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King's Bounty: The Legend. Fantasy SRPG's just like the good 'ol days.

subediisubedii Registered User regular
edited October 2010 in Games and Technology
What is King's Bounty?

http://www.kings-bounty.com/

Never heard of it myself until recently, but it's only after playing the newly released demo (skip to end), that I decided that this game ought to have its own thread.

King's Bounty: The Legend is a new game in the King's Bounty series (which I've never played before, but that's besides the point).

It's a Hex based, turn based strategy RPG set in a colourful fantasy setting, jam packed with battles, quests, and hexagons.


Hexagons? Sounds scary.

Wait! This game is surprisingly accessible, even for a noob like me!


What's it play like?

There's two main aspects to it. You traverse a nicely stylised world in real time, talking to characters, getting quests, buying equipment and spells, and recruiting people to your army. When an enemy spots and attacks you or you attack them, then the second, combat phase kicks in.

To keep it brief (there's nuances that become apparent whilst playing but I don't need to go into unnecessary depth and scare people) Combat is played out on a hexagonal grid, typically with both sides starting off at opposite ends. Units take turns moving, attacking and casting. You can select your own spell book as well to cast spells that affect the troops, and there's also references to summonable monsters that level up and gain abilities with usage.

A rough explanation would be that it's a bit like Final Fantasy Tactics with 6 sides.

As you fight your way through the game, your character levels up, allowing him to invest skill points in a tree of special abilities that can be used inside and outside of combat. There are three different character classes to choose from at the beginning, specialising in combat, magic, and a happy medium between them. There are three Diablo-esque skill trees that your character can develop to different degrees depending on what class you've chosen. There's quite a lot of depth in how you can choose to develop your combat style.


What's it look like?

The graphics are very "Warcraft" fantasy in style, although a bit brighter. The art direction works very well for the game whilst not being a huge system hog, and looks best in motion, with plenty of nice little visual touches as you navigate the world.


Screenshots?

SCREENSHOTS!

kings-bounty-the-legend-20080715-1.jpg


kings-bounty-the-legend-20080820-1.jpg


kings-bounty-the-legend-20080820105.jpg


kings-bounty-the-legend-20080820-2.jpg


kings-bounty-the-legend-20080715110.jpg


Also trailers:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/33145.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38684.html


I may be interested...

Then sally forth, unto ye olde demo. It's pretty expansive, and gives you a good idea of the combat and the gameplay mechanics. Like I said, it's actually pretty accessible, and you really need to try it yourself to be able to appreciate the art style and the gameplay. Available from the following links:

http://www.gamershell.com/download_32652.shtml

http://www.fangaming.com/fileinfo.php?fileid=4475

http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/demos/kingbounty/demo.html#id26422


Wikipedia is giving the release date as September 23, 2008.

subedii on
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Posts

  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    This is going to rock.

    One of my all-time favorite Genesis games.

    Precursor to Heroes of Might and Magic.

    Demo here we come!

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • apotheosapotheos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2008
    They really took a lot of inspiration from Blizzard with the art, didn't they?

    apotheos on


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  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    apotheos wrote: »
    They really took a lot of inspiration from Blizzard with the art, didn't they?

    It does bear a lot of resemblance to Blizzard's art style. In a way this looks like the turn based strategy game that they never made.

    subedii on
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    It just looks like Heroes to me. I mean sure WoW and Heroes also bear a resemblance, but I don't think these guys are stealing from Blizzard:

    http://www.pcgames.de/screenshots/original/2007/07/Heroes_of_Might_and_Magic_5_Tribes_of_the_East_Vorschau07.jpg

    (linked because it's a huge pic)

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Drez wrote: »
    It just looks like Heroes to me. I mean sure WoW and Heroes also bear a resemblance, but I don't think these guys are stealing from Blizzard:

    http://www.pcgames.de/screenshots/original/2007/07/Heroes_of_Might_and_Magic_5_Tribes_of_the_East_Vorschau07.jpg

    (linked because it's a huge pic)

    Yeah I'm sure it does. I never really played the Heroes games (always meant to), so I guess my lack of experience with the genre is showing. :lol:

    Still, given that starting point, if this game can get me interested I figure others might be.

    subedii on
  • DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Cool, I always enjoy hex-based strategy games, even though I suck cock at them. I'll try out the demo.

    Darmak on
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  • PolagoPolago Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Whoa, this looks surprisingly fantastic! Will give it a shot tonight sometime. :D

    Polago on
  • CindersCinders Whose sails were black when it was windy Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    So, does this play more like King's Bounty, or Heroes of Might and Magic?

    Cinders on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Downloading demo now.

    You have a bunch of links to the demo files but you don't have anything to the official site..

