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'While King Maximus ruled the land, life was good in the four continents. The Sceptre of Order rested safely in his hands, keeping at bay the forces of darkness that infested the world. Children were happy. Merchants prospered. Honest folks made honest livings. And nobody complained much.
But far across the waters, Arech Dragonbreath, leader of the Dark Legions, looked enviously upon the wealth and splendour of the four continents. With the aid of great magic, Arech stole into the chambers of King Maximus and wrested the Sceptre from the grip of the sleeping King. He then released his evil forces, ordering his minions and lieutenants to seize the land in whatever manner they pleased (as long as it involved considerable amounts of pain and terror)...'
The people of the American company New World Computing – particularly the founder of the label, Jon Van Caneghem – seemed to be very imaginative when it came to create innovative game ideas. Primarily known for the famous 'Might and Magic' series (e.g. 'Might and Magic – Book Two: Gates to Another World', 'Might and Magic III – The Isles of Terra') the studio developed a few programs apart from the role-playing game genre, too: One of these non-RPGs was the World War III satire 'Nuclear War', which was heavily criticized because of its black humour that wasn't everyone's cup of tea... another title was 'King’s Bounty', released at the end of 1990, at first available on PC...
Until today 'King’s Bounty' is believed to be the spiritual father and unofficial first part of the meanwhile legendary 'Heroes of Might and Magic' series. Furthermore, a remake called 'King’s Bounty – The Legend' was released in autumn 2008 – however, that wasn't developed by New World Computing anymore, but by the Russian games studio Katauri Interactive. About a year later, the sequel 'Armored Princess' followed – unlike to its precursor, this time a female protagonist was the central character of the adventure. Since the end of 2010, the add-on 'Crossworlds' is available, too...
But let's get back to the original, which got the ball rolling...
In the title screen you can see the stolen sceptre - strangely, it looks different in some versions of the game...
'Bring me the Head of Arech Dragonbreath...'
Have I said before that 'King’s Bounty' is a non-role-playing game? Well, that's only half the truth – in fact, this title is a cross between strategy and role-playing game elements...
Goal of the game is – how could it be otherwise – to bring back the stolen sceptre to its rightful owner. But who will take on this heavy burden? Like in other programs of this kind, at first you've to choose your character. Four heroes offer their services: the honourable knight, the religious paladin, the talented sorceress and the muscle-bound barbarian. Naturally, each one of them has his/her pros and cons: Whereas the sorceress is the only person who's able to perform magic right at the beginning of the game, her skills to command an army are rather poor. The barbarian again is a very powerful commander; on the other hand his knowledge of magic is extremely weak...
When the player has chosen his hero, he still has to select the degree of difficulty – also here; four are available, which match the time limit to find the sceptre of the King. Nine hundred days are the maximum ('easy') whereas two hundred days represent the minimum ('intense')...
Unsung heroes...
'My Home is my Castle...'
The adventure starts in front of the gates of King Maximus' splendid castle. This is at the same time the key element of the game, because here the player has the chance to buy fresh troops for his private army. Private army? Yes, you've read right, in 'King’s Bounty' the hero doesn't wield the sword and magic wand respectively himself, but preferred to let his minions do the dirty job...
Initially, only three different units are at your service: militia, archers and pikemen – cavalry and knights can't yet be bought. Not before you have achieved first successes in finding the sceptre, the King will promote you and thereupon you're able to recruit these troops, too...
When you have completed your little army – by the way, this can't contain more than five different troop types – you're ready to explore the huge kingdom... namely, on horseback, as befits a medieval bounty hunter! But where to start the search? Maybe a short visit in the small town of Hunterville could be helpful? Apart from the option to gather information about the several castles throughout the realm (who rules them and what troops are located there?) the player can also get a special contract, which authorizes him to hunt down a specific, wanted villain. A hefty bounty as well as a fragment of a map that consists of altogether twenty-five pieces (and if put together reveals the spot where the magic sceptre is hidden) represent the reward for capturing the criminal...
Moreover, here you can buy several spells or rent a boat to sail between the four continents (Continentia, Forestria, Archipelia and Saharia) of the kingdom at a later point of the game. If you plan to conquer an enemy castle, you've to buy a catapult – such a siege weapon you can acquire for a lot of gold in the towns, too...
The King's castle - not only starting point of your crusade against Arech Dragonbreath, but also the place for hiring new troops and getting promoted...
'Cash is King...'
