Klaus
- January 23, 2019
- La Cosa
- 8h median play time
A solid debut title for La Cosa Entertainment, KLAUS looks good and tells its story very well. A bit too easy for seasoned players, which feels unrewarding, but still plenty to like about this quirky platformer.
Get on Steam"Klaus" is a single-player puzzle platformer with an interesting self-aware narrative and 4th wall breaking moments. As the player, you assist Klaus, a character who's discovering his identity while trying to escape a mysterious basement. The game features wonderful game mechanics, good graphics, and ingenious music, making it a unique and engaging experience. Klaus has his own personality and agenda, making the journey even more tense and emotionally engaging.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- Engaging platformer with a captivating story and interesting gameplay mechanics that keep things fresh.
- Beautiful art style and a fantastic soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
- Offers a variety of challenges and puzzles that are enjoyable without being overly frustrating.
- Controls can be unresponsive and awkward, especially when using keyboard and mouse.
- Some boss fights are tedious and can lead to frustrating soft-lock situations.
- The game may feel short and lacks replay value after completing the main campaign.
- story86 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging and unique delivery, intertwining gameplay with narrative elements that keep players invested. While some players found the story to be merely satisfactory or lacking depth, many appreciated its humor, philosophical undertones, and the way it unfolds through collectibles and environmental storytelling. Overall, it is considered a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the platforming experience with a compelling narrative.
“I started the game not expecting anything, but damn the story blew my mind.”
“The story kept me interested until the end, and I appreciate that you can get the true ending on your first playthrough without too much effort.”
“They don't make games like Klaus anymore; it's the perfect mix between a compelling story and tight gameplay.”
“Story is meh.”
“The story was.... ok I guess.”
“My main criticism is that although the secret level portals are fairly well signposted, I felt I couldn't relax and enjoy a level until I found it, terrified that I'd miss it and miss out on a crucial bit of background story.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its engaging and ever-changing mechanics, which keep players on their toes with fresh challenges and inventive puzzles throughout the levels. Players appreciate the responsive controls and the blend of story-driven elements with platforming and puzzle gameplay, although some mechanics, like mind-controlling gears, received mixed feedback. Overall, the game is described as a polished and visually appealing experience that successfully combines humor, creativity, and a variety of gameplay ideas.
“The gameplay is fun and ever-changing, constantly adding new twists.”
“Every level keeps shaking things up and introducing new mechanics to keep you on your toes, so when you think you are starting to get the hang of things, they throw you a curveball; it's really fun.”
“On the gameplay department, the controls feel really good and responsive; the characters do exactly what you want, when you want it.”
“The one complaint I have at this time is the mechanic where you control gears with your mind.”
“The commentary baked into its narrative bleeds into the gameplay, resulting in mechanics that are not provided enough nourishment to grow and an exposition that will lose many due to its over-commitment to delivering a message.”
“There's no central gameplay gimmick but a variety of ideas: some Lost Vikings-style swapping between 2 characters with different abilities, platforms that can be manually moved or rotated with the right controller stick, bonus levels with surreal twists, and a plethora of platformer staples like lasers, giant fans, and the like.”
- music28 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its excellent quality and engaging synthy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players find the music to be a standout feature, often describing it as addictive and integral to the game's immersive atmosphere. While there are minor bugs related to volume settings, the soundtrack remains a significant draw for fans of 2D platformers.
“An absolutely engrossing platformer with a killer soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is great and makes you want to keep playing.”
“Fantastic synthy soundtrack too.”
“It has a minor bug on the SFX/music menu; you have to pause the game to enable that option, but the developers said they'll patch it soon.”
“The only issue I've encountered is when I set my music and SFX volume, it forgets when I reach a new level, but just opening the menu makes it remember.”
“Sometimes I get high and the music takes you places you'll never suspect.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and aesthetically pleasing art style, which is described as simple yet colorful and highly polished. Reviewers highlight the impressive presentation and level design, noting that the visuals complement the engaging narrative and gameplay mechanics effectively. Overall, the game's graphics contribute significantly to its charm and appeal, making it a standout in the 2D platformer genre.
“It's a great concept, the levels and story are well designed, and the aesthetic and presentation of the game are really well done.”
“The art / graphics are really beautiful and colorful.”
“The art style is fairly simple, but unique and aesthetically very pleasing.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its enjoyable humor, which complements its interesting story and gameplay. Reviewers find the humor refreshing and well-integrated, contributing to a fun experience that balances challenge without feeling unfair.
“The way the story unfolds is refreshing and the humor is very enjoyable.”
“It's a pretty funny game at times, can get quite challenging, but never seems unfair.”
“Speaking of the story, it has a sense of humor and a little bit of mystery.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent bugs and glitches, particularly during the final boss fight, which can lead to softlocks and force players to restart.
“This was especially bad during the final boss, as it featured several bugs and glitches that softlocked the fight and forced me to restart.”
“This was especially bad during the final boss, as it featured several bugs and glitches that softlocked the fight and forced me to restart.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as what should be climactic battles often feel repetitive and lack excitement.
“These fights ought to be climactic, but they wound up sort of tedious.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is generally well-received, as it integrates seamlessly with the engaging and dynamic gameplay, enhancing the overall experience without being overly intrusive.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional atmosphere and immersive experience, creating a captivating environment that enhances gameplay.
“The game has an amazing atmosphere and immersion.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game lacks replayability due to limited environmental diversity and a diminished incentive to revisit the game after completing the main campaign.
“The environments could use more diversity; there's not much replay value after you complete the main campaign.”
“Once you've finished the main storyline, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The lack of varied content makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
Critic Reviews
Klaus Review
Klaus is a good game that takes too long to become so. The commentary baked into its narrative bleeds into the gameplay resulting in mechanics that are not provided enough nourishment to grow and an exposition that will lose many due to its over-commitment to delivering a message. The initial impression leaves a bad taste, and in a world where first impressions matter, this is difficult to overlook.
60%KLAUS PS4 Review
A solid debut title for La Cosa Entertainment, KLAUS looks good and tells its story very well. A bit too easy for seasoned players, which feels unrewarding, but still plenty to like about this quirky platformer.
70%Klaus Review
88%
