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 85 reviews

story24 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game offers a rich and immersive take on the Arthurian legend, with well-crafted storytelling and engaging characters.
Players appreciate the meaningful choices that can significantly impact the story, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes.
The unique gender dynamics in the game, allowing players to choose a female or male hero, provide an interesting twist on traditional narratives.

The stat system is frustrating and inconsistent, leading to arbitrary changes that can diminish the player's character's effectiveness.
Many players feel that the choices presented often lead to similar outcomes, undermining the illusion of meaningful decision-making.
The game ends abruptly, leaving players wanting more resolution and closure to the story and character arcs.

story
83 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 for multiple outcomes, encouraging replayability. However, some players found the romance options lacking and criticized certain plot elements as mediocre or overly familiar. Overall, while the storytelling is immersive and well-written, it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more expansive or varied narrative experience.
- “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.”
- “The 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
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively evoking a mythic and fractured post-Roman Britain. Reviewers appreciate the balance between fantastical elements and a realistic setting, which enhances the overall experience and encourages replayability.
- “The atmosphere is fantastic; it oozes mythic warriors of long-forgotten times.”
- “This has to be one of my favorite CYOA books so far, as the atmosphere is really enjoyable, the characters are 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.”
- “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
- “Despite the setting, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
- “The game tries to create a dark and moody atmosphere, but it ends up feeling flat and unengaging.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The graphics in this text-based game are minimal, as it focuses primarily on storytelling rather than visual elements. While some users express a desire for artwork or background music to enhance the experience, others appreciate the game's book-like quality, suggesting that the lack of graphics allows for a more fluid narrative that adapts to player choices. Overall, the graphics are intentionally sparse, aligning with the game's emphasis on text and narrative over visual presentation.
- “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.”
- “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; this is, after all, only a few hours per read-through.”
- “People will say, 'Why isn't there any artwork?' Well, in my mind, it's more of a 'book' than a game.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers high replayability through interesting characters and multiple scenes, though some players note a lack of choices that could enhance this aspect, particularly for a choose-your-own-adventure title. Overall, many reviewers feel that the game's replay value justifies its price, making it a worthwhile pick.
- “It has high replayability if you're willing to read through some of the other mandatory texts.”
- “Interesting characters with many different scenes to increase replayability.”
- “It is a good game; however, as others have mentioned, there is a lack of choices and replayability, which is something expected in a choose-your-own-adventure type game.”
- “Overall, for the price it asks and the replay value, I would suggest picking this game up; you won't regret it.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 opted to supplement this with their own playlists to enhance immersion, suggesting that the addition of music could significantly improve the game's atmosphere.
- “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.”
- “For better impact, I would have added some artwork/background music to help set scenes.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 of gameplay consists solely of making decisions, leading to what kind of King Arthur/Queen Arta you will be.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is notably absent for some players, which detracts from their overall enjoyment, while others appreciate the blend of fantasy elements with a humorous take on being a "bastard son" in a medieval setting. Overall, the reception of humor is mixed, appealing primarily to those who value comedic elements in their gaming experience.
- “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.”