The Tales of Bayun

The Tales of Bayun features the mystifying charm and mysterious allure of Eastern European and Slavic folktales to create a truly unforgettable RPG experience. Immerse yourself in a mesmerizing world of wonder and darkness, as you explore the many mysteries that this outstanding game has to offer.

The game adheres to a rather “unique” definition of what an RPG is. Even though fans of more traditional gameplay experiences might feel a bit lost playing this game, The Tales of Bayun offers an array of fascinating adventures for gamers who’re looking for a solid narrative experience.

Living History

In recent years, the definition of “RPG” has gone through some severe changes. Gone are the days of antiquated turn-based games with little else to offer. Divinity Original Sin II forever changed the face of the genre, which has been pursuing a more experimental phase as of late.

Games like Pentiment offer a glimpse into what the genre’s future might play like. The Tales of Bayun follows a rather similar approach to Obsidian’s game, and that’s music to my ears: I loved Pentiment’s unique storytelling, and The Tales of Bayun is the closest I’ve seen in any other game.

Gloomy Inspirations

With a game based on lore and cautionary tales from Eastern Europe, you’ll need a talented team behind the designs to really make the setting shine. The Tales of Bayun features a rather gorgeous visual style — again, very reminiscent of Pentiment’s limited animations, but without the more “classical” look.

Even though the game looks pretty, I can’t help but feel like some scenes lack the proper weight they should have. Sure, everything is illustrated quite well, but the animations make the game feel like a mobile title at times.

History of Everything

As I mentioned before, The Tales of Bayun is a narrative experience first and foremost. This can mean many things, but the gist of it is that every decision you make during a playthrough severely affects how the rest of the story plays out.

With more than ten unique endings, The Tales of Bayun rewards players who investigate every scene thoroughly. The variety of narrative paths also means that this is a game that players can keep coming back to.

Perhaps the best part about the whole deal is how complete the game’s narrative feels. This is one of those games where you feel like you get more than you paid for, which is yet another reason why The Tales of Bayun could become an instant classic.

Pros

• Gorgeous art
• Lots of endings and moral decisions
• Amazing replay value

Cons

• Some animations are a bit lackluster