Knights of the Road Review (Steam)

Knights of the Road Review, Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of Rockwall, strong and prosperous, and ruled by a king loved and respected by all. But soon a plight befell the kingdom: a curse struck the queen and put her in a deep and dreamless slumber. All the kingdom’s healers and sorcerers tried their trade, but no one could wake her from her eternal sleep. Distraught and desperate, the king himself turned to dark sorcery to find a cure for his beloved. But the dark occult is subtle and treacherous. It blackened the king’s heart more with each passing day and soon the dark forces possessed him whole. The kingdom of Rockwall began to fade into darkness…

Knights of the Road Review Pros:

  • Decent 8 Bit graphics.
  • 142.96MB Download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Full controller support.
  • Keyboard support.
  • Video settings – display, fullscreen, v-sync, and CRT filter.
  • Can remap both the keyboard and the controller.
  • Cheats – God mode (cannot die) can be turned on or off.
  • Beautiful 8 Bit art cutscenes.
  • Platformer gameplay.
  • A modern retro feel.
  • You can skip some cutscenes and fast-forward to others.
  • World map level select.
  • You are armed with a shield you can throw and it returns, and you can jump and place the shield underneath you so you can kill enemies that way. The shield can also block enemy projectiles.
  • You have a double jump and can reset the jumps by hitting or landing on an enemy.
  • Mana is in use and it goes down as you throw your shield and fills back up when you land up an enemy’s head or find a mana bottle.
  • Magicians are all over the world and they will save your progress and heal you for a price.
  • Gold drops from enemies and randomly from breakable objects.
  • Slide down slopes on your shield and get a super high jump at the end.
  • You can shield jump off projectiles to do higher jumps.
  • A surprising amount of ideas in what looks like a simple platformer.
  • Find secrets and shortcuts.
  • Boss battles.
  • Slight puzzle elements.

Knights of the Road Review Cons:

  • FYI but God mode disables achievements.
  • The mouse cursor stays on the screen even when using the controller.
  • Can’t jump up ladders to go faster.
  • The music can sound a bit repetitive.
  • No way to jump and throw your shield.
  • Drops like coins and health disappear way too fast.
  • Some of the screens are just empty spaces.
  • You don’t see the enemy’s health which is annoying on boss fights.
  • Characters don’t change what they say even after you have beaten a boss or opened a door.
  • Foreground art and scenery can get in the way.
  • Frustrating set pieces.

Related Post: Shift Legacy Collection Review (Steam)

Knights of the Road:

Official website.

Developer: Shiny Byte Studio

Publisher: Shiny Byte Studio

Store Links –

Steam

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Accessibility - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Fun Factor - 7/10
7/10

Summary

Knights of the Road offers a nostalgic experience with its decent 8-bit graphics and beautiful art cutscenes, creating a modern retro feel. The game is lightweight, with a download size of just 142.96MB, and supports both keyboard and full controller use, allowing players to remap controls to their preference. Video settings include display options, fullscreen mode, v-sync, and a CRT filter, enhancing the visual experience. The platformer gameplay is enriched by a world map level select, and the ability to skip or fast-forward cutscenes adds convenience. Players are equipped with a versatile shield that can be thrown, used to block projectiles, and even placed underneath to kill enemies. The game also features Steam achievements, though enabling God mode, which prevents death, will disable these achievements.

However, there are some drawbacks. The mouse cursor remains on the screen even when using a controller, and players cannot jump up ladders to move faster. The music can become repetitive, and there is no option to jump and throw the shield simultaneously. Drops like coins and health disappear quickly, and some screens feel empty. The lack of visible enemy health bars can be frustrating during boss fights, and characters do not change their dialogue after significant events. Foreground art and scenery can obstruct the view, and certain set pieces can be frustrating.

Despite these issues, the game introduces several interesting mechanics. Players have a double jump that can be reset by hitting or landing on enemies, and mana is used for throwing the shield, replenished by landing on enemies or finding mana bottles. Magicians scattered throughout the world save progress and heal players for a price, and gold drops from enemies and breakable objects. Players can slide down slopes on their shield for a super high jump and shield jump off projectiles for higher jumps. The game is packed with ideas, offering secrets, shortcuts, boss battles, and slight puzzle elements, making it more than just a simple platformer.

In summary, Knights of the Road combines charming 8-bit graphics and innovative gameplay mechanics with some frustrating elements. While it offers a rich and engaging experience with plenty of secrets and challenges, certain design choices and repetitive aspects may detract from the overall enjoyment.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!