For the King 2

For The King 2 is surprisingly one of the most tactically challenging games of 2023, but suffers from being a bit too much of the same next to the previous monarch.

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"For The King 2" is a co-op RPG with tabletop and roguelite elements, where players must gather a party to fight a tyrannical queen and end her oppressive reign. The game promises free updates and significant paid expansions, aiming to expand the world, provide new game modes, and add new adventures, items, weapons, and classes. Players can adventure alone or with up to four players.

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Play Modes

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,960 reviews

gameplay154 positive mentions

stability272 negative mentions

Great improvements over the first game, including new mechanics and a more tactical combat system.
Fun to play with friends, offering a cooperative experience that enhances gameplay.
The game has a lot of replayability with different character classes and loadout options.

Still plagued by bugs and connectivity issues, especially in multiplayer mode.
The UI is clunky and unintuitive, making inventory management and combat navigation frustrating.
The chapter system forces players to start over with new characters after each chapter, reducing the sense of progression.

gameplay
514 mentions
30 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "For the King II" has been described as a mix of familiar mechanics from the first game with several new features that enhance the experience, such as a grid-based combat system and the addition of a fourth player. While many players appreciate the expanded tactical options and improved mechanics, there are significant concerns regarding bugs, UI issues, and balance problems that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a fun and engaging experience, especially in multiplayer, but it is marred by technical issues that need addressing.
- “Absolutely fantastic game that looks beautiful, plays very well, and has an excellent gameplay loop.”
- “The new mechanics added were fantastic and the new and improved battle system was a godsend.”
- “The gameplay is more diverse.”
- “Additionally, you can wipe and fail a campaign and lose hours of gameplay due to simple bad luck and action-economy imbalances.”
- “The gameplay itself is marred by a plethora of bugs and technical problems that make the experience frustrating and unenjoyable.”
- “But in For The King 2, it often feels like your campaigns are ruined by mechanics and chance, effectively wasting sometimes hours of gameplay because of bad luck.”
story
312 mentions
18 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story in "For the King II" is generally seen as an improvement over its predecessor, featuring a more structured narrative divided into five chapters that enhance replayability and introduce new characters and lore. However, many players criticize the pacing and difficulty spikes, which can make the experience feel rushed and frustrating, particularly due to the requirement to start fresh characters for each chapter. While some appreciate the humor and whimsical elements of the story, others find it lacking depth and coherence, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution.
- “The world-building is exceptional, and the lore seamlessly weaves together with the gameplay, making every quest and encounter feel purposeful and connected to the overarching story.”
- “Amazing game with an equally great story line.”
- “The story has been built on with some familiar characters and it's a much longer campaign split apart.”
- “But the story pacing and final combats are such a slog, and such a rinse-and-repeat, and such an unfulfilling climax, that it all feels like it is for nothing.”
- “The plot and dialogue are paper-thin.”
- “The story and world-building in 'For the King 2' also fall short of the original game's charm and depth.”
stability
287 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting a rocky launch filled with numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users note improvements due to ongoing developer patches, the consensus remains that the game is still quite buggy, with issues such as freezing, desyncs, and UI problems persisting. Overall, while the core gameplay is enjoyable, potential players are advised to wait for further updates to address these stability issues before diving in.
- “I'm writing this at 30 something hours of only multiplayer and the game runs great.”
- “It runs great on my computer, and they are constantly updating.”
- “For what it's worth, playing online co-op multiplayer on Arch Linux has given me a smooth and bug-free experience, barring the initial verifying of game files to get multiplayer working.”
- “Unfortunately, the devs botched the launch and faced a big backlash because it apparently was buggy as hell when released.”
- “The game is so buggy that it's unplayable.”
- “This game is a buggy mess with a terrible UI.”
graphics
214 mentions
30 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics in "For the King II" have received significant upgrades compared to the first game, with many players praising the improved visuals and art style that enhance the overall experience. However, some users have reported performance issues, such as freezing and high GPU usage, which detract from the gameplay. While the new graphics are generally well-received, there are mixed feelings about the loss of the original's charm and simplicity, with some players preferring the low-poly aesthetic of the first installment.
- “The graphics have undergone a significant upgrade, immersing players in a stunning and vibrant universe that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, and I love that they have managed to not only improve the look of the game, but kept the same appreciated art style.”
- “Graphics are a big upgrade.”
- “The graphics 'improvements' make the game more un-optimized and harder to run for more people.”
- “The charm of For The King's simple low-poly art style and goofy death animations have been stripped away to make room for a muddy, unappealing graphical overhaul.”
- “It's as if the developers decided to go back a decade in time, as the visuals lack the polish and attention to detail that one would expect from a modern game.”
optimization
90 mentions
9 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag, and crashes, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay and improvements since launch, others criticize the game for being poorly optimized, requiring high-end hardware for acceptable performance, and suffering from a cumbersome user interface. Overall, while there are signs of progress, many players feel that the game still needs substantial work to address its optimization problems.
- “I played it with my teenage sons, with my friends, and we had a great time tinkering with different builds and optimizations and running all the game modes repeatedly.”
- “The game now runs smoothly, with impressive optimization, improved FPS, and fewer crashes.”
- “Great gratitude to the dev for continuing to improve the game's performance and gameplay.”
- “Buyer's remorse, and same problem as FTK1 - the game is good, well-designed, nice to look at, all the bells & whistles... I want to love it, but it's full of Unity bloat and not properly optimized for PC ('SSD recommended' for a 7 GB game... think about that).”
