King's Quest Chapter 1: A Knight to Remember

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 103
  3. Negative: 18 out of 103

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  1. Jozo
    Aug 3, 2015
    1
    This is a very disappointing game. A new King's Quest title could and should have revolutionized the adventure game as we know it. But instead it's turned out to be derivative, generic, formulaic and represents everything that's mediocre about the genre from the year 2000 onward. Firstly, the game has been shoehorned primarily onto consoles and it's scattered with Quick Time Events. SomeThis is a very disappointing game. A new King's Quest title could and should have revolutionized the adventure game as we know it. But instead it's turned out to be derivative, generic, formulaic and represents everything that's mediocre about the genre from the year 2000 onward. Firstly, the game has been shoehorned primarily onto consoles and it's scattered with Quick Time Events. Some people say "Oh, but they are easy QTEs", and to that, I counter "So why include them at all, when a cutscene movie would suffice?" Seriously, whoever thought taking a retro game that's only ever been PC based and had PC fans, and heavily consolizing it needs to be fired. Clunky 3rd-person controls will never win over a point and click interface that creates many more opportunities to explore the game world. Stop trying to cater to every gamer out there and focus on the target PC fans that this franchise is intended for. It's a niche game!

    In A Knight to Remember, I felt that the game mechanics represented the worst of the two extremes commonly seen in bad adventure game design: Either the puzzles are overly simple because they're handed to you on account of all the important hotspot being the only ones you can interact with OR you're stuck wandering around aimlessly, through the confusing game world, trying to figure out what to do next. The graphics are awfully outdated and belong in the PS2 era. Another great shame, as KQ (except the 7th entry) has always been renown for it's pseudo-realistic, fairly tale look. The art style in the new game is cartoony and just doesn't look right. When you can clearly count the number of polygonal lines edges on a "circular" pie tray that an NPC holds up, you know that the graphics could have been SO much better. I really didn't care for the art style at all. I also despise the developer's attempts to redefine Graham's personality and character into a slapstick abomination. The tone and humor is really far off the mark and the writing also very average. I can't help but feel deeply dismayed and let down that this is what we got as the next KQ game, after a 17-year wait. Even those fan KQ remakes were infinitely more faithful to the series' tone, characterizations, and puzzles, the very things that this series is know for. Sadly, this new KQ game strays so far from the established conventions, that it strips away any semblance of what made Sierra's adventure games unique. What we're left with is a product that looks vaguely like KQ on the surface, and only because it uses the character likenesses, names, locations etc. But under the hood it plays and handles like a watered-down LucasArts title and anything uniquely "Sierra" is long gone or has been trashed. It's almost as if the devs are giving a big "Screw you" to Sierra's established mechanics... even the ones that worked and would have translated well into a modern adventure game. The whole thing just feels completely and utterly wrong. This game could have been so much more. It could have forged a new path and been revolutionary in the genre, like nothing before it, and like KQ games of old. Activision certainly has the money to fund this. But instead, A Knight to Remember tries to play it safe and the adventure genre as a whole, and particularly long-time Sierra fans, are worse off as a result.

    It seems to be that people are rating this game highly because they know Activision hold all the Sierra IPs ransom, and unless they kiss Activision's ass and **** around the negatives, they'll never see any more Sierra games made. But if they turn out anything like this one, then I would suggest maybe that's for the best. People also seem to be lauding this game because it does things slightly better than a Telltale game. Well, let me just sau that if this is the new benchmark for what makes a good "modern" adventure title, then I can only facepalm, and say that we clearly have a long, long way to go. Well, the gloves are off. We need to hold Activision to a far, FAR higher standard than this. A barely passable game is not good enough, and if they want to dabble in the Sierra IPs, they'll need to do so much better than this.

    If you're a long-time King's Quest fan, skip this. Just stick to the originals, lest you enjoy having your childhood memroies insulted.    … Expand
  2. Tgc
    Oct 13, 2015
    7
    Not a bad adventure game.
    + Fair gameplay length for a chapter divided game
    + Medium level of puzzles. Game won't finish itself as in telltale games, but probably you won't get stuck in some absurd puzzles like in LucasArts titles. +/- Humour is rather childish. Not for everyone. +/- Graphic is at most average. - Strange controls. Why not point&click - adjustment for dirty console    Not a bad adventure game.
    + Fair gameplay length for a chapter divided game
    + Medium level of puzzles. Game won't finish itself as in telltale games, but probably you won't get stuck in some absurd puzzles like in LucasArts titles.
    +/- Humour is rather childish. Not for everyone.
    +/- Graphic is at most average.
    - Strange controls. Why not point&click - adjustment for dirty console peasants?
    - Lots of backtracking.    … Expand
  3. asafitai1
    Aug 6, 2015
    10
    A great game, good graphics, good story, good humor, and good but easy riddles. I am writing this review for the sole purpose to raise the average of this great game
  4. MrSaberra
    Aug 12, 2015
    9
    Awesome sense of humour, memorable and likeable characters, nice design and art, pleasing to the eye and awesome feeling of being a genius after completing any challenge and moving the plot forward makes playing this game an awesome experience.
  5. mariekemeisje
    Aug 11, 2015
    9
    After 17 Year ,he is back. I played them all except the last one. It is great how the game give you that sam feeling ,without the really annoying part we had all those years ago.

