King’s Quest Chapter 2: Rubble Without a Cause Review

King’s Quest Chapter 2: Rubble Without a Cause

Release: December 15, 2015
Publisher: Sierra Games
Developer: The Odd Gentlemen
Genre: Adventure, XBox One Reviews
PEGI: E
Comments:

 

Comment

The Odd Gentlemen picked a great time to release Chapter 2 of their King’s Quest episodic series. Right before my Christmas holidays I received my review code from the PR Agency and dove right in. I could have written the review a few weeks ago, but decided to play through the second chapter a couple times for one main reason: choices.

Authors Note: If you haven’t read our review of Chapter 1: A Knight to Remember, please do so. Our opinions on the look of the game as well as the sound carry over from that review to this one. We gave Chapter 1 a 9.0/10.

Unlike Chapter 1, Chapter 2 gets really dark and gritty, really quickly. On top of that, Chapter 2 requires players to make actual choices that will affect the outcome of the chapter, and inevitably we assume, the game. Chapter 2 is a bit more difficult than chapter 1, but also has hiccups I never noticed before. Overall however, the game continues to trend in the right direction making Chapter 3 one of my most anticipated releases of 2016.

Frame Rate Issues

The only major issue I had with Chapter 2 of the King’s Quest episodic series was frequent frame rate drops. At first I thought it was only happening once in a while, but noticed quickly that when I moved between screens within the game, there was significant lag and some tearing. This was something we did not experience with Chapter 1, and we hope this will be fixed for this chapter, and later chapters in the future.

The other issue we had with Chapter 2 was lack of direction. To be fair, this is still a puzzle game and The Odd Gentlemen have not appeared to be willing to do any hand holding. However, once we figured out a specific puzzle via trial and error, getting through the chapter was much easier. I won’t get into anything specific, but when attempting puzzles, look closely at the number of rocks associated with specific levers and cranks!

So Much Love

Again, the dedication to making this title true to the original 6 – remember, I like to forget about 7 and 8 – is very evident, and the developers continue to pay homage to previous games by using short musical themes, as well as images within the game. However, The Odd Gentlemen also put some of their own flare into the game, allowing players to make choices rarely seen in a King’s Quest game before. In fact, the only major decision I remember making was whether to take the long route or short route in King’s Quest 6! By comparison, the decisions in this latest release are dark and gritty.

The Odd Gentlemen were quick to point out that no matter what decisions you made, you would always be able to complete the chapter. The developers also added a few extra touches to make Chapter 2 outshine Chapter 1, which most notably includes the ability to skip cut scene – especially valuable after dying and having to replay a certain section.

Conclusion

Overall, King’s Quest Episode 2 continues the great story telling found in the initial release. Much of the story telling remains true to the first chapter, with a majority narration coming from King Graham to his two grandchildren. Supberb narration, outstanding music, and difficult and engaging puzzles will keep players going for a few hours, and unlike Chapter 1, this chapter does encourage a second – or perhaps third – replay as there are multiple ways to finish this section of the King’s Quest story.

Positives

• Continuation of great story telling
• Difficult but engaging puzzles
• Great writing
• Outstanding sound and visuals

Negatives

• Frame rate issues
• A little too much trail and error

Trailer