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.

77%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

grinding, stability

87% User Score Based on 4,543 reviews

Critic Score 71%Based on 29 reviews

Platforms

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About

Leave the familiar world behind and step into the fantastic unknown with Portal Knights! Play with your friends in this action-packed crafting adventure across dozens of sandbox islands connected by ancient portals. No one can remember how long it’s been since the peaceful world was torn apart by The Fracture, plummeting it into darkness. Is there any soul brave enough to reunite the shattered rea…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+52

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,572 reviews

graphics306 positive mentions

grinding264 negative mentions

Portal Knights is a fun and engaging game that combines building, crafting, and RPG elements, making it enjoyable for players of all ages.
The game features beautiful graphics and a charming art style, which enhances the overall experience.
Playing with friends adds to the enjoyment, as the cooperative gameplay allows for shared adventures and creativity.

The game can become repetitive and grindy, especially after reaching max level, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
There are significant bugs related to saving progress, which can result in lost characters and items, frustrating players.
The combat system is simplistic and lacks depth, making battles feel monotonous over time.

graphics
579 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant, colorful, and charming art style, often compared favorably to titles like Minecraft but noted for being more polished and visually appealing. Players appreciate the cute character designs, detailed environments, and smooth animations, which contribute to an engaging and immersive experience. However, some users have reported performance issues and optimization challenges, particularly on lower-end systems, but overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature of the game.
- “The graphics in Portal Knights are excellent, with detailed character models and environments.”
- “The graphics are adorable and the core idea and gameplay are fantastic.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and moody.”
- “The game is very poorly optimized; I have a computer capable of running any game well optimized on either high to ultra settings, but this gets very laggy. Even more annoying is that the sound gets all choppy when it lags, and there should be no reason for this. The game is not graphically intensive enough to justify these problems; it's just poor optimization.”
- “The graphics are cute and pleasing to the eye, but 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.”
- “I bought this game yesterday and I'm loving it, but I have no complaints in gameplay, aesthetics, or structure. However, I still recommend this game solely on the aspect that it's basically a third-person Minecraft but with a much more polished aesthetic.”
gameplay
540 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intuitive mechanics, charming graphics, and RPG elements that enhance the sandbox experience. However, several users noted that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with simplistic combat mechanics and a grind-heavy progression system that may deter long-term engagement. While some find the game enjoyable for casual play, others criticize it for being too easy and lacking variety in quests and challenges.
- “The gameplay is super simple and I have so much fun exploring all the worlds.”
- “The combat mechanics are pretty much lifted from Zelda and it works really well.”
- “The game has plenty of features, including: areas to explore, building mechanics, tons of quests, combat, and lots of character progression!”
- “As I navigated the virtual landscapes, I felt like a fish out of water, struggling to grasp the mechanics and intricacies of the game.”
- “The gameplay loop is extremely basic with little depth; fun at first, but it gets old very quickly.”
- “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.”
story
493 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
71%
11%
The story in "Portal Knights" is generally considered minimal and underdeveloped, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate the light narrative framework and the variety of quests, many criticize the repetitive and simplistic nature of these quests, which often involve basic fetch tasks or combat objectives. Overall, the game offers a casual experience with a few engaging moments, but lacks the depth and complexity that could elevate its storytelling.
- “The story concept isn't terrible; in fact, it sets up a great framework for an RPG world.”
- “The prebuilt worlds and quests that come with the game are surprisingly high quality, with an engaging storyline, good pace, and boss fights.”
- “The story is cute and provides an explanation as to why its universe is the way it is.”
- “The issue lay within how little it's fleshed out, how little you feel the story has an impact on the world (besides an excuse for level-based worlds), and how one-dimensional it is.”
- “The story is nearly non-existent, and the side quests are short and stupid.”
- “It acts like it has a story but it does not.”
grinding
269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The game's grinding aspect has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game where resource gathering and crafting become time-consuming chores. While some enjoy the grind as part of the gameplay experience, particularly in multiplayer settings, others feel it detracts from exploration and overall enjoyment, leading to frustration and burnout. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate grinding mechanics, but may not be suitable for players seeking a more dynamic and less repetitive experience.
- “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.”
- “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 enjoyable to look at.”
- “You can't even really be bothered to stop grinding to enjoy the place you're in because there's nothing but a reused dungeon tileset, a few differently colored trees and other foliage, and some reskinned mobs.”
- “The zones aren't big enough to take a break from grinding to explore; the game does nothing to reward building, and there's just nothing really to spend time doing other than grind out the level of the zone.”
- “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.”
music
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
49%
5%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its whimsical, calming, and immersive qualities that enhance the overall atmosphere. However, some players find it repetitive and uninspired, suggesting that it can become annoying over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as beautiful and fitting for the game's environments, opinions vary on its long-term appeal.
- “The game's music and sound effects are also top-notch, adding to the atmosphere.”
- “The music is calm and serene.”
- “The music is fantastic, and the environment is welcoming to a new player.”
- “Just turn off the music and put on something of your own, the music's... really not good.”
- “My only major gripe was the music gets really repetitive.”
- “The music started to annoy the hell out of me as it was really boring and bland.”
stability
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
5%
85%
