Image courtesy of Neocore Games
Just to clarify, that final component of the title is of my own making. While it would have been an appropriate subtitle given the direction the game takes, Mordred's Time to Shine would probably take away from the overall atmosphere that Neocore was going for.
Every once in a while I come across a little gem in my gaming life that gives me some pause. They can really hit home as an incredible piece of art like Indivisible, or fully let me know why it is that they are found at the bottom of the bargain barrel like Mordheim. If you're into that game... my apologies. But there was no way of knowing that my readers would find such a thrill in something so boring.
King Arthur: Knight's Tale is a fun romp through medieval Britannia, swinging swords and launching spells, as shown through the perspective of one of Olde English's most infamous literary villains.
The Good
Where this game excels is in bringing about an atmosphere that can really immerse the player. King Arthur: Knight's Tale takes place in Avalon, a famous fantasy land that houses the infinitely more famous fantasy kingdom of Camelot. Instead of the bright and cheerful depictions of King Arthur and the "sword in the stone," however, Knight's Tale shows us nothing but dreariness in the form of an Avalon's impending doom. The only person who is able to stop this gloomy future is someone who was always notorious for trying to bring it about in typical Arthurian legend.
Sir Mordred has multiple variations in the tales. He can be Arthur's half-brother only a few years younger. He can be Arthur's nephew just newly born when Arthur is already a grown man. He can even be Arthur's bastard son borne out of incest between Arthur and his half-sister. Confused yet? Hold off on that, we're not even at the confusing parts yet. The Mordred in this story is none of those things. He's just a knight of the Round Table who thought Arthur was already a tool from the get-go. He kills Arthur in the Battle of Camlann and is fatally wounded in the process. Don't worry, that's not a spoiler. That's literally how the game starts.
Now here's where things get a bit confusing.
I know what you're thinking. "I'm already confused, and isn't this supposed to be the good part of the review?" Yes, and don't worry, I got your back. Where were we? Oh right. The main characters are both dead. But not really. Instead, King Arthur and all the knights of the Round Table who died in various ways in Britannia are transported to Avalon. Avalon functions as a sort of purgatory for these people where they can still die permanently, but it is controlled by the Lady of the Lake as she tries to restore a balance of sorts to the world. The balance has been upset by Arthur's rebirth and soul-fracturing in Avalon. He has been consumed by a lust for power, pushing back against his own internal soul as he serves as a herald for a far more menacing foe on the horizon.
The story is complex, and at times I'm not even fully sure I understand it, but it is good. The amount of characters from Arthurian legend that make their appearances also bolsters the story as well as the gameplay. Each character is unique, and there are over 30 of which that can fill your Round Table and spill over to the point that you may even have to dismiss some knights permanently. Those characters are all the ones you've heard of before. Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain represent a couple of the traditional men in shining armor while Merlin and Guinevere weave spells for the group. Arthurian legend is weaved throughout the entire tale, from retrieving Excalibur to doing battle with the Green Knight. The only thing we were missing was Ralph Ineson's booming baritone. With many new decisions on old topics, Knight's Tale keeps you looking forward to every quest.
Those decisions that you make as Mordred define who he is meant to be. While Mordred still exemplifies a cynical bitterness throughout the storyline, there are literally dozens of choices that have you picking his path be it righteousness, tyranny, following the old gods and their faith or even steering towards Christianity. These things combine as well. Want to be a righteous Pagan? Go for it. Tyrannical Christian? You do you. It's these events and choices that give a further depth to this game than others that fall into the same vein. You're not just going mission to mission and turn-based fight to turn-based fight, although it can seem like that sometimes. You are also managing Camelot and disbursing resources as you see fit to properly run your kingdom.
The Bad
Of course not everything is sunshine and rainbows in this game. Hell, I don't think there's even a single moment of sunshine or rainbows in this gloomy tale as it is. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. I like the setting of the story.
Where Knight's Tale falls short is in the repetition of gameplay. There are certainly a lot of characters that you will have access to, that's true, but battles can become pretty methodical in the game. Hell, I used the same strategy from about halfway through the game through its completion. It was incredibly effective at whittling down the enemy weaklings and got me to finish the battles that much faster. That can also be part of the problem. I realize that the game is turn-based, and faster than many in the same vein, but there were times that battles seemed to be going on for extended lengths just because of how spongy certain enemies were. At some point that ceases to be fun and just becomes a chore. Combine that with the tried-and-true strategies that you'll undoubtedly develop as a player... and you have a recipe that forgoes replayability.
While I did enjoy the story overall, there were a few moments that it fell short for me. Guinevere is an incredibly compelling character and riffs with Mordred a lot, especially since he's the one who killed her back in the regular world (still confused? Me too...). That being said, their banter suddenly peters out to nothing whereas it could have developed further. I don't need a romance on a Mass Effect level in every game... but relationships in general should be fleshed out further if I'm going to care. Characters like Tristan and Isolde are roaming Avalon with you but literally have nothing to say to one another. Really? The original Romeo and Juliet don't have anything to share? Also, the infamous sorceress Morgana was a character I worked toward getting the entire game. I didn't get her until Act 4, the final act, and even then she was nearly mute. Gimme' something, Neocore! I know you have it in you!
My Ruling
Pun intended.
King Arthur: Knight's Tale is somewhere in the middle of those original two games that I mentioned, leaning away from Mordheim and more towards the Indivisible side. Is it an all-time masterpiece that will leave you pensive for days to come? No. Is it a piece of hot ass that will make you turn your nose? Absolutely not. Instead, it falls into a realm where I have found its overall atmosphere, gameplay, and story charming. So much so, that I even went and bought some previous games made by Neocore to show some support and also see where they came from to get a better idea of where they're going. Now... I did end up getting those old games at 90% off on PSN, but support is support! And speaking of which, here's my little bit of English legend.
7/10
Good
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