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Portal Knights

Portals Knights manages to capture the best qualities of the building of Minecraft while also maintaining a combat style that can be as difficult as Dark Souls if you're not prepared. Be ready to spend many, many hours in this charming game.
Portal Knights Game Cover
77%Game Brain Score
graphics, story
grinding, stability
83% User Score Based on 6,273 reviews
Critic Score 71%Based on 27 reviews

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Portal Knights Game Cover

About

Portal Knights is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Keen Games GmbH and was released on May 18, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Portal Knights" is a 3D sandbox action-RPG where players craft their own adventure, forge their hero, and become the ultimate Portal Knight. Explore randomly generated islands, combat enemies in real-time tactical combat, and restore peace to a world torn apart by The Fracture. Build and design your own island, mine resources, and complete quests in this cooperative, immersive game.

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Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
Portal Knights screenshot
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83%
Audience ScoreBased on 6,273 reviews
graphics387 positive mentions
grinding337 negative mentions
  • Portal Knights is surprisingly addictive and offers a charming blend of exploration, crafting, and RPG elements.
  • The game features beautifully crafted islands with unique biomes, enemies, and secrets, making exploration rewarding.
  • It's a great entry-level RPG for kids and enjoyable for adults, especially in cooperative multiplayer mode.
  • The game lacks significant updates and new content, leading to a feeling of stagnation after completing the main story.
  • Combat can feel simplistic and repetitive, with some players finding the mechanics unengaging.
  • Inventory management is cumbersome, with limited space and no auto-sort feature, making it tedious to manage items.
  • graphics
    753 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Portal Knights" are widely praised for their charming, colorful, and polished aesthetic, often compared favorably to Minecraft but with a more vibrant and detailed presentation. Players appreciate the cute art style, smooth animations, and the game's ability to create a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. While some users note minor graphical issues and performance concerns, the consensus is that the visuals significantly contribute to the game's appeal, making it suitable for both casual gamers and younger audiences.

    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the audio tracks are fantastic, the combat is more or less good, but the complete lack of meaningful activities is unforgivable.”
    • “The graphics in this game are cute, just really cute.”
    • “The graphics are very nice and cute, I can also say the same about the visual effects.”
    • “I doubt I'm alone in this, but when I look at the game's visuals, I'm reminded of Mega Bloks, a style of block toy slightly similar to Lego, yet only ever comes across as a cheap knock-off.”
    • “The game is very poorly optimized; I have a computer capable of running any game well optimized on either high to ultra settings no problem, but this gets very laggy, even more annoying is that the sound gets all choppy when it lags and in reality, there should be no reason for this, the game is not graphically intensive enough to justify these problems, it's just poor optimization.”
    • “The aesthetic of the blocks, trees, and other plant life are great, I love them! However, the gameplay feels very bland, while the environments and artwork are very nice, every new world you discover is a re-skin with minimal variations.”
  • story
    751 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Portal Knights" is generally considered simplistic and underdeveloped, often described as a basic framework that serves primarily to facilitate gameplay rather than engage players deeply. While some players appreciate the light narrative and quest structure, many find the quests repetitive and lacking in substance, with a heavy reliance on fetch and kill tasks that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a charming setting and enjoyable mechanics, but the narrative elements could benefit from more depth and variety to enhance player engagement.

    • “And the story to me is just so intertwined with the gameplay compared to other games that use too many cutscenes. This game is a breath of fresh air.”
    • “Portal Knights is a hidden gem – and if you love Minecraft but wish it had more story, RPG elements, and actual goals, this game might just be your next favorite thing.”
    • “The story is interesting and feels like an adventure.”
    • “The story is so insignificant that it might as well not exist, and is told through blue guys that say one sentence when you enter the level.”
    • “The quests are so dumb and short and the reward sucks.”
    • “The storyline is so completely forgettable that it barely even exists, which is strange for a game with so many RPG-like elements.”
  • gameplay
    717 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Portal Knights" is characterized by a blend of sandbox mechanics and light RPG elements, offering a fun and accessible experience suitable for family play. While many players appreciate the charming graphics and engaging crafting and combat systems, some criticize the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the presence of frustrating mechanics that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game provides a solid foundation with potential for improvement, particularly in terms of depth and variety in gameplay.

    • “Portal Knights is a charming and addictive adventure that blends action RPG gameplay with creative sandbox building in a really satisfying way.”
    • “The game’s tone — welcoming, upbeat, and mechanically accessible — makes it especially well-suited to group play or even family-friendly gaming sessions.”
    • “It offers a vibrant and charming world, approachable gameplay, and a sense of progression that balances crafting with exploration and combat.”
    • “The gameplay becomes extremely repetitive after the first few islands, and when you play with a friend, they have to travel with you wherever you go, making it very frustrating when you want to set up bases on different islands, or when your friend wants to gather resources while you work at your base.”
    • “The problem is just the intrinsic gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay loop is extremely basic with little depth; fun at first, but it gets old very quickly.”
  • grinding
    346 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while initial gameplay can be enjoyable, it becomes increasingly tedious and repetitive as they progress. Players often find themselves engaged in a cycle of resource gathering, crafting, and combat that can feel overly grindy, especially in the late game where the need for materials escalates. However, some players appreciate the grinding for its sense of progression and the satisfaction of crafting and building, particularly in multiplayer settings, suggesting that enjoyment may vary based on individual preferences for grinding in games.