The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with many users reporting severe bugs and glitches that can lead to game-breaking issues, such as corrupt save files and crashes. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without any problems, a significant number have encountered frequent freezes, audio issues, and multiplayer lag, making the game frustrating for many. Overall, the game appears to be in a rough state, particularly for those playing in multiplayer or on certain hardware configurations.
- “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.”
- “The game is annoying and putrid, 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.”
- “This game is very, very buggy and jumped out of early access without fixing any of the groundbreaking bugs it has.”
- “The multiplayer is laggy, buggy, and almost unplayable at times, which completely ruins the game!”
optimization
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
39%
21%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and impressive graphics, others experience significant technical issues such as audio stuttering, freezing, and lag, particularly on lower-end systems. Some users note that the game runs well on older hardware with minor adjustments, but there are calls for further optimization to enhance stability and performance. Despite these concerns, many agree that the game shows promise and performs well for an early access title.
- “The game has high-quality performance and has bunches and bunches of content!”
- “Well optimized (I get 60fps with everything maxed).”
- “Overall, I feel the game is very well optimized and well worth the money.”
- “Unfortunately, there's a load of technical problems with the game, from constant audio stuttering to freezing, 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 encounter sound problems and extreme lags after just a few minutes.”
- “This can't be recommended to anyone in its present state because of poor game performance and glitches.”
replayability
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
49%
17%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting high replay value due to combat classes, randomly generated worlds, and the potential for creative player building. However, some reviews highlight limitations, such as repetitive gameplay and a lack of content after completing the main campaign, which can diminish long-term engagement. While some players find the game infinitely replayable and enjoyable, others feel it falls short in providing lasting gameplay experiences.
- “That being said, the game has a high replay value, and you'll probably find yourself coming back to it again and again.”
- “The rogue and druid DLC packs definitely enhance the game and boost its already adequate replayability.”
- “Randomly generated islands help make the game replayable.”
- “There is a limited amount of replayability here.”
- “Main campaign takes around 20-30 hours at a casual, thorough pace, and I don't see much replay value here personally.”
- “Islands too small, combat too easy, no replayability, and no reason to build bases.”
humor
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
10%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny characters, amusing dialogue, and entertaining moments, such as quirky NPCs and humorous in-game events. The absence of voice acting is offset by the characters' amusing mumbling, and the game's lighthearted tone is enhanced by player customization options, like the emoji head. Overall, the game is described as consistently funny, making it a delightful experience, especially when played with friends.
- “Awesome graphics and the humor is on point.”
- “The DLC is also worth it; I bought the emoji pack for $2.99 and I was not disappointed as I ran around with a laughing emoji head, killing monsters, while laughing my butt off in real life.”
- “Funny moment where I set up a pitfall/trap to prank my coop mate and said, 'Hey bro!! Are you laughing at me?'”
- “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 humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to connect with the jokes.”
- “Many of the attempts at humor seem outdated and fail to resonate with the current audience.”
monetization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
30%
57%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to the prevalence of microtransactions that detract from the overall experience. While the game is free to play, it is heavily laden with cosmetic and gameplay-oriented microtransactions, which some feel hinder development and updates. Overall, players express disappointment that the game's potential is overshadowed by its monetization practices.
- “There are cosmetic 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).”
- “Even then, a free game called Trove seemed to do a similar formula better, minus the microtransactions, of course.”
- “This game is a cash grab and it's very disappointing because it looks bright and colorful and had lots of potential.”
- “It feels like a cash grab on what was originally a new take on the voxel survival game.”
- “Considering this isn't a huge triple-A title and that the original early access price with included content wasn't that big to begin with, it feels like a bit of a cash grab.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
33%
14%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, immersive sound design, and charming art style, creating a relaxing and enjoyable experience reminiscent of titles like Minecraft and Zelda. Players appreciate the diverse biomes and the nostalgic music, which enhance the overall ambiance, making it a fun and engaging environment for both solo and multiplayer gameplay. The light-hearted and cartoonish aesthetic contributes to a friendly atmosphere that appeals to a broad audience.
- “The game's music and sound effects are also top-notch, adding to the atmosphere.”
- “Sometimes, it feels like a Zelda world and the friendly atmosphere that the animated graphics provide just makes it relaxing and enjoyable, along with the wonderful soundtrack.”
- “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.”
- “The music/ atmosphere is nostalgic enough, but the actual combat gameplay is designed for 6-year-olds.”
- “The game has a very light-hearted adventure atmosphere with a 'cute' aesthetic.”
- “Cartoony atmosphere and a cross between casual and hardcore gameplay.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the progression through weapon, armor, and magic upgrades, as well as the ability to choose specific character classes. However, some critiques highlight a lack of variety in character design and a simplistic approach that may not satisfy those seeking deeper customization. Overall, the character development system is seen as fun and accessible, complementing the game's engaging story and graphics.
- “Even character development (weapons, armor, and magic!) and boss fights are well done - not really difficult but fun!”
- “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.”
- “In addition to this, the RPG character development is tied to jumping through progressively harder worlds.”
- “The character design is bare-boned and childish.”
- “Character designing needs more variety; some people, like me, love to take our time on characters.”
- “While character design really doesn't win any awards, you do have the ability to move your character into specific classes.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 without success. The presence of friends enhances the experience, making it more enjoyable and supportive during challenging moments. Overall, the game is described as wholesome and engaging, particularly for those who appreciate cooperative play and RPG elements.
- “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.”