Earlier this year, I dabbled in the King’s Field series for the very first time. I loved what I played, even if the FromSoftware classic really showed its age. It was nonetheless a fascinating peek into the pedigree behind the beloved Dark Souls games (and Elden Ring after that), and an interesting (if clonky) adventure in its own right.

Anyway, I didn’t expect that knowledge to be so immediately relevant, but here we are with Queen’s Domain. It’s a brand new indie from Freshly Baked Games, and it’s directly based on King’s Field, going so far as to try to replicate PS1-era visual styles and color schemes as well as FromSoftware’s propensity for vague, ominous storytelling and deeply messed-up monsters. I’ve only managed to squeeze in an hour so far (Ocarina of Time and WoW: Forever both came out last night, it’s a busy week!), but I think I may already be sold on this being the best way to experience King’s Field in 2026, despite it not being a literal King’s Field game.

You play as a prince, setting off to an island in search of your missing father who disappeared while on his own quest to stop the rise of a sinister sleeping queen. Shipwrecked on your way, you show up to the Isle of Neasied with nothing at all, and when you arrive, your father is nowhere to be found and his soldiers are scattered. After speaking to the quintessential Dark Souls depressed guy by a bonfire and collecting the crappiest possible weapon from him, you explore the isle, slowly chipping away at the plodding, bug-like monsters that inhabit its outer areas as you try to find some clue as to where your father went, and how to get deeper into the island.

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