‘SKALD: Against the Black Priory’ is a retro-style party-based RPG set in a grim-dark fantasy world of tragic heroes, violent deaths and Lovecraftian horror. Choice matters as you explore an engaging branching story mixed with crunchy tactical, turn-based combat and character customization.
44 Players in Game
1 347 All-Time Peak
90,17 Rating
Steam Charts
44 Players in Game
1 347 All-Time Peak
90,17 Rating
At the moment, SKALD: Against the Black Priory has 44 players actively in-game. This is 0% lower than its all-time peak of 1 112.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Player Count
SKALD: Against the Black Priory monthly active players. This table represents the average number of players engaging with the game each month, providing insights into its ongoing popularity and player activity trends.
| Month |
Average Players |
Change |
| 2026-07 |
44 |
0% |
| 2026-06 |
44 |
+18.92% |
| 2026-01 |
37 |
+16.54% |
| 2025-12 |
31 |
+51.99% |
| 2025-11 |
20 |
-24.04% |
| 2025-10 |
27 |
+16.43% |
| 2025-09 |
23 |
+12.74% |
| 2025-08 |
20 |
-34.84% |
| 2025-07 |
32 |
-3.54% |
| 2025-06 |
33 |
+57.66% |
| 2025-05 |
21 |
-60.71% |
| 2025-04 |
53 |
-53.22% |
| 2025-03 |
115 |
+102.79% |
| 2025-02 |
56 |
-9.51% |
| 2025-01 |
62 |
-17.23% |
| 2024-12 |
75 |
+19.11% |
| 2024-11 |
63 |
-55.81% |
| 2024-10 |
143 |
+181.16% |
| 2024-09 |
51 |
-43.77% |
| 2024-08 |
91 |
-26.82% |
| 2024-07 |
124 |
-76.72% |
| 2024-06 |
534 |
0% |
2 958 Total Reviews
2 785 Positive Reviews
173 Negative Reviews
Very Positive Score
SKALD: Against the Black Priory has garnered a total of 2 958 reviews, with 2 785 positive reviews and 173 negative reviews, resulting in a ‘Very Positive’ overall score.
Reviews Chart
Chart above illustrates the trend of feedback for SKALD: Against the Black Priory over time, showcasing the dynamic changes in player opinions as new updates and features have been introduced. This visual representation helps to understand the game's reception and how it has evolved.
Recent Steam Reviews
This section displays the 10 most recent Steam reviews for the game, showcasing a mix of player experiences and sentiments. Each review summary includes the total playtime along with the number of thumbs-up and thumbs-down reactions, clearly indicating the community's feedback
Playtime:
1225 minutes
The style and theme of Lovecraftian horror worked well for most of the game. The ending, though, was not up to par with everything that had come before. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it for the first three chapters alone. Even as it faltered near the end, it was still a good time. Well worth the price.
👍 : 0 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
649 minutes
After a few hours in this game....I am transported to my days playing Ultima on my C-64. If you miss RPG's with great writing and fun mechanics, this is it.
Honestly, I'd rather read all the words here than listen to the voice acting on some other games,
If you're a fan of old-school, or even tabletop party based games, this is for you!
👍 : 0 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
1319 minutes
Eldritch horror, 16-bit visuals, well-written CRPG. I don't know why more people aren't raving about this game.
👍 : 0 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
2102 minutes
it's short, it's bleak, it moves fast. fun unique little tactical combat system, fun progression, really distinctive and striking art style, and impeccable vibes. the story has momentum and hits hard. i wish there was more! very excited to see what else the dev does.
👍 : 0 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
2176 minutes
Excellent game through and through. Oldschool rpg with good story, interesting world to interact with, fun mechanics and level of freedom. A lot of love went into this game. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Easily worth $15
👍 : 1 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
1397 minutes
SKALD gets a positive, just about.
SKALD emulates the aesthetic of late 80's, early 90's RPGs and Roguelikes. Think Ultima 6, for those who are old enough. While the intended effect I'm sure is retrospective charm and nostalgia, the reality is that it is ugly by today's standards (and was ugly in the 90s by absolute standards), and it can be quite difficult to interpret what's going on.
The combat mechanics are, initially, difficult to the point of being unfair, but ultimately become trivial as your party of characters levels up enough to probably establish their builds.
The stand-out is the narrative, lore and world-building, as was often the case for the games SKALD was clearly inspired by. It is perhaps a little surprising then that SKALD ends on a deus ex machina plotpoint, and rather unsatisfyingly at that. This, and a lesser-developed second half of the game suggest the developer running out of steam a little towards the end.
But, the price point, and strong delivery otherwise, still make for a compelling tale, and something a bit different from most modern takes on the genre.
👍 : 1 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
1786 minutes
Combat was a bit tricky in the beginning but after a few levels you got in the flow of it and I never found it becoming too easy or repetitive in my playthrough. The story also had me hooked from start to finish.
👍 : 1 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
239 minutes
The core idea here is kind of cute, ultima/goldbox throw back.
