King's Quest II - Romancing the Throne - PushingUpRoses

[@evanparker]

"save early save often" is the best adventure game advice i've ever heard.

[@cheesemonkeyc]

The King's Quest Companion Novelization scene with the snake-and-bridle puzzle is amazing. Graham actually reaches for his sword and tries to kill the snake (reluctantly, because he doesn't like killing), but accidentally grabs the bridle instead because it was dangling off the swords handle. When he realizes mid-swing that he grabbed the bridle by mistake, he lets go of it in shock and throws it on the snake completely by accident.

[@lilsizzly1982]

Graham is often extremely lucky, isn’t he?

[@ralphyetmore]

How the hell did I get "Girl In The Tower" stuck in my head after only hearing it once here?! Damn you, 80's Pop Ballads!!! * (ok, technically it's 90's, but that is SO 80's).

[@ImpKnt80]

@8:31 - Well she is a fated princess who marries her fated King after said King goes on a journey/quest from a magic mirror to save her from a life of isolation, loneliness, and despair so yeah, the trope works pretty well by the way. Consider the authoress herself and what you said in your earlier mini-biography of her gathered from earlier interviews of her back from the 80's/90's and her own love story of sorts. Art imitates life sometimes, eh?

[@lotus-prince]

Of course Dracula likes to eat ham for dinner. That's why he has it stored in so many of his walls! Also, I think KQ2 is the very first game to ever feature Dracula. Not the first to feature vampires of any kind, but specifically Dracula. Once again, great video! There's serious nostalgia for this one. :)

[@Kirkklan]

>Walks in A insignificant note to some, but on my monitor, you seem to be the first person to comment on the video. o3o

[@NWolfsson]

He likes ham very much... Is that Meatloaf on the table? B-)

[@Dimensiom]

I looked online and found reference to a text adventure game called The Count, released in 1981, which featured Dracula. I, however, never played anything with Dracula that was older than KQ2.

[@Horzuhammer]

The Count for 8-bits is what popped to my mind as well.

[@Horzuhammer]

And after just checking MobyGames, there's also The Tomb of Dracula for the ZX81, Dracula for Intellivision, Ghost Manor for various 8-bits, and Vampire Killer (not affiliated with Castlevania in any way) for the Spectrum and Amstrad - all before KQ2 came out.

[@SageOwl]

Romancing the Stones is more of a reimagining than a remake. They added as much context to the game's plot as they could, defined an enigmatic primary antagonist, and fleshed out all the one off moments of the game (king Triton, Dracula, etc). I personally think they did great with it and really enjoy it. The King's Quest 3 remake also by AGD has some nods to it in it's plot as well mostly to try and tie off the motivation behind the antagonist and why the dragon appeared. I was really looking forward to a KQIV remake by them, but, alas, that game appears to be the last of the pre "point-n-click" King's Quests to ever get a remake. Look up some of the failed projects as some were damn beautiful.

[@JStryker47]

I wouldn't lose hope just yet. I'm part of a group- or rather, the new leader of said group- that's been working on a 3D remake of KQ4. Progress has been slow and difficult, with the untimely passing of my predecessor; who did most of the art, but work is still being done on it. (I too was looking forward to a KQ4 remake done by AGD though.)

[@dollarbielsyall]

8:35 Not sure why people would joke on Sierra. They created some of the best games of their time and were pioneers in establishing certain genres.

[@JerryListener]

These videos are my cozy cottage...

[@justinsherwin8809]

I refuse to believe vampires dont have tastebuds. What is the point of immortality if you can't dish on some ham!?

[@221b]

We mostly taste through our nose, anyway, and a lot of stories depict vampires as having a highly-developed sense of smell.

[@Shamazya]

I've always liked the idea of vampires using poison as ingredients in dishes for pleasure. In particular, making alcoholic drinks out of fermented poisonous plants.

[@Nionivek]

In some versions the idea is that Vampires were cursed so that the only true joy they could feel is from drinking blood and in those they either don't eat or they eat out of habit. In others, I believe even Bram's, Vampires can eat but gain little-no sustenance. So yeah USUALLY Vampires will totally like Ham.

[@AmyraCarter]

Especially Steamed Hams... lolz

[@wasd____]

@@AmyraCarter Despite the fact that they are obviously grilled.

