Future Knight Reviews
Future Knight looks like nothing you've played on the Switch. In fact, it probably looks like nothing you've played since the '80s. The LCD-inspired visuals are certainly fun, but so are the 2D arcade action platforming and the bizarre narrative, making this a unique choice for retro enthusiasts.
A quirky LCD-inspired adventure that successfully captures the feel of a forgotten handheld gaming era
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Studio Koba and Aeternum Game Studios have built a 2D action shooter that makes its own aesthetic identity and its unconventional approach two fundamental elements, but that does not coast on an original concept alone. The idea of embedding the adventure inside an old Game & Watch is not just an aesthetic gimmick: it influences how we read the environments, tackle the levels, and learn to recognise the elements we can interact with. The music, with its simple but carefully crafted vocal lines, also helps give the experience its personality. It is precisely this coherence between artistic vision and gameplay that makes the difference. The system based on the collaboration between Future Knight and Two More is another successful idea. The two protagonists' abilities offer interesting solutions both in combat and in platforming sections, pushing us to experiment and make the most of their quirks. A few imprecisions in Two More's controls and some checkpoints that are not always well placed can create moments of frustration, but they do not compromise the experience as a whole. The most evident limitation is probably its length. Five hours to complete the adventure and collect all the secrets is not much, while replayability relies mostly on hard mode and the pursuit of records. It is something to keep in mind, but it does not erase the merits of a game that knows what it wants to be and carries its idea through with coherence. In the end, Future Knight is a small project with a clearly defined character, capable of mixing nostalgia, experimentation and nonsense humour without sacrificing solid gameplay. It will not be a particularly long experience, but it is an adventure worth playing, especially for those looking for something different from the usual 2D action game.
Future Knight is a bold, fun, simple, and creative game. Its presentation is impeccable, and the hybrid gameplay concept works very well; however, its simplicity leaves room for improvement—whether regarding specific technical issues (such as the poor translation and frustrating gameplay moments) or the refinement of the protagonists. It is an adventure that stands out for its beautiful visuals—with the potential to save the world from an old lady and her spotless long johns—but one that also requires some urgent hardware repairs.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Future Knight is not a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but it is more interesting to me than most AAA releases this year. Its art style took me back to when I was a kid, playing with my Shinobi handheld, but it plays like you remember it feeling, not how it legitimately did. Future Knight has smooth 2D platforming, good combat, and cool boss fights. Whether it was the risk-reward combat, the nostalgia I felt from the visual style, or the simple pick-up-and-play nature of levels that last less than five minutes each, I really enjoyed my time with this game, and I would recommend it to anyone with a penchant for awesome 2D platformers.
Without any doubt, Future Knight is the biggest surprise of the year in the retro-inspired indie subgenre. It comes completely out of left field to leave its mark on the canon of indie retro-inspired video game development. This will sprout copycats and wannabes, for sure, if it manages to find a wide enough audience. It is totally unique in style, both visually and to the ear, but underneath all that weirdness is a fundamentally great platformer that nails the way you can exploit the two protagonists' unique abilities. It is a gem to be nurtured, and the fact that it has largely been overlooked by the major gaming outlets only makes its discovery feel more special. Within our little realm of retro-inspired video gaming we declare this game perfect, except for a couple of sizable bugs and fairly short playthrough and sudden end.
While I have played quite a number of retro games over the years with a variety of visual styles, I can’t say I’ve played any that looked like this… and it plays pretty well too!
Future Knight will leave you scratching your head for the majority of its four-hour runtime thanks to the many moments of confusion it brings, but there is a strong platform shooter in there with fun challenges, attempting to escape the absurdity surrounding it. If everything I’ve said sounds great to you, then I hope you have a good time, but for others it might all be a little too much.
Future Knight offers a fresh and enjoyable experience thanks to highly original graphics and smooth, entertaining gameplay. The game's cheeky, charming tone enhances immersion, working hand in hand with mechanics that—despite scaling up in difficulty as you progress—always do so gradually enough to let you adapt naturally.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I really enjoyed my time with Future Knight and I'm already playing it again to try and unlock the harder achievements simply because it's so much fun. The old LCD console aesthetic is wonderful, as is the gameplay, and the vintage anime style combined with the absurd plot was incredibly entertaining. I highly recommend it to nostalgic gamers, fans of 2D action-platformers, and anyone who wants to experience the charm of retro gaming.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I love creative stuff like this. Future Knight may rely on a familiar jump-and-shoot foundation, but its presentation, dual-character design, and excellent bosses give it a personality that few games can match. It played beautifully on the ROG Xbox Ally X, and turning that hardware into a giant futuristic Game & Watch is a novelty I will not forget anytime soon.
Future Knight is a short, straightforward, and incredibly fun shoot 'em up that unapologetically embraces the video games of the '80s and '90s. Its excellent controls, clever use of characters, and meticulously designed bosses make you want to play it over and over again.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s a game I can’t find a single fault with; everything about it is positive, and it delivers on everything it sets out to do perfectly. Future Knight is one of those games that proves there are still plenty of ideas left to explore in the world of video games
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Future Knight is an impressive experience. While it’s a simple game in terms of gameplay, it’s engaging enough for its unique visual beauty to enrich the experience. Although it could have featured different types of weapons and a greater variety of biomes, what it offers is a unique and enjoyable adventure.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Future Knight is a reflection on nostalgia. What might seem like a simple nod to a retro aesthetic is used very wisely in every aspect of the video game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review