King's Quest

The Odd Gentlemen's King's Quest has a hard time determining what it wants to be at the start. By the end of the series, it's the story that stands out more than the gameplay, and the story they have to tell is an excellent one.

72%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, optimization

89% User Score Based on 1,048 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

In King's Quest, players become the brave knight, Sir Graham, on a journey to save his kingdom. Through vibrant graphics and challenging puzzles, explore diverse landscapes, encounter magical creatures, and make decisions that impact the story's outcome. This captivating reimagining of the classic adventure game series brings a delightful fairytale experience to life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,050 reviews

story399 positive mentions

grinding11 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and art style that captures the essence of the original series.
Engaging story with charming characters and excellent voice acting.
Puzzles are fun and logical, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.

Episodic format can be frustrating, with some chapters feeling rushed or lacking depth.
Limited replayability due to the linear nature of some puzzles and choices.
No option to skip cutscenes or previously seen dialogue, which can be tedious during replays.

story
1,255 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
67%
1%
The story of the new King's Quest is widely praised for its engaging narrative, humor, and emotional depth, effectively capturing the spirit of the original series while introducing fresh elements. Players appreciate the clever storytelling framework, where an elderly King Graham recounts his adventures to his granddaughter, allowing for a mix of nostalgia and new experiences. While some critiques mention pacing issues and a more linear approach compared to the originals, the overall consensus is that the game successfully blends humor, memorable characters, and a rich storyline, making it a worthy addition to the franchise.
- “The story is what really makes this game shine.”
- “The storytelling is absolutely incredible, despite not being entirely linear the first two chapters of the game concerning where they took place in Graham's life.”
- “The story is very sweet and engaging and the voice acting is excellent.”
- “The story is forced and at times confusing since there is no time spent on background or character development.”
- “Generally, the story with Graham's grandchildren wasn't interesting enough for the time given to it, and the storyline in the past wasn't consistent enough with trying to weave it with the original series to make it anything other than unsatisfying.”
- “This game is not another King's Quest game.”
graphics
256 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beautiful, hand-painted art style that effectively combines modern 3D elements with a classic, fairy-tale aesthetic. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals, smooth animations, and the overall immersive atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience. While some critiques mention that the graphics may not push the boundaries of modern technology, the charming design and attention to detail resonate well with both new players and fans of the original series.
- “The artwork and style in the game is absolutely gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are excellent - it feels like you are playing in a Disney-type movie.”
- “The visuals are incredibly on-point with an absolutely beautiful painterly style and camerawork that does an amazing job of mimicking the background perspectives of the classic games without becoming stiff.”
- “The graphics, while charming and pleasing for the most part, are not the greatest for a game released in 2015/2016.”
- “Graphically, the game feels very last-generation (except, bizarrely, for the cape animation) with few options to choose from.”
- “While the game is beautiful -- and I understand how it's meant to look like a cartoon, the game does nothing to push modern graphics hardware.”
humor
231 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness, charm, and nostalgic nods to classic adventure games, featuring a mix of puns, witty dialogue, and slapstick moments that keep players entertained. Many reviews highlight the engaging voice acting and memorable characters that enhance the comedic experience, while the balance of humor with emotional storytelling adds depth to the gameplay. Overall, the game successfully combines lighthearted fun with challenging puzzles, making it a delightful experience for both new and returning fans of the series.
- “This game is delightfully charming with a really funny sense of humor (so many puns...).”
- “The droll dialogs and amusing plot revelations meant that I played with a big silly grin on my face, occasionally laughing out loud.”
- “The humor is clever, the story is interesting, art and music are great, and the puzzles present a challenge without being too difficult or distracting from the plot.”
- “Painfully unfunny voice acting, and horribly boring, repetitive puzzles.”
- “The jokes are mostly forced and unfunny.”
- “King Graham has turned into an unfunny Guybrush Threepwood, and clever puzzles into quick time events, in this far cry from King's Quest that will not appeal to either the nostalgic or the new gamer.”
gameplay
171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
4%
The gameplay of the new King's Quest has received mixed reviews, with many praising its variety, humor, and engaging puzzles, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and linear compared to the original series. Players appreciate the modern mechanics and beautiful graphics, but some feel that the gameplay lacks the challenge and depth of classic adventure games, often relying on cutscenes and straightforward tasks. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience with a blend of traditional and contemporary gameplay elements, appealing to both new players and fans of the franchise.
