Blacktailis an adventure game that takes place in a dark and enchanting forest. In this uniqur take on the folktale of Baba Yaga, players can become the guardian of the woods tosave the forestfrom terrors that have violated the serenity of the wild.

The action/adventure survival game combines elements of combat and magic to makeBlacktaila unique experience. Gamers play as Yaga, a young girl who has been accused of witchcraft. Yaga has been expelled from her settlement and roams the forest in search of answers and adventure. Players can track down enemies, craft potions, and interact with animals in their natural habitat inBlacktail. Take a look at these beginner tips forBlacktailthat can help improve itsgameplay.

Player uses bow and arrow to defend herself in the wild

10Get Better At Archery

Yaga is a bright girl who searches for her sister, Zora, inBlacktail. Players must seek out Yaga’s sister in the forest at the start of the game. The bow and arrow are the first pieces of equipment players can find in the forest.

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Pick up the bow and arrow to start hunting in the game.Archery is a primary skillthat is essential to hone inBlacktail. Players can usea quick shot, a long shot, or a power shotto hit their enemies in the wild. They can also gather materials like feathers and wood to craft arrows that deal more damage.

9Don’t Be Intimidated By The Woods

The woods can bea scary place to exploreinBlacktail. Yaga must put her bravest foot forward while venturing across the forest in the action game. There are several cutscenes and characters throughout the game that can seem intimidating to players.

Find the heart to become an expert hunter and face the monsters that haunt the forest. Players can use their bow and arrow to shoot down enemies that dwell in the wild. And if players get a bit too scared, Yaga can use the Red Oak tree as a safe place to camp between her adventures in the game.

Player reaches the Red Oak tree

8Save Progress At Shrines

Blacktailpresents a number of activities that can be performed to fulfill goals in the game. Yaga has3 full heartsas she begins her journey. Taking damage from animals in the forest or running into unpleasant cutscenes can eat away at Yaga’s health throughout her adventures.

Yaga can save her progress by visiting a shrine in the game. These wooden structures are erected around the forest, helping Yaga tocreate a checkpointafter important quests. Players can find plenty of resources to gather around the shrines before they can save their progress inBlacktail.

Player interacts with a shrine to save her progress

7Understand How Decisions Impact Morality

Blacktailoffers a wide range of actions that have an impact on Yaga and her adventures. Each decision Yaga makes inBlacktailmake her moral compass move, affecting her skills as she progresses further in the game.

Players can tilt their morality by performing actions that are either good or evil. There are various locations in the forest that will judge Yagabased on her previous actions. The earliest decision Yaga can make is choosing either the Path of Darkness or the Path of Light after visiting the Red Oak tree.

Player makes decisions that affect her skills in the game

6Craft Antidotes To Prevent Taking Damage

There are several creatures that are a threat to Yaga in the wild. While adorable creatures like the deer can be seen jumping around the forest, players are likely to run into dangerous animals that are out to kill Yaga inBlacktail.

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Player creates an antidote to prevent taking damage from spiders

Keep the bow and arrow ready to strike any monster that can harm Yaga in the forest. The giant spider, for example, is capable of killing Yaga within seconds.Players can craft antidotestoprevent getting poisonedby creatures that lurk in the forest. Thankfully, the ingredients for antidotes are easily accessible.

5Hunt Animals For Food

Yaga is a skilled archer who can shoot arrows to kill animals from incredibly far distances. These animals can usually be killed with a couple of shots from the bow and arrow. Take the time to practice to prevent missing the target during hunts.

Animals killed in the wildcan be used to regain health. Yaga can approach her prey by walking up to the corpse to collect the meat. She can thencook the meat over a burning fireto prepare the dish during her adventures.

Player collects meat from an animal to regain health

4Check The Map Frequently

The world ofBlacktailis spread out far and wide in the forest. Yaga can lose track of her quests and destination by spending hours in the wild. Beginners who have a hard time navigating the forest inBlacktailcan use the map to reach their destination on time.

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Player uses the map to look for key locations in the game

The map can be accessed at any time in the game. Yaga can gain clarity over heractive quests, shrines for saving her progress, campfire sights, Twin Idols, Warden, and other legends through the map. Players can also set custom waypoints on the map for improved navigation on their quests.

3Be Aware Of The Surroundings

The forest provides plenty of chances for Yaga to reclaim her true nature. From fighting wild beasts to discovering hidden objects, the forest is a treasure trove of resources for Yaga to explore in the game.

The beautiful level design ofBlacktailcaptures the spirit of adventure spectacularly. Yaga can keep an eye out for mesmerizing visuals and sounds that can excite her senses. There area ton of items that can be collectedfrom locations that are fun to discover while completing her quests.

Player finds a treasure chest in the wild

2Keep An Eye Out For Status Effects

Yaga’s actions during her adventures can produce status effects that have a significant impact on her journey. These status effects appearon top of her health in the corner of the screen.

Positive status effects like Haste can increase her movement speed. Regeneration increases Yaga’s ability to regain health over time. Yaga can deal critical damage to her enemies while the Focus status effect is active. Negative status effects like Poison can gradually decrease her health. Yaga can use an antidote to cure her status effects.

Player gains the Regeneration status effect to restore her health

1Listen To The Baboks

The forest is filled with strange creatures that can help or harm Yaga during her journey inBlacktail. The Baboks are mysterious creatures that inhabit the forest in the game. These entities can be found on trees and emit strange sounds that convey messages to Yaga.

The Baboks arethe eyes and ears of the forest. Players can listen to the Baboks to find clues about their quests and other tips that can improve the experience of the game. Yaga can also shoot the Baboks and collect them after they fall to the ground. The remains of the Baboks are called Shelloks, and can be used to craft valuable items.

Player collects Shelloks after hitting the Baboks in the forest

Released on June 01, 2025,Blacktailcan be played on PlayStation 5, Xbox X|S, and PC.