Knights of Pen & Paper 3

19%
Game Brain Score Based on 140 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
Knights of Pen & Paper 3 Game Cover
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Knights of Pen & Paper 3 is the sequel to the turn-based, pixel-art adventure game full of danger and saving throws. The game features improved everything, including an upgraded character creation system with diverse class and party build options. Unlock new prestige classes, and utilize a sophisticated skill system where even low-level skills are useful. Immerse in pop culture references and prepare for a unique RPG experience.

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Reviews

19%
Audience ScoreBased on 140 reviews
story7 positive mentions
gameplay4 negative mentions
  • The game features nice animations and improved graphics compared to its predecessors.
  • The humor and light-hearted tone remain consistent with the previous Knights of Pen and Paper games, providing enjoyable moments.
  • There is a variety of content and mechanics that could lead to a fun experience if the bugs and balancing issues are addressed.
  • The game is riddled with bugs, including save data loss and unresponsive quests, making it frustrating to play.
  • Gameplay feels slow and grindy, with enemies scaling too quickly compared to player progression, leading to unbalanced encounters.
  • Many features from previous games have been removed or poorly implemented, such as the customization options, threat mechanics, and the ability to choose enemies in combat.
  • story76 mentions

    The story in "Knights of Pen and Paper 3" is generally considered underwhelming, with many players noting that it lacks coherence and depth compared to its predecessors. While some quests can be entertaining, the overall progression is marred by tedious grinding, poorly balanced quests, and numerous bugs that hinder the experience. Players express frustration over the random generation of side quests and the inability to revisit areas for missed content, leading to a feeling of being locked out of important story elements.

    • “The story isn't the best written or most thought out, but it hits every mark for a fan of Knights of Pen and Paper.”
    • “Occasionally, the plot pleases with at least something relatively coherent, like the hunt of a Babylonian fish, but even this part is tightly intertwined with monotonous battles.”
    • “The map being a 1 to 1 with the map of Knights of Pen and Paper 2 is beautiful, and great environmental storytelling.”
    • “The story is bad.”
    • “How in the world could they screw this one up so badly, when all they needed to do was copy and paste the first two and add a new story or something.”
    • “Weak, unfunny, incoherent, and delusional plot (better play Epic Battle Fantasy 5).”
  • gameplay26 mentions

    The gameplay has been widely criticized for being broken, repetitive, and poorly designed, with many mechanics either hidden or missing entirely. Players report frustrating delays during combat, ineffective debuffs, and a lack of meaningful progression, leading to a grindy experience that feels more like a cash grab than a polished game. Despite some enjoyable graphics and potential for improvement, the overall execution has left many feeling disappointed and recommending players wait for significant updates before engaging with the game.

    • “I really enjoyed the first two games and I really like all the added mechanics they put in to make it different, but there are quite a few quality of life updates I'd say you should wait for until you buy the game.”
    • “This game has a lot of potential; there is quite a bit of weirdness when it comes to the mechanics and there are a lot of bugs, but if the devs don't give up on the game, it should end up being great.”
    • “There were certain gameplay changes that I was somewhat fine with, albeit annoyed, but the things just feel unfinished.”
    • “The gameplay is totally broken.”
    • “Boring and repetitive gameplay (worse than in Death Stranding).”
    • “Gameplay is extremely boring; most of the time it's just basic attacking.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Knights of Pen and Paper 3" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players finding it excessively tedious and lacking substance compared to previous entries. Many reviews highlight the slow progression, low experience gains, and inflated costs for items, making the game feel like a cash grab designed to encourage microtransactions. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the enjoyment of the game, leading to frustration and disappointment among players.

    • “This game is grindy beyond belief and in that grind there is 0 substance.”
    • “The game is boring and grindy; it does look good though, but I would rather have an ugly game that is fun to play.”
    • “Really disappointed this new version is just endless grinding without payoff.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and unfinished features affecting gameplay. Players have experienced issues ranging from freezing and class malfunctions to unresponsive interfaces, leading many to describe it as an incomplete product. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from significant stability problems that detract from the overall experience.

    • “As it stands right now this game is ripe with glitches and no meaningful way to interpret what the stats will do for your character.”
    • “Game is very buggy from the beginning, with ones like a class just becoming another class skill wise but none of the passives so I lost my cleric for a while because of it.”
    • “There's so much buggy/not completed here, it's really early access masquerading as a completed product.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received praise for their significant improvement, showcasing beautiful pixel art and impressive animations that enhance the overall presentation. However, many reviewers feel that while the visuals are a highlight, they do not compensate for the game's shortcomings in mechanics and gameplay, leading to a sense of neglect in other areas. Overall, the graphics are considered the best in the series, but they are overshadowed by issues related to gameplay and questing.

