You'll spend most of your time in dungeonlike areas, but there are a few outdoor environments to provide at least some variety. They convey the impression that the land is laid out naturally and that there are no discernable load times while exploring-which does a lot to immerse you in the game. Architecture and environments, as well as the sounds that accompany them, are functional and of serviceable quality. The game's most notable achievement is that despite a few lapses, the world feels very real.
But if you can accept the game's slow pacing and sometimes overwhelming nonlinearity, there is a well-realized and consistent world, heavy with atmosphere, waiting to be explored. The phrase "not for everybody" is of major relevance here. Some players will recoil right off and may even feel insulted that the game is trying to inflict itself upon them. It may take some time for players to get the hang of this sort of combat, and your painfully slow turn speed can lead to very frustrating situations when facing multiple enemies. However, even these enemies sometimes turn their back to you at certain ranges, taking some of the satisfaction out of a victory. More advanced opponents try various attacks and evasive actions, making for a much more interesting fight. An enemy attack can also be interrupted with a properly timed swing. Most enemies make no attempt to dodge and can easily be dispatched with simple tactics. You'll have to keep this in mind when engaging the enemy. Swinging heavier weapons and casting more powerful spell results in a slower recharge running decreases both meters. The larger the physical stamina bar, the more damaging the attack will be. The first is physical, and it depletes when you swing your weapon the second is mental, and this one depletes when you cast spells. A simple graphic display shows your health, magic, and two stamina meters. It could take several deaths before you're able to find a save point and finally log some progress.Ĭombat happens in real time, albeit slowly. It's quite possible for one to die after taking two steps from the starting location, and you can bet that the number of adventurers who have suffered such a fate is steadily growing. The second thing that the player will find is that the game doesn't hold your hand.
King's Field: The Ancient City is indeed a game with a slow pace. Many players will find the prince's walking speed to be either maddeningly or excruciatingly slow, while running comes closer to providing a bearable clip but by no means can be described as fast. The first is that while you carry no weapon or armor of any kind, your movement is very slow. There are two things that become blatantly obvious when you begin King's Field: The Ancient City. With a cursed statuette and a naïve heart, Prince Devian begins his journey. As a prince from the neighboring kingdom of Azalin, you cannot let anyone else suffer the idol's terrible curse. This stone idol from a once sacred land has brought the kingdom of Heladin to ruin, and you are tasked to return it to the place of its origin. A cloaked stranger appears at your door and presses a small stone statue into your hands.