A Family-Friendly Adventure with a Heroic Shield
We often tell tales of the heroes who do great deeds and save the world with their strength and guile. But who are the people behind the heroes? Who are the ones to take care of the armour, make sure the swords are sharp, and feed the horses? Squires were always a job title in the real knighting world, where a young apprentice would help and follow a knight on his adventures.
In this game, you play the young Squire, or The Knightling if you will, who finds themselves in the position of being the hero. It’s a fun, family game that I got to spend some time with. Here are my thoughts.
A Colourful Kingdom in Peril
It’s nice to see a game like The Knightling on Xbox, which has some old-school platforming and gameplay vibes, ensuring that it very much comes across like a Zelda game. It’s a family-friendly game with likable characters and a fun, colourful visual vibe that is cheerful throughout.
You start the game on a quest with the good Knight, Sir Lionstone. Here you are helping by opening doors for him and solving puzzles so he can get to his location on time. Suddenly, Sir Lionstone is partaking in a huge battle with a stone demon, and you try to assist. But by the end of the fight, the knight is gone, leaving you with his shield.
You go back to the kingdom of Clesseia and await the knight’s return, but alas, he doesn’t come. So, it’s up to you, armed with the giant shield of worth, to find Sir Lionstone and protect the kingdom from all manner of evil entities and wrongdoing. Here you meet a lot of different characters and delve into varying storylines and side quests. It’s a lively place full of nice tales and a well-thought-out world, and it’s always good to have a family-friendly game kicking around on Xbox.
Shield as Sword and Steed
Gameplay consists of your little Knightling running around in the third person. When you get the giant shield after the main prologue, you find out that this is your main method of combat, as well as being your focus as a bit of handy transportation.
The combat is a simple affair at first, with light and heavy attacks with the shield and the opportunity to block and parry if you get your timing right; it is a shield after-all. As you go on, you can collect upgrade materials and go to your friend the blacksmith to get new special attacks, as well as giving the shield other powers, like throwing it Captain America-style.
Navigating the World of Clesseia
The combat works fine, but The Knightling is very much all about exploration, taking in this colourful world and seeing what you can find. The shield helps you with this, as you can jump on it, and it then acts as a sort of snowboard when going downhill. With little “boost gunk” lying around, you can zoom around the map with ease.
There is the main story quest to follow, which is good, and you will be tasked with fetch quests, combat quests, and some time-related races. There are a lot of Zelda-like puzzles to solve as well, which involve searching for different trigger plates and switches, working through clever conundrums to tease your brain. There is a lot to do in this game, and it mixes the gameplay up.
Flaws and Frustrations
On the downside, I did have a few niggles with the camera, especially to begin with, as it first moved too quickly when looking around. Then, after I sorted that out in the settings by making it less sensitive, it never seemed to be where I wanted it to be. It wasn’t bad; it could just be annoying at times. The same could be said for some of the platforming, which wasn’t as accurate or fluid as I would have liked.
Visually, there’s little doubt that The Knightling is a colourful treat for the eyes. The character designs have that cartoon feel to them and are nicely made. I did think the Knightling had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle look about him, but then I put my glasses on and realised it was a hood. Whatever, the kingdom looks stunning at times, and I like the creature and dungeon layouts. When you are travelling on the shield at speed, it’s great.
Alongside that is some epic fantasy music that is the order of the day here, and it all feels nicely familiar and works well with the gameplay. There is some voice acting in the cutscenes, but not throughout the whole game.
A Heartfelt Adventure with Room for Improvement
You can see the love poured into The Knightling. It has lovely visuals and a great family-friendly story, complete with Zelda-like vibes. The shield riding is a great touch, as are the other abilities you gain. The combat is fine too, and you’ll enjoy taking in the multitude of quests present.
I did find the platforming a bit annoying, and the camera doesn’t aid things, but if you are looking for a family-friendly adventure with a lot of heart, then The Knightling is for you.
Important Links
Slide Into Adventure with The Knightling, a 4/5 Zelda-like Gem OUT NOW on Xbox, PlayStation, PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/slide-into-adventure-with-the-knightling-a-4-5-zelda-like-gem-out-now-on-xbox-playstation-pc/
Mark Your Calendars! The Knightling Brings Chivalrous Action-Adventure to PC and Console this August – https://www.thexboxhub.com/mark-your-calendars-the-knightling-brings-chivalrous-action-adventure-to-pc-and-console-this-august/
Buy The Knightling on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/the-knightling/9nd5r4j0g5lv
There’s a Deluxe Edition if you prefer – http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-knightling-deluxe-edition/9PFX9P6TW3TC/0010
