To go into any sort of detail would probably enter spoiler territory, so all we’ll say is that Tyranny features one of the best RPG stories of recent times. But once you learn all about Kyros, the various Archons, factions, Spires, Edicts, and so on, it’s hard not to be swept up in the intricate setting and thoughtful meditations on what it means to be evil. Be prepared to do a lot of reading though, as the first few hours are chock full of exposition, lore, history, and explanation. Outside of the ‘be evil’ hook, the world of Tyranny is probably the real reason you’ll want to keep playing, and then re-start the experience once it’s all over. It’s rather impressive, and we can’t remember the last RPG that provided this sort of narrative freedom. These choices not only affect how you’re perceived by all the different factions from the beginning of the game proper, put pave the way for a role-playing experience where your choices continuously shape the narrative and outcome. Stuff like, let the locals celebrate a local tradition for a day or interrupt their festivities with a bloody ambush. As the Fatebinder, a messenger of sorts that can dispense the will of Kyros, you’re presented with different outcomes to choose from. Where being the ‘good guy’ amounts to convincing a rag-tag group of rebels to drop their swords and join the Scarlet Chorus, where they will either be humiliated and systematically driven to become soulless killing machines or impaled on spikes.īefore the game begins you’re given an almost play-by-play of Kyros’ forces movements as they conquer the final piece of Terratus. Thanks to the magic at her disposal, and the sheer size of her armies, this is a world where choice within a specific window of evil is everything. Tyranny makes no attempt to provide a tale of the underdog, or shine a light on the noble and courageous few that resist the rule of Kyros. And it’s her Archons, these evil generals, that are the ones you get to see as they compete for glory to take over the last scrap of land, enslave the people, and usher in the rule of Kyros. The Overlord Kyros, a mysterious being with god-like powers, has won The Great War and only really has a few battles left before the entire land of Terratus is under her control. From a sales-pitch perspective Tyranny has a great hook, it takes place in a world where evil reigns supreme. Where Tyranny excels, is in its premise, setting, and the freedom it gives players to embody the many different shades of evil. And in the process, provide an experience that is at once more refined and ambitious than Pillars of Eternity, yet falls short in a few places. After the success of developer Obsidian Entertainment’s Pillars of Eternity, which brought back the ideals of classic computer role-playing from the late ‘90s, from deep combat mechanics through to a rich multi-layered fantasy narrative - the studio’s follow-up, Tyranny, aims to do things a little bit differently.
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