Tails of Iron

An outstanding Souls-like that's 100% hand-drawn, set in a world of rats that's a cross between Medieval fantasy and fairytale magic. But don't judge a book by its cover, behind this captivating aesthetic lies a brutal world and a game with an extremely punishing and demanding combat system. Ticked our boxes!

The Dark Souls games are well-known for their legendary difficulty and the boss fights that keep you trying again and again. The formula was so successful that it spawned a wave of copycats, some better than others. Some are great games in their own right, set in unique worlds, like Arboria
and Eldest Soul, but we really fell in love with Tails of Iron.

With its childlike graphics, Tails of Iron sees you playing as Redgi, a heroic rat, immersing you in a beautiful hand drawn world crafted by the developers at Odd Bug Studio. Redgi's father, King Rattus, has appointed him his heir when the Frog King of the neighbouring kingdom invades Rattus' holy land.

The frogs are gigantic and armed to the teeth, and are waiting for you to face them in a fierce battle. And that's a good thing, because in Tails of Iron, the combat is what it's all about.

Whereas Dark Souls portrayed a dark, melancholy, and mysterious world with a complex history for players to discover, Tails of Iron adopts a brighter artistic direction despite dealing with themes that are just as dark. The plot is lighter and even has some humour.

There are a lot of differences between the two games, and that's what we liked.

We liked the fair learning curve.

Tails of Iron features some truly demanding fights, but it’s still more accessible than Dark Souls. Players can learn the mechanics and make progress without being so severely punished. The battles are fast and dynamic, and focus more on the main character's mobility. There are counter, dodge, and archery mechanics to vary the gameplay, whereas Dark Souls placed the focus firmly on patience, strategy, and precision strikes.

Our favourite part? Out of all the things that make Tails of Iron so memorable, we loved the character who travels with Redgi on his quest to defeat the Frog Clan. She plays an active role in battles by giving you useful tips, an generally brings a bit more warmth and attachment to an already emotional adventure.

Tails of Iron also features RPG mechanics: throughout the adventure, Redgi collects various weapons and armours with different stats.

Our advice to help you on your way? Opt for lighter equipment to make it easier to dodge enemy attacks.

And if you feel like a challenge, try and collect all 198 pieces of equipment found in the game. Most pieces of equipment can easily be found on your travels, but there are a few that are hidden in less likely parts of the map.

Another tip: they are easy to spot because they give off a blue shimmer when dropped by enemies or available to loot from a corpse.

If you like demanding games but aren't quite ready for Dark Souls, Tails of Iron may well be our top rat-ed choice for you!