Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story Review - "An Adorable, Imaginative Take On An Established Universe"

19.02.2024 - 14:29 / screenrant.com / Deven McClure

is a new crafting-centric RPG that marks the ' franchise's first foray into the cozy gaming world. The title is developed by Lazy Bear Games, which previously released life sim, and published by Riot Forge, a Riot Games subsidiary dedicated to exploring new genres within the universe. The game expands upon established ideas in satisfying ways, and takes its cozy concepts in a fairly unique direction through an eclectic blend of mechanics, but some sections of the game that drag hold it back from perfection.

Whereas the last spin-off focused on just one of its champions, Nunu, delves deeper into the franchise's lore, largely drawing inspiration from the expansion. It expands upon the established region of Bandle City and its mysterious Yordle inhabitants, with players taking on the role of a heroic, customizable Yordle whose journey is told storybook-style throughout. A cozy game at heart, the title explores a mix of familiar and lesser-seen mechanics for the genre, combining crafting, cooking, party planning, and magical knitting to create a unique — albeit sometimes very grindy — experience.

Bandle Tale is a beautiful addition to an established universe.

's protagonist is a knitter, possessing one hundred years of training in the magical art form. After a mysterious disaster strikes a party and knocks out the realm's yarn-based portal system, the player will embark on a quest to restore magic to the world and find their lost friend Clover. There are four distinct realms to explore: music-themed Inspiration Isle, botanical Greensprout Gardens, mechanical Gadgeton, Bandle Center, a sort of hub home to Bandle University, and the protagonist's hometown of Yarnville.

Each region has its own resources that can be gathered, and a standout UI feature is the ability to view these gathering spots on the map. However, even with this feature, the supply chain still becomes convoluted at times depending on how many times something must be processed in order to produce the desired result. The world is also dotted with auras produced by landmarks which are necessary for some crafting recipes, like a harmonious aura in Inspiration Isle, though these can also be produced by the player via magic.

Overall progress in is very dependent on two things: filling Emotion Orbs, which translate into skill points while the protagonist sleeps, and utilizing those points in the game's four skill trees, Knitting, Engineering, Nature, and Magic. Players can fill these orbs in a myriad of ways, like crafting, repairing items, and even viewing new scenic locations. However, the catch is that any earning activity will eventually become too repetitive, ceasing to fill any more past a certain point. There are a few other ways to earn