History VideoGame / KingsQuestMaskOfEternity

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote:[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"]] (ironically, Jane Jensen's own KingsQuest6 was also noted for being darker and more ominous itself. http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/KQ6_development#Dialogue)

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote:[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"]]

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and, up until recently, last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles (actually more than most of them, except for possibly VII) as previous two games [[http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8 (or at least starting with VI and VII)]], but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Supposedly, Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, was the one who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game while other sources claimed higher-ups forced the genre change to compete with games like ''TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''.

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and so far last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles (actually more than most of them, except for possibly VII) as previous two games [[http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8 (or at least starting with VI and VII)]], but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Supposedly, Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, was the one who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game while other sources claimed higher-ups forced the genre change to compete with games like ''TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote: "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, ''King's Quest VI'' was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "''King's Quest VI'' can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10)

* InNameOnly: This game, at first glance it seems whose only connection to the previous installments is being ostensibly set in the same location, and a couple of cameos. Although technically every game in the series is set in a different realm (no game in the official series is set in the same location), unconnected storyline (stand alone), usually only with only a few cameos from previous games, and with limited use of Daventry to connect them. KQ8 ties into details only alluded to in previous materials (I.E. manuals, guides and novels) such as the Town of Daventry and Daventry's church. KQ8 has several ideas that are thematically based on previous KQ tropes (unicorns, ugly witches, gnomes, ice queens, Lord of the Dead, bad dwarves, crystal dragons, treacherous swamps, volcanic regions, snowy mountains, killer trees, dragons, underworld, etc). Many of these tropes reappear in different games used in very different ways (trolls for example are all treated very differently throughout the series in each game they appear, the same can be said for the ogres, as well as the dwarves, and Rumplestiltskin doesn't seem to remember Graham in KQ5). Even Connor is thematically similar to Sir Graham of KQ1 as a rustic knight of Daventry who was destined to save the king and kingdom (his starting costume is the same as King Graham's minus the adventure's hat). Additionally the enemies though killable in KQ8, are a ShoutOut to the random baddies (wolves, ogres, witches, sorcerer, dwarves, etc) seen in KQ1-KQ2 (and lesser extent KQ3 and KQ4) though not killable were solely there to get in the way of the adventurer. However, there is still a ShoutOut in ''Silver Lining'', with more to be expected. (If the player tries to have King Graham grab something he can't reach, the narrator says, "Tis Beyond his REACH!" in a way similar to Connor in ''Mask of Eternity'').

* FloweryElizabethanEnglish: Suddenly, and previously rarely used in the series, with no reason given. Technically, Alexander uses a touch of it in [=KQ6=] (seen most often in his "oaths/explicitives"), although it was far less stressed. There was a bit of it in [=KQ3=] from Rosella as well (she calls her mother "Mum"). See also certain characters in [=KQ1=], especially the remake. Compare to Graham and Rosella in ''Sierra's Hoyle I: Book of Card Games''.

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote: "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, ''King's Quest VI'' was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "''King's Quest VI'' can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10) Triva Note: For added irony, in ''Mask of Eternity'', you do get to save the cute sprite/wisps of the Swamp, who are known for pollinating the flowers (like bees)!

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote: "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, King's Quest 6 was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "King's Quest VI can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10) Triva Note: For added irony, in ''Mask of Eternity'', you do get to save the cute sprite/wisps of the Swamp, who are known for pollinating the flowers (like bees)!

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote: "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, King's Quest 6 was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "KQ6 can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10) Triva Note: For added irony, in KQ8, you do get to save the cute sprite/wisps of the Swamp, who are known for pollinating the flowers (like bees)!

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and so far last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles (actually more than most of them, except for possibly VII) as previous two games (or at least starting with VI and VII (http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8)), but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, had been one of those who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game (though in hindsight, some years later, she is not sure it was the right decision).

* WiseTree: The talking tree in the swamp, who dispenses advice at the cost of a gold coin. Connor [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this by asking why a tree would need money.

* CanonDiscontinuity: The game has not shown up on any of the compilation [=CDs=] of the series and has only since been re-released on Good Old Games. Not entirely true when the game first came out in 1998, it was part of the "King's Quest MASK/Collection Bundle (1998)" (which included all eight games at a discounted price, http://web.archive.org/web/19981206023926/http://sierra.com/). Most of the compilations (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) were released before KQ8 was released (two of them include previews of KQ8). There was also a long period where the game was entirely incompatible with newer versions of Windows (it took the fan community to actually make a patch to work in Vista/7/8). The only compilation that came out after KQ8 or the MASK/COllection Bundle, was the 2006 release (also found on Steam). This is not saying much as the 2006 compilation (the only other recent compilation to be released after KQ8) was a buggy mess (and was missing the original King's Quest 1, and out of the box working version of KQ6 for windows, and missing or corrupt files on many of the games, and a outdated version of Dosbox, outdated windows-only version of King's Quest 7 (incompatible with 64-bit windows versions)). GOG's bundles are the first compilation to include the fan created patch, allowing the game to be sold again.

