FromSoftware’sDark Soulsblasted the studio into the modern mainstream and inspired a plethora of clones, but fans may not realize that the studio’s previous breakout game,King’s Field(a launch title for the original PlayStation), has been inspiring indie developers to create similar FPS dungeon crawling experiences. On top of the fact thatKing’s Fieldis an iconic game for those who played it in its time, the recentsurge in popularity of retro “boomer shooters"and stylized old-school graphics has made it commercially viable for indie developers with lower budgets to creategames inspired by classics likeKing’s Field.
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It might be a stretch to compare some of the entries on this list toKing’s Field, but it’s hard to believe that they haven’t all been influenced by it, at the very least unconsciously. Regardless, each entry bears some resemblance toKing’s Field, and fans of the FromSoftware classic will certainly want to try out a few of these games.
7Slasher’s Keep
Thistough-as-nails rogue-likeborrows fromKing’s Field’sunforgiving nature and (like all subsequent entries on this list) its clunky first-person combat, but due to following a rogue-like structure it’s obviously missing the RPG and exploration elements that makeKing’s Fieldso special.
While this is an unfair comparison,Slasher’s Keepcertainly seems to take inspiration from the RPG elements present inKing’s Field, especially in regard to stats and abilities.Slasher’s Keepalso features dungeon crawling packed with traps and harsh encounters that hearken back toKing’s Field.
6Gloomgrave
This rogue-like dungeon crawler features FPS dungeon crawling with a unique twist: grid-based, turn-based combat. The game’s turn-based nature makes it a relaxing experience to explore the randomly generated dungeons and gives players the time and space to think on their moves.
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In a sense, this manages to capture some of the tranquility found inKing’s Field’sexploration, but due to the randomly generated nature of the dungeon, it fails to capture the sense of adventure and discovery. It’s worth noting, though, that this little indie gem comes at a staggeringly low price.
5Barony
AlthoughBaronyis graphically very different toKing’s Field(its models are voxel-based), its combat is extremely reminiscent of FromSoftware’s classic PlayStation game. The first-person crawling is a blast,especially in co-operative play, and while its RPG elements may remind fans more ofDaggerfallthanKing’s Field, it’s worth noting thatDaggerfallreleased in 1996, two years afterKing’s Field.
While it’s hard to speculate thatDaggerfall’sdevelopment was affected byKing’s Field, it’s hard to believe the latter didn’t influence FPS fantasy games as a whole at the time.Barony, likeKing’s Field, hasvery simplistic combatthat leaves room for its other mechanics to breathe, like the classic rogue-like exploration and RPG elements. However,Barony’srogue-like nature also prevents it from being a trulyKing’s Fieldexperience.
4Northern Journey
Northern Journeyfocuses heavily on exploration and adventure through melancholic wilderness that may at times remind players ofDark Souls, only a little less depressing. The game prides itself on its misty green environments and melancholy atmosphere, and its gameplay varies from exploring the woodland with ziplines to fast-paced combat with horrific creatures.
The game features FPS melee and ranged combat, creepy monsters, and a variety of wilderness based levels. With its focus on exploration, as well as its various enemy types and bosses, fans ofKing’s FieldandDark Soulsare likely to have a blast.
3Devil Spire
At the time of writing, this game actually name-checksKing’s Fieldon its Steam store page, describing itself as “King’s Field, but procedurally generated”, and taking graphical inspiration fromHexen. The game was developed by three people over the course of the quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s clear that they put a lot of love and care into the game.
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With its slow and simplistic, methodical combat, as well as various spells and RPG-style stats and classes,Devil Spireis a great game for fans ofKing’s Fieldlooking for a more combat-focused, rogue-lite experience. One feature that adds to this game’s replayability is its various game modes, of which there are six, that include a 100-floor gauntlet and a boss-rush mode.
Dread Delusionmay focus ona solid narrativeand player choice that shapes it, but it does so at no expense to the rest of its gameplay. The game features a weapon upgrade system and a variety of spells and potions, and in many ways, likeBarony,Dread Delusionmay have been inspired by oldElder Scrollsgames likeDaggerfall; its quests and skill system that allows players to avoid combat are especially familiar.
However,Dread Delusionis its own unique experience, the combination of its old-school graphics, creepy creatures, and first-person combat weld together to create an atmosphere that is likely to give fans moments of discovery and awe similar to those found inDark Souls, but with gameplay more reminiscent ofKing’s Field.
1Lunacid
Lunacidhas self-proclaimed inspiration from not one, but twoFromSoftware games(Shadow TowerandKing’s Field), and it is immediately obvious.Lunacidcombines atmospheric exploration through carefully realized retro environments with simplistic but methodical combat straight out ofKing’s Field.
The game features various environments that really make the player feel as though they are on an adventure, something the originalKing’s Fieldarguably doesn’t do quite as well due to its recycling of certain textures.Lunacid’sbalance between exploration and combat, as well as its methodical and creepy-calm atmosphere, is sure to evoke similar feelings among fans of theKing’s Fieldfranchise.
