KOBOLD: Chapter I
- November 14, 2018
- anotherworld GmbH
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"KOBOLD: Chapter I" is a first-person puzzle-adventure game set in a mystical world. Players take on the role of a kobold tasked with restoring balance to their dying realm. The game features intricate puzzles, unique abilities, and a captivating story that will keep players engaged throughout their journey.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus VR
Reviews
- The game features excellent graphics and a highly immersive atmosphere that effectively captures the horror genre.
- It offers a unique narrative experience rooted in German folklore, enhancing the overall storytelling.
- The game is filled with genuine scares and tension, making it a thrilling experience for horror fans.
- The game is very short, typically lasting only 30 to 60 minutes, which may leave players wanting more content.
- There are significant performance issues and bugs that can detract from the overall experience.
- The lack of a save feature and abrupt ending can make the game feel incomplete and unsatisfying.
- atmosphere48 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics, sound design, and attention to detail. Many players appreciate the balance between exploration, storytelling, and subtle horror elements, creating a tense environment that keeps them on edge. While some noted the game's short length, the overall consensus is that the atmospheric experience is compelling and memorable, making it a standout in the VR horror genre.
“I enjoyed this more than PT (in Alyx); good atmosphere and a deep story that gives great suspense!”
“The house feels very lived-in, which adds to the scary atmosphere and makes the environment perfect for exploration.”
“The photogrammetry scanning, lighting, voice acting, and sound design combine to create a convincingly realistic and very specific, brooding atmosphere that you won't find again so soon in VR.”
“The horror is elegant and understated which makes it more effective as it creeps up on you, relying on visual atmosphere and sounds, which are very well done.”
“The photogrammetry scanning, lighting, voice acting and sound design combine to create a convincingly realistic and very specific, brooding atmosphere that you won't find again so soon in VR.”
“At first I was pooping myself as usual on every small sound, but nothing really came out to jumpscare me, so the only thing that stayed with me through the game was the sheer terror of 'something can happen any time' and the very well done atmosphere.”
- story47 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and atmospheric, effectively utilizing environmental storytelling through letters, tapes, and visuals to create suspense and a creepy ambiance. However, many reviewers note that it feels incomplete, as it serves primarily as a prologue to a larger narrative, leaving some players wanting more depth and development in the characters and plot. Overall, while the storytelling is praised for its immersive qualities, the short length and pacing issues detract from a fully satisfying experience.
“I enjoyed this more than PT (in Alyx); good atmosphere and a deep story that gives great suspense!”
“The storytelling is interesting and left up to the player to discover as they rummage through the house.”
“Overall, if you can get it on sale and are looking for a decent, short horror experience, I would recommend it, but I most definitely would not purchase it at full price knowing there is most likely never going to be any further story development.”
“Since it's only 'chapter one', it should be noted that the game feels like the first act of a larger story, and that might make it feel a little anti-climactic.”
“Being the experience quite short, the story doesn't build up properly. The events are mainly narrated through letters that you find in the house, but I found the progression of the story too fast, leaving me at the end quite careless about the characters and the plot.”
“I would've liked to have some parts of the story go a bit more in depth, but I really enjoyed playing it.”
- graphics43 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning photorealism and atmospheric quality, contributing significantly to the immersive horror experience. However, some users report performance issues and inconsistencies in visual quality, with certain textures appearing flat or low-quality despite the overall impressive visuals. While many appreciate the cinematic lighting and detailed environments, there are concerns about the game's optimization and the limited graphics settings available.
“The photorealistic graphics heighten the immersion; it feels like you stepped right into a horror movie.”
“Impressive graphics (I love the photogrammetry approach!) and a tense atmosphere make this one of my favorite VR horror games/experiences.”
“Let me start with the graphics... because damn, this game is slick!”
“The graphics are really bad and at the same time very demanding in terms of performance.”
“The game is pretty short, the atmosphere is nice but the graphics go from decent to awful; several objects are just flat and made with textures. I understand that this is probably done for performance, but flat stuff in VR is a big no. Luckily, the lights in the game are quite low, so it's not super visible unless you walk near things.”
“Changing the graphics quality helped a little, but the 'lower' graphics settings literally have the exact same terrible quality textures as the 'high' settings.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting poor performance across various setups, including Oculus Quest 2 and high-end graphics cards, often struggling to maintain acceptable frame rates. Despite developers' efforts to address these issues through updates, many users still find the game's performance disappointing, especially given its subpar graphics quality. Overall, while some players appreciate the developers' responsiveness, the optimization remains a major concern.
“I was happy to notice that the developers contacted me soon after to let me know about a performance update.”
“This game has time and time again performance issues on many graphics cards, also on good ones. This may be caused by Windows updates and/or Steam VR updates, but at least the devs try to fix it time and time again; I appreciate this!”
“Performance was a bit of a letdown, 45fps with a 1080, still more than playable, but I expected a bit better.”
“Very poorly optimized.”
“I currently have an Oculus Quest 2. I first tried this game with Air Link and the performance was incredibly bad; the average FPS was 30 even though my headset was set to 120 FPS.”
“This game has time and time again performance issues on many graphics cards, even on good ones. This may be caused by Windows updates and/or SteamVR updates, but at least the dev tries to fix it time and time again; I appreciate this!”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay experience is mixed, with some users finding it engaging and visually impressive, rating it 9/10, while others express frustration over its brevity and difficulty, leading them to quit before fully experiencing it. Overall, the gameplay is described as having promising mechanics but lacking depth and length.
“Gameplay: 9/10”
“Seems too short for a chapter 1, but it's a good experience with some nice mechanics and stunning visuals.”
“I've started over from the beginning several times; less than an hour of gameplay because... it's spooky.”
“Can't say anything about the gameplay because I didn't manage to get to that point before I quit trying.”
“I've started over from the beginning several times, less than an hour of gameplay because... it's spooky.”
“- Barely any gameplay.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its creepy atmosphere but criticized for significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, bugs that disrupt gameplay, and problematic controls. Players report frustrating experiences with glitches, particularly on stairs, and the lack of a save feature exacerbates the frustration of having to restart after crashes. Overall, while the game has potential, its stability issues detract from the overall experience.
“Suitably creepy and atmospheric, but buggy and frustrating, and with no save feature; each time it crashes, you have to start over from the beginning.”
“It was buggy on the stairs; I had to restart it multiple times since I got stuck on the staircase edge.”
“Definitely creepy, but it would've been for sure scary if things weren't so buggy.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is considered somewhat short and lacks significant replayability, though its value is seen as better than renting a horror movie. Replay value largely hinges on the player's willingness to confront their fears.
“The replay value depends on how you feel about overcoming your fears.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, keeping the experience fresh.”
“The game encourages multiple runs with different strategies, making every session unique.”
“Mind you, it's kind of short and not very replayable, but for the price, it's better than renting a horror movie.”
“Replay value depends on how you feel about overcoming your fears.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character designs and concepts, highlighting them as visually appealing and creatively crafted, which enhances the overall character development experience in the game.
“The character designs and concepts are truly impressive, adding depth to the overall experience.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each interaction feel meaningful.”
“The development of each character's backstory is rich and engaging, enhancing my connection to them.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight the emotional impact of the VR experience, describing it as both visually and emotionally stunning, suggesting a deep connection and engagement with the content.
“This is by far the most visually and emotionally stunning VR experience!”