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest 8: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and so far last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles (actually more than most of them, except for possibly VII) as previous two games (or at least starting with VI and VII (http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8)), but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, had been one of those who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game (though in hindsight, some years later, she is not sure it was the right decision).

* FreeSamplePlotCoupon: The entire reason why Connor is the hero is because he picked up a piece of the Mask (one out of five) before the spell that turned everyone else to stone could hit. Everyone acts as though he's the destined hero, but if that's true then Destiny must've aimed that mask piece directly at him. This is confirmed by a Prophet and a prophecy later in the game.

This is the first game where you play as someone other than a member of the Daventry royal family(not counting the 'wanderer' in Wizard and the Princess, or the Captain in King's Questions, or the plot twist of Gwydion burning out to be Alexander). You are Conner, a young tanner and lesser rustic knight (much like Graham in the original game), who has a date with destiny. A piece of a mystical artifact called the Mask of Eternity falls at Connor's feet; at the same time, the entire kingdom of Daventry is turned to stone. To save the country, Connor must find all the pieces of the broken Mask and restore them to the Realm of Sun, all while slicing his way through enemies.

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest 8: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and so far last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles (actually more than) as previous two games (or at least starting with VI and VII (http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8)), but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, had been one of those who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game (though in hindsight, some years later, she is not sure it was the right decision).

* StoppedNumberingSequels: One supposes they thought it was getting ridiculous.

* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: The game has a limit of one short-range weapon ([=dagger/axe/sword=]) and one long-range weapon ([=bow/crossbow=]). When you pick up the new weapon you drop the old one. Leave and come back, and the old weapon is still there, in an aversion of EverythingFades. However, there isn't really any functional difference between the different short- and long-range weapons except for their strength - except the warhammer, which takes an annoyingly long time to swing. However many hand weapons do offer different enemy death animations (fire sword causes enemies to burst into flame for example).

* InNameOnly: This game, at first glance it seems whose only connection to the previous installments is being ostensibly set in the same location, and a couple of cameos. Although technically every game in the series is set in a different realm (no game in the official series is set in the same location), unconnected storyline (stand alone), usually only with only a few cameos from previous games, and with limited use of Daventry to connect them. KQ8 ties into details only alluded to in previous materials (I.E. manuals, guides and novels) such as the Town of Daventry and Daventry's church. KQ8 has several ideas that are thematically based on previous KQ tropes (unicorns, ugly witches, gnomes, ice queens, Lord of the Dead, bad dwarves, crystal dragons, treacherous swamps, volcanic regions, snowy mountains, killer trees, dragons, underworld, etc). Many of these tropes reappear in different games used in very different ways (trolls for example are all treated very differently throughout the series in each game they appear, the same can be said for the ogres, as well as the dwarves, and Rumplestiltskin doesn't seem to remember Graham in KQ5). Even Connor is thematically similar to Sir Graham as a rustic knight of Daventry who was destined to save the king and kingdom (his starting costume is the same as King Graham's minus the adventure's hat). However, there is still a ShoutOut in ''Silver Lining'', with more to be expected. (If the player tries to have King Graham grab something he can't reach, the narrator says, "Tis Beyond his REACH!" in a way similar to Connor in ''Mask of Eternity'').

* InNameOnly: This game, at first glance it seems whose only connection to the previous installments is being ostensibly set in the same location, and a couple of cameos. Although technically every game in the series is set in a different realm (no game in the official series is set in the same location), unconnected storyline (stand alone), usually only with only a few cameos from previous games, and with limited use of Daventry to connect them. KQ8 ties into details only alluded to in previous materials (I.E. manuals and guides) such as the Town of Daventry and Daventry's church. KQ8 has several ideas that are thematically based on previous KQ tropes (unicorns, ugly witches, gnomes, ice queens, Lord of the Dead, bad dwarves, crystal dragons, treacherous swamps, volcanic regions, snowy mountains, killer trees, dragons, underworld, etc). Many of these tropes reappear in different games used in very different ways (trolls for example are all treated very differently throughout the series in each game they appear, the same can be said for the ogres, as well as the dwarves, and Rumplestiltskin doesn't seem to remember Graham in KQ5). Even Connor is thematically similar to Sir Graham as a rustic knight of Daventry who was destined to save the king and kingdom (his starting costume is the same as King Graham's minus the adventure's hat). However, there is still a ShoutOut in ''Silver Lining'', with more to be expected. (If the player tries to have King Graham grab something he can't reach, the narrator says, "Tis Beyond his REACH!" in a way similar to Connor in ''Mask of Eternity'').

