Tales of the Unknown: Volume I - The Bard's Tale vs The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate

Tales of the Unknown: Volume I, better known as The Bard's Tale, is a pioneering role‑playing game released in 1985 by Interplay Productions and published by Electronic Arts. It introduced early 3D graphics and animated character portraits, delivering a deep fantasy adventure on the Apple II and later on many other platforms. The game follows a band of young warriors, magic users, bards, and rogues as they battle the evil wizard Mangar, who has cast an Eternal Winter over the town of Skara Brae. Players explore labyrinthine dungeons, solve puzzles, and upgrade equipment to gain experience and defeat Mangar’s minions.

After defeating Mangar, heroes receive a dire warning: the Mad God Tarjan has razed Skara Brae. They must rally refugees and embark on a quest across fractured realms to halt his wrath. This third installment expands the Bard’s Tale universe with new classes, time‑warped worlds, and an auto‑mapping system. The game retains its first‑person, pseudo‑3D exploration of towns, dungeons, and wilderness, now enriched with Geomancer and Chronomancer classes, multiple themed realms, and classic turn‑based combat for a nostalgic yet fresh RPG experience.

• Groundbreaking 3D graphics for its era
• Deep party and equipment customization
• Engaging puzzle and combat mix
• Rich fantasy storyline

• Rich class variety with two new spellcasters
• Innovative time‑warp realms provide diverse settings
• Auto‑mapping eases navigation of complex dungeons
• Classic retro charm appeals to nostalgia

• Limited save system compared to modern standards
• Graphics appear dated on current hardware
• Steep learning curve for new players

• Dated graphics by modern standards
• Limited user interface compared to contemporary RPGs
• Steep learning curve for players unfamiliar with old‑school mechanics