Ah, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. A story we’ve all heard countless times before. Except, in Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur, things are a little different. Well, they’re all dead, for one. And their home sanctuary of Camelot is, thanks to a giant void, no longer in the same world as them. And it’s been destroyed. It’s not a great time for Arthur, then. But with the help of Merlin, he can hopefully put things right: he’s just got to destroy some giants first.
If you enjoy a good action roguelike, you’re probably going to want to get your teeth stuck into Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur. It has that irresistible roguelike loop that satisfies in all the right ways: fast-paced combat, frequent perks and new abilities, venerable boss fights and meaningful permanent upgrades. An unfortunate run might only last a few minutes, but a good run could last upwards of an hour. Sure, it’s partially down to luck – the upgrades you get along the way can shape your outcome drastically – but you’ll also have to learn to be nimble on your feet, dodging attacks and landing your own just at the right time.
At its best, Knight vs Giant feels a little like a bullet hell game. A normal room can turn into a frenzy as more than a dozen enemies appear on screen, all firing their projectile attacks at you, leaving you hitting the dodge button again and again to keep yourself alive. It’s even more true in boss fights against those titular giants: these hulking beasts release massive, devastating attacks that must be dodged if you want any hope of success.
You’ll also need to use your own attacks well: by default, King Arthur is equipped with a standard attack and a special ability. There are two of each to choose from in the beginning, but as you play and find more Knights of the Round Table, you’ll unlock more abilities. The starting abilities are decent enough though: we’ve primarily been making use of a ranged sword attack, where each slash sends out a projectile that deals damage to enemies enemies in front. As for our special attack, the touch of a button unleashes a powerful lightning storm, dealing damage to everything on screen.
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Each run of Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur gives you the opportunity to power up both of these attacks along with bolstering Arthur’s health and defences. You may also unlock new, additional abilities depending on what’s offered to you. And, as you play, you’ll pick up coins which can be spent on permanent upgrades at the end of your run.
Dying in Knight vs Giant sends you back to Camelot which, as you progress through the game, will gradually change shape from a broken mess to a thriving hub. By spending coins you can restore buildings, which will then offer you new ways to upgrade Arthur before his next adventure. Restoring the blacksmith, for example, allows you to permanently improve your weapon, allowing it to deal more damage with each hit. A rather important upgrade, if you ask us.
It’s nice there’s such a palpable sense of progression, and being able to see Camelot expand and improve in front of your eyes makes every outing with Arthur worth it – even if you end up stumbling rather early. Even the shortest run will bag you some coins, and every little helps in the quest to restore the realm. Like all roguelikes though, it’s a little disappointing to say goodbye to your hard-earned perks after a run: you may have a shield, a killer new ability and a huge stack of bonus damage. And of course, next time around you’ll be starting from scratch. It helps that taking control of Arthur is satisfying, with his movements quick and responsive. Combat is easy to get to grips with, and the range of different abilities on offer helps things feeling fresh.
We do love a good roguelike, and we’re happy to report that Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur is well worth jumping into. Its charming art style, its fast-paced action and its wealth of upgrades all come together to make this a very moreish adventure indeed. Fans of the genre would be wise to give this a go.
Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur Review – GameSpew’s Score
