Kraino Origins

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 46 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Kraino Origins Game Cover
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Kraino Origins is a challengingRun-and-Gun platformer game. As the hero KRAINO, players battle through hordes of enemies and bosses in a quest to save the world from destruction. With fast-paced action, tight controls, and hand-drawn animation, Kraino Origins offers a retro gaming experience with modern flair.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 46 reviews
music7 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Kraino Origins features excellent pixel art, tight controls, and a solid retro vibe reminiscent of classic 2D platformers like Shovel Knight and Castlevania.
  • The game offers a fair but challenging difficulty level, encouraging players to improve their skills and rewarding them with satisfying gameplay.
  • With its engaging level design, fun boss battles, and hidden collectibles, Kraino Origins provides a nostalgic experience that fans of the genre will appreciate.
  • The game can be frustratingly difficult at times, with some players experiencing numerous deaths due to knockback mechanics and enemy placements.
  • Kraino Origins is relatively short, with some players feeling that the length does not justify the price, and wishing for more content.
  • The soundtrack, while decent, lacks variety and may become repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.
  • music22 mentions

    The music in Kraino Origins receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its catchy and well-composed tracks that complement the gameplay, while others find it repetitive and lacking standout moments. Although the soundtrack is generally considered solid, several reviewers suggest it falls short compared to other games in the genre, with calls for more variety and distinctiveness in the compositions. Overall, while the music enhances the gaming experience, it may not leave a lasting impression outside of the game itself.

    • “The gameplay is tight, the music is catchy, it's a really fun time!”
    • “The graphics are phenomenal, the gameplay is a nice difficulty and has a variety of attacks, and lastly, the music is great.”
    • “I love the music, I love the character and enemy design, and I love the well-crafted boss fights!”
    • “The music and story are by far the weak points here, which is a shame especially since so many of this game's peers have such strong soundtracks.”
    • “My one recommendation would be to invest some of the income made from this game back to its sound design and soundtrack, which I believe is a really big weak point in the game.”
    • “My only issue is that all songs are a bit too samey for my liking.”
  • gameplay15 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its solid controls, engaging mechanics, and nostalgic retro vibe reminiscent of titles like Shovel Knight and Hollow Knight. However, some players find the level design lacking in challenge and creativity, with certain mechanics, such as the pogo jump, feeling unresponsive. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable platforming and combat, there is a desire for more distinct gameplay elements and polished mechanics.

    • “The gameplay is tight, the music is catchy, it's a really fun time!”
    • “It's a spooky themed action platformer with great moment to moment gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are phenomenal, the gameplay is a nice difficulty and has a variety of attacks, and lastly, the music is great.”
    • “- Most levels have nice unique platform mechanics, although sadly the overall level design felt quite bland since there are no challenges, puzzles, or any engaging combat at all.”
    • “- This game is heavily inspired by Shovel Knight, which is perfectly fine; I just wish it did more to distinguish itself gameplay-wise besides having a different art theme.”
    • “- Like other platformers, the core gameplay revolves around fighting enemies, platforming, avoiding traps, and making it to the exit.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of "Kraino Origins" are praised for their professional and consistent retro pixel art style, which effectively complements the game's spooky aesthetic. While not groundbreaking, the visuals are considered solid and entertaining, enhancing the overall gameplay experience alongside well-designed levels and engaging combat.

    • “The graphics are phenomenal, the gameplay is a nice difficulty and has a variety of attacks, and lastly, the music is great.”
    • “Besides that, the visuals, boss and level design, and platforming are really well done.”
    • “This, in my opinion, is a pretty useless feature as it reduces the clarity of the game's graphics.”
    • “Graphic-wise, it carries its inspiration level design very closely to the chest, and albeit not a masterpiece, it is quite an entertaining game.”
    • “The game's retro pixel artwork feels very professional and consistent.”
  • story6 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered weak and "bare bones," lacking depth and complexity, which is particularly disappointing given the strong narratives found in many similar titles. It is described as a simplistic, retro-style narrative typical of platformers, failing to engage players.

    • “The music and story are by far the weak points here, which is a shame especially since so many of this game's peers have such strong soundtracks.”
    • “The story is very 'retro,' meaning there isn't really a story.”
    • “I would say that the story is pretty 'bare bones.'”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the fourth level and during lantern sections, where awkward hitboxes detract from the experience. Additionally, the need to backtrack for upgrades requires replaying entire levels and bosses, further contributing to the sense of monotony.

    • “Some sections of the game are very tedious.”
    • “The 4th level felt the most tedious to me, and the lantern sections, while being a sweet idea, felt a bit awkward in execution because the hitboxes felt kind of off. In the chase sequence, spamming them worked the best, lol.”
    • “Backtracking for upgrades is also lowkey tedious because you need to redo the entire level and boss again.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The upgraded version of the game exhibits stability by effectively freezing enemies, indicating a reliable performance in gameplay mechanics.

  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers good replayability due to the abundance of hidden items, encouraging players to revisit and explore further.

    • “It also has fairly good replay value as there are plenty of hidden items to be found.”
    • “The game offers multiple endings and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
    • “With various character builds and strategies, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game is praised for its engaging and spooky atmosphere, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience.

    • “Fun game with a spooky atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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