- “There's plenty of variety in gameplay and fun new characters to discover, and it helps to have a second brain for some of the puzzles.”
- “The gameplay is fun and the puzzles are entertaining.”
- “The heartwarming, humorous storytelling, the beautiful, lovingly drawn backgrounds, and the solid gameplay make this game one of my favorites of all time.”
- “The lack of challenging puzzles as a strategy to appeal to a wider crowd and the sense of dumbed-down gameplay just made it feel like another missed opportunity.”
- “The worst grievance is that a huge amount of game time is spent listening to terribly scripted cutscenes... some chapters were worse than others, but often there was just a small amount of gameplay followed by yet another long drawn-out cutscene.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly linear and patronizing (a bit simple even by Telltale standards), the tone is forcefully schmaltzy, and I can only begin to express how brutal it is that the game lacks a dialogue/animation skip.”
music
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its brilliance and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting its uplifting and immersive qualities. The soundtrack features a mix of orchestral pieces and nostalgic themes from the original King's Quest series, contributing to the game's charming atmosphere and emotional depth. Additionally, the voice acting complements the music well, creating a cohesive and engaging narrative experience.
- “The music and environmental artwork are beautiful and atmospheric, giving the game an immersive feeling despite the cartoony characters.”
- “The musical score is wonderful and greatly adds to the story.”
- “The music is lovely.”
- “This laziness was made worse by an irritating soundtrack during the puzzles; lazy, busy work 'rock climbing' that added nothing to the gameplay, and truly maddening, whiny characters.”
- “Overall, wonderful game, but I was expecting just a bit more in the graphics and music department from a title that previously set the course for computer gaming more than 30 years ago.”
- “The music is very well done in this new game, but I feel it lacks melodies that would really make it a hit.”
emotional
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The emotional aspect of "King's Quest" is profoundly impactful, with many players reporting that the game evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears during pivotal moments. The narrative explores themes of love, loss, and legacy, particularly resonating with long-time fans of the series, while also delivering heartfelt character development and poignant storytelling. Overall, the game balances humor and emotional depth, creating a memorable experience that leaves players deeply invested in the characters and their journeys.
- “Chapter 5 will most likely dredge up some feelings surrounding losing or lost grandparents - I was bawling during the final cut scenes myself and there is an excellent but heartbreaking portrayal of dementia, so be warned.”
- “I absolutely loved this game, but as a King's Quest fan that grew up playing the entire family of games, there are some heart-wrenching moments in this game. Come prepared to have some feels.”
- “It took me on an emotional journey that I don't think I've ever had while playing games or listening to stories.”
replayability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
48%
13%
Overall, the game offers a solid degree of replayability due to its multiple paths, choices, and puzzle solutions, allowing players to experience different outcomes and story elements on subsequent playthroughs. While some reviews note that major story points remain unchanged, the variety in gameplay and humorous side quests contribute to its charm and encourage exploration of alternative routes. However, a few players expressed concerns about limited replay value due to the game's autosave function and the linearity of certain outcomes.
- “Interestingly, King's Quest isn't strictly linear, as there are choices to make, side quests that may have consequences later on, and sometimes quests that are just there to make you laugh, giving this unique game some replay value just to see how the story changes.”
- “The replay value of this title is off the charts, not only because of the story elements you will miss the first time through and gasp at when you see them for the second time with greater understanding, but because of the degree to which your choices unlock different events in the game.”
- “There are multiple ways to solve each puzzle too, which gives the game great replayability.”
- “There's not a lot of replay value since the outcome is pretty much the same it seems!”
- “There is a few different ways to do things to get through the game, great for replayability but sucks that the game only has an autosave function so you can't go back to change what you did.”
- “The only negative I have for replayability is the inability for skipping either unwanted narration or the extended cutscenes.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful music and environmental artwork, creating an immersive and charming experience that complements its fairytale-like story. Reviewers note the warm, lighthearted tone and humor, which enhance the overall enjoyment, while the art style and voice acting contribute to a captivating ambiance. Despite some critiques regarding the confined spaces in later chapters, the game successfully evokes a nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The music and environmental artwork are beautiful and atmospheric, giving the game an immersive feeling despite the cartoony characters.”
