If you're already a fan of King's Bounty then this long-awaited sequel isn't likely to disappoint. At its core you'll find the same satisfying turn-based tactical combat that inspired the Heroes of Might and Magic Series, but it's trussed up in a clunky open world and marred by some lacklustre storytelling. It's a much trickier pitch for newcomers.
Outside of combat, every trick it plays to try to modernise itself has been done before, and better, over the past 12 years, and the frustrating grind may prove too much for more modern tastes.
The largest and most obvious glow up from the previous entry in this series, 2008's King's Bounty: The Legend, is the move to a big 3D open world. The Kingdom of Nostria looks great, with a smattering of different environments to explore that make the most out of an imaginative and vibrant colour palette. The countryside is replete with rolling hills and sleepy dirt roads, and golden patches of wheat break up the otherwise emerald vista. It would be straight out of a medieval painting if not for the towering, Tolkien-inspired architecture looming over it all.
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