The kingdom of the dead upgrade#

Each mission can last between twenty to forty-five minutes or so, and checkpoints are strewn throughout each level, so death feels more like an inconvenience than a chore. The story is minimal but gets the job done. While I would stray from saying that Kingdom of the Dead is perfect, it is far more capable than its first impressions would lead it to seem. At first, it feels a little strange against the detailed and smooth art style Kingdom presents, but once the game’s tone settles in for the player, it all comes together and makes sense for what the developers were going for- an atmospheric dive into a Lovecraftian trade paperback in an early 90s computer game format.Ĭlick images to enlarge. Lined with deep synthesizers and driving beats, the music feels like it would be right at home in the library of the 16-bit era. The soundtrack also delivers on the pulp horror feel of the rest of the game. Admittedly, I found a number of the filters distracting but there is certainly something for everyone in the options. If you’re not feeling the black and white palette, though, there are several filters to change the tint and linework of the art. It feels flat and brilliant at the same time and rarely feels stagnant. Splashes of color appear in small details, like blood splatters and power-ups, along with the occasional effect of flames and explosions. By default, the game plays out in a literal sketchy monotone with environments, enemies, and all other elements being beautifully rendered in a unique style. From the first few minutes of Kingdom’s start, we are treated to beautiful hand-drawn graphics that persist through the entire game. What really stands out is the presentation of the game on all fronts. In turn, this makes the difficulty balance feel fairer than a lot of other games in the genre and makes the game more accessible to those less versed in the insanity FPS games can be known for.Ĭlick images to enlarge. This creates more of a challenge by adding enemies that wouldn’t have been encountered otherwise or adding tension to the already frantic combat, rather than making the enemies tougher. These usually involve finding an item in a separate part of the level off the beaten path or ensuring that captives found in the levels don’t die. While the primary objective may be the same no matter the difficulty chosen, a second and third objective can be added while choosing a mission. It does offer a variable challenge to players, however, by offering special objectives to make the levels tougher, should they choose to. In true retro manner, the game relies more on skill and tactics on the player’s part than on improving in-game stats.

The kingdom of the dead upgrade#

Outside of the occasional heart that you can find throughout the levels to upgrade how much damage you can take before perishing, there is little in the way of bolstering your defenses. As the mission unfolds, you’ll chance across more weapons to add to the arsenal like the powerful but inaccurate shotgun or the deadly-from-a-distance rifle. After choosing one of the available missions to embark on, you’ll be guided into the location with just Chamberlain’s sword and a simple pistol to defend yourself with. Kingdom of the Dead has little in the way of frills, mechanically speaking.