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In a closed-door preview of Odd Gentlemen’s heartfelt revival of King’s Quest, Siliconera spoke with studio founder Matt Korba.
King’s Quest takes a narrative approach to story that elaborates on the style of The Princess Bride, where King Grahame is telling his daughter stories. The player navigates these stories, and can even get the better of the narrator at times.
One of the things that sets it aside from the rest, though, is its outstanding soundtrack. “When we spoke with out producer about adding more music, he noted that the first chapter of the game alone already exceeded Mass Effect—among other Triple-A titles,” Korba said.
The music in the game is at times referential, calling back to the very first King’s Quest title in the form of a reimagined main theme. At other times, it draws inspiration from Carl Stalling (the famous Looney Tunes composer) by narrating a scene with brass or flutes—a reactive sound to meet every action and misstep young Grahame takes.
The Odd Gentlemen is a studio comprised of just 20 people, and yet, the charm of the characters and beauty of the hand-painted world are comparable to big animation giants like Disney or Pixar. In fact, some voices from Disney classics—like Richard White (Gaston, Beauty and the Beast) and Michael-Leon Wooley (Louis, Princess and the Frog)—have roles in the game.
The first chapter of King’s Quest will be available this July.