The Tale (2025, Haegar)

The Commodore Plus/4, though not among the most celebrated retro computers, continues to captivate a dedicated community of enthusiasts who create new content for the platform. In 2025, the Synergy development team delivered a true gem: The Tale, a CRPG that debuted in the BASIC category of the Plus/4 GameDev competition. Drawing inspiration from classics like the Ultima series, this game offers a captivating role-playing experience with PETSCII graphics and an immersive storyline, appealing to both retro gamers and RPG fans.

Set in a fantasy kingdom, your quest is to defeat an evil witch. Along the journey, you’ll explore different locations, battle enemies, interact with NPCs, and make decisions that shape the storyline.

Story and Setting

The Tale transports players to a medieval fantasy world where they assume the role of an adventurer tasked with uncovering the secrets of a vast Kingdom, solving its problems, and earning a place in legend through heroic deeds. Throughout the journey, players interact with various characters, gather rumors in taverns, battle monsters in caves, and explore mysterious mountain regions.

The narrative embraces the traditions of classic CRPGs, with player choices and actions shaping the story’s progression. The game’s PETSCII graphics, utilizing the Commodore Plus/4’s character set, deliver a unique visual experience, enhanced by striking, large-scale ASCII-based illustrations at key story moments.GameplayThe Tale follows the conventions of classic CRPGs, tailored to the Commodore Plus/4’s limited hardware. Players navigate an open world filled with exploration opportunities: villages, taverns, caves, and mountainous terrains await discovery.

The gameplay revolves around several core elements:

• Exploration and Interaction: Players can engage with the Kingdom’s inhabitants to gather information, accept quests, or even participate in tavern brawls. The dialogue system and storytelling are standout features, adding depth to the game world.
• Quests and Puzzles: The game offers a variety of quests, such as freeing captured souls or solving enigmatic puzzles. These tasks are diverse and often require creative thinking.
• Combat and Challenges: In caves and other perilous locations, players face monsters in combat. The battle system is simple yet strategic, requiring careful management of the character’s resources and abilities.
• PETSCII Graphics: The game’s visual style relies on the Commodore Plus/4’s character-based graphics, delivering a nostalgic yet captivating experience. Large PETSCII illustrations during pivotal story moments enhance the game’s unique atmosphere.

The interface is optimized for the Plus/4’s keyboard and joystick, ensuring intuitive navigation and gameplay. However, modern conveniences like auto-mapping are absent, encouraging players to embrace the retro CRPG tradition of sketching their own maps—a charming nod to the genre’s roots.

Gameplay Tips

• When creating your character, choose at least 7 points in luck.
• Each major location and event must be unlocked in a specific order.
• Key quests involve visiting the pub, fighting a troll and goblins, exploring caves, and eventually breaking into the witch’s castle for the final showdown.
• Choices like giving a bracelet to a maiden affect the story path.

The Tale is a remarkable CRPG that creatively leverages the Commodore Plus/4’s limitations to deliver an immersive and nostalgic adventure. Led by Haegar, the Synergy team has crafted a game that earns its place in the Plus/4’s game library, proving that retro platforms can still inspire awe. If you love classic role-playing games and don’t shy away from a retro challenge, The Tale is an unmissable experience.