Ikao The Lost Souls
- February 5, 2019
- YukiOstudio
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIkao, a little bluish creature, suddenly finds himself in the abyss of time without any memory. After coming out he has no choice but to travel the world in search of answers to the mystery behind his past.
PC
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a challenging platforming experience with a nice difficulty curve, providing a sense of satisfaction when completing tough levels.
- The controls are tight and responsive, especially when playing as the ghost character, which adds finesse to the gameplay.
- The aesthetic and level design are appealing, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience despite some minor issues.
- The game suffers from significant issues related to refresh rates, which can drastically affect character movement speed and overall playability.
- There are several unpolished mechanics, such as unresponsive double-jumps and inconsistent hitboxes, leading to frustrating cheap deaths.
- The lack of an options menu and inability to alt-tab can hinder the user experience, along with some mediocre sound design and a confusing story.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for its unpolished core mechanics and simplistic movement, which hinder the overall experience. The level design lacks variety and fails to fully utilize the introduced mechanics, resulting in a repetitive feel as players progress. While the story is well-told, it does not enhance the gameplay significantly.
“I won't get into any details here but the story is told well enough and does not get in the way of the gameplay.”
“The gameplay is broken down into 2 different styles.”
“The core game mechanics feel unpolished and would benefit from some tweaking.”
“The movement mechanics are pretty bare-bones and the level design doesn't really allow this game to thrive, at least as far as I got (like the 4th little chunk of levels).”
“Visually, the levels change very little in between, even when mechanics are added.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in Ikao is described as minimalistic and somewhat confusing, with players expressing difficulty in fully understanding it even after multiple playthroughs. While the narrative does not detract from the gameplay, it lacks depth and character, leaving some players feeling disconnected from the experience. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a weak point, with limited immersion and unsatisfying character animations.
“I won't get into any details here but the story is told well enough and does not get in the way of the gameplay.”
“Ikao is a hardcore platformer/bullet hell game with a nice visual style, a minimalist story, and 2 different play modes.”
“The story is a bit weird, and after seeing the ending twice, I still do not completely understand.”
“The obstacles changed very little from level to level, and there really wasn't much character to any of it; the character art in the game really did not impress me. Some of the animations just didn't sit right and weren't satisfying to use (the double-jump or the floating ability), and the minimalist storytelling did little to immerse me into this game. The lack of a cutscene skip feature is kind of upsetting, and you end up switching characters with no real sense of rhyme or reason.”
- music6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for being slow, repetitive, and lacking emotional depth, contributing to an overall negative impression of the sound design. Additionally, specific sound effects, such as those for footsteps, have been described as particularly bothersome, leading some players to consider muting the game entirely.
“Also, this game has some atrocious sound design; the sound effect for footsteps made me want to mute the game, and the music was just incredibly slow atmospheric/ambient music played ad nauseum, with no real soul to it.”
“Also, this game has some atrocious sound design; the sound effect for footsteps made me want to mute the game, and the music was just incredibly slow atmospheric/ambient music played ad nauseum, with no real soul to it.”
“Also, this game has some atrocious sound design; the sound effect for footsteps made me want to mute the game, and the music was just incredibly slow atmospheric/ambient music played ad nauseum, with no real soul to it.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their aesthetic appeal, though opinions on the art style and music vary, highlighting a subjective experience among players.
“And the aesthetic is great!”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is heavily criticized for its poor sound design, with repetitive and uninspired ambient music that lacks depth, alongside footstep sound effects that detract from the experience. Overall, the atmosphere fails to engage players, leaving them wanting more.
