The Bard's Tale
Roleplaying
Ratings
Age
13+
Category
Roleplaying
Languages
English
Fri Oct 14 2022
Fix Original Trilogy install which was causing it not to be playable.
Fix videos being cut off on iOS 16+ ultra wide devices.
You are the Bard, a selfish rogue weary of pointless sub-quests and rat-infested cellars. Through magical song you summon characters to join your quest, perform tasks, and heal your party. With over 20-30 hours of gameplay, 50 different enemy types, and a vast world to explore, this is the deepest and funniest RPG on mobile. Includes the original classic trilogy!
Dinsun Expert Review
Our Expert Score
The Bard's Tale on iOS is a rare example of a port that actually improves on the original console experience. It is a hilarious, self-aware RPG that spends its entire runtime mocking the tropes of the genre. You play as the Bard, a sarcastic, selfish protagonist voiced brilliantly by Cary Elwes, who is more interested in coin and women than saving the world.
The gameplay involves summoning creatures through songs to do your dirty work, which adds a tactical layer to the real-time combat. But the real draw is the writing—it is genuinely funny, with a narrator who constantly bickers with the Bard. As a massive bonus, this app includes the original 1980s Bard's Tale trilogy as free extras. It’s a massive amount of content and a must-play for anyone who wants an RPG with a sense of humor.
Features
Full voice acting by Cary Elwes
Huge open world with 50 enemy types
Original 80s trilogy included free
Universal app with iCloud saves
Tips & Walkthrough
Don't just stick to the 'Heavy' summons. The 'Light Fairy' is invaluable in dark dungeons, and the 'Explorer' will find traps and secret doors that save you from taking unnecessary damage.
Gameplays
During dialogue, you can choose to be 'Nice' or 'Snarky.' Your choices won't change the plot significantly, but they will change the hilarious reactions of the NPCs and the Narrator.
Screenshot
Q&A
Yes, The Bard's Tale has full MFi controller support for a console-like experience.
Ratings & Reviews
My Favorite iOS Game
Fri Jan 12 2018 mikerouleauI held off on purchasing Bard’s Tale initially because some of the graphics previews made me think it was just a port of an old Commodore 64 title, or some sort of satirical game, but it is actually an extremely impressive hi-res, 3D isometric RPG action/adventure, that ALSO includes the original BT trilogy. I don’t know what I was thinking...but in all fairness, I’d never heard of it or played it before. I guess you could say it is a little bit like DungeonSiege with a narrative, and lots of gags, humor and music woven in, but it really is its own creature. It is not an open world, and the quests so far have been pretty linear, but I’m not that far in (I don’t think), and remain hopeful that things may yet branch out a little bit. We’ll see. In any case, it is the best iOS game I have played bar none, and my current favorite. I think it is more fun than Baldur’s Gate, Planescape: Torment, and Titan Quest, all of which I found kind of boring, not to mention overly-complex, which didn’t really help me relax. No offense intended. I’ve simply had a lot of fun with Bard’s Tale so far, and find it quite entertaining. I suggest you buy it. Update: I’m playing the game on a 12.9” iPad Pro (256) running iOS 11.2.2, with no problems whatsoever.
LOVE THIS GAME
Sun Oct 13 2019 Zoe RemedyThis game is so funny, with fantastic voice acting. I have a couple of very minor complaints, but they’re really nothing compared to how much I’ve enjoyed it. (Spoiler alert??:) There’s a few parts where I felt a bit trapped and limited by the choices available—for instance when the bard couldn’t understand the guy with the Scottish dialect. Even I could understand that he was telling me that the shadow axe was in the dungeon, and I’m an American who usually has a hard time understanding thick accents, so having to go back . Also there are some bits that are just a bit too well hidden, and I was NOT happy when they killed the dog. Then again, I can appreciate the John Wick aspect of it.
Yeah umm ok
Sat Mar 09 2019 g34rhdIf you’re look for a story line and character development look elsewhere. It is an old school classic hack and slash waste of time. Very addictive and frustrating at times. The graphics are kind of small even on an iPad. Clunky controls and cutscenes become very tedious at times. I finished the game. I bought the app because of how much I remembered enjoying the game on Xbox original. I like how it makes fun of the whole rpg grind. Go there kill that monster collect this that and the other meet a new npc do the same thing again and again and again all the while being insulted by a stodgy narrator and being told what a terrible person you are by everyone throughout the land. This game is not for someone with low self esteem. It’s was worth a play through for old times sake. I’m getting rid of it. Thus ends the Bard’s Tale for me. Good Riddance!
A freaking blast from the past!
Tue Oct 06 2020 HalthierianI don’t ever write reviews but when I saw this I had to. This is based off the 2004 Bard’s tale and does great justice, when I initially saw this on IOS I was hit with a massive wave of nostalgia, I grew up playing this and it was probably the first RPG hack n slash I ever played, I loved it then and loved it now, I even have a strict rule when doing in game purchases that I broke for this, and let me clarify you don’t need to buy anything in game I just wanted the massive trip down memory lane, from some reviews it seems like no one knows or remembers this game was made well over a decade ago, but still after all this time I love it! It made my day seeing this game again.
