Ahead of the Game - Tavern Tale is hilarious fairy-tale whimsy with plenty of roguelike action
Snow White just can't catch a break
- Fight the evil witch and her minions to save your cosy tavern
- Take on roguelike stages and earn valuable rewards
- Get to know a fantastical cast of characters across an enchanted world
It's all about hilarious fairy tale fails in this week's Ahead of the Game series, where we tell you all about a new mobile endeavour that's playable in one form or another despite its unofficial launch.
There's no shortage of fairy tale retellings in media - even more so for poor little Snow White. But before you scoff at the idea of another run-of-the-mill reimagining, I'd say give this one a shot first - because I'm definitely glad I did.
Tavern Tale is, essentially, a roguelike, and while I went into this thinking I wouldn't be surprised at anything it throws at me, it slammed its proverbial gauntlet on the table and left me feeling pretty surprised with everything it has to offer.
That's because everything from the visuals to the storybook-esque cut scenes is distinctly its own, and what I love most is that it's all been laid out so humourously that it's hard to take it seriously - and that's actually a good thing.
You go on a quest to rage against the evil queen by taking down her minions across roguelike stages, with all sorts of cutesy fantasy warriors you can collect. Each one boasts its own set of skills and playstyles.
You can even skip the narrative altogether by tapping the "I don't care!" button on the top-right corner, but you wouldn't have the heart to do that, would you?
Battles kick off on grid-based levels, and interestingly enough, you don't count your moves here - instead, you need to learn how to navigate the terrain to get to where you need to go, whether that's to target a pesky minion from afar or to reach a shiny trinket at the very edge of the grid.
And there are a whole lot of trinkets up for grabs too, all procedurally generated, so you never know what to expect. Smash a rock and you might just unearth a powerful magic tome, or eliminate an enemy and you might be rewarded with a randomised buff or two.
After each boss fight, you get to return to your cosy little tavern and upgrade the usuals, all while getting to know a whole cast of colourful characters along the way.
From the get-go, you even get handed Hank's Complete Guide to Business Mindset, Strategic Thinking, and Success Principles to help you on your journey - gotta love this adorable dwarf and his endless sense of whimsy.
So, how do you play Tavern Tale?
It's currently in early access on Android, but it's set for a global launch on January 28th. What's even cooler is that you get to keep all your progress from the open beta - simply update to the official release, and you can carry over your saves. Best get a head start on taking down that evil witch!
