King’s Quest holds a special place in my gamer heart. It’s been over three decades since the first adventure of Sir Graham of Daventry was released. I was just two years old when Sierra published the original game, and it wasn’t until years later that I experienced the series for myself. Eventually, adventure games seemed to fall off the face of the earth, making way for first-person shooters and massive RPGs.
Consequently, a new entry in the series developed by The Odd Gentlemen—in an era of powerful 3D graphics and bigger budgets—is a pleasant surprise. The fact that it is a terrific, beautiful game true to the spirit of the series, featuring lovelier graphics and superior voice work, makes it even better.
A Charming Return to Daventry
The first episode of this King’s Quest reboot is absolutely charming. A Knight To Remember is some of the best fun I’ve had with a video game this year and stands as one of the best episodic titles I’ve played to date. It’s refreshing to play a game not centered around combat, and more refreshing still that it never feels bogged down or boring, remaining thoroughly engaging from start to finish.
Unlike the episodic Telltale games—such as The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us—there aren’t an overwhelming number of choices in this title. You have dialogue options, but for the most part, you can and should explore all of them. Occasionally, actions or items change available dialogue, but there is rarely a single “right” choice. In the entire first episode, there were only a couple of choices I would describe as pivotal. Furthermore, there are multiple solutions to problems, meaning missing one won’t necessarily hinder your progress.
Narrative and Puzzle Design
The story follows Graham, an elderly king regaling his granddaughter Gwendolyn with stories of his youth. He tells two stories in this episode: a brief dungeon-delving adventure featuring a dragon, and a much more drawn-out tale taking place before Graham became a knight. The latter is full of in-depth puzzles that require genuine thought. When you finally reach the right solution, it provides a very satisfying “Aha!” moment.
The entire episode features full voice acting and a lovely cartoonish art style reminiscent of late 1970s animation, like The Last Unicorn. The story is silly and cute, with genuine laugh-out-loud moments and Disney-esque humor. It’s a game that appeals to all ages; I played much of it with my children, who enjoyed every second of the colorful world.
The Mechanics of Adventure
The way puzzles weave together—requiring specific items to unlock new areas or resolve quest lines—is brilliant. Even the brief Quick Time Events, a mechanic I normally dislike, felt appropriate in this setting. It is not a platformer, despite moving into the 3D realm. Instead, every segment is a puzzle, whether you’re finding the right ingredient for a baker or tricking a rival in a race.
You aren’t a gritty, grimdark knight here. This is a lighthearted romp through Daventry, and the cast of characters is magnificent. King Graham serves as a charmingly unreliable narrator, frequently making terrible puns when the player fails. When you “die,” he cleverly brushes it off by saying, “That’s what would have happened if…”
Better still, old King Graham is voiced by Christopher Lloyd, and I could listen to him all day. The entire voice cast is great, including Wallace Shawn in a role that feels purposefully reminiscent of his character in The Princess Bride.
Minor Quibbles
If I had to complain about anything, it would be the load times on Xbox One. They can be frustrating when you are backtracking to solve a puzzle. Additionally, it would be nice to skip dialogue after hearing it once or to interrupt repetitive actions. I encountered one minor bug where Graham floated in the air, but it didn’t hinder my progress.
Ultimately, these are minor issues. King’s Quest: A Knight To Remember is a delightful game that takes the Telltale formula and adds significantly more action and problem-solving. It remains fun, funny, and engaging for old fans and newcomers alike. They really don’t make games like this anymore—but they definitely should.
