King's Quest: Chapter 5 - The Good Knight (PlayStation 4) Review

For all its wit, humour, and charm, Episode V begins on a darker tone, raising topics like the death of loved ones and human mortality. The game never loses its charming, family-friendly tone, however, and remains consistent in its delivery. Animations and controls shift slightly to reflect a much older King Graham. Visuals remain steady, and while the game has never been photorealistic or particularly stunning overall, the unique art style works well and will likely stand the test of time in its own right.

The episode focuses attention on some of the changes to Graham's kingdom over the years, both providing some refreshment to the environments and tugging at players' heartstrings. The king's narration does the same, with Graham forgetting some details of his adventures, leaving a clearly saddened Gwendolyn to correct him.

As with previous chapters, the game is more about storytelling than gameplay, so those looking for a fine-tuned, interactive experience might be disappointed. King's Quest remains somewhat of a visual novel, with puzzles serving as a means for players to advance the story—and given that it's one of the best stories gaming has to offer, the fact that it isn't overly challenging works in its favour. That aside, a segment toward the end of the episode remains one of the most clever fourth-wall breaking moments in memory, a surprise players will have to reach for themselves.