Space Quest vs. King's Quest

[Sir Perceval of Daventry]

Anyone else here feel that SQ was the far superior series to KQ? It was arguably KQ's biggest rival (at Sierra) in terms of popularity. I think SQ, while I love KQ, was generally much better written--even the early SQ games--Better puzzles, funner stories and I generally am a fan of humor, so SQ wins by default. Scott, Mark (as well as Josh) brought a great acidic wit to the games, a really dryly humorous cynicism that was jaded without seeming bitter--It was just perfect, wry. Arguably Sierra's best series.

LSL, all due respect to Al but I was never that big a fan of it. It wasn't that the content was bad--I just wasn't into the plots. It had gorgeous graphics and good humor, but I tend to think Torin's Passage was his crowning achieement and wished that had blossomed into a series. I will say though that I love Larry 7.

I was never really into GK, though I appreciate it for what it is. I will say that GK2 got as close to the possibilities that interactive movies offered as technology allowed--The story or puzzles weren't sacrificed for the technology. So it was a great achievement in that, and I actually prefer it to the first.

Police Quest was a great concept, but the execution in large measure bored me. I should probably go back and play it again.

Quest for Glory is probably the third best series Sierra made--Just an awesome, awesome series of fantasy games that skillfully combined the best elements of the Sierra adventure with Roleplaying games. A QFG route is the route KQ should've taken.

Lastly, the most underrated series Sierra ever made was the Conquests series. A series with a lot of potential to be their best--I wish it lasted longer.

[wilco64256]

To me SQ and KQ is still a bit of an apples and oranges type experience.  They're both excellent game series, but I play them for different reasons.  Just like I like to read both longer novels (see KQ) and comic books (SQ) but the experience is still enjoyable either way.  I think both series were done rather well in general, and I really loved the QFG series as well, though they all have their black sheep (KQ7, SQ6, QFG5).  I think all three of the GK games were very nicely done and well executed.

[jazzguy+87]

I think that it is difficult to compare king quest, space quest, and quest for glory as they were really very different genre. Fantasy adventure vs. Space adventure, versus RPG.

On QFG 5, it was really a much better conclusion than KQVIII.

[KatieHal]

Likewise--they're both (all) great, but all very different. KQ, SQ, GK and QfG are all up there as great series overall though.

[Lambonius]

SQ definitely had the better AGI/EGA games, by far.  None of the VGA SQs lived up to the VGA KQs though.  In my opinion, that is. 

[Damar]

I would agree that King's Quest and Space Quest is like comparing apples and oranges.  It sounds like a cop out, but there it is.  On a purely technical level, I think that Space Quest tended to be better developed than King's Quest, but that's probably because King's Quest was more of a flagship game, so Space Quest had the benefit of seeing what worked and what didn't, so of course it will seem more polished in comparison.  As for which game is objectively better, I just can't pick.  It depends on what I'm in the mood for.

But ultimately, if you had a gun to my head, I would say that King's Quest had the best individual game (KQ6 in my opinion) but Space Quest had the best series.  It stayed strong from beginning to end.  There was no Disney inspiration and over-simplified interface followed by a total departure from the adventure genre.  So Space Quest wins by default.

As far as other series, I despised Police Quest for reasons I mentioned in that thread.  As for Quest for Glory, I really am not much of a fan.  I don't like the RPG genre and I really despise corny humor and puns.  So, yeah.  Not really my series.  At best the games were interesting diversions and at worst I absolutely hated playing it.  Characters like Yorik and Keapon made me literally want to kill them.  And others.

[Sir Perceval of Daventry]

I would agree that King's Quest and Space Quest is like comparing apples and oranges.  It sounds like a cop out, but there it is.  On a purely technical level, I think that Space Quest tended to be better developed than King's Quest, but that's probably because King's Quest was more of a flagship game, so Space Quest had the benefit of seeing what worked and what didn't, so of course it will seem more polished in comparison.  As for which game is objectively better, I just can't pick.  It depends on what I'm in the mood for.

But ultimately, if you had a gun to my head, I would say that King's Quest had the best individual game (KQ6 in my opinion) but Space Quest had the best series.  It stayed strong from beginning to end.  There was no Disney inspiration and over-simplified interface followed by a total departure from the adventure genre.  So Space Quest wins by default.

As far as other series, I despised Police Quest for reasons I mentioned in that thread.  As for Quest for Glory, I really am not much of a fan.  I don't like the RPG genre and I really despise corny humor and puns.  So, yeah.  Not really my series.  At best the games were interesting diversions and at worst I absolutely hated playing it.  Characters like Yorik and Keapon made me literally want to kill them.  And others.

You should check out Conquests of Camelot and Conquests of the Longbow, if you haven't already. Arguably Sierra's (unfortunately) briefest and most unsung series. One of their best, IMO. Pure adventure games, and in the fantasy genre like KQ, but more grounded and classical.

[MusicallyInspired]

Space Quest is better, duh.