Home Features King Arthur: Knight’s Tale turns the legend into a grim and dark turn-based strategy game

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale turns the legend into a grim and dark turn-based strategy game

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You’re in the dankest of forests, foul creatures have surrounded you, and the only thing you can rely on is your sword…when it’s your turn to strike that is. If you’ve ever wanted a more medieval take on XCOM, then do I have some good news for you! NeocoreGames, the Hungarian studio behind Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor and the Van Helsing games are back with a brand new project, that adds a properly grim flavour to the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table.

Having been in development for over a year, King Arthur: Knight’s Tale takes the classic tale of the noble monarch and adds a turn-based strategy RPG layer to the ancient tale. Set in the final days of the Arthurian era, players will step into the armour of Sir Mordred, who has been restored to life as an undead warrior and must now face against the king of Camelot:

You are Sir Mordred, the nemesis of King Arthur, the former black knight of the grim tales. You killed King Arthur, but with his dying breath, he struck you down. You both died – and yet, you both live.

The Lady of the Lake, the ruler of the mystical island of Avalon brought you back to end a true nightmare. She wants you to go on a knightly quest. She wants you to finish what you have begun. Kill King Arthur – or whatever he has become after she took his dying vessel to Avalon.

“Expect the unexpected in the setting and the plot. If you are familiar with the legend of King Arthur, everything has been turned upside down,” NeocoreGames’ Patrik Csörnyei said. Choices will matter a lot during gameplay, and the campaign will put a big emphasis on moral choices which will change the course of the story. Roguelite gameplay elements will add some extra weight to the tactical and management decisions.

In the game, death is described as a final outcome, and any party members who fall in battle will be off the battlefield for good. Not only can injuries take a toll on your knights, but disease can also play a role in their wellbeing. Players will have to choose which members need to take a break between battles, and whose lives to risk.

As for your personal army, you’ll be able to amass a group from more than 30 heroes who’ll have access to five skill classes, hundreds of abilities, and plenty of artifacts to increase their combat ability. You’ll need to keep your wits about you as well, as the turn-based tactics action will last well beyond the 20 story missions of the main campaign, numerous sidequests, and an endgame mode that was teased.

NeocoreGames plans to head to Kickstarter first for A Knight’s Tale, with an eye on launching the game in Q1 2021 on PC via Steam. A PC beta will also be released for supporters of the crowdfunding initiative, later in November.

Last Updated: October 13, 2020

16 Comments

  1. I’ve never been a fan of turned based games. Don’t know why.

    Reply

    • Krabby Paddy

      October 13, 2020 at 15:31

      Might be about the speed of progression? I’ve found that with less time available to game, turn-based have fallen out of favour. I used to love them though and keep wanting to get back into playing them.

      Reply

      • Banana Jim

        October 13, 2020 at 16:46

        I agree, it’s definitely a question of time. If I can squeeze in more than two hours a day it would be a luxury, and on average, I’m probably only gaming one hour a day these days. Turn based games demand that you invest a good couple of hours,and as weird as it sounds, very few interruptions.

        Reply

      • Banana Jim

        October 13, 2020 at 16:46

        I agree, it’s definitely a question of time. If I can squeeze in more than two hours a day it would be a luxury, and on average, I’m probably only gaming one hour a day these days. Turn based games demand that you invest a good couple of hours,and as weird as it sounds, very few interruptions.

        Reply

        • Krabby Paddy

          October 13, 2020 at 17:00

          Gaming in general doesn’t really lend itself to lots of interruption. Also the other thing is turn-based is often quite strategic and interruptions during games of that nature break flow. The strategy nature of turn-based also doesn’t help when that hour you have is only late in the evening and you’re worn out by the day.

          Reply

    • Banana Jim

      October 13, 2020 at 16:46

      It’s a sad thing that over the last few years, I haven’t been playing these sorts of games as much as I used to. There was a time when my life revolved around Age of Wonders (1 to 2 – I still need to play 3), the Heroes of might and magic games, and sweet momma did I love Civilization (and even Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (This was the game that really got me hooked on turn-based games)

      Reply

      • MechMachine

        October 13, 2020 at 17:35

        Yeah, It could also be that I don’t play PC games anymore.

        Reply

      • MechMachine

        October 13, 2020 at 17:35

        Yeah, It could also be that I don’t play PC games anymore.

        Reply

      • Original Heretic

        October 13, 2020 at 19:48

        Weird that you wrote this…
        I’ve just started playing Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Loving it!
        I have a few days leave right now. House all to myself all day long.
        I literally spent the whole day playing that game!
        “Just one more turn…”

        Reply

        • Banana Jim

          October 13, 2020 at 20:50

          lol, Age of Wonders is amazing. It’s one of those games I find myself re-playing from time to time as well. But yeah, I was obsessed with it. I got Planetfall recently on steam as well as AoW III – I just need to find the time to play them.

          Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 13, 2020 at 15:44

    “the classic tale of the noble monarch and adds a turn-based strategy RPG layer to the ancient tale.”

    There’s already a game like this – Sword Omen: Legacy. The combat is closer to Banner Saga than XCOM though.

    Reply

    • Marco Renzi

      October 15, 2020 at 11:01

      I can’t see this game selling well….. This developer is not that well known and I would think most people wouldn’t be interested in playing the bad guy (Mordred) and his band of somewhat unmerry men…..

      Reply

  3. Gareth Lagesse (eXCheez)

    October 13, 2020 at 15:50

    I came for all the “i DoN’t LIKe tuRN-BAsED gaMES” posts.

    Reply

    • Banana Jim

      October 13, 2020 at 16:38

      Could be worse, it could be the “TuRN-BaSeD gAmeS ur duh mOist SuperiOr” types… ugh!

      (Two sides of a very sad coin of basement dwelling gamers, who desperately need to slither out into the sun)

      Reply

    • Insomnia is fun

      October 13, 2020 at 16:56

      Then you’ve hit the JaCKpoT

      Reply

  4. Original Heretic

    October 13, 2020 at 19:48

    I love the game concept, looks like I’d love it.

    But bloody hell, why must we get ANOTHER “reimagining of a classic story”?!

    Reply

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