Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

King’s Field: The Ancient City retains the deliberate, methodical pacing that longtime fans of FromSoftware’s early work have come to expect. Encounters with hostile creatures demand patience and measured strikes rather than button-mashing, and each swing of your sword or ax must be carefully timed to avoid leaving Devian vulnerable. The first-person perspective enhances the tension, making every corridor, chamber, and moss-covered cavern feel claustrophobic and rife with unseen threats.

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The weapon progression system is deceptively simple yet deeply rewarding: using a sword, club, axe, or bow repeatedly not only increases your proficiency with that weapon type but also unlocks more powerful attacks. This organic approach to character growth encourages experimentation—if you find yourself stuck, switching from a heavy club to a nimble sword can open up new tactical possibilities. Magic follows the same pattern, with spells growing in potency and granting extra magic points as you cast them. The need to balance physical and magical offense adds strategic depth to every encounter.

Item degradation and repair are a constant consideration. Weapons and armor slowly deteriorate over time, forcing you to visit the blacksmith to keep your kit in fighting shape. Meanwhile, the ability to swim underwater for a limited duration expands the exploration dynamic. Many hidden chambers and treasure caches lie beneath shimmering pools or just beyond the brink of submersible passageways, rewarding players who take the time to map every nook and cranny of the Ancient City.

Graphics

Despite its console origins, The Ancient City boasts a hauntingly beautiful art direction that holds up surprisingly well. The game’s textures are coarse by modern standards, yet they lend authenticity to the crumbling ruins and gnarled rock formations that fill the landscape. Shadows dance across torchlit walls, and shifting light sources create an ambience of uncertainty that reinforces the game’s grim tone.

Creature designs range from grotesque skeleton knights to massive, lumbering beasts that feel like they’ve been unearthed from a nightmare. Their animations may appear stiff compared to current-generation titles, but each movement—whether the lazy swing of a gargoyle’s wing or the snapping jaws of an amphibious horror—carries weight. Character models for NPCs are similarly angular but endearing, often underscored by atmospheric lighting that highlights etched facial lines and ragged clothing.

Performance-wise, the game runs smoothly on original hardware, and modern re-releases or ports typically include display filters or upscaling options to reduce jagged edges. While The Ancient City lacks dynamic weather or particle effects, its static, oppressive atmosphere is precisely what cultivates a sense of dread. Every flicker of flame or distant thunderclap feels purposefully placed, drawing you further into this shadowed realm.

Story

The narrative of The Ancient City centers on the Idol of Sorrow, a talisman whose curse transformed the once-blessed Holy Land into the accursed Land of Disaster. Many years ago, the item’s malevolent power was sealed away, but the ruler of Heladin inadvertently reawakened its dark influence. Now, Prince Devian of the Azalin Empire bears the idol, tasked with returning it to its lair and breaking the ancient curse.

Although plot exposition is delivered sparingly through terse dialogue with enigmatic NPCs, the game’s lore seeps into every corner of the environment. Ruined sanctuaries, overgrown shrines, and half-buried statues all whisper fragments of the land’s former glory and its tragic downfall. Side characters often share cryptic warnings or fragmented histories, pushing you toward the next dungeon while deepening the sense that this world predates Devian’s arrival by centuries.

True to King’s Field tradition, story progression is nonlinear. You may wander through vast halls before uncovering a key item that unlocks a previously inaccessible region, then piece together the idol’s origins by revisiting earlier areas. This demo-by-discovery structure rewards observation and backtracking, making narrative beats feel earned rather than spoon-fed. Though the tale can feel opaque at first, players who persevere are treated to a rich tapestry of myth and tragedy.

Overall Experience

King’s Field: The Ancient City isn’t for the faint of heart—its deliberate combat, sparse handholding, and archaic visuals demand patience and curiosity. Yet for those who relish methodical exploration and atmospheric worldbuilding, this entry in the series stands as a hidden gem. The sense of accomplishment when you finally clear a challenging dungeon or discover a submerged treasure trove is genuinely satisfying.

The learning curve can be steep, particularly for gamers accustomed to modern checkpoint systems or automatic map markers. Inventory management and weapon durability add additional layers of complexity, and the freedom to attack any NPC carries its own moral ambiguity. But these very mechanics underscore the game’s medieval, sandbox ethos: you carve your own path through ruin and danger, with only your wits and will to guide you.

Ultimately, The Ancient City offers a singular experience that laid the groundwork for later FromSoftware classics. It may feel archaic in comparison to more recent titles, but its uncompromising atmosphere, intricate level design, and gradual power progression deliver a deeply rewarding journey. For fans of old-school first-person RPGs or anyone seeking a truly immersive, challenging adventure, this ancient curse is well worth confronting.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10