- “The graphics 'improvements' make the game more unoptimized and harder to run for more people.”
- “Game is an unoptimized gimmick-fest that is less balanced than a one-legged 90-year-old with vertigo on a merry-go-round.”
music
67 mentions
40 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many noting that it complements various environments beautifully. However, some players have expressed disappointment over the lack of variety in the soundtrack, leading to repetitiveness during extended play. Additionally, the removal of musical classes and instruments from the previous game has left some fans longing for the bard-like elements that added a unique charm to the experience.
- “The soundtrack is utterly beautiful for this game.”
- “The music perfectly complements the various environments and events, adding an extra layer of immersion to the gaming experience.”
- “The soundtrack deserves special mention, as it enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “But it's basically the same as FTK 1, with a worse UI, same music, same classes except for one.”
- “I was starting to grow tired of the music after about 150 hours of it in FTK 1, so it's not super fun to already be tired of the music in a brand new game.”
- “Enemy encounters barely give any XP, the music in this one is complete garbage, had to mute everything.”
replayability
58 mentions
40 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse character classes, customizable party options, and randomly generated maps, which keep gameplay fresh and engaging. While many players appreciate the improvements and added content that enhance replay value, some note that linear paths and scenario-based gameplay can limit long-term enjoyment. Despite these concerns, the game is generally regarded as a fun and immersive experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “The game is a blast to play, content is enough, fun is here, replay value is here, and there's even an endless dungeon mode!”
- “Character classes are more diverse, new weapon classes, distinct replayable campaign missions, more interesting maps, and more.”
- “This is an absolute masterpiece; despite a few bugs it had on release, I think they've genuinely made one of the best turn-based RPGs ever. It has so much to offer and so much replayability; you could sink hundreds of hours into this game and still remain excited for a new run.”
- “The game theoretically has a lot of replayability, but I found that the game got old rather quickly.”
- “Unfortunately, it being scenario-based and not mode-based really takes a lot of the replayability out of the game.”
- “Tl:dr, replayability is lost when the path is linear; exploration is punished when every turn feels like a race against the clock.”
humor
45 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the comedic moments that arise from absurd situations, funny bugs, and witty dialogue. Many reviews emphasize the joy of playing with friends, where shared laughter over unexpected events and character antics enhances the overall experience. The game's blend of humor, including ragdoll physics and playful interactions, contributes to a lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- “Laughing at the unfortunate dice rolls of your friends as you playfully bicker about where to move the party next.”
- “The game is a hilarious and fun experience with friends.”
- “Every time we play, we are dying laughing at the silliness.”
grinding
40 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling forced to grind for levels or gear to progress, particularly in later chapters. While some appreciate the loot drops and random events that can alleviate the grind, many criticize the user interface and mechanics that contribute to a repetitive and unenjoyable experience. Despite these issues, there are elements of the game that players enjoy, but the grinding often overshadows the fun.
- “First two chapters were fun, but the third chapter is absolute garbage; you almost instantly can't progress without grinding to level seven.”
- “You literally just walk around grinding experience until you get high enough level to do the final dungeon while having to deal with scourges and minecarts that'll game over you if you ignore them.”
- “Right now, it's a grindy, buggy, unbalanced mess.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by improved animations, sound effects, and a noteworthy soundtrack, creating a cute yet challenging D&D-inspired experience. Beautiful graphics maintain the relaxing vibe of the first installment while incorporating subtle improvements, ensuring that the overall feel remains consistent with its predecessor despite its roguelite nature.
- “The soundtrack deserves special mention, as it enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “+ beautiful graphics and they managed to keep the relaxing atmosphere of the first part.”
- “It's a cute yet punishing DnD-esque game; atmosphere should be one of the highest priorities.”
- “The first is to remember that despite this game having the look and feel and atmosphere of an adventure, it is still a roguelite.”
- “The game has the same feel and atmosphere as the first one but with a little bit of improvement.”
monetization
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The monetization model is generally well-received, as it avoids aggressive microtransactions and instead allows players to earn in-game currency through gameplay. However, some users feel that the game lacks substantial new content and criticize the inability to skip ads and cinematic sequences. Overall, the developers appear to be responsive to player feedback regarding monetization practices.
- “They don't scam you to death with microtransactions, and they listen to their players.”
- “You can start with unique abilities that you can buy in the lore store (no microtransactions; lore is a game currency you earn by playing).”
- “Cash grab and doesn't really introduce much new content.”
- “Can't skip ads and no option to automatically skip cinematics.”
- “They don't scam you to death with microtransactions and they listen to their players.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report a deeply emotional experience, highlighting moments of heartbreak and vulnerability, particularly when facing challenges that lead to loss. The game evokes strong feelings of achievement and despair, making players feel intensely alive and connected to their journey.
- “I liked it, I was good at it, and it made me feel alive.”
- “It died like 3 fights later and I cried.”
- “With over 40 hours in the game and some heartbreaking moments along the way.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its interesting and well-thought-out design, but players feel that the main quest's pacing hinders deeper exploration and growth of characters. Additionally, multiplayer functionality enhances the overall experience.
- “The character design is interesting and well thought out, adding depth to the overall experience.”
- “Boss events are great, but the main quest shouldn't be pushed as hard to allow for exploration and character development.”
- “The character development feels rushed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I wish there were more opportunities for meaningful character growth; it feels like I'm just going through the motions.”