    Lord Jezo on
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  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Lord Jezo wrote: »
    Downloading demo now.

    You have a bunch of links to the demo files but you don't have anything to the official site..

    Thanks, fixed. There's an official demo link on the site as well, but last time I tried it it was hammered. Figured it might be best for them and us if I linked the mirrors.

    subedii on
  • ClockworkClockwork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I'm looking through some of this literature but I'm not seeing anything about Multiplayer or co-op mode. Anybody know if its supported? Building and army and playing against a friend would be sweet. or even playing with a friend.

    Clockwork on
  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    apotheos wrote: »
    They really took a lot of inspiration from Blizzard with the art, didn't they?

    I was going to say this too. It looks so much like Warcraft it's silly.

    Still, it does look pretty freaking fun.

    MundaneSoul on
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  • VhalyarVhalyar Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I'm working on the localisation of the European version, and I can tell you this - the game is a blast if you love the Heroes series, yet there are enough differences that it has its own charm and doesn't feel like a repeat :winky:

    Vhalyar on
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  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Vhalyar wrote: »
    I'm working on the localisation of the European version, and I can tell you this - the game is a blast if you love the Heroes series, yet there are enough differences that it has its own charm and doesn't feel like a repeat :winky:

    Not that you're a CORPORATE SHILL or anything.
    You wouldn't need to shill anyway, the demo's made this a day 1 purchase for me. :lol:

    After playing with the demo a bit more I've figured out how the summons work. Basically after the first mission you get given the ability to summon one of four montsers (only two in the demo, the other two might only be available when you level up enough, who knows).

    During battle as you attack you gain points towards a type "rage" meter. Gain enough and you can summon the moster for an attack. Use the monster enough during battle and it levels up, allowing you to choose to either level up an existing ability or to grant it a new one.

    Pretty groovy. Like I said I've never really played the Heroes series so this is largely new to me, so I'm surprised at how accessible it all was from the get-go.

    subedii on
  • woahnowwoahnow __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2008
    Bump. The game is out and downloadable on Gamersgate.

    Check out the demo if you already haven't.
    http://www.worthdownloading.com/download.php?gid=1963&id=16403

    woahnow on
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    For those who might not know:

    The original game (DOS and Genesis)

    kingsbountydt1.gif

    Heroes of Might and Magic: Quest for the Dragonbone Staff (PS2)

    heroesofmm0426screen007iz6.jpg

    The HoMM game is a very faithful remake of the original.

    King's Bounty is not really a series per se, but it's a nifty genre offshoot. A blending of a chesslike tactics game with an army-building simulation.

    UncleSporky on
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  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    This game has a giant turtle.

    I take 10.

    Klyka on
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  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    woahnow wrote: »
    Bump. The game is out and downloadable on Gamersgate.

    Check out the demo if you already haven't.
    http://www.worthdownloading.com/download.php?gid=1963&id=16403

    Man, the only place I can find it listed is play.com and they've got a UK release date of 28th of November.

    I might've been down for a digital download of this game if it were on Impulse, but if possible I want to get a hard copy with manuals and stuff.

    subedii on
  • Ragnar DragonfyreRagnar Dragonfyre Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    apotheos wrote: »
    They really took a lot of inspiration from Blizzard with the art, didn't they?

    Well, everyone knows that Blizzard is the biggest bunch of rip-off artists around. So, I don't see any problem with someone ripping them off. :P

    Ragnar Dragonfyre on
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  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    For those who might not know:

    The original game (DOS and Genesis)

    kingsbountydt1.gif

    I bought a pack with that, HoMM1, and HoMM2. Never really got into it, though.

    jothki on
  • woahnowwoahnow __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2008
    Gamespy laments about the quality of translation, but still loves the game. 4.5/5

    woahnow on
  • eobeteobet 8-bit childhood SwedenRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Does this game have random map generation?

    If so, absolute must have!

    But since the graphics are so amazingly beautiful, I doubt it...

    eobet on
    Heard the proposition that RIAA and MPAA should join forces and form "Music And Film Industry Association"?
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    eobet wrote: »
    Does this game have random map generation?

    If so, absolute must have!

    But since the graphics are so amazingly beautiful, I doubt it...

    Some of the battle maps appear to be randomly generated, in that they'll sometimes have logs and boulders and things blocking up hexxes so forcing certain routes. To be honest I don't think it makes too much difference, but that may be because I've only experienced an early part of the game, and things get more varied as things continue. One interesting addition that sometimes happened was an on-map beehive that would send out swarms to attack nearby character. The main world map isn't random though, and I doubt the boss fights are either.

    subedii on
  • Indie WinterIndie Winter die Krähe Rudi Hurzlmeier (German, b. 1952)Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    This really reminds me of an old game called Rage of Mages for some reason. I loved that game to death. I'm looking forward to this one.

