Karate Master 2 Knock Down Blow

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 411 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Karate Master 2 Knock Down Blow Game Cover
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"Karate Master 2: Knock Down Blow" is a fighting game set in the 80s, where you play as Ken, a karateka striving to become a master and open his own dojo. The game features RPG and simulation elements, with a mix of arcade-style fighting and brutal no-holds-barred battles. Its deliberately retro graphics and specific 90s-style soundtrack celebrate the genre and the art of karate. Your journey will involve hard work, intense training, and numerous fights to earn money and reputation.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 411 reviews
gameplay22 positive mentions
story9 negative mentions
  • The game successfully captures the nostalgia of classic martial arts films and games, providing a fun and immersive experience.
  • The fighting mechanics are engaging and rewarding, allowing players to feel a sense of achievement as they progress.
  • The hand-drawn art style and vintage graphics add charm, making it visually appealing for fans of retro games.
  • The game can become repetitive and grindy, especially with the need to earn money and fame to progress.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with controls and game crashes.
  • The translation and dialogue quality are poor, leading to confusion and detracting from the overall experience.
  • gameplay72 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its nostalgic martial arts mechanics, offering a blend of challenging combat and RPG elements that evoke classic fighting games from the 80s and 90s. While many players appreciate the depth and satisfaction of mastering the fighting system, some criticize the janky mechanics, grindy progression, and random injury mechanics that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game provides a fun and engaging experience, particularly for fans of martial arts, despite some inconsistencies and technical issues.

    • “I have a particular appreciation for games that are rich in content and offer challenging gameplay, where the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles is truly rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay for a 2D fighting game is awesome - good timing and distance will get you the wins, not button mashing or insane combos. This also captures the atmosphere of the 80's good fighting games; still on the karate side: the moves are realistic, the damage, the training sessions, everything is exactly what it was like to be a karate fighter in the 80's.”
    • “Very solid gameplay mechanics and much deeper than it seems; the only thing missing is online multiplayer.”
    • “The only actual downside about the game I'd say is the bone-break mechanic, which seems like any opponent has a random chance to break your bone and end the fight immediately regardless of the health of the limb (green, yellow, orange, red).”
    • “The mechanics are janky as hell, the progression is a grind, the apparent RNG of bones breaking due to well-timed strikes affects you at least as much, if not more than the computer.”
    • “A broken, poorly written, improperly balanced game otherwise sullies deep, well thought out core fighting mechanics.”
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic, retro aesthetic reminiscent of 80s and 90s arcade titles, featuring charming hand-drawn art and pixel graphics that evoke a sense of familiarity and warmth. While some elements, like character portraits, received criticism for being less appealing, the overall visual style effectively captures the essence of classic fighting games, enhancing the gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the engaging animations and the blend of old-school charm with modern gameplay mechanics, making it a visually enjoyable title for fans of the genre.

    • “The vintage-style graphics further enhanced these deep emotions, immersing me in a familiar yet invigorating experience.”
    • “The graphics are large, detailed, very nice looking and overall just make the game very fun to watch.”
    • “The graphics really capture the feel of the transitional period between the 16-bit and 32-bit console eras (think Neo-Geo), and they are of much higher quality than your average indie fare.”
    • “The graphics aren't superb sadly, the sprite work, while effective, does look very rough, especially on some of the fighters, and some of the backgrounds are poorly rendered polygon work, though it has some of the better audiences I've seen in a game.”
    • “Long loading times, terrible graphics, but a blank canvas where game creativity was about pushing boundaries and exploring what games could be.”
    • “It's subtle, but the hand-drawn art style looks like sketches or cartoons from a high school student's notebook, which alludes to the adolescent fantasy aspects of the game as it gradually grows towards the fantastic and the overpowered.”
  • story50 mentions

    The story in the game is generally criticized for being weak, poorly translated, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels simplistic and often incoherent. While some appreciate the nostalgic retro style and the basic premise of a karate fighter's journey, the narrative is often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and repetitive tasks, leading to a lack of engagement. Overall, the story is seen as an afterthought, with many players suggesting that enjoyment comes more from the combat and gameplay than from the narrative itself.

    • “Like any good story that blends fantasy and reality, things start low-key and relatively realistic, and become more and more fantastical and superpowered slowly and over time, as you become more invested.”
    • “Starting out as a nobody karate fighter and working your way up the ranks to eventually be the best is always a great story, even if there isn't too much in the way of dialogue. What matters is busting faces and bones in great karate matches.”
    • “In Karate Master 2: Knock Down Blow, you take up the quest of a visionary man on his journey to open up his own karate school.”
    • “First thing's first, the story is non-existent.”
    • “I can barely follow the game's weak story.”
    • “The story bits are painful to read because of the poor translation, and not in an 'all your base are belong to us' kind of way either, it's just hard to follow what's going on.”
  • music41 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic 80s and 90s arcade feel, fitting well with the gameplay and enhancing the overall atmosphere. While some tracks, particularly during combat, are highlighted as adrenaline-pumping and enjoyable, others are criticized for being repetitive or mismatched with the game's style. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant draw for players, despite some wishing for more control over the volume and music options.