[@StevieBAU]

I’d love to see you do a video of all of the hidden Easter Eggs in Sierra games like the bat mobile showing up in Kings Quest 2!

[@SimoExMachina2]

The game even plays the theme song from the 60's TV show. It is brilliant!

[@backlogpanic]

I absolutely adore the AGD Interactive Remakes. It was their King's Quest(as well as Quest for Glory II) games that really kicked my love for adventure games into high gear. But to this day, King's Quest II RE is still my very favorite adventure game!

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

A *poisonous* snake! 🐍

[@cinematographybycss]

This brought back a thousand and one memories. Thanks for doing all these Adventure game videos. I've had them on all day at work.

[@SAPProd]

Easiest way to get me to scour your archives is to say you did a Sierra series run-through! KQ2 was my proper introduction to Sierra games (my dad had let my brother and me play in the casino portion of Leisure Suit Larry when I was 7). The copy we had contained several save states throughout the game, permitting me to see later scenes, and while some people might not appreciate it, finding all these various scenes on my own later made me feel very accomplished, like I was shown what I could accomplish if I applied myself. Also what I love about this game is the two meta jokes: the sign on the tree with a print ad for Space Quest and King’s Quest III, and the hole in the rock that had a trailer for Space Quest. So good. Please, more Sierra reviews/retrospectives. These games shaped me, and I always love revisiting them, especially with someone as capable of properly analyzing and placing them in perspective as you are!

[@JessicaLaFramboise]

I LOVED that Space Quest easter egg!

[@Tobascodagama]

Cozy Cottage Phenomenon is my hygge-core band.

[@ColinfromCanada]

Love your videos, as always. I also really enjoyed how King's Quest (2015) recontextualization these stories.

[@yukizboy3046]

This was the first Sierra game I ever played. My older brother worked at Radio Shack at the time and thanks to him I got to play KQ2, then KQ1, KQ3, SQ1 & Black Cauldron. But then he changed jobs and I could only play all the new Sierra games when I visited my Uncle's house.

[@seangleeson8073]

Glad you mentioned the more recent remakes. I thoroughly enjoyed those, and I am definitely an old-school Sierra fan (though I grew up on Quest for Glory more than King's Quest).

[@Dimensiom]

Regarding the snake-and-bridle puzzle: I "figured out" the solution because an illustration on the back of the game box showed that particular screen and the Pegasus on it with his speech about having been turned into a snake. As my playthrough of the game predated common civilian access to the Internet, that was the only puzzle that I solved with any form of outside help.

[@Denverdude7]

Police quest and Space quest were dope. I loved the artwork on the boxes it just added something to the overall experience.

[@TheEdFather]

This is great to wake up to, perfect to watch during my breakfast!

[@DeepVoiceGamer]

Kings Quest 3 was my first experience with old school adventure games. It was on a Apple 2, in the computer lab during 7th grade. Sadly despite it being on all the computers, we didn't have the manual, so spell casting was impossible, and thus the game unbeatable.

[@arwillis77]

I have gotten my eight year old daughter playing these games. She's played them all and loves your videos about them. She watches them at least once a week and they make her laugh. She really likes the one about Mordack....the OWL!!! Now she's tackling Curse of Monkey Island and wants to beat it so bad so she can watch your review.

[@dustinsalmon3789]

Holy. Shit. Heard about this channel from Metal Jesus and the first video I see is the first computer game I ever played! Brings back so many memories! I drew the entire map in grid form on a giant piece of paper. Every screen. Did the same with KQ III. I LOVED these games. Soon after getting our computer and a few games we hit some hard times financially so we couldn't buy games for a few years. My brothers and I played II III and IV over and over and over. This is amazing. Instant Subscribe. Thanks for this!

[@robertsullivan4172]

3:32 aww. Thats such a sweet story.

[@Unplanted]

The color purple in all those 16 color palettes really packed a punch! I remember it being my favorite in some paint program for the Commodore 64. And cyan, the bright almost pale blue color.

[@JarlFrank]

I really liked how the "Romancing the Stones" remake changed the story a bit and some of the puzzles, and the graphics are absolutely gorgeous (then again, anything with glorious 256 color early 90s graphics looks gorgeous to me).