    Indie Winter on
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  • abstlabstl Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    This game is very entertaining. Above average gameplay and above average graphics

    abstl on

    Albie the racist dragon supports this post.
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    abstl wrote: »
    This game is very entertaining. Above average gameplay and above average graphics

    Whoa, dude, don't go overboard or anything!

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to this. Assuming any stores around me actually carry it on release here. I had a hard enough time finding Witcher EE.

    subedii on
  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I picked this up from gamersgate last night, the graphics are pretty rudimentary but the gameplay is complete win. Also i was pretty much sold when the king
    made fun of me for wearing a pot on my head and using a wagon wheel as a shield
    The skill trees are freaking me out though, i have absolutely no idea what to up so i just keep pumping everything into might since i'm playing a warrior

    taliosfalcon on
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  • Turin TurambarTurin Turambar Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    HoMM 3-kind-of-a-game combined with the structure of a RPG instead of a strategy game (completing quests, leveling up your hero, your talents, upgrading your armies, your magical weapons, your spells, leveling up your spirits of rage) makes a hell of an addictive game.

    The game is very focused in the tactical battles, so sometimes it can burn the players (a fight, another fight, another fight...) They are like the already mentioned HOMM3 but better thanks to a slightly bigger battlefields (not really much bigger, but units are usually slower), great variety of units with tons of unique abilites (every creature have 2-7 special abilities or talents), a good repertorie of spells which can change a battle in a lot of directions (lots of 'tactical' spells, instead of just direct damage spells), and some interactive stuff in the battlefield like cursed statues, chests, explosive barrels, etc.

    Turin Turambar on
  • ZhaosukeZhaosuke Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Sold, i'l take twelfty

    Zhaosuke on
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  • IoloIolo iolo Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I am so glad someone made a thread for this game. I devoured the demo (as a Paladin), preordered, and am now maybe 12-15 hours in as a Warrior and having a blast.

    Impressions for anyone who cares (no actual spoilers other than stuff that's in the manual and box art):
    The game is pretty much HOMM plus Diablo with a dash of Final Fantasy. To wit:

    Game looks like HOMM with overland map and hex-based tactical battles. Much of the game is pure HOMM (unit types, most combat mechanics, buying units at castles and towns and inns and such, equipping artifacts and weapons, etc.), although apparently HOMM was largely based on the first King's Bounty. I never played that one in '89 so I wouldn't know.

    Instead of multiple heroes and armies, though, you've just got one (three classes to choose from, all seem viable). Skill tree progression is pure Diablo (or WoW) with each class having preferred skill trees of Might, Mind, or Distortion. Nice hook, though, is that you don't advance skills by experience per se. You advance them by runes for each of the three areas. You get some runes when you level up, but you can also find them on the world map or get them as booty.

    Art direction is a) completely unoriginal (for real), and b) consistently beautiful. It's as if they decided, okay, we're not going to waste any creative energy trying to reinvent the fantasy wheel. But our dwarves, griffons, skeleton archers, swordsmen, snakes (!), bears, etc. are going to look terrific. Also the world map is colorful and vibrant, with lots of activity and interesting stuff making it feel like a living world (as much as a HOMM style map can anyway.)

    So HOMM w/ single character w/ Diablo style RPG character growth. What about Final Fantasy?

    1. Boss battles! In a HOMM style game! Only beaten one so far, but it was pretty cool. The box art and manual spoil at least two others.

    2. The "Rage Box." After a couple of early quests you get the Rage Box which contains 4 trapped demon spirits. Once you unlock them (by talking to them and doing quests for them individually) you can 'summon' them to powerful effect in combat using "rage," which is like mana that you generate by having your troops kills stuff (and which slowly depletes on the world map). Interestingly, these rage spirits gain experience and level up as you use them.

    The number of units you can have in each stack is capped by your leadership. So this makes for a nice spread of the classes with spell casting and rage.

    Warrior: Best Rage, Best early game leadership, Worst mana
    Paladin: Medium Rage, Medium leadership (good late game apparently), Medium mana
    Mage: Worst Rage, Worst leadership, Best mana

    I know that sounds pretty typical, but they've appear to have it balanced so that all the classes are viable.

    The story is typical fantasy fare. Nothing special, nothing terrible. Some of the quests are quite funny and have meaningful choices attached to them.

    With the exception of a couple unit types (like "peasant") new troop availability is finite, which brings a really interesting level of strategy into things. I just emptied the one store on the continent at the end of my play session of my beloved "Royal Snakes," and so will have to find a new unit type to rely on once they are killed off over time.

