Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story is Riot Forge's final game, and it's great

Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story is a crafting role-playing game (RPG) that will be released on February 21, and it will be the final game created by Riot Forge due to the recent layoffs at Riot Games. Riot Forge has made many other games that have dealt with the lore within League of Legends, such as Song of Nunu and Convergence. Since both games received plenty of praise over the past year, many fans have anticipated the crafting RPG's release. Bandle Tale is the first crafting RPG from Riot Forge, and it has plenty of substance because the game takes 40-60 hours to complete.

What I Liked About the Game

Upon starting the game for the first time, the soundtrack immediately got me excited to play. Since crafting RPGs have a relaxing atmosphere, a great soundtrack is imperative to their success. Riot Forge understood this and produced great music for players to enjoy while completing various tasks within the game. They also made music a core part of the game, as players can choose music whenever hosting parties.

Riot Forge also spaced the tutorials out at the start of the game, so it did not feel like I was overwhelmed with a bunch of information. With that being said, my only crafting RPG experience before Bandle Tale was Stardew Valley. So, I was still thoroughly confused throughout some parts of the game. However, Riot Forge also added a feature that allows you to quickly view tutorials on all of the game's mechanics, allowing me to easily resolve any confusion.

Since I am a League of Legends player, I was happy to see so many familiar characters throughout the game and enjoyed talking to them. Additionally, Riot Forge ensured players had numerous places to explore in the game, helping it avoid becoming monotonous. Every area had its distinct feel, making it more exciting to progress and learn about the circumstances of each place.

Another quality of life inclusion was the numerous indicators that clearly showed you items could be gathered. These indicators made it easy to explore the map without fear of missing out on some items. By using these indicators, I was allowed to enjoy the scenery and explore the map efficiently. Without this feature, the game would take much longer to complete.

The currency within the game was also relatively easy to obtain, so it never felt like I was taking lots of time to progress the storyline. Similarly, the points you receive to obtain crafting upgrades were easy to gain. Therefore, it always felt like I was making decent progress in the game whenever I played it. The ease of obtaining the currency and crafting upgrades also helps to alleviate the grinding nature of crafting RPGs.

The storyline was also interesting, which I believe is important in a game that takes so long to complete. If the story was not entertaining or fascinating, it would be hard to complete for many players. However, I feel like the various locations within the game connect to the story well and tie everything together nicely.

One final advantage of the game is the movement of your character. You can explore areas quickly and traverse the map with ease at every location, making the exploring even more fun. Thankfully, the game gives you boots to sprint at the beginning, and players can upgrade them further along in the game to allow more stamina. Being able to sprint everywhere you need to go made the game feel even more efficient.

What I Struggled With During the Game

Although there were plenty of things to enjoy about the game, a couple things gave me some trouble.

Firstly, the vast amount of information throughout the game was sometimes confusing. Although Riot Forge did a great job spacing the tutorials out, I sometimes got lost on quests because I felt overwhelmed with all the items. In fairness, this was likely because I am a novice in crafting RPGs and had to learn mechanics that most people are already familiar with.

As a League of Legends player, I wish there was a minimap to use while playing. It is a minor complaint, but it can feel tedious to have to open up the world map just to see where you are located. This is a very small issue though, and it definitely did not take away much of my enjoyment in the game.

Overall Thoughts of the Game

Bandle Tale is a worthwhile game for players interested in crafting RPGs and relaxing games. The soundtrack and numerous locations make it a fun experience throughout the long playtime, and the game has plenty of quests to keep you occupied. The numerous characters within the story make the game feel refreshing, and it is nice to learn more about characters in the League of Legends universe.

Although I would not recommend this game to anyone who wants a fast-paced and action-filled adventure, this can be a genuine option for most gamers. Even though I do not usually play crafting RPGs, I found myself enjoying the game a lot. As Riot Forge has done multiple times in the past, I believe they put together another great game as their final product.