    • “The combat is not bland but also not too complicated, the progression is satisfying, and the loot system is great, not too grindy, but also not too short.”
    • “Enjoyed playing this game, it's cute, simple, not too grindy.”
    • “I like this game's class system and skill trees, leveling isn't too grindy, you are rewarded with loot for exploring most worlds, it is fun to play solo or with friends, and its artistic style is fun to look at.”
    • “The game can feel grindy, but if you stick to the quests and proper islands for your level, it is fine.”
    • “It starts out okay, but the more you progress, the more repetitive grinding you'll have to do for even the most basic tasks, from leveling up to building gear.”
    • “End-game feels a bit rushed, as if it's not really end-game, and the grind can get really frustrating on the non-rewarding side, with the need of 20 ores to make a single bar of y-type metal and the boss giving measly 5 ores and a bar every full moon if you're lucky will get tiring really fast.”
  • music
    134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its whimsical and relaxing qualities that enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive and dull over extended play sessions. Many appreciate the soundtrack's ability to fit the game's adventurous tone and environment, but a significant number of users suggest that it can become tiresome, leading them to mute it in favor of their own music. Overall, while the music is often described as pleasant and fitting, its repetitiveness detracts from the experience for some players.

    • “The music fits the game's ambience well, though after a short while I turned it down to 10% volume, as I do with all games.”
    • “The music is fantastic, and the environment is welcoming to a new player.”
    • “The music is lovely and very peaceful when it should be and exciting/suspenseful when you enter underground caves or mines, almost Metroid-like.”
    • “The worst offender of the game is the soundtrack.”
    • “If you spend a good chunk of minutes playing in the same chunk, you'll grow sick of the music, and probably will want to mute the music of the game.”
    • “The music is...meh.”
  • stability
    104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users have experienced smooth and stable performance without issues, a substantial number have encountered game-breaking problems, such as corrupt save files and frequent freezes. Overall, the game's stability appears inconsistent, with ongoing concerns about its reliability and the developers' support for fixing these issues.

    • “And they got everything right - there's enough inventory space, menus make sense, controls beautifully with keyboard & mouse or controller, no glitches or bugs whatsoever, fun for all ages.”
    • “- virtually bug free gameplay, we haven't experienced a single crash during 34 hours so far.”
    • “This is one of the few early access games that is actually not buggy, glitchy, or empty whatsoever.”
    • “Game has game-ending glitches that cause a recycling loop of corrupt save files that can never be recovered.”
    • “This game is annoying and filled with bugs and glitches that take away all the fun. It ruins my characters, doesn't save the game properly, and half the time doesn't load or close. I'm sick of it; I paid money for this game plus the DLCs and I get all this worthless content. If I could, I would refund all of it in a heartbeat and would never recommend it to anyone.”
    • “The game constantly freezes, crashes, and even loses progress.”
  • optimization
    75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players praising its smooth performance and impressive graphics, especially on lower-end systems. However, several users report significant technical issues, including stuttering, audio problems, and crashes, indicating that while the game is generally well-optimized, it still requires further improvements to address these persistent performance concerns. Overall, it runs well for many, but optimization remains a critical area for enhancement.

    • “The game has high-quality performance and has a bunch of content!”
    • “Optimization is great and the game looks very well.”
    • “This game is well optimized and runs without lags or glitches.”
    • “Unfortunately, there's a load of technical problems with the game, from constant audio stuttering to freezing, to resetting the resolution of the game to 640x480, and it even locked up my entire computer once.”
    • “The performance is absolutely terrible; if you are unlucky, you will experience sound problems and extreme lags after just a few minutes.”
    • “This game needs so much work on the handling and the performance settings, and it needs better explanations on how to advance to other worlds.”
  • replayability
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the variety offered by different classes and randomly generated worlds, which enhance the experience. However, some users note that the repetitive nature of combat and limited end-game content can diminish long-term replay value. Overall, while there are elements that encourage replayability, such as multiplayer options and creative building, the game may not sustain interest for all players after initial playthroughs.

