King's Field: The Ancient City

The Good
King's Field IV is the swan song of the great series that greatly contributed to the action RPG genre and to 3D gaming in general, never getting enough recognition for its accomplishment. By the time King's Field IV was out, the kind of gameplay the series offered became more and more obsolete in the eyes of the majority, as visually stunning blockbusters began to steal the show, and lack of challenge and immersion were easily forgiven. King's Field IV was created strictly for loyal fans of the series. It is a game that refuses to make concessions and exists in its own world, which welcomes only those willing to accept its rules.

For those familiar with the series it would suffice to simply state that King's Field IV is one hundred percent, pure, unabridged King's Field. Jumping to the next generation console and abandoning the Verdite trilogy story arc had no effect on the game's structure, design philosophy, or gameplay mechanics. It is quite deliberately traditional, old-school, carefully recreating everything that made the series into what it is. It is most similar to the second game, distancing itself from the concept of the previous installment with its massive outdoor environments, and returning to the chamber-style cozy design epitomized in the first two entries. It brings joy to the hearts of fans as they see how faithful it is to the series' commandments. Like all the previous games, King's Field IV is all about exploration and challenge, and it is in no way inferior to any other installment before it.

The game has the same magnificent open structure with plenty of optional locations, secret areas, and a vast abundance of weapons, equipment, and items to collect. Like before, you'll gradually overcome the game's challenges and explore its world, seeing how it opens to you and how you grow from a scared adventurer to a mighty warrior well prepared for battles, familiar with the environments and able to traverse them swiftly, ready for anything the game may throw at him. The sense of growth and accomplishment, the satisfaction of studying and mapping out complex areas, the emotional connection to a world that must be conquered before it submits itself to you are overwhelming. King's Field IV has all the right ingredients for being a great RPG, constructed on the cornerstones of the genre and executed with great care and balance.

A few features have been added to this installment. You no longer instantly die from contact with water. You can't really swim, but you are finally able to submerge yourself in water and walk through it until you begin to run out of HP. This still beats the inexplicable hydrophobia I was never fond of in video games. The weapon degradation system from Shadow Tower is back, but before you groan in disgust let me tell you that the weapon wear off significantly more slowly and you won't have to run to a repair shop every few minutes. Another interesting new element is weapon leveling. Using the same weapon over and over again eventually makes that weapon stronger, and with a third-level weapon you'll be able to execute some nifty semi-magical attacks. Even your own fists can be leveled up and actually become effective, though it takes a huge amount of time.

The most obvious advantage of King's Field IV over the preceding games are the graphics. The very first King's Field was visually groundbreaking, but by the third game the limitations of the engine started showing, and it was clear it needed an overhaul. King's Field IV is significantly prettier than the previous game. Technology has caught up with the designers' artistic vision, resulting in a beautiful game world dripping with atmosphere. The softer colors, lovingly crafted interior environments, and much more detailed enemies bring new life to King's Field. The horror element is more pronounced here than before, and there is a sense of mystery and romantic darkness enveloping you as you explore the enigmatic ruins of an ancient cursed city.

The Bad
The guys from FromSoftware are stubborn. They are committed to their ways and stick to whatever makes their games tick. While I admire adherence to principles, in King's Field IV it is particularly noticeable how this adherence can highlight their weaknesses. King's Field IV is a prettier variation on the same theme, and the new shiny looks contrast even more with certain antiquated gameplay mechanics. There is no analog stick support for looking around (this would be soon fixed in Shadow Tower: Abyss). It is irritating how that simple device is ignored, negating the fact we are playing on a more advanced system and making gameplay identical to its PlayStation predecessors. Also, the painfully slow turning is still there and is more annoying than ever before. I fail to see how fixing these issues would harm the game's noble spirit.

King's Field IV is also the least innovative game in the entire series. The third game expanded the world greatly and was daring in its attempt to disengage itself from the dungeon crawler format. The fourth one is more modest, feeling less epic than its immediate predecessor. The complete reliance on classic elements is almost irksome, and spending hours killing off stupid beetles that refuse to die begins to get old. I wish they were just a tiny bit less conservative and streamlined a few elements to make this installment more accessible. The awkward controls coupled with the usual nearly infuriating difficulty level surely drove away many newcomers and contributed to the series' demise.

The Bottom Line
I can see why they decided to end King's Field with this installment, where the first signs of stagnation started plaguing the proud franchise. However, the game's lack of fresh ideas and somewhat tiresome by-the-book design doesn't change the fact that it is yet another authentic, captivating King's Field experience with much better graphics. Fans of the series should certainly invest their time in it: as always, the patient ones will be fully rewarded.