Korgoth of Barbaria
Cipher
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2015
- Messages
- 920
As flawed as this game is from a design perspective, I can't help but say that it remains my favorite game of all time. Maybe it's just nostalgia. But King's Quest V was the first PC game I was ever introduced to, and the first adventure game as such. I had already been a console gamer with my Sega Genesis, but King's Quest V didn't compare to any Sega game I had played. I was only five years old. Playing KQV represented a big bonding experience between my dad and I - it was his first computer and thus his first real experience with a computer game too. The game taught me the meaning of some words. I remember sitting with my dad while we were in the Toy Store in the game and the German toymaker made reference to children as 'kinder', and my father related to me how the word kinder meant child, like as in, kindergarten, which I was then in.
Beyond these memories, I find that unlike all but a few games (Space Quest 3, Myst, and Baldur's Gate) King's Quest V really feels like an adventure. It isn't a big game, nor is it that expansive, but something about the game makes it feel like a journey - makes it feel larger than it is. You get to visit all these different locales - from the town of Serenia, to the woods, the Dark Forest, the desert, the Bandit Camp, the snowy mountains, the Harpie Island and finally Mordack's Island - by the end of the game you feel like you've traversed over a wide and diverse magical world.
The game has to it a certain innocent cheesy charm that really is only found in this particular game - not even as much in the other King's Quest games. It has a certain storybook feel to it that flows naturally, a certain tongue-in-cheek tone that doesn't come across as well in either the earlier or later games. It doesn't take itself totally seriously, but also doesn't fall into farce or self-parody.
The NPCs are simple archetypes but interesting; Graham is a great avatar type of protagonist; and Cedric is lovable in his own unique way. The ending battle is almost cinematic and the last part of the game is filled with tension. The soundtrack to this game is one of the best video game scores ever in my opinion, each piece being memorable and breathing life into 2.5D scenes.
It gets a bum rap because of its design flaws, but I honestly feel it is a true classic and in some ways, better than the often heralded KQVI.
I am curious to hear your opinions.
Beyond these memories, I find that unlike all but a few games (Space Quest 3, Myst, and Baldur's Gate) King's Quest V really feels like an adventure. It isn't a big game, nor is it that expansive, but something about the game makes it feel like a journey - makes it feel larger than it is. You get to visit all these different locales - from the town of Serenia, to the woods, the Dark Forest, the desert, the Bandit Camp, the snowy mountains, the Harpie Island and finally Mordack's Island - by the end of the game you feel like you've traversed over a wide and diverse magical world.
The game has to it a certain innocent cheesy charm that really is only found in this particular game - not even as much in the other King's Quest games. It has a certain storybook feel to it that flows naturally, a certain tongue-in-cheek tone that doesn't come across as well in either the earlier or later games. It doesn't take itself totally seriously, but also doesn't fall into farce or self-parody.
The NPCs are simple archetypes but interesting; Graham is a great avatar type of protagonist; and Cedric is lovable in his own unique way. The ending battle is almost cinematic and the last part of the game is filled with tension. The soundtrack to this game is one of the best video game scores ever in my opinion, each piece being memorable and breathing life into 2.5D scenes.
It gets a bum rap because of its design flaws, but I honestly feel it is a true classic and in some ways, better than the often heralded KQVI.
I am curious to hear your opinions.