    Had to get use to the keyboard controls, and the unskippable dialogues are not that fun after 3 times ( because of dying) . But the story is great, the graphics too and it gives you the old adventure feeling    After 17 Year ,he is back. I played them all except the last one. It is great how the game give you that sam feeling ,without the really annoying part we had all those years ago.

    Had to get use to the keyboard controls, and the unskippable dialogues are not that fun after 3 times ( because of dying) . But the story is great, the graphics too and it gives you the old adventure feeling which I love.
    Not to forget the humor, I was smiling and laughing a lot.    … Expand
  6. wilco64256
    Aug 2, 2015
    10
    I grew up with King's Quest. I beat the first entry when I was only 7, entirely by myself, and have loved the series ever since. And I admit that I've been very nervous about whether this new commercial entry could live up to the hype and my own expectations. I saw early previews and screenshots and wondered whether the art and gameplay style would feel right for a King's Quest game. And II grew up with King's Quest. I beat the first entry when I was only 7, entirely by myself, and have loved the series ever since. And I admit that I've been very nervous about whether this new commercial entry could live up to the hype and my own expectations. I saw early previews and screenshots and wondered whether the art and gameplay style would feel right for a King's Quest game. And I cringed a bit at the launch price. My fears have all been proven wrong. The art style is perfect, and at times downright stunning. The gameplay, while somewhat linear initially, is as open and thought-provoking as I've come to expect from the series. The voice acting is spot on. The puzzles are neither mindlessly easy nor are they walkthrough-required difficult. But most importantly, this game just FEELS right to me. It takes me back to how I felt the first time I played earlier games in the series, hoping to always figure out just one more thing before quitting for a bit, and then learning that there was another path I could have taken to solve a particular problem and wanting to experience that route for myself. There were a couple of engine oddities, and The Odd Gentlemen really needs to learn how to interact with their community, but the game itself? This is King's Quest, and I couldn't be happier.… Expand
  7. Zer0TheHer0
    Aug 6, 2015
    1
    Keyboard controls aren't redefinable.If you don't use wasd you're screwed.Don't buy this.Developers should learn to add such a simple,basic and absolutely necessary feature,in 2015
    not the onlu problem though... also,unskippable dialogues,unskippable cutscenes,slow walking and slow transition between an area and the next(and there are quite a lot) sop getting from one place to another    Keyboard controls aren't redefinable.If you don't use wasd you're screwed.Don't buy this.Developers should learn to add such a simple,basic and absolutely necessary feature,in 2015
    not the onlu problem though... also,unskippable dialogues,unskippable cutscenes,slow walking and slow transition between an area and the next(and there are quite a lot) sop getting from one place to another takes quite a lot of pointless walking,bad controls overall(they should have kept the point and click interface),pointless jumping "puzzles",bad qtes.the old graham voiceover is quite bad and annoying too
    on the plus side,the graphics are very good,the tone and humor are good too...but that's it    … Expand
  8. tomexplodes
    Aug 4, 2015
    10
    To quote the game, "I know it's not what you expected, but give it time. We can work through the kinks together. It can be great once again with the right people in charge."

    Having said that, THIS is King's Quest. It's wonderful, amusing, charming, and clever. It's what I've been waiting for all these years. I couldn't be happier.
  9. StriderForce
    Aug 4, 2015
    10
    As a longtime fan of King's Quest, I can say honestly, I was going into this game expecting to be disappointed, and I came out of it surprised and thrilled. This game is a true King's Quest, and a beautiful, endearing return to a long missed franchise. I highly recommend it to players old and new.
  10. N05tradamus
    Aug 24, 2015
    0
    The Bad: This game is an abomination. I would rather play "Mask of eternity", which was just a bit better than this 3D spectacle. As I approached the half way mark the chilling reality set in - the final nail has been blasted into Sierra's coffin. It's a tough pill to swallow but I think, in a way, I had already come to accept this when the rights passed on to a clueless company such asThe Bad: This game is an abomination. I would rather play "Mask of eternity", which was just a bit better than this 3D spectacle. As I approached the half way mark the chilling reality set in - the final nail has been blasted into Sierra's coffin. It's a tough pill to swallow but I think, in a way, I had already come to accept this when the rights passed on to a clueless company such as activision. The game appears to have been made for three year olds - I found peppers adventures in time more mentally stimulating. From Kings Quest 7 we saw that Disney like graphics and characters can work in a kings quest game, but only when the story, narrative and artistry are closely monitored to keep the heart and themes of the series in tact. Unfortunately this disgrace does not come close to capturing the great, redefining Sierra adventure games of old. RIP Sierra - our only hope now is to turn to the fans for crowd funded remakes.

