Recently, I have taken notice of a game known as King’s Quest, as the first chapter, A Knight to Remember, was free on Xbox Live. King’s Quest is divided into five chapters, which can be purchased individually or all purchased at once with a season pass. Currently, the fifth chapter is still in production. This game is of a quality that I will eagerly await more content.

               

King’s Questis the story of a young knight who would one day be king of the kingdom Daventry. It is told from this same king’s perspective to his granddaughter. This story is quite entertaining and full of interesting characters that range from arrogant knights in shining armor to slightly unintelligent bridge trolls. The first chapter is centered on how you became a knight of Daventry. This was achieved by competing with four other knight hopefuls in a tournament in which you are at a distinct disadvantage, as you’re just a gangly teenager. Much of this story is about the choices you make, whether you decide to win through strength of arms, through wit, or through kindness. These choices not only affect the story told to the king’s granddaughter, but also her choices in life.

               
This game is immersive and enjoyable to play. The gameplay itself is mostly about solving puzzles. You have to search for items and use them wisely in the tasks ahead, as many can only be used once. There are also some circumstances in which you must press the right buttons in the right sequence, have quick reflexes, or both. Mostly, King’s Quest is a game of thought in which it pays to think your actions through before acting. One thing that bugs me though is how many objects you can keep in your inventory and how large they can be. For example, you pick up a huge pumpkin, almost too heavy to lift, and you sweep your cape over it, making it vanish.

               

The graphics of King’s Quest are rather simple and have a very pastel look to them. They are not fancy, but they still look pleasant to the eye. One thing that’s odd about the graphics is the way characters are proportioned. Most characters are very extreme in displaying their physical attributes. For example, the baker, a heavier fellow, has a handlebar moustache that extends at least a foot on both sides of his face. It’s quite entertaining in some circumstances.

               

In conclusion, I give King’s Quest an 8/10. It has a wonderful and extremely interactive story and is fun to play in the first place. It also serves as a bit of a mental exercise, which is always nice. The graphics are complimentary to the story and add a bit of physical humor where it’s needed. Overall, King’s Quest is a pretty good game, well worth my money.