[@BigHairyMarty314]

"This does not mean I will also be talking about Mask of Eternity" Drat... ...oh well. :)

[@bahamutkod]

BigHairyMarty314 - don't you mean "Lo!"?

[@Nionivek]

Look man! we want Pushing Up Roses to live a very long happy life... No one deserves to have Mask of Eternity thrust upon them.

[@nicknevco215]

it also is not the same game, it's something special.

[@bucketslash9872]

MoE is good if you give it a chance.

[@zerwif]

MoE was neat as a side story to expand the world. But, unfortunately it didn't really work as a finale it ended up becoming.

[@LordTrilobite]

That tower song from King's Quest 6 is the absolute best. I love it.

[@AndrewNewZealand]

0:55 Rapunzel, renamed Valanice 6:56 ♫"Starfish and coffee...and a side order of ham"♫

[@theShpydar]

Awesome to see you review this one, which is probably my favorite KQ game. I have so many fond memories of me and my friend struggling to figure out all the puzzles and solve it way WAY back in the day on his dad's 486 PC. Keep up the great content!

[@mrportfoleyo]

I just wanted to take the time to tell you how much I love and appreciate your video game reviews. Seeing your testimonies on those classics really bring me back to my youth. I sure when my father bought my family our IBM PCjr he was hoping we’d use it for educational purposes. My gateway drug into adventure games (especially Sierra games) was The Black Cauldron. It was also the first game i completed and did so without a hint book. I couldn't get over how vibrant the graphics were at the time and how epic the story line turned out to be. From there I would request games for my birthday or Christmas and also save up my lawn mowing to buy such games as Police Quest, Gold Rush, Kings Quest, Colonel’s Bequest and the LSL series. Space Quest and Codename Iceman were games that got me through some long weekends with some pizza and Dr. Pepper. Recently I catch myself loading up Dosbox to replay some of those gems and also try some titles that i never got to play as a youngster. I wish more developers would come out with updated remakes. I have seen that Space Quest and Kings Quest got some refreshes however an update of Black Cauldron or Police Quest would be cool. Keep up the great work and thanks for the nostalgia!

[@xyamuchax]

Yay! I’m glad you mentioned the AGD remakes as those are fantastic and really flesh out these early games.

[@GugsGunny]

Kings Quest 2 holds a special place in my heart: it's the first relatively epic game I finished by myself. Thanks for the memories.

[@juomariturmio]

This was the first Sierra game I saw, before LSL (which I didn't find funny until years later), probably around 1988 at age 7. I was captivated by the magical landscapes and storybook characters.

[@Arrowdodger]

Fuck yeah, more adventure game goodness.

[@AdventureGameGeek]

I have a theory that the shelves in Dracula's castle were once filled with bottles of poison, but he poured them all on the thorns outside to ward off unwanted guests...And it worked so well that many adventurers suffered innumerable deaths on those thorns!

[@MidnightOwlASMR]

Never played kings quest or cared much for the games, but when PUR uploads it is an occasion worth every second of watch time! Love your content Roses

[@maugos]

Oh man, those remakes are really great. They added SOOOOOO much dialogue that the original sorely needed. It's kinda crazy cool. Plus the twist The Odd gentleman put on the story is pretty amusing.

[@JustAskMeTV101]

you have actually led me to playing through all of the king's quests (and space quest games) in the past years. They've been pretty good.

[@toddnolastname4485]

I'd forgotten about the damn poisonous brambles outside Dracula's castle. That was the thing I hated about these games. A brain game should not make you die because you didn't hit an arrow or other movement key in time, particularly when it's hard to tell exactly where you, the path, and the danger exactly are.

[@Marinanor]

PushingUpRoses is one of my favorite RPers

[@TheHowlingMan]

Any excuse to use the Girl in the Tower song! Great vid Roses. Hope you feel better soon!

[@jasonblalock4429]

I expected her to start singing. ;-)

[@PizzaguyJeff]

Loved the AGD remake of this one. Not as much as 3, but it was damn good! VI is still my favorite to this day, though. ♫ GIRL IN THE TOWER ♫ ♫ I'M REACHING OUT ♫ ♫ PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO♫

[@averyawesome676]

I literally just came back to your channel yesterday after a year or two hiatus, and happened to see you were doing a retrospective, and took like 30 minutes trying to find your Kings Quest II review. I'm really glad I wasn't just crazy. But seriously, what are the odds?