    The good: The initial splash screen and main menu. It might also appeal to newcomers that don't have a clue about the original series.    … Expand
  11. santiagodraco
    Aug 8, 2015
    10
    A breath of fresh air in a game field riddled with over the top attempts at the "next thing". KQ AKN is like a pleasant drive through a scenic route that has blossomed over the years into a fresh new experience. The controls are intuitive, the combat not distracting and these all allow you to experience the games core feature, a wonderful story.
  12. blackbird1
    Sep 2, 2015
    2
    Well. I was eager for this title to release, and so far it's been quite a disappointment.

    The game is more of an homage to Kings Quest than an actual Kings Quest game. The controls are seriously dumbed down. There is no point and click interface, and most of the "puzzles" so far have been quick-time events. You can't look at the scenery for atmosphere, unless the game wants you to look    Well. I was eager for this title to release, and so far it's been quite a disappointment.

    The game is more of an homage to Kings Quest than an actual Kings Quest game. The controls are seriously dumbed down. There is no point and click interface, and most of the "puzzles" so far have been quick-time events. You can't look at the scenery for atmosphere, unless the game wants you to look at something. It is inexcusable for an adventure game to be so stuck on rails like this. The voice acting is great, but doesn't fit playing Grahm in first person hearing an old man narrate his actions. This may change later in the game.

    The environments are extremely bland, generic, and reuse art assets. However it's all done very well so that you won't notice unless you're looking for it.

    The episodic style release is also, frankly, an insult to the series. I would imagine it's only purpose was to disguise an early release and give the team more time to work on later episodes.

    The art, dialogue and music just drop the ball blatantly. The puzzles are shallow. This is a Kings Quest game by name only.

    Everything was built to the "Odd Gentlemen" theme ( steampunk-esque I guess ) instead of being built to Kings Quest. There is a distinct lack of color and vibrancy as were in the KQ games.

    It's a good game mind you. But if you're looking for Kings Quest; Just play Kings Quest. I recommended against if you're a fan of the series. If you're looking for a generic adventure game, you'll enjoy yourself. However I would wait for a sale after all episodes are released.

    Book of Unwritten Tales is a far superior adventure game, in every single way imaginable.

    To the developers; Not everything needs to be dumbed down. Not everything must be spoon fed. Not everything needs quick-time events.    … Expand
  13. JazGalaxy
    Aug 5, 2015
    10
    Kings Quest 1 might have been the first video game I ever played. It was the IBM PC Jr. version. I remember struggling with it because I couldn't type. Most people couldn't, back then. But what I remember most was the incredible sense of adventure and boundlessness that Kings Quest provided. It quickly became one of my favorite series of games all the way through KQ6.

    Going into the new    Kings Quest 1 might have been the first video game I ever played. It was the IBM PC Jr. version. I remember struggling with it because I couldn't type. Most people couldn't, back then. But what I remember most was the incredible sense of adventure and boundlessness that Kings Quest provided. It quickly became one of my favorite series of games all the way through KQ6.

    Going into the new King'sQuest, I wasn't sure what to expect. I wanted them to get it right, and that meant It needed to be CLEVER, it needed to be GOODHEARTED and it needed to be CHALLENGING.

    What KQ winds up being is almost impossible to review. Or, rather, I haven't digested it yet. Clever? Oh, it is so incredibly clever. Goodhearted? The game oozes with charm all over the place and makes you fall in love with it's world and characters. Is it challenging? no. Not in the least. Does it live up to Kings Quest? ABSOLUTELY. But what's baffling is that this isn't JUST a King's Quest game. It also manages to attempt to be a sequel to The Princess Bride film, and manages to succeed on that level as well. It's astonishing. You will find nearly as many references to that movie as you will the original King's Quest game, including a PHENOMENAL appearance by Wallace Shawn enacting variants of some of his best scenes from the film.

