King's Field III: Good game with a few little changes.

U.S. Game Front

An Advertisement Of ASCII Products
Shown Inside Of KFIII's Case.

Peek-A-Boo! I See You!

When Prince Lyle Sleeps At The
Inn, He Will Have A Dream
Like The One Shown Above
Where He Sees One Of The
Chosen Four.

Once Again, Darkness Has Fallen
Upon The Land Of Verdite. You
Know What You Have To Do...

King's Field II was hailed as a beautiful and mesmerizing game for its time and From Software was once again busy with the third installment to the King's Field series. King's Field II had surpassed King's Field I in virtually every way that one could think of. King's Field II had a better storyline, prettier visuals, enchanting sounds, and expanded gameplay content...so how can you take a game that did so much and improve on it further? From Software knew that making a game that was even better than KFII was definitely going to be a challenge. In the following year in 1996, King's Field III was released.What does it have to offer that KFII doesn't...or what does KFIII do better (or worse) than KFII?

I think that the storyline of King's Field III is the best in the series. King Alfred, the hero of KFI who eventually became the King of Verdite, has now succumbed to the darkness that plagued the land while Alexander searched for the Holy Sword...the Moonlight Sword. Alexander was the hero of KFII and while he did find the Moonlight Sword, it was too late to help King Alfred by the time he found the sword. The sword was broken...so Alexander had to call "The Chosen Four". He bestowed the powers necessary to protect the kingdom to the chosen four. Once Alexander did that, he used the last of his power to place a seal on the castle to trap King Alfred and his dangerous powers within his own castle walls. Before Alexander passed away, imparted words of wisdom to the King's son, Lyle. Ten years later, Lyle has become a man and fate will have him fight to save the land as he fights against his own father who was once a Holy King. KFIII's story is significantly deeper than KFII and who would've ever thought that you would have to use King Alfred's son to stop King Alfred!? Characters are deeper and more complex than ever and there are more NPCs to interact with in your travels.

King's Field III looks just as good as King's Field II in terms of graphics, but there are a couple of notable differences. The textures of KFIII seem to take a small hit. Because of this, the game looks a little fuzzier in certain places. The game moves at around the same pace as KFII as well. However, the design of the world is vastly superior to even KFII! KFII had a marvelous world that was leaps and bounds better than KFI because you were placed in an actual 3D world that was more than just an underground labyrinth. KFIII expands upon this further by making the buildings and people look even more realistic. Houses and buildings have more detailed structures than those present in KFII and the people look even better (while still having no face...) and display a little more body movement. The spells look great and the world has seen so much change since KFII. The game also has a better opening movie than KFII and the overall presentation of the game is great, given the size of the world and the time the game was made.

I think that the music in King's Field III is further improved from King's Field II, though this may just be based on my own tastes. If you liked the atmosphere and ambient sounds of KFII, you will probably like the sound of KFIII as well. The sounds effects are excellent and still remain effective enough to creep me out every now and then...you would think that I would have gotten over the sound effects by now! The music is dark and does a good job at conveying the message that the world is in a sorry state of affairs. The sounds in some portions of the game are enough to drive one mad...and if you can't figure out what I mean by that, I mean it in a good way. KFIII still managed to get the formula right with its wonderful soundtrack and great sound effects. The game is truly a virtual wonderland of sights and sounds.

If you have played KFII, then there isn't really too much to say here. The game is a little more of the same. You gain items, weapons, armor, accessories, and magic on your quest as you explore the world in all its glory. The game tries to have a lack of focus...what that means is that the game is non-linear. There is no absolute set path to follow. You can either find your purpose in the world or go around exploring for ancient treasures and priceless artifacts. The game uses a first-person POV and you must fight various enemies who have different characteristics and methods of attack. The game is full of hidden rooms, hidden treasure, and deadly traps and you must search every corner if you intend on finding everything there is to find in KFIII. The game has a conversation log that allows you to read old messages from people you have already spoken with in the past. It can be extremely handy, especially if you are in a faraway place and don't want to go back to someone you've already met. The status screen is also more organized and Lyle seems as if he can turn a little faster. KFII had 20 spells, but KFIII has 25 (one new one for each element).

The game is still challenging as heck and the world is even bigger than KFII. There are inns that you can sleep at to restore your HP and MP now which can certainly help...and a few other small things that aren't really worth mentioning. Simply put, King's Field III is a prettier game set in a wonderfully detailed world that is totally engrossing. It offers more of the same and does it well. King's Field is generally known as a series that you either love or hate due to its slow pace. I can't say that I was overly thrilled with KFI, but I do love KFII and KFIII. The game gives gamers an opportunity to talk to people for plot or information...or you can just wander to your hearts content and put the pieces of the puzzle together yourself. As stated in my previous KF articles, the controls may take some getting used to, but it shouldn't take too long. I can't say that I can really find too much wrong with KFII and KFIII...and as someone else once put it, the non-linearity of KF puts the choices in your hands to bring about a refreshing role-playing experience. I found KFIII to be the best in the series.

- Written by Vyse the determined -