Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike

About

Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Pepperboxstudios and was released on April 28, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike is a turn-based puzzle game where you battle by matching colored tiles on a looping grid, anticipating enemy moves to survive. Equip and customize your character with a variety of weapons, armor, and rings, creating unique playstyles. Explore a dark medieval world shrouded in mystery after the Sun vanished.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 61 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Kaamos features a unique and engaging tile-matching mechanic that combines strategic depth with roguelike elements, making each run feel fresh and rewarding.
The game's minimalist pixel art style and atmospheric soundtrack create an immersive experience that enhances the overall gameplay.
Players appreciate the variety of character abilities and the customization options available through the loot system, allowing for diverse playstyles.

Many players feel that the game lacks content and variety, with repetitive boss encounters and limited progression options leading to a sense of monotony after a few hours of play.
The combat mechanics can feel overly simplistic and unchallenging, with some players expressing a desire for more complexity and depth in gameplay interactions.
The permadeath and random elements can be frustrating for some, as they may lead to drawn-out battles and a lack of meaningful player agency in combat decisions.

gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The gameplay is characterized by a tight and rewarding core loop that combines innovative tile-matching mechanics with roguelike elements, offering a unique blend of strategy and customization. While the aesthetic and soundtrack enhance the experience, some players feel the mechanics lack depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay after initial enjoyment. Overall, it presents a compelling yet simplistic challenge that may appeal to fans of puzzle roguelikes, despite some missed opportunities for deeper interactions.
- “The core gameplay loop is tight, rewarding, and hard to put down once it clicks.”
- “Highly recommended if you enjoy puzzle roguelikes with a great soundtrack and a satisfying gameplay loop.”
- “Each piece of equipment or ability you acquire shapes how you interact with the tile-matching mechanics, adding layers of strategy and personalization that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “It is a shame though that the idea isn't pushed further; it definitely feels like there is room to layer on some more interactions and mechanics without making the experience feel bloated.”
- “And there’s usually an obvious best move each turn during fights, so (outside the special mechanics of the bosses) it doesn’t feel like there’s really any challenge to individual fights, and there’s a somewhat lack of agency given you’re just picking the best move each turn.”
- “The match-three gameplay shown in the gameplay pictures is basically the entire game, and unfortunately this feels pretty tedious when you get past the first chapter as every enemy has multiple ways to rack up their defense.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fantastic, atmospheric qualities, evoking nostalgia with an evocative 8-bit soundtrack that enhances the emotional depth of the gameplay. Reviewers highlight its calming yet energetic nature, making it a perfect fit for puzzle roguelikes, and many express a desire for the soundtrack to be available separately due to its standout quality. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersive experience.
- “The music is fantastic and gave me strong Loop Hero vibes, atmospheric, calming, energetic, and perfectly matched to the gameplay.”
- “The tiny soundtrack of this tiny game has more soul than many large titles combined.”
- “Accompanying this is an evocative 8-bit soundtrack that underscores the bleakness and solitude of the environment, deepening the emotional impact and reinforcing the sense of a harsh, unforgiving world.”
- “Oh, and by the way, that soundtrack is really tasteful and should be sold separately.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist pixel art style that effectively complements its dark and atmospheric setting, drawing inspiration from Finnish culture. While some users appreciate the beautiful aesthetics and atmospheric visuals, others express mixed feelings, noting that the art style may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the graphics contribute to a haunting experience that enhances the game's unique gameplay mechanics.
- “Visually, Kaamos adopts a minimalist pixel art style that perfectly suits its dark, foreboding setting.”
- “Beautiful aesthetics and simple gameplay hide a haunting world with a rich, yet vague prose that drives home the desperation of a world without a sun.”
- “The graphics don't bother me, but I understand some user reviews complaining a bit.”
- “This sort of art style was always going to be a risk.”
- “Featuring minimalist retro-inspired visuals and drawing upon themes of Finnish culture, there's a surprising amount of depth to this deceptively simple game.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive qualities, combining fantastic music and minimalistic art to create a tense and mysterious environment. Players appreciate how the sound design and flavor text enhance the world-building, making each gameplay experience feel unique and engaging. Overall, the atmosphere effectively complements the gameplay, providing a calming yet energetic backdrop that enhances the strategic challenges.
- “The art is great, the sound design is crunchy and satisfying, and the flavor text provides atmosphere and world-building that makes each run feel like its own story.”
- “The art style is minimalistic but really atmospheric, and the soundtrack is surprisingly good at keeping you focused without being distracting.”
- “From the moment you step into this shadowy realm, Kaamos immerses you in an atmosphere thick with tension and mystery, where the absence of sunlight amplifies the feeling of isolation and urgency as you venture deeper into the unknown.”
- “This simplicity in design does not detract from immersion; rather, it complements the game’s atmosphere by focusing attention on gameplay and narrative tension.”
- “I really like the theme and atmosphere of the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and mindless, particularly noting that the defensive playstyle classes contribute to a frustrating experience. The match-three gameplay, while initially engaging, becomes repetitive and monotonous as the game progresses, especially due to the enemies' complex defensive mechanics.
- “And the defensive playstyle classes are brutally tedious.”
- “The match-three gameplay shown in the gameplay pictures is basically the entire game, and unfortunately, this feels pretty tedious when you get past the first chapter as every enemy has multiple ways to rack up their defense.”
- “From there, it was mindless grinding for completion.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts high replayability due to its roguelike elements, including procedurally generated maps and permadeath, which create unique experiences in each playthrough. Additionally, the combination of match-3 mechanics and a diverse selection of characters and items further enhances its replay value.
- “The roguelike elements—procedurally generated maps, permadeath, and randomized enemy encounters—ensure that no two playthroughs feel the same, maintaining a high level of replayability and keeping players on their toes.”
- “Combining elements of match-3 puzzle games with punishing roguelike replayability, Kaamos is a unique twist on familiar gameplay.”
- “There are many characters to choose from and 180 items, which makes for sufficient replay value.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
While the game's art and sound design are praised for their quality, the story itself receives mixed feedback, with some players feeling it lacks depth despite the atmospheric world-building provided by the flavor text.
- “The art is great, the sound design is crunchy and satisfying, and the flavor text provides atmosphere and world-building that makes each run feel like its own story.”
- “My only criticism would be of the story.”
- “The art is great, sound design is crunchy and satisfying, and the flavor text provides atmosphere and world-building that makes each run feel like its own story.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's evocative 8-bit soundtrack enhances the emotional experience by emphasizing the bleakness and solitude of its environment, effectively reinforcing the sense of a harsh and unforgiving world.
- “Accompanying this is an evocative 8-bit soundtrack that underscores the bleakness and solitude of the environment, deepening the emotional impact and reinforcing the sense of a harsh, unforgiving world.”