Tales of Bayun Review | TheXboxHub

Tales of Bayun Review | TheXboxHub

Stories are twisty, strange things which are capable of taking on a shape of their own, merging in with the times that they still survive in. Take most of Disney’s back catalogue for instance; it can be sourced back to Grimm Fairy tales produced in the 1800s. But the stories go back further. For example, Snow White is a German fairy tale, all focusing on a stepmother who sends assassins to kill Snow White, all in hope of getting her lungs and liver which she can eat to make her younger and fairer. 

Tales of Bayun, I feel, has that same vibe. It takes some Eastern European Slavic folk tales as a source, pushing out characters that won’t be found in any Disney movie. 

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Tales of Bayun – full of fantasy

As you load up the game you have a choice of two stories to play through. Both have separate protagonists and narratives, but they come from the same shared universe, with links to returning characters. Whichever you choose first, Tales of Bayun is very much a narrative-driven adventure with some very simple RPG elements. Think of it as a new addition to the choose-your-own-adventure genre. 

The stories borrow from and take influences straight out of the Eastern European and Slavic fairy tales. They are old and are great, as you get taken through a world where human life and mystical beings exist in the same universe. In terms of tone and setting, Tales of Bayun reminds of The Witcher universe at times and that’s not a bad thing at all. It also comes with a narrative full of hard choices, each determining the direction of the story. My word, is it dark and gloomy, but I found it one to love, mostly thanks to the complex telling; the fact that there isn’t just good and evil but a whole world of murky grey. It’s a compelling tale with brilliant characters and strange myths interwoven to a satisfying conclusion.

The gameplay mechanics are simple enough to understand and work through. You are presented with a still image in an area, left to point and click on items or characters to interact with. There is an inventory of items that you collect on the way, some of which will be very helpful in certain sections of the narrative. 

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Full of brilliant characters

Your choices are key to how the story unfolds, capable of unlocking multiple endings and different versions of your hero’s fate. There are also moments in which you’ll be left trying to solve puzzles and riddles. A brilliant section in Tales of Bayun focuses on some enigmas and creatures around a campfire. Don’t expect anything too tricky or taxing though. 

The visuals of Tales of Bayun are delightfully strange, yet stunning at the same time. There’s some high quality artistry at play, with amazing locations and wonderful characters that ping off the screen. You can tell that the artists know these fantasy worlds completely because the attention to detail is amazing. And Tales of Bayun uses slight stop frame animation in moments. That never disappoints and fits in with the overtone of the game. There’s also a lovely designed diary and bestiary that is great to look through. 

Another great element is the incredible soundtrack. It’s haunting in certain locations, whilst full effects and the voice over are both employed to add perfectly to the wonderful storytelling. 

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Dark fairytale

Tales of Bayun is a great example of artistry in games. It’s full of beautiful visuals and comes complete with an incredible soundtrack, all while telling a dark fairytale with some brilliant characters. You get two stories for the price of one too – and that makes the price even more tempting, giving out a few hours of content in return. Some might find the lack of gameplay options in Tales of Bayun a bit frustrating, but you may just get so engrossed in the world that you do not care. 

Fantasy fans should jump at the chance to enjoy some Tales of Bayun.

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