The Necromancer's Tale

The Necromancer's Tale is a narrative-driven indie RPG that immerses players in the dark journey of becoming a necromancer. The game excels in storytelling, world-building, and character development, offering a slow-burn experience filled with moral dilemmas, mystery, and a unique necromancy system. Players appreciate the depth of social interactions, rituals, and the atmospheric setting that captures a gothic horror vibe reminiscent of classic CRPGs like Disco Elysium and Age of Decadence. Choices significantly impact the story and endings, rewarding attentive and thoughtful play.

However, the game is marked by some rough edges typical of a small team project. Combat is basic and can become tedious, especially with managing multiple undead minions. The lack of quest markers and minimal hand-holding can lead to frustration and aimless wandering. Quality-of-life features such as fast travel, better inventory management, and improved save/load systems are requested by players. Despite these flaws, the passionate writing and immersive narrative make it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-rich RPGs.

Highlights

Players praise the game's deep and compelling writing, immersive atmosphere, and innovative necromancy mechanics that require ritual preparation rather than simple spellcasting. The story's slow descent into dark magic and the moral complexity involved are highly regarded. Social interactions and trust systems add meaningful choices that affect outcomes. The game’s unique setting and character-driven narrative stand out, with voice acting and music enhancing the mood. Many compare it favorably to classic CRPGs like Disco Elysium and Age of Decadence, appreciating its old-school roleplaying roots and replayability.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include the tedious and basic combat system, which becomes cumbersome when managing many summoned minions. The absence of quest markers and minimal guidance often results in players feeling lost or stuck, requiring external help. Quality-of-life issues such as slow movement speed, lack of fast travel outside the city, clunky inventory management, and an unintuitive save/load system detract from the experience. Some voice acting and audio inconsistencies break immersion. Players also note occasional bugs and a need for more polish, reflecting its indie development status.