I really like Arcade-style games like KILL KNIGHT, it’s fast, addictive gameplay that satisfies the player without taking up too much time. And if the player has more time to spare? They can quickly start another game. It’s a brilliant idea for today.
One of the greatest examples of this genre is the famous Vampire Survivor, which at first doesn’t seem like much, but when you play it, it turns out to have extremely addictive and fun mechanics. However, not all games of this style manage this feat and many fall by the wayside because they don’t have any more content or even because they aren’t that much fun.

Optional Tutorial, Essential for Understanding Mechanics in KILL KNIGHT

At first, KILL KNIGHT seems to be an action game without many varied mechanics, but it has a very complete tutorial to explain everything you need to survive the hordes of enemies. It’s not compulsory to do the whole tutorial, but it’s recommended by the developers and I personally recommend it as it teaches you the ins and outs of the gameplay and also rewards you with the unlock of an item from the arsenal.

There is a lot of content to unlock and the equipment allows the player to mix up the options and find the way that best suits their tastes. The first few hours of the game can be a little tricky, as getting used to the gameplay takes a little getting used to. There is a button for shooting with your main weapon, another for a stronger weapon, a button for a melee attack, one for absorbing the items that enemies drop when defeated and finally the dodge button. If you compare it to other games, there are a lot more commands to keep in mind, and that’s what’s in the game’s initial barrier.

Breathe—Take Your Time and Unlock Hours of Fun

KILL KNIGHT also has a very well-crafted Dark Fantasy look. Dark scenery, arenas that look like brutalist architecture, lots of demons to defeat, and of course, lots of blood. If there’s one thing I can complain about, it’s the visual choice of the menus, where the text can be a little hard to read. There is an option to change the font style, which helps a little but doesn’t completely solve the problem. This extends a little to the equipment item icons which can be a little difficult to interpret, but I don’t find it too aggravating as the main game works very well.

The gameplay is very responsive and fast. Although there may be some minor problems with the hitbox, it could also be that the giant horde that was chasing me may have missed a detail. Playing with a controller is recommended, as the number of commands means that playing with a keyboard and mouse is very frustrating. The game also supports editing the shortcuts, but I thought that the standard controls were a hit in the game, but that depends on the player.

There is a technical problem in the version I played, where if the player prefers to play with the keyboard and mouse without disconnecting any controllers, the game won’t let the character move sideways. The solution is to disconnect the controller and restart the game. It’s not something that will prevent you from playing or progressing, but it took me a while to find the cause and it could catch a lot of people off guard.

KILL KNIGHT is Fun but Not Streamer-Friendly

Unfortunately, despite saying that the game is fun, the same can’t be said for those who are just going to watch it. KILL KNIGHT, like other games of this style, lives on a threshold where those who enjoy the style will love spending hours decimating hordes of enemies, but for those who just watch, it seems like an endlessly boring game. Therefore, it can provide a few hours of initial entertainment, but it can wear viewers out within a few hours.

Finally, KILL KNIGHT is a very well optimized game, it doesn’t have many accessibility options but it does have the right ones. It has a huge replay factor due to the amount of content to unlock and is localized into several languages. The soundtrack is also very lively and will accompany you very well through the game’s scenarios.

STREAMER SCORE

KILL KNIGHT (PC) - 2024

Overall

3.5

Performance
Streamability
Audience Engagement
Replayability

Sending

User Review

0 (0 votes)

Summary

Kill Knight is very fun and addictive. If you’re going to play alone, it’s a recommendation and a lot of fun! It may not be as attractive to livestream, but if you take the chance you’ll at least have a good few hours of fun defeating demons. The initial barrier may be high for some players, but once you’ve conquered it, everything flows naturally.