    The first 30 minutes of the game filled me with disappointment, as the game essentially plays out as being a modern day dragons lair. I was all set to write the game off when all fo the sudden the world opens up to a size that is at LEAST the size of KQ1 and 2 put together. The first chapter alone lasts 5 hours, or so, which is about the time it would take you to play KQ1.

    I was blown away by how truthful to the series it is, allowing players to solve puzzles multiple ways and with multiple moralities. You WILL pick up items. you WILL have an inventory with 9 or 10 items in it at once. You WILL use those items to solve puzzles. And MAN does it feel like King's Quest. Some decisions will irk longtime fans. I, for one, do not like Chropher Lloyd's portrayal as King Graham. He sound nothing like the character I know. But the game is trying to take KQ into the 21st centry,and builds up Daventry to be not unlike the fairy tale world from Shrek. I like that decision and I like this game.

    I highly recommend it to everyone. Kids to adults.    … Expand
  14. Irishmile
    Jul 29, 2015
    8
    You never really feel like you're returning to Daventry, it doesn't truly feel like a completely connected sequel and this is certainly not the Graham we knew. What the game is though is charming, funny, and a nice nod to a series that is admittedly outdated but still beloved by many who remember it.
  15. Bortx
    Aug 9, 2015
    10
    Best click and point adventrue yet. Although similar to Telltale games, I think it takes the genre to the next level in animations and story telling. Legth is just right and much longer than telltale's games. The game is well paced with fun and non frustrating puzzles.
  16. BetterCallSalt
    Dec 5, 2015
    8
    Tried this due to the fact that it was free for this months free games with PS Plus. I went in completely blind and hadn't really heard much, if anything, about the game. After completing the first chapter I must say I am delightfully surprised by how great this game is. Good blend of platform and puzzle mechanics with a nice story to hold it together. The graphics have their own littleTried this due to the fact that it was free for this months free games with PS Plus. I went in completely blind and hadn't really heard much, if anything, about the game. After completing the first chapter I must say I am delightfully surprised by how great this game is. Good blend of platform and puzzle mechanics with a nice story to hold it together. The graphics have their own little charm and the soundtrack is wonderful. Give it a go if you haven't already, if not, it would be great for any children in the picture who love games.… Expand
  17. Kisai
    Nov 8, 2015
    9
    Reboot a classic PC game? You gotta be crazy right?

    Well this isn't so much of a "reboot" but it does tell the stories that are in-between the storylines that players of the original 7 games fans enjoyed. We will need to wait for all of the episodes to be released before deciding if the entire game is equally good or not. Pros: It's very much in the spirit of the original games. Like    Reboot a classic PC game? You gotta be crazy right?

    Well this isn't so much of a "reboot" but it does tell the stories that are in-between the storylines that players of the original 7 games fans enjoyed. We will need to wait for all of the episodes to be released before deciding if the entire game is equally good or not.

    Pros: It's very much in the spirit of the original games. Like the original games, the humor is largely in the dialog and observation. Unlike the original games, very little references to fairy-tales. The voice acting is top-notch and silly. No "dead-end" puzzles like the original games.

    Negs: Overuses the "faceless NPC" trope upgraded to all the characters wearing armor, which is actually disappointing since they all have dialog. A bit less QTE-ing and more puzzle solving would be nice. Artwork is a bit disappointing, while Graham looks good, the attempts to give it a "Comic book" gives some character faces more of a "creepy" look than cartoony.    … Expand
  18. ChoicestGames
    Jul 16, 2017
    9
    I'm finding it really hard to fault the new King's Quest; you get over 5 hours of gameplay for one episode (which is a lot compared to Telltale titles). You also get a hilarious, family-friendly Telltale-style adventure packed to the rafters with puns . The only real criticism I have is that the game might not be challenging enough for the conservative and hardcore Sierra fans who are usedI'm finding it really hard to fault the new King's Quest; you get over 5 hours of gameplay for one episode (which is a lot compared to Telltale titles). You also get a hilarious, family-friendly Telltale-style adventure packed to the rafters with puns . The only real criticism I have is that the game might not be challenging enough for the conservative and hardcore Sierra fans who are used to devilishly difficult puzzles which often result in death as an outcome (although this King's Quest does have moments where you can die, so it's not like they completely discarded that tradition).… Expand
  19. Pe4nuts
    Sep 10, 2015
    7
    It's a good game: enjoyable, fun, good graphics, humor and storytelling. I rated it 8 but it truly deserves 7.5 in my mind because of 2 little problems that spoil a bit this experience (but 7 is too harsh I think). The difficulty is well balanced, and we have many different stuff to do, very refreshing.

