There's considerably more gear/items to collect in KF3, which provides the means for deeper strategy in approaching combat. There are far more NPCs to converse with in KF3, allowing for a more involved and detailed plot. Graphics improved over KF2, giving KF3 an edge with its atmosphere and immersion. This means there's way more variety to locales, and the way recursive exploration works is more intuitive. KF3 is more expansive in scope, you're not just stuck on an island like in KF2. There are areas in KF3 specifically designed to be highly challenging such as The Path of Poison and the infamous Passage of Death. The amount of ground to cover is considerably larger in KF3 as well, so not getting lost takes more skill. Puzzles are more complex, and enemy AI is better, and late game baddies pack more of a punch in KF3. The difficulty level has risen in KF3 vs KF2. I thought it was a pleasant diversion, but a half baked one. If I were to rank them from most favorite to less favorite:Įternal Ring gets a bad rap, but it's a bit like if you mixed King's Field with Jewel Master, this is what you'd get.

The Ultima Underworld games come close, but they still aren't as distilled in the atmosphere department. The feelings of immersion, isolation, and forlorn survival in these games are just unbeatable. What Sacibengala says about the atmosphere is exactly right, the key reason that I loved all these dungeon crawlers. I wrote an in-depth review for it a few years ago: Sure the game is crusty, but it can still be very exciting and surprising.

I beat the original PS1 version of King's Field, using this translation patch:Īnd yes, KF1 was worth the trouble to play.

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