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Not Your Traditional King's Quest Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 38 / 40
Date: August 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If you're expecting another King's Quest game in the similar style and method of KQ1-7, you're in for a shock on this one. The object of the game is exploring, which is fun, but also involves a lot of Wolfenstein-style shoot-to-kill. It really has little to do with King's Quest in the true Sierra tradition. It's a modern kill-fest set in Daventry.

If you're a true, die-hard fan of the King's Quest series, like I am, you'll buy it to have it. I found it most helpful to play with cheats on (you can find them on the web at a variety of sites) because I am not a true shoot-and-kill type of game player. It allowed me to explore and enjoy the few adventure-game aspects of this game. For those who enjoyed Quest for Glory, it does mimic that series in some small ways.

Mostly, alas, this is Wolfenstein in Daventry. True adventure games in the style of Sierra's Golden Years in the 1980's-1990's are truly a thing of the past.

A bastardization of a once-great game series.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 23 / 27
Date: August 12, 2002
Author: Amazon User

What was once a great adventure series was essentially turned into a bad Diablo clone when Cendant took over Sierra Online. In King's Quest 8, you play a Daventry peasant (which, unlike in King's Quest 3, has no relation to the royal family) who curiously speaks like British royalty. As the game begins, the Mask of Eternity is shattered, resulting (among other things) in a bunch of monsters appearing and everyone in the human world turning to stone. Everyone except you, that is; you managed to grab a piece of the Mask as it was happening (alternately, a piece of it scarred your face when you were born - they can't get the story straight). The rest of the game comprises of you fighting monsters and occasionally using various objects to try to get all the pieces of the Mask to restore the worlds.

The graphics are mediocre, even when you take into account the time the game was made. The gameplay is horrendous. Between this, the badly thought-out plot, and its overall betrayal of the series, I wouldn't recommend getting KQ8 except in the interest of completeness (and of seeing the end of the series).

Something Wicked This Way Comes

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: March 23, 2004
Author: Amazon User

In the simplest words I can think of I will say my thoughts on this game. It was crap.
First, I will talk about the good parts in this game.
Now, I'll talk a little bit about the bad.
Sierra's remake of the first King's Quest was the first game I ever played. This series holds a special place in my heart because of this. I remember getting really excited about this game when I first heard about it. To put it simply, it did not live up to my expectations.
The first thing that stands out about the game is its gameplay. THEY TURNED A WORLD FAMOUS PEACFUL ADVENTURE GAME SERIES INTO A HACK AND SLASH CRAPSHOOT. Ecuse me for my outburst.
I am still a bit confused over the development of the "plot" of the game. I can just imagine the development team meetings.
"You know how wer'e making KQ8?"
"Yeah"
"Remember all the loose ends and teasers that were in the previous games about evil societies and big things going on?"
"Yeah"
"Lets just forget about all that and give it an even simpler ending than KQ1 had back in 84"
"Okay, sounds good to me."
"And you know that royal family being the central characters in KING'S Quest?"
"What about them?"
"I never liked them, lets just put in just enough of them to call this KING'S Quest, and replace them with a randomly selected peasant who just happens to be extremely proficient with all kinds of weapons."
"Sounds great."
In short, there is just not a lot going for this game. I only recommend this if your'e a competist, or want to witness one of the greatest follies' of our time first hand. If you are not one of the above, stay as far away as possible.

Not an altogether poor game, but not a King's Quest game.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: March 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The final game of the King's Quest series is definitely the worst installment. I am hesistant to even call it a King's Quest game, due to the fact that it fails to adhere to almost all of the fundamental rules of the series. It is not even the same genre as all the previous games. King's Quest 1-7 were all adventure games. With King's Quest 8, Sierra decided to take the series in a different direction, and make it a hack-n-slash action game.

Despite the fact that in every previous King's Quest game the protagonist was a member of the royal family, Mask of Eternity begins when every person in Daventry (the land in which the royal family dwells (actually, just King Graham and Queen Valanice)) prompty turns into stone, leaving only a peasant named Connor to save the world. While all other KQ games have awarded the player for finding non-violent solutions to problems, Connor must carve a path through the corpses of his many enemies, mutilating them all in gruesome ways (certain foes are only defeated by decapitation, etc.)

