Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame

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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.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame screenshot

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66%

Audience ScoreBased on 298 reviews

music182 positive mentions

stability54 negative mentions

The music is fantastic, featuring well-known rock and metal artists, which enhances the overall experience.
The art style is visually appealing and creates a unique atmosphere that draws players in.
The story has interesting choices that affect the outcome, adding depth to the gameplay.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with controls, camera angles, and collision detection.
Gameplay can feel tedious and unresponsive, with platforming mechanics that are often frustrating.
The narrative is poorly communicated, making it difficult for players to understand the story and objectives.

music
550 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The music in Karmaflow is widely praised, particularly for its high-quality rock and metal compositions featuring renowned vocalists from the genre, making it a standout aspect of the game. While the soundtrack is considered fantastic and a major selling point, some players feel that the integration of music into gameplay is lacking, with many songs only appearing during cutscenes or boss battles. Overall, fans of metal and rock music will likely find the soundtrack worth the price of admission, even if the gameplay itself may not meet the same standards.
- “The music is fantastic, if you are into power metal.”
- “Karmaflow is a game I'd been meaning to get to for a while, more or less ever since I saw the cast list, which includes singers from such bands as Dragonforce, Epica, and Sonata Arctica. I essentially bought it for the music, and that aspect of it certainly pulls its weight.”
- “The music is amazing, I was seriously surprised to find such an energetic and high-quality prog opera here.”
- “Just buy the soundtrack or watch it on YouTube because you'll just leave this game frustrated otherwise.”
- “Karmaflow has the worst soundtrack I have ever heard in a game. It cannot be overstated just how bad the music is; there are just so many uninspired, chug riffs with overwrought female vocals or dumb male growls.”
- “The music integration feels like an afterthought at best.”
gameplay
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
69%
14%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking in polish and depth, often describing it as clunky and frustrating due to poor controls and bugs. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and artistic elements, others feel that the gameplay is monotonous and fails to integrate well with the music, leading to an overall experience that feels empty. Despite its potential, the game struggles with execution, leaving it recommended primarily for those willing to overlook its flaws for the sake of its aesthetic and narrative.
- “The gameplay is challenging but rewarding.”
- “Each area has unique mechanics and challenges that keep the player on their toes, and there's lots of hidden secrets to discover.”
- “I thought the music was awesome, gameplay was well designed, and good looking design all around.”
- “Unfortunately, it turns out that is all the game has; the gameplay and just the game itself is boring and feels so empty and soulless.”
- “The gameplay is not good, mostly due to clunky controls and getting caught on geometry in the environment, not allowing for smooth gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very frustrating at times and your character controls very poorly, and eventually I hit a point where I was just trying to get through the gameplay elements as quickly as possible in order to see the next set piece.”
story
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
77%
4%
Karmaflow features a unique rock opera narrative that unfolds across five levels, each told through musical interludes performed by renowned rock and metal artists. While the storytelling is immersive and the music is praised for its dramatic quality, many players find the plot overly verbose and lacking clarity, often relying on a "tell-not-show" approach that detracts from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game appeals to fans of story-driven and musical experiences, offering choices that influence the narrative's direction.
- “I didn't think I was going to like it, but it drew me in with each world and story.”
- “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.”
- “The mode of storytelling is gripping, the environments, art, and music are just plain wonderful, and it's all combined in a magical journey through dreamscape-like lands.”
- “The story is incoherent and doesn't really make sense, and singing random sentences that make up the dialogue doesn't help much.”
- “The game is terrible at telling you what is going on in the story.”
- “Unfortunately while it started off pretty strong, past the first storyline it falls flat on its face and can't get up again.”
graphics
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style and beautiful visuals that create an engaging atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like "Journey." However, some players note a lack of polish and occasional graphical hiccups that detract from the overall experience. While the visuals are generally considered a strong point, they are often overshadowed by gameplay issues and performance concerns.
- “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.”
- “Visually it’s actually quite nice, I almost wish it was far bigger so I could float around and enjoy myself similar to Journey, which the graphics remind me of, but not overly; it definitely has its own style.”
- “The graphics are a little bleached too, no matter whether you brighten or dim the setting.”
- “Graphics settings were a strain on my computer, so I had to set them low just to begin.”
- “Graphics are laughably bad and dour.”
stability
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users noted improvements following patches, a considerable number still encountered game-breaking glitches, audio desynchronization, and framerate problems, leading to frustration and, in some cases, unplayability. Overall, the game is described as playable but marred by a lack of polish and stability, preventing it from reaching its full potential.
- “Game breaking glitches, audio desynchronization, video corruption, horrendous performance, and persistent crashes (once shutting my PC down entirely) caused the game to be unplayable for months after release.”
