Game Review! Knights of Pen and Paper II (part 3/3)

The standard part of any game could spoil clever innovations, but this is not the case in Knights of Pen and Paper 2. Everything is done well, and on its own, just as a simple RPG framework, the system works and is fun. You level up fairly frequently and get to choose where to invest an ability point in one of 4 special abilities, raising damage, effects, etc. with each point. The abilities are varied and interesting: attack entire rows, affect adjacent enemies with additional effects, inflict different debuffs, passively boost your character, and more. Items are both a mix of standard and creative, and you can even start crafting some of the lesser items into something more unique when combining them with other items. You'll mix and match, save gold for something special, and store items in a safe to free up inventory space. When on the overland map, a D20 is rolled when you travel to determine if you have a random encounter. When you camp away from the cities, the D20 determines if you're attacked at night. And just like a real Pen and Paper RPG, you'll find yourself making all kinds of goals for your characters as you advance and explore. Finally, the overall presentation of the game is appropriately retro, with a simple 16- bit feel reminiscent of the Ultima and Wizardry games, using music in the style of early 80's chip-tunes, with similar arcadey sound effects. Overall, this is a fantastic little game with a lot of character!