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About

Kairo is a single-player Horror Adventure game with striking visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. It offers exploration of vast, abstract monuments and puzzle-solving to bring ancient machinery back to life. The environmental storytelling and atmospheric soundtrack convey the mysterious purpose of this forgotten world, creating a highly emotional experience.

Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot
Kairo screenshot

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,349 reviews
atmosphere444 positive mentions
story86 negative mentions

  • Kairo offers a unique and surreal atmosphere that captivates players with its minimalist design and haunting soundtrack.
  • The puzzles are engaging and require creative problem-solving, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment when solved.
  • The game encourages exploration and discovery, allowing players to uncover secrets and hidden runes throughout the environment.
  • The lack of clear direction and narrative can leave players feeling lost and confused about their objectives.
  • Some puzzles are overly abstract or frustratingly difficult, leading to reliance on guides or walkthroughs.
  • The graphics and movement mechanics feel outdated and can lead to a disorienting experience, potentially causing motion sickness.
  • atmosphere
    714 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Kairo" is widely praised for its unique, eerie, and immersive qualities, often described as haunting and surreal, effectively enhancing the game's exploration and puzzle-solving elements. Many players appreciate the minimalist design and ambient soundtrack, which contribute to a sense of isolation and mystery, although some find the atmosphere overwhelming or stressful. Overall, the game's atmospheric depth is considered its strongest aspect, making it a compelling experience for those who enjoy atmospheric exploration games.

    • “The atmosphere and ominous architecture are definitely the main attraction.”
    • “The atmosphere is captivating, every room is distinctive and fun to explore, puzzles are smart, not too hard, and interesting to solve.”
    • “The atmosphere is great, always slightly creepy but not scary.”
    • “I wish there was neutral and not just recommend or not recommend... I did not play enough of this game to say that but... I did feel the need to note that the game has such a creepy atmosphere that I very quickly did not want to play it, it is just too stressful.”
    • “The atmosphere is there, but the limited size and blandness of the areas, and the puzzles therein, hold it back.”
    • “I think there's simply not enough in this game to make the atmosphere work.”
  • story
    598 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in *Kairo* is largely abstract and minimalistic, conveyed primarily through environmental storytelling rather than explicit narrative elements. Players often find the plot elusive, requiring them to piece together hints and symbols scattered throughout the game, leading to a variety of interpretations. While some appreciate the atmospheric and contemplative nature of the storytelling, many express disappointment over the lack of a coherent or engaging narrative, feeling that it detracts from the overall experience.

    • “However, after reading some in-depth explanations online (and learning that the developer approved those explanations), it seems there is a relatively concrete and competent sci-fi plot hidden here after all.”
    • “The conclusion definitely has that wow factor, and while you won't find a huge compelling storyline, I think it does provide a really good emotional experience.”
    • “Kairo is one of the few games I've played that conveys a story without a single word.”
    • “The most obtuse of them all is the narrative, trying to tell a story with almost no words or events, purely through objects and symbols you encounter.”
    • “It was really disappointing to do all of this and to not even have a coherent story at the end.”
    • “There is no story or anything it wants to tell you.”
  • graphics
    508 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Kairo are characterized by a minimalist and simplistic aesthetic, often described as outdated or reminiscent of 90s-era games. While some players appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric qualities it brings, others find the visuals lackluster and unengaging, with complaints about basic geometry and low-quality textures. Overall, the game's graphics evoke a sense of atmosphere that can be polarizing, appealing to those who enjoy abstract art but potentially disappointing for players seeking more detailed visuals.

    • “The minimalistic visuals of Kairo are absolutely breathtaking.”
    • “Using nothing more than the most basic geometric graphics, it somehow manages to craft awe-inspiring vistas, mind-bending puzzles, and a complex open-ended backstory.”
    • “The atmosphere is very engrossing, from the otherworldly simplistic visuals to the mysterious soundtrack.”
    • “The graphics have the effect of an unfinished greybox demo; there is little thought or effort put into narrative purpose to any element of the setting, and the puzzles are simplistic and tedious.”
    • “The graphics are a little dated with the use of low-quality textures, and the film grain effect can be nauseating; however, thankfully you can turn that effect off.”
    • “The graphics look like they were made in the mid-90s; things like the original Unreal had higher poly counts than this does, and more graphical cohesion.”
  • music
    404 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is a prominent aspect, often described as eerie, haunting, and atmospheric, effectively enhancing the overall experience and mood. While some players appreciate its ability to create a sense of isolation and mystery, others find it monotonous or unsettling, with criticisms about the lack of variety and the absence of separate volume controls for music and sound effects. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a key element that contributes to the game's unique ambiance, though opinions on its quality and impact vary widely among players.

    • “The music is hauntingly beautiful and will likely find its way to my iTunes reading playlist.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the atmosphere is at times dark, at others mysterious and sometimes even wondrous, but always, always alien and strange.”
    • “The music and atmospheric sounds add to the vast and lonely feeling of the world, and some elements you come across can send shivers down your spine.”
    • “The so-called atmospheric music combined with the above explained problems makes you feel angry and want to just finish and uninstall the game ASAP.”
    • “The sound design is awful, with very loud noises loading as you enter a room and ambient music disappearing when you touch a door so you can never trust that you aren't going to be jarred violently out of whatever mental state you're in.”
    • “The music is awful, and the same sound effects are used over and over.”
  • gameplay
    304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Kairo is characterized as minimalistic and primarily revolves around exploration and simple puzzle-solving mechanics, often described as a walking simulator with abstract puzzles. While some players appreciate the atmospheric design and the challenge of figuring out puzzles from scratch, many criticize the lack of engaging mechanics, repetitive tasks, and an overall unpolished experience that can lead to frustration. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy a more artsy, narrative-driven experience rather than traditional gameplay elements.

