Krater

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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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

54%

Audience ScoreBased on 795 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

grinding28 negative mentions

The game has a unique and vibrant post-apocalyptic setting that is visually appealing.
Some players found joy and hope in the game, using it as a form of escapism during tough times.
The soundtrack is praised for its quality and adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.

The game is unfinished and has been abandoned by the developers, leading to numerous bugs and lack of promised features.
Gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, with limited character customization and tactical options.
Many players experienced technical issues, including crashes and poor optimization, making the game unplayable for some.

gameplay
123 mentions
16 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
15 % negative 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 like Diablo, but many feel it falls short of its potential due to unpolished mechanics and a lackluster design.
- “If you enjoy real-time strategy and Diablo-esque dungeon crawlers with some loot and crafting mechanics, this is the game for you.”
- “Recommended for anyone looking for a simplified ARPG with a fresh look and overall fun gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is quick and simple, RPG elements are complex yet familiar.”
- “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.”
story
118 mentions
22 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as a mix of engaging themes set in a post-apocalyptic Sweden, focusing on power dynamics and survival, but it suffers from repetitive quests and lackluster character development. While some players find the narrative enjoyable and worth completing, many criticize it for being unoriginal and overshadowed by generic gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story has redeeming qualities but is often hindered by poor dialogue and mission design, leading to a grindy experience.
- “The setting is unique with a rather interesting story.”
- “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 drags you in, the storyline is awesome, the graphics are cool, and the sound and music are incredible.”
- “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 then defeat a boss.”
- “Companions have zero personality and quests are of the uninspired kill 4 of this, fetch 5 of that variety.”
music
82 mentions
44 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its exceptional soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, seamlessly transitioning between combat and exploration. While some users noted issues with accessing the soundtrack and occasional audio glitches, the overall sentiment highlights the music as a standout feature, comparable to renowned soundtracks in other games. Many recommend purchasing the collector's edition for those who wish to own the soundtrack, which is also available on platforms like Spotify.
- “The musical score is grand, and is the most enjoyable aspect of Krater.”
- “The humour the game has is not one I have seen in any other game, the game's electronic soundtrack is out of this world, totally on par with Hotline Miami.”
- “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.”
graphics
68 mentions
56 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their vibrant colors, comic-like aesthetic, and consistent design, contributing to an engaging visual experience. However, many users report performance issues, such as lag and high system requirements, which detract from the overall enjoyment. While the visuals are considered above average, the limited graphical options and unoptimized performance have led to mixed feelings among players.
- “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.”
- “There is no reason why a PC-only game should have so little ability to change your graphic settings.”
humor
40 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative 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 enhances the exploration and customization elements, contributing to a vibrant and entertaining atmosphere.
- “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.”
- “Random encounters occur when moving between known (and unknown) world map locations and the NPCs scattered around have hilarious problems that they need you to help with.”
grinding
28 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with many players finding it tedious, repetitive, and lacking in meaningful rewards. While some enjoy 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 may appeal to those who appreciate grinding, but for many, it becomes a tiresome chore with little payoff.
- “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.”
- “The crafting system is essentially a grinding-incentiviser, and character progression is bizarrely limited in ways which are obviously designed to conjure up more grindplay.”
- “100% grinding, zero payoff”
stability
16 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marked by a mix of minor bugs and glitches, with some players experiencing significant issues like freezing and lost progress, particularly during critical moments. While the net-code is described as buggy and prone to crashes, many users find that these issues do not severely detract from the overall gameplay experience. Overall, players can enjoy the game if they are willing to overlook its stability problems.
- “Very well made game, runs great, and gorgeous in DX11!”
- “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.”
optimization
14 mentions
29 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant issues such as high resource consumption and lag even on low settings, making it feel incomplete. While the visuals are praised, the controls and GUI optimization detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration during gameplay. Despite these challenges, some users find potential enjoyment in the game, especially at a low price point, if they can overlook the performance issues.
- “The game is yet to be optimized fully, but it shouldn't be a problem if you're running on a mid-end computer.”
- “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.”
- “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 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.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-12 % neutral mentions
38 % negative 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 open-world exploration, limiting the sense of freedom and adventure. Overall, the artistic flair and attention to detail contribute to a captivating atmosphere that many find enjoyable.
- “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 exploring a vast world, you're just teleported to endless mini-worlds filled with dangerous beasts.”
- “The game fails to deliver a sense of freedom and exploration, as the atmosphere is marred by constant teleportation to repetitive environments.”
- “I expected an immersive open-world experience, but the atmosphere is ruined by the lack of genuine exploration and the overwhelming presence of danger.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Many users feel that while the game is worth the investment, it falls short in terms of replayability and multiplayer options, limiting the incentive to revisit the experience.
- “The game is worth the money, but the replay value and multiplayer options are lacking.”
- “The game is worth the money, but the replay value and multiplayer options are lacking.”
character development
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development is criticized for being overly simplistic, lacking depth and complexity in the portrayal of characters.
- “Character development is very simplistic.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing strong discontent over its exploitative nature.
- “It was a cash grab, nothing more.”