...and nothing is for free. As you can see, things aren't different in the world of 'King’s Bounty'. After all, the troops want to be paid for their services. Fortunately, you don't have to pay them out of your own pocket, because King Maximus takes over this task. But you know the saying, 'There's a lot more, where that came from!' What I mean with this is that the King can be a very open-handed man: After capturing one of the treasonists, he's extremely generous and rewards the player as well as his 'cohorts' with a hefty bounty, like already mentioned before...
But King Maximus' readiness to invest more money in your army can also be increased by collecting the many treasure chests, which are spread over the four continents. Those chests aren't chests in the proper sense, but rather a symbol for many different events! For example, they represent an area with rich mineral deposits – if the player's hero has discovered such an area, the King increases the weekly salary...
Furthermore, treasure chests can contain still other things/events that have a favourable effect on the player:
• Gold:
Actually the standard contents of each traditional treasure chest, isn't it? You can keep it for yourself (be it, because you want to recruit new troops or buy new spells in the towns) or distribute it to your men to raise your leadership.
• Increasing the spell capacity:
...from troop shamans you meet.
• Maps of other continents:
You must have maps to be able to travel to the other continents.
Okay, at first glance, certainly the gold is extremely seductive, after all, you could increase the number of your troops with it. But beware! What good is the biggest army if its leader is unable to control it, because of a lack of leadership? Exactly, absolutely nothing - if the worst comes to the worst, suddenly your own men attack each other during a battle instead of fighting against the enemy! Consequently, the disaster is pre-programmed and the battle is already as good as lost...
Things to do in Hunterville...
Legendary Artefacts...
Additionally, there are eight special objects, like e.g. the 'Anchor of Admiralty' or the 'Crown of Command', which make the player's life much easier by granting certain advantages to him (the cost of boat rentals will be reduced, your leadership will be doubled etc.) as it's the case in the two remakes of 'King’s Bounty' (although there you can collect far more artefacts and equipment). Conveniently, also a piece of the above mentioned map is stored in the same chest that contains one of the eight artefacts...
On every corner of the realm you come across signposts that sometimes reveal useful hints. For example, right at the beginning of the adventure, you find out that two of the altogether eight artefacts are hidden on each continent. But also in terms of orientation the program doesn't let you down, because it offers an integrated 'automap' feature – and such a function is very useful... the fantasy world you've to explore is pretty huge! But it's not enough to search the mainland for well hidden treasures – sooner or later our hero has to rent a boat; after all, the one or two islands contain a secret, too...
But also by air you can explore the realm: If your army consists of one or more flying creature troops, like e.g. dragons, demons or vampires, you can raise yourself into the air – at least, that's the case in the Sega Mega Drive version of the game... but I strongly resume that this applies to the computer variants of 'King’s Bounty', too...
These knight sprites represent an enemy army...
Deal with the Grim Reaper...
Wait a minute... dragons, demons and even vampires as a part of the own army? That's right! The troops at the homey castle aren't the only allies – you can hire new troops at all places of the country; it doesn't matter whether these are caves, tree houses, woods or covered wagons. But also these don't offer their services for free – even the wicked creatures from the realm of the dead (skeletons, zombies, ghosts) want to see gold... things have come to a pretty pass...
But let's get to the strategic part of the New World Computing product: the fights. This section of the game reminds a little of the 'AD&D' titles by SSI ('Pool of Radiance', 'Secret of the Silver Blades', 'Champions of Krynn' etc.). Nevertheless, the 'brawls' in 'King's Bounty' don't require the same strategic planning as it's the case in the just mentioned 'Gold Box' games or even perhaps the modern remakes – the several actions of each unit (shown by a relevant sprite, which represents a whole army) are limited to the absolutely necessary! Moreover, there's no scrolling. On the other hand, the contingent of different troops – and of course enemies – is very large: starting with knights, archers and archmages right through to dwarves, nomads and wolves, the program offers all kinds of beings! To make things a little more complicated, or in other words, to limit the freedom of movement, some obstacles (hills, trees or ponds) are located on the 'field of honour', too...
After a successful fight, you get a right royal reward from King Maximus – but this is much bigger if you succeed in capturing one of the treasonists! These are hiding in the well defended castles – to conquer such a stronghold you'll need a catapult (as mentioned before). Only with that weapon, laying a siege is possible. When the villain is defeated (and his piece of the map has been confiscated; see above), you've the option to garrison the now empty castle – such a course of action additionally increases the weekly income. However, the professional bounty hunter should always pay attention that the just defeated villain and the wanted criminal are one and the same person! If that's not the case, he escapes and searches for a new hideout – considering the deadline to find the sceptre of the King, such a misfortune isn't just annoying but moreover a pure waste of time...