But I go on. Mask of Eternity is not in actuality a terrible game. I'm sure it could appeal to many people. But for it to bear the coveted "King's Quest" title is borderline blasphemy. Don't hesitate to purchase if you like the Doom-esque "not much plot- kill everything that moves" genre. But don't ever mistake it for a King's Quest game.

*An insult to previous KQ games

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: March 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I am not one to hate, but considering Roberta William's humble beginnings and her breakthrough titles such as previous King's Quest serious... I feel like this is a betrayal to adventure gaming in general. I could not believe that she would put her name to something like this until I read one of her interviews back in 1999 (http://www.justadventure.com/Interviews/Roberta_Williams/Roberta_Williams_Interview_3.shtm)

Apparently, she was trying to bring adventure gaming to a larger audience. However, as a King's Quest game, this is just a bad title. A few facts rather than rants:

1. This game features little to no connection to the original King Graham family and even less character development of the main hero. What is his name again?

2. The landscape does not resemble Daventry at all, and the overall game is usually pretty dark (no sunlight... dark corridors)

3. As a 3D action game, it gets tedious and repetitive shooting arrows and hacking monsters. Without a viable plot, there is nothing that really stands out from this title. Granted, the game had superior graphics and arguably sound at the time of its release, it terms of game play it offers nothing innovative.

4. There is very little humor, puzzle solving, or "adventure" aspects at all. The only adventure you will get is from going from level to level hacking monsters. Long gone is the excitement you feel when you enter a new colorful room and must talk to NPCs and explore items to assist you in your quests. It's like taking the orgasm out of sex.

5. The ending sucks, the title produced inferior sales compared to its predecessors, and either due to management change issues or this title, after KQ8 the franchise has effectively been killed off.

Sometimes I wonder if Sierra was developing another action game and just decided to add a few cut scenes and package the title as KQ8 for the sake of money. Because it definitely seems that way; this game ranks a negative -10 on my scale, even and as an action game it is mediocre at best.

Good job killing off a ground breaking series and brought the enjoyment of adventure gaming to millions.

Nowhere Near King's Quest

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: March 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I understand Sierra felt the need to venture into the 3d action part of gaming, but they didn't have to soil the noble King's Quest series in order to break into the market. It was a stupid trick to pull, I am glad that when I purchased this game it was only for 10 bucks in a bargain bin. I played the whole game through, and was thoroughly disappointed at each step. After running into an annoying bug on an old computer of mine after finally reaching close to the end, I replayed it again on a new computer more recently, and was annoyed to see the disappointing and short ending. They didn't even have the decency to put in a nice, long, conclusive ending like other King's Quest games. And the excess violence and poor excuses for puzzles are a disgrace. If you should buy this game, please do not mistake it for a true King's Quest, it is only a mockery. And play the other seven *real* King's Quest games instead.

Not a true King's Quest

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: March 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I agree with oldbushie and mangomercury in their reviews. This was definately not a King's Quest game, at least not the one I remember. I love the puzzles and fairy tale creatures in King's Quest 1-7. And they are SO bright and colorful. Mask of Eternity has none of this. It is extremely dark, not just in plot but in color. When playing the game, I would have to struggle and strain my eyes to see where I was headed next. I have never been good at action games either...never have done well in trying to kill everyone around. I have no strategic ability, so I had an extremely difficult time with this game.

If you are looking for a game like the previous King's Quests, do not buy this one, you will be disappointed. If you love action games, buy it, you will be satisfied.

I must say that Sierra made a huge mistake in changing the King's Quest line with this last game, which is not worthy to be called King's Quest...it is simply, Mask of Eternity.

A lower score than 1?! Tis beyond my reach!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: March 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

What a load of rubbish. If you are buying this expecting a King's Quest game, then please, save your money.

