Originally Posted by
Reviewer
Quest for the Crown is not exactly a new game, coming quietly onto the scene in 2003, and a lack of budgeting for advertising meant it saw little play beyond it's dedicated following. It was also hindered by the fact that it was more than a little ahead of it's time, and even some newer machines had trouble running it. Even today, I find my processor still chugs with effort on some of the more graphic-intensive cutscenes.
One aspect of the game that might frustrate more casual players is the creator's apparent inability to make any fight anything less than a teeth-gnashing, bloody-knuckled, scraped-knee challenge. Even standard monster encounters on the map require a degree of strategy and occasionally what appears to be blind luck. It's good to feel like you're working for your achievements, especially when the end result is as satisfying as Quest for the Crown is, but the difficulty curve starts off the scale and stays there, like a cow in the middle of a dirt road.
Thankfully, combat is secondary in the game to the plot itself, which is often sorely neglected even in other so-called RPG titles. I can't remember the last time I grew so attached to a cast of characters, and the depth of characterisation put into even the main villain — here voiced by the always wonderful Ian McKellen, whose performance practically oozes sepulchral menace from your speakers — is really impressive. Unfortunately, most of us will see the plot-twist midway through the game coming about a mile away, but it still doesn't take the emotional impact away from a truly inspired scene, scripted, of course, by the well-known A. Bear.
I know I've been more than a little vague in regards to some aspects of the story, and I almost feel like I should apologise for it... but I can't. We've all had things spoiled for us in the past, whether it be the end of a book or someone telling you that the Cadbury bunny isn't really leaving that candy all over your yard every year, and I can't be responsible for that this time. Quest for the Crown is one of those rare games that actually feels important — not just because it sets a new benchmark for quality, but because of the things it's brave enough to say about life, love, friendship, and courage. It requires a bit more of a commitment in time than most other games we feature here, but ultimately, I think, you'll find it well worth it.
No time like game time!
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