Karate Survivor

About

In "Karate Survivor: , become a martial arts master and engage in fast-paced, intense combat against relentless foes. Improvise with environmental objects and weapons, create dynamic combos, and progress through levels to unlock new abilities. Use your creativity and strategic thinking to outsmart bandits and thrive in a roguelite survival experience inspired by '80s action movies.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 640 reviews

gameplay47 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

Karate Survivor offers a unique blend of roguelite mechanics and martial arts action, capturing the essence of 80s action movies.
The combo system is engaging, allowing players to string together various martial arts moves and utilize environmental objects creatively.
The game features charming pixel art and a nostalgic soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.

The hit detection can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating moments where players take damage unexpectedly.
The game lacks depth in build variety, often forcing players to stick to specific combos for optimal performance.
Some players may find the initial difficulty curve steep, with early runs feeling tedious until more moves and upgrades are unlocked.

gameplay
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
6%
The gameplay of "Karate Survivor" is characterized by its unique mechanics, including an "action per frame" system and a focus on melee combat, which offers a fresh twist on the "survivor" genre. While the game features engaging animations and a nostalgic aesthetic, some players find the core mechanics clunky and the gameplay loop can become repetitive after a few hours. Overall, it provides a fun experience with a blend of martial arts action and roguelite elements, though it may lack depth for those seeking more complex gameplay.
- “All the fun of Vampire Survivor, but with some fun movement options and an interesting 'action per frame' mechanic.”
- “Unlock new mechanics as you play, including several great mobility moves and environmental interactions, as well as new attack methodology letting you chain together attacks in sequence to boost attack damage and add additional effects.”
- “Karate Survivor has really cool combat mechanics and a progression system that eases you into becoming a total badass with upgrades that allow for powerful combos and access to new areas or extra mobility, delivering all of the action you would expect from a Jackie Chan movie.”
- “Sadly, this game does not have the charm to compensate for its generic and badly implemented gameplay.”
- “The problem is that the main gameplay loop runs out of steam after about 10 hours of unlocking moves and core bonuses.”
- “Gameplay almost completely consists of running around the map until a big enough blob of enemies forms and gets stuck in a chokepoint.”
graphics
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
41%
4%
The graphics of "Karate Survivor" have received widespread acclaim for their unique pixel art style, which effectively captures the nostalgic essence of 80s and 90s action movies. Players appreciate the vibrant animations and overall aesthetic, noting that the visuals enhance the gameplay experience, despite some minor issues like hitbox frustrations and lack of ultrawide support. Overall, the game's art direction and attention to detail contribute significantly to its charm and appeal within the genre.
- “The game's pixel art style is both nostalgic and modern, capturing the essence of classic arcade games while incorporating contemporary design elements.”
- “Not only does the game look incredibly stylish with its pixel art style reminiscent of the retro beat-em-ups, but the animations flow together really well.”
- “Crisp visuals, a variety of combos, and environment interactions combined with excellent animations make this game a highly enjoyable experience.”
- “Sadly, due to the fact that graphically the game has very good animations, and those take time and energy to make, we are very unlikely to see many new characters in the future due to the sheer amount of work they would demand.”
- “But right now it looks like quality art assets and graphic design rushed to market without gameplay.”
- “My only complaints are that there aren't enough achievements (that's a big draw with this genre imo) and some of the menu graphics seem like they were AI generated.”
music
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its nostalgic 80s-inspired synthwave soundtrack that complements the visuals and gameplay. While some players find the music catchy and fitting for the game's aesthetic, others note that it can become repetitive during longer sessions. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's charm, contributing to an engaging and fun experience.
- “Aside from the great music and cartoony graphics, it's the combo system that adds fun to the already addictive formula.”
- “The soundtrack is a pulsating mix of synthwave and electronic beats, perfectly complementing the game's 1980s-inspired aesthetic.”
- “Great pixel art and music, really has an excellent charm to it overall.”
- “The music is not good enough to be as repetitive as it is.”
- “The music can get annoying during long stretches, as it loops.”
- “My only complaint is that the music is pretty bland and uninspiring.”
story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The game's story is largely seen as minimal, with some players expressing a desire for more narrative depth, character backgrounds, and plot development. While it pays homage to classic martial arts films, featuring diverse bosses and a basic premise of fighting through waves of enemies, many reviewers feel that the lack of a substantial storyline detracts from the overall experience. However, the gameplay's fun mechanics and potential for future updates could enhance the narrative aspect in the long run.
