Game Review: The Tale of Bistun

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)

The word "epic" is often thrown around when it comes to video games, and there are several ways for a game to prove itself worthy of that term. That may be giving things away just a little bit, but the game we're going to be looking at today definitely takes a stab at earning that title. The Tale of Bistun is a story-driven action adventure game that recently released on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. We're going to be taking a look at it today on the Switch, though I'm sure it'll reflect the experience on all the platforms. There's a lot to cover in this one, so let's dive right in!

The Tale of Bistun is a loose adaptation of the 12th century epic poem, "Khosrow and Shirin". Going over the finer details of the poem is something that's far outside the scope of this review, but reading its details after playing the game will probably give those who are curious a fuller picture of the story. As far as the game itself goes, its plot focuses on Farhad, a sculptor who finds himself on the mountain of Bistun, with no recollection of how he got there. Though eventually tasked with digging into the very heart of the mountain, he also must traverse a mysterious realm where his beloved Shirin is being held prisoner. He's aided in his journey by a friendly bird who guides him along his path, and a living tree named All-Seeds. All-Seeds not only rescues Farhad from the mysterious realm, but also promises to grant him the strength needed to complete free Shirin. This help doesn't come without a price though, as All-Seeds tasks him to free the land from the blight that currently plagues it. Clearing this blight means ridding Bistun of all sorts of evil creatures that inhabit it, but there's really so much more to the plot than that. Blocking his path to Shirin is a giant being that bears the same name as the mountain. It seems that everything and anything named Bistun is destined to become Farhad's adversary, but he'll bravely face any threat to rescue Shirin. The tale unfolds from there, but I'll leave most of the details out for fear of going too far into spoilers.

I wouldn't be exaggerating in the least if I said that storytelling is the main focus of The Tale of Bistun. There is far more to the plot than I let on just now, and it continuously unfolds as you play. That may sound like any other game out there, but there is literally a running commentary in just about every action. This may sound like it would be silly on paper, but it works in execution. There is rarely a moment where the plot isn't being revealed to the player in some way, and this makes the game feel more like an interactive movie than anything else. The player doesn't have much agency when it comes to the story, they're simply along for the ride. I don't mean this as a negative, it's just the route the developers chose to go. This ultimately means that you'll be following a single pre-determined path throughout the entire game, though there are a handful of times where you can go off the beaten path to complete some optional sidequests. Thankfully the story is more than able to carry the game through its odd quirks. Though I'm choosing to keep most of the plot details under wraps, rest assured that this game embodies the very definition of the word "epic". This is still a video game though, so I guess it's time to turn our attention towards gameplay.

One would be forgiven for assuming that The Tale of Bistun is a soulslike action game when looking at its trailers and screenshots. Though it does have some moments that play out that way, there is very little attention placed towards action. Even though it's not totally apparent while playing the game, The Tale of Bistun is broken up into several chapters that basically act as individual levels. These mostly follow the same pattern, but things do change up towards the end. Each chapter sees you explore a particular region of the mountain, free it of its blight, receive a strength-giving pomegranate from All-Seeds, and then return to the other realm before continuing the cycle again. That other mysterious realm doesn't have any enemies to fight, and you only ever have to complete some basic puzzle solving to move on. The mountain of Bistun also acts as a hub area that takes you to the next level, and also displays some of the optional goals you may have achieved. These optional goals involve chiseling statues of Shirin, or picking up journal pages. Both of these only really exist as additional lore dumps, though they do a good job of opening up the story further. If you're someone who needs lots of action in your games, then you might want to look elsewhere. I don't want to make it sound like I'm trying to dissuade anyone passing this one by, but it's the type of game where it's best to come into it with the right set of expectations.

