Kabaret

About

Kabaret is a single-player action game with stunning graphics, featuring a dark fantasy folklore adventure. As cursed boy Jebat, players enter the Alam Bunian monster realm, seeking to break his curse by providing tea ceremonies to mythical creatures from Southeast Asian legends. The story unfolds through exploration and interactions, as Jebat confronts both supernatural and human monsters in the Kabaret.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a gorgeous art style and captivating music that enhances the overall atmosphere.
It incorporates rich Southeast Asian folklore and mythology, providing a unique cultural experience.
The mini-games and interactive elements, such as the tea-making mechanics, add an engaging layer to the gameplay.

The story lacks depth and coherence, making it difficult for players to connect with the characters or follow the plot.
Essential visual novel mechanics like manual saves, skip options, and fast-forward features are missing, leading to a frustrating experience.
Some character arcs feel shallow, and the pacing can be tedious, especially with filler dialogue and unengaging NPC interactions.

story
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its dark themes and character backgrounds, while others criticize it for being weak, convoluted, and filled with plot holes. Many players find it difficult to connect with the characters or feel that their choices have meaningful consequences, despite the intriguing political backdrop and moral dilemmas presented. Overall, while there are elements of folklore and compelling art, the narrative struggles to engage players fully.
- “Fantastic story and use of sea myth and folklore, also has very good and charming art, music, sound effects, writing, characters, mechanics, atmosphere, paths, conversation choices, etc... there's much to like.”
- “Ultimately though, the story is about Jebat awakening his innate potential and rising above the conflict between his two opposing sides: his humanity which prompts him to be compassionate, and his rough monstrous instincts.”
- “Every background story on each character will make you love them more.”
- “But sadly, the story is weak.”
- “There is little depth to the story, and it is difficult to get attached to the characters; your choices matter little as well.”
- “However, the story had a weird vibe and does not compel me to return to the game after a few hours of play.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
23%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, compelling character designs, and fitting music that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers appreciate the unique Asian-themed visuals and the incorporation of mythical elements, although some feel that the stunning artwork cannot fully compensate for other flaws in the game. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight, appealing especially to fans of visual novels and those who appreciate artistic design.
- “Loved the artwork of the characters.”
- “Also memorable are the beautiful visuals and the overall character design based on mythical creatures of South Asia, which give the game a lot of flavor.”
- “Whilst not without its flaws, Kabaret is a quality interactive fiction that has a lot to offer in terms of eclectic characters, an intriguing narrative, beautiful artwork, and mesmerizing sound design.”
- “The gameplay is no different from classic Japanese graphic novels, choosing options to dictate which ending route.”
- “---{ graphics }---”
- “If artwork and music alone are enough for you, or if you want to support local games, get it regardless.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful integration of Asian instruments and themes, enhancing the overall atmosphere and complementing the stunning art style. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke a mysterious and intriguing ambiance, enriched by the use of traditional instruments like the guzheng and bonang. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and cultural depth.
- “The atmosphere and music of the kabaret itself is mysterious and intriguing and had nice areas.”
- “Full of amazing Southeast Asian folklore, presented to you with beautiful music and breathtaking art.”
- “The songs and ambiance are lively, featuring Asian instruments such as bonang, guzheng (古箏), pungi, etc.”
- “Sadly the beautiful graphics and music can't counterbalance the flaws.”
- “The songs and ambiance are also lively, featuring Asian instruments such as bonang, guzheng (古箏), pungi, etc.”
- “Music and its mood are also derived from Asian instruments, with design elements full of flora and fauna motifs.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The gameplay is criticized for lacking essential visual novel mechanics, such as manual save points, despite featuring a captivating story and charming aesthetics. Players can engage in various minigames, notably a tea ceremony, but overall, the gameplay experience feels limited and underdeveloped compared to the game's narrative and artistic strengths.
- “Fantastic story and use of sea myth and folklore, also has very good and charming art, music, sound effects, writing, characters, mechanics, atmosphere, paths, conversation choices, etc... there's much to like.”
- “My full review of this game where I go into detail about gameplay, narrative, and styling is available on [url=https://indie-hive.com/kabaret/]indie hive[/url].”
- “This game lacks all of these mechanics.”
- “While there are several minigames that you will get to experience during your gameplay (some of them seemingly being popular in Asia), the most often encountered one is the tea ceremony for preparing tea according to the dweller’s requests.”
- “+ I need not mention what others have on manual save points and other missing visual novel mechanics.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Character development in the game is highlighted by the rich and contemporary design of its characters, particularly Jebat, who showcases significant growth. The unique personalities of the monsters further enhance the narrative, while the visuals inspired by South Asian mythology add depth and flavor to the overall experience.
- “Jebat has some fantastic character development and all of the monsters have their own personality.”
- “The folklore character design is very contemporary and full of patterns that match traditional elements.”
- “Also memorable are the beautiful visuals and the overall character design based on mythical creatures of South Asia, which give the game a lot of flavor.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to issues with item registration and the lack of a skip button, which forces them to repeatedly press the spacebar. While the interaction through making tea for in-game characters is seen as an interesting mechanic, the overall experience is marred by the repetitive nature of the grinding process.
- “Also, it's tedious. I have to spam the spacebar because there's no skip button.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It felt a bit tedious as there seems to be a problem with clicking on items and not having it register.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is described as mysterious and intriguing, enhanced by captivating music and charming art. It effectively weaves in elements of sea myth and folklore, contributing to a rich and immersive experience that players find appealing.
- “The atmosphere and music of the kabaret itself is mysterious and intriguing, featuring beautifully designed areas.”
- “Fantastic story and use of sea myth and folklore, complemented by charming art, music, sound effects, writing, characters, mechanics, atmosphere, paths, conversation choices, and more. There's so much to enjoy.”
- “The atmosphere and music of the kabaret itself is mysterious and intriguing, with some nice areas.”
- “Fantastic story and use of sea myth and folklore, but the atmosphere feels lacking despite the charming art, music, and characters.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features disturbing imagery, including depictions of a hanged person, dead animals, and cruelty towards infants, which can evoke strong emotional reactions in players, despite these elements not being central to the narrative.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the game's replayability to be quite limited, with many expressing that while they may complete a second playthrough, the experience does not offer significant new content or incentives to revisit.
- “Replayability is almost nonexistent for me (but hey, I managed to finish my second playthrough!)”
- “Replayability is almost nonexistent for me (but hey, I managed to finish my second playthrough!)”

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Kabaret

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Kabaret

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