King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

"The Possibly Best Game of the King's Quest Series, King Quest VI Packs the Punches"

King's Quest VI: A Noble Voyage with the Prince of Daventry, Alexander, to save the Princess Cassima from the evil Vizier, who is keeping her prisoner in the castle. From the Guard Gnomes of ''The Isle of Wonder'', to the Druids of ''The Isle of Mist'', to the Minotaur of the ''The Isle of the Sacred Mountain'''s catacombs, King's Quest VI is fully of plot twists, confusing yet fun puzzles, true love, danger, and one exciting adventure after another! Now, for the review:

Plot/Storyline - 10/10: This game could seriously be written as a book, and a good one at that. With hard yet comprehendible puzzles, hundreds of characters who seem alive, and to put it all together, a main character who actually has feelings and opinions, King's Quest VI's story line is spectacular. Whether you be tempting fate with the Black Widow, or picking roses, something is always happening, always keeping you on your toes. As I said before, this game could easily be a long, and interesting, novel.

Graphics - 10/10: King's Quest VI was created in 1995, when the SNES was still ''new'', and 16-Bit video games were the best you could get. King's Quest VI is a spectacle for its time. With characters who, while obviously digital, move and act as if they are alive, the art in the game is beautiful. With wonderful backgrounds that look as if they were painted by Van Gogh, no one could ask for better art or design.

Speed/Flow - 10/10: While some games may go slowly, and have trouble keeping with the story, King's Quest VI is smooth and flows quickly. With to the point dialogue, and easy to follow directions, one does not get lost or confused long in the Green Isles.

Music/Sounds - 9/10: While most of the sounds work well, sometimes I found the soundtrack slowed the game up a bit. Other than that, the item noise, and the certain areas with background music are wonderful. Good job overall.

Replayablitiy - 10/10: Wow, I swear I've played this game 100 times and its never gotten old. With so many different ways to go, so many people to talk to, so many things to do, it seems as if you can forget what happened! It actually seems more entertaining to have played it before, because then you don't have to worry about missing anything. This has to be one of the best games I've played for replayability.

Secrets/Side Quests - 10/10: This game is ''chock full'' of extra puzzles and secret areas. Even the ending can be done two different ways. While all these secrets add up to whether you get the maximum pointage in the game, it is still fun to find new and exciting things to do (even finding new ways to die in the game is fun, just make sure you save first!)

Rent or Buy? - BUY - I don't know where you rent computer games, but if you could, I would recommend buying it. This game is great, and certainly deserves a try. Go out and buy it today!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/29/01, Updated 03/29/01