The battle screen...
'Meeting your Waterloo...'
Like in other strategy and role-playing games respectively, also in 'King's Bounty' you'll have to accept the one or two defeats sooner or later. But in contrast to most titles of that kind, the game isn't over at once after such a setback. If the own army has been destroyed, our hero finds himself in front of the gates of the King's castle again – now he has the chance to hire fresh troops to start a new try...
When all four continents have been explored, the treasonists have been caught and finally you hold the sceptre in your hands, you've managed it to put an end to Arech Dragonbreath's reign of terror. However, it's not necessary to find all pieces of the map – with a keen sense for detail (and a bit of luck) it's even possible to win the game without discovering all fragments...
At last, I've to say that Jon Van Caneghem's 'King’s Bounty' was one of the most innovative programs of its day – even now the basic concept of the game is extremely absorbing, as it's the case in the two remakes, too. A real classic indeed... I think I have nothing to add...
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The game's graphics are very colourful and moreover quit detailed, albeit the whole event is shown from a top-down perspective. Also the several illustrations, which appear when you enter new locations, are very nice to watch and enrich the program immensely. Okay, the scrolling is very jerky, or in other words, the setting scrolls step by step – but because 'King's Bounty' is a strategy/role-playing game cocktail that does not take place in real-time, this fact is actually of no consequence! Unfortunately, also the animations don't belong to the highlights of the program – particularly, the sprites on the battlefield aren't that good. However, compared to other titles of this genre, the New World Computing product contained really great graphics back in 1990/91...
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Sadly, 'King’s Bounty' takes a backseat in terms of the background music on the Amiga – in stark contrast to its counterpart on the Sega Mega Drive! Apart from a few short, but nevertheless good-sounding (digitized?) jingles, there's nothing to hear. Unfortunately, the several sfx are really annoying – particularly, the clip-clop of hooves, which you can hear while riding around the map, is almost as pesky as the walking sound of the three kids in Lucasfilm Games'/LucasArts' adventure classic 'Maniac Mansion' (at least in the C64 version) or the four heroes of Teque's 'light and shadow' role-playing game 'Shadowlands'! Thankfully, the program offers the option to turn off both music and sfx... sometimes less is more...
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Like I said before, 'King's Bounty' is a very intriguing title, which contains an extremely fresh concept. Moreover, on the one hand, the program is very extensive - on the other hand, it's quite easy to handle. Unlike to the original PC version, which can only be controlled by keyboard, you can also use a mouse on the Amiga – however, manoeuvring the own character over the world map via keyboard is the far better choice... the same applies to the battles! Fortunately, the degree of difficulty is adjustable and the loading times are within reasonable limits – moreover, you're able to save your progress at anytime...
But even such an innovative genre mix like 'King’s Bounty' has a big downside, because compared to traditional role-playing games here the 'secret main character' of each program of that category is missing – namely, the classic maze... or in other words: the dark and dangerous dungeon! Sadly, the locations you can visit are limited to an animated picture including a menu for the purpose of hiring new troops, buying spells, getting a new contract for hunting down a villain and so on – so the aspect of exploration in the proper meaning of the word solely happens on the world map! In the contemporary remake 'King's Bounty – The Legend' and 'King's Bounty – Armored Princess' as well as its offshoot 'Crossworlds' that's different (well, at least partially): Here, crypts, mines and also classic dungeons can be 'really' explored...
Interestingly, the Genesis/Mega Drive version differs significantly from the remaining computer variants: On Sega's video game console everything happens in real-time and the enemies aren't represented by an anonymous sprite anymore, but by the leader of the respective troop! A premature escape isn't possible, too, because when an enemy collides with the player, the well-known question 'Attack? Yes/No' doesn't appear in the cartridge variant...
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Jon Van Caneghem's 'King's Bounty' is much more than the prototype of the famous 'Heroes of Might and Magic' series: It's a piece of video game history, which led the whole strategy/role-playing game genre into a new direction back in 1990 (at first on PC), as it should be also the case with Westwood's 'Dune II - The Battle for Arrakis' three years later...
...a kingly gift indeed... |
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