Knights in the Nightmare Analysis 1: Decay and Restoration

(From Destructoid)

 Often cited as an under-appreciated gem, Knights in the Nightmare turned heads with its daring combination of bullet-hell and strategy elements. Often glossed over, however, are its impeccable atmosphere and themes, which perfectly complement the gameplay. (I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm on Scene 40 of approximately 46, so I think I can give a justified opinion.) (Also, spoilers ahead.)

Richard Terrell notes the prevalence of decay in his somewhat harsh, but well-written analysis of Knights' game design. Specifically, he mentions features like weapon degradation and the gradual loss of "Time" by attacking and getting hit by enemy attacks.

Decay is also an important aspect of Knights' story. Images of King Wilmgard in all his glory are presented after certain battles, showing the king speaking with all the grace of a just ruler, and insisting to his advisers that he must see the people, and put their needs first. It is this idealized version of the past which slowly decays both as the story progresses, and as the player learns more about Wilmgard.

As Cardinal Capehorn and his allies unfurl their claws, people mysteriously disappear. Monsters attack seemingly at random. The king and his retinue are regularly sent from the castle to deal with rumours of unrest. Ultimately, Law becomes Chaos (as reflected by the phase changes in the battle system), and by the time the murdered Wilmgard reawakens as the Wisp, Aventheim Castle has been taken over by the freaking King of the Underworld, and it seems like nearly everyone is dead.

Enter: King Wilmgard, Restorer of Aventheim

This is where the theme of restoration comes into play. Every scene, the player clears another area of monsters, or kills one of the bigger baddies. Each recruitment of a knight's soul is treated as a special moment, with some truly uplifting music to mark the occasion. Slowly, with the divine power of the Arbitrator, the Wisp is restoring the kingdom to its previous state, pushing away the darkness and filling it with light...

...but only up to a point. A pretty important point, I might add. While the state of the kingdom starts at rock-bottom and only improves, the player's opinion of Wilmgard starts pretty high and only decreases. This man may have been a great warrior and leader, but he was easily duped by Capehorn, and his parenting skills of Nordich leave much to be desired (spoiled brat!). Worst of all, however, is how he deals with other races, and his extremely narrow approach to diplomacy (read: violence).

More on that in my next post...