A very underrated game, but most likely because of a different gameplay logic, that the west is used to.

User Rating: 9 | Legend of the North: Konung PC
By slowbutpowerful | Review Date:
OK, so I played this game a long-long time ago, and since today is the release of konung 3, I got nostalgic and decided to check out gamespots reviews on the older games. I have got to say, that I was quite surprised to find such a low rating. Konung series are a very "interesting" subject in my opinion. The point I am going to make can also be applied to games like Age of Pirates. However, lets concentrate on konung for now. Surely the game does not have all the glamor and polish a generic gamer is used to. It has something else. It has character. I tries things that most games don't try either because the developers think that it is lame in some way, or just because they want to stay on the paved path. No one disagrees that most games like this will be referenced back to Diablo, just because Diablo set the bar. But is this really a bad thing? Games evolve, essentially they are based on familiar formulas, that have been executed in the past.

The truth is, this game is very good in creating a sense of place. Surely the game does not have all the glamor and polish a generic gamer is used to. It has something else. It has character. I tries things that most games don't try either because the developers think that it is lame in some way, or just because they want to stay on the paved path. But would Diablo have been so great if no one tried to divert from the dusty old genre? In the end of the day it is all about the small changes, and Konung is very good at trying, and mostly succeeding.

The game is in no way perfect. Hell, the whole series is a little wacky. The biggest turn-off for people is probably the combat system that is pretty simple. Without all those tasty spells and special attacks, the combat sort-of recedes into the center of things. At first the game seems a little flat, just because it doesn't tease people in, like most flashy games do. I am not going to take sides on this, since I like a good game, and personally do not care weather it is a low budget production, or is a work of a giant like Ubisoft. However, returning to the subject-

Due to this absence of teasers, the game has a unique feel, when nothing stands out, and rather seems to work as one whole thing. It is little things, like digging for treasure, and managing the village, from a perspective of a warrior. Asking for recruits to be trained and patiently waiting. Making sure that their trainer is capable enough to train them the way you want them. It is the world itself, that is based on old Slavic lore. It is the invisible magic, that takes place from the time you leave city town limits, and tip-toe through the forest, peaking behind every bush. This games makes you wonder what will happen next. What will appear further on? In my opinion, this game succeeds as a whole, and that is why I am going to avoid giving a break-down score of all of its components. I am very pleased with it.

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