King's Quest was a loveable adventure title, made in the eighties by a woman called Roberta Williams. It revolved around a man called Graham, who in King's Quest 2, became King of Daventry. The story evolved through seven King's Quest games, each one a delight.

This "Mask of Eternity" should not be allowed to be considered a King;s Quest. Many people bought it for the fact that it says "King's Quest". Many people were bitterly disappointed. This wasn't the game they wanted. Gone was the elaborate storyline of King's Quest games gone by. Introduced was a random man by the name of Connor. Where was our beloved Royal Family? Condensed down to a mere cameo of King Graham.

Please, if you buy this game, I recommend you get a fat black permanent marker and cross out the King's Quest part of the title, because it isn't a King's Quest. It's nowhere near it. If you like this sort of game, buy it. If you're looking for another act of King's Quest genius, you won't find it here. Avoid this game. Please.

One of the better games out there.......

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: September 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

OK, so this game isn't like any of the sequels, but it is a fantastic game. I loved the entire journey, all the complex puzzles, and creatures that you met and the scenery was breath-taking. Sure, after several plays I realized a few weak plot points, but it was one of the games that I couldn't stop playing and it's also one of those games that you can play over and over and still enjoy it as much as the first time. This is by-far my favorite King's Quest game and it's a shame they aren't going to make anymore (last I heard). I especially enjoyed the hard fighting and complex puzzles of the "Dimension of Death" realm- which takes up most of your game play. I would say this is mostly a guy's game though, I doubt very many girls or women would like it because of all the fighting sequences. Diehard fans were upset because this was the first King's Quest to offer shoot-to-kill action, I didn't seem to mind it at all. I'm not a violent person; this game didn't make me a violent person. It's just a game and it's a very fun game!! NOTE: there are downloadable patches available that you need - especially for Win XP. Go to sierra.com and click on Community, then click King's Quest series and you'll find the patch information you need.

mask of eternit is an immersive and fun game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was not a big KQ fan before playing this game, so I was not biased in wanting Sierra to produce a game which lived up to my expectations of what a KQ game should or should not be. I'm sure the old games are great, but it's only fair to let this game stand on its own merits.

This game has excellent graphics for its day, but to see it in all its glory on today's computers you may need to use a Glide Wrapper. This is a program which emulates 3dfx graphics. 3dfx used to be a competitor of nvidia, but went out of business and nvidia bought their technologies. Anyway, without the Glide Wrapper, I couldn't get the game to play in anything other than 640x480 resolution with no anti-aliasing. With the 3dfx emulation, it looks great.

The game's sound does a lot to make the game more immersive. The music is generally very ominous. Indoors, you will sometimes be treated to a nice accoustic guitar. This is the only game I've ever played where somebody sitting in an adjacent room actually commented on how nice the music was. So, two thumbs up in this department.

One of the impressive things about this game is how realistically the main character, Connor, moves. Even my 10 year old son who has grown up playing 3d games on PS2 was impressed by this. To me it is reminiscent of some of the Prince of Persia games and also Tomb Raider. Like these games, it can be a little challenging sometimes to get the character to do exactly what you want, but it's worth the effort.

Some people complain about the puzzles in this game being too easy. However, I would say that for me I don't like the continuity of a story to be interrupted by having to spend too much time solving a puzzle, and I hate it when I have to resort to reading somebody else's walkthrough or hints. I know this is a personal preference type of thing.

Where I would have to agree the game may suffer a bit is plot. It's just not a plot-oriented game. Also, there aren't very many NPC's (non player characters) to interact with as most of the people in Daventry have turned to stone. However, there are other games out there that have been very successful even with very limited NPC's. Myst comes to mind. Of course, one of the things that made Myst interesting is that not only do you have to solve the puzzles, but the story is very interesting and mysterious as well. The story behind Mask of Eternity is perhaps a bit too simplistic.

Did this game kill the KQ series? Maybe. On the other hand, maybe living in the shadows of the previous games prevented Mask of Eternity from being more popular. Who knows? Oh, well. All good things must come to an end. Of course, I understand there is a group of fans working on a freeward KQ9, so maybe the series will live on after all.

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