Kim

About

Kim is a single player survival role playing game. It was developed by secretgamesco and was released on November 28, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Kim is an open world RPG set in colonial India. Play as Rudyard Kipling's ragamuffin hero, Kim, and roam hand-painted towns and procedurally generated countryside. Learn to survive by fair means or foul, meet characters from history and literature, travel to exotic lands and discover their secrets. Your aim is to live Kim's youth as best you can, it will not last forever! History: 1880s India bro…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews

story5 positive mentions

Faithful and passionate adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's novel capturing colonial India atmosphere with beautiful hand-drawn art and evocative soundtrack.
Unique blend of exploration, narrative-driven gameplay, and resource management creating an immersive experience with meaningful player choices affecting character development and story outcomes.
Well-polished and stable game featuring a richly detailed open world with diverse characters, replayability through branching paths, and active developer support incorporating community feedback.

Narrative and dialogue can be confusing, overly verbose, and difficult to follow due to direct use of Kipling's archaic prose without adaptation for interactive storytelling.
Resource management and survival mechanics are occasionally unbalanced, making it challenging to maintain health and finances, with limited reliable ways to earn income.
Some players find gameplay repetitive, lacking clear direction or dramatic progression, and the writing sometimes undermines coherence and player engagement.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The story in the game is a faithful and elegant adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's novel "Kim," offering a richly detailed exploration of 1800s India. While the main plot can feel minimal or loosely structured, the game shines through its open-world design that allows players to immerse themselves in diverse side stories and vibrant settings, creating a personal narrative experience. Dialogue and literary tone are praised for their depth and authenticity, making the story feel more like a living piece of literature than a typical game plot.
- “The game is inspired by the eponymous Nobel-award winning novel, which tells the story of a street urchin named Kimball whose dusty and worn shoes you’ll be walking in during game-time.”
- “Keeping both the tone and character of the book could have been heavy handed or confusing but delightfully neither is the case and this game of exploration, spiritual questing and intrigue recreates Kipling's story in an accurate, fun and accessible format.”
- “The story is very well written and as you would expect reads more like it would be worthy as a literary piece than a video game (somewhat a rarity in games I guess haha).”
- “The plot is almost non-existent; dialogue can be difficult to follow, and characters’ motivations are barely comprehensible.”
- “At best, you'll get a quote ripped out of some Kipling story that is vaguely, peripherally relevant.”
- “I did 3 playthroughs so far, and the 3 playthroughs were completely different from each other even though the main quest line does not change.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The gameplay is praised for its thoughtful balance of resource and time management, layered mechanics, and originality, offering both challenge and replayability. Players appreciate its depth, interactivity, and stable performance, with engaging character development and atmospheric design enhancing the overall experience. While some desire a story mode without survival elements, the current systems are well-balanced and accessible.
- “Gameplay wise, having to weigh in the pros and cons of actions as well as taking into account the limited time and resources available to the character in the playthrough is the strongest element of the game.”
- “Each mechanic is simple in itself but great thought has clearly gone into how they relate to each other, creating a pleasing level of depth that players can approach at their own pace.”
- “I also found it novel in regards to the design of the game: there are a multitude of completely original mechanics that balance challenge with replayability.”
- “3 gameplays and only 1 finished.”
- “That's not a lot of gameplays.”
- “I personally would love a story-mode without the survival mechanics (food and rest), but they are already balanced enough to be acceptable, even on a 'slow gaming' day.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
36%
The game features a unique, hand-drawn art style that beautifully captures colonial India, complemented by a charming and immersive soundtrack. Its detailed visuals and elegant design create a captivating atmosphere that enriches the storytelling and exploration experience. Overall, the graphics are praised for their aesthetic appeal and faithfulness to the historical setting.
- “The artwork is simply gorgeous, really bringing colonial India to life.”
- “The music combined with the illustrative hand-painted art style are a killer combo and whisk you away to a period of time and place that I have never experienced in a game before.”
- “The developer obviously has an enthusiasm for this fascinating part of history, and the visuals and music are charming.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
36%
The game's music is widely praised for its charm, authenticity, and ability to enhance the setting of colonial India, often described as lovely and immersive. Combined with the unique art style, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's captivating atmosphere and historical experience.
- “The music combined with the illustrative hand-painted art style are a killer combo and whisk you away to a period of time and place that I have never experienced in a game before.”
- “Colonial India, with all its charm and craziness, is wonderfully brought to life by the hand-painted illustrations, the awesome soundtrack, and the use of Kipling's original text.”
- “Wonderful atmosphere - the soundtrack and art style really give the feeling of India at the end of the Raj.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Replayability is enhanced by the game's multiple choices, random world seeds, and original mechanics that encourage different strategies and outcomes. Although some players may find the difficulty or reading requirements challenging, the need to make smart decisions and the variety of experiences provide strong replay value. Options like choosing a mentor's religion or exploring alternative paths could further boost replayability.
- “Although it can feel like the game is rushing you at times, it has plenty of replay value with random seeds for the game world and the opportunity to make different choices or discover something that you never expected to.”
- “This is because you practically can't do all, which again makes you choose smart and makes the game replayable which I believe is value for money.”
- “I also found it novel in regards to the design of the game: there are a multitude of completely original mechanics that balance challenge with replayability.”
- “I would have appreciated having the option to choose what religion your mentor would be, perhaps meeting several possibilities before setting off or as you travelled, as this would have added a lot of replayability.”
- “In terms of overall replayability: it has some if you fail miserably or underachieve your first couple playthroughs, which you'll probably do.”
- “Although it can feel like the game is rushing you at times, it has plenty of replay value with random seeds for the game world and the opportunity to make different choices or discover something that you never expected to...”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game excels at creating a rich and immersive atmosphere that vividly captures colonial India and the spirit of Kipling's stories. Players praise its detailed world, complemented by a fitting soundtrack and art style, which makes exploring and simply observing the bustling village life deeply engaging. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that invites hours of enjoyable immersion.
- “I really like how Kim captures the atmosphere of colonial India, and the spirit of Kipling's stories.”
- “There's a really wonderful atmosphere in the game; it makes me want to just let the game run by itself while I stare at the bustling villagers getting on with their daily lives.”
- “Wonderful atmosphere - the soundtrack and art style really give the feeling of India at the end of the Raj.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a unique and heartwarming experience, providing players with genuine and memorable feelings.
- “It is a unique heartwarming experience.”