    • “The main appeal of the game is the music and gameplay.”
    • “The music on the other hand is quite excellent in my opinion - again with one exception, but it's a personal preference.”
    • “The music system is one of the reasons why I kept playing even if the game got grindy.”
    • “The sax music just doesn't fit in the game, because the rest of the game has a much different music style.”
    • “A really big issue is that you can only turn down the music yet the actual sound effects are ear-splitting unless you go back and turn down your volume.”
    • “The only real issues anyone will have with the game is the fact that it’s grindy at times and the repetitive music.”
  • grinding37 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the game features a significant amount of grinding, particularly in leveling up stats and earning money, which can become tedious and repetitive over time. While some players find the grind adds to the experience of a "karate journey" and appreciate the engaging combat, others view it as a major drawback that detracts from overall enjoyment. Despite the grind, many still find the game fun, especially when played in short bursts.

    • “Just really grindy and some of the inputs, especially on the training, feel sometimes just... bad or not functional. Still, it's a very simple and fun game.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game does have some issues; occasionally the controls would become unresponsive, and the game can be rather repetitive, as grinding is necessary to max out your stats and get enough money to get through the game.”
    • “Much like the path of a real karateka, the game is very grindy and repetitive, but you'll have some fun if you buy it on sale.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, freezes, and buggy mechanics that can disrupt gameplay and frustrate players. While some users find enjoyment beneath the surface of these problems, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and lacks quality control, making it difficult to recommend at full price.

    • “Training glitches and freezes the game, fights suddenly becoming slow, invisible black holes constantly pulling you in.”
    • “It's a poorly translated, buggy mess.”
    • “The game is super buggy and doesn't even have Xbox 360 controller support.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its hilariously poor translations and absurd dialogue, reminiscent of badly dubbed Japanese films, which adds a charmingly comedic layer to the experience. Players appreciate the blend of genuine respect for martial arts culture with a lighthearted, self-aware tone, making the game both entertaining and fun, despite its retro graphics and occasional glitches. Overall, the humor resonates well with those who enjoy a quirky, "B-grade action movie" vibe, enhancing the game's appeal.

    • “Now the game was obviously translated from Japanese and it isn't perfect, but this leads to some hilarious lines, one of my favorites being 'I'll break your idiot face, you sucker!' It's like one of those badly dubbed Japanese films; you can't help but smile at it.”
    • “However, the game is funny and doesn't take itself seriously at any point.”
    • “That being said, the dialogue (in English, at least) is hilariously inconsistent - whether or not the developers intended to give the game that 'B-grade action movie' dialogue - and is entertaining at many times, to say the least.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally praised for running well on low-spec systems, but some users report significant stuttering issues that hinder playability. While it performs adequately with large sprites, there are concerns about its long-term viability without updates or patches to enhance the experience.

    • “You learn actual karate techniques from your master and then apply them in the kumite section in order to improve your performance.”
    • “Optimization is very good indeed even with such big sprites.”
    • “Unless the game gets patched, updated, reworked, and optimized to keep up with modern games, or at least to make it enjoyable, I wouldn't recommend getting this.”
    • “Had to refund this game since I got stuttering problems which made it completely unplayable.”
    • “Optimization - it really runs satisfactorily on computers with 1GB of RAM, although the first game on itch.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that once the story is completed and training regimens are finished, there is little incentive to return. The gameplay becomes too easy after leveling up, and the absence of challenging tasks or new content further diminishes replay value. While some players find it worth the low price, the consensus is that there are better options available for those seeking a more engaging experience.

    • “By the time you've completed the story, visited all dojos around the city, and completed a rather satisfying experience of training regimens, including jump kicking over a car and tackling a bear, there's not much more in the way for replayability.”
    • “I can't really complain at getting the game 40% off, but there's an SNES taekwondo game you can download the ROM for that's a lot more replayable than this.”
    • “By the time you've completed the story, visited all dojos around the city, and completed a rather satisfying experience of training regimens including jump kicking over a car and tackling a bear, there's not much more in the way for replayability.”
    • “I can't really complain at getting the game 40% off, but there's an SNES taekwondo game you can download the ROM for that's a lot more replayable than this is.”
    • “After training up your stats, fights become too easy, only requiring several punches to end, and the story doesn't introduce more challenging tasks or complex events, making the replay value effectively zero.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its engaging training music and a nostalgic 80s vibe that captures the essence of classic fighting games. Reviewers appreciate the dark undertones of the martial arts underworld and the realistic portrayal of karate training, which collectively immerse players in a compelling and authentic experience.

    • “The training music is good and it creates a nice atmosphere for training the character.”
    • “A few things in the first one (itch.io) worked even better, including the plot and the dark atmosphere of a martial arts underworld, as well as the previous possibility of multiplayer.”
    • “The gameplay for a 2D fighting game is awesome - good timing and distance will get you the wins, not button mashing or insane combos. This also captures the atmosphere of the 80's fighting games; the moves are realistic, the damage, the training sessions, everything is exactly what it was like to be a karate fighter in the 80's.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
    • “Despite the potential for a rich setting, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
    • “The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, often breaking immersion with jarring transitions and poorly designed environments.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
5-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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