14 DAY TRIAL // Ayhall is not having a great time, handing from the side of a boarding plank as combat rages around her. A pirate used a rope to get the drop on her and I might be unable to save her from being dropped into the sea, which is a pretty bad way to go, considering the massive storm that is raging around the two entwined ships.
I move my Vanguard to get the attention of the two pirates in the area. She gets a hail of arrows from an opponent who does not really care that he’s also hitting his own people. I have two people ready to execute their own rope assaults, targeting the enemy ballista and an archer, while my trusty bear and a few others have created a strong line and are slowly eliminating melee-focused opponents.
Pirates of Belerion is developed by Shiro Games, with publishing handled by Shiro Unlimited. This is the first piece of downloadable content pack for Wartales, taking players to a whole new set of battlefields.
Even for the title’s grim universe, the many islands of Belerion are grim, dominated by pirates, monsters, and plenty of other dangers. The player’s cheery band of mercenaries will upset the local power ecosystem, guiding their ships around, interacting with characters, and getting into fights.
The Wartales formula works well with islands, giving players more focused areas to explore, while also asking the mercenaries to work as ship-hands. Players have to account for wind direction and speed and use tiring oars sparsely to reach their destinations.
The Lords of the Sea are the main big opponents players will have to face. They are basically the most terrifying pirates in the archipelago and don’t like upstarts. As players involve themselves in local affairs and gain reputation, they will have to face these powerful adversaries in complex ship-to-ship engagements.
The sea is filled with other ships, including traders and pirates. And the boarding action tactical battles come with new dangers. Ballistas can strike multiple characters from range. Fighters use ropes to launch daring strikes. And, worst of all, capable combatants can be thrown into the water.
It makes sense to be extra cautious and conserve resources. The company will then rest on the deck of their ship, able to heal, craft new equipment, and generally prepare for coming challenges.
The Pugilist is introduced in the free update that comes alongside Pirates of Belerion. It offers more tactical choices and players will face plenty of them during their campaign. There are also tweaks to other mechanics and general gameplay updates, with Shiro delivering patches pretty regularly.
The title’s turn-based tactical combat system remains engrossing. There’s always a temptation to deal with threats quickly but take on too much risk and a nasty wound might be the only reward. The ship-based exploration is a nice twist and creates plenty of opportunities for surprise.
Wartales: Pirates of Belerion is a good-looking game. The world is rich but also easy to understand and navigate. Characters sport a variety of looks and the interface is carefully designed to deliver information, both during combat and when exploring the world. Don’t forget to press Alt to outline everything the party can interact with. The sound design is also good, especially the soundtrack.
Conclusion
The DLC is a Yay for those players who have a strong mercenary company and have cleared out most content in the core game. Others are better off waiting, especially as Shiro Games delivers more updates. Wartales is a demanding and rewarding experience and Pirates of Belerion is a strong template for future expansion.
Review key provided by the publisher.
