King's Quest 5 is easily one of the best of KQ games. It was the one that sucked me down, deep, into the guilty pleasures of Sierra's quest games. King's Quest 5 starts with your character, who is King Graham of Daventry, a pleasant kingdom of fantastical things. In previous games, Graham goes from the dying king's favourite subject, to the family-man of adventure sitting in his mentor's throne.
The pleasant cut-scene shows Graham walking through his forests, picking flowers, and other such nice things.
King's Quest 5 is easily one of the best of KQ games. It was the one that sucked me down, deep, into the guilty pleasures of Sierra's quest games. King's Quest 5 starts with your character, who is King Graham of Daventry, a pleasant kingdom of fantastical things. In previous games, Graham goes from the dying king's favourite subject, to the family-man of adventure sitting in his mentor's throne.
The pleasant cut-scene shows Graham walking through his forests, picking flowers, and other such nice things. He reaches the top of a hill and is, needless to say, taken completely off-guard to see the evil wizard Mordack has stolen his entire castle, complete with family!
King Graham is met by the talking Owl Cedric, the assistant
to a feeble, older, less powerful wizard named Crispin, who can't aid Graham much except for a few items. He gives Graham his old wand, which lacks power, a white snake-skin that gives him the ability to talk to all animals, and some explaining.
Crispin tells Graham that Mordack is the brother of the wizard Mannanan, who Graham's son (Prince Alexander) turned into a cat in KQ3. Small world. You must lead Graham and his annoying sidekick Cedric through the foreign lands of Serenia, gathering useful items and information. You must lead Graham through harpy-infested islands, freezing mountains, urban villages, blistering sands, haunted woods, mazes, prisons, and eventually through Mordack's castle, where his family is contained within a glass jar.
Of course, the Kings Quest series is always full of fun puzzles, and the kind of strategy game where if you forget something and leave it behind, it could be your life. Hand in hand with the adventure and challenges, the King's Quest series always has humorous antics, witty puns, and the occasional slap-stick yeti with a cream pie in the furry face.
Now, I'm certain not everybody in the world's familiar with the KQ series, and history always makes the games better. Nothing, of course, replaces the joy of playing them first-hand.
KQ1 is the adventure of Sir Graham collecting seemingly random items for his dying king, who after Graham's return, reveals the items are to arm Graham for his own reign over Daventry.
KQ 2 is another Graham-adventure. Graham sees in his magic mirror (collected in KQ1) a beautiful woman entrapped by an evil witch in an ivory tower. As King Graham travels to this new land, he encounters countless parodies of Mother-Goose and other silly stories. After rescuing the beauty, they are wed.
KQ3 takes place in the land of Llewdor, as you play Gwydion, the evil magician Manannan's kidnapped servant. You break free of the magician, turn him to a cat, and flee to Daventry. On your way there, you rescue the Princess Rosella. When you arrive in Daventry, you learn you are Rosella's long-lost twin brother, Alexander, son of King Graham himself!
KQ4 starts with ill news for Daventry. Graham has had a heart-attack! He now lays in his deathbed. Princess Rosella is approached by a good fairy who teleports her to distant lands, where she may find a fruit to cure Graham. In order to bring the fruit back, she must restore the good fairy's magic by retrieving a stolen, magical amulet from the evil fairy.
Are you ready to start one of the most enchanting adventures ever?