[@cliffg.4205]

This game was my introduction to adventure games. The segment when you traverse Dracula's castle actually frightened six year old me. Kinda funny how the girl in the tower song could apply to this entry in the series too.

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

See, here's the problem with the snake and bridle puzzle: to recognize the reference to Bellerophon, you somehow have to know that the snake, which is a snake and not a wild horse, is a wild horse that needs to be tamed. Maybe the snake is a reference to Medusa, except that it was Perseus who fought Medusa, long before Bellerophon ever even heard of Chimera much less learned he would need Pegasus' help to fight her (yes her, Chimera's female). Even if you did somehow think that Bellerophon throwing the golden bridle on *Medusa* would lead to taming Pegasus, Graham encounters what appears to be an ordinary non-magical snake. There are so many baseless assumptions to get from A to B that the only way someone could possibly "figure it out" is if whoever came up with it told them. That's not Roberta Williams presenting the player with a challenging puzzle. That's Roberta Williams cheating at a guessing game. To solve the "puzzle" you need to understand the reference, but the only possible way to know there even *is* a reference is if you already know the solution! It's like locking the key to a safe in the safe!

[@AmyraCarter]

I've never really gotten to play any of the King's Quest games. I have played them, but, not actually played them, like, be able to sit down and play them for more then five, ten minutes...you know. Of course, it is on my bucket list, if one will.

[@nothingtolookat]

KQ2 was the first text adventure game I ever played. Great memories!

[@aloizgorjup1869]

The first three King's Quest was my first introduction to computer gaming back in the late 80's. For that reason I love these old games, probably for purely nostalgic reasons. But I am a big fan of the whole series from 1 - 8, plus the remakes and even the latest chapters I downloaded to my PS3. But all that being said my favorite is KQ VI. Haven't tried it? You just gotta

[@JemyM]

I still can't stop laughing over "a poisonous snake".

[@AllUsernamesTaken]

Those AGD remakes are awesome; I hope you do a video on them some day

[@Magnafiend]

I remember my first time through this game I misclicked while holding the fish, found one of the best glitches EVER. If you walk into the water while holding the fish, a second Graham spawns falling into the water while leaving the one holding the fish on land. Not sure if it was the original version or the VGA remake though.

[@djquinn4825]

The snake-pegasus thing also makes some sense from the angle that the original Pegasus (and Chrysaor) was born from Medusa's neck after her head was cut off. of course, that connection still doesn't help you if don't already know the snake is an enchanted pegasus...

[@sindobrandnew]

1:45 This, what kind of madness is this, a bridge which breaks down after crossing 3 times.

[@camwyn256]

The bridle on the snake, turning into Pegasus, is part of Greek myth. But I was fascinated by ancient myths and read a lot of them as a kid

[@ajdimick4740]

I'm late to the party on these videos but these are amazing and making my day :)

[@MayorofGaming]

While I played this a little when I was super young, It was actually the fan remake of this game that really got me into it. Honestly, I feel it's superior in nearly every way, which isn't surprising considering the era both games were made. However, the original is still a blast to go back to if only to see all the work that was put in, and how much they did with so little.

[@LugeoOrbis]

That moldy cheese puzzle can go straight to the underworld where it can dance with the skeletons eternally. I loathe that puzzle, me and my brother owned that game as little kids and it was the first game that we seriously tried to beat. Since this was the days before the internet was really a thing and my parents would not let me call the help line we never ended up getting past that part. Our grandparents even refused to tell us the answer even though they themselves had beaten the game a year before. Some wounds never heal. :p

[@djstonedog]

That bridle/snake move was the worst! For maybe half a decade no one in my family could ever get past the poisoned thorns without the sugar cube. We all saved the game and died on maybe over 300 attempts without the cube just trying not to touch a thorn until I miraculously inched myself through it one day. This was the ONLY time any of us were able to get anywhere near the final act. So I agree, that bridle puzzle was a steaming turd that was way too complex for kids to solve.

[@DrShak2009]

How did I already forget about that tower song?! Thanks for the video!

[@zybermooze]

My fav text games was Space Quest and Hero Quest (QfG1). The pressure was on since the games didn't pause when you wrote.

