Review by Jon Donnis
Tale of Dark Lands arrives on PS5 as a low poly fantasy action RPG that tries to channel the feel of a modern fairy tale wrapped in darker myth. You play a mercenary pulled from simple village work into something far more ominous, as an ancient force begins to spread across the land. It is a straightforward setup, built around progression, gear upgrades and a steady climb towards becoming a legendary figure.
There is an immediate charm to the visual presentation. The low poly style gives the world a soft, storybook quality that suits the fantasy setting surprisingly well. Villages, forests and dungeons carry a certain handmade feel, and when the lighting hits right it does manage to look appealing in a stripped back way. The character editor and equipment variety also add a small layer of personalisation, giving you room to shape your mercenary and experiment with different builds and gear combinations as you progress.
Where the game struggles is in almost everything tied to moment to moment play. Combat quickly settles into repetitive attack spamming, with very little need for timing, dodging or tactical thinking until the very late stages. Encounters begin to feel routine long before the credits roll. Navigation is another weak point, with an awkward structure that funnels you through portals and narrow paths rather than encouraging any real exploration. The story also never rises above functional fantasy filler, lacking tension or intrigue despite its darker premise. Controls feel loose, which only adds to the sense that the systems are not quite as refined as they should be, and the overall experience is short, running for only a few hours without much variation along the way.
In the end, Tale of Dark Lands is a game that looks more interesting than it plays. The visual style carries it for a while, but the shallow combat, weak storytelling and restrictive design hold it back from anything memorable. It is a brief experience that feels underdeveloped, and while it has moments of charm, they are not enough to sustain the journey. I would score Tale of Dark Lands a disappointing 4 out of 10.
Releases 2nd June on PlayStation
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