King's Quest Trailer Brings the Adventure Series Back to Life

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

King's Quest Trailer Brings the Adventure Series Back to Life


Following an appearance by King's Quest creators Ken and Roberta Williams on the Game Awards stage, new developer The Odd Gentlemen premiered a trailer for the series' return.

One of the more touching moments of tonight's Game Awards presentation was the world premiere of a new King's Quest trailer. Though the revival of the classic Sierra Games point-and-click adventure series is in the hands of a new developer, The Odd Gentlemen, it was clear that the franchise was being handled with love.

The trailer's debut came just after the Industry Icon Award [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2NMpK2Rnks&list=UUqDS7KWjAPKv-7ZSlro9OiQ] was given to Ken and Roberta Williams, industry icons and creators of the King's Quest series. Though the actual awards in this, uh, awards show have been few and far between, the Industry Icon Award was a very genuine presentation, and Roberta Williams especially seemed pleased and humbled that people are still talking about King's Quest.

The new King's Quest is being developed with the Williams' blessing. Activision reclaimed the rights [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123088-Activision-Reclaims-Kings-Quest-Rights-From-Telltale] to the series back from Telltale Games last year, meaning that King's Quest will be back home at Sierra when it makes its return next year.

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[dragongit]

It's not quite the same as the original games, but, honestly that may be for the better.

I do however like the art direction, reminds me of the 60-80s disney films, as well as Don Bluths works like Dragon's Lair. Maybe I'll look into this when it's out. I guess Telltales would have been far more of the same as they have been doing, which would be good, but this gameplay leads to actual exploration and potential wonder.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I'm not sold. It just seems to be lacking the magic that the earlier games in the series had for me. Even though I've never been a fan of the point and click genre, the KQ games always still had just something special about them that would keep be coming back anyway.. but I'm just not feeling that in this trailer. Of course, it really doesn't look like a point and click at all any more (which is likely for the better) but it just doesn't have that spark.

 

[BoogieManFL]

"An error has occurred please try again later."

Can't watch the video, but from the still it looks like a 2D side scroller? Not sure that was the best route to take..

 

[Callate]

It looks like "Brothers", only single-character and half again as long.

It might be a decent game in its own right, but it doesn't in any significant way look like it's taking up the reins of King's Quest.

It also looks like there's more than a pinch of possibility that it will be QTE-infested, given the look of some segments.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Wow... I love king's quest... (Not as much as space quest, but still)

And this looks pretty good.

I mean, as long as it can avoid bringing back those horrible 'point of no return, so you'd better have all the items you need' puzzles the first 6 games have... -_- - Those are mean... XD

 

[Batou667]

Hmmm... It has elements of Brothers, The Cave, and even Dragon's Lair about it... it look perfectly serviceable but I'd hesitate to call it a King's Quest game. I only played the originals briefly but the tone in them was distinctly different - slower paced, less of an intentionally cartoony vibe, more of a "go anywhere, do try anything" atmosphere, and also hard as hell. I remember one puzzle where you had to infiltrate a robber's treehouse by slowly climbing the ladder and waiting in realtime for him to fall asleep... and that bit where you get swallowed by a whale and had to tickle it's uvula to progress (and if you didn't use the exact terminology you were out of luck - to the encyclopaedia!). This game looks very pleasant, but also utterly popularised, accessible and mainstream - more of a canned sequence of set pieces, Brothers-style, than true exploration and wonder.

Also, odd to not give Telltale a crack at it, they're about the only decent makers of point-and-click games left at this point...

 

[BloodRed Pixel]

This looks... ugly... and lifeless.

and like another 'narrative-driven' game...

 

[Quellist]

Hope they learned their lesson and are gonna make this a little less sadistically punishing than the originals. In fact i hope they took a good long hard look at vastly superior adventures like Monkey Island and realised sometimes fun is better than frustration