Fit for a King (Review)
By Rae
With a catalogue that includes Boyfriend Dungeon, MoonHunters, Dwarf Fortress, and many others, you’ve probably heard of Kitfox gamesat some point. Kitfox’s collection seems to have something for everyone, includingtheir latest release – Fit for a King.
Fit for a King is a fairly small and impressively nostalgicyet modern game in which the player takes the role of a king or a queenpreparing to out-grandeur their rival at an upcoming summit. The goal of thegame is to prepare a summit display that will impress and shame your rival (asthey so rightly deserve, of course), but the hows, whens, and in-betweens areall up to you. You don’t get much guidance, outside of conversations, but youhave free reign to wander and explore, unlocking not only the secrets of yourkingdom, but also distant lands.
The controls are simple – everything is keyboard based, and you can move using arrow keys. Any time you’re not sure of a command, simply type H and you’ll get some assistance. Of course, you’ll have the chance to interact with the people and things you’ll run into. And you continue conversations, you’ll get a hint or two about the sort of conversation you can delve into – every conversation has a few keywords, or perhaps another character has given you a tip to ask so-and-so about roast dragons or exotic animals. Some are more challenging than others – quite often, if you say something to the right person, they can at least point you in the direction of who can help. But there are also times you’ll be met with “What?,” requiring you to try elsewhere over and over. There was at least one thing for the summit that I was never able to find (though I’ll try again next time!), and undoubtedly quite a bit I have yet to discover.
Fit for a King’s world seemed deceptively small at first,but it’s definitely a nice little sandbox game once you get going. The playercan wander the castle, and eventually into town. Soon, you start to realize allthe different routes you can take and areas you can interact with, leading youto all sorts of adventures. I uncovered distant kingdoms, crypts with sadghosts, and pirate ships readying for battle. I learned to play the lute, andfound a gold-hunting cat on the edge of town. Surprises, both small and big,are around every corner. Along the way, you’ll find quirky, fun details. Sharkswill pop up to stop you from venturing too far into the ocean, and an assassinmight find you, screaming a quick Game of Thrones reference. Honestly, I’mfairly certain I only got through a small portion of the game so far, and itwas still a grand adventure.
You can also reform the church to fit your needs – most specificallyaround marriage. Want a divorce? Want a second wife? You’re the ruler – do whatyou want! The kingdom – and church – is your oyster.
Disclaimer: this is how I ended up with 2 wives and 5husbands (including a very rude one who wanted to be ‘rescued’ :( )
The freedom of the game is great, and allows players towander at their leisure. It felt fun to explore and learn more as I went,though occasionally I might have liked a hint or two. It was hard to get boredof the adventure, and you can finish the game any time you want to see yourending and get an epilogue, though of course throwing a subpar summit doesn’tget you a very nice experience with your rival. As a result, the replayabilityseems high so far, and I’m looking forward to delving in a little deeper in thefuture. I also enjoyed the quirky little references. Game of Thrones lines werewell used, and an achievement even references the classic Herman’s Hermits song,Henry VIII.
One of the best draws, at least on a technical side, is thatFit for a King is pretty resource-light, and even lets you turn off sound andswitch graphics if you don’t have a colour monitor. It’s amazingly adaptable topretty much anyone’s hardware, which is a rarity in today’s world ofincreasingly detailed and graphics-heavy games. If you can though, make sure tolisten to the sound – it’s great!
Fit for a King should be a great fit for anyone who enjoys silly, fictional history adventures, nostalgic graphics, and offbeat sandbox games. There’s a whole lot to like in it, for a variety of players. Interested? Fit for a King comes out today, September 5th! Pick it up and prepare to write your legacy.