The Good:
Dripping with beautiful old school revival pixel art rife with dithering. If you're not sick of lovecraft (yet) then you'll really appreciate the oppressively dark atmosphere. Some characters aren't entirely cardboard (which is nice) and characterization happens quickly through dialogue (although some choices don't really affect anything other than vibes.) I appreciate the full character customization at the beginning. I chose the normal difficulty and found the intended experience was adequately fun (once I remade my character with an un-gimped build; build choices are permanent and cannot be respec'd.) The game makes an interesting choice by forcing the player to choose who is the current active character in the world - this solves a lot of problems present in bigger games, but also introduces a core problem: You will be compelled to save-scum when a random world skill check arbitrarily lands on a character who is ill-spec'd to deal with it.
The Bad:
It tries to pull in several Larian touches and translate them to a strictly 2D view. This is a cool idea, but what Larian does with their player UX is very complex and already strained at the limit of current design patterns. I respect the developer's ambition here but I do not like some of the mechanical UX in the game. Clicking to attack (and subsequently kill) an enemy will place you in their space if they die - for some reason. You will constantly be "bumping" into objects that you cannot interact with. You will constantly be checking to see what is interactive and what isn't. You will constantly be fighting to see what spells you have, what they do, and then guessing which mouse-click is required to view spell and status effects - this problem stems from the way they implemented the window-on-window wiki style information diving.
The music is just okay.
👍 : 3 |
😃 : 0
Negative
Playtime:
1671 minutes
A great old school CRPG.
It doesn't inundate you with tedious quests, it doesn't throw a bunch of hacky jokes or references at you, and it doesn't make you stop and rest after every little skirmish (although I'm willing to bet most of you will anyways).
Really good story, pretty good combat, S tier art. I highly recommend it.
👍 : 3 |
😃 : 0
Positive
Playtime:
2142 minutes
Worth purchasing at full price.
Its pixel art style dark cosmic horror rpg with a well executed atmosphere via visuals and soundtrack.
The story treads a middle line between lovecraftian horror/world beyond our own and a hero driven journey replete with a small but well designed cast of characters and locations. It's a small tight game and can be full played through in 20ish hours but also has some replayability (though not a huge deal of it I think).
👍 : 5 |
😃 : 0
Positive
SKALD: Against the Black Priory DLC
SKALD: Against the Black Priory offers 1 downloadable content (DLC) packs, each adding unique elements and extending the core gameplay experience. These packs may include new missions, characters, maps, or cosmetic items, enriching the player's engagement with the game.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Steam Achievements
SKALD: Against the Black Priory offers players a rich tapestry of challenges, with a total of 15 achievements to unlock. These achievements span a variety of in-game activities, encouraging exploration, skill development, and strategic mastery. Unlocking these achievements provides not only a rewarding experience but also a deeper engagement with the game's content.
Shores of Idra
You've made it to the bleak shores of the Isle of Idra.
All is Darkness
You’ve finished the game!
A Deeper Dark
You’ve completed the lighthouse-keeper’s quest.
The Liberator of Horryn
You’ve liberated the beleaguered town of Horryn.
Patricide
You’ve slain the foul leader of the Reavers on Idra.
Puppeteer
You managed to defeat the Reaver chieftains using wits rather than brawn.
A Light in the Darkness
You managed to help the wretched refugees of Horryn.
Gradla
You’ve sailed north to Gradla to uncover the secrets that may be found on the island's plateau.
The Eternity Gate
The Black Priory reveals its secrets to you.
The Priory Opens
You stand at the threshold of the Black Priory.
The Queen is Dead
The Queen lies dead by your hand.
Chitters-In-Darkness
You’ve explored the wreck of the Zephyr on Idra.
Tower of Ash
You’ve learned the mysteries of the Tower of Ash.
Such Wonders
You’ve celebrated the Carnivale in Firgol.
Pilgrimage
You’ve completed the pilgrimage to the five shrines in the Outer Isles.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Minimum PC System Requirements
Minimum:- OS *: Windows 7+
- Processor: x64 1 GHz or faster
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Storage: 200 MB available space
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Recommended PC System Requirements
Recommended:- OS *: Windows 7+
- Processor: x64 1 GHz or faster
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 200 MB available space
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Minimum MAC System Requirements
Minimum:- OS: 10.11-10.15, 11.0 (Big Sur)
- Processor: Intel Core i3
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
- Storage: 200 MB available space
SKALD: Against the Black Priory has specific system requirements to ensure smooth gameplay. The minimum settings provide basic performance, while the recommended settings are designed to deliver the best gaming experience. Check the detailed requirements to ensure your system is compatible before making a purchase.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Videos
Explore videos from SKALD: Against the Black Priory, featuring gameplay, trailers, and more.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory Latest News & Patches
This game has received a total of 7 updates to date, ensuring continuous improvements and added features to enhance player experience. These updates address a range of issues from bug fixes and gameplay enhancements to new content additions, demonstrating the developer's commitment to the game's longevity and player satisfaction.
Info for Community Beta Testers
Date: 2022-09-06 08:17:36
Some crucial info for beta-testers to get started
👍 : 34 |
👎 : 0
Season of Giving: Demo and Contest!
Date: 2022-12-20 16:28:27
Can you succeed where so many others have failed?
👍 : 75 |
👎 : 0
Week 1 Updates and Patch Notes
Date: 2024-06-07 11:35:00
👍 : 417 |
👎 : 6
Version 1.0.5 is Live - Patch Notes
Date: 2024-06-13 10:01:02
👍 : 414 |
👎 : 3
Steam Deck VERIFIED! Controller Support! New Class & more!
Date: 2024-09-30 17:02:30
👍 : 524 |
👎 : 1
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