Games Happy

For the King II actually took me unexpectedly. I solely spent just a little little bit of time with the primary recreation after selecting it up on the Nintendo Swap a number of years again, however I used to be conscious of the sizable group that it’s constructed since its full launch in 2018. Earlier than PAX West’s doorways opened, I met up with Colby Younger and Michael “Mike” Jang from IronOak Video games to take a look at the sequel that the For the King group has been eagerly awaiting. As somebody who is just acquainted with For the King’s primary methods, I ended up being extra hooked than I anticipated in my temporary time with the sequel.

Earlier than making an attempt the sport out for myself, Mike defined that For the King II’s largest new characteristic was the addition of a 4th participant to the occasion. Many members locally felt that the 3-player limitation from the primary recreation felt too limiting and in lots of circumstances, they sadly needed to exclude a would-be 4th participant from enjoying with them. Plenty of For the King’s attract for a lot of gamers was in its wealthy multiplayer expertise to share your entire journey with different siblings, mates, companions, and so forth.

This additionally helped outline and information For the King II’s design philosophy – be greater and higher, however don’t repair what isn’t damaged. Having 4 gamers in For the King II, as an example, made splitting up the occasion a extra viable, much less dangerous choice now. Making an attempt this within the first For the King would go away a single particular person to fend for themselves, whereas For the King II permits gamers to divide themselves up evenly to cowl extra floor safely in duos.

If you’d like the sensation of being on a roadtrip along with your buddies in For the King II, landboats are one technique to get across the land of Fahrul now. As gamers may count on, the hexagon tile-based world map is far bigger within the sequel and modes of transportation assist everybody journey collectively extra effectively. Landboats step by step take harm as they transfer round, although visiting a Landport provides the choice to restore them at a price. Enemies can ambush you when touring in them, so gamers should be vigilant about defending their nifty car.

One other large change launched in For the King II is in its battle system. Characters not line up in a single lane anymore; as a substitute, each gamers and enemies now work with two lanes comprised of 4 areas. Positional location is a heavy emphasis in For the King II. The brand new grid setup permits for a entrance lane and rear lane dynamic, through which tankier melee characters tackle the brunt of incoming assaults. In the meantime, ranged courses can extra safely execute their recreation plan behind them. 

As I begun my hands-on time with For the King II, I used to be tasked with defending a stone shrine on the world map. 4 enemy teams spawned in because the occasion started and I had to ensure none of them landed on the tile with the shrine. I made a decision to cope with the enemies coming from the north first and it was a baptism by fireplace.

For the King II retains the difficult encounters that its predecessor possessed; it isn’t troublesome for the sake of being troublesome, however it pushes gamers to fastidiously take into consideration every transfer. I did not ambush the preliminary set of enemies, so that they instantly received the higher hand as my first fight encounter started. My occasion consisted of the Blacksmith, Hunter, Hobo, and the brand new Pathfinder class. I needed to shortly reposition my characters, so the Blacksmith and Hobo defended the opposite two characters on the entrance strains. Fortunately, the Blacksmith had a helpful taunt means to seize the enemies’ consideration for a short time.

After slowly chipping away on the menace with some protection buffs to my allies and armor debuffs to foes, I in some way survived. It appeared dire from the get-go, but I managed. Fortunately, the enemy group on the south was merely a lone wizard that I ambushed efficiently. 

Impressed by my efficiency, Mike advised one thing totally different – one thing that he needed extra skilled RPG gamers to see in the event that they grasped the fundamentals instantly.

He loaded up a distinct save that he known as the “superior demo.”

It had me tackling the Playing Den dungeon that’s a lot additional into the sport. I nonetheless had the identical occasion composition, however that they had larger ranges, higher gear, and extra skills to mess around with.

This demo featured enemies that had way more advanced formations and behaviors. Woman Luck was on my aspect, nevertheless. I shortly reviewed the brand new instruments I had in my possession, reminiscent of an AoE protection up buff that the Hobo might forged and a brand new devastating AoE frost assault from the Blacksmith that had an opportunity to not solely daze enemies, it inflicted the frozen standing ailment, as properly.

There have been further abilities that I coincidentally found. Certainly one of my allies propped up a scarecrow after they missed an enemy, in order that scarecrow served as a frontline decoy that enemies might hit. The area behind the scarecrow supplied a protection bonus, too. One other ally activated their Techniques perk after they received the ultimate hit on an enemy; the Techniques perk highlighted a rear tile that might grant a brief assault buff to anybody inside it.

Regardless of being on the “superior demo”, I discovered it to not be so unhealthy difficulty-wise. I used to be simply enjoying cautiously and safely, ensuring that my rear characters’ positions didn’t depart them uncovered and saved an eye fixed on how a lot warmth my entrance liners had been tanking. Even the mimic I got here throughout after making an attempt to loot a treasure chest didn’t greatest me, although it did deal a very good quantity of injury each time it received a success in. The 2 builders from IronOak Video games had been impressed.

Lastly, I arrived on the last room within the Playing Den dungeon. The Pirate King and his 4 henchmen awaited me. Every of his henchmen had been devastating archers that every one caught to the rear lane; there have been a number of dicey conditions and tense cube rolls that determined whether or not I’d confront the Pirate King with all of my occasion members – or solely a few of them.

By some means, they had been all nonetheless standing because the Pirate King stepped onto the battlefield with nearly 400 HP; the common enemy had wherever between 60-90 HP. This was going to be a frightening battle.

However…

My time was up in testing For the King II! Colby, Mike, and I had been so invested that we nearly went over the time restrict for our assembly. It was such a fascinating expertise within the temporary time I spent with it. I undoubtedly wish to rope my mates into enjoying For the King II when it launches on PC (Steam) a while this 12 months. It’ll be coming to different platforms after it hits PC.