[@Dimensiom]

King's Quest 2 is the first adventure game that I ever played, albeit on an old CGA display system using the dithering coloring method. I eventually acquired and completed King's Quest before ever finishing 2, but I did eventually complete 2 and a few years ago I loaded it up in ScummVM and completed it, with all possible points, entirely from memory. I feel so old now.

[@tjhuntable]

Recently bought all my favourite adventure games(LucasArts and Sierra) on GoG. Played the remakes of King's Quest I & II by AGD, was a cool experience with the voice acting. #1985forlife

[@ItsPyrus]

I love the walking animation in this. It's so goofy looking.

[@Satans_Financial_Advisor]

We miss you Pawdugan. Sincerely, A Poisonous 🐍

[@NWolfsson]

Oh hell that "G.I.T.T." sing was soo nicely timed xD made me feel lile the "Antici...pation" line in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, you know the one x)

[@Insane-Howl-Cowl]

Always good to see another of your videos! It really makes my day. The fun and nostalgia of these games is great. :D

[@buenopower1]

Glad you're back

[@iamfiefo]

I'm really wondering if PushingUpRoses is considering reviewing at the unofficial Sierra games like the ones made by AGD Interactive. I bring this up because I really liked their version of King's Quest II+: Romancing the Stones. It expands on the story in some really weird ways and they solved the poisonous snake puzzle by changing what to do. I would love to see a review/comparison between them.

[@ebuzzmiller34]

Aren't the AGD ones just essentially giving I & II a SCI and VGA graphics upgrade?

[@iamfiefo]

The King's Quest II version added a lot of stuff, such as a war between the vampires and the werewolves and even flashbacks and flashforwards between the other King's Quest games. That's what I remember anyways.

[@boarMcberry]

Yea. I already finished those AGDI remakes ages ago. While KQ1 are mostly just VGA touch ups, KQ2 and newer remakes kinda rewrote the whole scenarios. Your old walkthrough wouldn't be any use since the plot changes are huge. What I got really blown away was that latest QfG2 remake. I already love the original QfG2, and AGDI remake really fleshes out stuff I didn't imagine. Simply amazing and terrible waste if any haven't even tried it. :D On that note, I also highly recommend if PUR could also review these AGDI remakes since they are really that good, at least from KQ2. I love her reviews especially since I'm also long-time Sierra fan. I already watched her review on that certain fanmade murder mystery adventure game. ;)

[@benjaminsmith3151]

I had this game when it was new. It took at least a year I think before we all figured out the reading inscription advancing the state of the game. There had to be months of exploring everything on every screen, trying every imaginable action, and nothing new. I think all the walkthroughs ruin the fun of games like this. Throwing the bridle may not have made sense, but it was absolutely one of the things to try when you couldn't get through. You can get through the thorny bushes by just walking through VERY carefully too (Don't ask how many times I tried).

[@cheezewheel]

My favourite King's quest, I've been waiting for this video forever :D Thanks Roses

[@xRocketzFighterx]

i didnt grow up playing these games but i enjoyed playing all 7 of these games including the reboot and the remakes. i started playing these games back in 2013 thanks to jontron and game grumps's Danny.

[@speabody]

Bookworm Theme, nice. Not only do Graham's enemies attend his wedding, they are almost exclusively the only ones to attend it. That's what happens when you don't make social interaction a part of the game, save for the antagonists.

[@seanobigaming7143]

3:11 I LOVE NOSTALGIA!!! :D

[@ASRGRetro]

I’ve been playing through the whole series on my channel. But the first three are the AGD Interactive updated versions

[@acemcjack]

Thanks for another great review! I'd really like to see an in-depth review of AGD's remake of KQ2 and KQ3 someday.

[@liwowoli]

Hi Pushing Up Roses. All your King's Quest (and all other) reviews are awesome. Please one day do a review of Peasant's Quest by the Brothers Chaps.

[@petez1130]

I think the "Glub glub"s are Graham trying to talk underwater 😄 This one really was a great game, though

[@Mafon2]

0:13 - "Music: Al Lowe" - Wow!

[@notmegaming9038]

Cmon Roses you KNOW you are gonna have to play & review that new Leisure Suit Larry game coming out.

