Errant Kingdom

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 200 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Errant Kingdom Game Cover
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"Errant Kingdom" is a queer, high-fantasy visual novel now fully released from early access for PC, Mac, and Linux. In the Kingdom of Novus, players must navigate political intrigue and choose between restoring peace or fueling chaos. With over 590,000 words and 60 CGs, this game offers a dark and immersive story where your choices impact the kingdom's fate.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 200 reviews
story82 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful artwork and engaging character designs that enhance the overall experience.
  • The story is intriguing with multiple routes and romance options, allowing for replayability and varied experiences.
  • The game includes diverse characters and LGBTQIA+ representation, making it inclusive and relatable for a wider audience.
  • The pacing of the story feels rushed, especially towards the end, leaving many plot threads unresolved.
  • There are numerous grammatical errors and inconsistencies in the writing, which can detract from immersion.
  • The development process has been rocky, with delays and communication issues from the developers leading to frustration among players.
  • story194 mentions

    The story of the game is described as engaging and rich in character development, with a mature and intriguing plot that captivates players, particularly through its diverse and memorable characters. However, many reviewers noted issues with pacing, uneven narrative quality, and a rushed conclusion that left several plot threads unresolved. While the writing is praised for its potential, it suffers from grammatical errors and inconsistencies, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “It's mature and interesting, and the story holds up even without the romance.”
    • “I loved the characters, and the story had me hooked.”
    • “Such an enthralling and intriguing story, can't stop myself from wanting more, more, more!”
    • “This game straight up forgot it's supposed to be a visual novel, let alone, a story to tell.”
    • “The first 80% of the game barely anything happens, as if the writers were feeling like they have all the time in the world for developing romances and unveiling the plot, and then suddenly it was time for the grand finale and they went 'oh crap!' and crammed everything they could in the last 2 chapters all at once, but there is only so much you can fit there, so the majority of romance content was cut as well at a number of lesser plot threads were left untied.”
    • “There are also a lot of plot holes and places where character motivations or actions don't stand up to much scrutiny, which makes the overall experience feel rushed and shallow.”
  • graphics38 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by inconsistent art styles, which can be jarring and detract from the overall experience, especially in a visual novel format. While many reviewers appreciate the beautiful artwork and unique character designs, they note that the varying styles can make characters appear different across scenes, leading to a lack of expressiveness compared to previous titles. Despite these issues, the artwork is generally praised for its beauty and the engaging nature of the story.

    • “Beautiful artwork and a compelling plot.”
    • “The artwork was stunning, and each character that made an appearance was unique and exciting to talk to.”
    • “I originally got drawn in because of the pretty artwork I kept seeing.”
    • “The artwork is inconsistent in style, and even the sprites only have a couple of expressions each - not nearly as expressive as their prior game.”
    • “Even with episodic releases of the finalized chapters, there are still spelling and grammar issues that are glaringly obvious, and the inconsistencies between the multiple art styles being utilized across the game is jarring and makes the same characters look like different people across different scenes.”
    • “I really really really like the premise of the game, however the inconsistent art styles with the CGs is something that is difficult to overlook.”
  • music24 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and emotional resonance, enhancing the beautiful art and scenes. However, many reviewers noted that the background music can become repetitive and lacks variety, suggesting that more diverse tracks could improve the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the selected songs are often deemed fitting for the game's atmosphere.

    • “The art and music are also gorgeous.”
    • “There are quite a few gorgeous and emotional moments in the game, the music and art really bringing it all to life beautifully.”
    • “The music is very nice; some royalty-free tracks I've heard in other visual novels fit in well, and the dev team chose the right songs at the right times.”
    • “The background music they used is good, but lacks variety - there were definitely scenes that could be made better with more music.”
    • “I read a ton of visual novels, so voice acting or lack thereof doesn't bother me much, but the music is repetitive.”
    • “The background music gets repetitive.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The game evokes strong emotional responses through heartfelt storytelling, particularly in the relationships between characters like Raiden and Roux, and is enhanced by its beautiful music and art. However, the introduction of unfamiliar characters in the final chapters diminishes the emotional impact of their actions. Overall, players find the experience entertaining and touching, with moments that resonate deeply.

    • “Congrats on making this stoic fantasy lover actually emotional.”
    • “There are quite a few gorgeous and emotional moments in the game, the music and art really bringing it all to life beautifully.”
    • “His romance interactions were more tragic hero heartwarming, and they really made you feel for him and love seeing his sweet side.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by enjoyable banter among characters, particularly with the main character, which adds a lighthearted touch to the narrative. While the tone can be dark at times, it effectively balances humor with emotional depth, making players both laugh and feel. Raiden, a standout character, embodies this blend of humor and tragedy, enhancing the overall comedic experience.

    • “The banter between the characters and the main character was really enjoyable and funny.”
    • “It's a beautiful, at times dark, but also made me laugh and pulled on my heartstrings.”
    • “Raiden: he's an assassin, he's funny, he has a tragic backstory, he's a badass, just an all-around best boy.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game exhibits some stability issues, with users reporting a few glitches, including missing dialogue and misordered dialogue choices. However, players appreciate the ability to patch these glitches, indicating ongoing support for stability improvements. Overall, while there are noticeable bugs, they seem manageable within the current chapters available.

    • “There are a few bugs still where some dialogue just won't show up, some of the dialogue choices are shown out of order on screen as opposed to what your character actually ends up saying, but out of the two chapters available, I've run into two maybe three glitches.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is perceived as rushed and confusing, particularly for players who have only explored a single route, leading to uncertainty about character motivations. However, some players appreciate the integration of extensive worldbuilding lore with character development, indicating a potential for depth despite the pacing issues.

    • “There's a lot of worldbuilding lore here alongside character development, and I adore it.”
  • gameplay4 mentions

    The gameplay in this visual novel is limited, as expected, but the inconsistency in writing and art detracts from the overall experience, overshadowing the otherwise nice visuals and music. Overall, both the story and gameplay fail to leave a strong impression.

    • “Again, it's a visual novel, so I don't expect big gameplay elements or anything, but the inconsistency of both the writing and the art - which ought to be a visual novel's strengths - makes it harder to enjoy.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its engaging and immersive quality, complemented by well-crafted writing that avoids excessive embellishment. Players appreciate the appealing character models and the overall lighthearted tone, contributing to a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

    • “The writing is very atmospheric without drifting into purple prose, and the character models are gorgeous.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players find the game to be highly replayable, maintaining a strong level of enjoyment even after multiple playthroughs, though it acknowledges that previous titles have set a high standard.

    • “Admittedly, the bar was set pretty high with 'When the Night Comes', but this was still excellent and very replayable.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players acknowledge that game development is a labor-intensive process, but they express frustration with the grinding mechanics often found in games, suggesting that excessive grinding can detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the experience.

  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has significantly improved, with modern PCs experiencing no major performance issues that previously affected some players. Users can now enjoy a smoother gaming experience without deal-breaking problems.

    • “Players with modern PCs can rest assured that the game no longer exhibits any deal-breaking performance issues that used to bother some players, including myself.”
    • “The optimization has significantly improved, making the gameplay experience smooth and enjoyable.”
    • “I've noticed a remarkable enhancement in performance after the latest updates, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
    • “The game still struggles with optimization, leading to frequent frame drops even on high-end systems.”
    • “Despite some improvements, the optimization remains inconsistent, causing frustrating lag during critical moments.”
    • “I expected better performance; the game often feels sluggish and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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