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King's Quest Chapter III is the third chapter of King's Quest: Adventures of Graham.

Background[]

Discover the True Story of How King Graham Met Queen Valanice!

Perfect for springtime, King’s Quest – Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb adds a romantic comedy twist to the adventure, turning a spotlight to Queen Valanice, the future wife of King Graham and a classic character from the series’ origins. As Graham continues to recount some of the most daring stories from his life to his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, players will get to experience the true legend behind Graham’s first encounter with Valanice and how he rescued her from the wicked witch Hagatha.

King Graham’s wife and Gwendolyn’s grandmother, Queen Valanice. Some may think they know the legend of how Graham rescued his future bride from the wicked witch Hagatha’s tower (King's Quest II: Romancing The Throne) but the truth behind the fairy-tale is much more complicated!

The adventure showing how Graham's met his future wife Valanice, and what happened after he met her, as his young love with Valanice developed after his marriage and return from Kolyma. Gwendolyn continues to listen to her Grandfather's stories, learning and growing from them. This is set when Graham is in his 30s, eight years after previous chapter's events.

Graham eventually gets to the tower with his future queen in it, only to find two women waiting for him. Not only that, Graham now finds himself stuck at the top of the tower with both of them. will gain affinity with one of the princesses until finally deciding on asking one to join you as the queen of Daventry. Along the way, he will explore the awkwardness of love and dating while also trying to gain freedom from the evil witch Hagatha.[1]

Notes[]

  • This chapter finds much of its influence from the story of Rapunzel. However as a fractured fairy tale that has been turned upside down, with Dame Gothel and Rapunzel merged into one character.
    • Secondary inspiration may be allusions to Howl's Moving Castle and the Baba Yaga stories. As well as even Snow White (queens/princesses/witches concerned with beauty). There may be some influence from Androcles and the Lion or Aesop's fable The Lion and the Mouse, in the part where Graham/Neese have the option of helping the hurt Wolf (though the wolf does not return to help the characters in any way).
    • Third a number of other various fairy tale references are made in the Morral Querrels card game and some character's various dialogue. There is a slight possible reference to Romeo and Juliet via the love poem that Whisper helps Graham write for Hagatha.
    • The ever looming tower and its almost never changing size at any distance is a reference to Citizen Kane.
    • Lastly more fairy tale references related to previous King's Quest games, foreshadowing later KQ games (both original series, and future episodes) Minotaurs, sphinx, unicorns, etc.

Behind the scenes[]

The episode is set near the end of King’s Quest II, after Graham has solved all the nonsensical puzzles keeping him from the tower where the woman he’s destined to marry is imprisoned. In the original, this is the point where Graham climbs a tall staircase, subdues the hungry lion standing guard, and gets the girl—no questions asked. But not this time. “This is the one [episode] where we’re twisting a little bit of what happened. This is probably the closest we’ll get to playing with the classic games,” Korba explained as he navigated a more mature, noticeably bulkier king toward the iconic tower. “We’re kind of playing with the King’s Quest II stuff because, you know, King’s Quest II is very much like Rapunzel: he climbs up the tower and instantly falls in love and gets married two seconds later.” In The Odd Gentlemen’s reimagining of this classic damsel in distress tale, true love isn’t quite that simple.[2][3]

References[]

  1. http://www.idigitaltimes.com/kings-quest-chapter-3-release-date-once-upon-climb-turns-princess-castle-trope-upside-520485
  2. http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/30267
  3. Discover the True Story of How King Graham Met Queen Valanice! SANTA MONICA, Calif. – April 26, 2016 – Sierra™ has announced that King’s Quest™ - Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb – the latest exciting tale in the new King’s Quest – is available today worldwide on the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows PC. It can be downloaded in North America for $9.99 via the PlayStation®Store, Xbox Games Store and Steam. Players who already own either King’s Quest™: The Complete Collection or King’s Quest™: Season Pass should download the new chapter directly through the in-game “Chapters” menu. Perfect for springtime, King’s Quest – Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb adds a romantic comedy twist to the adventure, turning a spotlight to Queen Valanice, the future wife of King Graham and a classic character from the series’ origins. As Graham continues to recount some of the most daring stories from his life to his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, players will get to experience the true legend behind Graham’s first encounter with Valanice and how he rescued her from the wicked witch Hagatha.
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