Akurra

About

Akurra is a single player open world puzzle game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Cicada Games and was released on May 22, 2024. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Isles of Sea and Sky " is a fantasy open-world puzzle adventure game, where players solve block-pushing puzzles, uncover a mysterious narrative, befriend charming characters, and collect items while unlocking extraordinary powers. The game is created by Jason Newman, with music by Craig Collver and QA/Producer Dan Collver. Players who enjoy the game are encouraged to join the game's Discord for updates and announcements.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 791 reviews

gameplay75 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

The game features a well-paced difficulty curve, gradually introducing new mechanics that keep the puzzles fresh and engaging.
The open-world design allows players to explore and choose which puzzles to tackle, providing a sense of freedom and discovery.
The art style and music create a charming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

Some puzzles can be unsolvable until later in the game, leading to frustration as players may waste time on them without realizing they lack the necessary abilities.
The game does not always clearly indicate which puzzles are currently solvable, which can result in confusion and wasted effort.
Certain mechanics and puzzles feel underutilized or poorly implemented, leading to a sense of missed potential.

gameplay
244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
68%
1%
The gameplay in "Isles of Sea and Sky" is characterized by its clever integration of sokoban-style puzzles and metroidvania elements, introducing new mechanics gradually to maintain player engagement. While the puzzles are generally well-designed and challenging, some later mechanics can feel inconsistent or overly complex, leading to frustration. Overall, the game excels in providing a rich variety of mechanics and secrets, encouraging exploration and experimentation without heavy-handed tutorials.
- “The game does such a good job of introducing new mechanics in a way that feels rewarding.”
- “The game manages to keep things fresh by regularly introducing new puzzle mechanics and items that expand your character's capabilities.”
- “The puzzles are well designed and have creative mechanics that stretch the limits of sokoban-style block pushing.”
- “What ruined the game is the very large amount of poorly implemented backtracking, with far too many items requiring powers you don't have yet that feels more like time wasting rather than actual gameplay.”
- “The first thing that really frustrated me is that there is little (no?) dialogue or in-game explanation for how mechanics work.”
- “I think the biggest drawback is the open world nature of the game: sometimes it's difficult to tell if a puzzle is not solvable because I simply don't understand a mechanic yet, or if I need to get a tool from somewhere else to help.”
music
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its charm and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its well-composed tracks that fit the distinct themes of each area. Reviewers appreciate the relaxing and immersive quality of the soundtrack, which complements the puzzle-solving experience without becoming repetitive. Overall, the music is described as catchy, atmospheric, and a significant factor in creating a delightful gaming experience.
- “The music deserves a special mention to me because it is very well composed and very fitting for the vibe of the game; it doesn't feel too repetitive, though I sure wish there was more of it.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the colorful pixel art style are all really good, all of which calmed me down when I was struggling with hard puzzles.”
- “The music is incredible and very well tied to the themes of the islands and their deities.”
- “The music can be a little too repetitive; some variety in each zone wouldn't hurt.”
- “The high-definition music completely mismatches the pixelated rendering.”
- “Don't be fooled by the graphics and music; the gameplay has glaring flaws that make this game extremely hostile for newbies to the genre.”
graphics
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The graphics of "Isles of Sea and Sky" are widely praised for their charming retro aesthetic, reminiscent of Game Boy Color titles, with vibrant pixel art and smooth animations that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the cohesive art style and atmospheric soundtrack, which together create a relaxing and immersive environment, despite some noting minor issues with visual clarity in certain areas. Overall, the game's visuals contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a delightful puzzle adventure.
- “The graphics are gorgeous; it's peak 8-bit style, the game is full of interesting colors and sleek animations with great art direction and character/world design.”
- “The visuals are solid and the music is atmospheric and fantastic.”
- “The art style is vibrant and visually clear, and the music sounds great and fits the setting well.”
- “First issue is that the graphics are really bad.”
- “I expected bad graphics as this is a low budget indie game, but they need to be functional.”
- “(also, a pet peeve: it has 'pixel' graphics but they're not actual pixel graphics. The pixels are fake and behave in impossible ways. Always feels chintzy and sloppy to me.)”
story
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The game's story is minimal and largely conveyed through wordless cutscenes, allowing players to interpret its meaning through environmental clues and visual storytelling. While some players appreciate the cryptic nature and simplicity of the narrative, others feel it lacks depth and development, particularly in lore. Overall, the story serves as a subtle backdrop to the puzzle-solving gameplay, with many finding it intriguing yet open to interpretation.
