Krater

55%
Game Brain Score Based on 398 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Krater Game Cover
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Krater is a real-time squad-based RPG with robust tactical combat, crafting, and questing, set in a post-apocalyptic Sweden. The game features single-player campaign, as well as multiplayer co-op missions for up to 2 players. Its gameplay includes humorous elements, challenging battles, and procedurally generated dungeons for endless replayability. The game has received updates to improve balance, loot generation, and overall performance since its release.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 398 reviews
gameplay10 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique and vibrant post-apocalyptic setting that stands out from typical dark and dreary environments.
  • The character customization and squad management mechanics allow for diverse gameplay and strategies.
  • The soundtrack and humor throughout the game add a charming and enjoyable atmosphere.
  • The game is unfinished and has numerous bugs, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth due to limited abilities and a lack of tactical options.
  • Many players report that the game becomes tedious and grindy, with a lack of engaging content as they progress.
  • gameplay62 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking depth, often resorting to button-mashing rather than strategic engagement. While some appreciate the graphics and potential for unique mechanics, others criticize the slow pacing, poor interface, and a lack of meaningful progression, leading to a generally uninspired experience. Overall, the game may appeal to fans of action RPGs but falls short in delivering a compelling and polished gameplay experience.

    • “If you enjoy real-time strategy and Diablo-esque dungeon crawlers with some loot and crafting mechanics, this is the game for you.”
    • “The gameplay is quick and simple, RPG elements are complex yet familiar.”
    • “Awesome mix of ARPG, RTS with an MMO trinity style combat mechanic.”
    • “This means that you just spam abilities, which results in boring non-tactical gameplay.”
    • “The game advertises fast-paced combat and tactical squad management, but for my hour of gameplay, combat was unclear and sluggish; the UX is terrible, the art style is fine but poorly executed, the core design is flawed, and there are no decent loops.”
    • “What started off as a reasonably enjoyable action RPG with an offbeat setting and the potential for interesting combat mechanics eventually came around to repetitive number key mashing and not caring about the character progression as it seemed to cap out at level 15 with over half of the map still unexplored.”
  • story59 mentions

    The game's story is described as a mix of engaging themes and repetitive quests, with some players appreciating its unique post-apocalyptic setting and humor, while others find it lacking depth and originality. Many reviews highlight that the narrative can feel grindy and uninteresting, with quests often reduced to generic tasks. Overall, while some players enjoy the story's premise, it is often overshadowed by gameplay issues and a lack of character development.

    • “The story and characters are uninteresting.”
    • “The game drags you in, the storyline is awesome, the graphics are cool, and the sound and music are incredible.”
    • “A solid story about abusing power, elite leaders, and suppressing the masses, set in a post-nuclear Sweden, with a good sense of humor.”
    • “The game literally has no story driving the game and its gameplay is boring.”
    • “All the quests ended up being the same, kill enemies for drops and defeat a boss.”
    • “Companions have zero personality and quests are of the uninspired kill 4 of this, fetch 5 of that variety.”
  • music41 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting its seamless transitions between combat and exploration themes. While some users noted issues with accessing the soundtrack and occasional audio glitches, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, comparable to renowned titles like Hotline Miami. Many recommend purchasing the collector's edition to fully enjoy the music, which is described as fitting, immersive, and even reminiscent of classic sci-fi soundtracks.

    • “The reason I'm recommending this game is because of the soundtrack.”
    • “The musical score is grand, and is the most enjoyable aspect of Krater.”
    • “This post-apocalyptic world feels alive; the music makes you dance in your chair; the NPCs are absolutely hilarious and everything is just gorgeous.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't handled like normal soundtracks on Steam; you have to go digging in your computer for it (it's in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\krater\soundtrack).”
    • “The music was okay and fitting, but repetitive like the rest of the game.”
    • “Load screen music stutters constantly, and the volume of combat music/sound effects changes almost every time one character uses an ability.”
  • graphics34 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game are generally praised for their vibrant aesthetic and consistent design, with many reviewers noting the appealing art style and stimulating visuals. However, some players experienced performance issues, such as lag and high resource consumption, even on lower settings, which detracted from the overall experience. While the graphics are considered above average, the lack of customization options and occasional unpolished elements were also highlighted.

    • “The graphics are really nice, has a comic-like effect.”
    • “In many ways, Krater succeeds - the writing is quirky, the world interesting, and the graphics stimulating.”
    • “Recommended as an awesome pick-up game with epic landscape and art style.”
    • “Graphics and gameplay were extremely unpolished; it reminded me of some kind of weekend project by a programming student.”
    • “It's not even like the game itself is stuttering or anything, but just gobbling up 80%+ of my graphics card for rendering a gazillion frames that will be discarded.”
    • “Fun, but do be warned that it lags on my machine on even the lowest settings, and I can run Diablo 3 and other current games on full graphics with no lag, so probably not very well optimized game code.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of absurdity, dark and off-kilter jokes, and self-referential dialogue, often appealing particularly to Swedish players with its inside jokes. Players appreciate the hilarious NPCs, quirky weaponry, and the light-hearted tone that keeps the game from taking itself too seriously, making for a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, enhancing the game's unique atmosphere and exploration elements.

