Kingdom’s Return Review A Unique Blend of Combat and Strategy
[Review] Kingdom’s Return: Rebuild a Fallen Kingdom Through Adventure
An Action RPG that perfectly blends combat and city-building
Kingdom’s Return: Time-Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster is a game from Inti Creates, a studio well known for its expertise in 2D pixel-style side-scrolling action games, with famous titles such as the Gunvolt series and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon. This new title continues the legacy of the Japanese mobile game “Bokura no Kingdom.”
Story
In a world filled with swords, magic, and spirits, the continent of Norlant is home to many small nations. Players take on the role of an adventurer (choosing from four available classes) who travels to the kingdom of Almacia, only to find that it has been destroyed overnight by a catastrophe.
The king requests your help to rebuild the kingdom, and introduces you to Chronos, the spirit of time, who assists the adventurer in restoring the land.
Gameplay
This game combines Action RPG and Strategy (City Builder) elements seamlessly.
The action gameplay is presented in a 2D side-scrolling format, where each class has unique abilities and playstyles. Players defeat enemies, level up, unlock new skills for tougher battles, and gather construction materials to develop the city.
The city-building system forms the strategy component. The gameplay direction depends on the type of castle chosen at the beginning. Materials collected from combat, exploration, or quest rewards are used to build shops and structures within the limited kingdom space.
Building placement is important, as it affects Total Stats (%), providing bonus stats to your character. However, bonuses are only activated when structures are placed in the correct strategic positions according to the castle type.
Character Introduction
Imperial
A female knight specializing in close combat. She excels in both attack and defense, with strong shield skills. Her standout ability is Counter, which blocks enemy attacks, retaliates, and temporarily boosts attack power.
Wizard
A female mage specializing in ranged magic attacks. She excels in elemental magic and self-buffing spells. However, she has extremely low health and defense, requiring careful planning during gameplay.
Alchemist
A male alchemist who fights at mid to long range. His strength lies in throwing potions that inflict various debuffs. Advanced skills include diverse attack styles using guns, dolls, and mandragora.
Zipangu
A male swordsman focused on close combat. He specializes in evasion and fast dual-blade combos. While his attack power is high, his defense is relatively low.
Class Circle System
This system governs skill progression and combat abilities. Each time a character levels up, players receive CP (3–4 points), which can be used to unlock new skills.
The system includes skill preview clips and descriptions, making it easier for players to decide which abilities to learn.
Conclusion
Kingdom’s Return is a simple yet charming game. It offers enjoyable gameplay with systems that are easy to understand, combined with a distinctive and appealing 2D pixel art style reminiscent of classic Japanese games.
While the story may not be particularly deep, the overall experience is fun and engaging. The price on Steam is also reasonable, making it worth completing or replaying.
Personally, this game is highly recommended for fans of 2D side-scrolling action RPGs. There’s a good chance you’ll really enjoy it.
