Kalinur
- August 18, 2022
- Pixel vs Pixel
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamKalinur is a single-player platformer Metroidvania game, offering around 3 hours of playtime. Explore a great map with 11 areas, 31 enemies, and 9 bosses while upgrading your character to defeat the dark wizard Kalinur. With its low price, fun gameplay, and the opportunity to support a solo developer, Kalinur is a rewarding purchase worth recommending to friends.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- A simple yet engaging metroidvania experience that offers fun gameplay and exploration.
- Great value for the price, providing several hours of entertainment with a charming retro aesthetic.
- Competent controls and varied enemy designs contribute to a satisfying challenge, especially for fans of the genre.
- Lacks fast travel and healing options, leading to frustrating backtracking and potential loss of progress.
- The game can become too easy once upgrades are obtained, diminishing the challenge.
- Controls can be uncomfortable on certain controllers, and the game suffers from some design flaws typical of indie titles.
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while grinding for coins can enhance your character's abilities, it is not strictly necessary to progress in the game. Players appreciate the balance between challenge and accessibility, noting that farming spots are conveniently placed, though some find the repetitive nature of grinding can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a rewarding upgrade system without making grinding feel mandatory.
“Wonderful microvania, maybe a little too dependent on some grinding the game cleverly puts right in front of you in the wizard zone.”
“On the game itself, it has some problems that a first game will probably have: enemies and your weapon don't have knockback, so sometimes the enemy just goes 'inside' of you damaging you; the storyline has all the usual tropes; sounds get repetitive after a while (especially if you are grinding for coins); most boss fights are very similar.”
“I think the balance is just right with how the game is challenging, but not punishing and if it's too hard and you are willing to spend your time grinding for coins, there are unlimited upgrades for health and damage.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming simplicity, featuring enjoyable 8-bit visuals that evoke a nostalgic feel. While some players appreciate the retro aesthetic, others find the limited control scheme less appealing. Overall, the graphics contribute to a fun and engaging experience.
“However, as simple as its graphics and tunes might be, there's a charm to them.”
“Super fun, great 8-bit graphics and music.”
“I understand the aesthetics of using only the D-pad and not the analog sticks of the controller to achieve this '16-bit feel', but I don't like it haha.”
“The graphics are incredibly simplistic, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“While I appreciate the attempt at a retro aesthetic, the visuals feel outdated and lack detail.”
“The art style is inconsistent and often looks unfinished, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Gameplay is engaging and focuses on simple mechanics, primarily a horizontal attack that increases in speed with repeated button presses. While a white bar appears in some areas, it does not detract from the overall experience.
“It's all about the gameplay in this one, and it's quite engaging.”
“There was a white bar on the bottom of the screen in some areas, but it didn't bother gameplay at all.”
“The mechanics are simple, with only a horizontal attack that can attack faster the more you spam the button.”
“There was a white bar on the bottom of the screen in some areas, but it didn't affect gameplay at all.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game received mixed reviews; while some players found it enjoyable and fitting with the 8-bit graphics, others were less impressed with the sound design.
“Super fun, great 8-bit graphics and music.”
“The music is nice and it was fun to explore the map.”
“The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the music and sound design.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story is considered good but relies on familiar tropes, and while it serves its purpose, it is overshadowed by gameplay issues such as lack of knockback and repetitive sound design. Additionally, many boss fights feel similar, detracting from the overall narrative experience.
“The storyline relies heavily on all the usual tropes, making it feel unoriginal and predictable.”
“The game suffers from repetitive sounds, especially during grinding for coins, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“Most boss fights are very similar, leading to a lack of variety and excitement in the gameplay.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as hilariously simple, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience for players.
“This game is hilariously simple, but it's also kind of fun.”
