Kristala
- June 6, 2024
- Astral Clocktower Studios
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Kristala is a Dark Fantasy Action RPG featuring a catlike warrior who must master ancient magic to save the world. Engage in punishing yet satisfying combat, using spells, weapons, and acrobatics to defeat enemies. Explore and traverse the environment with unique abilities, and customize your feline character's fur pattern and clan for unique magic."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features engaging combat mechanics that feel satisfying, especially with the parry and deflect system.
- The graphics and art style are visually appealing, with vibrant environments and well-designed character models.
- The game offers a unique blend of stealth and acrobatic gameplay, allowing players to approach challenges in creative ways.
- The game suffers from optimization issues, including lag spikes and frame drops, making it difficult to play smoothly.
- There are numerous bugs present, such as key rebinding issues and instances of falling through the map.
- The combat can feel unresponsive at times, with a lack of impactful feedback when hitting enemies.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its fluid mechanics, engaging combat, and well-integrated stealth elements, reminiscent of souls-like and Assassin's Creed styles, all set in beautifully designed environments. While the game offers a satisfying experience with a variety of mechanics, some players note issues like optimization, frame drops, and a lack of enemy variety that could enhance the overall experience. As an early access title, it shows promise with its polished core gameplay, though it still requires further development to reach its full potential.
“The gameplay is an interesting combination of mechanics, and the levels are bigger and more populated than what I expected for an indie project. Combat is fast and requires precision, but it is not too hard for the casual player.”
“Incredible graphics, awesome cat warriors, and incredible combat inspired by Sekiro. Stealth and acrobatics inspired by Assassin’s Creed. Overall, the game’s art style and gameplay are stunning and satisfying, with environments crafted with tons of detail and enemies with interesting designs.”
“For a game in early access, the gameplay feels polished.”
“The game mechanics are pretty standard.”
“Fyi any kind of boss/enemy that has a 1 shot mechanic/combo is bad design.”
“More variety in enemy mechanics would really spice things up, as most enemies either just do a simple 1-2 or 1-2-3-4 attack variation.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, vibrant visuals, and attention to detail, particularly on high-end systems. However, several users report significant optimization issues, including lag and low frame rates on lower settings, which detracts from the overall experience. While the aesthetic and design are generally well-received, the game's performance and graphical fidelity are seen as needing improvement to meet modern standards.
“Just started playing the game and wow, the artwork is gorgeous.”
“The game sports promising mechanics, packaged in vibrant graphics.”
“Incredible graphics, awesome cat warriors, and a stunning art style with gameplay variety and a level of polish that is commendable for an indie early access title.”
“I think there is still a lot of work needed on optimization; I have to run on basically the lowest graphics to play at like 30 fps.”
“There are constant lags and freezes, while we are talking about graphics, which appearance is 10 years behind the modern one!”
“Graphics-wise it looks like a triple-A early access title; yes, it has some bugs, but what early access doesn't?”
- optimization21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and low frame rates, even on recommended settings. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and express hope for future improvements, the current state of optimization is seen as a major hindrance to gameplay. Many recommend lowering graphics settings to achieve playable performance, indicating that further updates are necessary to enhance the experience.
“Optimization still needs some work, but it's definitely playable.”
“It's still in the very early stages of early access and it shows clearly in places such as optimization and interface issues, but the underlying framework -- the magic, combat, balance bar, and stealth mechanics -- looks to provide a solid foundation for something that could be really great.”
“Highly recommend dialing settings down to keep the frame rate up; optimization tends to come late in development.”
“I think there is still a lot of work needed on optimization; I have to run on basically the lowest graphics to play at like 30 fps.”
“This game has a lot of promise, but it lacks some serious optimizations, to the point where controlling the character is hindered by loading, caching, and other background actions.”
“The game is promising; I like it, I played it for only 1 hour so far, but performance on the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is not very good, and for a souls-like, lags make it very hard to play.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story in Kristala is engaging and well-crafted, with a solid plot and interesting characters that keep players invested, despite being in early access. While some voice acting may be lacking and bugs are present, the narrative's potential shines through, making it a compelling reason to explore the game further. Players appreciate the quest tracking and dynamic levels, which enhance the storytelling experience.
“It's definitely worth getting Kristala for the story alone.”
“This is an early access game, obviously as the Steam page displays it, but for the overall gameplay and storyline that is included in this release, this feels like the first chapter of a fully developed and fully realized game.”
“The story is still developing for me, and some of the voice acting is a little wonky, but enjoyable.”
“The characters we've met so far and the plot kept me wanting more.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its quality and how it enhances the atmosphere of the beautifully designed world. However, some users noted that the music can be a bit loud, suggesting adjustments to the volume for a better experience. Despite occasional technical issues, the overall sentiment is that the music contributes positively to the gameplay.
“The world is beautifully designed and the music complements the feel of the world around you.”
“Let's talk about the music... it's a bit loud, so I definitely recommend you turn it down, but it's actually good and I really enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
“If you have the luck to be bug-free for a time, the game feels good overall; the atmosphere is great, the music is nice, and the graphics look beautiful, so you can really enjoy this game.”
“The music is a bit loud, so I definitely recommend turning it down, but it's actually good and I enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
“The music is a bit loud, so I definitely recommend turning it down, but it's actually good and I enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
“The music cuts out and the game freezes while attempting to load textures, which makes it hard to enjoy the game.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is significantly compromised, with frequent lags, 1-2 second freezes, and numerous bugs, including glitches and poor framerates even on low settings. While it is an early access indie title, players report that the overall experience is marred by these issues, including problematic menus and a disorienting camera.
“There are constant lags and freezes, while we are talking about graphics that are 10 years behind the modern ones!”
“Endless glitches and falling through water loops, constant freezes in menus, terrible framerates even at lowest settings, and a camera that makes me motion sick in ways no other game ever has.”
“Bugs - the major con currently is that the game is very buggy.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, character development is praised for its impressive design and improved gameplay elements, but there are concerns about the depth and personality of NPCs, which some players find lacking. While the visual and auditory aspects are well-received, there is a desire for more engaging and diverse characters as the game progresses.
“The character designs, classes, gameplay components, and voice acting all appear to have been substantially improved, which is nice to see.”
“With a fast-paced and unforgiving combat system similar to typical souls-like games, the artwork, music, and character design are beautiful.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautiful graphics, engaging music, and immersive dark fantasy lore, creating an epic ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Players feel that it rivals AAA titles, especially appealing to cat lovers who enjoy the unique setting.
“I really love many things about Kristala; I love that it is an RPG with very cool lore, a dark fantasy world, and atmosphere!”
“But I will say this: this game is a cat lover's dream, to be able to fight in such an epic atmosphere and ambiance that makes it feel as if we are playing in a AAA game.”
“If you have the luck to be bug-free for a time, the game feels good overall; the atmosphere is good, the music is nice, and the graphics look beautiful, so you can really enjoy this game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the game notable, distinguishing it from others in the genre. Despite being in early access and having potential bugs, the developers maintain open and supportive communication, enhancing the overall experience.
“This game made me feel emotions I didn't expect to experience while playing.”
“The story and characters really resonated with me, leaving a lasting impact.”
“I found myself deeply connected to the narrative, which evoked a range of feelings.”
