LifeisXbox’s Foretales review | Did you ever want to have complete control over a story, choose the direction it is going in, and then maybe when you are almost in the end still shake things up a little? Well, then I have good news for you! In Alkemi’s new card game Foretales you are in control. So much so that the development (and ending) of the story you go through in Foretales depends entirely on your actions. In this new game, we follow Volepain, a thief who is about to steal a magical lyre that will literally turn the world upside down, and yes you are infor a treat!
ℹ️ Reviewed on Nintendo Switch | Review code provided by PR/publisher, this review is the personal opinion of the writer.
What we Liked!
- Story | As I mentioned in the intro, in Foretales we follow someone named Volepain. This someone is a thief who is tasked with obtaining a magical lyre. But once he touches this most precious object his life changes and he could tell doom was on its way. From this moment forward nothing is certain and the story develops completely based on the choices that you make throughout the game. Yes, the game offers you paths to choose but it is you, the player, that is taking the shots. This also means that if you go for multiple playthroughs, they all have different endings. That’s some A-class replayability right there. I really like what the developers did here since you get the feeling that you are in complete control. And I think that the system, by giving you certain doom countdowns (clear something in x steps or it’s game over) and then playable actions to prevent them, is a job well done, very well done actually.
- It’s all cards | What makes Foretales even more amazing is that the entire gameplay is all done by using cards. The story gets told by it, your actions are based on it and it is all you will see in this game: cards. At first, I wasn’t so certain if they made the right shot by doing this but after playing for a while, I can tell you that I completely loved it. It is a very original idea and they absolutely aced it. They even managed to get a top-notch battle system in it and everything works flawlessly together.
- Gameplay | So I talked about the story and that everything is about cards. Now let’s talk about how everything works, oh and it does! On the world map, there are several paths to play/follow. When you pick a path that you want to play, you get a layout with a couple of cards. You can then see the cards as scenarios that you need to clear (e.g. you need to free someone from prison) until you get the scenario where you need to be and perform a certain action. Once this is done you will move on to the next scenario, until you have completed the goal of your path and prevented a certain disastrous event. Sometimes you will need to engage in combat as well which works like most card games with a combat system. But battling is not the only option; you can also try to bribe the opponents or just reap their souls. And this repeats itself until you reach the end of your story. I know this may sound pretty difficult and I had a hard time explaining it to my girlfriend too, but I promise you: even though it sounds complex, the execution is done really well and the developers managed to turn this into quite an enjoyable game.
- Graphics & sound | The design of the game and the cards are really, really good. The game gives you a mysterious feeling as if something bad is about to happen, and it fits the theme so well. Also, all the different cards you will see are very detailed and all of them have a unique look that contributes greatly to the feeling the developers of Foretales aimed to create. But with looks alone, you can’t make it and luckily for us, the sound in this new title is also fantastic. It’s a mysterious yet calming sound that fits the theme of mischief very well. This is completed by some nice sound effects and some thrilling narration, finishing the job perfectly. I couldn’t have done it better myself, by far!
Mixed Feelings
- Nothing | Sorry nothing gave me mixed feelings.
What we Disliked
- Nope | There was nothing I disliked about Foretales. Did I already mention that the unique gameplay with different endings is exceptionally good?
How long to beat the story | 10+ hours for one playthrough
How long to achieve 100% achievements | There are no achievements on the Nintendo Switch
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