King’s Bounty: Dark Side vs V Rising

A full spec-by-spec comparison of King’s Bounty: Dark Side vs V Rising — engine, performance, dimensions, features and price, with the differences highlighted to help you decide.

Specification King’s Bounty: Dark Side 1C Company V Rising Stunlock Studios
Overview
Release Date August 14, 2014 May 8, 2024
Availability Released Released
Developer 1C-SoftClub Stunlock Studios
Publisher 1C Company Stunlock Studios
Official Site http://www.1cpublishing.eu/game/648-king-s-bounty-dark-side https://playvrising.com/
Gameplay
Genre Adventure, RPG, Strategy Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer
Game Modes Single-player Single-player, Multiplayer, Co-op, Online Co-op
Average Playtime 3 hours 7 hours
Platforms & Pricing
Platforms PC, Apple Macintosh PC
Available On Epic Games Store, Steam, GOG Steam
PC Requirements
Minimum Requirements OS: Windows XP (SP3 required), Vista, 7, 8 Processor: 2.6 GHz and better Memory: 1 GB RAM Graphics: nVidia GeForce 6600 with 128 Mb VRAM or similar AMD card DirectX: Version 9.0c Storage: 8 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compliant Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 64 bit Processor: Intel Core i5-6600, 3.3 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 3.5 GHz Memory: 12 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, 2 GB or AMD Radeon R7 360, 2 GB DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 7 GB available space Additional Notes: Minimum System Requirements might change in the future
Recommended Requirements Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 64 bit Processor: Intel Core i5-11600K, 3.9 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, 3.7 GHz Memory: 12 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 590, 8 GB DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 7 GB available space Additional Notes: Recommended System Requirements might change in the future
Critic & Community Scores
Metacritic 73 / 100
Community Rating 3.5 / 5 (93 ratings) 3.7 / 5 (175 ratings)

King’s Bounty: Dark Side vs V Rising: which should you buy?

Both King’s Bounty: Dark Side and V Rising are available on PC, but they cater to very different types of gamers. King’s Bounty: Dark Side is a short (≈3 hours) single‑player adventure/RPG/strategy title that runs on very modest hardware – even Windows XP with a 2.6 GHz CPU and 1 GB RAM. Its low storage demand (8 GB) and modest graphics needs make it suitable for older or budget PCs, and it can also be played on macOS via Steam, Epic or GOG. V Rising, released in 2024, is a much larger commitment (≈7 hours average) and adds multiplayer, co‑op and online modes, targeting players who want a persistent, action‑heavy world. Its minimum specs already require a 64‑bit Windows 10 system, a modern i5‑6600‑class CPU, 12 GB RAM and a dedicated GPU (GTX 750 Ti or Radeon R7 360). The recommended setup pushes the hardware further (i5‑11600K, GTX 1070, 12 GB RAM). Because of these requirements, V Rising is best for users with a relatively recent gaming PC and a stable broadband connection. King’s Bounty: Dark Side is the safer pick for gamers on older machines, those who prefer a quick single‑player experience, or anyone needing macOS support. Neither price nor regional availability differences are provided, so the decision should hinge on hardware capability, desired play length, and whether multiplayer is essential.

Frequently asked questions

Which game has lower system requirements?

King’s Bounty: Dark Side runs on Windows XP with a 2.6 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM and a modest GPU, while V Rising needs a 64‑bit Windows 10 PC, at least an i5‑6600‑class processor, 12 GB RAM and a dedicated graphics card.

Which title offers multiplayer?

V Rising includes single‑player, multiplayer, co‑op and online co‑op modes, whereas King’s Bounty: Dark Side is single‑player only.

Which game is shorter to finish?

King’s Bounty: Dark Side averages about 3 hours of playtime, compared to roughly 7 hours for V Rising.

Can I play either game on a Mac?

King’s Bounty: Dark Side is listed for PC and Apple Macintosh platforms; V Rising is only available for PC, so only the former supports macOS.