BLACKTAIL Reviews

BLACKTAIL is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7 / 10
Dec 20, 2022

Blacktail is a beautiful adventure steeped in Slavic dark fantasy, though this setting sometimes sits at odds with its pan-Atlantic voice acting and script.

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8 / 10
Dec 15, 2022

Originality is a rare quality in games, and Blacktail has this in spades – the Slavic folklore, the surrealist narrative, the unusual plot structure, the craggy yet dreamlike artstyle, the archery-based gameplay. Sure, some of the systems could be simplified and streamlined, but at least they aim to test the boundaries and seek a different point of view. Blacktail may not be a graphical marvel or a masterstroke in action gameplay, but this indie title has a fascinating magic all its own that’s difficult to define and even harder to find in games today.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Blacktail may not put every foot right, but it's still an enjoyable, compelling romp through a dark and beautiful fairytale world.

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90 / 100
Dec 16, 2022

Blacktail’s art and captivating storytelling take the narrative genre in a new direction. Backed by a combination of solid gameplay and in-depth moral system, the game excels in almost every aspect.

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Dec 18, 2022

Blacktail is an indie RPG survival game based on the Slavic Baba Yaga tale with some minor issues that don't stop it from competing with big names.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Blacktail is beautiful, from the sun-kissed rivers found in its summer-themed areas to its foreboding spider-infested caves, every inch of the world has been a pleasure to explore. While the morality system doesn't offer the impactful experience we had hoped, it's a lovely way to measure your interaction with the world, adding to the game's overarching enjoyability. Combat is fun and well-balanced but sits behind Blacktail's explorative elements as the most exciting feature on offer. It's stunning to look at, exciting to explore, and enjoyable to play... charming.

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Wccftech
Top Critic
8.7 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Blacktail offers so much with a strong tone throughout. While some areas could have had more polish, what we get is still fantastic.

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84 / 100
Dec 15, 2022

In a landscape littered with copycat games, Blacktail’s originality make it a winner. Set aside the game’s mechanically frustrating and probably unnecessary boss battles. Blacktail’s world, characters and narrative are easily worth the very reasonable price of admission.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2022

With its bewitching fairy-tale presentation, satisfying combat, enticing exploration of a beautiful world and a narrative that is lovingly inspired by dark Slavic fables, I really enjoyed my time with Blacktail. Though the various gameplay systems are very much inspired from what we've seen in similar games already and the platforming side of things isn't quite as polished as I might like, Blacktail nonetheless is a thoroughly enjoyable action RPG that serves as a stellar debut effort for Polish developer The Parasight. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 28, 2022

Blacktail is a great game with some minor flaws here and there, but nothing that really takes away from the experience. The morality mechanics do a great job at shaping your abilities and what you're able to do and the storytelling is pretty well done. If you're not great at survival games you might struggle a bit with the game's resource management, especially since your bow and arrows are your only physical weapons. Overall though, as long as you remember that survival is priority one and firing arrows at everything in sight is priority zero, you should still have an enjoyable time with Blacktail.

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Unscored
Dec 20, 2022
BLACKTAIL | Review in 3 Minutes - YouTube video thumbnail
GameMAG
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jan 14, 2023

Blacktail is a rich and atmospheric piece that can be very enjoyable to any who can enjoy slavic folklore.

Review in Russian | Read full review

6.7 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Summing up, the first work of The Parasight turned out to be a surprise capable of surprising but also of leaving a bitter taste in the mouth, and this is unfortunately a feeling that comes well before the credits.

Review in Italian | Read full review

4 / 5.0
Dec 15, 2022

If you have ever wanted to play a game where you actually feel like a witch in the woods, then you have every reason to pick up Blacktail and won’t regret it. Considering this is the first game from developer The Parasight, there is every reason to be incredibly excited about where they go from here.

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77 / 100
Dec 19, 2022

Although the gameplay is a bit clunky and repetitive, Blacktail makes us want to keep playing more and more. If you're able to overlook the performance issues, it's a good game.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9.8 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Beyond that though, the only thing Blacktail has against it is that it calls for patient, curious players. If you’re the sort who insists on only following a dotted line and ignoring everything off to the sides, you’ll miss out on some of the best moments in Blacktail, like saving a mushroom spymaster’s best agent, or spelunking through gorgeously lit caverns. Blacktail is a game to be savored, peeling away its world a little more at a time. If you meet it halfway, you’ll be left with a breath of fresh air rarely seen in the industry these days: a well paced game that only tries to be what it wants to be and never compromises that vision. A beautiful, touching piece of work that’s bound to stick with you long after you finish it, Blacktail is a world worth getting lost in.

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8.3 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Blacktail mixes folklore and an original story in a compelling way, offering an interesting experience despite something lacking in its core gameplay.

Review in Italian | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2022

Blacktail isn't going for revolutionary status, and most of the things it does do are slight by comparison to the hitmakers of the genres it inhabits, but as a package, it's a delightfully dark fairy tale-infused adventure that keeps you invested throughout.

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GBAtemp
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Dec 17, 2022

There is almost everything to love in Blacktail with a unique premise and beautiful world. Despite some flaws in performance and gameplay, I would very much recommend giving this game a try even for those that are just slightly interested.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2022

Blacktail is a welcome surprise for the end of the year. Combat can come off as cruel due to the limited number of arrows and the limited dodge mechanic, but the actual firing of arrows is excellent. Boss fights feel very satisfying once you finally get a read on what they're doing, but the variable difficulty that can be utilized during boss battles can provide some relief if players are more interested in the story than gameplay. The world is the real star thanks to the grimy yet alluring presentation and the cast of characters. The side-scrolling sections after every boss fight act as neat breathers before you return to your adventure. Blacktail is intriguing overall and well worth seeking out if you love adventure games.

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