Review

King’s Quest: Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb

One of the things I like about this series is how it incorporates previous King’s Quest games as canon while also offering something new. When I reviewed the first episode, I mentioned how Graham’s recalling of past events made it possible for the Odd Gentlemen to make changes; his fuzzy memory altered the truth. This episode, “Once Upon a Climb”, is one of the better examples of Graham’s reworked adventures.

As always, the episode opens with Graham recounting his past adventures with his granddaughter Gwendolyn. He talks about how he dealt with different issues that arose during his time as king; there’s sort of a verbal montage that spans a few years. What became the main focus was the fact that even though he improved the lives of those living in Daventry, he felt lonely. No one wanted to spend time with him in any meaningful capacity. Thankfully, his magic mirror told him that he’d find his future bride at the top of a tower in a far off land. The idea of saving a beautiful damsel in distress was just the type of adventure he could tell his future grandkids, which ironically is what was happening at that very moment…

Fans of the series will realize that this is a retelling of King’s Quest II: Romancing The Throne – you know, the game that revealed how Graham met his wife, Queen Valanice. Of course, the events of this iteration do not quite follow the same path as the original. For instance, Graham finds not one, but two princesses trapped in the tower. The magic mirror didn’t present a composite sketch to help him identify who he was supposed to marry. What’s worse is that he has gotten himself trapped along with them. Unable to leave and unsure of who he’s supposed to make his queen, Graham finds himself in one of the most awkward situations he’s ever been in. Thankfully, for us, his predicament provides a decent level of humor.

In an effort not to spoil anything, I won’t go too far into what happens. Just note there is more to the story than its Rapunzel-like premise. What makes this episode stand out are the interactions between the cast and the notion of a brighter future. The princesses Vee and Neese – notice how their names could be short for Valanice – are good friends even though they’re kingdoms aren’t on speaking terms. And while they aren’t sure how or when they’ll be freed, they have hope that one day they’ll be able to return home. Graham believes he is the person that will help them escape. By proving himself, one of the princesses might agree to his hand in marriage, at least that’s what he assumes thanks to the magic mirror. The Witch Hagatha, their jailer of sorts, has other plans.

The episode is full of charm. As Graham spends time with each princess, you’re able to learn more about their personality. Funny moments abound as you try to figure out who to get close to. It’s basically a romantic comedy. And who doesn’t like a good romantic comedy (emphasis on good)? My only qualm is in how Graham makes his final choice. You see, most of the puzzles are geared at pushing him in one direction or another. The problem is that you can clearly tell who Graham will pick based on the girls’ personalities. Picking a spontaneous or playful response will obviously sit better with the more adventurous princess. It would have been better for things to flow naturally. Where you didn’t know how one person would respond; picking what you thought was right based on Graham’s assumed personality vs. picking what you think Vee or Neese would like. This doesn’t hurt the episode as there’s no wrong answer in the end. Still, I think the outcome of your choices could have been a little less obvious.

“Once Upon a Climb” brings back the magic of the first episode. It has a more intimate setting than before, yet isn’t as claustrophobic as the last episode. I guess, I’d put it somewhere in the middle in terms of quality, though I like the “less is more” approach this time around. One thing I haven’t mentioned is the current happenings with older Graham. There seems to be an overarching narrative that doesn’t solely focus on Gwendolyn coming to age like I’d originally thought.  Just what is going on and how it relates to the past is something I look forward to finding out. Hopefully, the next chapter won’t take as long to be released as this one!