Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown [Quest 2] | REVIEW

I played and reviewed Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown on the PlayStation VR back in 2019, stating that:

“The gameplay is fun and strategic, it all controls well and feels great in virtual reality, whilst it really looks the part throughout too – the ever-shifting environment transforming right in front of me never failed to impress during the entirety of my adventure.”

Yeah, I liked it a LOT. Naturally then, I was certainly interested in checking it out on the Meta Quest 2, with it finally releasing on the platform just over three years on from the game’s virtual reality debut. I’m happy to report that it’s just as fun to play, even if it has lost support for multiplayer in the transition to the headset.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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Since I’ve reviewed Tables of Tales: The Crooked Crown on PlayStation VR in the past, this will be more of a mini-review focusing on how it feels to play on the platform. Interested in a more in-depth look at the game? Check out my PlayStation VR review here.

Tables of Tales: The Crooked Crown tells the story of four heroes who head out on an adventure in order to clear their name. This means traversing across the land and sea, all whilst making decisions that shape how the adventure plays out. With player freedom at the forefront as well as an unpredictable world where luck plays a role, no two playthroughs are ever quite the same. No matter the outcome, you can guarantee your journey will be a charming one, especially with the kooky avian narrator leading the way.

“I’m happy to report that the gameplay is just as enjoyable on the Meta Quest 2, with nothing lost in the transition to the headset.”

The core gameplay experience revolves around moving your characters across a tiled board, performing actions with cards, and then strategically dealing with your enemies. If you’ve played a strategy RPG or tabletop game before, you’ll feel right at home. Nothing is needlessly complex, but there’s still plenty of variety to be found in both the enemies you battle as well as the repertoire of skills you have at your disposal. With the occasional dice-roll thrown in for good measure, it’s definitely the sort of game that’ll appeal to those who fancy a Dungeons and Dragons-style adventure in their Meta Quest 2 headset. It’s kinda like Demeo really, but with a single-player and more narrative-driven focus.

I’m happy to report that the gameplay is just as enjoyable on the Meta Quest 2, with nothing lost in the transition to the headset. In fact, it’s actually a bit more intuitive to play thanks to the hand tracking functionality, which lets you simply pick up pieces and take a closer look at them without the need for a controller. It still looks as mesmerising too, with plenty of vibrant colours and detail shown off across the game world – and yes, the way the map shifts between locales in real-time in front of you STILL looks incredibly impressive, especially thanks to the immersion offered in VR. Whilst I do expect the visuals might have took a little bit of a downgrade during the transition to the Meta Quest 2, there’s nothing significantly noticeable that takes away from the otherwise very impressive presentation.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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The most significant omission comes with the multiplayer mode, which could previously be played with a mixture of a VR player and those playing on the TV. Obviously, this is something that can’t be achieved on the Meta Quest 2, so those hoping for a multiplayer fix will have to stick to other platforms. Since it’s something that’s limited by the system itself as opposed to the game, it’s hard to complain too much – even if it was something I actually had a bit of fun playing in the past.

If I was going to complain about anything, it’s that it’s still a bit easy. It wasn’t difficult when I first played the game on PlayStation VR, even on the higher difficulty setting, and it’s the same case here. It doesn’t make the game any less fun to play (and, if I’m being honest, it’s a nice reprieve after getting my butt kicked in Demeo), but those looking for a stern challenge won’t find it here.

Developer: Tin Man Games
Publisher: Tin Man Games
Platform(s): Meta Quest 2 (Reviewed), PlayStation VR, PC VR, Nintendo Switch, PC
Website: https://tinmangames.com.au/