Tales of Maj'Eyal - Forbidden Cults Review Summary

Deep, unique classes and a phenomenal expansion shine alongside unique encounters, but frequent bugs, troublesome horror enemies, and location loading blocks hurt progression.

Deep class complexity and uniqueness: Reviewers highlight that the new classes are incredibly unique and complex, with praise for the creator's ability to make such intricate classes alone. One class combines summoning, AoE, and melee power, with interesting interactions.

New classes praised as fun: Multiple reviewers highlight that the new classes are fun to play and remain unique. The classes are described as very fun and the content stays engaging.

Expansion is phenomenal and solid: Players consistently describe the expansion as phenomenal, very cool, and a very solid expansion pack. This positive sentiment is repeated across several reviews.

Unique encounters and enemies: The DLC features unique encounters like a giant worm that can swallow you in town, creating a dangerous encounter. Stomach acid boosts resistances of monsters inside the worm, and a stranger asks you to defeat the worm but dies madly.

DLC adds more than classes: The DLC is noted to add much more than just new classes, and it provides additional content that is never too much. This suggests a substantial expansion of the game's offerings.

Frequent errors and bugs: Players report numerous bugs and error screens after installing the Forbidden Cults DLC, including black screens, unloaded locations, and frequent error screens. These issues often block progression and make the game unplayable.

Troublesome horror enemies: Added horror enemies have troublesome abilities like abnormal multiplication and area damage floor placement. In dark dungeons, multiplying slimes can wall you off with meat and kill you from range with disease and saw wave attacks.

Location loading progression blocks: Bugs with locations not loading prevent progress, sometimes near the finale or on different characters. One specific bug traps anti-mage characters who must use spells to exit a location.

Player-disadvantageous DLC rules: The DLC adds many rules that are disadvantageous to the player. It is not recommended to install casually, such as buying all DLC and just installing.

Dark dungeon visibility issues: Some additional dungeons have dark visual effects intended for atmosphere, but these make it hard to see. This can lead to unfair deaths or difficulty navigating.

DLC adds new classes and races: Multiple clusters note that the expansion introduces new classes and races, including two classes and two races. This is a core feature highlighted in the feedback.

New items and artifacts: The DLC includes new swords, items with complex statistics, and artifacts that can be found randomly or through events. These items often grant access to new content.

Horror-themed enemies and areas: The expansion features many horror-type enemies that can multiply, place area damage, and use disease attacks. Dark dungeons with slimes and ranged attacks are also present.

New classes with unique mechanics: New classes include a golem-making dark magic warrior, a resource-heavy dark mage, and a tentacle-controlling class. Another class combines summoning, AoE, and melee power with low health.

Talent trees and resource systems: The DLC introduces multiple talent trees to invest points into, with specific talents like Digestion, Disease Tongue, and Molt. Madness functions as a magic resource consumed by skills.

Game unplayable due to bugs: Bugs have made the game unplayable for some players. This prevents them from enjoying or progressing in the game.

Black screens from unloaded locations: Players report black screens when locations fail to load properly. This issue disrupts gameplay and immersion.

Error screens and crashes: The game frequently shows error screens and crashes, affecting stability. Players experience interruptions during play.

Bugs appeared after DLC: New bugs have emerged following the release of downloadable content. These issues were not present before the DLC.

Japanese localization addon causes Lua errors: Lua errors from the Japanese localization addon block quest progression. Players using this addon cannot complete certain quests.

Positive Recommendation for ToME: Multiple clusters consistently recommend the game, citing its good quality and high recommendation without hesitation. This reflects broad player satisfaction.

Expansion Recommended for Full Experience: Players recommend getting the full experience and supporting continued development, and very much recommend it for those who love the game. This reflects strong support from dedicated fans.

Good Value for Low Price: Players note that the amount of content provided justifies the low price, making it worth buying. This highlights strong value for money.

DLC Purchase Caution Advised: Some players advise against buying the last DLC or recommending caution with installing all DLC at once. This suggests potential issues with certain DLC content.

Niche Appeal and Difficulty Warning: The game is recommended for masochists and fans who want to fully explore ToME, but is definitely not for everyone. This indicates a steep learning curve or niche audience.

Veteran Dungeon Grinder: Repeatedly delves and grinds dungeons across normal playthroughs, seeking variety. Motivation: To escape repetitive base-game dungeon grinding with fresh, themed dungeons. Stance: buy.

Expansion Enthusiast: Plays through all expansions, collects new items, and accesses new dungeons. Motivation: To acquire and support all expansions while using new items and swords in dungeons. Stance: buy.

Hardcore ToME Masochist: Hardcore completionist runs focused on exhaustive content and punishing challenges. Motivation: To exhaustively master ToME and embrace brutal, masochistic difficulty. Stance: buy.

DLC adds substantial content: Cluster 1 describes the DLC as adding lore, locations, items, unlockables, and about three times the volume of the first DLC. Cluster 13 adds that it includes new classes and races as advertised. Cluster 21 notes it expands existing game elements.

DLC is sold as expansion: Cluster 1 and Cluster 27 indicate it is sold as DLC and an expansion pack. Cluster 2 confirms it is an expansion for ToME.

Many classes and races available: Cluster 5 notes the game has two dozen classes and nearly as many races. Cluster 23 mentions the creator keeps producing new classes, indicating ongoing class expansion.

Pricing compared to other DLC: Cluster 3 mentions a low price, but Cluster 19 states it is priced higher than Embers of Rage. This contrast suggests mixed perceptions of value.

Base game already content-rich: Cluster 22 and Cluster 26 suggest the base game has extensive content, making the expansion unnecessary for new players. This implies the expansion is for veterans.