FromSoftware has a long and prolific history that started long before the likes of Demon’s Souls revolutionized the action-RPG space, and new indie game Queen’s Domain is reminding us of that. The 2026 action-adventure game is just one of many faux-retro first-person fantasy games from recent years, with other notable examples including Dread Delusion and Mycopunk, but whereas those games hone in on classic Elder Scrolls and looter-shooter conventions, respectively, Queen’s Domain is drawing upon King’s Field.
King’s Field marked FromSoftware’s first brush with success on PlayStation. Released in 1994 as a launch title for the PS1, the first King’s Field was far ahead of its time, featuring full 3D (a relative rarity at the time, as most 3D games were only 3D-simulated) first-person gameplay, mature storytelling, minimal loading screens, and early metroidvania-esque progression systems that made for compelling gameplay. King’s Field was succeeded by three sequels, plus some spin-offs like the PSP-exclusive King’s Field Additional games. But by the late 2000s, the industry had seemingly moved on, and even FromSoftware had begun branching out with spiritual successors and more experimental games, like those directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki.
Queen’s Domain Recaptures the Magic of Old-School FromSoftware
It would be disingenuous for me to say that King’s Field holds up against modern action games or RPGs. While there are plenty of PS1-and-older games that have aged surprisingly well, the King’s Field franchise cannot be reasonably counted among their number. The games are extremely slow, frequently obtuse, and, quite frankly, downright ugly at times. This is to say nothing of the D-pad-only controls of the PS1, which make for some truly enraging first-person gameplay.
But rather than detract from Queen’s Domain, these poorly aged aspects of King’s Field actually make the breakout indie far more interesting. This is especially true for anyone with a persistent affection for King’s Field, as Queen’s Domain is more or less a modernization of the classic FromSoftware formula, with plenty of aesthetic homages paid for good measure.
Worth noting is that King’s Field‘s design principles, like its first-person perspective and overall structure, appeared in other, pre-Demon’s Souls FromSoftware games as well, namely the Shadow Tower games, which are often considered even more impenetrable, bleak, and unforgiving than King’s Field.
While King’s Field is not literally a precursor to Demon’s Souls or Dark Souls, its DNA still shows up in those later games and, crucially, much of what players love about FromSoft’s Souls games was earlier established in King’s Field. For example, Dark Souls‘ interconnected world design builds upon King’s Field‘s seamless map. The same can be said for the opaque, highly interpretable narrative tendencies that have come to define FromSoftware’s storytelling. Even the more poorly aged parts of King’s Field, like its slow combat, arguably informed the position-centric, stamina-based combat of the soulslike genre.
Queen’s Domain may be viewed as a continuation of this King’s Field influence, albeit a more linear one than something like Dark Souls, ironically. What I mean by this is that, despite coming from a non-FromSoftware developer, Queen’s Domain feels more like a contemporary, polished version of the King’s Field formula than most other games before it, joining the likes of Labyrinth of the Demon King as a strikingly original indie title that clearly borrows from King’s Field without feeling derivative.
Queen’s Domain Keeps Improving On the King’s Field Foundations
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Image via Freshly Baked Games -
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One of the best parts of Queen’s Domain is its quasi-retro graphical style which, for my money, is a bit more compelling than similar takes in other, recent games, like the aforementioned Dread Delusion. The game’s more restrained approach to this art style, coupled with tasteful and alluring environment/level design, makes for a much more aesthetically appealing and distinct experience. But make no mistake: Queen’s Domain has plenty of modern conveniences and thoughtful design considerations that keep players from mistaking it for a genuinely older title. It’s at once smoother, faster, and easier to understand than King’s Field, while paying homage to the franchise’s central pillars, like high-commitment combat.
Queen’s Domain Key Features (from Steam)
- Explore an interconnected island filled with hidden secrets
- Lovingly crafted retro-fantasy aesthetic
- Action-combat with a stamina meter, special attacks, throwing weapons & more
- Fly across gaps with your Holy Sword – use upgrades to fly further!
- Dozens of hours of adventuring and exploration
- 50+ melee weapons to discover, equip, and upgrade
- Use XP to level up, and eat delicious food to further increase your stats
- 20+ types of secondary throwing weapons allow for varied strategies in combat
- Over 100 enemies, mini bosses, and bosses to defeat
One of the more captivating elements of Queen’s Domain, especially from the perspective of a FromSoftware fan, is just how much is actually borrows from Dark Souls, not just King’s Field. For instance, Queen’s Domain has a vast array of weapons with different attack styles (e.g. a spear with a lunging stab) as well as stamina-and-position-based melee combat with magic and ranged options. In this way, Queen’s Domain feels a bit like what FromSoftware might be making had things gone just a tad bit differently, and the developer had opted to continue making first-person RPGs instead of birthing the soulslike space.
- Released
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October 30, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Blood, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Freshly Baked Games LLC
- Publisher(s)
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Future Friends Games
- Number of Players
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Single-player
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
