A free point-and-click adventure based on Knightmare, the cult ITV children’s show, is in development.
The officially licensed game, complete with the original voice cast, is being made by a team led by writer and designer Ewen Watson, with show creator Tim Child giving the project his blessing. It’s due on PC next year to mark the show’s 40th anniversary. Here’s a peek:
For the uninitiated, Knightmare aired on ITV between 1987 and 1994 and single-handedly introduced an entire generation of kids to fantasy RPGs and computer games. Sitting with Treguard, the deeply affable Dungeon Master, three kids in ironed jeans and their best button-up shirts would direct a fourth member of their team, the Dungeoneer, through a labyrinthine hand-painted dungeon, solving riddles, casting spells, and – hopefully – avoiding traps.
Interestingly, the players’ life force meter – the stuff of legend of (k)nightmare fuel – has been ditched in a bid to give players the time they need to explore.
Much of its cast is returning, including Hugo Myatt as Treguard, Mark Knight as Lord Fear, Clifford Barry as Brother Strange, Edmund Dehn as Gumboil the Knight, Iona Kennedy as Greystagg, and Paul Valentine and Alec Westwood as jesters Motley and Folly, respectively.
Watson says the game’s art was drawn by hand, stressing “everything you see and hear is made by real humans” (thanks, VGC).
It’ll be a short adventure – Watson estimates suggest it’ll take just a couple of hours to finish – and because its free-to-play, sadly there are no plans to bring it to consoles.
The TV show returned in a special one-off episode on YouTube 13(!) years ago.
