14 DAY TRIAL // 
A city with a fountain of gold apparently exists somewhere in the southern deserts of this world. How much treasure and how many lives is a kingdom ready to sacrifice to get to it and exploit its riches? And how much political maneuvering would it take to convince the other houses on the council to make the sacrifice?
Or, maybe, it’s a better idea to choose to deal with internal problems and to try and always do what the majority of the nobles want to. This way, I can get access to more resources that can be put to work to enhance the kingdom’s overall defenses and might even make allies with some of the others.
Regardless of the path I choose, it is hard to run a kingdom and constantly consider possible future threats. The kingdom in the North is watched for signs of trouble. Famine is always one bad harvest season away. And there’s always a need to placate the religious leaders, ensure the military has resources, and deal with classic palace intrigue.
The King's Dilemma: Chronicles is developed and published by Big Trouble. I played on the PC via Steam. The game is a choice-driven narrative adventure with a lot of management elements.
The setting is a kingdom called Ankist, with a technological and societal development level equal to that of our low Middle Ages. A short questionnaire assigns gamers a house and they become the leader of the King’s Council. From this lofty position, they will have to deal with a range of events, crises, and opportunities.
As the story starts, the problems that the kingdom needs to deal with seem pretty mundane. But pretty soon the stakes increase significantly. A huge golden pyramid is rumored to exist. There are whispers that humans might become immortal through some arcane magic. And a mysterious organization is working toward its own ends, corrupting nobles and using agents to sow chaos.
The head of the Council also needs to account for the interests of surrounding states, all of which are more specialized and seemingly more united than Ankist. There are religious leaders to deal with, as well as scientists, generals, lords, witches, and plenty of commoners who want the protagonist’s ear.
All these narrative threads become gameplay via events and choices. Info about a situation is presented and then the houses of the Council vote. Players, as the leader, can go with the majority, or spend some social capital to enforce their own will. Coin, which is never plentiful, can also be used to bribe other houses.
Each of the houses has a personal narrative goal, which influences their approach, but they tend to unite when events threaten the kingdom itself or the established social order. When players want to push against that or implement what we as modern people see as sensible ideas, they will have to apply pressure.
Once a decision emerges, The King’s Dilemma shows how the kingdom’s resources are affected. Depending on the outcome, a king might die or be forced into retirement. When that happens, the gamer will get another set of resources, based on the archetype they chose to embody and the state of the kingdom.
This part of the game can be a little confusing but it’s also what makes it unique. Pay attention to the interface, which shows which kingdom resources will be affected by a decision, but not by how much. Also, keep in mind how the chosen leader type decides what you get when the current king is replaced.
King’s Dilemma: Chronicles creates constant tension. The good of the realm is in conflict with the houses’s goals and the will of the other nobles, which in turn interact with the resources and the long-term preparations. Throw in the player’s own morality and it quickly emerges that there are no easy choices and the results are rarely all positive.
These will, in turn, allow gamers to create preparations to deal with the coming apocalyptic event. It’s then time to select another type of character, check relationships with other houses, and go again, dealing with events and choosing whether to be selfish or always act in the kingdom’s best interests.
As kings come and go, with the player always guiding them as the power behind the throne, a few big story threads emerge. At the same time, choice-making and result evaluation become a little repetitive. The entire experience works best in shorter sessions, ended before the temptation to skip text makes an appearance.
King’s Dilemma: Chronicles does create an intriguing universe but many players will be turned off by the amount of reading required to understand it all. I encourage them to persevere and experience the complex events and the way they open up new possibilities and reshape the lives of people and the state of the kingdom.
The King's Dilemma: Chronicles is a beautiful experience, despite the fact that it’s mostly driven by words. The maps, for the world, the kingdom, and the city, all have a great handcrafted feel. An equal amount of effort has been put into the backgrounds for the events and choices. The user interface needs a few extra tooltips to keep players informed of resources and potential outcomes at all times. The soundtrack, which never takes center stage, is also decent, evoking a medieval land affected by unprecedented events.
The Good
- A lot of meaningful choice
- Deep fantasy universe
- Great presentation
The Bad
- Somewhat repetitive gameplay
- Requires plenty of reading
- Interface needs more tooltips
Conclusion
I do feel like the narrative is trying to juggle a few too many big ideas at the same time. The universe, which delivers a lot of names and concepts quickly, can be overwhelming. But immersion in King’s Dilemma: Chronicles will reveal a complex and intriguing narrative and plenty of tough choices. Be wary of anyone promising quick and painless immortality.
A review key was provided by the publisher.
