KINGDOM of the DEAD Reviews
As things stand, Kingdom of the Dead is a great proof of concept that is still an enjoyable retro FPS but doesn't quite live up to the aesthetics. I'm keen to see what the developer produces next though as they clearly have a real flair for design and a love of old school FPS games.
Despite its faults, and like Painkiller before it, Kingdom of the Dead is a very playable, wave-based gothic experience complete with ammo-pool weapons, a weird lore, and a surprisingly smooth performance–and to get your money’s worth, you have to ramp up that difficulty.
Overall, Kingdom of the Dead is a true love letter to arena shooters and the horror genre. This game stands out among its peers and its visual design, as well as its soundtrack, highlight how unique DIRIGO's style is. It won't be for everyone, as the same things that make the experience tight and replayable can paradoxically make it repetitive and unengaging. Despite this risk, anyone with an interest should absolutely check out Kingdom of the Dead and enjoy some good old-fashioned demon hunting.
KINGDOM of the DEAD is a pretty damned good horror FPS with enough compelling ideas to stand on its own. The monochrome, hand-drawn visuals really sell the game’s Lovecraftian-noir tone, without interfering with gameplay. Plus, its varied additional mission objectives make its difficulty settings feel more multi-layered. Still, with its short play-time, minimal plot, and lack of unlockable content, it won’t be engaging for everyone. However, for those looking for some retro FPS fun, KINGDOM of the DEAD is a unique enough experience to be worth the recommendation.
Kingdom of the Dead is a solid retro-inspired first-person shooter created by Dirigo Games who understandably love the 90s approach to level design and gameplay.
Kingdom of the Dead might not always stick the landing, but it might be worth experiencing for fans of games like Wolfenstein and Quake.
Kingdom of the Dead has solid combat and good level design, but it's let down by an absence of challenge and some severe performance issues.
KINGDOM of the DEAD is nice. Sadly, that's all there is to say about it. Putting the neat "ink & paper" art style and unique synth OST aside, what's left is a way too simplistic love letter to mid '90s FPS games that just doesn't manage to impress in any way. Fun, but it's the one evening kind of fun.
KINGDOM of the DEAD has some potential to be a good oldschool FPS game, but bugs, strange design decisions, poor variability of weapons or enemies and uninteresting bossfights pull it down.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Kingdom of the Dead is the work of a developer who understands what makes classic first-person shooters so fun and captivating. The game is unafraid to be a little unfair. It takes skill to chain headshots, it is hard to deal with big groups of mixed enemies, especially on the higher difficulties. But it feels very good when you ace a boss fight with just a bit of health left over.
Over the years, many have tried to work out what exactly it is that makes games successful. Is it the art, music, mechanics, or a combination of all three? Although a definitive answer remains elusive, what is known is how games continue to stay with us, and the titles often remembered are not always the ones to win awards. Rather, they are often the kinds of games that reach into our souls and ignite an unforeseen passion. Kingdom of the Dead is a loving and thoughtful successor to a much-beloved series that birthed an entire genre, and maybe, just maybe, Kingdom of the Dead will be able to revive those same feelings of love and enjoyment once more for an entirely new generation.
While its technical shortcomings are hard to ignore, there’s an undeniably solid shooter buried beneath Kingdom of the Dead‘s bumps and bruises. With fantastic presentation and a satisfying arsenal of weapons to wield, it’s a worthwhile throwback to a simpler time when monster closets were plentiful, and stopping to reload your guns was unheard of. If you’re a fan of DOS-era shooters and don’t mind a bit of jank, there are far worse ways to spend a weekend.
Kingdom of the Dead will get your attention with its pen and ink style visuals while keeping you hooked with its retro-FPS inspired gameplay. Old school gamers will enjoy it for that retro-inspired gameplay and setting. Fans of shooters will enjoy it for being a modern take on a classic setup.
It likely won’t win any awards, but if you’re in the mood for a competent movement shooter and don’t feel like replaying Titanfall 2’s campaign for the 30th time, this is an acceptable choice.
I firmly believe that DIRIGO Games has achieved a very special game based on combining unusual ingredients in his magician's pot. The Wild West combined with Lovecraft, Poe and even Richard Corben or Frank Miller, in a frenetic, precise, scalable First Person Shooter that gives little to the player. Taste of the genre in a classic way, mixed with the unleashed and healthy indie that we live in today, Kingdom of the Dead is a proposal that does not expand and exploit, but cannot leave you indifferent either.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Kingdom of the Dead has a lot going for it from its great art direction and level design and its understanding and appreciation of that old school FPS gameplay. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t quite hit on all notes with its lackluster general enemy encounters and sound design.
Overall KINGDOM of the DEAD is a bit rough around the edges, but it’s very clear the team at Dirigo have a passion for classic first-person shooters.
Kingdom of the Dead is a game I definitely wouldn’t mind booting up again for a rainy, Halloween night. Despite the simplicity, its charm and creative direction alone is enough to carry the game into something truly worthwhile. Plus, it has the coolest game over screen ever.
Kingdom of the Dead is a fast-paced horror FPS with a brilliant aesthetic and soundtrack. Though it lacks polish, this love letter to old school horror games proves to be a fun experience with some fun moments of hopeless terror.
Kingdom of The Dead is far from a polished game; with a unique art style and somewhat enticing gameplay, it delivers a bland experience for fans of the older Doom and Quake series. Filled with bugs and uninspired enemies, Kingdom of the Dead is far from the game that the developer is trying to market.