Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 70 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame Game Cover
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"Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame" is a puzzle platformer that combines gameplay with a rock opera soundtrack. The game presents its story through songs, and the Digital Deluxe Edition includes a soundtrack, concept art, and behind-the-scenes footage. By purchasing Act I, players will also receive Act II and the original soundtrack for free upon release.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews
music46 positive mentions
stability14 negative mentions
  • The music is outstanding, featuring talented vocalists from the metal scene, making it a must-have for fans of the genre.
  • The art design is unique and visually appealing, contributing to an immersive experience.
  • The game offers an interesting narrative with moral choices that impact the story, enhancing replayability.
  • The gameplay is plagued by bugs, glitches, and unresponsive controls, leading to a frustrating experience.
  • Level design can be confusing, with unclear objectives and poor camera control that detracts from the platforming experience.
  • The game feels short and lacks depth in gameplay mechanics, often relying too heavily on cutscenes rather than interactive elements.
  • music127 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised as its standout feature, particularly for fans of metal and rock, with many reviewers highlighting the high-quality soundtrack and impressive vocal performances from well-known artists. While the music enhances the overall experience, some players noted that gameplay issues and bugs detract from the enjoyment, leading to frustration. Overall, the consensus is that the music alone makes the game worth purchasing, even if the gameplay leaves much to be desired.

    • “The music in this game is fantastic!”
    • “Karmaflow delivers on its title - it is genuinely a rock opera video game, complete with an original musical score.”
    • “The music is where this game shines; many talented singers and musicians bring to life a story that is as unique as the look of the game.”
    • “Levels are either bland or cluttered to the point of making traversal confusing; sometimes songs will fail to play or double up with other songs, which requires a restart to fix, and collision detection leaves a lot to be desired.”
    • “Just buy the soundtrack or watch it on YouTube because you'll just leave this game frustrated otherwise.”
    • “However, I had to uninstall the game in rage as it's too buggy, too slow, the framerate issue is not fixed even in the update, and at times the soundtrack can glitch a lot, making the whole experience of this somewhat new genre of game difficult.”
  • story45 mentions

    The game's story is presented in a unique rock opera format, which some players find immersive and engaging, while others criticize it for being confusing and poorly explained. The narrative follows a "karma keeper" restoring balance across various worlds, but the requirement to destroy all worlds for a true ending has drawn mixed reactions. Overall, while the music and art direction are praised, the storytelling's clarity and coherence leave much to be desired, with some players feeling lost despite the intriguing premise.

    • “The game story, tutorial included, is all told in song.”
    • “The music is where this game shines; many talented singers and musicians bring to life a story that is as unique as the look of the game.”
    • “Without going into too many details, the story follows the karma keeper as it travels from world to world restoring balance after the mysterious 'dissonance' has wreaked havoc.”
    • “The story is up to rock opera standards (i.e. an afterthought - and I say this as someone who likes Avantasia), though I don't think I agree with the decision to require all the worlds to be destroyed to get the true ending, especially not when there's very little to hint that that's what you're supposed to do ahead of time.”
    • “The story is terrible and no effort is put into explaining exactly what is going on.”
    • “The game is terrible at telling you what is going on in the story.”
  • gameplay42 mentions

    The gameplay is generally criticized for being short, clunky, and plagued by bugs, with playthroughs lasting between 5 to 10 hours. While it features straightforward puzzle-platforming mechanics and a strong artistic presentation, many players find the experience marred by poor controls and a lack of polish. Despite its challenges, some players appreciate the game's aesthetic and narrative, suggesting it may appeal more to those who prioritize experience over gameplay quality.

    • “The gameplay is challenging but rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay is nice and simple, the controls handle decently for mouse and keyboard, and the art is absolutely fantastic.”
    • “Karmaflow is a masterful blend of music, art, and gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is not good, mostly due to clunky controls and getting caught on geometry in the environment, not allowing for smooth gameplay.”
    • “Bugs everywhere, bad collision detection, gameplay that's monotonous and is made hard only because you have to navigate the bugs, not because of the design decisions.”
    • “The gameplay itself is quite short; a playthrough is between 5 and 10 hours depending on how skilled you are in platform jumping and solving some puzzles.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and beautiful art style, with vibrant colors and inventive designs that enhance the overall experience. However, many users note a lack of polish, with occasional graphical hiccups and performance issues detracting from the enjoyment. Despite these flaws, the visuals, combined with a strong soundtrack, contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a worthwhile experience for fans.