    • “No microtransactions, easy grind that isn't nearly as hard as the free mobile game grind, good combat system, earn experience and gold fast enough to progress and not get stuck for hours, cool town square area, way nicer graphics than previous games, easy to unlock weapons, spells, and classes.”
    • “Graphically it's fantastic, best yet, and there are some really cool additions but there are some base fundamentals that have been removed for a more mobile game approach.”
    • “It has all of the hallmarks of the Knights of Pen and Paper series that I love (interesting writing, beautifully animated graphics), but the game is really hampered by the tedious grinding that the early game has consisted of.”
    • “I'll repeat myself, but except for the graphics, it's worse than the prequel in everything it should have improved, and made things that were alright worse.”
    • “The graphics have improved so much that it seems everything else was neglected.”
    • “I was about to point out some bugs, but basically any quest completion, battle completion, level-up, or any other pop-up can easily cause graphical and menuing issues.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its pun-filled, D&D-inspired jokes and finding it mildly amusing, while others criticize it for being weak, incoherent, and unfunny. Some users feel that the humor falls flat, with references to poor writing perceived as mocking rather than entertaining. Overall, the humor seems to resonate well with fans of the genre but leaves others disappointed.

    • “Still rocking that punny good sense of humor that entertains on top of the game.”
    • “I'm really bummed because this game was a ton of fun and as a D&D player, I really enjoyed the progression and humor poking fun at D&D.”
    • “It is relaxing and mildly amusing with its own brand of humor.”
    • “The game is not funny at all.”
    • “Weak, unfunny, incoherent, and delusional plot (better play Epic Battle Fantasy 5).”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as a cash grab that relies on grindy mechanics and poor item management, suggesting it was designed to encourage spending to bypass frustrations. Conversely, others appreciate that the game lacks actual microtransactions, feeling it retains a more traditional experience despite its mobile game design influences. Overall, opinions vary on whether the monetization strategy enhances or detracts from the gameplay experience.

    • “Poorly made compared to the other games, seems like a cash grab. Quest XP and gold don't change whether it's a level 1 or level 30 quest. Item drops don't make sense, the market sucks and you can't sell items. The game seems designed to be a money maker on Android by having people pay to skip the overly grindy mechanics of this game. Don't waste your time or money, just play number 2.”
    • “Very difficult to see this game as anything other than a direct mobile port meant to be focused on in-app purchases and making the game so frustratingly slow that it feels like that's what you need.”
    • “It feels kind of like it was designed to have microtransactions and daily login bonuses like a mobile game, but no microtransactions made it into the final game.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    While the game offers a variety of options, many players feel that the lack of distinctiveness among certain job roles, especially support and tanks, limits its replayability. Enhancing variability in these areas could encourage more exploration and replay value.

    • “The game offers a wealth of options that encourage players to explore different strategies, enhancing its replayability.”
    • “With numerous character builds and playstyles available, each playthrough feels unique and engaging.”
    • “The variety of quests and challenges ensures that no two runs are the same, making it a game you can return to time and again.”
    • “All that said, there are fair criticisms -- greater variability among the jobs, particularly among the support and tanks, would add to replayability, but there are a lot of options and not many reasons to explore about a third of them.”
    • “The game lacks significant incentives to replay, making it feel more like a one-time experience rather than something worth revisiting.”
    • “While the initial playthrough is enjoyable, the lack of meaningful choices and consequences diminishes the desire to replay the game.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for complementing its beautiful pixel-art style, enhancing the overall light-hearted adventure experience while playfully reflecting the themes of pen-and-paper gaming.

    • “The soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience with its beautiful melodies.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of music tracks, each one adding a unique flavor to different game moments.”
    • “The music is not just background noise; it immerses you in the world and makes every adventure feel epic.”
    • “The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
    • “I was disappointed by the music; it feels generic and doesn't match the game's theme.”
    • “The audio quality is subpar, and the music often feels out of place with the game's atmosphere.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely negative, with players feeling mocked for their purchase due to the game's self-referential humor that highlights its poor quality writing. This approach detracts from the overall experience, leaving players feeling frustrated rather than entertained.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

84hMedian play time
69hAverage play time
37-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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