Special thank you to Chainsawsome Games for providing a Knight Squad review code for the Nintendo Switch

Knight Squad is a 1 to 8 player top-down clash of chaotic and frantic fun. Featuring a wide variety of multiplayer modes for different types of matches; former friends and new enemies will clash in this battle for game night supremacy! 

Knight Squad takes clear inspiration from classic Bomberman titles. From the colourful knights that players will take into battle, to the wide variety of power-ups they utilize to seize victory, there is no doubt the game is trying to replicate Bomberman’s style of local multiplayer fun. Knight Squad adds its own spin on this aforementioned formula, however. At the beginning of any match, the players will select which knight they would like to play as. Each one of the knight’s designs is just radiating personality; such as the large frame of the yellow knight or the almost mohawk like helmet on the purple knight. These traits make them easy to distinguish from each other in addition to their different colours.

Once everybody has selected their favorite knight; players will choose from numerous different game modes to compete in. The variety in this game is quite impressive. There are simple modes like ‘Capture the Grail’ where the goal is to earn the most points through obtaining the most grails, to more complicated ones like ‘Soul Hunter’ which has players defeat others in order to bring collected souls back to their home base. Whichever mode is being played, the goal remains the same: earn the most points to be crowned champion.

Gladiator game mode

A Knight of Fun

Matches take place in a maze-like arena that must be navigated before the battle can truly begin. Scattered around the maze, players will find aid in the form of different weapons that can be picked up and used to kill opponents. Each knight will begin battle with a humble sword but can gain access to drills, laser guns, and bombs just to name a few. When a weapon is collected, it will override the one currently in the player’s possession. 

Offensive tools are not the only ones that can be collected. Shields that allow an extra hit to be taken are also available on the map, along with boots to help increase player movement speed. This can be leveled up further through collecting more boots; and the sword players start with can also be upgraded to a max level of three, increasing its reach. Matches can get extremely chaotic in the best way as all of these factors make for an exhilarating experience. Destroying a wall to catch knights who thought they had gotten away and getting into an intense sword duel with friends as the timer comes down to the wire are some of the most fun spent during this game. 

The wide array of weapons serve as a means of spicing up the matches where it is every Knight for themselves. Despite the complexity with the large variety of weapons at your disposal, Knight Squad keeps its core gameplay simple; making it easy to get into.

4v4 Capture the Point

Solo Quest

Knight Squad also contains single-player content for those who prefer to ride solo. They come in the form of Challenges; objectives that must be completed such as killing a horde of skeletons or battling two large worms. These provide a fun bit of challenge for players who are up to the task. The issue with this mode, however, lies in the difficulty. Challenges can be set between two different types of skill levels; easy and intense. This, however, does not alter the A.I. in any way. The only change made is that they will crank up the number of mobs on screen. This leads to the majority of the challenges being just as simple to complete between either difficulty level.

While playing through the challenges in Knight Squad, players can unlock other playable knights. There are a  handful of knights that can be awarded to players through various methods. Along with completing specific challenges, another way includes acquiring a set amount of points in certain game modes.

Challenge mode 

Appearance-wise,  Knight Squad does not do much to distinguish itself from other similar titles. While the art is passable, nothing about the art design or graphics leaves a lasting impression. While the knights all have some visual flair; the appearance of each map is quite forgettable, with each being some type of variation of a stone-tiled room or cave. The enemy design, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired as well. With lackluster designs, none of the enemies stand out and look as though their designs were an afterthought.

The music does not fare much better. With generic dub-step tracks backing the multiplayer madness, no piece of music is memorable and sounds as if it could have come from anywhere. The sound design is adequate; swords and bombs sound as they should and there is a satisfying “woosh” sound when a laser beam is fired. The best way to describe the presentation in Knight Squad is generic. 

Lastly, for a game that puts such a large focus on the multiplayer, it can seem counter intuitive to limit the online multiplayer to one platform with PC, as the Nintendo Switch version of Knight Squad does not feature an online mode.

Ultimately Knight Squad is a thrilling multiplayer frenzy that gives a fresh feel to the Bomberman style of gameplay. While it clearly has plenty of love put into the gameplay to ensure that everybody would have something they can get out of it, its finer details are where it stumbles. Overall, Knight Squad has the potential to satiate the desires of local play whenever the occasion arises to fill the night with mindless fun.

To see more reviews like this one, check out our previous one: The Last of Us Part II.