King's Heir: Rise to the Throne
- May 31, 2018
- Cordelia Games
- 3h median play time
In "King's Heir: Rise to the Throne," players can experience a dramatic journey of two royal knights, Edmund and Randall Ulmer, who are caught up in a conspiracy against the crown. Pursued by the royal guard and ruthless conspirators, the brothers must uncover the kingdom's secrets, restore their family's honor, and secure the rightful heir to the throne. The player's choices will determine the fate of the Ulmer family and the future of Griffinvale's kingdom.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and high-quality voice acting, making it visually and audibly appealing.
- The story, while simple, is engaging and offers a refreshing perspective with a male protagonist in a genre typically dominated by female leads.
- The puzzles and hidden object scenes are varied and enjoyable, providing a good mix of challenge without being overly difficult.
- The game is very short, with many players completing it in under 3 hours, which feels inadequate for the price point.
- Some puzzles, particularly the 'fight puzzles', can become repetitive and tedious, detracting from the overall experience.
- The plot lacks depth and character development, making it feel predictable and less engaging than it could have been.
- story105 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and character development, though some find it predictable and lacking depth. While the plot integrates well with gameplay, offering a straightforward and enjoyable experience, it is often criticized for being short and not particularly original. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a strong point, enhanced by beautiful artwork and solid voice acting, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex or lengthy narrative.
“I love the storyline, the characters, the music, and the artwork.”
“It was a big help that there was a very thorough story that kept me engaged and I wanted to advance to see what would happen next.”
“The story is nice and based on knight novels.”
“The story was lacking and the puzzles forgettable.”
“What let the game down was a very weak plot and the banter between the two brothers didn't reflect the seriousness of their situation.”
“The story is mediocre at best and the mini-games are way too easy.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, with many reviewers highlighting the colorful and stylish artwork that enhances the overall atmosphere. While the visuals are generally considered exceptional, some users noted minor continuity errors and inconsistencies in the graphics during gameplay. Overall, the game's artwork and design contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout in the hidden object genre.
“Colorful, detailed artwork.”
“The first thing you notice here - visuals of exceptional quality.”
“The graphics are beautiful and the music score is very pleasant and fitting for the time period.”
“There are a number of continuity errors such as places where objects are collected but their graphics don't disappear, which also includes puzzle graphics not updating.”
“- Graphics and mini-quest are not on the same level as other hidden object games under publisher Artifex Mundi.”
“I did find this game a bit more difficult than most of the hidden object games and a bit darker in the colors used in the graphics.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as enjoyable but on the shorter side, often around 2-3 hours, which some players find disappointing given the price. While it features charming art and animation, and a variety of puzzles, including hidden object mechanics and path-finding minigames, the overall experience can feel standard and lacks depth in tension and excitement. Despite its simplicity, the game manages to maintain a brisk pace and offers enough variety to keep players engaged, though many feel that the storytelling takes precedence over gameplay.
“Yes, the gameplay wasn't difficult and it was on the shorter side, but at the same time it just had a charm to it with good art and animation.”
“Everything about this game is above average: the artwork, the music, the gameplay, the story, the characters, and especially the voice acting.”
“I am impressed that the developers from Cordelia Games in each of their games are trying to bring something new to the genre, to somehow diversify the usual things, then coming up with new puzzles, then new challenges, then varying the mechanics in the scenes for finding hidden objects.”
“The storytelling was obviously more important here than gameplay, but if you like these games for their stories, then you simply must buy it immediately.”
“As far as gameplay goes, it's pretty standard.”
“The gameplay didn’t really convey the tension and action.”
- music17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and fitting atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience alongside the artwork and voice acting. While many players enjoyed the soundtrack, some noted that the loops were too short and the variety was limited, with a few tracks standing out as particularly pleasant. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's immersive qualities, despite some minor criticisms regarding its length and repetitiveness.
“I love the storyline, the characters, the music, and the artwork.”
“Everything about this game is above average: the artwork, the music, the gameplay, the story, the characters, and especially the voice acting.”
“If nothing bad can be said about the music and the visuals, they are quite good (the music reminded me of a symphonic version of the early songs of the German group Rammstein), one of the drawbacks is the length of the game.”
“The soundtrack consists of only a few tracks, but each one was pleasant to listen to.”
“+fitting music and atmosphere.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its atmospheric locations, impressive voice acting, and fitting music that enhances the medieval setting. While the art and overall ambiance effectively convey a sense of abandonment and intrigue, some players felt the lack of martial music diminished the action atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a gloomy, conspiracy-laden world.
“It is impossible not to mention the great voice acting, music, and overall atmosphere - very good job.”
“The first thing I loved about this game is the art; the developers did a great job with the artwork. Each location has a nice atmosphere and gives the feeling of being abandoned.”
“No magic (almost), no fairytale creatures - only a traditional conspiracy against the king, medieval scenery, two brothers who are drawn into palace intrigues, the gloomy atmosphere of torture dungeons, the battle of swords and chicken.”
“No magic (almost), no fairytale creatures - only a traditional conspiracy against the king, medieval scenery, two brothers who are drawn into palace intrigues, the gloomy atmosphere of torture dungeons, the battle of swords and chickens.”
“For a medieval game, I expected a few more martial tunes, but these were noticeably lacking, which reduced the action atmosphere.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews; while some players felt a sense of completion and connection to the story, others criticized it for lacking depth and emotional engagement, citing disinterested character reactions and a lack of defining themes. Overall, the game struggled to evoke strong feelings, leaving some players wanting more emotional resonance.
“Loved it and finished! It made me feel like I completed the story, unlike when I play demos where you always end up dying. It makes no sense to cut it short.”
“As the plot tries desperately to scale the stakes, the disinterested reactions of the characters made it rather hard to be engaged, and it just lacked the emotional appeal that would have made it memorable.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with challenging puzzles that feel overly lengthy and detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the game as both tedious and short.
“Those puzzles are hard with that many dots and lines, but while I do enjoy a challenge, these were just tediously long.”
“What a tedious and extremely short game!”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is visually impressive, with beautiful graphics and highly detailed character designs that showcase exquisite artistry, though they lack historical accuracy. The attention to detail in costumes and accessories enhances the overall aesthetic experience.
“The character designs and costuming were highly detailed, with accessories such as swords exhibiting exquisite design detail and research on the part of the artists and designers.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability due to locked areas after each chapter, restricting free exploration. However, the inclusion of various tasks provides some incentive for players to revisit the game.
“The game offers significant replayability, as certain areas become locked after each chapter, preventing free exploration.”
“The various tasks throughout the game contribute to its replay value.”
“They will offer some replayability value, as areas become locked after each chapter, so you won’t be able to freely explore.”
“Those tasks give the game a replay value.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as cute and amusing, contributing to an overall lighthearted tone in the story.
“The story was cute, but funny.”