KINGDOM of the DEAD
- February 10, 2022
- DIRIGO GAMES
- 4h median play time
Kingdom of the Dead is a fast-paced horror FPS with a brilliant aesthetic and soundtrack. Though it lacks polish, this love letter to old school horror games proves to be a fun experience with some fun moments of hopeless terror.
Get on Steam"Kingdom of the Dead" is a rogue-like first-person shooter set in a sprawling, procedurally generated catacomb. Fight through hordes of the undead using a wide array of weapons, while managing your hunger and sanity. Your ultimate goal is to uncover the mystery behind the kingdom's decay and find a way to escape.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and visually stunning hand-drawn art style that enhances the overall atmosphere.
- The gunplay is satisfying, with a variety of weapons that feel impactful and enjoyable to use.
- Levels are well-designed and varied, providing a mix of environments and challenges that keep gameplay engaging.
- The AI is simplistic and often predictable, leading to unchallenging encounters and boss fights.
- There are numerous technical issues, including frame rate drops, bugs with enemy pathfinding, and inconsistent sound design.
- The game can feel repetitive due to a lack of enemy variety and the simplicity of objectives across levels.
- graphics140 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique and beautiful hand-drawn art style, primarily in black and white with occasional color accents, which many players find captivating and a major draw. However, the visuals can sometimes hinder gameplay due to poor visibility and performance issues, such as lag and lack of graphical settings. Overall, while the aesthetic is praised, it often overshadows the gameplay, which some reviewers describe as mediocre or repetitive.
“The art style is phenomenal and probably the greatest draw to the game.”
“The visuals with the few bright colors clashing with the overarching black and white create an inherent sense of direction for the player, using the game's core feature in the gameplay loop.”
“Kingdom of the Dead sports a black and white hand-drawn, ink-and-paper art style with splashes of color to accentuate key aspects during the game, such as blood.”
“This game actually hurt my eyes when playing because of the extreme light and dark employed as a result of the graphic design.”
“Art style and black & white graphics make it hard to see enemies at times.”
“The graphics are not really going for photo-realism, but I would expect it to run a bit smoother.”
- music102 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its unique and engaging soundtrack that complements the game's aesthetic, while others criticize it for being overly loud or mismatched with the game's tone. Many players appreciate the retro and synthwave influences, noting that while the music can enhance the atmosphere, it sometimes detracts from immersion or feels out of place. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for some, but a point of contention for others, leading to a varied reception.
“The music is zany and the color really complements the theme.”
“Really clever work and fun emergent gameplay with a killer soundtrack.”
“The music and atmosphere made for a really fun, upbeat yet spooky setting, and I loved the color scheme.”
“The music absolutely ruins the experience, honestly.”
“Directional audio really isn't much of a thing here, the general sounds of levels are oddly loud and go on far too long, and the music is extremely loud unless turned down from default by a substantial margin.”
“It doesn't help that the music in the first mission is terrible and completely breaks the immersion.”
- gameplay78 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Kingdom of the Dead" is characterized by a simple, retro-inspired run-and-gun mechanic that, while fun and engaging, lacks depth and challenge, often feeling repetitive and basic. Players appreciate the unique visual style and atmosphere, but many note that the AI is underwhelming, boss encounters are not particularly challenging, and the overall execution is marred by bugs and a lack of polish. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers a satisfying experience for those seeking a short, visually appealing shooter, especially at a lower price point.
“Gameplay-wise, it’s a run n’ gun shoot 'em up with a heavy focus on movement and agile navigation, swapping weapons to pound the dead back into the dirt with precision aiming and even dishing out a sword that can be charged for a devastating attack!”
“A unique visual style and a simple but effective gameplay loop with a solid mix of weapons and enemies make for a fun, if short game.”
“The way save points are actual objects/locations to find, guns needing to be discovered, and by having secondary/bonus objectives, you've done a lot to incentivize exploration and add variety to the run and gun gameplay.”
“Bosses aren't terribly well done either, dying quickly and not having much to learn mechanically.”
“Gameplay-wise, Kingdom of the Dead unfortunately does nothing to entice or distinguish itself from many of its superior peers.”
“Very style over substance; in terms of gameplay, there isn't really anything here you can't get better either in the games this is inspired by or its fellow spiritual successors to those games.”
- story61 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as simple and entertaining, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a deep narrative experience. Players appreciate the intriguing setup and unique settings, but many find the execution lacking, with repetitive missions and limited character development. While some elements, like banter and atmospheric storytelling, enhance the experience, the overall narrative is often seen as cliché and not sufficiently engaging to sustain long-term interest.
“The game features a compelling storyline with twists and turns that keep players engaged and eager to uncover the mysteries within.”
“Though the dialogue and story are limited, they are really well done and set up a compelling vampire hunter-style relationship between hunter and weapon.”
“While the story is not the main focus, it does a great job of tying the gameplay, supernatural elements, and art style into a genuinely creepy package from start to finish.”
“Overall, every mission has the same pacing with the same weapons and about the same enemies, so it gets redundant quickly and it's not satisfying enough to keep me engaged.”
“Short review: decent idea, terrible execution: an FPS with a cliché story, which I believe was the point, but at least give me some humor.”
“There is a story, but like the simpler games of times past, it is more of a backdrop to the game rather than the driving force behind it.”
- atmosphere28 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Kingdom of the Dead" is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, featuring a beautifully dark and spooky aesthetic that draws players into its eerie world. The combination of art direction, sound design, and a retro-horror soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it a standout element of the game despite its average gameplay mechanics. Reviewers note that the atmosphere is not only visually striking but also effectively complements the game's narrative and level design, creating a unique and engaging environment.
“The immersive atmosphere of Kingdom of the Dead successfully creates a dark and atmospheric world that draws players into its eerie and captivating narrative.”