* InNameOnly: This game, whose only connection to the previous installments is being ostensibly set in the same location, and a couple of cameos. However, there is still a ShoutOut in ''Silver Lining'', with more to be expected. (If the player tries to have King Graham grab something he can't reach, the narrator says, "Tis Beyond his REACH!" in a way similar to Connor in ''Mask of Eternity'').

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote: "Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, King's Quest 6 was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "KQ6 can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10)

* DarkerAndEdgier: This game took the series in a direction that embarrassed {{Sierra}}'s designers. Among them were [[VideoGame/GabrielKnight Jane Jensen]], who wrote:
-->"Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]]
Ironically, King's Quest 6 was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "KQ6 can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10)

* AntiquatedLinguistics: This was one of many, many jarring changes made to the series. For seven games everyone's talk was mostly plain and modern, and then out of nowhere it's pseudo-Shakespeare city, even though this is supposed to be happening a decade or two ''later''.

This is the first game where you play as someone other than a member of the Daventry royal family(not counting the 'wanderer' in Wizard and the Princess, or the Captain in King's Questions, or the plot twist of Gwydion burning out to be Alexander). You are Conner, a young tanner and lesser rustic knight, who has a date with destiny. A piece of a mystical artifact called the Mask of Eternity falls at Connor's feet; at the same time, the entire kingdom of Daventry is turned to stone. To save the country, Connor must find all the pieces of the broken Mask and restore them to the Realm of Sun, all while slicing his way through enemies.

This is the first game where you play as someone other than a member of the Daventry royal family(not counting the 'wanderer' in Wizard and the Princess, or the Captain in King's Questions). You are Conner, a young tanner and lesser rustic knight, who has a date with destiny. A piece of a mystical artifact called the Mask of Eternity falls at Connor's feet; at the same time, the entire kingdom of Daventry is turned to stone. To save the country, Connor must find all the pieces of the broken Mask and restore them to the Realm of Sun, all while slicing his way through enemies.

''King's Quest: Mask of Eternity'' (also known as King's Quest 8: Mask of Eternity, or simply [=KQ8=]) is the eighth and so far last official game in the ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' series. It was a notable departure from the previous AdventureGame format, and while it included about the same number of puzzles as previous two games (or at least starting with VI and VII (http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Puzzle_statistics#King.27s_Quest_8)), but puzzles were overshadowed by more hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPG elements (which are included in the total 'puzzle' score for the game). It was also the franchise's first attempt at a 3D game. While it was moderately well-received in its time, the crash of the adventure game industry killed the series (along with several other Sierra [=IPs=]), there was an attempt to make a King's Quest 9 (in the early 2000s as a Zelda-like action game, but it didn't go very far). Roberta Williams, creator and chief designer of the ''King's Quest'' series, had been one of those who had come up with the idea to add action elements to the game (though in hindsight, some years later, she is not sure it was the right decision).

-->"Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]] Ironically, King's Quest 6 was described as being a dark, edgier, wordier version of King's Quest by David Trivette author of the The Official Book of King's Quest (Third Edition), and not feeling like previous King's Quest games, and this was attributed to Jane Jensen. "KQ6 can be seen as a sharp departure from the previous quests, in large part because it was the first quest in which creator/designer Roberta Williams had a collaborator. There is a darkness to the scenes not found in earlier quests. Overall the sixth has an ominous tone." (The Official Book of King's Quest, 3rd Edition, pg 10)

-->"Me and my poor befuddled brain, trying to fathom a Sierra where... the most recent King's Quest involves killing things? Whatever happened to saving the cute little bee queen? HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD?"[[http://www.justadventure.com/articles/Love_Letter/Jane_Jensen%27s_Love_Letter_to_Sierra.shtm]]
* DegradedBoss: The Henchmen become normal enemies in the Realm of the Sun, the last area of the game.

* OddballInTheSeries: Ditched the interactive narrative formula, and went for action/adventure instead. Like other entries on this list, some prefer to think [[FanonDisContinuity it never happened]].