    • “Characters are funny and the game contains a lot of inside jokes only Swedes will get, but you'll still laugh at the absurdity.”
    • “The setting is unique and there is a lot of humorous voiceovers and flavor text.”
    • “It's funny and easy to understand without being entirely oversimplified - it still surprises me with its smart dialogue and self-awareness.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially towards the endgame. While some appreciate the nostalgic dungeon-grinding experience reminiscent of Diablo, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration due to clunky controls, limited character progression, and a crafting system that exacerbates the grind. Ultimately, the game is seen as a grind-heavy experience with little reward, making it unenjoyable for many.

    • “So... much... grinding... the inability to really focus on a single character through the game takes away from a lot of the fun for me.”
    • “Grindy, repetitive and overall not a fun game.”
    • “The crafting system is essentially a grinding-incentivizer, and character progression is bizarrely limited in ways which are obviously designed to conjure up more grindplay.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users noting a range of glitches and bugs that can detract from the experience, including occasional freezes that may result in lost progress. While some players find these issues manageable and still enjoy the gameplay, others report frequent crashes and net-code problems that can disrupt play. Overall, the game's performance varies, with some praising its visual quality and smooth operation, while others highlight significant stability concerns.

    • “Very well-made game, runs great, and looks gorgeous in DX11!”
    • “The game is incredibly stable, with no crashes or bugs during my playthrough.”
    • “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
    • “And with the final slam, the game freezes and all progress was lost.”
    • “The net-code is quite buggy and crashes have been known to occur frequently.”
    • “Add to that the lackluster story, and buggy, sometimes broken gameplay.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players noting significant issues such as poor GUI responsiveness and excessive resource consumption, leading to performance lags even on mid-range systems. While the world design is appreciated, the overall experience is marred by control difficulties and tactical misclicks, making it feel incomplete and frustrating. Despite its potential for fun, the lack of optimization detracts from accessibility and enjoyment.

    • “But really, the biggest problem here is said optimization -- if you're going to make this type of game, which isn't exactly stocked with content, it needs to be accessible.”
    • “The game is yet to be optimized fully but it shouldn't be a problem if you're running on a mid-end computer.”
    • “Fun, but do be warned that it lags on my machine on even the lowest settings, and I can run Diablo 3 and other current games on full graphics with no lag, so probably not very well optimized game code.”
    • “The game feels extremely incomplete when it comes to the optimization of the GUI; the hardest boss in the game is not in the game itself, it's the controls and tactical misclicks.”
    • “It's not even like the game itself is stuttering or anything, but just gobbling up 80%+ of my graphics card for rendering a gazillion frames that will be discarded.”
    • “Krater is optimized extremely poorly, and thus it is a headache to get going.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning landscapes and immersive world design, creating a vibrant and alive environment that enhances the overall experience. However, some players feel that the teleportation mechanics detract from the sense of freedom and exploration that an open-world game should offer. Overall, the artistic flair and attention to atmospheric detail contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The atmosphere is amazing and the world feels well crafted, alive and beautiful.”
    • “I was in early access for this game and it's come a long way... if they continue to fix the bugs, improve the camera angles, and clean up the UI as much as they've focused on their stunningly gorgeous landscapes and atmosphere, then it'll be a great contender with any AAA dungeon crawler.”
    • “Great artistic flair and very atmospheric, an absolute pleasure to play.”
    • “The atmosphere feels incredibly restrictive; instead of immersing myself in a vibrant open world, I find myself constantly teleported to repetitive mini-worlds filled with dangerous creatures.”
    • “I expected a rich and engaging atmosphere, but instead, it feels like I'm stuck in a loop of the same environments, which completely detracts from the sense of exploration.”
    • “The game fails to deliver a captivating atmosphere, as the constant teleportation to mini-worlds makes it impossible to truly appreciate the vastness and beauty of the game world.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    While the game is considered worth the investment, many users feel that its replayability and multiplayer features are lacking, which may limit long-term engagement.

    • “While the game is worth the money, the replay value and multiplayer options are lacking.”
    • “I enjoyed the game, but I don't see myself playing it again due to its limited replayability.”
    • “The single-player experience was great, but the lack of variety makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is often criticized for being overly simplistic, lacking depth and complexity in the portrayal of characters.

    • “Character development is very simplistic.”
    • “The characters lack depth and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, indicating a lack of value or fairness in its approach.

    • “It was a cash grab, nothing more.”
    • “The in-game purchases are way too expensive for what you get.”
    • “I feel like I'm being forced to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

73hMedian play time
65hAverage play time
50-80hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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