Developer: The Odd Gentlemen
Publisher: Sierra
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tested on: PC
King’s Quest Chapter 5: The Good Knight – Review
As the saying goes, all great stories come to an end and certainly developer “The Odd Gentlemen” knows how to tell and sell a story. After each lengthy anticipation for the next chapter, the successful King’s Quest series reaches a beautiful finale in the fifth episode. During King’s Quest : The Good Knight, we get to bid a fitting farewell to one of the best storytelling based games of the last decade.
Story
Considering the puns in the titles of the previous instalments of the series and the many hints provided at the end of Chapter 4, it goes without a surprise that the days of Old King Graham are almost counted. Indeed, giving a very confused impression, the ruler of Daventry clearly feels the effects of age. With one last spark of adventure left in him , Graham breaks out the storytelling we have come to love since the first episode. Unfortunately, Graham’s once impeccable memory has deteriorated, leading to increasingly noticeable details changing. However, even with the unreliable storytelling, Gwendolyn clearly is still as passionate about the epic adventures of yore. Because of Graham’s worsening health and clearness, she decides to take over increasing parts of the chronicles, as a fitting last homage to her hero.
The story itself focuses on the climactic battle between Manannan and Graham. Despite being of old age and knowingly nearing the end of his days, Graham proves why he and he alone is fit to face the threat originating from his first adventures, all these years ago. Using only his wit and bravery, the old wise king personally ensures a safe and prosperous Daventry for future generations. The battle proves to be a real confrontation with the past, as “Manny” throws difficult puzzles into the mix, forcing the tormented old king to revisit locations from the beginning of the series.
Graphics
For the fifth time in the series there is no doubt on the graphical quality of this game. The developers have definitely succeeded in bringing across the plethora of emotions using the right colours at the right time. This provides for some unique style changes that really fit the storyline. For example, there are white patches resembling some sort of mist that shrouds parts of the area. This is done to render Graham’s loss of memory visible to the player. Very interesting and captivating as usual with nice cut scenes, The Good Knight proves to be a legit conclusion to a series that certainly did not disappoint graphically.
Sound
Music and sound effects are known to build atmosphere in many games with a deeper storyline. The Good Knight takes it to a higher level and can really bring forth the emotions characters feel. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, many players will be submerged in a sad aura when the King will have had drawn his last breath.
The voice acting nearly symbolically comes full circle, when Christopher Lloyd returns to lend his voice to Graham, only supporting what we already knew : the King’s Quest reboot has excellent storytelling performed by an excellent cast.
Gameplay
Puzzles have been a center part for all the games in this series. Yet through clever mechanics, the developers managed to bring across the inconsistencies and unreliable memories suffered by an elderly man longing for the past, yet knowing his time has come. Some areas are blanked out, indicating Graham has trouble recalling any details beneath them. It is also striking that the supporting characters that were present in previous games are now missing. In a way this presents a feeling of loneliness, fitting the isolation of Graham due to his deteriorating mind.
Still, desperately trying to straighten out the story and make a coherent chapter, Graham often deviates and “spices” up moments from previous chapters. Gwendolyn then calms him down to recount the stories as they had happened in reality.
Where the last game was very heavy in puzzles, this instalment seemingly found a fitting balance between humorous storytelling and familiar, yet challenging puzzles. There is also great news for the fans of the meanwhile series defining escape-room style puzzles as they return.
All of these events are ever so satisfying and interesting. Yet with regret in the back of our minds, we know that every solution is a step closer to the end of Graham and not only the final confrontation with the villain Mannanan, but equally so with his own life.
Conclusion
King’s Quest Chapter 5 : The Good Knight marks the last instalment out of an incredible series. The fact that the series ends on a real conclusion, leaving little room for open ends. Granted, for some players this episode may be too emotional, especially since King’s Grahams passing is central to the finale. The series had his ups and downs but managed to stand ground throughout every release, particularly with incredibly strong storytelling, a near perfect voice acting cast and well-thought-out graphics. For those still in doubt, this last instance will guaranteed provide a beautiful yet emotional end that ties in with all previous conclusions.
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