Alkurai
- March 8, 2023
- RedHouse Studios LLC.
Alkurai is a 1-4 player horror role-playing game set in a dark fantasy kingdom taken over by a malevolent Alchemist. Players must cooperate to navigate maze-like maps, solve intricate puzzles, and uncover the Alchemist's sinister plans. Unique features include a drinking mechanic and a sanity bar, adding to the game's immersive and tense atmosphere.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging co-op experience with friends, featuring unique puzzles and a creepy atmosphere.
- Graphics are visually appealing, creating an immersive environment that enhances the horror experience.
- The developers are responsive to player feedback and show potential for future updates and improvements.
- The game suffers from various bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including item glitches and spawning issues.
- Currently, the game is quite short, with limited content available, which may not justify the price for some players.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive, primarily revolving around fetching and moving items without much variation.
- story20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing, with a dark tone set by the opening cutscene and a medieval rustic environment that enhances the experience. Players engage in fetch quests and puzzles, supported by well-acted dialogue, though the narrative can feel minimal due to the game's early access status. Overall, while the story may not be the main focus, it provides a fun backdrop for cooperative gameplay and exploration.
“But in the end, Alkurai has an interesting story behind it and some fun cutscenes to watch.”
“The opening cutscene for the game sets a rather dark tone for the story, the lobby when you load into the game feels like a quaint little tavern, and the game itself just oozes a medieval rustic setting.”
“All quest dialogs have full voice acting, and for a relatively cheap early access game, it's actually really well acted and written.”
“The game essentially consists of fetch quests within a maze inhabited by an angry AI that viciously tracks players down.”
“The rest of the game is filled with the usual mechanics; stamina management, multi-step fetch quests that require navigating from one side of the map to the other, and a few jump scares to maintain the horror theme.”
“The game doesn't hold your hand at all or use a map or mini-map to guide you, making it easy to get lost during quests.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics, including stamina management and multi-step fetch quests, which can become less challenging as players progress. While some users found the puzzles enjoyable and the multiplayer experience smooth, others noted glitches and a lack of depth, particularly in the horror elements. Overall, the game is seen as fun with friends, though it may not satisfy hardcore horror fans at this stage.
“The rest of the game is filled with the usual mechanics; stamina which you must use sparingly as you don't want to get caught out of breath by the monster, puzzles that essentially can get chalked down to multi-step fetch quests that will have the players navigating from one side of the map to the other, and a few sprinkled in jump scares to keep the horror theme going.”
“Setting up a room to play with people was incredibly easy, and no one was lagging or disconnected during the gameplay (we live across the US).”
“The gameplay itself, while simple, is really fun, with simple puzzles and one of the more unique monsters I've seen in a horror game recently.”
“The rest of the game is filled with the usual mechanics; stamina which you must use sparingly as you don't want to get caught out of breath by the monster, puzzles that essentially can get chalked down to multi-step fetch quests that will have the players navigating from one side of the map to the other, and a few sprinkled in jump scares to keep the horror theme going for it.”
“The mechanics get a lot simpler in the second chapter so once you figure them out it's an easy clear and the threat pretty much ceases to exist.”
“We ran into a glitch that was connected with the game's mechanic of a dropped item that wasn't in the place it spawns where if the item isn't being held it'll respawn where you found it before.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics received generally positive feedback, with players appreciating the attention to detail, unique art style, and natural movement of characters. However, some users experienced performance issues at higher settings, leading to a preference for lower quality to ensure smoother gameplay. Overall, while not deemed exceptional, the graphics are considered solid and contribute positively to the game's aesthetic and immersion.
“The attention to detail, the graphics, and the step-by-step puzzles are all unique and kept us enthralled as we played.”
“Great aesthetic and vibe too!”
“Loved the art style and the monsters actually move fairly naturally, something which other games fail at and can take you out of the immersion quite a bit.”
“Graphics were okay, not exceptional, but solid and good enough.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report minor glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay, others have experienced more serious issues, such as items disappearing after being dropped or lost during boss encounters.
“But there is a problem that bugs the game; the items that are picked up will disappear after we drop them or when we are killed by the boss.”
“As far as quality goes, we encountered maybe one or two glitches while playing, and they were entirely inconsequential.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic amount of effort, akin to needing a second life to complete it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently lacking and requires significant improvement, despite its potential.
“This game has a lot of potential, but the optimization needs some tender loving care.”
“The optimization in this game really enhances the overall experience, making it smooth and enjoyable.”
“I appreciate the developers' efforts in optimizing the game, as it runs much better than before.”
“This game has a lot of potential, but the optimization needs some TLC.”
“The performance issues are frustrating and really detract from the overall experience.”
“I can't enjoy the game fully because the optimization is so poor; it constantly lags and crashes.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized as spooky, enhancing the overall experience with engaging objectives that contribute to the game's immersive environment.
“The atmosphere is incredibly spooky, creating an immersive experience that keeps you on edge.”
“The game features a haunting atmosphere that enhances the sense of mystery and adventure.”
“The eerie ambiance and detailed environments contribute to a captivating and unsettling atmosphere.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users note that the game has limited replayability, indicating that once completed, there is little incentive to play through it again.
“One area that is lacking is replay value.”