Keen
- December 3, 2016
- Cat Nigiri
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Get on itch.io Store"Keen is a sliding puzzle game with tactical combat, where players guide Kim, a young guardian, on a journey to save her village from an evil corporation. With innovative controls and fluid gameplay, moving and attacking are the same thing, allowing for a unique blend of fast-paced and methodical action. Explore a fresh take on a classic genre and experience a heartwarming adventure."
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Linux
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a charming art style and engaging music, enhancing the overall experience.
- Gameplay combines sliding puzzles with combat mechanics, providing a unique and enjoyable challenge.
- Levels are well-designed with a good variety of enemies and mechanics, keeping the gameplay fresh and interesting.
- The game lacks replayability as there is no option to reset progress or replay completed levels fully.
- The story and dialogue are often considered forgettable and not particularly compelling.
- Some puzzles can feel overly simplistic or frustrating, particularly the guessing puzzles and certain bonus objectives.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Keen is praised for its engaging pace, introducing new mechanics and challenges without overstaying its welcome. Players appreciate the depth derived from simple mechanics, smooth graphics, and enjoyable combat, although some noted minor bugs that affected their experience. Overall, the game focuses on fun and accessible puzzle-solving rather than narrative depth.
“Keen keeps a good pace with new mechanics or enemies for each level and doesn't drag on.”
“A short but sweet puzzle game that gets a lot of depth out of a fairly simple set of mechanics.”
“The combat mechanics are simple but very unique and add a lot to this kind of puzzle.”
“The story and characters are nothing to write home about; the style is charming enough, with an 80s wave style. The game likes to break the fourth wall, which I've just seen too much at this point, and it actually doesn't have much relevance to the overall plot. You rather play this game for the gameplay, not the narrative and jokes.”
“I encountered a bug where the bombs used throughout the final level didn't have their visual effect my first time through, which made it much harder to understand what should have been a straightforward mechanic. I only realized this when I tried to replay the level looking for the missed secret.”
“Gameplay is easy to learn, but the puzzles and challenges can be frustrating!”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it forgettable and lacking depth, often criticizing its clunky dialogue and reliance on fourth-wall-breaking humor. However, others appreciate its lighthearted and charming nature, noting that while the narrative may not be compelling, it adds a fun layer to the gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is more focused on gameplay than on delivering a strong story.
“Cute puzzle game, gets really tricky on the later stages, and the simple story surprisingly got me invested.”
“Along with a silly tongue-in-cheek story, Keen is a polished gem that's worth your attention.”
“The music stood out, the story was lighthearted and enjoyable.”
“The dialog is clunky, and the overall story isn't really compelling either.”
“It tries to be clever with some fourth-wall-breaking stuff - the reason the plot happens ends up basically being 'because it's a video game and video games need conflict to drive the plot' - but it only ends up drawing attention to how little plot the game actually has.”
“The story and characters are nothing to write home about; the style is charming enough, with 80s wave style. The game likes to break the fourth wall, which I've just seen too much at this point, and it actually doesn't have much relevance to the overall plot. You'd rather play this game for the gameplay, not the narrative and jokes.”
- music9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and contribution to the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting its great soundtrack and how it enhances the gameplay. The combination of retro graphics and smooth sound design creates an engaging atmosphere, making it a standout feature alongside the inventive level design and enjoyable story. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength of the game, complementing its action and puzzle elements effectively.
“Retro graphics, cool art style, old school music and responsive controls...this game is almost a perfect mix of puzzles and action.”
“Otherwise great game, great soundtrack, no real complaints.”
“Lots of different environments, varied enemies and absolutely stellar music.”
“The music was repetitive and quickly became annoying.”
“I found the soundtrack to be bland and forgettable.”
“The audio quality was poor, making it hard to enjoy the music.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a charming retro art style complemented by smooth graphics and an engaging soundtrack, creating an appealing aesthetic. Players appreciate the combination of tactical challenges and responsive controls, highlighting the inventive design that enhances the overall experience.
“Retro graphics, cool art style, old school music, and responsive controls... this game is almost a perfect mix of puzzles and action.”
“Don't let the cute aesthetic fool you though, because the later levels are extremely tactical and challenging.”
“A really inventive approach to Sokoban, with great graphics, sound, music, and level design.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players acknowledge that grinding is an integral part of the game's challenge, but many find it to be tedious and repetitive.
“This is part of the challenge, but I found it really tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“I appreciate the need for progression, but the repetitive tasks are exhausting.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is perceived as overly sentimental and juvenile, with the main character design and dialogue lacking depth and maturity.
“The main character design and most of the dialogue is a bit too sappy and childish for my taste.”
“The character arcs feel rushed and lack depth, making it hard to connect with them.”
“There is little to no growth in the characters throughout the game, leaving them feeling flat and uninteresting.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game's replayability is hindered by the reduction of the par turn count after the initial levels, which diminishes the incentive to replay.
“They kind of shot their own replay value in the foot by dropping the turn count after the first few levels.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