    • “The gameplay is simple yet effective, it delivers a challenging balance between the need to use logic and intuition.”
    • “Kairo's great sound design and exploration-based gameplay makes for a very relaxing abstract experience.”
    • “The gameplay was nice and I had a lot of fun exploring the world and doing the puzzles.”
    • “The lack of common threads, themes, or mechanics between puzzles makes them feel like a random smattering of ideas against the wall.”
    • “Sadly the novelty wears off really quickly and you find yourself walking in an artsy world with abstract puzzles and no clear objective or story and hardly any gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay was not very fun; there were no enemies where it felt like there should be danger.”
  • emotional
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses, from profound sadness and isolation to moments of touching beauty, particularly in its conclusion. While some players found the emotional impact to be powerful and immersive, others criticized the abruptness and lack of narrative depth, leading to feelings of confusion and frustration. Overall, the game successfully creates an atmosphere that resonates emotionally, despite its technical shortcomings and abstract puzzles.

    • “I have depression and this game made me cry 11/10.”
    • “It's wonderful that a game like this can be created through crowdfunding, and deliver such a hefty emotional punch despite such a small budget.”
    • “If I didn't have the emotional capacity of a potato I would have cried at the end, I swear to God, it just hit me right there, right in the weak point.”
  • grinding
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tedious and often nonsensical puzzles, which detract from the overall experience. Players frequently express frustration with the lack of intuitive design, leading to repetitive backtracking and exhaustive searches for collectibles. Overall, the game is perceived as a monotonous slog, lacking engaging challenges and meaningful narrative elements.

    • “This is the kind of frustrating, tedious, and boring game that you're glad when it's finally over.”
    • “The graphics have the effect of an unfinished greybox demo, there is little thought or effort put into narrative purpose to any element of the setting, and the puzzles are simplistic and tedious.”
    • “No such luck, unfortunately, as the game's minimalist style meant that the majority of the game was a series of isolated floating platforms and empty rooms punctuated by puzzles and tedious drag-face-along-every-wall style collectable hunts.”
  • stability
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting minimal bugs and a generally polished experience, while others have encountered numerous graphical glitches, poor performance, and significant issues following recent updates. While a few users found the game enjoyable despite its flaws, many criticized it for feeling unfinished and lacking polish, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the game's stability appears inconsistent, with some players experiencing a bug-free environment and others facing a myriad of technical problems.

    • “I encountered no glitches at all, which is definitely a plus.”
    • “Some structures/objects could've been made with custom models, like the made-up coffins, which makes the game feel unfinished or poorly funded, but it really looked bug-free; I couldn't pick up one of the beads on the string, and that's it. I can't remember any other bug, which reveals a lasting, high-quality finished product.”
    • “It's supposed to be an atmospheric game but it is pretty ugly and not polished (weird shadows or lights, glitches, ugly textures, etc.).”
    • “[i] note: somehow, the most recent updates to the game have made it incredibly buggy.”
    • “There were some pretty glaring geometry glitches like hairline cracks, overlapping brushwork, misaligned textures, missing faces, and gaps that looked like they weren't supposed to be there.”
  • replayability
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has limited replayability, primarily offering an alternate ending and some hidden collectibles that require tedious exploration. Many players found the experience linear and lacking in variety, leading to a consensus that it is not worth playing beyond the initial completion. Overall, while some may enjoy revisiting it for hidden secrets, the general sentiment is that replay value is minimal.

    • “I'm glad I decided to invest €0.99 into this game. Looking back, Kairo seems to have some replay value too, so I'd say that even the regular price of €5 is worth the experience.”
    • “Not much replay value once you've completed the game, but it's more than worth it to introduce it to other people.”
    • “Replay value: 6.4/10”
    • “My overall experience was boring and I was happy to pick it up on sale for $1. You should never pay more than this for the game since it has no replayability (apart from the 'collectible' stuff). It also clearly uses some standard assets and seems like the whole game uses just one texture, making it boring.”
    • “This game has very little replay value, unless you're one of those people who want to painstakingly go through every nook and cranny to find these tiny symbols tucked in corners of the levels.”
    • “What could be a 30-minute game with more replayability and more variety of endings turns up as an overly long walking simulator with very little redeeming value in gameplay and a non-rewarding short ending that gets a barely thumbs down.”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of quirky and unexpected moments, with players finding amusement in both the absurdity of certain puzzles and the juxtaposition of the game's chilling atmosphere. While some elements, like block collisions and secret endings, elicit laughter, others are noted as obscure or not particularly funny. Overall, the humor tends to arise from the game's unique design and the player's immersive experience.

    • “Oh and some block collision pushes you backwards, making walking up certain stairs rather... funny.”
    • “Kairo has many different and funny puzzles.”
    • “Pus, that secret ending was pretty funny when taking the rest of the game into consideration.”
  • optimization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on lower-end hardware, some players experience performance issues even with modest graphical settings. Despite its mediocre graphics, the game struggles with performance, indicating a need for improvement in optimization from the developers. Overall, it shows potential but requires better performance tuning to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “It helps that it runs smoothly even on this little laptop of mine, so even if you're on a budget, you may have found a graphics dollop of a game for you to try out.”
    • “The game has very bad performance for its pretty mediocre graphics.”
    • “Great game, 8.5/10, needs better controls and better performance.”

80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Buy Kairo

4h Median play time
4h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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