    • “Having combat classes in a game like this just adds to its replay value.”
    • “The rogue and druid DLC packs definitely enhance the game and boost its already adequate replayability.”
    • “The colorful graphics, combined with fun and easy-to-learn gameplay that sparks creativity and teaches kids the basics of construction, loot management, and simple yet addictive combat are all elements that offer a valuable stepping stone, preparing them for their future endeavors with video games, while still offering limitless replayability and reasons to come back regularly to your home island.”
    • “But don't expect this to be a game you constantly come back to as it really lacks a sense of replayability.”
    • “There is a limited amount of replayability here.”
    • “The grind is kinda boring and it has little replayability.”
  • humor
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny situations, quirky NPCs, and amusing graphics that enhance the overall experience. Many reviews note the game's ability to generate laughter, especially when played with friends, despite some standard writing and lack of voice acting. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging gameplay, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a lighthearted adventure.

    • “Amazingly funny game to play with friends!”
    • “Awesome graphics and the humor is on point.”
    • “Funny moment where I set up a pitfall/trap to prank my coop mate and said, 'Hey bro!!'”
    • “Plenty of odd stuff which leaves you wondering whether it's supposed to be funny or not, like 'explosion bomb' - I guess that's a bomb that explodes.”
    • “The game also endorses loot boxes and some of the achievements are very tedious and not funny; the enemies level up with you, so the game does not really get easier as you level up, and combat only gets prolonged.”
  • monetization
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" due to the lack of updates and the presence of microtransactions for classes. Players express disappointment over the game's reliance on paid DLC and microtransactions, suggesting that it detracts from the overall experience and potential of the game. Overall, the monetization strategy appears to overshadow the game's initial charm and gameplay quality.

    • “Also, microtransactions for classes.”
    • “An example of a game that went out of early access too soon, didn't bother with proper GUI scaling, and wants to really push the fact you can buy microtransactions.”
    • “Because it means the game will never go microtransactions pay to play like Creativerse (and now many other early access games similar to this).”
    • “Unlike other similar games, this game hasn't received any updates for years now; it's just a very bad cash grab DLC, that's about it.”
    • “It's become apparent this game is a cash grab, and it's very disappointing because it looks bright and colorful and had lots of potential.”
    • “This game feels like a cash grab on what was originally a new take on the voxel survival game.”
  • atmosphere
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its diverse and engaging environments, ranging from deserts to glowing forests, which enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the high-quality graphics, charming art style, and immersive sound design that contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, often likening it to a blend of Minecraft and Zelda. Despite some repetitive quests, the game's vibrant biomes and whimsical aesthetic create a captivating world that is fun to explore alone or with friends.

    • “Each new island has its own atmosphere — deserts with eroded stone arches, glowing mushroom forests, volcanic wastelands, haunted ruins — and the variety keeps the journey engaging.”
    • “The game's music and sound effects are also top-notch, adding to the atmosphere.”
    • “It seems that the random generator was very fine-tuned for each world to provide the required atmosphere.”
    • “I love the atmosphere of the game's graphics when the sun is setting and makes the treeline glow gently, as well as small details like cindering ash rising from a hot plane.”
  • character development
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the RPG elements that allow for class specialization and progression through challenging worlds. However, many criticize the overall depth and variety of character design, describing it as shallow and lacking in creativity, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game features enjoyable mechanics and a unique aesthetic, the character development aspect feels underwhelming to some players.

    • “Even character development (weapons, armor, and magic!) and boss fights are well done - not really difficult but fun!”
    • “In addition to this, the RPG character development is tied to jumping through progressively harder worlds.”
    • “Keep in mind that the game is still unique in its character design and story, plus the gameplay mechanics add a neat feel that anybody can master.”
    • “Together these elements should have still provided a really enjoyable game with longevity, but it always felt like something was missing... the quests, character development, story line, landscapes... everything just seems shallow/hollow somehow.”
    • “It has cute graphics but overall pretty boring character design, both the NPCs, monsters, and even protagonists alike.”
    • “The character design is bare-boned and childish.”
  • emotional
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting moments of frustration and joy that resonate deeply, such as feeling overwhelmed after a long play session or finding solace in a wholesome gaming environment during tough times. The game's ability to foster friendships and provide a sense of community is frequently praised, making it a comforting escape that encourages collaboration and creativity. Overall, the emotional experiences range from heartfelt to frustrating, reflecting the game's impact on players' lives.

    • “I played so well these 9 hours that I ended up with nothing; honestly, I want to cry, even if I am 26 years old.”
    • “I don't want to delete what I said at that time because it was really emotional for me.”
    • “Why I want to recommend this game is if you have friends, in my case it was my cousin who helped me in this emotional situation, and I ended up having so much fun.”
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71%Critics’ scoreBased on 27 critic reviews
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17h Median play time
45h Average play time
5-50h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 76 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Portal Knights is a survival role playing game with fantasy and historical themes.

Portal Knights is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 45 hours playing Portal Knights.

Portal Knights was released on May 18, 2017.

Portal Knights was developed by Keen Games GmbH.

Portal Knights has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its grinding.

Portal Knights is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Len's Island, Enshrouded, Keplerth, Core Keeper, Crea and others.