The world can be a tortuous place for those who once dallied with tabletop role-play games. Just try dropping the topic of Dungeons & Dragons into a conversation and, amid the ridicule and laughter, you may notice one participant whose insults are slightly more ferocious than others, and whose brow is coated with a nervous sweat. That dark soul probably pretended to be an elf in his parents’ basement once upon a time and, like so many repressed individuals, now vehemently persecutes any mention of his past misdeeds in order to blind himself to his inner urges.

We suspect such an individual may have been responsible for Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics on the PSP, as the game’s uninspired animations, bland character models and drab environments give us the impression its developer, Kuju, was intent on making the most mediocre and genericlooking fantasy experience possible. The D&D licence provides volumes of celebrated narrative and artwork to draw upon, but Tactics barely makes any effort to bring it to life and instead reinforces the ignorant belief that D&D is a big clichéd borefest.

If you want proof that D&D can be translated into a fantastic videogame then look no further than the original Baldur’s Gate on the PC. It is an RPG that managed to combine and adapt the best elements of D&D lore and tabletop gameplay into a sprawling and epic experience, pleasing both hardcore fans and those unfamiliar with the Dungeons & Dragons universe.

Kuju has recreated the mechanics of tabletop D&D more faithfully than Baldur’s Gate ever did, but such a strict interpretation of the rule set – which was designed with pen, paper and dice in mind – is unlikely to ever make an intuitive videogame. Tactics’ combat sections are playable, but when it comes to exploring an area, the turn-based system turns into a real annoyance (most turn based RPGs – even those based on D&D – switch to real-time after combat). And although Kuju has made a valiant attempt to streamline the menu system, it still feels laborious to work with.

Diehard Dungeons & Dragons players may still want to give D&D: Tactics a try, primarily for its Wi-fi multiplayer mode, but its bland presentation and lifeless narrative certainly won’t win the IP of any new admirers.

Christopher Reynolds