Wow, how did I miss this article? More proof that Ashley is awesome. The King's Field series is probably one of the most underrated series of all time. I was actually really disheartened when I saw that Demon's Souls was third person. Something about KF really makes the first person view very powerful... I'm not sure why or how; every little nuance from falling into a pit and turning around to see a slew of monsters, to bending over to pick up an herb really makes you feel like you're there in the caverns. I think even the annoying aspects of the game like the slow turning and the limited view distance amplified this effect, as odd as it sounds - the game just wouldn't have been what it was if you could do instant 180o spins ala Quake (and trust me, I'm a huge quake nerd). Another "bad" aspect that really worked was the fact that you were just so alone. Towns were few and far between and barely had more than a shopkeeper. The enemies in the game were either alien in nature or hauntingly inhuman and provided no comfort whereas in other games sometimes even the enemies prevent you from feeling alone. Not the case in KF.
As well, I love how open-ended the first games were. I know this term is thrown around a lot but KF truly was nonlinear. From the very moment you're dropped on the shore and listening to the atmospheric music and echoing ambiance you have at least half a dozen different options for paths to traverse. Glad to see other people remembering the games so fondly.
Also, a couple more songs for your listening pleasure: Passage for a Monk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDapXvnjAhI and West Coast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyIjbs_TPgM
In reply to a Destructoid Article on 10/8/2009.
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