The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales is an intriguing narrative adventure game developed by DO MY BEST and published by tinyBuild. The game takes players on a journey with Etienne Quist, a once-acclaimed writer who has lost his ability to write after being convicted of a heinous crime. In order to regain his lost status, he accepts a dangerous offer from a mysterious criminal boss to locate and steal powerful and mysterious items from books. We checked the game out on a PlayStation 5, but it’s out for Xbox and PC as well.
The premise of The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales is undeniably fascinating, with its blend of book exploration, unique rules, and challenges within each book world. The game offers a variety of settings, from medieval prisons to snow-capped mountains and futuristic spaceships, each with its own distinct atmosphere and gameplay mechanics. The ability to reshape the stories within the books and interact with their inhabitants adds depth to the overall experience.
The game’s narrative keeps players engaged throughout, with a dystopian and totalitarian world that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The story unveils intriguing elements, although some aspects of the world and characters could have been further developed for a more immersive experience.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales combines elements of adventure and turn-based combat. While the combat encounters are simplistic and repetitive in the long run, they do not overshadow the overall enjoyment of the game. The puzzles, on the other hand, offer unconventional and outside-the-box thinking, encouraging players to explore both fiction and reality. The mystical power of ink becomes a gameplay mechanic, adding a unique twist to the interactions and opening up new paths for exploration.
Visually, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales shines with its masterful diorama-like art style that perfectly fits the game’s book-inspired setting. Each book world is meticulously crafted, from prisons and deserts to power plants and decaying magic schools. The attention to detail and the ability to create captivating environments is a testament to DO MY BEST’s artistic prowess. However, the audio aspect of the game falls short by comparison, with a forgettable soundtrack that remains in the background and fails to make a lasting impression.
Despite a few small flaws, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales manages to maintain a high level of engagement throughout its approximately six to seven hour duration. The alternating scenarios and excellent pacing keep players on their toes, while the logical structure of the puzzles ensures a satisfying experience. However, some repetition in item construction and solutions can be noticed after a few hours of gameplay, and one of the game’s weaker aspects is its combat system. While the turn-based battles offer strategic possibilities, they ultimately lack complexity and fail to stand out compared to turn-based combat found in other games. The enemy design also falls short, lacking memorable and innovative adversaries.
Overall, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales presents a strong foundation with an intriguing premise and well-executed components. DO MY BEST’s ability to deliver such a captivating experience with a small team is more than commendable – this is a very impressive title. The game successfully blends narrative and exploration elements, even though combat falls short. While some narrative elements could have been further explored, the game is highly recommended for those seeking a unique adventure that reimagines myths and classic literature in a fresh light.
Score: 7.8/10
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