Return to form.
The episodic release of King’s quest has been interesting, but also frustrating. After the first chapter, which was fairly long and varied, we got chapter 2, which was very limited in scope, size, and story. It felt like a step backwards, and I was pretty disappointed overall. So with the release of chapter 3, I had higher hopes for some reason, so high that they could climb a tower, which is ironically exactly what players do in the latest episode, titled “Once upon a climb”. It’s funny, silly, adventurous, and a return to form.
Graham is now a bit older, a bit wiser (maybe), and king of the land… but a king needs affection and love. Someone to rule by his side to call queen. Graham, looking into his fancy future telling mirror, sees a vision of a tower and sets off to find his true love. What follows is a silly tale of Graham, two princess, and an old witch?
MSRP: $10.00
Price I’d Pay: $8.00
Multiplayer: N/A
How long to beat: 2 hours
I will give credit to the developers, they truly know how to mix things up between chapters, and chapter 3 doesn’t veer from that. Some new interesting puzzles take place, new action/platforming moments, and that whimsical fairy tale vibe is totally in full effect here. From the visuals still retaining that cartoon style, yet also adding in more classic animation for spell effects and other visual effects like dust and dirt in the air. It’s not used often, but when it’s on screen it reminds me of a classic Disney cartoon.
Graham, once reaching the tower, finds himself stuck there with the three women, and he must find love in all the right ways. This involves helping the two princess and going on an adventure with the both of them, while attempting to gain the love from either one of them. Think Kings Quest meets The Bachelor and players will have a pretty good idea of how things pan out, but in typical Kings Quest humor and fashion. Puzzles return, platforming returns, and everything feels much more adventurous and thought out compared to chapter two.
Episodic games are always a gamble, as the full product can change and alter from the time players get the first episode done to the finale. King’s Quest started off very strong, but left me with a sour taste in chapter 2. Chapter 3 has completely washed that taste out of my mouth. I hope to see chapter 4 and 5 continue the trend and round out the entire Kings Quest experience. It seems they have improved their engine; the loading times have been decreased, the screen tearing barely there. Things are looking up for the King, and now I’m super excited once more for the next two chapters. Don’t let me down!
My favorite moment: Graham and the princess go tumbling down a hill over and over, which turns into a mini game of sorts, dodging and avoiding objects. I couldn’t stop laughing for whatever reason.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