- “The game's story is a homage to the classic martial arts tales of the past.”
- “As the titular karate survivor, they must fight through waves of enemies, uncovering the nefarious plot that threatens the city.”
- “The bosses themselves are a diverse cast of characters, each with their unique fighting style and backstory.”
- “☑️ this game has no story”
- “☑️ 0 (no story)”
- “Why are you here, who are these enemies... we don't need a plot where we're going!”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling forced to engage in repetitive tasks without a satisfying sense of progress. Many reviews highlight issues such as slow movement, unbalanced abilities, and the need to farm specific items or unlocks, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some acknowledge that the game can be fun after overcoming the grind, the experience is frequently marred by a lack of rewarding gameplay and excessive repetition.
- “An interesting concept, but being forced to not attack so much while having slow movement speed (even when upgraded to full in the unlocks and collecting some speed cards) just makes it feel like a tedious grind where you tank damage all the time.”
- “This often turns the experience into a tedious grind rather than an enjoyable challenge.”
- “Its a fun game until you reach a point where you have to have an attack with random chance to pierce and then you need to find an old dude that spawns at a random time in a random place on any map, then you gotta pray to your gaming gods that the piercing procs before you kill him. If not, happy farming. This wouldn't be an issue if it didn't lock off like 9 other abilities which you can't get until you have done this piercing attack on the old dude. After 5 hours of trying to get it, I gave up.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting limited value after completion, while others praise its high replay potential due to multiple difficulty levels and unlockable moves. The presence of various upgrades and the addictive gameplay contribute positively to replayability, although some feel that additional content could enhance the experience further. Overall, while not universally acclaimed, many find the game engaging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “The replay value is one of the best.”
- “Unlocking things like being able to kick a cart into a crowd or somersault over sofas into a kick add to the replayability factor.”
- “Replayability is extremely high since after the runs you'll unlock different martial arts moves; it's pretty fun putting together the combos of different martial art styles with heavy Jackie Chan influence.”
- “Little replay value after beating it.”
- “In the minus column, there's not a ton of content here, and additional levels or the addition of something akin to an endless mode would give this more and better replayability, but for the price, I'm not complaining.”
- “-no replay value.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, characterized by a vibrant color palette and dynamic lighting that create an immersive world reminiscent of 80s and 90s video salons. While some players find the controls frustrating and detrimental to the martial arts theme, the overall ambiance is enhanced by its amusing b-movie vibe and compelling art design, making it a nostalgic experience.
- “Great atmosphere”
- “The game's color palette and lighting effects further enhance the atmosphere, creating a world that feels alive and dynamic.”
- “This is a pretty good game to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the 80s and 90s, something nostalgic.”
- “Having to aim by moving alone is extremely frustrating, clumsy, and looks and feels stupid, destroying the martial arts movie atmosphere of the game.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of empowerment and frustration in the emotional aspect of the game, feeling like martial arts masters through their combat choices, yet often experiencing a sense of vulnerability due to unclear mechanics and the punishing nature of enemy interactions. The emotional impact is heightened by the feeling of "emotional damage" stemming from these frustrating gameplay elements.
- “Mixing and matching different strikes made me feel like a true martial arts master… until I realized I wasn’t exactly sure if my punches were landing or if I was about to get clobbered.”
- “Emotional damage is a real kind of damage, you know.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's stability is mixed, with some users reporting it runs well on the Steam Deck, while others experience frequent crashes and bugs, suggesting it may not be worth purchasing at this time.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck right out of the box.”
- “This game runs great on the Deck as well.”
- “Buggy and crashes too much to be worth buying at the moment.”
- “Minor bugs and glitches.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky weapon choices and amusing combat mechanics, which can lead to unintentionally funny moments, such as characters attacking in the wrong direction. While players appreciate the comedic potential, the frustrating game mechanics can detract from the overall experience, making it a mixed bag of laughs and challenges.
- “I had a funny time and want more laughing with the game, please be my friend!”
- “At the start, it seems like a very cool game; you can do combos and use funny weapons like chairs and umbrellas.”
- “Hilarious!”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While many games in this genre are criticized as blatant cash grabs, this particular title stands out as a worthwhile purchase.
- “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully; it feels like a paywall at every turn.”
- “The in-game purchases are not just optional; they are almost mandatory if you want to progress at a reasonable pace.”