King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella

King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella

released on Sep 23, 1988

King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella

released on Sep 23, 1988

Be prepared for a spectacular adventure, three times larger than any previous Sierra adventure, a landmark in computer gaming that transcends existing standards of computer graphics, sound and animation. Powerfully dramatic, King's Quest IV evokes emotion like no other computer game with a unique combination of lifelike animated personalities, beautiful landscapes, and soul-stirring music. Sierra has recreated the universe of King's Quest, a world that one moment will pull at your heartstrings, the next moment place terror in your heart. Uniting the best programmers, artists, and musicians in the business, Sierra has created a constantly evolving universe where landscapes change from day to night, characters roam freely, and dramatic music interludes tantalize your emotions in a complicated tale of faith and mistrust. Your quest begins with a full-length cartoon and proceeds to plunge you into a fantasy world of mystery, intrigue and enough plot twists to confound even the most dedicated adventurer. Embark upon a perilous journey into the darkest corners of the King's Quest universe. Not one, but many successful quests must be completed to save the royal family from a tragic destiny. With a surprise introduction and an equally unexpected conclusion, plot twists abound as you strive to discover the mysteries of a strange land, overcome its hostile inhabitants, and reveal the secrets hidden therein. Roam the grounds at night and discover areas which remain hidden during daylight hours. Travel swiftly, as time is of the essence, and each moment brings the royal family closer to ruin.


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Despite King's Quest III's flaws, I liked the scenario there better. King's Quest IV offers mostly more of the same, but with a new level of polish as the franchise moved on from the AGI to the SCI engine.

The graphics and music were impressive in their day (for an IBM PC anyway), but my love for this series has dwindled over the years.

There are so many cheap deaths and falling off stairs. I hate how fussy the Sierra Quest games are about character positioning. This game also has several dead ends that force a restart from scratch, such as if you break the shovel or use Cupid's arrows in the wrong place. It's just frustrating.

Tentar aproveitar as aventuras gráficas da Sierra significa fazer um monte de concessões. As "Regras para Aventureiros de Rei Graham", que faz parte da lore da própria série King's Quest, encapsula bem a filosofia por trás desses jogos: "Pegue tudo o que não estiver pregado no chão. Se estiver pregado, veja se não é possível tirar os pregos. Cheque cuidadosamente dentro, debaixo, acima e atrás das coisas. Leia tudo: você pode aprender algo. Vista roupas de baixo limpas. Escove os dentes depois das refeições. E sempre se lembre: nada é o que parece. Nada."

Mas mesmo fazendo essas concessões e seguindo as "regras", King's Quest IV é uma experiência dolorosa. É um game que em certos momentos só pode ser vencido na base do puro atrito, com as soluções de alguns puzzles só sendo encontradas através da incessante tentativa e erro ou puro acidente. Eu me pergunto quantas pessoas conseguiram zerar esse jogo sem a ajuda de um guia ou livro de dicas. Spoiler: não estou neste seleto grupo.

Claro, esse game foi feito para um público bem diferente. Roberta Williams (a designer da série) estava se dirigindo justamente à pessoas tentar todas as combinações lógicas e ilógicas possíveis por meses (anos?) até completarem o game. Infelizmente, não faço parte desse público. Eu só quero uma aventura gráfica com puzzles bacanas e historinha divertida pra me desestressar.

Rosella doesn't like coffee.