Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms lets you loose in a fantasy world
Described as a mix between Dark Souls and Baldur’s Gate, Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms invites you to the beautiful world of Plamen. Though of course, being a fantasy RPG, not all is well: the kingdoms of Plamen are under threat from the ever-growing corruption of Alaloth, a malevolent god that’s been imprisoned in the mortal realm. As a champion, you’ve been chosen to fight against Alaloth and hopefully become the saviour of the land.
As ever, things start with you creating your champion, and while your options aren’t vast, there are enough to make the process somewhat pleasing. There are four races to choose from, for example, as well as multiple fighting styles: do you want to dual wield or make use of a sword and shield? You don’t need to get too hung up about your choices, though, since you have plenty of opportunities to shape your character as you play through the game.
The main thing to note about Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms is that it doesn’t hold your hand: once you’re in the game’s world, what you do is up to you. You can choose to explore if you like, visiting towns and other locations in the hope of picking up quests that you can complete, or simply talking to locals to gather information. You can engage in random battles, too, if you wish, facing off against stereotypical creatures such as skeletons, goblins and whole lot more. You won’t gain experience for doing so, however.
In fact, the only way you’ll make any real progression in Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms is by completing Fighting Areas — essentially dungeons that you need to clear of enemies. Succeed and you’ll claim the dungeon, not only earning yourself valuable experience, but also having a stash of loot to pick from. Both are infinitely useful for increasing the combat abilities of your champion, with plenty of abilities and perks on offer, as well as stat upgrades and more.
Overcoming these Fighting Areas isn’t easy, though. While Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms is played from an isometric perspective, combat plays out in real-time and is very much inspired by Dark Souls. That means you need to manage your stamina to make sure you’re not a sitting duck, and you’ll need to dodge or block incoming attacks otherwise you’ll find yourself cut down in a flash. It’s not all over if you do die, however; you’ll be revived at a nearby shrine, though you will lose a few days and your gear will lose some durability.
Losing in-game days will be particularly troublesome if you choose to play the game in competitive mode, where other champions throughout the world will also be going around trying to claim Fighting Areas and suchlike. Should one of them beat you to the punch, you might find your progress put back a bit. It’s a nice idea though, and one that makes the world feel a little more alive.
If you fancy the idea of being let loose in a fantasy world in a bid to become its beloved champion, then, it’s definitely worth giving Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms some consideration. It’s not free of issues — the combat can feel a bit scrappy at times, and the story is rather clichéd to say the least — but there’s still plenty to like here.
Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms is available on PC.
