Knightmare returns as a free officially licensed PC game in 2027

Classic British television series Knightmare is getting an officially licensed point-and-click adventure game for PC in 2027, with several actors from the original show returning to voice their characters.

Writer and designer Ewen Watson is leading the independent project with permission from Knightmare creator Tim Child. The game will be completely free and is being developed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the fantasy game show, which first aired on ITV in 1987.

Hugo Myatt will reprise his role as dungeon master Treguard, while Mark Knight returns as Lord Fear. Other confirmed performers include Clifford Barry as Brother Strange, Edmund Dehn as Gumboil the Knight, Iona Kennedy as Greystagg, Paul Valentine as Motley the Jester and Alec Westwood as Folly the Jester.

The game uses hand-drawn artwork and animation rather than trying to recreate the television series with modern 3D graphics. Watson has also stressed that the project does not use generative AI for its visuals or audio, saying its visible and audible material was created by people.

The original television show followed teams of four children navigating a fantasy dungeon. One contestant became the Dungeoneer and wore the Helmet of Justice, which restricted their vision, while three teammates watched from another room and shouted instructions to help them avoid traps and solve puzzles.

The PC adaptation preserves the dungeon exploration and puzzle-solving idea but changes several rules to work better as a conventional adventure game. Players can revisit earlier locations, carry more than three items and continue after dying rather than restarting the entire quest.

One of the biggest changes is the removal of the show's life-force system, which gradually drained and required food to replenish. The developers want players to have enough time to examine locations and solve puzzles without being pressured by a constantly decreasing meter.

Watson expects a complete playthrough to take roughly one or two hours. Despite its short length, the developers describe it as a complete game rather than a demo or preview for a larger commercial release.

PC is currently the development team's main platform. The small indie group has expressed interest in potentially reaching other platforms eventually, but no console or mobile editions have been announced.

The 2027 project will not be the first video game based on Knightmare. Activision published an adaptation in 1987 for systems including the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC, combining exploration with typed commands.

Another adaptation followed in 1991 and took the form of a first-person dungeon crawler. The new game instead returns to the programme's puzzle-focused structure while bringing back performers associated with the original television run.

Knightmare aired on ITV from 1987 until 1994 and became known for combining chroma-key technology, fantasy role-playing ideas and audience-guided exploration. The new officially licensed game is scheduled for PC sometime in 2027, although its developers have not announced an exact release date.