Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit’s Point-and-Click Charm
When I think back to the games I loved playing in yesteryear, I don’t immediately head to arcade games like Space Invaders or Virtual Fighter, or FPS shooters like DOOM.
Instead, my fondest memories go back to the genre of point and click adventure games. Indiana Jones, Monkey Island, The Hobbit, and Broken Sword are just some of those that were adored decades back. Why? Well, one of the main reasons was for the sense of adventure and travel.
Playing Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit saw a smile come across my face, as it pressed a ton of nostalgic buttons.
Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit has been put together by a Lithuanian developer, and it’s there where part of this game is set.
It’s a charming tale told from the point of view of the lead character Milda, a twenty- something who lives in Chicago, working as an aspiring computer programmer. She is American, but of Lithuanian descent, and at the start of the game receives an inheritance from her dead grandfather in the form of a house. She decides to go over to the motherland, only to discover a ransacked house, all before being threatened by an unknown party.
Soon she is embroiled in a mystery involving a 15th-century Crown, her absent father, and treasure hunters.
A Globe-Trotting Mystery
Frankly, the story is ace with some great characters, an old-school adventure that reminds a lot of the Broken Sword games, full of wit and charm. My only criticism of the whole narrative is that the ending seems to be a bit rushed, leaving some loose ends that really could have done with being tied up.
But overall, this is an excellent story with some real surprises, taking players across some great locations from Chicago to Lithuania to Belarus.
Point-and-Click Puzzling
Gameplay-wise, Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit is a proper old-school point-and-clicker. You can freely move Milda around the screen, all as you hunt for some hotspots to interact with. Some of these places will be integral to the story, however others will be red herrings or just points of interest.
As with any game of this ilk, you can pick up objects and examine them, but also you get to combine them with other items, making the most of them with objects or people to progress the narrative further.
It’s fine too, and whilst the control system at first seems like a pain, after a while, you realise it is quite clever and useful to navigate. But there are moments with timed sections that require quick reflexes, and a controller just isn’t as sharp as a mouse could be.
Clever Conundrums
The puzzles and things to work out in Crowns and Pawns: the Kingdom of Deceit are obtuse at times, but at other points, feel very clever. You will have to use your brain a lot, as you work through a host of possibilities, listening carefully to all the clues the game gives you. There is a great bit of puzzle solving at a hockey game and how you manipulate statues in a church; they are just two highlights. But overall it’s a very clever and well put together game.
The visuals are excellent, with bright and vibrant colours throughout. The locations are beautifully designed creating a wonderful feeling and atmosphere of the different locations. The character design is excellent as well, whilst there are options to change Milda’s outfits, occasionally used for some puzzle-solving as well. Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit is fully voiced too, with great performances full of life and commitment. There are some American voices in Lithuania which are a bit odd, but not too distracting.
A Charming Point-and-Click Adventure
Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit will bring a smile to your face. If you had a checklist of all the best bits of a point-and-click game, this is one that is capable of ticking nearly all of it off. Yes, the controls are a little tricky to get used to, and some of the more complex puzzles will leave players frustrated, but this is a game that is colourful, full of mystery, and in need of a sequel.
Important Links
Unravel a European Mystery in Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit – https://www.thexboxhub.com/unravel-a-european-mystery-in-crowns-and-pawns-kingdom-of-deceit/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/crowns-and-pawns-kingdom-of-deceit/9PGR5110BWTT
