I've loved open-world games since I first scurried, jumped and climbed through Assassin's Creed and Co. The idea of exploring a virtual world full of secrets and dangers at my own pace has always excited and fascinated me.
However, a certain routine is slowly setting in - especially in the Triple-A area.The worlds are becoming more and more visually impressive, but not necessarily more creative. Comfort, stories, tasks - everything follows a certain standard and tends to repeat itself.
At least for the really big ones. There are a lot of inconspicuous, tiny open-world games on Steam that are secretly creating a little paradise. So too, which brings back an open-world magic with a lot of humor and charm that I may have last experienced in a Skyrim.
And because it's currenton Steamalsoreduced by 70 percent(until January 24th), I'll take the opportunity to pack you in my backpack and take you on this unusual journey.
I'm an evil witch... right?
Blacktail is paradoxical. Because actually, at first glance, the open world isn't anything special at all. But it looks very chic for a small game: Glistening light gently passes through branches densely lined with leaves and is reflected in streams overgrown with water lilies.
I wander past flowers through lush green grass, marvel at sparkling gemstones in dark caves, or creep cautiously through a misty swamp from which a rotten witch's hut grows out like a crude, crooked tree.
As a young girl named Yaga searching for her lost sister, I explore the forest and defend myself with a bow and arrow. And anyone who is familiar with Slavic mythology already knows that things are getting exciting here:I am Baba Yaga himself, oneevil
Witch who supposedly devours children or appears as a kind herbal woman. The character is just as ambivalent as everything else I encounter shortly afterwards in the world of Blacktail.
And here it suddenly becomes magical. Instead of just relying on pretty landscapes, the developers get an incredible amount out of their world. It is packed with surprises, mysterious encounters and dubious finds.
Once I shoot at a pulsating, mucous plant, which Yaga promptly responds to with a sad comment:I could have saved him too
. There was a bird trapped inside that I could have saved with more caution.
Elsewhere I discover a beehive in the tree.You can shoot him!
, a mysterious voice whispers in my ear. But this time I look around carefully and find a vase into which I put a flower. The bees buzz around me gratefully and leave behind some honey that I can use to improve my arrows later.
Elsewhere I notice a small, dark creature with glowing eyes crouching on a branch and watching me. I hesitate, but then take it down with an arrow, which gives me a clue for the next quest - and an angry comment that someone (or something) doesn't approve of my actions.
The world of Blacktail constantly asks me exciting questionsand constantly wants to mislead me until I no longer know what is actually right and what is wrong.
Disney meets dark fantasy
The moral system seems simple - depending on whether I do good or evil, other powers, potions or options are available to me.However, nothing is ever as it seems at first glance.For example, mushroom creatures want me to kill a dragon for them. Only then will they help me repair the bridge that will bring me closer to my missing sister.
The strange fellows laugh and joke with me, but something feels wrong and an icy chill runs down my spine. Another fungus allows these seeds of doubt to germinate even further.There is no dragon, it is just an idea. Evil is something completely different.Should I trap the mushrooms? Will this negatively affect my morale?Is the story manipulating me so that I really end up becoming Baba Yaga?
Most games make it a priority to be clear to me. I should understand what a certain action leads to or how a character reacts to me. Everything is under my control.
Blacktail doesn't feel like that. On the contrary:The more I play, the less I understand and the more I become a pawn of others who seem to know who I am - or want to make me into someone I'm not.
This means I go through the game world in a completely different way. I'm suddenly skeptical, more critical, but also incredibly curious because I don't know what to expect.Like a child, I want to try everythingand let my imagination guide me.
Open world fun with small obstacles
Blacktail plays very minimalistically: I shoot a bow, craft special arrows, use spells. Over time, new abilities are added, like a broom that distracts my opponents from me and throws them back so I can heal myself in between.
Enemies can be easily eliminated with well-aimed shots, but direct combat with many opponents is much less elegant and fluid. Such situations and especially boss fights are comparatively rare in the game -The main focus remains exploring the special fantasy world.
The (English) dubbing and the sound design create a dense, sometimes even threatening atmosphere, which makes the story even more thrilling - even though it only develops at a leisurely pace and the quest design is also rather spartan.
If you want a glossy open-world game full of comfort and polished mechanics, you won't be happy here. Story fans and explorers get a little pearl for just nine euros. The regular price of around 30 is a bit steep for the 10 to 15 hours of playing time, but the next Steam sale is definitely coming.
