Kingsvein is a Masterclass in Systems Craft
Developer Sean Hayden, aka Rad Codex, has spent over a decade honing his tactics RPG craft - and in his latest meticulously crafted experience Kingsvein, that mastery has produced what may be his best work yet. Where his previous tactics RPG Horizon's Gate featured a larger world with an abundance of systems, Kingsvein is more focused and directed, creating a great point of entry to fall in love with this niche series of RPGs.
A World Unto Itself
Most tactics games take the form of discreet, abstractedly designed spaces for tactical combat. Kingsvein takes the approach that the world itself is the battlefield, similar to that of Baldurs Gate 3 or the Pathfinder games. Where Kingsvein diverges from these titles is the very deliberately confined spaces of a crumbling upstairs bar or a half-dug mine make for engaging battlefields requiring forethought pre- and during skirmishes.
The environment and battle system are built in sync with one another - positioning matters, with control over the battlefield being key to victory on many occasions. Not only is movement per turn generally restrictive, but bodies of downed foes remain impassable at least for a few turns, with environmental hazards, walls and the elements themselves often needing to be taken into consideration. Winning a foray often feels like wining a high end chess match - moves need to be planned out ahead, strategic sacrifices sometimes need to be made and an acute understanding of the board in front of you means more than just knowing what each piece can do.
Lateral Thinking
Pairing with this design is a robust system of classes, spells, items and tools that are effective in and out of combat. A basic example is the simple swing of a sword - a regular attack in battle causing a few points of damage is expected, but the same action on a suspicious looking blob might produce a hidden item. It sets you up with an almost ImSim level of thinking - what tools do I have in my toolbox, and how can those tools affect the space around me? A lantern can light the way, but swinging it at a brazier can permanently light the room while doing the same over a tuft of grass might set a wildfire loose.
The class upgrade system also pulls from the same line of thinking, where unlocking and using more advanced classes are more a sense of unlocking more options than a direct increase in power. Every character can unlock every class, with your strategy built on blending abilities and upgrades to create a group of heroes that synergize well together. Combining blood strewn around the floor with lightning is generally going to be more effective than sword-wot-do-big-damage.
Emphasizing this is the restrained approach to power creep, in that numbers around HP/MP/Damage are kept surprisingly low. There's still a sense of progression throughout your time with the game, but your little buddies only having 15-30HP mean every hit point of damage you can give or take can make a large difference, pushing you to make the most of the abilities at your disposal.
Each of these systems promote a specific thread of thought - you always need to work smarter. Overcoming obstacles is rarely ever a matter of brute force - it's all about understanding your party, your capabilities, the environment and your enemy, much more than it is about who's numbers are higher.
Tactics Catnip
If I had one wish, it would be that the controls worked just a little better on a controller. Rad Codex has done a fantastic job translating these games to the format, don't get me wrong, but you can tell they are designed as PC KB&M first tactics RPGs. It still works, but it's just slightly too fiddly for laying back on the couch for my tastes.
My old man griping about controllers aside, Kingsvein's tactical open-world metroidvania-esque adventure is a brain-tingling experience that challenges and delights at just about every turn.