- “I find the game's graphic style very beautiful, very warm and atmospheric, which suits perfectly the fairytale-like story the game is telling.”
- “I found myself just standing in the forest, listening to the score, admiring all that was put into the game to create such an atmospheric feel.”
- “The world itself was also confined to what felt like a cramped atmosphere after the openness of the first chapter; and the mechanic of having to go repeatedly to sleep and wake up, and then have to try to keep your friends alive day after day only reinforced that feeling.”
- “It takes itself seriously and has its serious moments, but it has a truly children's story-like quality/atmosphere to it that not many games strive for let alone hit as well as King's Quest does.”
- “I am always looking for a game to challenge my mind and make me feel enthralled by the world and atmosphere of the game.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
Overall, "King's Quest" is praised for its engaging character development, particularly for the protagonist Graham, which is complemented by excellent storytelling and voice acting. While some reviews note inconsistencies in pacing and background development, the game's whimsical visuals and heartfelt narrative contribute to a memorable character experience. However, a few critiques highlight moments where character interactions feel disjointed due to artistic choices.
- “Great storytelling, great gameplay, amazing character development.”
- “From the artwork to the story to the beautiful character development, I was entranced by King's Quest the moment I saw it!”
- “The thing that really got me was the character development and storytelling.”
- “Those games had some very serious flaws, like the bad pacing, insane puzzles with extremely strange solutions, lack of any real character development, etc... but I loved them in spite of those flaws.”
- “The story is forced and at times confusing since there is no time spent on background or character development.”
- “The thing that really got me, was the character development and storytelling.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious, particularly in certain chapters where gameplay feels drawn out and repetitive. While some players appreciate the story and character development, many express frustration with the excessive backtracking, overly simplistic puzzles, and lengthy cut-scenes that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game's narrative and aesthetic elements remain enjoyable for some players.
- “Although chapter 4 is perhaps the most tedious of the chapters due to its design.”
- “But since the riddles got way too easy and the story got a lot more tedious as I continued through the game, there was nothing left that could keep me entertained.”
- “Walking back and forth to do tasks can be very long and tedious at times.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback; while it runs smoothly without major bugs or crashes, some users noted it may struggle on lower-end machines. The game is well-optimized for controller use, enhancing the overall experience, and the voice performances, particularly by Christopher Lloyd, are praised for their quality and engagement. Overall, the production values and animations are considered excellent, contributing positively to the game's charm.
- “Aside from general performance, I've experienced no major bugs or glitches, and certainly no crashes or anything game-breaking.”
- “Still great fun and optimized for playing with a controller.”
- “The voice talent in this game is splendid, with Disney, Nickelodeon, and Hollywood voice actors who really put a lot of effort into their performances. I had a huge laugh with the writing in this game, and the cartoonish animations are really fun to watch.”
- “Performance - of course, it's not good to get a game if it won't run on your machine, and sad to say this is probably the most lacking area of King's Quest.”
- “Aside from general performance I've experienced no major bugs, or glitches and certainly no crashes or anything game breaking.”
- “Performance, check!”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
Overall, the stability of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players report a smooth experience with minimal glitches and no major crashes, others have encountered significant bugs, including game freezes and issues with character interactions that detract from the overall enjoyment. The game's graphical quality and storytelling are praised, but the presence of glitches remains a concern for many users.
- “It's hilarious, well made, not buggy, and has beautiful artwork.”
- “Playability is very smooth, no glitches I could find.”
- “And they not only dicked around doing nothing - they apparently created one buggy demo of a guy in a room and you couldn't even move him without him flying off the screen - they spent the Kickstarter money on developing this game!”
- “Game freezes at this point.”
- “I'm sorry to say this, but while graphically it's awesome and the story is good, the constant glitches are ruining the experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers express frustration with the monetization strategies in the game, highlighting a trend of reusing old licenses for quick financial gain rather than creating meaningful content. This approach is seen as lacking creativity and depth, leading to a perception of the game as a soulless cash grab.
- “There are old licenses that get reused as cheap cash grabs with no soul.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
- “In-game purchases are overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”