    • “It's gorgeous in spite of any graphical hiccups because the art design is so beautiful and focused and inventive.”
    • “The graphics, though not immediately calling heavy metal imagery to mind, are beautiful and each of the four worlds shines in its own way.”
    • “This game stands on its graphical style and stellar music.”
    • “Nothing gamebreaking, usually graphical, but the entire project feels a little unpolished.”
    • “The controls are easy to pick up and play, but the graphics are pretty plain.”
    • “Visually it’s actually quite nice, but I almost wish it was far bigger so I could float around and enjoy myself. The graphics remind me of Journey, but it definitely has its own style.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues even after multiple updates. While some players noted that a few glitches did not significantly hinder their enjoyment, the overall consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess" that detracts from the experience. Framerate problems and audio glitches further contribute to a lack of polish, leaving many frustrated with the game's stability.

    • “This game would have been terrifically enjoyable for me if it were not a buggy mess.”
    • “But now it is almost 2 years after release and it is still full of bugs and glitches, which still aren't fixed and it drives me crazy, because I am not able even to successfully choose an ending in the first world.”
    • “However, I had to uninstall the game in rage as it's too buggy, too slow, the framerate issue is not fixed even in the update and at times the soundtrack can glitch a lot making the whole experience of this somewhat new genre of game difficult.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while it runs smoothly during gameplay and cutscenes, many players report significant performance issues and bugs, particularly at launch. Despite its technical shortcomings, the game's stunning visuals and impressive audio have garnered praise, leading some to hope for future improvements that would enhance the overall experience. Until these optimization issues are addressed, many reviewers remain hesitant to fully endorse the game.

    • “The game runs smoothly, both in and out of cutscenes.”
    • “The orchestral performances of some of metal's most recognized icons was spot-on and combined with the game's unique visual style, creating a deep atmosphere that really drew me in.”
    • “Once all the performance errors are fixed, I'll happily change this to yes!”
    • “Honestly, this game was an utter shitshow at release, poorly optimized and running terribly.”
    • “From a technical standpoint, it is far from polished, with performance issues and the odd bug every now and then -- but dang it, I can't bring myself to care when it looks and sounds so bloody beautiful.”
    • “Overall, I'm saying no until the game is optimized a little more to the point of 100% enjoyable play.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is marked by striking and abstract character designs that complement the colorful and minimalist environments. While the artistic elements are praised for their creativity, some players feel that the dialogue and script fall short, impacting the overall depth of character interactions. Despite these critiques, the music and level design are highlighted as standout features, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The game is colorful, the character design is interesting, and the world elements all fit together well.”
    • “Amazing music, great level design, and arguably the best character design I've ever seen in any video game.”
    • “The songs do not always have perfect English lyrics, but they are all arranged artfully and honestly combined with the otherworldly character design.”
    • “I'd say only for the poor dialogue sketch and maybe a bit for the character design.”
    • “Character design could charitably be called 'abstract', and environments 'minimalist', but really most of the art assets feel more like placeholders than release versions.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive rock fairytale setting, enhanced by orchestral performances from notable metal icons and a unique visual style. Despite some minor bugs, the environment effectively draws players in, with scattered shards that enrich the backstory and further solidify the overall ambiance.

    • “The orchestral performances of some of metal's most recognized icons (seriously, look at the cast for this game) were spot-on and combined with the game's unique visual style, creating a deep atmosphere that really drew me in.”
    • “But hey, I wanted the atmosphere of this rock fairytale - I got it.”
    • “Sometimes a little bit bugged, but it doesn't affect the atmosphere of the environment.”
    • “There are shards scattered around the worlds that present Karmaflow's backstory and really solidify the atmosphere of the game.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game has limited replayability compared to similar titles like Journey, which offers a more engaging experience despite its brevity. However, the choices players make regarding the fate of each world provide some incentive to replay, particularly for those interested in exploring different outcomes.

    • “A game like Journey for reference, which was obviously an inspiration for this game, but a lot more fun to play. It was very short but infinitely replayable due to its pacing.”
    • “But fear not, because the decisions you have to make regarding saving or condemning each world give this game some replay value. I mean, in case you weren't already going to replay it!”
    • “Not much replayability.”
    • “The decisions you have to make regarding saving or condemning each world give this game some replay value, but I'm not sure if that's enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game elicits a moderate emotional response, prompting players to reflect on their choices at the end of each chapter, despite a lack of deep character investment. The blend of metal and classical music, along with compelling characters and poignant decisions, enhances the overall emotional experience.

    • “Metal, classical, awesome characters, and heart-breaking choices mixed together is a really good combination.”
    • “Though the game hardly commands any hard-hitting emotional investment into its characters, it was just enough to make you think twice before you make a final choice at the end of each chapter.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with users expressing uncertainty about its comedic effectiveness.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to confusing level design, poor visibility caused by fog and dim lighting, and twitchy camera controls. Additionally, tedious puzzles detract from the experience, while the overall story and art fail to engage.

    • “Level design is confusing, draw distances are short and obfuscated by fog and dim lighting, camera control is twitchy, puzzles are tedious, and, honestly, neither the story nor the art are very good.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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