[@ggoedert]

Ever thought of reviewing any of the Scott Adams original text adventures, like Adventureland? It was one of the first ever commercial adventure games. I played the original text only version, but I think they eventually made a version with graphics.

[@sh0eh0rn4]

Have you tried the Homebrew version? The improved graphics, music and addition of voice acting is really lovely.

[@Kalvaja]

Would love Quest for Glory series to be reviewed by Roses. It was my first sierra series i have played so it has special place in my heart, excluding QfG 5.

[@C0wb0yBebop]

Kalvaja me too! I l have a see love for Quest for Glory! She should do them

[@hypnossomnus8182]

Love the Pro-Jared posse

[@moishtar]

As a kid i had Quest For Glory 2. I remember there were these horse gerbil camel things and you had to type "mount" to get on them. Uhhuhuhuh. I also had Might and Magic 4 Clouds of Zeen. I remember needing like 15 floppys to install it. The paper map was cool and i sucked at the game. Id go somewhere i shouldn't like the volcano and dead..

[@stuart9411]

Roses ate King’s Quest with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

[@nathanvattes6438]

Great review! Have a great day!

[@mmora228]

Have you ever played the fanmade remake of this game? It's pretty cool and they give you more story. I love this series too.

[@princesstamika]

"which isn't saying much because i was pretty much fascinated by anything" same. ah, the wonder of childhood.

[@actionvestadventure]

Came for Girl in the Tower reference and got a poiiiiiiisonous snake as well, was not disappoint.

[@pjgathergood6987]

I'm not surprised you forgot you hadn't previously covered KQ2 as I do find it a rather basic and unmemorable installment. There are some nice ideas and locations but it always felt a bit of a rushed out "more of the same" to cash in on the back of the original, before they had confidence that it would run to a full series. Saying that, after watching this video, maybe I do have cause to go back and revisit this one as maybe my memory hasn't been kind to it. It wasn't BAD but I just kinda never took to it, not in a replayable way at least. The plot (of what there is) isn't bad, but it seems rather patchy, a few ideas and scenarios thrown together. But of course, KQ1 had that too; and was actually far more sparse. I also might add that I did play the early one out of sequence (starting on KQ4, my personal favourite of the series) before KQ1 and 2, so maybe that tainted my view slightly. But even so... all that said... I love Sierra and early AGI game... so it still has a certain affection from me. (Just not as much as some of the other early Sierra games).

[@jasonblalock4429]

Yeah, I disagree with Roses on this one. I think KQ2 is easily the weakest of the first three KQs.

[@bluestrife28]

This was my FIRST PC game I played it on floppy’s on a Tandy 1000. Memories .

[@c.argelfraster1291]

Great video, PUR! Have you considered doing full reviews of the AGDI remakes, or compare/contrast videos with the originals? I've played and enjoyed all three, would love to hear your thoughts on them. Wishing you lots of deep dish pizza!

[@1984Brandon]

I've considered Quest 64 and the Spirit Tamer as being part of King's Quest. On an unrelated note I never recalled if you talked about the Syberia Series of games. Sorry if you did and I was simply too naive to notice it; The Third one caught a lot of flack but I have it on Mac and I think you might enjoy it.

[@PsychoIncarnate666]

King's Quest 2 was installed on the computers in my kindergarten, though it was made a little before I was even born. However, I still enjoyed playing it on the computer. I didn't get very far though.

[@Biklingchan85]

I'd love to see you tackle the other chapters of the King's Quest remake. :D

[@JonCausithONS]

Personally I was more of a fan of King's Quest 3, as it brought back the more open-world gameplay that the first game had (that is until you get kidnapped by the pirates, then it gets linear, but understandably so. But the remake to this game is pretty great! As for favourite parsor game, I'd say it's a toss up between Space Quest 3 and Quest for Glory 1, as both are, once again, open in the gameplay and were super nostalgic to me.

[@hollyconnelly8871]

i never get tired of the king's quest games 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

[@bucketslash9872]

8?

[@hollyconnelly8871]

at the time 8 came out, my computer was not so good at running it - but after hearing reviews about it and viewing some clips i chose not to play/get it

[@bucketslash9872]

give it a try, its actually good

[@ΤάνιαΜαυρίδου-μ9ν]

A new video ! Awesome job sarah !