Krimson
- December 31, 2023
- CryingPsycho
Get on Steam"Krimson" is a rhythm-based platformer set in a hellish world of blood-soaked organic, industrial, and psychedelic landscapes, each synced to heavy electronic metal music. As an unknown spawn, players must navigate through shifting platforms, obstacles, and hazards to the beat of industrial, electronic, techno, acid, and dubstep tunes. Death is frequent but short, with checkpoints often placed throughout the levels, making for a challenging yet rewarding experience.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Incredible music and visuals create a unique and immersive experience that enhances the platforming gameplay.
- The game features a variety of creative mechanics and level designs that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Frequent checkpoints and forgiving controls make the challenging platforming accessible and enjoyable, allowing players to quickly jump back into the action.
- The game can be visually overwhelming at times, which may hinder precise platforming.
- Some players have noted a significant difficulty spike towards the end of the game, which can be frustrating.
- Lack of cloud saves and some hitbox issues have been mentioned as drawbacks.
- music47 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in "Krimson" is widely praised for its exceptional quality and integration into the gameplay, featuring over 30 unique tracks that enhance the platforming experience. Reviewers highlight the heavy electronic and metal soundtrack as both exhilarating and atmospheric, perfectly complementing the game's intense visuals and challenging mechanics. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a defining element of the game, elevating it to a must-play for fans of rhythm-based platformers.
“Incredible music, incredible visuals, all around one of the coolest rhythm games I've played.”
“The marriage of heavy electronic metal music with the platformer genre is a stroke of genius.”
“To be completely honest, I already knew I was going to at least like Krimson—the next fest demo back in June last year was like a jolt of electricity cutting through my post-Celeste blues... I would be absolutely blown away by its unbelievably killer, industry-defining original soundtrack.”
“The aesthetic only adds to the feeling of music coming to life and trying to swallow your existence.”
“Though, for how powerful and arresting Krimson's visual motifs are, they don't hold a candle to how unfathomably hard the soundtrack goes at literally all times.”
“The genius of the soundtrack, however, lies in its constant evolution and adaptation in accordance to the level design, escalating the composition in tandem with the increasing complexity: most tracks open comparatively muted and restrained, mirroring the introductory nature of the gameplay, before both suddenly and vigorously intensify as once static spikes and sawblades begin to violently rip back and forth to the beat, as though the very threats themselves are serenading the struggle.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Krimson is characterized by its inventive mechanics and variety, with each chapter introducing new challenges that require players to adapt and rethink their strategies. The blend of platforming elements, combined with a dynamic soundtrack that evolves with the gameplay, creates an engaging experience that emphasizes player control and skill development. While the game can be punishingly difficult, it rewards persistence and offers a unique, immersive journey that appeals to both genre enthusiasts and casual players alike.
“Very goofy visuals, ton of variety in the platforming with a completely new and creative mechanic every few levels.”
“This game's world and mechanics grow and transform throughout its runtime in surprising and satisfying ways that will challenge and deepen your pattern recognition skills, spatial awareness, reflexes, adaptability, and much more.”
“Unlike Celeste, where the difficulty is mainly mechanical (performing tricks, like wavedashing), here it's mainly just you, your jump, your wall jump, and gravity.”
“To add to that, every chapter introduces new mechanics, so you'll constantly have to rewire your brain to face the new challenges.”
“Make no mistake: if you're anything like me, you will die, and you will die a lot. A lot of the times you die are going to feel like it was complete bullshit, but the beauty in Krimson's gameplay is realizing that everything is actually very much in your control.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their incredible and unique art style, which enhances the overall experience with a vibrant and psychedelic aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the visuals as both engaging and sometimes overwhelming, perfectly complementing the game's intense soundtrack and challenging gameplay. Overall, the combination of striking visuals and music creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players.
“Incredible music, incredible visuals, all around one of the coolest rhythm games I've played.”
“Amazing aesthetics and music!”
“The aesthetic only adds to the feeling of music coming to life and trying to swallow your existence.”
“Banging heavy distorted electronic grunge industrial techno dubstep metal soundtrack set to intense psychedelic acid-trip visuals!”
“Very goofy visuals, ton of variety in the platforming with a completely new and creative mechanic every x levels.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique and engaging environments, particularly in circle 3, which stands out as an unprecedented experience in gaming. The atmospheric design, complemented by enjoyable music, creates an immersive experience, though some players feel the overall length of the game is a bit short at around five hours.
“Each circle has such a unique atmosphere and style that made me want to push through to see what crazy things were going to happen next, especially circle 3, which is so far from anything else I have ever seen in a video game in both great and terrible ways.”
“Atmospheric as hell (pun intended), music really enjoyable, a bit too short - approximately 5 hours.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story in "Krimson" is a well-structured adventure that offers a journey of survival and self-discovery within a hostile world, setting it apart from typical genre offerings. While the overall experience is streamlined and lacks additional narrative elements or replayability, its focused and intense storytelling contributes to its status as a uniquely cohesive and creatively rich platformer.
“Unlike most other games in the genre, Krimson is much more than just a loose collection of themed rooms: it's a full-fledged adventure, a tale with a beginning, middle, and end, a quest to survive and overcome; and perhaps even a journey of self-discovery through a hostile and terrifying world that could mirror some of your own struggles, failures, and successes.”
“The overall experience is on the leaner side, with no story, collectibles, or any inherent replayability to speak of, and thus not quite as well-rounded as other genre standouts.”
“Krimson's breakneck pace, clear disdain of repetition, and dogged dedication to purging any and all fluff results in one of the most cohesive, focused, and creatively dense precision platformers of all time, but it lacks a compelling narrative.”
“While Krimson is a full-fledged adventure with a quest to survive and overcome, it ultimately feels like a journey without depth, leaving players wanting more from the story.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers a unique and fulfilling adventure that encourages patience and perseverance, contributing to its replayability. However, it lacks traditional elements like a story or collectibles, which may limit its appeal compared to other genre standouts. Despite this, its fast-paced gameplay and focus on precision create a cohesive experience that some players may find worth revisiting.
“Treat yourself to a once-in-a-lifetime experience: where a little patience and perseverance can open the door to an endlessly fulfilling and replayable adventure.”
“The overall experience is on the leaner side, with no story, collectibles, or any inherent replayability to speak of, and thus not quite as well-rounded as other genre standouts; however, Krimson's breakneck pace, clear disdain of repetition, and dogged dedication to purging any and all fluff results in one of the most cohesive, focused, and creatively dense precision platformers of all time, the likes of which I doubt will be seen again for a very long time.”
