Okay, while I certainly think that there are some challenges to be expected by Killer Queen Black in the future, it really is an incredibly enjoyable and fresh new game. The general premise of Killer Queen Black is that it’s a strategy-based 4v4 competitive platformer game. The general premise of the game is that there is a single queen and three workers to support her. All eight players are put into an arena together with three different ways to win a game. The game can be won when either the queen is killed three times, when the snail in the middle of the map is ridden to victory to one team’s gate at the edge of the map, or when all of the workers collect enough eggs/berries to fill up the grid that each team has on each side of the map.
Liquid Bit and BumbleBear Games really did a great job of distinguishing Killer Queen Black from other games such as Duck Game by giving the player ways to win besides purely elimination. Killer Queen Black completely dives into and embraces the teamwork component that has not been as readily prevalent in strategic arcade games. The fact that the player can win through economic means, militaristic means, or snail means (yes, this is the most satisfying way to win), provides for a hectic map environment with tons of moving parts and different variables that mandate constant monitoring over the course of the game. If you focus too much on attacking the queen then the workers might steal the snail or fill up their berry board, but if you focus too much on the workers then the queen will just stab you in the back. Killer Queen Black gives every player an important role (even if it may not seem as important), which must be done exceptionally well in order for victory to be achieved.
I also enjoyed the work that the developers put into Killer Queen Black in terms of integration and optimization. The game has an online mode to compete against other real people (with crossplay I might add), a local mode to play against friends in a single room, online custom games for far away friends, a ranked mode, and a mode called “KQB TV” which allows you to spectate a game that is going on somewhere else. While some gamers generally look for a single-player mode or a campaign, I am sorry to say that Killer Queen Black does not have one, however, the developers did every single thing possible in their power to provide its players with competitive variation.
Killer Queen Black is also a game that I would characterize as having a deceptively high skill gap. While the controls and stationery three methods of winning the game may seem somewhat rudimentary, the simplicity of the game and controls leave a lot of win determination up to the skill of the players. In the game of ranked that I played, I noticed that some of the other players had learned how to manipulate the queen’s dashing and downward lunge attacks into chaining them together to basically swing through the map at non-defensible angles, quickly killing me until I realized the necessity of constant movement in order to find success. Additionally, there is a heavy emphasis on resource management and map control as there are upgrade towers which, when controlled and activated by the queens through touching them, allow for the workers to gain one of four power-ups such as a sword or a laser pistol.
I think that the game itself looks and feels great. The 16-bit animation style looks clean and reminiscent of classic arcade games while the movement has clearly been optimized with recent technology to feel as fluid as possible. I cannot rave about the music enough either. The haunting and exhilarating rock n’ roll constantly playing in the background compliments the fast-paced game as well, pumping each high-octane round full of adrenaline whenever it can.
My only reservation about Killer Queen Black comes from its longevity and replay value. While other competitive platformers such as Duck Game manage to thrive off of a rich assortment of guns, interactive and uniquely designed maps, and the humor associated with the design, I feel like Killer Queen Black falls a bit short. I felt like I had a great time playing this game… but only for about 30 minutes or so before it got stale. I imagine that a highly competitive matchup against solid players would be fun to watch or participate in, the speed with which a game could be over and the somewhat repetitive nature of the gameplay does not represent a longevity that I imagine the developer would’ve hoped for. I think that Killer Queen Black will live on as a hidden gem to be appreciated by hardcore fans of the style of game, but its complete reliance on an online player base will surely prove challenging for any developer of an indie-game as they have to be truly special to beat out the likes of competitive games such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends, or Fortnite for people’s attention.
Check Out the Killer Queen Black Trailer:
For more information, please visit the game’s official site,
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I've been playing video games since I got a Playstation 2 when I was about 5 or 6 years old. The original Star Wars: Battlefront series and the Spyro series initially ignited my interest in gaming, but it wasn't until I got older that I truly appreciated the subtle details that make video games such a unique form of entertainment. My favorite type of video game would have to be any lengthy and plot-driven open world game, with my favorite games of all time being Batman: Arkham City, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and Firewatch.
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