REVIEW : Tails of Iron (PC)
A hero’s path is never easy, and it is frequently full of peril and difficulties that require a great deal of effort to overcome. When it comes to video games, it’s up to the player to champion the cause and bring the storey to a joyful conclusion. For United Label and Odd Bug Studio, nothing beats Tails of Iron, a gloomy role-playing game featuring a rat as the main character.
A hero’s path is never easy, and it is frequently full of peril and difficulties that require a great deal of effort to overcome. When it comes to video games, it’s up to the player to champion the cause and bring the storey to a joyful conclusion. For United Label and Odd Bug Studio, nothing beats Tails of Iron, a gloomy role-playing game featuring a rat as the main character.
With his kingdom in ruins and his life on the line, Redgi must rely on his iron will to not only repair his realm but to finally defeat the terrible frogspawn. It’s a noble goal, but one that won’t be simple, so players will have plenty of questing to accomplish and monsters to defeat, just like in any decent RPG.
Tails of Iron’s combat is visceral and violent, taking a page from the Souls-like genre. There is no such thing as levelling up or becoming stronger because it all depends on your skill and the equipment you’re wearing. How long you can survive will be determined by learning enemy attack patterns and deciding whether to strike, avoid a block, or parry.
Redgi is skilled with swords, axes, spears, ranged weapons, and shields as the would-be king. When you add in two-handed variations, you’ve got a lot of options for dispatching the foes in your way. It is totally up to the players to choose how they want to battle, whether they wish to be swift and agile or hit hard and take things slowly.
Ranged assaults can be deflected, parrying certain movements opens up the opportunity for a retort, and executions are brutal to behold. Redgi may also use poison to improve the effectiveness of his weapons, allowing adversaries to deal more damage. You can also use the handy but limited flask of insect juice to heal yourself in a pinch.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to combat, and the diverse array of enemies you’ll face will have gamers strategizing for the best chance of victory. There are bug-like grubs, quick fliers like the Mozis, and even Moles to contend with outside the Frog faction. Redgi will always have his hands full in any combat setting, from ranged foes to hard-hitting melee fighters.
Then there are the bosses, frequently gigantic monstrosities that are scary to look at but even more terrifying to combat. They are the most difficult tests on Redgi’s journey to salvation, with special attacks and behaviours, and it is critical to have patience and perfect your timing if you wish to survive.
Wrong moves are designed to be punished, and if you’re not careful, you could find yourself on the receiving end of a nasty series of attacks. Thankfully, checkpoints are often in Tails of Iron, so you can always return with additional experience to keep yourself alive.
The fighting in Tails of Iron is, without a doubt, incredibly satisfying. Every attack is deliberate, every dodge a narrow escape, and nothing compares to surviving a harrowing confrontation with a sliver of health remaining.
Although Redgi’s primary goal is to propel players forward, several side tasks are to complete in this rodent RPG. While it does not go beyond grabbing objects or wiping the floor with bounty targets, it does provide an excuse for players to enjoy the battle even more while learning more about this fascinating universe.
And what a medieval fantasy world it is, brought to life with all manners of critters. The environments Redgi will visit throughout Tails of Iron are all full of nice touches that reveal a living, breathing world that offers a glimpse into the unknown. Rat villages full of activity, an underground town filled with industrious residents, and a healthy dose of secrets waiting to be discovered.
And what a fantastical mediaeval world it is, complete with all kinds of creatures. Redgi’s landscapes in Tails of Iron are full of lovely nuances that portray an alive, breathing world that offers a glimpse into the unknown. Rat settlements abound, as does an underground town teeming with hardworking citizens and a fair dose of secrets just waiting to be unearthed.
Tails of Iron also takes a novel approach to narrative, substituting images for written language, with the entire storey recounted in bits and pieces by Doug Cockle, aka Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series. Rather than relying on frequent explanation, it forces one to stand up and pay attention.
Tails of Iron has decent worldbuilding and narrative framework on which to create an RPG, and it gets it right the majority of the time.
With flexible equipment, elements such as armour resistances and weight are thrown into the mix, companions that join you on your adventure at times, and questing for the ordinary folk, it all fits neatly within the genre. Redgi can also use blueprints to construct new armour and weaponry and gain permanent health enhancements by eating delicious meals.
Despite this, Tails of Iron can feel like an RPG-lite that will leave players wanting more. The overall experience, which lasts roughly 10-12 hours, is arguably too linear for its good.
On the one hand, it tells a focused plot that will keep you eager to finish it, but on the other hand, it never deviates enough to deliver unexpected bursts of originality. Wanting more of Tails of Iron is a good thing, and a squandered opportunity like this could give the devs more motivation to go bigger next time. Tails of Iron is, at its core, a brilliant attempt that adapts the standard RPG experience into a new world that we didn’t realize we needed. Redgi’s horrific odyssey will have gamers rooting for him, yearning for vengeance, and wondering if it was all worth it at the end.
