Just before disappearing on a well-earned family holiday to get a bit too much sun and make some fantastic memories, I tried out the demo for The Knightling, the upcoming open-world adventure game from Twirlbound and published by Saber Interactive.
You play as the titular Knightling, a knight in training who is on an adventure across the fantastical medieval realm of Clesseia in search of your missing mentor, Sir Lionstone. But, you are not alone, as the Knightling carries with him his legendary talking shield, Magnustego, or Magnus for short. Powered by a mysterious element called Callyrium, you wield your shield companion to perform weighty combo attacks and smooth traversal across the land, fighting foes, helping locals, and uncovering secrets.
Welcome to Clesseia
The demo for The Knightling allowed players to explore the starting region of the game, known as The Outskirts, a predominantly rural area characterized by farmland, dirt roads, and rolling plains. I was impressed with how much there was to do and find in The Outskirts, a region that feels expansive yet is quick to cross and easy to navigate, with plenty of spots enticing me to explore off the beaten path of the main quest. There is good geographical variety throughout the region, giving it its own vibe. The world and inhabitants of Clesseia are colourful, both in look and personality, and having Magnustego as the only voiced character adds to the mysterious nature of the shield as well as creates a fun dynamic between our knightly duo.
There are several side quests to find across The Outskirts, helping locals with their problems, from setting up a monster trap to track Miscreants raiding a farmstead, to helping make some cheese. Sir Lionstone is nowhere to be found, so until he returns, it is up to you to help.
I really enjoyed how, on first offering your assistance, NPCs would be unsure of the Knightling’s abilities, only to be elated and become a firm supporter of this daring duo once the task was complete. These moments go far in helping create this sense of you being an unknown, a newbie looking to become a great knight in the vein of your mentor, Sir Lionstone. This is further reinforced by the fact that the main currency you collect across Clesseia and use to purchase these new moves is called Knightling’s Praise.
As I said earlier, The Outskirts is a big region, but filled with things to do and find. I would find merchants in certain locations who would sell me stamps, marking treasures and such on my map, helping track things I may have missed or need. This gives players the option to seek these secrets out on their wits or get some extra help.
Defense is the Best Offense
The Knightling only has his shield, Magnustego, at his side, and he uses it to deal just as much damage as it deflects. Big, weighty swings make up attack combos, with each hit matched with satisfying impact sounds and pleasing visual streaks following each swing. You can also throw Magnus, Captain America style, lining up shots to hit enemies from afar or out of reach puzzle elements. A favourite detail of mine is how parts of the shield click and rotate while preparing to throw it, adding to the tactile feel of the game and highlighting its strange, mechanical nature.
There are more moves that both the Knightling and Magnustego can learn by speaking to the Teacher and the Blacksmith, respectively. Each new move added to my traversal or combat options, and it was exciting to put any of these new additions to the test, learning how best ot utilise them and flesh out my options. It didn’t take long for me to start using Magnus more and more as I travelled, sliding down slopes to then jump into the air over a bluff, only to slam back down and continue my parkour/bobsledding method of movement.
Combat isn’t just a simple matter of mashing buttons, with some challenge hidden behind the game’s cartoony demeanour. Using your moveset as well as the environment can become crucial to success, and it always felt great to remove a piece of a foe’s armour or knock them down with a charged attack.
There is great attention to detail throughout The Knightling, and I appreciated those little moments that added to my experience. Going through a brief QTE to pull plants from the ground for resources, finishing with a suitable yank, brings a deeper level of involvement, in the same way the locals’ impression of our fledgling knight adds to the game’s narrative through its gameplay.
Final Thoughts
Other than a couple of graphical hiccups, I had a great time with The Knightling demo. I am very excited to get back to the vibrant world of Clesseia and enjoy more satisfying traversal, rewarding exploration, expressive combat, and prove to the people that I am a knight of prowess and virtue!
Check out the most recent The Knightling Gameplay Trailer:
The Knightling is coming to PC(Steam), PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch on August 28th, 2025.
