we take for granted in the 21st century. I say go ahead and buy Bards Tale IV Barrows Down you will not regret your purchase and remember, the Google analytics engine has scrutinised every written word available on the web about the game and subsequently rated it as the number one 'Steam Game of 2018'.… Full Review »
  2. razordaman
    Sep 18, 2018
    0
    Low frame rates for bad graphics. Looks amateurish. Combat slow and clunky. The game fights your every move. No exploration allowed, only oneLow frame rates for bad graphics. Looks amateurish. Combat slow and clunky. The game fights your every move. No exploration allowed, only one path to go in. Console save points, showing they don't care about the PC much. Lore as been destroyed from Bards Tale 1-3 and npcs came back to life from those games for some reason to be in this one. This is a cash grab nothing more. The only good thing is the music the rest is garbage.… Full Review »
  3. SpectralShade
    Sep 21, 2018
    3
    I had written an in-depth review listing why the game was bad. But when I reached the character limit of 5000 characters in an interview, theI had written an in-depth review listing why the game was bad. But when I reached the character limit of 5000 characters in an interview, the browser decided that instead of merely closing the box telling me my review was too long, it would turn a page back, thus deleting everything I had written.
    I can't be arsed writing it all again, especially not for a crap game like this.

    To put it short: Game is dumbed down checklist of ideas from different games that got mashed together with little thought of the interaction. Playing it consists of 'solving' monotonous puzzles, being spoonfed a gated/railed tour thorugh the areas while getting your party filled with pregenerated characters one at a time.

    And those that actually loved the trilogy: don't bother. The only heritage is the name. They could have called it barrows deep, without the bards tale name attached, and no-one would have guessed it had anything to do with bards tale.

    Avoid.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »