Karen: An Outrage Simulator
- August 27, 2020
- Vagabond Dog
Get on Steam"Karen: An Outrage Simulator" is a humorous game where you play as Karen, arguing your way through six stages and unlocking your potential as you demand refunds and battle managers. Discover Karen's mysterious past, and master manipulation to break the resolve of customer service clerks. Experience hilarious freakouts and unlock 12 achievements in under 30 minutes of playtime.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is hilariously funny and captures the essence of the 'Karen' stereotype well, providing a lot of laughs.
- It's a short and simple game that can be completed in about an hour, making it a great time-waster for those looking for light entertainment.
- The writing is clever and the music is surprisingly good, enhancing the overall experience and making it enjoyable to play.
- The game is very short with limited replay value, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- There are issues with the save system and unskippable dialogue, which can make the gameplay feel tedious at times.
- Some players found the aesthetics lacking and felt that the game could have been better executed in terms of graphics and overall polish.
- humor101 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in "Karen: an outrage simulator" is widely praised, with many players finding it genuinely hilarious and well-crafted, often comparing it to shows like South Park for its relatable and absurd scenarios. Despite its short playtime, the game delivers a variety of funny situations that resonate with real-life experiences, making it a worthwhile and entertaining experience for those looking for a good laugh. However, a few players felt disappointed, indicating that humor can be subjective and not universally appealing.
“Lots of humor to be had, and none of it ever feels cheap or overplayed.”
“A hilarious opportunity to be your worst self.”
“We spent so much time laughing our sides were sore!”
“Unfunny.”
“Unfunny.”
- music22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and thematic relevance, particularly the catchy theme song "Karen" by Day by Dave, which many players find memorable. While the soundtrack enhances the overall experience and fits well with various game scenarios, some users expressed frustration over the lack of options to adjust music volume or mute it entirely. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, complementing the clever writing and unique character designs.
“The writing's clever, the music... the music is almost too good.”
“Great writing, great art, great soundtrack, and the protagonist is great to play as.”
“The music is amazing, the character designs are all unique, the humor is well-paced, and it actually has a small bit of a story!”
“You can't mute the music, and that was something I really wanted to do.”
“- No options to change controls or music volume.”
“Even comes with a theme song that I have stuck in my head now.”
- story18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its clever use of tropes, humor, and pacing, delivering a surprisingly rich narrative within a short playtime of 1-2 hours. Players appreciate the engaging plot, memorable characters, and impactful twists, highlighting themes of overcoming adversity and the overall depth of the storytelling. The combination of unique character designs and well-timed humor further enhances the experience, making it stand out among indie games.
“Although it is a simple game that can be completed in 1-2 hours, I'm surprised by how good of a story is jam-packed within this game.”
“Fun story, brilliant ending, decent challenge, and the depth of the responses are well done.”
“All in all, this game is quite a piece since it successfully juggles tropes, humor, pacing, and pieces of an actual story.”
“A story of overcoming adversity.”
“Maybe I'm just hysterical, but this game really does gut punch you with hilarious plot twists and scarily believable freakouts.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as simplistic yet charming, featuring a unique "Karen" aesthetic that evokes an uncanny feeling through intentionally unappealing character designs. While some users feel the visuals could be improved, the amusing art style and humorous dialogue contribute positively to the overall experience, making it enjoyable for its low price.
“The different 'levels' in the game are amusing, while the silly graphics and opportune deployment of the 'Karen song' only added to its charm.”
“Neat character artwork and funny writing.”
“It is okay, could be better but it does have a certain 'Karen' aesthetic.”
“The art style is really what captivated me as it makes people try to look as ugly as possible, giving me an uncanny feeling for some characters.”
“Simplistic graphics, but the dialogue is amusing and it’s fun enough given the low price.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
"Karen: an outrage simulator" is noted for its short playtime and humor, but it lacks significant replayability or post-game content. Players may find it enjoyable for a one-time experience, suggesting it might be better to wait for a sale if replay value is a concern.
“Although, there really isn't any replayability or post-game, so maybe wait for a sale if that matters to you.”
“It's a nice little game to play when you're bored, not much replayability and it looks like it was made with RPG Maker, but it's still a good 1-hour experience; it even has a plot.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay involves players taking on the role of a "Karen," with a single health meter while attempting to deplete an opponent's three health bars representing confidence, patience, and indifference. Players must strategically manage their actions to resolve one of these bars before the opponent's freakout meter fills up, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. Overall, the mechanics are considered solid and contribute to the game's unique premise.
“The gameplay involves playing as the Karen, where you have a single health meter while trying to whittle down the other person's health, represented by confidence, patience, and indifference. This means you must focus on destroying one of the three health bars.”
“The game mechanics are quite engaging; you need to resolve one of their attributes before the freakout meter is full.”
“The gameplay is unique and requires strategic thinking to manage your health while countering your opponent's attributes.”
“The gameplay is that you play as the Karen and have a single health meter while trying to whittle down the other person's health, which consists of confidence, patience, and indifference. This means you must focus on destroying one of the three health bars.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is criticized for being buggy, with users noting that the demo, while interesting and enjoyable, is marred by technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these problems, players express appreciation for the developers' responsiveness to troubleshooting.
“An interesting and mostly enjoyable half hour demo wrapped in a 45-minute buggy package.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to become tedious after a few levels, despite appreciating the overall quality of the game.
“While I appreciate the quality of the game, it gets tedious after the third level.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, experiencing a range of feelings from laughter to tears, which enhances their overall enjoyment and connection to the experience.
“I laughed, I cried, I took my favorite Karen out for brunch after playing this game.”
