Developer: The Odd Gentlemen
Publisher: Sierra
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tested on: PC
King’s Quest: Epilogue – Review
For those who have followed the proceedings of the King’s Quest rebooted series, developer The Old Gentlemen has one last surprise up their sleeves. With a short backstory, loyal fans are rewarded with a glimpse of the future in the kingdom of Daventry and the legacy of Old King Graham after his passing in the finale : “King’s Quest : The Good Knight”.
Story
Rumors had leaked that an epilogue would be released to the public, in particular loyal players who stuck by the side of the protagonists in the five tales. After the death of Gram, we find his granddaughter walking through the woods, not unlike the latter in his youth. There is not really much backstory here, yet the proceedings are motivating and definitely raise interest to keep on playing. After spotting animal tracks on her path, Gwendolyn decides to follow them, leading her to meet all sorts of animals inhabiting the kingdom of Daventry, including a new dragon and a relative of Ashaka, one of the former king’s closest friends. It is really enjoyable to get a glimpse of how the characters have further evolved without Graham as a centerpiece.
Graphics
As is now to be considered defining for the King’s Quest reboot, the graphics for the epilogue are of the same standards and high quality as ever. The areas are intentionally made recognizable, so they are easy to link back to earlier areas encountered in previous games. Unsurprisingly, there are not that many characters in this epilogue, yet the atmosphere and wardrobe are very detailed and match the exploration theme perfectly. The environments are fresh, even after hours worth of gameplay through episodes one to five.
Sound
Not unlike the graphics, music and sound are key to drawing out emotions in a game. This epilogue is in that aspect no different from the series’ finale. The voice casting in particular might very well be the biggest selling point of the entire reboot. Indeed, even without Christopher Lloyd voicing Graham, the voice acting cast is still as impressive as can be with Maggie Smith Jones doing a perfect job lending her voice to Gwendolyn.
Gameplay
Surprisingly, the gameplay is not a mixture of what can be encountered throughout the series. In a sense, they feel closer to the original games with a certain preference to point-and-click puzzles. One could say this comes closest to what was displayed in the first chapter, where the gathering of items and the discovery of ways to use them were the central theme, but this might be yet another clever move by the developer to illustrate the world is back to how it was before the terrible interventions of Mannanan (Manny). Aside from the puzzles, the dialog has also changed notably. For example, there is a lot less focus on branching conversations, making for a more straightforward storyline. This doesn’t come over as particularly boring, which is perhaps the best for a short epilogue such as this.
Conclusion
The Odd Gentlemen puts the best of both graphics and sound on display for this epilogue. In case there was doubt about the quality and the value of the King’s Quest reboot, this epilogue of the new King’s Quest gives yet another reason as to why living through the entire storyline is more than worthwhile, aside from great graphics and the best voice acting cast one could hope for. This epilogue is providing a contrast to the very emotional conclusion of The Good Knight, but even without Graham in the game, the lightheartedness keeps the atmosphere and legacy he created alive. And with this piece of art, what was already a fitting homage to an incredible series has now come to a final conclusion.
King's Quest: Epilogue - Review,
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