Kalaban

About

Kalaban is a single player open world action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Harri Jokinen and was released on December 29, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Kalaban is a survival horror game set in an alternate 1995 Finland, where hermit Bob fights to uncover the cause of a mutant outbreak. With top-down action, exploration, and a mini-sandbox world, players can enjoy a unique story filled with dark comedy and real depth. combat is fun and accessible as you kill monsters, gain loot, and heal yourself."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

52%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

story11 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

Kalaban offers a unique blend of action, exploration, and horror elements, creating a tense and immersive experience.
The game's atmosphere and art style are impressive, featuring detailed environments and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The game provides a decent amount of free-roaming gameplay with interesting quests and a variety of equipment and enemies.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
The combat mechanics are often clunky and unbalanced, with enemies being either too sponge-like or not registering damage correctly.
The lack of a tutorial and poor control settings can leave players feeling lost and confused about how to progress.

story
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
8%
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring an engaging atmosphere and interesting plot elements conveyed through environmental storytelling and NPC interactions, but it suffers from a lack of depth and coherence, with many players noting its brevity and generic conclusion. While some appreciate the indirect narrative style and the moral themes, others criticize the execution, citing game-breaking bugs and a lack of replay value as significant drawbacks. Overall, the story has potential but is hampered by technical issues and an unfinished feel.
- “The game's story is told through various means, including notes, diary entries, and environmental storytelling.”
- “The game's storytelling adds to its overall value, although the game's length may be a turn-off for some players.”
- “It has an interesting plot and a creepy atmosphere; you can tell the developers had a good vision that they really wanted to put into a game.”
- “The story mode is pretty short with ten different areas that are well designed.”
- “The ending I got for escaping didn't make a lot of sense to me; it didn't feel logical, plus some plot elements remained unexplained as if the game had suddenly forgotten about them.”
- “Kalaban has its visuals and some brilliant sound design but is let down by a weak plot and a number of performance issues.”
gameplay
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The gameplay of "Kalaban" features a mix of exploration, quests, management, and combat, but it suffers from clunky controls and frustrating mechanics, particularly the unbalanced hunger meter on higher difficulties. While the free-roaming survival horror concept is appreciated, many players find the combat uninspired and the overall experience marred by bugs and poorly designed mechanics. Despite its potential, the gameplay may not satisfy those seeking depth or innovation.
- “One of the game's strengths is its gameplay.”
- “The gameplay of Kalaban is divided into exploration, quests, management, and combat.”
- “Not knowing what to expect in the next area or building keeps the gameplay fresh.”
- “The game's combat can be frustrating at times, and it may take some time for the player to get used to the game's mechanics.”
- “Gameplay feels clunky, combat is uninspired and bland, and the writing seems to constantly fight against the mood by trying to be quirky and funny in the midst of a dark and oppressive ambiance.”
- “- hunger meter on higher difficulties is very unbalanced in comparison to how little food can be found, becoming an annoying, frustrating mechanic.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
37%
16%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its well-designed environments, engaging story, and excellent sound design, which collectively create a creepy and immersive experience reminiscent of classic survival horror. While many players appreciate the atmospheric depth, some note that it lacks genuine scares and is marred by gameplay issues. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The game's environments are well-designed, and they add to the game's overall atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is really great and almost feels like stepping into some twisted nightmare!”
- “Kalaban manages to set up a creepy atmosphere from the get-go.”
- “Atmosphere isn't scary one bit.”
- “Despite managing to set up a creepy atmosphere, Kalaban is let down by a number of issues.”
- “Kalaban is a 2D game similar to Postal 1 in terms of the atmosphere and art.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The graphics in the game are a mixed bag, showcasing impressive detailed environments and character models alongside a unique art style that nods to classic top-down games. However, inconsistencies in quality, glitches, and limited graphic options detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of immersion despite some standout elements. Overall, while the visuals have potential, they are hampered by technical issues and uneven execution.
- “The game's graphics are impressive, featuring detailed environments and character models.”
- “The game's art style is reminiscent of classic top-down games, but with a modern twist.”
- “The game's graphics, sound design, and gameplay are all well-done, creating a tense and immersive experience.”
- “It has a neat art style, but it has too many glitches.”
- “extremely limited graphic options”
- “Graphics are ok, but nothing to write home about.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that hinder gameplay and enjoyment. While some appreciate its art style and find it fun despite the issues, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from awkward controls and technical problems, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.
- “It's so close to being something I'd recommend, but it's too awkward, janky, and buggy.”
- “It has too many control and movement glitches to be enjoyable.”
- “But the game is simply too buggy to give some decent fun.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's music is generally described as haunting and atmospheric, effectively enhancing the sense of dread and unease. While some users find the sound effects and music to be average, others appreciate the subtlety of the soundtrack, which complements the game's creepy environment and overall narrative.
- “The soundtrack of Kalaban is perfect for what it is.”
- “The game's music is haunting, and it creates a sense of dread and unease.”
- “Sound effects and music are average without any particular standout point.”
- “Subtle music that lends very well to the creepy atmosphere created by the game and solidifies the environment.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game suffers from performance hiccups and occasional lag, which detracts from the overall experience despite its impressive visuals and sound design. While the aesthetic elements are commendable, the optimization issues hinder stability and gameplay fluidity.
- “The game offers impressive performance and stability, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.”
- “I appreciate the focus on performance and stability, which enhances the overall gameplay.”
- “Despite a few minor performance hiccups, the game generally runs well and maintains stability.”
- “The game also has some performance hiccups and lagged around a couple of times throughout my playthrough.”
- “Kalaban has its visuals and some brilliant sound design but is let down by a weak plot and a number of performance issues.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers limited replayability, as it can be completed in just a few hours and lacks substantial incentives to revisit the story mode after the initial experience. While some players may replay it a couple of times, the overall consensus is that it could benefit from additional content to enhance its longevity.
- “It's a good idea to add replay value to the game, but it's not exactly Crimsonland.”
- “The game can be completed in a few hours, and there is not much replay value once the player has experienced the game's story.”
- “The story mode itself does not have a lot of replay value, but I did go through that a couple of times.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often at odds with its dark atmosphere, as attempts at quirkiness and comedy feel out of place amidst the oppressive mood. While some moments may elicit a chuckle, the overall execution is hindered by clunky gameplay and uninspired combat, leading to a disjointed experience. Additionally, the humorous observation that even enemies can get stuck adds a layer of unintended comedy.
- “Funny thing: even the enemies get stuck!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be buggy and tedious, often leading to frustrating experiences where glitches can result in losing progress and having to replay entire chapters without the option to skip repetitive dialogue. Overall, the grinding feels pointless and detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
- “There are a lot of battles, and if you glitch and get stuck, you'll probably die from the enemy and will have to play the whole chapter/level again, which may require going through some tedious dialogue with no skip option.”
- “Buggy, tedious, pointless.”