For The King II is a sequel that improves on the original mechanics and visuals and continues the epic adventure.
Developed by IronOak Games and published by Curve Games, having done games such as Human: Fall Flat and The Ascent, For The King II is a tabletop, role-playing, adventure strategy game with turn-based elements. For The King II is the continuation of the story in the first game, For The King.
Starting up For The King II, you are introduced to an awesomely voiced cutscene explaining what has happened in the previous game until the start of the sequel, For The King II. The story is told as if it were something out of a storybook, which makes the cutscene a brilliant recap of the first game, For The King. You’ll be caught up on the events between the first For The King game and the latest addition to the story, For The King II, and almost 20 years have come and gone in the game’s story between both games.
For The King II continues to tell the thrilling story of Fahrul while battling to fight the tyranny of the next tyrannical ruler, Queen Rosomon. After King Bronner’s untimely passing, Queen Rosomon emerged as a symbol of hope, having united the realms and inspired forces for a triumphant uprising against the forces of chaos after defeating the sorcerer Vexor. Peace was once again brought to Fahrul.
However, as time passed up to the present day, the once beloved Queen Rosomon slowly succumbed to madness, ruling with a tyrannical fist and an unexpected paranoia. The citizens were burdened by her reign and began whispering about a movement known as the Resistance. The main goal of the growing rebellion is to end the oppressive rule of Queen Rosomon and bring hope and prosperity back to the lands of Fahrul.
Entering For The King II, you will need to make your character or, rather, assemble your party through character creation. Unlike For The King, For The King II brings a new feel to the game’s story, such as an updated character creation, new character models, and other alterations. After having created your merry band of heroes, you will be shown your map.
Being shown the map, you will be able to see the environment and enemies around you for a certain distance. This can increased by items and buffs. You will start in Ash Haven; this is where you will interact with the first NPC named Hildegard, the tavern keeper of Ash Haven, who will explain the situation in Fahrul alongside the Queen’s untimely madness and the rumors of the rebellion.
Just something to note is that the map will reroll every time you start a new game, which means that every run won’t repeat or become repetitive, making each run more interesting as with each run you gain the chance at getting different loot every time, the same applies with bounties being randomized every run.
While exploring the map, you will be able to see up to a certain amount of blocks. Within these blocks, you will be able to spot enemies, quests, random items, and dungeons. However, you will encounter hidden dangers on some blocks in the map, such as random encounters allowing you to meet new enemies and NPCs. Be careful, though, as these encounters can cause the enemies to surprise you and attack you first.
Other useful places you can locate would be general merchants, who, while on the road, are a godsend as items such as healing items and new weapons or herbs of almost every variety are needed to survive the game’s challenges. Alongside the general merchants, you will come across the Rebels encampment from which you can get health items, buffs, and equipment, as well as lessen the amount of chaos out in the world.
Although this all sounds exciting, you’ll have to keep in mind that getting anywhere will cost you movement points. However, these points are randomly generated, so the number of blocks you can move is determined solely by the generated movement points. Alongside the movement point system, the game also features a day and night system and a weather system. Certain places can only be accessed or challenged at a certain point in time within the game, such as getting to the night market means you will need to wait for nightfall.
Encounters with enemies are sometimes random or intentional, meaning that when walking over certain blocks, you could be met with a surprise attack, and this is where being strategic is your best bet. Whether attacking first or being attacked, the battle mechanics of For The King II are relatively straightforward as the game is turn-based.
You will have ample time to plan out your moves. Although the turn-based mechanics are easy and clear, the environment and weather will affect your and your enemies’ chances and rolls during combat. For example, if it is raining, the tiles you are fighting on will gain a wet effect and light up the tiles.
Different colors for different effects will change your tiles or the tiles around your party react, adding to the stakes of the game itself. However, these effects aren’t just for hindering you; you can also use them to your advantage. Such as a wet tile and a lightning bolt – lighting meets water, which connects the enemies standing on it, doing bonus damage and this concept of combat applies to several other elements. So, get creative with your takedowns.
Another aspect to consider while in combat is that the skills or special attacks differ from each other and are solely based on the weapons your characters have equipped. For example, if you have the dusty spell book equipped, you have access to skills such as Blast and Area Blast, but equipping the spellbook with water gives you access to water storms and water blasts; essentially, all weapons have their effects and drawbacks.
For The King II’s sound design and overall graphics have been massively improved, with the prior music taking on a darker tune to convey the nature of the chaotic wars that took place in For The King. John Robert Matz was the composer for both games’ music and took the second game’s music and gave it a lighter tune of adventure and curious nature, like some games where you would think the tune gets repetitive. This game really doesn’t do that, as the game gives you a constant feel of adventure and interest in exploring the map.
Overall, For The King II is a fun role-playing, strategy, turn-based adventure game with tons to do, from an epic main story to random dungeons and some side quests. The game is definitely worth giving a shot, although if you have not played the first game, it’s not a train smash as there is a detailed recap, but it is recommended to play the first game.