    Also, game is not a cakewalk, even at "Normal" level. Sure, there are weak mobs. But true to HOMM form, there are plenty of devastatingly hard mobs wandering the earth. You can unlock a cheap mind skill that lets you right click on wandering monsters to get a sense of their difficulty (and that skill can be leveled to give you more specific info.) That's a pretty necessary skill imo. So far the difficultly feels challenging but not frustrating. Right where you want it really.

    Whoever said the art takes a heavy cue from WoW is spot on. In many ways this actually feels like a Blizzard game in that there is virtually nothing you can point to in the game that is original. But everything that is there is well chosen, fun (if you like the genre), and polished.

    EDIT: Oh, and I forgot about the Disgaea part of the game. Some weapons and artifacts can be 'suppressed' by entering them and fighting the gremlins that live inside (hard battles). Successfully beating them levels up the item. Apparently (although this hasn't happened to me yet) some items will actually rebel over time if you aren't doing things that they like, and need to be suppressed again.

    Iolo on
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  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Heh, even from the demo Royal Snakes were one of my favourite units. Good movement and damage, and the lunge attack can be pretty handy.

    subedii on
  • eobeteobet 8-bit childhood SwedenRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Does the retail game start out the same way as the demo? I found the demo rather boring in the beginning.

    Also, are there random maps?

    Or at least a shitload of scenarios one can choose from, from the start?

    eobet on
    Heard the proposition that RIAA and MPAA should join forces and form "Music And Film Industry Association"?
  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I never noticed troop availability was finite..that kind of sucks as...well..i lose a hell of a lot of mans =p

    taliosfalcon on
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  • IoloIolo iolo Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    subedii wrote: »
    Heh, even from the demo Royal Snakes were one of my favourite units. Good movement and damage, and the lunge attack can be pretty handy.

    And perhaps most importantly, they strike without the enemy stack getting to counterstrike. Plus they look cool. :)
    eobet wrote: »
    Does the retail game start out the same way as the demo? I found the demo rather boring in the beginning.

    Also, are there random maps?

    Or at least a shitload of scenarios one can choose from, from the start?

    It does but you can skip the three tutorial missions. Maps are not random, but monster and treasure distribution is, as is (I believe) which units are available to recruit outside the castle.

    Iolo on
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  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Sign. Me. The. Fuck. UP! This demo is MINE, tonight, STAT!

    wOOOOt!

    Shoegaze99 on
  • A Dabble Of TheloniusA Dabble Of Thelonius It has been a doozy of a dayRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    This looks sweet. I'm gonna have to get it as my HOMM cravings have been getting worse lately.

    A Dabble Of Thelonius on
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  • DírhaelDírhael NorwayRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    eobet wrote: »
    Also, are there random maps?

    Or at least a shitload of scenarios one can choose from, from the start?

    No, but the game is huge. Really, I purchased the game from Gamersgate on Sunday, have been playing at least 50 hours so far (haven't really got anything else to do this week...thankfully) and I'm not even remotely close to finishing the game. There's still time to have even more kids with my zombie wife (well, if I don't divorce her and find a new one) :P

    It's probably my favourite game so far this year (at least in the top 3). The game plays, looks & sounds great...and it's completely addictive. Love it!

    Here's some screenshots I've taken at various places in the game. They don't really spoil much (if anything), but I'm going to wrap them in that tag anyway.

    clipboardimagesd2.th.jpg

    kb2008100100282650bk4.th.jpg

    kb2008100100465256zr0.th.jpg

    kb2008100101360871bs2.th.jpg

    kb2008100102183339fe6.th.jpg

    kb2008100102475378yj8.th.jpg

    kb2008100202032634lt2.th.jpg

    kb2008100203061553ad6.th.jpg

    kb2008100203190039gt1.th.jpg

    kb2008100203203306qn6.th.jpg

    kb2008100215425167jo2.th.jpg

    kb2008100218090035eu7.th.jpg

    Looks better in motion and without jpeg compression though.

    Dírhael on
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Want want want want. I played so damn much of this game back in the Genesis days. Between this, Colonization and WAR, me happy PC gamer.

    GoodOmens on
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  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    So, since this is a russian game I take it that the translation looks like something that got shat through a babelfish conversion, or did the publisher actually invest some funding into a decent translation for once?

    Silpheed on
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Silpheed wrote: »
    So, since this is a russian game I take it that the translation looks like something that got shat through a babelfish conversion, or did the publisher actually invest some funding into a decent translation for once?

    Well from playing the demo, the translation seemed to be just fine. I can't say I noticed anything jarring or weird in the text.

    I've heard the story isn't up to much in general, but then most fantasy games generally have that problem.

    subedii on
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