We're in a golden era for the CRPG. Disco Elysium set a new standard for narrative driven roleplaying in 2019, while Baldur's Gate 3 did the same with pretty much everything in 2023. Even the 'B-tier'of modern CRPGs like Rogue Trader and Solasta: Crown of the Magister offer rock-solid roleplaying adventures of dizzying depth.
The hits keep coming, too. This week saw the launch of Esoteric Ebb, which blends Disco Elysium and Dungeons & Dragons with scintillating results. Personally, though, I'm more intrigued by Banquet for Fools, a CRPG that leans closer to Planescape: Torment in its darkly weird vibes.
Developed by a two-person team, Banquet for Fools takes place on an island recently colonised by your race—the Vollings—after being forsaken by their own gods and adopting paganism. All seems to be going well in your newly, uh, acquired home, until the inhabitants of one particular farmhold vanish without a trace.
You play as a group of island guards dispatched to investigate the disappearance. At a glance, Banquet for Fools looks like any of the CRPGs from the Baldur's Gate era. Look closer, though, and you'll notice that the characters are all built and animated with claymation. Banquet for Fools also provides no quest markers or a log suggesting how to go about your business, meaning you need to explore and chat to NPCs to figure out how to proceed. Dialogue choices vary depending on your party's skillsets, and you can build relationships with both NPCs and among each other as the adventure progresses.
There are other interesting design choices too. Its combat is technically real-time with pause, but battles are inspired more directly by side-scrolling beat 'em ups, with you controlling one character while the others fight automatically. You can switch between party members at any point, and even tag them in for combo moves against opponents. Alongside fisticuffs, you can also learn pagan spells to deploy during combat and out in the world, and create powerful holy relics by communing with your new deities via stone statues.
What intrigues me most about Banquet for Fools, however, is how you deal with enemies once they're defeated. You can just slaughter them if you like, though there's a chance they'll turn into ghosts and attack you again. Alternatively, since your party are technically guards for the island, you can also choose to stun them and then report them. Do this, and they'll be carted off to a penal colony on a rocky islet, while you'll get a fat sack of gold. This only works if they're actually criminals, however. If you report someone innocent, it's you who will get into trouble.
This idea alone makes me keen to give Banquet for Fools a whirl, let alone all the other weird stuff it experiments with. The game just saw its 1.0 launch following a final major update in February, adding new maps, characters, quests, and broadening out character creation. It's also cheap for an RPG, with an RRP of $20 (£16.79). You can get a further 15% off until March 19 thanks to a cheeky launch discount.