Best $3.00 I’ve ever spent on IOS
Thu May 23 2019 Anthony213546This game has at least 15 - 20 hours of gameplay for an extremely nominal outright purchase price. There are no micro-transactions to upgrade your character or equipment. There are literally zero attempts to get you to spend any money other than the initial purchase price which if I recall was around $2.99. This was a refreshing blast back to the days when we could just purchase a game without hitting the pay to win wall. The narration was very entertaining. The gameplay was not at all glitchy as claimed by other reviews. It was just an all around fun game without having to make a life commitment to daily quests and guild, etc.
THE ORIGINAL IS BACK!
Mon Sep 02 2019 Big VoiceHi All, This game is the greatest value out there. This is a great game and the originals make it even better. Now, I know some people are going to gripe about the graphics in the bonus feature of the 1980s BT3. What happened there is that the developers were porting the Apple 2 GS versions of the games (1 and 2) to the iPad. There was no GS version of the Bards Tale 3, much to my disappointment back then. Thus, they ported the Apple 2 plus/e/c version over. So, Apple 2 owners have the authentic ports they had back then. There was a better looking version of BT3 though - the Amiga version, but I have learned that it was buggy. Thus, including the non-buggy version of BT3 was a good call, even with the low quality Apple II graphics. (If you love the originals, the remastered versions for PC/PS/Xbox are practically perfect. There you can find pixel perfect graphics and a fantastic gaming experience.) This iOS app is a 5 star game, no question.
Nostalgia “Retro”
Mon Jul 29 2024 mstng64Not for the low self esteem. Old school simpler style RGP, But with a lot of adult humor. (NOT for the younger crowd.) You get to choose how the plot develops for the most part. Lots of running around and destroying and looting everything. Narrator constantly is telling you how bad you are for all of your horrible decisions. Over all a great time killer for the sarcastic. If you hiding in your safe place right now because the world is not fair and giving you what you want without working hard or breaking a sweat…… Just NO!!! STAY AWAY from this game!!! Stay under your Powerpuff Girls blanket, in your Mom’s house, at 27, not paying rent because you still work at the pizza place. You cannot even figure out why you have not made manager in the last 11 years or find a girlfriend. Still wondering why all the other guys laughed at you for wanting to play Soft ball with the girls in the 6th grade.
Needes better graphics
Wed Sep 12 2018 ddietschFor $3 I know you can’t expect the moon. Character creation is the best part with decently detailed for humor, dialogue, writing and voice acting are well done also. Now I’m only about an hour in but the world graphics and clunky controls could have had more attention. I mean I have paid a $1 less for games with better controls and graphics. I don’t regret buying it but I recommend buying during a sale. You do get previous versions but OMG unless you are really desperate for 8 bit crap... really. If things improve after I finish I will revise my thoughts. Not really sure why everyone is giving it a 4-4.5.
News found!
The Bard's Tale ARPG: Remastered and ResnarkledYou are the Bard, a selfish rogue weary of pointless sub-quests and rat-infested cellars. Through magical song you summon characters to join your quest!
Nintendo Sat Jan 11 2025
The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep (PC) ReviewinXile Entertainment has tried once again to breathe life into the decades old Bard's Tale, and it's certainly not a homerun, but it may,...
CGMagazine Wed Dec 11 2019
Hands-on with Bard’s Tale 4 , the first proper series entry in 30 yearsSAN FRANCISCO—When it was published as Tales of the Unknown: Volume I in 1985, The Bard's Tale was the most popular PC RPG yet released.
Ars Technica Tue Jun 11 2019
Microsoft Acquires ‘The Bard’s Tale’ Developer inXile EntertainmentLatest ... “The Bard's Tale” and “Torment: Tides of Numenera” developer inXile Entertainment is joining Microsoft's growing stable of game studios...
Variety Tue Feb 11 2020
Review: The Bard's Tale: Remastered and ResnarkledThe dungeon crawler series The Bard's Tale is one with a storied history. The '80s trilogy was a favorite of PC gamers in the know,...
Hardcore Gamer Tue Dec 11 2018
We played the first hour of The Bard’s Tale 4We've played the opening hour of The Bard's Tale 4: Barrows Deep, which is coming this year to Linux, Mac and Windows PC.
Polygon Fri Oct 11 2019
Review: The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows DeepThe game's focus is less on world-building than the simple, straightforward pleasure of its main mechanics: puzzles and combat.
Slant Magazine Sat Jan 11 2020
The Bard’s Tale: Warlocks of Largefearn Out NowWanderword and inXile Entertainment's audio RPG The Bard's Tale: Warlocks of Largefearn is out now. The game is available on Amazon Alexa...
RPGamer Sat Mar 11 2023
The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep reviewThe last Bard's Tale that I played was that bawdy 2004 adventure on PS2 and Xbox, which was like Diablo but with occasional boob jokes.
GodisaGeek.com Wed Dec 11 2019
inXile Entertainment's The Bard's Tale Trilogy Remaster is out nowThis new set of games lets you pay as either a male or female character across all three of them as well, including alterations such as updated...
Shacknews Mon Nov 11 2019
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