- “This game is broken, buggy, and just not fun!”
- “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 to even successfully choose an ending in the first world.”
optimization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The game's optimization has been a significant issue, with many players reporting severe performance problems, game-breaking glitches, and crashes at launch. While patches have addressed some bugs and improved stability, the game still requires further optimization to reach a fully enjoyable state. Overall, it is considered rushed and far from polished, leaving players hopeful for future improvements.
- “There have been some problems shortly after the release, but most bugs and optimization issues have been ironed out by the patches.”
- “Karmaflow gets an 8/10 from me, and if the bugs and performance issues do get sorted out, this game will become a really good underground gem that many will not play or even know about.”
- “Even though there are still some bugs here and there and some performance issues, I really enjoyed it.”
- “Honestly: this game was an utter shitshow at release, poorly optimized and running terribly.”
- “Game breaking glitches, audio desynchronization, video corruption, horrendous performance, and persistent crashes (once shutting my PC down entirely) caused the game to be unplayable for months after release.”
- “Overall there is no doubt this game is rushed and unoptimized.”
atmosphere
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its brilliant combination of stunning visuals, captivating music, and engaging storytelling, creating a darkly magical and fairy-tale-like environment. Reviewers highlight the ambitious soundtrack and unique art style, which contribute to a surreal and immersive experience, despite some gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as enchanting and imaginative, effectively drawing players into its world.
- “The atmosphere is brilliant, the music is amazing, the art style is absolutely gorgeous, and the story and characters are captivating.”
- “Level quality quickly ramps up after the opening level, and the amazing lineup of musicians (this has to be the most ambitious soundtrack I've ever heard in an indie game!) helps cement the darkly magical atmosphere.”
- “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.”
- “Sometimes a little bit bugged but it doesn't affect the atmosphere of the environment.”
- “The game looks really good: it is, of course, a little peculiar type of graphics, because not everyone likes such a slightly cartoonish style, but even those should appreciate the fact that this graphics gives a fairy-tale atmosphere, desirable in this type of production.”
- “It's dark, it's moody, and brings a lot to the atmosphere.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, characterized by long platforming sequences that often feel like obstacles rather than engaging challenges. The level design is confusing, with poor camera control and awkward movement mechanics, leading to a repetitive experience as players are forced to explore every inch of the map to progress. Overall, the combination of these elements detracts from the game's potential, making the grinding feel more like a chore than an enjoyable part of the gameplay.
- “The levels are thematically different, which is nice, but in the end they're primarily long and tedious platform sequences that mainly feel like obstacles.”
- “This makes it very easy to get stuck and tediously explore every square inch of the map until you figure out what you need to do to progress to the next stage.”
- “The rest of the time you’re pushed through tedious platforming sections, playing as a character with poor control over their body movement in an environment they’re constantly slipping off of.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its vibrant and unique character design, which some reviewers consider among the best in gaming. However, there are mixed feelings about the dialogue quality, with some describing it as poor and feeling more like placeholders than polished content. Overall, while the character design is praised for its creativity, the execution of dialogue and environmental art leaves room for improvement.
- “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.”
- “+ 10 points for 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.”
- “The songs do not always have perfect English lyrics, but they are all arranged artfully and honestly combined with the otherworldly character design; the slightly-off script kind of works for me.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players noting limited replay value, while others appreciate the impact of decision-making on the game's outcome, which adds some incentive to replay. Comparisons to "Journey" highlight that while this game may not reach the same level of infinite replayability, it still offers enough variation to warrant multiple playthroughs. Overall, the experience may not be as polished as expected, but it provides enough engagement for those willing to revisit it.
- “A game like Journey for reference, which was obviously an inspiration for this game but a lot more fun to play, was very short but infinitely replayable due to its pacing.”
- “Good replay value.”
- “Not much replayability.”
- “But fear not, because the decisions you have to make in regards to saving or condemning each world give this game some replay value (I mean, in case you weren't already going to replay it, in which case I ask -- ?!?!?!).”
- “I was not expecting a polished game here; we all know this is an indie developer, but I did expect something more playable.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game elicits a moderate emotional response, prompting players to reflect on their choices at the end of each chapter, despite lacking deep emotional investment in the characters. The combination of diverse music styles and impactful decisions enhances the overall emotional experience.
- “Metal, classical, awesome characters and heart-breaking choices mixed together is a real 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.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as ambiguous, with users expressing uncertainty about its effectiveness. Overall, it seems that the comedic elements may not resonate strongly with all players.

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Karmaflow: The Rock Opera Videogame - Act I & Act II
$4.99
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5h Median play time

8h Average play time

4-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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