- “The story is succinct and largely told through beautifully animated visuals.”
- “The story, though minimal, was surprisingly moving.”
- “Every piece of story that the player receives feels as intriguing as the game's puzzles, and while this game would be great as an aimless puzzle game, having a greater overall mystery to uncover through the progress the individual puzzles grant you makes it all the more so harder to put this game down.”
- “All in all, the story is just there.”
- “The only thing I wish was a bit more developed is the game lore or story.”
- “Didn't care too much for the story, unfortunately.”
atmosphere
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
26%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhanced by a charming pixel art style and an atmospheric soundtrack that complements each location. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a distinct and engaging environment, making exploration enjoyable and puzzles more rewarding. Overall, the combination of visuals, music, and design contributes to a unique and captivating experience that resonates with players.
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the colorful and pixelated style are all really good, all of which calmed me down when I was struggling with hard puzzles.”
- “The atmosphere is impeccable, with soothing music and charming art.”
- “The puzzles are clever, devious, and very well designed with more than enough extra challenges; the atmosphere is chill and immersive, and the world is interconnected and fun to explore.”
- “The atmosphere is impeccable, soothing music with charming art.”
- “Really strong atmosphere that pulls you in from the start.”
- “It results in every area having a distinct atmosphere which truly builds the character of the game and makes every screen worth of space feel full of character.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mixed experience, with some players finding the puzzle-solving and exploration tedious, particularly when revisiting areas or dealing with obscure secrets. However, many appreciate the game's quality of life features, such as the ability to rewind moves, which alleviates some of the frustration associated with repetitive tasks. Overall, while there are moments of tedium, the game is praised for its engaging puzzles and satisfying exploration.
- “I didn't find them satisfying to complete, just tedious because even after I learned what to do, it still took a long time to do it.”
- “Traveling can be tedious at times, especially on the bigger islands where you either have to solve the puzzle again or go all the way around it.”
- “Eventually you figure out that the secret walls and tiles have an indication to let you know they are near, but it can be frustrating when you have to tediously search for breakable walls like in the bad old days.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marked by occasional crashes and freezes, as well as inconsistent game logic that can lead to varying outcomes from repeated actions. While some users noted bugs, the presence of instant undo and reset options mitigated the impact of these issues for many players. Overall, the game exhibits notable stability concerns, particularly for those who enjoy exploring glitches.
- “There were a couple of crashes and freezes here and there; some places are accessible before they're meant to be. More importantly, the game logic isn't always consistent: in certain edge cases, you can perform an action, undo it, repeat the same action, and get a different outcome.”
- “I know it's not the most important thing to be annoyed about, but it sucks to spend so much time trying to break the game in half only to see most of the really interesting stuff ironed out. It feels like those of us who hunted down all those glitches were being punished for our hard work.”
- “The game is buggy.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Players find that the game offers replayability, particularly after a sufficient break allows puzzle solutions to be forgotten, enhancing the challenge and enjoyment of re-exploration.
- “The game offers multiple paths and endings, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With various character choices and strategies, I find myself coming back to explore different outcomes.”
- “There is replay value, in my opinion, once you let enough time pass for the puzzle solutions to fade a bit.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for shifting from a promising indie approach to a cash grab, disappointing players who expected a more genuine experience.
- “I was hoping to surprise you with a glowing review and perhaps repair our relationship, but instead the game confirmed everything I had feared and suspected: an indie darling who made promises he couldn't keep and changed from a based indie to a cash grab the moment he got a small taste of fame.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems like the developers are more interested in profits than providing a fair experience for players.”
- “It's disappointing to see a game that started with such promise turn into a pay-to-win model, making it difficult for those who don't want to spend extra money to enjoy the game.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its cute and funny puzzles, complemented by cool graphics and amusing animations that enhance the overall playful experience.
- “So cute and funny puzzles.”
- “Cool graphics with funny little animations.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that once familiar with the mechanics, the optimization of puzzle-solving is efficient, typically taking no more than thirty seconds to complete each task.
- “Once a player knows what to do, the actual performance of solving the puzzle should never be more than about thirty seconds, tops.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with feeling like beta testers due to recent updates, which detracts from their emotional engagement with the game. This sentiment highlights a disconnect between player expectations and the game's current state.