Pendragon Rising

About

In "Pendragon Rising" , you are the bastard offspring of King Pendragon, striving to save Britain from dark forces and claim your rightful throne. Your choices guide your path as you command an army, form alliances, and navigate relationships in this epic 112,000-word interactive medieval fantasy novel. Shape your destiny with strategy, diplomacy, or courage – the fate of the kingdom rests in your hands.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

story48 positive mentions

music2 negative mentions

The game offers a rich and immersive take on the Arthurian legend, with well-crafted storytelling and engaging characters.
Players appreciate the unique choices that significantly impact the story, allowing for multiple playthroughs and different outcomes.
The setting and atmosphere are well-developed, providing a compelling backdrop for the narrative and character interactions.

The stat system is frustrating and inconsistent, often leading to arbitrary decreases in abilities that detract from the overall experience.
Many players feel that the choices are not truly meaningful, as they often lead to similar outcomes regardless of the path taken.
The romance options are limited and poorly received, with some players finding them inappropriate or poorly integrated into the story.

story
166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
5%
The story in "Pendragon Rising" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging narrative and the depth of choices that allow players to shape their experience, reminiscent of classic choose-your-own-adventure tales. While some players found the romance options and certain plot elements lacking, many appreciated the immersive setting and the opportunity for multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes. However, a few critiques noted that the story could feel narrow and that some endings lacked satisfactory closure, leaving room for further development in potential sequels.
- “The choices were all non-obvious and interesting, and the story was satisfying with enough twists and turns that I'll likely play it again sometime to see what other paths I could have taken.”
- “Pendragon Rising is a well-written story that urges the reader to quickly come to grasp with the lore of the world, which there is quite a bit to learn on every playthrough.”
- “The writing is very good, the characters memorable, and most noticeably the story is paced very well with moments of conflict and magic, but also intimate spaces where you explore Arthur/Arta's place in the rapidly changing landscape of Dark Age Britain.”
- “Story was mediocre at best and the 'romance' options were terrible, either be gay, date your half brother/sister, or your aunt/uncle.”
- “Constantly being told you're essentially useless and nobody wants you, even though you've gathered lots of allies and are supposedly adored, isn't great storytelling in my opinion.”
- “The story was short and the plot was kept rather narrow no matter what decisions you made.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively evoking a sense of mythic warriors and a fractured, post-Roman Britain. Reviewers note that while the fantastical elements are present, they are subtle, allowing for a more realistic experience that enhances replayability and engagement with the characters. Overall, the atmosphere is described as enjoyable and rich, appealing to players' imaginations.
- “The atmosphere is fantastic; it oozes mythic warriors of long-forgotten times.”
- “This has to be one of my favorite CYOA books up to now, as the atmosphere is really enjoyable, the characters likable/hateable, and it has enough content to play it more than once, even getting a fully different setting.”
- “It conveys the atmosphere of a fractured, post-Roman Britain quite well, and although it has some fantastical elements, these are quite subdued for the most part and maintain a more realistic approach.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics in this text-based game are minimal, as it focuses primarily on storytelling rather than visual elements. While some users appreciate the lack of graphics for its book-like quality, others feel that the addition of artwork or background music could enhance the overall experience. Ultimately, the game is seen as a worthwhile investment for fans of choose-your-own-adventure narratives, despite its visual limitations.
- “More than worth the £2 I paid for it. If you're a fan of choose your own adventure books, then this is perfect for you. Though for better impact, I would have added some artwork or background music to help set the scenes.”
- “In my mind, it's more of a 'book' than a game, which is why some may wonder why there isn't any artwork.”
- “The story will change depending on your choices. This is an idea we have seen a lot of recently; however, since this is a purely text-based game, it is much easier to make the story really change since you don't need to change any graphics or voice acting.”
- “Ever get bored of promised graphic updates only to be disappointed?”
- “Though for better impact, I would have added some artwork/background music to help set scenes.”
- “People will say, 'Why isn't there any artwork?' Well, in my mind, it's more of a 'book' than a game.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
37%
25%
The game offers high replayability due to its interesting characters and multiple scenes, but some players note a lack of meaningful choices, which is a common expectation in choose-your-own-adventure titles. Overall, many reviewers feel that the game's replay value justifies its price, making it a worthwhile purchase for those willing to explore different narrative paths.
- “Overall, for the price it asks and the replay value, I would suggest picking this game up; you won't regret it.”
- “Interesting characters with many different scenes to increase replayability.”
- “It does have high replayability if you're willing to read through some of the other mandatory texts.”
- “It is a good game, however, like others have mentioned, there is a lack of choices and replayability, something that is expected in a choose your own adventure type game.”
- “Over all for the price it asks and the replay value I would suggest to pick this game up you won't regret it.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music aspect of the game is notably lacking, with users highlighting the absence of any sound or background music, which detracts from the overall experience. Some players have resorted to using their own playlists, such as Celtic music, to enhance the atmosphere and align with the game's lore. Overall, while the game is considered a good value, the addition of music and artwork could significantly improve immersion.
- “There isn't any sound at all - music or otherwise.”
- “I put on a celtic music playlist and it sufficed, keeping in line with the lore.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay primarily revolves around political intrigue, featuring decision-making that shapes the player's character as King Arthur or Queen Arta, with occasional battles and puzzles. Each playthrough lasts about three hours, focusing on the consequences of the player's choices.
- “The gameplay is mostly political intrigue with a few battles and puzzles thrown in.”
- “As expected, the roughly 3 hours (per read-through) of gameplay consists solely of making decisions, leading to what kind of King Arthur/Queen Arta you will be.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a lack of humor in the game, which some players find essential for enjoyment. However, it is suggested that those with a sense of humor may still appreciate the fantasy elements and the unique role of playing a bastard son in a medieval setting.
- “Buy it if you like fantasies, have a sense of humor, and would like to try yourself as a bastard son in a medieval era.”

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5h Median play time

5h Average play time

5-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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