“The art direction is an obvious standout here, and they've managed to create a really compelling atmosphere to play in.”
“This is a truly unique experience: a brilliant setting with heaps of atmosphere that deserves to be done justice.”
“Just don't look at the trailer and expect the same head-nodding, blood-pumping atmosphere as I did.”
“Kingdom of the Dead is a bit janky but I've had a good time with it; I think it's worth playing for the art style and atmosphere alone, if you like how it looks.”
“To be clear, the overpowering element of this game isn’t just in its gameplay, but in its atmosphere.”
- stability19 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, bugs, and performance problems that disrupt gameplay and immersion. Players report frustrating experiences with enemies getting stuck in walls, clipping through geometry, and inconsistent controller support, leading to a generally unpolished experience. While the visual style is praised, the overall execution is marred by these technical shortcomings, making it difficult for many to recommend the game.
“The game is so close to being really good; however, there are too many glitches that cause you to clip out of the map and then have to wander around until you find a spot where the game recognizes you're out of bounds and kills you.”
“Overall, the game is fun, but buggy to an unacceptable degree that prevents me from being able to recommend it.”
“A game with great style (which is inconsistent in its goals), acceptable substance, but unacceptably buggy gameplay, which is why I refunded it. Numerous times per level on the first level, I was getting stuck in level geometry and either had to hope an enemy knocked me back out of it or restart the level because no 'return to checkpoint' button exists.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is criticized for significant performance issues, particularly during boss fights and the initial levels, leading to framerate drops and a lack of proper loading systems. While some players find enjoyment in the game, many recommend it only after patches to address these optimization concerns, including better controller support and quality of life improvements.
“It's just rough, and in desperate need of a patch or two to help performance, explain some things better, quality of life, etc.”
“Just needs a few patches for optimization.”
“Some bosses have the added 'challenge' of endlessly spawning adds into the arena, which accomplishes little besides being an annoyance and tanking the framerate in a game already suffering from performance issues.”
“Steam Deck compatibility: the game technically runs without obvious visual glitches; however, the very first level has performance issues (the second didn't, didn't test it on all the levels) and the game controller support is incredibly awful. I had all sorts of weird issues, and the UI requires a mouse.”
“Performance is miserable and has very clearly no proper loading system.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, primarily due to the absence of meaningful side quests or alternative paths after completing the main storyline, which may affect its long-term appeal. However, some players find it enjoyable enough, especially for those who appreciate score-hunting in arena shooters, while others highlight its affordability and fun factor as contributing to its replay value. Overall, opinions on replayability vary significantly among players.
“The fact that it is only $15 at the time of writing this review makes it a must-own with its replay value.”
“There can be some improvements, but overall this is a fun game with a good replayable factor!”
“Limited replayability: once the main storyline is completed, the lack of meaningful side quests or alternative paths diminishes the game's replayability, potentially reducing its long-term appeal.”
“Very short, not sure there's much replayability.”
“That definitely has some replay value if you're the kind of score-hunter with proficiency in older arena shooters, even if there's no unlockables for any placement.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its dark and absurd elements, blending mundane tasks like battling undead with comedic visuals, such as enemies awkwardly fixating on the player while fleeing. Players appreciate the entertaining missions and the game's unique balance of humor and grimness, though some feel that the overall difficulty may detract from the comedic tension.
“The music and the missions themselves are definitely entertaining (perhaps lacking in difficulty) and present as humorously mundane as killing droves of undead and sealing portals is quite literally your profession.”
“Sometimes I even saw melee enemies running past me while their heads and eyes were fixated on me, and it was funny to see their heads move around to look at me all the time while their bodies were running away to a location where I was before.”
“Dark, pulpy, funny, and grim, it strikes a singular balance that you really won’t find anywhere else.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially during combat with non-humanoid enemies that complicate headshot mechanics. While the experience may feel repetitive, some recommend picking it up during sales for its overall value.
“The game just felt very tedious by the end, but it is worth picking up while on sale.”
“When facing non-humanoid enemies that you can't headshot easily with the pistol and rifle, combat becomes tedious.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its unpolished execution, particularly in how ads are integrated, which detracts from the overall experience. Players find the movement sluggish and note that while the guns have a satisfying feel and sound, the quirks related to monetization elements, like the revolver animation, negatively impact gameplay.
Critic Reviews
Kingdom Of The Dead Review
Kingdom of the Dead has solid combat and good level design, but it's let down by an absence of challenge and some severe performance issues.
60%Kingdom of the Dead Review (PC)
Kingdom of the Dead is the work of a developer who understands what makes classic first-person shooters so fun and captivating. The game is unafraid to be a little unfair. It takes skill to chain headshots, it is hard to deal with big groups of mixed enemies, especially on the higher difficulties. But it feels very good when you ace a boss fight with just a bit of health left over. I have been playing FPS titles since Wolfenstein 3D and I thoroughly enjoy what Kingdom of the Dead has to offer. Its biggest vulnerability is that a younger audience might not get the reference and fail to appreciate its tight mechanics. I hope that the mix of presentation and gameplay will get the title an audience that allows Dirigo to deliver on similar concepts in the future. Review code provided by the publisher.
85%KINGDOM of the DEAD Review – Blast of the past
KINGDOM of the DEAD is a pretty damned good horror FPS with enough compelling ideas to stand on its own. The monochrome, hand-drawn visuals really sell the game’s Lovecraftian-noir tone, without interfering with gameplay. Plus, its varied additional mission objectives make its difficulty settings feel more multi-layered. Still, with its short play-time, minimal plot, and lack of unlockable content, it won’t be engaging for everyone. However, for those looking for some retro FPS fun, KINGDOM of the DEAD is a unique enough experience to be worth the recommendation.
70%
