$9.99Kingsway An RPG on a fake desktop
Fight monsters, sort loot and answer quest emails in a fantasy world that runs like a retro operating system.
Is Kingsway worth it?
Kingsway is worth it if…
- you enjoy a good gimmick taken seriously, where the interface itself is the game
- you like light RPGs with loot, levels and short runs rather than deep systems
- you have fond memories of clunky 90s desktops and chiptune-ish soundtracks
- you want a game you can finish a run of in an evening and try a new class tomorrow
Screenshots
The whole game is the operating system
Kingsway turns a fantasy adventure into a desktop. Your backpack is a file folder you can rearrange, quests land in your inbox, and the music player is a little in-game Winamp. Even the sound effects play along: driving across a hard drive sector makes a proper clattering noise. The desktop is not decoration; it is where the whole game happens.
Short runs, permanent death, one more go
Every adventure starts fresh: the world is randomly generated, and when you die, that character is gone. A run is a trip across the map toward the king's castle, lighting beacons along the way while a shadow creeps in from the edge and hurries you along. You pick from several character types, each with its own skills, and decide along the road whether to help other adventurers and slay monsters, or steal and murder your way to the top. Loot drops Diablo-style, gear has level and stat requirements, and gems earned on a run unlock small advantages for the next one. Runs are short enough that losing one stings for a minute, then you roll a new character.
What should you know before playing?
How long does a playthrough take?
A single run is a compact adventure, and the whole game holds up for around twenty hours of trying classes, chasing unlocks and poking at secrets. The core loop of exploring, fighting, looting and selling stays the same throughout, so it works best in doses rather than as one long haul.
Is it difficult?
The early hours are the dangerous part, while you are still learning which potions to keep and which skills to equip. Once a character gets going, the pressure eases off. There is a hidden hard mode if you want the game to push back harder.
Can you play it more than once?
That is the idea. Each world is generated fresh, there are several classes with different skills, runs earn gems that unlock things for later characters, and you can choose to play good or evil. A second run as a different class feels like a different character sheet, even if the map layout matters less than you might expect.
