PC Gamer - UK (2022-01)

WILDERMYTH

Robin Valentine, print editor: I don’t think
any videogame has evermoresuccessfully
evokedthe feel of a tabletopRPG. A few
hours inWildermythislikea supercut of a
fantastic year-long Dungeons& Dragons
campaign. Withthe procedural systems asyour
dungeon master, you followthe lives and
adventuresof entireparties of heroes, each
organically growing and developinginall sorts of
unexpecteddirections. And theyreallyare
unexpected– while it’sperfectly possiblefor a
warrior tojustfind a magic sword and kill a
dragonwithit, it’sequally likelythey’ll becursed
toslowlytransform intolivingcrystal, ormakea
pact withanancient tree, orupset a witch who
turns their headintoa raven’s.
Theyevenage, and fall inlove, and have
children; eventuallythey’ll retire, if theysurvive
the adventurer’slife. They’re never reallygone,
though– yourfavouritesbecomelegacyheroes
who can returnrejuvenated insubsequent
campaigns, likepulling out yourfavourite old
character sheet for yet another dungeon run.
Combine all thatwithreallyinteresting,
tactical combat and a great metalayer that
seesyou adventuring acrossthe landwhile
tryingtokeepitfreeof invasionand
corruption, and you’vegot a recipefor someof the
most memorable non-linearstories I’veever

resemblesmugprotagonistsof

early 2000s webcomics. They

shouldn’t befighting mythic

beasts, theyshouldbearguing

about Xboxgames ona couch.

But I keptplaying and I’m

gladI did. Ina great campaign

called‘Elunaand the Moth’, I

brought backold characters

alongside fresh

ones, and

thoughreset to

first level they

progressedin

other ways.

One’s flame-arm

spreadtocover

other limbs,

another went

fromhavingwings tojustbeing

a crow. Their relationships

deepenedaswell, developing

romancesand rivalries that

playedintohow theyfought

together. AsRobin says, it’slike

a tabletopcampaignthat runs

for ages, players comingand

going, all the stories getting

tangled uptogether.

CAMPAIGNS

BECOME TALESOF

DESPERATE

RESISTANCE

experienced. Thisisthe

emotional investment of XCOM

times 100, and it’sgreat seeinga

videogame drawonthe actual

feel of tabletopRPGs, instead of

just their mechanics orsettings.

Just makesureyou crank up

the difficulty – yourheroes’

journeysand the tactical

challengesof

combat are

bothmore

compelling

whendeath

lurks near.

Campaigns

becometales of

desperate

resistancein

the faceof overwhelmingodds,

and that’sjusttasty drama.

JodyMacgregor, AU/weekend

editor: I wasn’t sureabout

Wildermythatfirst. I liked the

magic and the papercraft

monstershopping aroundlike

invisible hands are picking them

up, thoughthe adventurers

GAME OF THE YEAR2021

BEST

RPG

2021