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Keen

Keen: One Girl Army is an addictive tactical experience, featuring a heroine sporting rollerskates and a deadly blade. It’s fun and challenging sliding puzzle game, plus a visual and audio treat, and comes highly recommended.
Keen Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
grinding, character development
96% User Score Based on 51 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 4 reviews

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Nintendo SwitchPCMac OSWindows
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Keen Game Cover

About

Keen is a single player tactical turn-based strategy game. It was developed by Cat Nigiri and was released on June 25, 2020. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"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."

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Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
Keen screenshot
+14
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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews
gameplay8 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Keen: One Girl Army features engaging gameplay with a mix of sliding puzzles and combat, providing a fun and challenging experience.
  • The game boasts beautiful art, a charming soundtrack, and well-designed levels that keep players invested and entertained.
  • It offers a good balance of accessibility and challenge, allowing players to enjoy the game at their own pace while still providing tough objectives for completionists.
  • The game can feel short, with some players wishing for more content or additional save slots for replayability.
  • Certain puzzles may be frustratingly ambiguous, leading to moments of confusion rather than enjoyment.
  • The story and dialogue are often considered forgettable or simplistic, lacking depth compared to the engaging gameplay.
  • gameplay
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Keen: One Girl Army" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, offering a balance of challenge and accessibility that allows players to master the basics before facing more complex puzzles. The game introduces new elements at a steady pace, maintaining a fun and dynamic experience, though some players noted issues with certain mechanics and bugs that could hinder gameplay. Overall, it emphasizes enjoyable puzzle-solving and action, complemented by charming visuals and music, making it a standout in its genre.

    • “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 seen too much at this point, and it actually doesn't have much relevance to the overall plot. You 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.”
    • “Reminds me of that gym puzzle from Pokémon, since the gameplay is like that, where you can only move linearly.”
  • music
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and contribution to the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting its catchy and engaging nature. Coupled with retro graphics and a unique art style, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature that complements the fun and inventive puzzle mechanics. Overall, the music is described as a significant asset, elevating the game's appeal.

    • “Retro graphics, cool art style, old school music and responsive controls...this game is almost a perfect mix of puzzles and action.”
    • “Beautiful art style, fun gameplay, amazing music, what more could you ask?”
    • “Lots of different environments, varied enemies and absolutely stellar music.”
    • “The music was repetitive and quickly became annoying.”
    • “I found the soundtrack to be lackluster and forgettable.”
    • “The audio quality was poor, making it hard to enjoy the music.”
  • story
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it forgettable and clunky, while others appreciate its lighthearted and engaging nature. The use of fourth-wall-breaking elements is noted, but often criticized for detracting from the overall plot. Despite its simplicity, some players found the narrative intriguing and enjoyable, particularly in the context of the gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “I absolutely loved that even though the story revolved around a little girl, she was still badass in a way and knew how to handle a weapon, yet, had her adorable and sweet sides as well.”
    • “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 can be safely ignored.”
  • graphics
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their retro charm and beautiful art style, which effectively complement the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the smooth visuals and engaging aesthetic, noting that the cute design belies the tactical challenges presented in later levels. Overall, the combination of appealing graphics, fun gameplay, and impressive music creates a captivating experience.

    • “Beautiful art style, fun gameplay, amazing music, what more could you ask?”
    • “A really inventive approach to sokoban, with great graphics, sound, music and level design.”
    • “Keen is a simple puzzle game with great art, great music, and a good aesthetic.”
    • “Let's face it: you're reading my review because Keen's aesthetic has already captured you and you want to know if you'll be disappointed after you buy it.”
    • “Don't let the cute aesthetic fool you though, because the later levels are extremely tactical and challenging.”
    • “Fancy music, smooth graphics and rock solid gameplay.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers good replayability due to multiple viable solutions for puzzles, encouraging players to approach challenges creatively. However, the introduction of a par turn count in later levels may limit replay value for those seeking to perfect their scores. Overall, the combination of engaging puzzles and unique gameplay elements keeps players coming back for more.

    • “So far, though, Keen seems very replayable given a few of the puzzles have multiple viable solutions. As long as you're not achievement hunting, none of the puzzles are totally unfair - and the ones that border on it make you feel like a certified genius when you sit down, map things out methodically, and figure out the solution.”
    • “Sliding puzzles, level replayability, perfect score hunting, goth girl on roller skates fighting hordes of zombies, demons, and other googlies.”
    • “They kinda shot their own replay value in the foot by dropping the par turn count after the first few levels.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players acknowledge that grinding is an integral part of the game's challenge, but many find it to be a tedious experience.

    • “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 development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is perceived as overly sentimental and juvenile, with some users finding 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 meaningful growth for the characters throughout the game.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Keen is a tactical turn-based strategy game.

Keen is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS and Windows.

Keen was released on June 25, 2020.

Keen was developed by Cat Nigiri.

Keen has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Keen is a single player game.

Similar games include Outland, Death's Door, Ittle Dew, Environmental Station Alpha, Kero Blaster and others.