​A Knight's Quest Review

By Kevin Mitchell  |  Posted: October 10, 2019

The kind-hearted yet goofy would-be adventurer Rusty, son of the local mayor, accidentally kicks off events that will bring about the end of the world. In A Knight's Quest, Rusty must venture throughout the colorful, fantastical, and stylized world of Regalia in search of three fabled Spirit Knights. It becomes quite apparent from the start that this quest will be anything but straightforward, as you interact with those who live across the land, performing menial tasks to pass the time.

With its bright and colorful visual style, this action-adventure RPG draws inspiration from The Legend of Zelda and Metroid franchises. There are plenty of unique areas to explore; however, I wouldn't say the game employs a true open world, as each area requires a (sometimes lengthy) loading screen. Sky 9 Games, a Toronto-based studio, initially planned to fund their first big PC and console project through Kickstarter but canceled it after teaming up with Curve Digital. The light-hearted adventure attempts humor throughout with Rusty's actions/expressions, and unique dialogue was written for each non-playable character. However, I found that most of the "jokes" missed the mark. It feels as if the developers were trying too hard in spots, forcing cheap humor tactics where none were needed. I rolled my eyes at almost every NPC who flailed their arms around mid-conversation. Also, why doesn't it look like many people are wearing pants?

As mentioned, the game features side quests that you'll acquire from talking to characters in the wilderness and town areas. The very first quest requires you to collect a cloak for someone named Jerry, who just so happens to be in a porta-potty and refuses to leave. Oh, and the quest name is "Call of Doodie." I'll pause here for the laugh track. All of the game's dialogue is text-based, with characters making everything from generic noises to outlandish whooping sounds as if possessed by wild animals. As you explore the overworld, where you'll spend most of your time, you'll encounter dungeons and plenty of platforming puzzles. These thematic dungeons are tucked away in areas that require far too much ground to cover to reach. I understand the desire to flesh out the massive world, but it becomes tiring and repetitive to continually traverse multiple areas for every little piece of a quest. This is especially true due to the confusing map system and lack of a true mini-map. The compass system works to a degree; however, you may spend ample time just trying to reach your destination. As you unlock special powers, you'll discover previously inaccessible pathways in earlier areas.

Although the platforming seems simplistic, there are times where your jumping needs to be extremely precise. Most puzzle solutions revolve around jumping across floating platforms or pillars, or using your wall-run ability to navigate across larger sections of the current area. The timed crystal challenge is reminiscent of the red coins in Mario titles, requiring precise movements to collect everything and earn your treasure chest. The biggest issue with the sheer amount of ledge grabbing, rolling, and jumping stems from Rusty's constant sound effects. Instead of hitting the mark, it always sounds like all the movement is about to make him hurl. Hidden throughout the landscape are massive keys to collect as well as singing slimes that can unlock additional inventory slots.

The combat mechanics in the game are adequate; however, they aren't as smooth as they should be. The starting weapon sets are laughably weak, requiring you to wail on foes far too many times. The number of hits needed decreases as your sword improves, but having the beginning portion of the game require 9-15 hits to defeat skeletons is excessive. If the game's combat focused on one-on-one battles, this wouldn't be a concern; however, it continually throws large groups of skeletons, slimes, and other foul creatures at you simultaneously.

Throughout the first dungeon, you'll slowly be acclimated to new mechanics, from lock-on targeting to blocking, parrying, and more. Blocking and lock-on use the same button, so anytime you target a specific enemy, you'll be ready to block basic attacks. Parrying requires you to be already targeting a foe and perfectly time the button press right before you're hit. Even after hours, I still have trouble doing it consistently. Charge attacks can deal more damage, especially if you utilize your special power and unleash it with your attack. However, getting hit once breaks the charge, and you'll most likely get hit during and immediately after your attack animation. If you can land consecutive hits without taking damage, your sword and shield glow with additional power.

The first special power you unlock gives you control over the wind. For exploration purposes, you can manipulate platforms or bridges by activating spinning fans. In combat, certain enemies have impenetrable barriers that can only be broken by using your magic powers or by parrying. Otherwise, your wind powers can briefly stun foes, knocking them back slightly in the process. It was enjoyable to knock them into a campfire and watch their health chip away. Bosses are more complicated, featuring different phases with varying tactics. Rusty's health, which expands after defeating a boss, can be diminished by specific attacks; however, bandages can restore your maximum health back to normal.

Simply Put

Sky 9 Games' first attempt at an epic adventure with A Knight's Quest doesn't quite hit the mark. I wouldn't call any of the game's mechanics or implementation broken, but things tend to feel uninspired. The light-hearted nature of the adventure is appreciated; however, the attempted humor in the narrative is more cringe-worthy than anything else.