If you're willing to stick it out through the many story-driven moments, you'll be rewarded with a bit of combat too. It makes sense that combat in The Tale of Bistun is left fairly simple, though it isn't without its own unique elements. You can attack, dodge, and pull of special attacks, and you have two different weapons to choose from. These weapons have to be picked up over the course of the game, but they're a pair of knives, and a pickaxe. Each weapon stands out on its own, and many of the game's stages let you switch between them before each enemy encounter. You also get a hammer later on in the game, though you only use it for a single fight. Since the enemies are tied to the blight plaguing the land, you only will encounter them in specific spaces. There are several different enemy types you'll face off against, with some being slow but strong, fast but weak, or having the ability to attack from long distances. There's only one real boss encounter in the game, and I bet you can guess who it will be.

No matter what enemies you face off against, you'll have to defeat them all to move on. All encounters take place in closed off areas, and you aren't able to heal during combat. This might sound like it would make things difficult, but it really doesn't. I never once came close to dying, and there were many encounters where I didn't take any damage at all. I don't think I'm particularly good at action games either, as I think the difficulty level here is just pretty low. Spamming your main attack combo will get you out of most tricky situations, and your special attack will often take out any other enemies that might be left behind. It may not be the best combat system in the world, but it isn't bad either. It's good for what it is, and it serves as a nice break from the plot-heavy scenes that make up the rest of the game.

I was a bit torn at first whether I thought The Tale of Bistun was a good game or not. I truly enjoyed it, but it didn't really feel like anything I'd ever played before. On one hand, the game barely lets the player truly control the action, but it also tells a tale so good that I really didn't care all that much. Its greatest strength probably lies in the fact that it doesn't overstay its welcome. Beating the game only takes about three hours, and you can easily 100% it with only a bit more time invested. Though the game holds you hand most of the time, it does so while also dragging you along at a very brisk pace. The player is barely given time to take in everything that's going on before they're thrust into the next thing. This breakneck approach does mean that some of the plot points become a bit fuzzy and confusing, but it kept the game from ever feeling boring. Ultimately I found The Tale of Bistun to be one of the most unique gameplay experiences I've ever had, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Before we wrap up this review, let's discuss the overall presentation. Graphically speaking, The Tale of Bistun won't be pushing any of the platforms it's on to their limits. There are some impressive visuals to be had, but there are many other parts of the game that bring things down a few notches. While most of the character designs look amazing, I was a bit let down by Farhad and most of the enemies. Main character or not, Farhad does look quite plain. Thankfully the rest of the visuals make up for any shortcomings. The cutscenes look like they came out of an ancient text, and the unique designs of characters like All-Seeds, made me forget that Farhad's breathing animation never stopped. Things fare a bit better when it comes to audio. The soundtrack is full of epic music that wouldn't be out of place in a big budget fantasy movie, and the voice acting is even better. Each actor gives an amazing performance, and I should give credit to the fact that just about every single notable line of text is voiced. That's not something you see too often in an indie release like this, especially considering the quality of the acting.

Even though part of me feels that the game is a bit too short to justify its price, I still have to give The Tale of Bistun the fullest of recommendations. This is a game that's purely driven by its story, and that story is one that is worth experiencing. Its focus on plot over all else might keep away some players, but those that choose to pick it up are in for one hell of a journey. This is a game that's been stuck in my head ever since I finished it, and I'm sure it will have the same effect on you. Pick it up on whatever platform you can, and thank me later. See you in the next one!

Check Out The Tale of Bistun on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-tale-of-bistun-switch/

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Story: A+
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A great story-driven game that tells a tale worth experiencing.
+ Borrowing heavily from an epic Persian poem, the plot involves tragedy, romance, hope, and purpose. It truly is a well-written story.
+ Combat may not be the focus, but the action elements are enjoyable too.
+ The soundtrack is full of epic music, and the voice acting is full of amazing performances.
+ Though a rather brief game, the plot moves along at a pace that keeps the player invested.
+ There really isn't another game like this.

Cons:
- There is very little player agency in this game. You'll move along it with very little deviation.
- This might not be the best fit for those looking for an action-heavy game.
- Though entertaining, the combat is pretty basic.
- While there are plenty of impressive visual moments, some graphical elements leave something to be desired.
- At just three hours, it might be a bit too short for its current price tag.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I think I've earned my rest...

#TheTaleOfBistun