KARNAL

About

"KARNAL is a challenging atmospheric shooter, built in Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen for realistic graphics. As an anonymous journalist, escape confinement, ensure your wife's safety, and discover hidden secrets. Test your skills in Arena Mode, facing endless enemy waves and managing resources."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game has a cool atmosphere and visually appealing aesthetics.
It offers a fun experience, especially when players have enough ammo during combat.
The price point is fair, and the developer seems to be responsive to feedback.

The final arena level is frustratingly difficult and poorly designed, detracting from the overall experience.
Technical performance issues, including frame rate drops and clunky combat mechanics, hinder gameplay.
Lack of features like key binding options and a visible ammo count makes the gameplay experience more challenging than necessary.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The gameplay is characterized as rapid and straightforward, lacking unnecessary mechanics, which some players appreciate. However, the experience is marred by an unsatisfactory final level that detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to mixed feelings about the game's quality. Despite its cool aesthetics, the short length and frustrating elements may leave some players feeling disappointed.
- “Annoying gameplay”
- “The gameplay is rapid and does not have any unnecessary mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is rapid and does not have any unnecessary mechanics.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic 4:3 aspect ratio and pixelated visuals that evoke a retro aesthetic reminiscent of pre-graphic card eras. While many players appreciate the unique atmosphere and cool aesthetics, some feel that the overall experience is marred by a disappointing final level.
- “Visuals are the key element.”
- “Great visuals and atmosphere.”
- “The screen is locked to 4:3 ratio, and the world is made up of pixelated graphics that resemble something from before the introduction of graphic cards.”
- “The screen is locked to a 4:3 ratio, and the world is made up of pixelated graphics that resemble something from before the introduction of graphic cards.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its cool and immersive atmosphere, complemented by great visuals and smooth gameplay. Reviewers consistently highlight the strong atmospheric elements that enhance the overall experience.
- “Great visuals and atmosphere.”
- “Incredibly atmospheric game.”
- “It has a cool atmosphere and it honestly plays pretty smooth.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game is criticized for being poor, with users noting that significant improvements could have been made to storage size and overall performance without compromising visual style or gameplay. The technical performance is described as abysmal, indicating a need for substantial enhancements.
- “Technical performance is abysmal.”
- “They're both free to develop in as long as you adhere to the release guidelines, and it would've tremendously improved the storage size and overall performance without really affecting the visual style or the gameplay.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The music in the game is described as inconsistent, featuring random tracks that range from creepy vibes to intense metal, which may not always fit the gameplay. This lack of cohesion, combined with poorly lit environments, can detract from the overall experience, especially during intense gunfights where players must manage their ammo without clear indicators.
- “The game features an incredible mix of creepy vibes and slamming metal music that perfectly enhances the atmosphere.”
- “Creepy vibes, or slamming metal music.”
- “Poorly lit environments, random music, there is an ammo total but no clip or magazine counter forcing you to juggle intense gun fights while trying to keep track of how many shots you've fired.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game's story is considered interesting and unique, enhancing the overall experience for players who engage with it. However, some users found certain gameplay elements, like the survival arena, to be overwhelming, which may detract from their enjoyment of the narrative.
- “It has unique aspects and a pretty interesting story if you care enough to follow it.”
- “The story felt disjointed and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found the plot to be predictable and uninspired, which really detracted from my overall experience.”
- “The narrative was confusing and left too many loose ends, leaving me unsatisfied by the conclusion.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find notable replayability in the game, particularly through the arena challenges and the opportunity to collect missed tapes during subsequent playthroughs.
- “There is replay value in the arena and also if you missed the tapes on the first pass.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a distinctively maniacal tone, particularly highlighted by the laughter of certain enemy types, which adds a quirky and entertaining element to the gameplay experience.
- “Maniacal laughing sets the tone from an enemy type.”