    On the downside: Unskippable dialogues and scenes, kind of anoying. And there is no    It's a good game: enjoyable, fun, good graphics, humor and storytelling. I rated it 8 but it truly deserves 7.5 in my mind because of 2 little problems that spoil a bit this experience (but 7 is too harsh I think). The difficulty is well balanced, and we have many different stuff to do, very refreshing.

    On the downside: Unskippable dialogues and scenes, kind of anoying. And there is no map, really regrettable! Sometimes you have to walk a lot and remember the right path which is difficult because the area is huge at the end. These 2 little problems appart', I think this is a really great game, I'm a huge point and click fan, and there is everything in this one. With a map, and the possibility to skip scenes & dialogues, it could easily be a 8.5! :)

    Thanks to the developpers of this game: we need more point and click and aventures games like this one!    … Expand
  20. WeeabooReviews
    Aug 23, 2015
    10
    I believe this game was a fairly mediocre attempt at showing the lengths a young man would go to prove his dedication to his waifu. Kibgs Quest: Hyper Remix Alpha Climax is by far one of my Game of The Year contenders along with other masterful adventures. A must buy, especially if you are able to purchase the Dengeki and Famitsu dlcs that really improve the experience via adding more bestI believe this game was a fairly mediocre attempt at showing the lengths a young man would go to prove his dedication to his waifu. Kibgs Quest: Hyper Remix Alpha Climax is by far one of my Game of The Year contenders along with other masterful adventures. A must buy, especially if you are able to purchase the Dengeki and Famitsu dlcs that really improve the experience via adding more best girls for you to reach good ends with.

    PRO TIP: Don't go for the yandere chick, she's bad news.    … Expand
  21. gennaroRonnega
    Nov 25, 2015
    6
    the game is good, it looks good, the gameplay is ok and modernize the genre, it's narrative works fine and the characters have the same witty characteristic of the old games. I enjoyed playing it and consider other chapters. What does not work to me is that it's gameplay is not the same as the old games, by introducing ability check with quicktime events it is no more a game suitable forthe game is good, it looks good, the gameplay is ok and modernize the genre, it's narrative works fine and the characters have the same witty characteristic of the old games. I enjoyed playing it and consider other chapters. What does not work to me is that it's gameplay is not the same as the old games, by introducing ability check with quicktime events it is no more a game suitable for every gamer. My parents loved the old games but could not play the quicktime event parts so it became a title suitable for young audience, no more to anyone. And that's sad to me. I would have preferred a real old school point and click adventure suitable for all ages. Plus you still have tedious walk from one part to another wirh nothing to do and that's still 99 percent of gameplay time. THe puzzle parts are welcome. The quicktime event ruins the mood, such as the shooting bits… Expand
  22. Kumasimc
    Dec 15, 2016
    8
    The Odd Gentleman have created a very special game here that is a departure from the original "point n click" style gameplay, yet retains the charm of the originals in spades. The production value is top notch, and having Christopher Lloyd and Wallace Shawn just seals the deal. Gameplay is slower paced but controls excellently and there are not only multiple narrative paths, but multipleThe Odd Gentleman have created a very special game here that is a departure from the original "point n click" style gameplay, yet retains the charm of the originals in spades. The production value is top notch, and having Christopher Lloyd and Wallace Shawn just seals the deal. Gameplay is slower paced but controls excellently and there are not only multiple narrative paths, but multiple solutions to many puzzles. A fantastic first chapter, coming from someone who grew up on the originals. Also, to the people who give "zero" for a score, you know that's dumb, right? Like, zero means it doesn't exist. You can hate a game but no one is gonna take a zero seriously. A zero would be you bought the game and it was just a post it note saying "you win". I guess you must feel very edgy with your big round red number. But admit it, that's not an opinion. That's just dumb.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Best PC Game of 2015
65
#65 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. CD-Action
    Oct 17, 2015
    80
    King’s Quest might look quite modern, but it hasn’t forgotten its glorious heritage. [10/2015, p.58]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Sep 15, 2015
    80
    The return of the classical game was a success and the magical world of Daventry in its cartoon reincarnation will literally charm you by the great events and a nicely written story. [Issue#255]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Sep 9, 2015
    88
    This ain't an adventure game in a traditional sense, but altogether the first episode of the new King's Quest is a pleasant surprise. It's an action-adventure, but with a high emphasis on a story. Puzzles are easy and sudden deaths won't sneak up on you anymore, but at its core, King's Quest is a new adaptation of Sierra's thesis of bringing faery tales to bits. This is something, that the game achieves with flying colors. Well done, sirs. [Sept 2015]
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