The Knightling
The Knightling
The Knightling, développé par Twirlbound et édité par Saber Interactive, est sorti le 28 août 2025 sur PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 et Xbox Series X|S. Ce jeu d'aventure indépendant, réalisé sous Unity et proposé au prix de 29,99 euros, place le joueur dans la peau d'un jeune écuyer à la recherche de son mentor disparu, le chevalier Sir Lionstone, à travers les terres de Clesseia. Armé du seul bouclier légendaire de son mentor, contenant un élément mystérieux nommé Callyrium, le personnage doit exploiter la défense pour bloquer, parer et créer des ouvertures, avant d'enchaîner avec des attaques et combos, tout en explorant les régions du royaume et en améliorant son arsenal grâce aux louanges du peuple. L'histoire principale peut être menée à son terme en environ sept heures, tandis qu'un parcours completiste atteint les vingt-quatre heures.
L'accueil critique s'est révélé favorable dans l'ensemble, avec une note agrégée de 75. TheGamer a ainsi estimé que The Knightling pouvait devenir l'un des jeux surprises de l'année, tandis que GameSpew a souligné que si le combat basé sur le parry n'est pas pour tout le monde, l'aventure pleine de fantaisie a su le convaincre. Certains joueurs sur Metacritic ont salué un titre charmant et sympathique, proche des Zelda 3D classiques, même s'ils ont relevé des limites techniques et narratives, et un avis positif sur Steam le décrit comme un super jeu de plateforme open world. En revanche, des joueurs sur Steam ont exprimé des regrets, évoquant notamment une heure de tutoriel avant de voir les personnages et un design de PNJ jugé grotesque.
Médias
Avis des critiques et joueurs
Critiques de la Presse (Metacritic)
« In a year already filled with sleeper hits, I truly believe The Knightling can be another one on this growing list. Not only does it pack everything you’d want from an RPG into a condensed package, but it borrows from other genres to make a game that will appeal to a massive audience if they’re willing to give it a chance. Action adventure, 3D platforming, puzzles, there’s something for everyone without the looming threat of setting aside 80 hours to play it. »
« The parry-based combat style isn't going to be for everyone, but The Knightling has plenty more to offer to make up for it. This whimsical adventure has won me over thanks to its clever puzzles and its seriously enjoyable traversal — sledging down a big hill on the back of a big shield has no right being this much fun. »
« The Knightling is one of the most characterful adventures of the year, with Twirlbound crafting a large, bright, engaging fantasy world, and giving you the tools to truly enjoy it. You won't regret picking this one up. »
« Putting up a brave effort despite all odds, The Knightling is a valiant effort and is far more endearing that you might think. Like the protagonist itself, The Knightling is a small open-world adventure, but it is packed with meaningful quests, bouncy platforming and simple-yet-satisfying combat. Yes, The Knightling lacks new ideas and could be seen as too short and insignificant - but for a fleeting five or so hours, The Knightling is a small delight that deserves your attention. »
« The Knightling, from Twirlbound, is a simple yet captivating game with an engaging story, fun combat, an epic soundtrack, and interesting exploration. Despite its minor flaws, its qualities outweigh the negatives. Portuguese subtitles would be a great addition in the future. »
« The Knightling proves to be a promising game that balances combat, exploration, and progression well, but it still needs technical adjustments to reach its full potential. For those who enjoy action-adventure titles focused on exploration with a touch of creativity in the mechanics, the journey through the world of Clesseia is certainly worthwhile—as long as you’re prepared to deal with some technical stumbles. »
« The Knightling is a fine action-adventure game with some strong ideas and elements. There's plenty of charisma and quality at the heart of this game, and it's broad and packed enough to keep you engaged until the credits roll. But, and despite its immediately noticeable similarities in gameplay, don't expect a game of nearly the same mechanical depth nor technical refinement as that of a Zelda project, as The Knightling doesn't have the same attention to detail as the series that to this day stands out as one of, if not the best in the genre. »
« Much like the hero himself, The Knightling might seem small and unimportant, but it can produce great results when it needs to. Exploring the colorful environments is an enjoyable time. There's a ton to see and do and the game invites players to make the most of everything it has to offer. It can be challenging, but it's never frustrating. The light puzzles break up the combat and exploration, and the combat allows the player to find solutions to encounters that fit their preferred play style. Traversal is the true star of the show, especially after all of the abilities have been unlocked. Putting together strings of moves to zip across a region is extremely satisfying. It all comes together to create an action platformer that isn't flawless, but proudly owns its B-tier status. And it should be proud. »
Avis des Joueurs (Metacritic)
« Action-Adventure in Richtung Zelda-Like von einem Indie-Studio. Richtig schönes und sympatisches Spiel. Wer klassische 3D-Zeldas mag, ist hier gut aufgehoben. Bis auf ein paar Kamera-Probleme, die aber verkraftbar sind, ist hier alles super. »
« The Knightling is a charming adventure that shines through its creative movement and nostalgic atmosphere. Although it has technical and narrative limitations, it offers a cozy and fun experience, especially for those who value exploration and style. »
« Really charming and engaging. One of those worlds that you just want to visit and spend time in. Had a blast moving around and helping all the farmers and knights with theirs silly problems, and yet it had a very serious and emotional ending. Started my second playthrough, looking for even more secrets to find! »
« This game makes me feel like i'm a kid playing on my gamecube again. I really get lost in it and just zoom around on the shield and explore for hours on end. The art and soundtrack really make this a masterpiece! I really wish more people knew about this game. »
« Extremely engaging gameplay, a stunning world and charming writing makes the Knightling a must play for anyone and everyone. »
