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Information
Name: King’s Bounty II
Developer: 1C Entertainment
Publisher:1C Entertainment
Platforms: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Platform Reviewed On: PC
It’s not been too long since I did a preview of King Bounty 2; however, I’ve had the chance to experience the game in its finished form and decided to update you with my thoughts upon its release.
Kings Bounty II is a bold and ambitious sequel to a two-decade (going on three!) year old tactical based RPG that is adored by critics and fans alike, which successfully maintains the originals magic formula whilst revolutionising the series and propelling it to new heights.
I am someone who enjoys the series without being overindulgent, and therefore, I am not exactly an expert on the game’s lore, but whilst I was thrown into the deep end of its sprawling open world, I found myself increasingly intrigued by the world around me as the game progressed thanks to terrific world-building focused on the little details. The game is set in the Kingdom of Nostria as it is resigned to chaos, and in classic RPG fashion, it’s up to the player to save it. Nothing complex or particularly unique about it, but sharp writing, beautiful graphics and an engaging world to delve into voids this minor issue.
The game boasts terrific gameplay, and the tactical based combat, in particular, is significantly more nuanced than it may seem at first, with a steep learning curve that offers plenty of reward for your time and actively draws you back in due to an innate desire to improve. Not every battle is smooth sailing as you might have come to expect from a game like this, but I’d say the majority are simply a course of trial and error that encourages you to experiment with a variety of strategies to figure out how you can conquer your foe most effectively. This can be frustrating at times due to the fact that each loss we suffer in battle has real consequences on our army’s strength. I find this to be a slick way of nudging the player in the direction of the games best asset and thus have few issues with although I was often caught in a slightly tedious cycle of quests which after a decent amount of hours can start to feel repetitive. However, this also offers us an opportunity to refine our skills, and with more time spent, I started to gain a clearer grasp of the information hud, which whilst isn’t perfect and omits key details, the info provided can help turn the tide of battle when used correctly.
The world is meticulously crafted and ensures every environmental set piece (some of which are up there with the best I have ever seen in a game), and drop of land has a purpose that enhances the experience not bog it down. I had a slight problem with the quality of some of the voice acting, largely down to the characters they had been paired too which didn’t match the performance, but I appreciate what the developers are attempting to do and how challenging it must have been so this is an issue I can easily play through.
I’m extremely impressed with the state the game is in upon launch day, with no major (or many minor) bugs experienced throughout both my time with the preview and now the full version. This is definitely a game I recommend picking up if you’re a fan of strategical RPG’s. Whether it’s within the first few days of release or a few weeks down the line, you owe it to yourself to give it a chance.